So, the party I mentioned the other day was a tie-dye party. I’ve never done tie-dye before, but I’m sure we’ll do it again! And next time, there will be yarn involved.
(haha, that last one looks a little like it was in a horror movie, doesn’t it?)
5 intimate things we pay people (not doctors) to do for us (and I’m not speaking of sexy things)
1. Depilatory Waxing — the Brazilian kind primarily, but having your eyebrows waxed is pretty intimate, too.
2. Manicure/Pedicure — they cut your nails, for chrissake. I don’t even cut my husband’s nails.
3. Hair Cuts — especially the part where they shampoo your hair. (Some might find this surprising, but have you ever watched your man get his haircut (and washed!) by a beautiful stylist with gorgeous and soft feminine curves? Didn’t you feel even the teenyist tinyist stab of jealousy?)
4. Massage therapy– kind of a given.
5. Dental hygiene work — they are IN. YOUR. MOUTH. You can’t tell me that’s not intimate.
At least, according to this guy. Interesting stuff.
Starbucks is closing 600 US stores due to pressure from the tanking economy. Is your ‘Bucks on the list? You don’t have to be a trained barista or have a ton of expensive equipment to make a latte that easily rivals the Starbucks version. For a modest investment, you can have your Grande Latte any time you want (and for a lot cheaper than $5-a-pop).
Hardware
Stove top espresso pot (I got an inexpensive one at the supermarket for under $20)
Milk frother (I have one from IKEA that cost less than $5)
Coffee grinder (Inexpensive grinders can be found anywhere. I can’t remember where we got ours…)
Cooking thermometer (here’s mine)
Software
About 3 or 4 Tbsp or so of whole coffee beans. (I buy my coffee at TJ’s where they have a good selection of coffees in different roasts. Traditionally espresso is made with a dark roasted but you can make your espresso from whatever beans you like the best.)
8 oz Milk (I prefer fat-free)
Sugar (if you are so inclined)
update: I should note here that my espresso pot makes a single 1-1/2 oz cup.
Application
1.Finely grind your beans following the grinder’s instructions. Really fine. As close to a powder as you can get it. Of course, if you don’t have a coffee grinder, you can grind the beans at the store or buy espresso coffee that is pre-ground to the right texture, but grinding your beans yourself right before you make the espresso really is the best way.
2. Pack the coffee into the basket of your espresso pot and fire up your stove, making the espresso as per the pot’s instructions.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat up your milk to (up to 155°, don’t go any higher or it tastes scalded). When it’s at your desired temp (mine is 140°-145°) give it a little whirl with the frother.
4. Make your latte by layering everything into a tall (16 oz) coffee mug in this order: sugar, espresso, milk.
Yum!
Kill deadly ninjas with your mad typing skillz.
Dear Trader Joe:
Please place signage on or near your watermelon flats indicating the color of the inside of the melons.
The yellow is always so jarring, especially if you are expecting a rich, sweet red. I am willing to forgive you this time, dear Joe, because the amazing swirly pattern is so pleasing to the eye, but please remember a sign (Yellow Flesh Melon!) next time.
Thank you and see you soon,
Jen
This is what I looked like when I left the house this morning.
And this is what I looked like when I got home.
(Well, after a shower. There was a lot of crap product in my hair after the stylist spent about 20 minutes making it look all poofy. I’m not really a poofy kind of gal. Also, if your client tells you she’s going to wear the hair OFF the face, don’t waste your time and energy blowing it INTO the face. Ah, I see my bangs need a little more training.)
I’m sorry all you long hair enthusiasts. I just couldn’t take it any more. It was driving me c-r-a-z-y. The hair was always on the back of my neck or in my face and so heavy all the time. Sometimes it stayed wet ALL day. It only looked good for about 5 minutes after I brushed it, so I either spent the day brushing it every 5 minutes or wearing it clipped up in the back or in a pony tail.
I LOVE my new hair. I feel so much taller.
Fuckingshitgoddamnit!
This evening was annual meeting of our condo’s Home Owner’s Association. Guess who’s the new, most unenthusiastic member of the condo board. Dudes, there was some serious peer pressure down there. Shit, man. And, to make the evening complete, guess who reluctantly agreed to be the board secretary when no one else would step forward. Damn you Vilfredo Pareto!!!
The summer before I discovered knitting, our family spent a week at the Cape with my husband’s step-dad and sibs. We all had a wonderful time. During the day, we all did our own thing–we went to the beach, hung around the house and read, etc. It was all very very relaxing. Then, in the evening, the whole family would gather for dinner and then sit together in the fading summer light talking and hanging out until we were all too tired and had to retire to bed. Often a card game would break out. It was just great.
One afternoon, one of my sisters-in-law was playing a kind of solitaire. I watched her play for along time, trying to figure out the rules, but there didn’t seem to be any–it just looked like she was moving the cards from the deck in her hand to a pile on the table. When I finally asked, she was more than happy to teach me this game.
Start with a standard deck of playing cards with the jokers removed and shuffled thoroughly.
From the BACK of the deck,
deal yourself four cards by placing them face up on top of the deck.
The last four cards dealt are the cards in play. Compare the last card with the fourth card to the left. If they are neither the same suit or the same face value, do nothing and deal yourself another card. If they are the same face value, discard all four cards. If they are the same suit, remove the two cards between them:
Since four cards are always in play, deal yourself enough cards to be able to compare the last card dealt with the fourth card to the left:
Continue in this manner, flipping cards over from the back and comparing them as described
until all the cards have been dealt. The idea is to end up with five or fewer cards remaining in play.
You can read the wiki on this game here. This is a great game to play when space is limited, like on an airplane (if the TSA confiscates your needles, e.g.) or while waiting in the doctor’s office. It’s what I did until I learned how to became consumed by knitting.
I mean, seriously. Christ already.
6/4–edited to update the link.
Knitting Interrupted 
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