Ok so I have gotten like 3 hours of sleep total the past 3 days. I've been running on adrenaline...not even caffeine since I don't drink that stuff. Oh wow. I just finished my last project. It is currently 7:37 am. I would love to go to sleep but I am going to try and get over to see the professor who teaches the class I TA for so I can get my students grades set. Once I finish that, I'll be done. I'll get to sleep for a few but then I've got to clean my apartment including throwing away all the food in my refrigerator and do laundry and pack. Then I am getting the F outta Tallahassee. Thank you. I'm really excited about going home and sleeping in my bed. Ok, that's it for now.
Ok, so every year I run into the same problem...not knowing what I want for Christmas. I can never tell anyone anything. I always think up something for my mom to get me (usually a camera). But that's about it. Everyone is left to fend for themselves. In addition to being hard to shop for, I can never think of anything to get anyone either. I just sort of grab random crap and wrap it because I have to. I dread people opening my presents because I know they suck. Oh well...that's how it goes. Ok...this is what I want for Christmas...but I'm thinking I won't get it. Not only is he ridiculously hot, he played the sweetest guy ever on Sex and the City, and look how QT he is when harassed about his uneven nostril-ed ex-girlfriend Rosario Dawson.
I've been reading lists of the smartest and dumbest people in Hollywood. I thought I'd take a moment to write down a list of people I just can't stand. This is in no particular order.
1. Jessica Simpson: Ok so she's dumb...we get it...but does she have to pretend like its a good thing. Ok so its cool now to be blond, big-boobed, and as smart as a lump of dog crap? Not to mention she looks like she's having a seizure when she's singing (nothing against people with seizure disorders because I'm sure they don't think they look great during a seizure and they wouldn't voluntarily get up and sing knowing they were going to have one), she makes suck movies, and her dad is a psycho. Back in high school I had an additional reason to think she was annoying even before she revealed her stupidity on national tv...her hypocrisy. When she first hit the scene she was all...I don't want to show my belly because it's against my beliefs...then she has surgery to remove a tumor from her belly and then her stomach is everywhere because "well I have a hot stomach now..." Oh god.
2. Hilary Duff: Ok, so she's less alien-looking now that she gained a tad bit more weight. But shes still something I'd rather not look at, yes I said something. I don't really mind her as an actress...just as a "singer." This girl does not sing. She talks. Just listen to her pathetic songs.
3. Ashley Tisdale: Ok so you're 22...act like you're 22 not 15. Her songs are about as mature as a Hannah Montana song...which is great if your actually 14 like Miley Cyrus. Ok she got into the game late but that doesn't mean she has to start back where most pop stars start. You're a women...stop acting like a child...PS. she can't sing either.
4. Justin Timberlake: Your voice makes me want to vomit
I can't think of anyone else right now but here are some honorable mentions
Britney Spears: ok so I don't detest her but she needs to get some serious help and a serious image consultant
X17online.com: This isn't a person but they are a gossip/paparrazzi site that has this deal with Britney spears so they never right anything negative about her. There will be a picture of her driving while holding a jacket over her head while wearing sunglasses at night. Other sites will say it's reckless since she is obscuring her view. X17 will say something like...Oh you can't blame her because paparrazzi are always surrounding her.
Jessica Biel: she looks like a man
Heidi and Spencer: Oh please just go away
Rachel Ray: I want to smack her everytime she opens her mouth
If your Vox Neighborhood had a potluck dinner tonight, what dish, drink or dessert would you bring?
Last time I brought banana pudding which was a bad idea because I got harassed to make it for weeks afterward. Michael has been harassing me to make him apple pie after I made it for Thanksgiving.
If I was going to a potluck, I think I'd make some Chicken Pot Pie. I haven't made it since the one time I made it for Apartment dinner at UVA. It was good stuff...yummy biscuit topping. That said, I'm gonna make Ratatouille one of these days...Disney style. It'll be good.
What's your musical horoscope? (Put your player on shuffle and write down the first 10 songs that come up.)
Crazy in Love - Switchfoot Cover
I Promise You - Backstreet Boys
Amy's Song - Switchfoot
Dearly Loved - Jimmy Needham
I'd Rather Be In Love - Michelle Branch
Semi-Charmed Life - Third Eye Blind
Don't Wanna Lose You Know - Backstreet Boys
What You Never Know - Hayley Westenra
Last Night You Saved My Life - Backstreet Boys
Hiatus - Sugarcult
what can I say, I have a lot of BSB
You can check out my profile and read an excerpt: HERE
Ok so I didn't take any pictures of my dinner, but I wanted to discuss my success and failure at making dinner this year.
Turkey: I brined the turkey this year but I'm not sure how much moisture it really added. I didn't really baste it either. But the turkey tasted delicious anyway. Once again, I used a sage-butter underneath the skin. I really think that is the key.
Stuffing: I made the same cornbread stuffing I made last year and it was delicious once again. Basically sweet cornbread, onions, sage butter, heavy cream, and chicken stock - delicious.
Gravy: I used homemade turkey stock and some Wondra flour. Good stuff. I didn't bother with drippings or pan scrapings. I made another batch the next day with pan scrapings and store bought turkey stock - both turned out good. Gravy is pretty simple.
Cranberry Sauce: I don't really like this stuff but I made some which I guess turned out alright. It had orange juice and orange zest along with vanilla and creme de cassis (currant liquor) in it.
Mashed Potatoes: I made basic russet potato mashed potatoes this year instead of my garlic yukon gold mashed potatoes. I really love regular mashed potatoes with heavy cream and butter. So simple but delicious.
Cheese Biscuits: Oh these were delicious. Paula Deen never fails. They are super easy to make too: self rising flour, baking powder, shortening, cheddar, and buttermilk - mix and scoop.
Sweet Potato Casserole: I don't really like this stuff but I guess it was ok.
Pumpkin-Pecan Pie: I don't really like pecans so next time I'll just make the pumpkin pie
Apple-Pie: This was good stuff. It ended up being a bit watery (the juice from the apples seeping out) but it actually was better the second day because the liquid evaporated when it was put back in the oven. Next time I'll use apples with low-moisture content but it tasted good. The crust was super annoying but I actually did a woven lattice this time so it looked pretty. I've decided on one crust recipe to use from now on. Everytime I've tried other ones they don't work out as well. It uses shortening, butter, and vinegar along with the quintessential ice-cold water.
That's it. I'll use this years dinner to keep improving my skills but I'm happy that I was once again able to produce a pretty good dinner by myself.
For a full sit-down dinner with several guests, would you rather be the one cooking or do you prefer to just show up and eat?
Cook, Cook, Cook as I've done for the past 2 years.
Film & TV writers are on strike, which means everything except reality TV could halt production. Do you support the strike? Are any of your favorite shows in jeopardy?
Heroes may only be 11 episodes this season. BOO! Someone needs to pony up some dough.
View my NaNoWrimo PROFILE
November has rolled around again...and so has National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I did this last year and wrote a lovely cheesy-ass romance novel entitled Cassandra and the Sea. And then my computer crashed and I never saw it again. Oh well...it was sucky anyway. This year I am working on an adaptation of Mansfield Park. I don't know why but whenever I think about writing a companion to Pride and Prejudice, it makes me want to vomit. Its just like when I was younger and I couldn't draw pictures of people I liked too much (aka Nick). But I could draw people I didn't care about perfectly well. Something about caring too much about the original so the product would never be good enough. I was originally going to just write an alternative version about Fanny. But I think I'm going to base the bulk of the novel around a made up character named Marianne Winters, born Marianne Price. Anyway, who knows if I'll finish it. 50,000 words is a whole lot. But I'll give it a go. Who knows, maybe this time my computer won't crash and I won't lose everything I wrote.
