Eggplant and mushrooms

I don’t like them, but they seem to be all over the place in plant-based recipes. I’m stubborn and want to like them. The good news is that Dan doesn’t like them either, but I think we should both try to like them, Sam-I-Am.

Suggestions?

An open letter to all parents from a non-parent.

Reblogged from trying to be good:

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I just finished babysitting your baby today.

I have salmon stuck on my neck and in the crease under my left breast.

My eardrum is damaged due to high frequency screaming.

I had to hold her while I was peeing because from her perspective it seemed like Satan himself would rape and kill her slowly if I put her down thus I did not get the chance to wipe myself properly…

Read more… 471 more words

If you've ever been a babysitter or a parent (I am the first and not the second), you should read this post. I've sat for some great kids, and I've sat for some monsters just like the kid in this post-- I take it all in as much as I can as practice for my own kids someday. You read that correctly: I'm practicing on your kids. Thanks! And you're awesome for letting me do it and watch how you parent-- I'm taking notes.

My Review of Merrell Tetra Strap Waterproof Boots – Women’s

Originally submitted at REI

The Merrell Tetra Strap waterproof boots offer a sleek, tall leather design that boasts great looks and a supportive, comfortable fit for everyday wear. Tall, full-grain waterproof leather uppers feature medial zippers and lateral gores for easy entry and a snug fit; winding strap adds high style. …

Merrell Tetra Strap Waterproof Boots – Women’s

Just what I was looking for!

By missleah from Wakefield, MA on 1/3/2012

 

5out of 5

Sizing: Feels true to size

Pros: Stylish, Great Color, Durable, Comfortable, Cushions Impact, Great traction, Versatile, Good Arch Support

Best Uses: School, Wet Weather, Going Out, Wear them anywhere, Travel, Casual Wear, Work

Describe Yourself: Stylish

I have been on the lookout for tall black riding boots for a few years now, and never wanted to plunk down the cash for a good pair. After Christmas though, I found these babies in an REI while on vacation in Colorado and fell in love. They’re super-comfy and wearable with just about anything– I got the black pair and think I may just replace my other tall brown boots with another pair! I have relatively slim calves and swim in other styles, but these are nice and snug while also leaving just enough room to tuck my jeans in. I’m wearing them right now at work with a sweaterdress and fun tights– these boots are so versatile. The best part is that they don’t slouch in the ankle like a lot of boots do. There’s plenty of structure while still being REALLY comfy right out of the box.

(legalese)

So sorry!

For anyone who may have clicked through on that last post… I’m so sorry! My email account got a virus, and since WordPress allows you to post via email, the spammy link was posted here. I’ve deleted the post, and I hope it didn’t do too much damage.

Sometimes I hate the Internet

The Dress. Part 1.

Wedding dress shopping is one of the most stressful parts of planning a wedding. Everyone (myself included this time) expects you to put on a dress, for the heavens to open with choirs of angels, the bride’s face to light up like Christmas, and the bride’s mother to dissolve in a fit of happy tears, declaring “that’s The One!”

I didn’t quite have that experience. But it was close, and perfect in its own right.

Hey, FI… I know you don’t read my blog, but if you for some reason decided to take a peek, this is *not* the post you want to read. Remember, the dress is purple taffeta with poofy sleeves and a pickup skirt!

Early in the planning process (who are we kidding, it was a few weeks before we even got engaged), Mum said that she’d pay for my wedding dress. I was really surprised to hear her say this, and really very touched. And, I’m not going to lie, pumped that I could add a few hundred (almost a thousand, most likely) dollars back into our budget. Love you, Mum!

There was one dress shop that I wanted to go to first. When one of my best friends (we’ll call her MOH K) got engaged, we agreed that we’d go to Gallet in Wakefield to look at dresses for her. I’d driven past it about a million times, always looking up to see what dress was in the window. Our experience there was phenomenal (she found her dress there!) and we promised the shop’s owner, Astrid, that we’d be back when it was my turn.

Once we got engaged, I started calling Astrid to make my appointment to come in. After a few tries, we decided that this past Saturday (yes, Halloween) was the right time. Mum and I went in at 10 a.m. and started the process of finding my wedding dress. I went in armed with all my inspiration photos, pulled from magazines from the past few years. And one lone printout of my most favoritest dress I’ve ever laid eyes on, Monique Lhuillier’s Miranda. I had determined that my criteria went something like this:

• V-neck, potentially cap sleeves
• Lace
• Ivory
• Slim silhouette, but not tight (dropped A-line, trumpet, sheath, etc.)
• Under $1000
• Not taffeta
• Not a pickup skirt
• Open to other options

Let me tell you, having these criteria in my head made a huge difference. It narrowed down the millions of possibilities I would have had before me.

Astrid took one look at the pictures I’d brought in and got to work. She noted that most of the pictures I pulled had very similar qualities, and once I started trying on dresses with different necklines and shapes, she said that I’d honed in on what works for me really well. I tried on maybe 15 or so dresses there, winding up with two serious contenders. I didn’t/couldn’t take pictures, and can’t find them online (just like Astrid said) so you’ll just have to trust me.

One was a slinky ivory Alfred Sung bias-cut silk gown that was modern and a little edgy. It had some really cool weaving at the center of the chest with satin ribbons that added a lot of visual interest to the dress.  I liked it, and could have pulled it off, but there was just something about it that didn’t click. Maybe it was the knowledge that the gym and I would have had to become really good friends from now until October 22, and that I’d still have to wear Spanx on my wedding day.

The other was an ivory  Saison Blanche allover lace v-neck gown with beading on the bust that sprinkled down the rest of the dress. I would have modified the v-neck so that it was more open along my collarbone and would have added a sash for some waist definition and a little bit of fun. There was a funky seam along my knees that would have been modified, too. Overall, though, I think it was my favorite of the two. It was really close to the Miranda, but the lace pattern just wasn’t quite what I was looking for– it was almost mod.

So no winners, no choirs of angels, but a few tears from Mum. In total, a great first dress shopping experience. Astrid was fantastic throughout, encouraging me to tell her what I liked and didn’t like about each gown so that she could keep those things in mind for the next round of dresses. Though I didn’t buy my dress from her (I have to give her a call and let her know, since she was holding the top two dresses for me), I will definitely go back to her for my alterations and accessories, including my veil. Astrid, and her namesake shop– Gallet Collection, come highly recommended for any brides looking for a fabulous gown shopping experience. Tell her I sent you.

Our date

I should probably tell you all about the site visits and fun things like that first, but this post just happens to be seriously timely. Because we’ve chosen our venue and have confirmed a date with the church, we have our wedding date. It is…

October 22, 2010!

That’s right, kids, we’re getting married exactly one year from today!

We’re heading to our chosen party site tonight to drop off our deposit and sign the contract. We’re also bringing our moms so that they can check it out and feel nice and included in this whole planning shebang. And we’re taking pictures, since I was a bit of a goon and TOTALLY forgot to take pictures when we were up there last Saturday.

What do I ramble on, anyway?

Oh, a little of this, a little of that, according to Wordle.net. Wanna see?

I have no idea what the “Jim” reference is. Maybe from “The Office”? I think it only takes the last few posts, too… I seem to remember talking about beer more than fleece

At any rate, Wordle is cool because you just plug in the link and it randomly generates the cloud for you. You can then go in and change the font type and color, the orientation of the words, and the number of words included. This one has 250.

What does yours say?

App for BlackBerry!

Part of the reason I got a BlackBerry when it was time for a new phone was so that I could blog more often. I sit on the train for ungodly amounts of time every day, so I thought it would be fun.

Fast forward 3 or 4 months.

I finally figure out that I should probably check to see if there’s a WordPress app, since updating from the browser really isn’t happening. Lo and behold, there is! I just downloaded it, so keep your eyes peeled for fun-on-the-run posts from wherever I may be at the time. Maybe on the train (very likely on a weekday) or in the car (weekends) or who the hell knows where else. I’m excited

Dear colleagues…

I realize that it’s weird to you that I’ve returned to the company after being laid off just over a month ago. Trust me, I think it’s weird, too. I’m sitting at my same desk, with the same people, working on the same computer (with nothing deleted), but learning how to do different work.

And I’m grateful, very grateful, that I have a job again. And that I was only out of work for about 5 weeks.This isn’t the issue.

The issue is when you say something like “oh, it’s just like you were on vacation!”

I’ll be the first to admit that I was almost relieved when the day came and I had to leave. I had been trying to find a way out for some time, but wanted it to be on my own terms. I was determined to look at it as a blessing in disguise, that being laid off from a job I didn’t find fulfilling, interesting, or any of the other characteristics I was hoping for would allow me to find something so much better. I’ll admit that for the first week, I tried to take advantage of not working as much as I could.

Still, the day after I was laid off, I sent an e-mail to all my friends and family asking for their help in my job search. Two days after being laid off, I went and filed for unemployment. Every single day I wasn’t working, I was scouring the web, looking for open jobs that matched my abilites and experience (very few are out there right now), applying for any job that seemed remotely close, and tracking every single one of my job-related movements. I worked part-time. I had to dip into my savings to make ends meet, something I was sincerely trying to avoid. I was worried that I wouldn’t find a job for months– what would I do? I only had enough savings to maybe cover two months. I was better off than a lot of people, but that’s small comfort when you’re in it yourself.

I don’t mean to sound bitter, though I know I do. I realize that to you, I had a nice break from work for a while and fooled around with some part-time jobs just to get out of the house. It’s not true, and it pains me to think about what would have happened had I not gotten the opportunity to come back.

So, please, if for nothing else than helping me maintain some sanity, don’t tell me it was just like taking a vacation. I’m fine with you asking how it feels to be back, how I like the work so far, and even how I was when I was gone. I’m not unwilling to talk about my experience (which is why I blog, naturally), but please don’t diminish it.

Thanks,

Leah

Look! I blogged somewhere else!

So I’ve mentioned that I’ve been working with Rachel for a few weeks now, and I got to post an entry on her blog introducing myself and talking about one of the weddings she shot. Check it out!

I’m so glad the bride saw it and left a comment… it made me happy!