tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55054348105590931052024-03-18T20:01:50.689-07:00Free Time ChicFree Time Chic began as a means to fill time freed by a job loss in January of 2009. As an occasional victim of laziness, I made it my mission to fill my time with productive things that would make me and others happy.
In this space I will share some of my ideas, crafty ways to fill all of this free time. You can make your free time chic.e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-58862829288867646192011-02-18T11:13:00.001-08:002011-02-18T11:13:41.315-08:00news.i have no free time. but i do live in new york now!e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-32671450209628570042010-01-08T10:02:00.000-08:002010-01-08T10:25:47.823-08:00Canning some wicked jam.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The holidays are over, but citrus season is not. Because money isn't falling out of my ears (that would be gross anyway), I decided to get super crafty this year when it came to gifts. I recruited a special pal who has experience canning jam. FYI, non-perishable jam needs to be sealed and all items needs to be sterilized. My friend had doused her kitchen in boiling water and I brought the sharp knives. We ventured out to Berkeley Bowl for some fruit, in this case about 8 lbs of blood oranges and a 1/2 lb of Meyer lemons. After returned to her house, we rinsed the fruit and using a vegetable peeler, cut the colored part from 2 lemons and 4 oranges.<br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBOze7ttLeU64LEJVxKyxcmN_OO8B4xKa_l4NYI6gUozYJTxeQlJRfROVntfJ0Y2oG1iDi_KOt1jPeRGEoU6l4PGBB5PxjEybW3sJYcfVdKAH2RQcPz-yHRorW4hWO9j5mDpJN2XNmX8/s320/4227850028_8a04a7750e.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424432782761137922" /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Then we finely diced the peel and put 2 tablespoons of the lemon peel and 6 tablespoons of the orange peel and 1 cup of water in a 6-8 quart pan. The rest of the peel is unnecessary.<br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOx2RhS7ncezChQGEKuCF6JX4Z-bt5Chew1QLCDgjc-OTHega25e_rxZ5i299pHnG4jy5L3Vj_Ni8wvlsk3UPePq_uLPg3iVS_0nAQ7ZttAKCiwxlh9jsJQEQierjnVc3BUoNpJaGjWjw/s320/4227850180_f2b3706789.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424433563842149378" /><br />With a sharp knife, we carefully peeled all of the white crap off of the fruit and cut the lemons and 10 oranges into chunks, trying to keep all of those pesky seeds out of the "good" bowl. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhJ5GRzMsiCjpnyBErVuUfo-nh0H9V99G4OyvWoMDyve7y1m7AITTRXvOwUP7bPVQSjMtyeZ0LdvNp0Ihv0Oit9JKDjSHFT5sYM6Rh727aTfoRSSbvjLh7aqwG6gVz-hNw1fCXdYAsf4/s320/4227080257_cc6653bb79.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424434133091543826" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Take the fruit in the "good" bowl and puree them in a food processor until you have 2 cups that are smoothly blended. Pour this into the pan with the diced peel. Puree remaining fruit and put it through a fine strainer to extract juice. Juice the rest of the fruit until you have a total of 4 cups. We had to go get more fruit at this point because some fruit aint so juicy! Take this pan and boil it on high heat stirring a LOT until it's reduced to about 5 cups total, or for about 10 minutes. Now the pectin, mix it (a 1.75 oz pkg) with a 1/4 cup of sugar and add it to the pan. Stir on high until it starts to boil rapidly. Add 4 cups of sugar to the pan and stir until it returns to a boil. Now watch the clock for one minute and remove it from the heat.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsZ7rb2SM6mPr48VXcI1nqW2deCd7EYNnNafk4IskP_RSNlieSQsKMtLFQpZpxHCnYay4ZsRTajrxu7bcWbDdhMTeR2iIMTbZfKxJa2DU9Mk-ZauYgFKBBhAYVBPlLiHsgVXXZo_gfCo/s320/4227080757_30bf605c92.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424433557141045906" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Now using a sterilized spoon or ladle, scoop the mixture into clean canning jars. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50brNSaAFTHlhD_2RAqsSrn2ztjjmQZAO32ELumwveT0yEFf3XG5uMoRiClxq4L0_iFIz5eiDgz1UXMSAGIzx9OrNRAJPC22WC2GaTGYc3md7UQX4Wt1c5pAuy-FPvpyDQZQJYZ7le80/s320/4227849954_78cf214a28.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424433561297925730" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Leave about 1/8 inch of room at the top, wipe jar rims clean and set a sterilized flat lid on each jar, screw on lids. All of these pieces should have been resting in a boiling pot of water and using tongs and a towel you can make this happen without burning your paws. Beware of splattering boiling water or fruit. OUCH. Let the jars rest on a towel for 5 minutes and turn them rightsideup. Let it cool there for 24 hours and by now all seals should have popped in. When you press on the top it shouldn't budge. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">JAM!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_6RUw21geg3TQHpALpS8oDHv7raERxc0ISroOGQ0Q9km1cBNScP_19rlVWwAUniE4JADWElE0AiW7dGKKERyN1xFT0BNOR06G6sVWeagZjCkLPnGLmg3HRI-h9YkepdNuMfdwZZiOIE/s320/4227850804_9150ba59db.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424433572071881314" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /><br /></span></span><br /></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-27600986122348464402010-01-05T22:02:00.001-08:002010-01-05T22:33:00.378-08:00New year, new post!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHl3yin9ehGm47TvPcq3xARRoD-1M7Xbsly_Tq-exiXDCSnU4s9YrjphFXH_THd5s6t8OoNPC0CeSjp5oQJo860iK5u1ft-jA2LsiAd2AB2lK6EjBnNAyo-XdAARnxDnxqJ8Tg1A7uDw/s1600-h/downsized_0105001928.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHl3yin9ehGm47TvPcq3xARRoD-1M7Xbsly_Tq-exiXDCSnU4s9YrjphFXH_THd5s6t8OoNPC0CeSjp5oQJo860iK5u1ft-jA2LsiAd2AB2lK6EjBnNAyo-XdAARnxDnxqJ8Tg1A7uDw/s320/downsized_0105001928.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423504219398666322" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I hope none of you watched the season premier of the new Biggest Loser, because they keep puking! Anyway, despite the really crappy tiny cell phone photo (my camera charger was a NYE casualty), I wanted to share with you a really delicious way to ring in the new year. It starts with a full belly of resolution-friendly dinner. My </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">boymate</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> and I have embarked upon a new eating leaf. I know that's so cliche, but you gotta start somewhere (thanks Bob and Jillian!). Tonight I made something that almost blew my own mind. It is as follows:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Artichoke: Clip off the outer leaves, chop off the top pointed inch, shave off the outer skin from the good leaves all the way down to the stem. Pry that point open and ferociously scoop out all of the furry bits and the dots those furry bits came from. Have a halved lemon handy and rub the lemon over all surfaces of the artichoke so it doesn't turn brown and yucky. Do that to a few artichokes and place them in a sauce pan, tops down. Add half of that lemon and a smashed clove of garlic. boil for 30</span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ish</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> minutes until you can pull one of the outer leaves out and have it taste yummy. For a dipping sauce mix a T of </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">lowfat</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> or vegan mayo, a tsp of </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">dijon</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> or spicy mustard and a squeeze of lemon. YUM TOWN AND Z BOYS.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tomato Pepper Soup: Chop a whole onion and a yellow pepper (in retrospect, maybe roasted pepper?), 2 cloves of garlic, add some salt & a bunch of red pepper flakes and saute in a good sized sauce pan until soft and </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">flavory</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. Add a 28 oz can of whole tomatoes with their juice and a couple of cups of stock (I used chicken). Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. When everything is heated through and incorporated, blend until smooth. Return it to the pan and simmer for a few </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">mins</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> with the lid on. DONE and DONE.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Seafood: Go to Trader </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Joes</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> and purchase a frozen bag of calamari, shrimp and scallops. It all comes together and is approximately $5. For two of us, we just needed about 2/3 of the bag (the other 1/3 can be used for the leftover soup you'll surely have!). I sauteed it without bells or whistles for about 45 seconds in a hot pan. They release a ton of water. Strain off that water by quickly dumping the seafood into a </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">colander</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. Meantime, add olive oil, garlic and some thyme (<a href="http://freetimechic.blogspot.com/2009/03/herb-dealer.html#links">my plants have provided me with lots</a>). Return seafood to pan and cook for another minute or so. Squeeze in some more lemon and viola, DEEEELISSSHH.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande', serif;font-size:small;">Questions? Concerns?</span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-79128739515477469012009-08-07T10:17:00.000-07:002009-08-07T10:32:52.199-07:00We be jammin.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">So, I am unemployed again. My brief stint as a member of the temporary work force was like a bad date. I was out of the house, but I wasn't in love. So, here I am with an abundance of free time. I recently ate a cherry and an almond in the same bite and was like "I want to make a 100% homemade pb&j!" I executed (literally, so bloody!) step one in this process by making cherry jam. Here is my step by step recipe that I stole and adopted from other recipes on the internet</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">s</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> First you want to purchase cherries and wash them. I got bing cherries for $2.99 a pound at my local corner farmer's market store in the Mission. Very cheap and delicious.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSx-Kk9pnlZxQpdvxr_3Sb0MeFriJZbgTJj3kEhotv5Hj3Te-gFjf0H28FupL6FVBjkaoiE8m23FmNAgDbhziQlWZKwKrugw5TwRErn7RLtZGTcC1AYD5MDvPwBwYSAsMyveSwXbqNGk/s320/IMG_5572.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367273526351834178" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Then you want to, well first you want to buy a cherry pitter. Highly recommended $13 purchase. You can also use it for olives. Anyway, pit all of your cherries. And make sure that all of the pits actually shoot through the center of the cherry. I had a few hangers on that I discovered later.</span></span></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWJTp2HKEEvTxUV6YjKIq2-_9HCydn-kxtb_bmkqTpuM7DRljqvQk5utrDiF_Rp2ODX3udOyAKbsOviWJuFXV5A5gH9DbaYakNZABfTKADIwmg4eP6z4d8uzT5YtQt4ehrmv3B3vV85Y/s320/IMG_5579.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367273533450134994" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You also want to add a good amount of citrus. I didn't have a microplane for zesting so I peeled just the yellow part off of two lemons and finely diced it. I also squeezed their juice which I added to the pot. My jam came out really lemony which I like but you can cut that down to 1 lemon if you like.</span></span></div><div> <img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqwW2KfvxzmN5nnk9jGEOZ7i3nsEFSDr2QOb1iyr3oAJ6RY_xlU5NYyprBGpuY8IAy7DX3bOfZU6xw4UUYK81jEyYTPhJTgZFttIwZ6jvaMOSwOdHtcTLyb66ga40jQs1zFcOoSDjY64/s320/IMG_5584.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367273538073814434" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You want to chop about 3/4 of your cherries and put them in a big stock pot (it gets real bubbly so you want room) with the lemon stuff. I added about a cup of rum. Some other recipes recommend kirsch at the end of the recipe but I mixed it up. That will need to cook for about 15 minutes until everything is all soggy. Stir frequently. Then you want to add what looks to be an absurd amount of sugar. I had 3 lbs of cherries and I used about 3 cups of sugar. It will get very bubbly, keep stirring on medium heat for about a half hour. I heard about an "am I done" test where you put a white plate in the freezer for about 10 mins. Put a teaspoon of the jam on the plate and put back in the fridge for 5 mins. If it looks jelly-like you're good to go. </span></span><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JO4-8hBjPplSEZrS7oJUf57n4iz3rf7qR-MebgJ1XSa0lt3I1ooF5ZkiPKchtnLDmMEEFTabmznA4iNelfznDBH1vtu0Xv1G1Zg_S9HJnZE4es-sPCcZfALT2V0tzVOoKCH9FMzhE5Q/s320/IMG_5591.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367273546471377266" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The problem I had was that no one told me that it wouldn't actually look like jam when it's done. It will still be "wet." It will jam up in the jam jar. When it's still warm put it in your previously boiled jars (just put all of your jars and lids in another big pot and boil for a bit. Leave fully submerged in water until you're ready to fill the jars). Put the lids on and refrigerate forever.</span></span></div><div> <img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv86hC35nrbL7fq4QCWDnzbL14jpdiOOX4fhoLXnJoIjS_2WdjLsCBMVaijgXJKYVhUOxxkEcSN-pGNne2PWsHLMhkoHnIPbbuDzA3FQk7GYJRSzIQKsdYXSbQdW-cGyczAGoeeBXxfaU/s320/IMG_5595.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367273551166491554" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Voila!</span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-87493177640121540012009-06-23T12:10:00.000-07:002009-06-23T12:21:50.157-07:00Don't hate me.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNWFoGXiaTos-gY43jbbyNPpMCrQVQ5DjJLHtwPwe8k1CAE3TRDpTXlAnV8pFF0Vn_AFNqUiB0dZq8c7Zlha-jACZnA4az6plcVEb_2XQaExndQar0ELJZMn1gBW69GSSa1NUgVIhE0s/s1600-h/business_casual.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNWFoGXiaTos-gY43jbbyNPpMCrQVQ5DjJLHtwPwe8k1CAE3TRDpTXlAnV8pFF0Vn_AFNqUiB0dZq8c7Zlha-jACZnA4az6plcVEb_2XQaExndQar0ELJZMn1gBW69GSSa1NUgVIhE0s/s320/business_casual.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350602569547223586" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hi everyone. I apologize for ignoring you lately. There is a simple explanation for this, though it's not a pretty one. I HAVE NO MORE FREE TIME. At least for now, I am working. It is a temporary gig, but it is occupying my days. This is bitter-sweet. I miss the gym, the farmers market, my kitchen, parks, lunches, reading books, etc. For the past few weeks I have been exposed to something I had started to take for granted during my past four years of employment. At my previous job my coworkers and I were welcome to explore our personalities through fashion. We could wear whatever we liked, within reason. Some days we had fancy meetings, so we wore fancy clothes. Other days it was mellow, so we wore flip flops. I was also located a mere 2 blocks from my public transportation so I didn't get a good glimpse of the fashiony goings on in the financial district. I now have a 15 minute walk to my place of business (which shares a space with a strip club, no joke) and I am privy to all sorts of youthful outfit atrocities on their way to their first jobs out of college. You can tell the kids who are trying to patch together faux professional ensembles out of their Forever 21 stretch poly blend potato sack dresses, awkwardly comfy mall shoes, blazers their moms bought them and other items that they randomly decided were appropriate. The boys have it easy. The girls look weird. Until they get their first raise and get a fiance and upgrade to coach bags, Banana Republic and J Crew. They quit getting wasted at night so they have time to give themselves proper blow drys in the morning. No more ugly knot buns. Kids are cute, but jobs, my friends, are the opposite. I miss my free-time, at least until I find my perma-dream job. </span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-5843567996923575032009-05-20T18:31:00.000-07:002009-05-20T18:39:19.196-07:00Gazpacho.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywPALGJnzchxzAD4JSAIAT-t06ZQKWKo2Cr2uCVC_EKtRXyXeyKO_KG2SXXNev7OI_qvI1xfjB9_s2SUTSNZvYcpTMKYkfmFWzoX5gMTKfUAaE_voA7QnMv1n2SqxvsbIaGGek_vN0SI/s1600-h/gazpacho.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywPALGJnzchxzAD4JSAIAT-t06ZQKWKo2Cr2uCVC_EKtRXyXeyKO_KG2SXXNev7OI_qvI1xfjB9_s2SUTSNZvYcpTMKYkfmFWzoX5gMTKfUAaE_voA7QnMv1n2SqxvsbIaGGek_vN0SI/s320/gazpacho.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338084370589231778" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The word Gazpacho always reminds me of the </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestapo"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Nazi police</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> but in reality it is a tomato based chilled soup often eaten when weather is warmish. In San Francisco we have what can hardly be described as a summer between May and August. Thus, we do things like wearing sandals and having picnics when our toes are cold and the wind is blowing our napkins around to fake ourselves into thinking it's warm. One of these things, which I am preparing to do on Friday is make Gazpacho. I seriously have to keep reminding myself not to type Gestapo. Ok, here's the recipe!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">8 slices white bread, crusts removed, bread broken into big chunks<br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 pounds tomatoes, seeded<br />1 English cucumber, peeled<br />1 large white onion<br />1 green bell pepper, seeds and pith removed<br />2 garlic cloves, smashed<br />Kosher salt<br />High quality extra-virgin olive oil<br />2 to 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar<br />1/2 cup to 1 cup tomato juice, if needed<br />Directions<br />For the soup:<br />Soak the bread, in a medium bowl of water to soften, about 15 to 20 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water and place in a large bowl. Coarsely chop the tomatoes, 2/3 of the cucumber, 1/2 the onion, and 1/2 the pepper and add to the bread. Add the garlic, season with salt, and drizzle with olive oil. Mix to combine and let sit for about 20 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry (soups voted no on prop 8) and to let the salt pull some moisture out of the tomatoes.<br />Meanwhile, for the garnish, dice the remaining cucumber, onion and green pepper into perfect 1/4-inch dice and reserve.<br />Working in batches, puree the tomato/bread mixture in a blender with the vinegar. Blend in tomato juice to loosen the mixture, if needed. Remove soup to a large bowl and stir in about 1/2 cup of high quality olive oil. Taste for salt and add more, if needed.<br />Chill. Serve cold garnished with the diced cucumber, pepper and onion. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired.</span></span>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-9067213611011396252009-05-14T22:38:00.001-07:002009-05-14T22:45:06.539-07:00Number one suggestion.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOswGMi0SyUowofo5BusKykt9hgQAZhblu5jjOHCWvENqeWXRwaN-GqfrUqTrDqcGdhV-mokhhyphenhyphenCZT074v8m2et7VuqeJ5YHvgjJSBbWI9NlK4zfezTrCX48bl5ackkX4Co-l8xP5jVo/s1600-h/internet_explorer.png"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 303px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOswGMi0SyUowofo5BusKykt9hgQAZhblu5jjOHCWvENqeWXRwaN-GqfrUqTrDqcGdhV-mokhhyphenhyphenCZT074v8m2et7VuqeJ5YHvgjJSBbWI9NlK4zfezTrCX48bl5ackkX4Co-l8xP5jVo/s320/internet_explorer.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335921101728685826" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My number one suggestion for those who are job-free is the same as my excuse for why I have had a dearth of posts lately. The </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">internet</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> is the new Judge Judy and Family Feud. Get off the computer and go outside. Some symptoms of </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">internet</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> addiction are: ignoring humans, boring people with inane Tweets, beginning to actually capitalize Internet because you think it deserves the same treatment as other pronouns. Between all of the blogs related to any number of fascinations you can think of, </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Facebook</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, Twitter, online banking, job hunts, e-networking, shopping, emailing, </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">IMing</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and Googling, you could easily never leave the house. This is not better than watching "stories." I am not suggesting that you quit the information super highway altogether, I'm just suggesting that you get in the slow lane. Start actually talking to people. Me and my boymie need to start heeding my own advice. </span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-10728007767220554542009-05-14T14:18:00.000-07:002009-05-14T14:32:45.185-07:00Decoration for your body.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GdReKVdjR6IuwCaDVC3kjrx5sH32GA4Nt-JZswQ3dwGI7utd-jksMjMGdSQu8TJhJZfIquYyvr_4yfQxPJmuKZH5ODRMSP6Lli77rZ_IY8iyIXZ4s62mOirSwLJqxC7KZs4pJifBLYE/s1600-h/jewels.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GdReKVdjR6IuwCaDVC3kjrx5sH32GA4Nt-JZswQ3dwGI7utd-jksMjMGdSQu8TJhJZfIquYyvr_4yfQxPJmuKZH5ODRMSP6Lli77rZ_IY8iyIXZ4s62mOirSwLJqxC7KZs4pJifBLYE/s320/jewels.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335795676510411186" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have been on a Jewelry making or at least a jewelry reconfiguring kick lately. I have also been reading a lot of blogs related to it. One of my favorite necklace makers is </span></span></span><a href="http://theglamourai.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the Glamourai</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> who makes extremely cute, vintage-inspired, layered necklaces sold on </span></span></span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7313287"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Etsy</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. I have also been addicted to ebay for cheap arm, neck and ear decor. Why not merge the two? You can purchase "lots" of things like </span></span></span><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Stop-Pocket-watches-X-4-Job-Lot_W0QQitemZ110390203321QQihZ001QQcategoryZ398QQssPageNameZWD2VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em122"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span></span></span><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-JEWELRY-LOT-W-10KT-GOLD-BULOVA-WATCH-EARINGS_W0QQitemZ270387834417QQihZ017QQcategoryZ10972QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> or </span></span></span><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/18-LOCKETS-VINTAGE-LOCKET-CHARMS-PENDANTS-LOT-FINDINGS_W0QQitemZ360153864603QQihZ023QQcategoryZ45079QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> for a fairly low price and then either use old chains of your own or you can get chain by the foot at websites like </span></span></span><a href="http://www.craftking.com/crafthtml/craft_chain.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. With a few inexpensive tools and loop connectors you can string together a real neat necklace that people will comment on forever. You can start with a clasp, attach a quarter-inch loop and add different length chains with different pendants attached to each by smaller rings. Are you getting a picture of this in your head?</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Get creative with your ebay searching, do you collect things? If so, search for "lot" and various other words for cheap collections of vintage jewelry. You can deconstruct the individual pieces and add different clasps. If you get really awesome at making jewelry, you can sell it and make money! There are tons of online shops, including Etsy and craft fairs popping up all over the place. </span></span><a href="http://www.indie-mart.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mission Indie Mart</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> popped up a couple of years ago in San Francisco and has gone from a back-yard affair to a monthly big whoopsie that is perfect for selling and purchasing crafty and giftable items. Word?</span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-44470310506131492082009-05-05T17:36:00.001-07:002009-05-05T17:48:26.616-07:00Quiet please.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0M9y9Zi6hObhCxTIFuJonfb-ZULTfU3vqovOFXKbKr_59CJa4L5QQ9AoWm_uu8rqtQYSCVmsBqUJDOgW4YadAno9sdNYP7TC75VpTkn7j3o2anofn_JPX1eQdUopMPWZykixl_e8zOA/s1600-h/librarian.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0M9y9Zi6hObhCxTIFuJonfb-ZULTfU3vqovOFXKbKr_59CJa4L5QQ9AoWm_uu8rqtQYSCVmsBqUJDOgW4YadAno9sdNYP7TC75VpTkn7j3o2anofn_JPX1eQdUopMPWZykixl_e8zOA/s320/librarian.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332503483751200114" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">I forgot to tell you one something really awesome for free timing. About two months ago I got a library card because I needed a good place to study for my French class and to potentially check out books. I forget how to use the Dewey Decimal System, but I am imagining computers figure that out for me now, right? Anyway, until today I TOTALLY forgot the best part of the library that I discovered on my first visit. They have DVDs of all of these awesome TV shows that I have never seen. Netflix is real neat and all, but the library is 2 blocks from my house and it's 100% free dollars. That's a job-free bargain. </span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-18786865635928391782009-05-04T21:25:00.001-07:002009-05-04T21:37:32.171-07:00Jock talking.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZEF3qr8dINcICKUbcvjoR0itYFRBu6JQo8Ne7yNZgfqROFPrc0sSrB_f696lpjNYPmtkYAEAnAKPhaTGhbUZ6bUWILGpyDSaUNM09LeWG-RQ0RgPwnTODg_CqqPc_T3emBIA1HyNBQU/s1600-h/jocks.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZEF3qr8dINcICKUbcvjoR0itYFRBu6JQo8Ne7yNZgfqROFPrc0sSrB_f696lpjNYPmtkYAEAnAKPhaTGhbUZ6bUWILGpyDSaUNM09LeWG-RQ0RgPwnTODg_CqqPc_T3emBIA1HyNBQU/s320/jocks.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332191313773245042" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Something you might have time to do now that you don't have a job is blog. You might be wondering why there's a photo of a buff jock above. Well, when I google'd the word "jock" a bunch of nearly naked dudes showed up. In order to spare you those, I picked this one. He's pretty non-offensive, right? You now may be wondering why I would google the word "jock." Well, friends, I am moonlighting as a sports blogger. Actually, I have been doing that longer, so technically I am moonlighting as an unemployed know-it-all. I wanted to tell you sooner about </span></span><a href="http://totaljocktalk.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Total Jock Talk</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">, the sports blog to which I contribute, but we've recently experience a massive upswing in NBA-playoff related posts making now the perfect time. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">I suggest you run right over to that site and read all about exciting topics related to sports. If you don't like sports, perhaps you like snacking: </span></span><a href="http://totalsnackattack.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Total Snack Attack</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">I am recommending here, too, that you start a real neat blog of your own. Do you have a hobby and some witty friends? Perhaps they would like to join the blogosphere with you as well. Do you like movies? Spend your free time visiting theaters of all types. There are lots of films to be seen and matinees are slightly less wallet molesting than evening flicks. Use your blogs to critique and review movies. That is just one idea, you're smart, so you figure out what the world would most like to read about. And send me a link, I'll be sure all of the other jobless people I know read it. </span></span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-31377125728770834132009-04-30T23:23:00.000-07:002009-04-30T23:39:53.651-07:00DIY food stuff.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriA0NwPqpYnKhSomZyHkVr2gp5ECtic-mITuoQv1JRhd2niG-ihXKQFmCYheJ6Q-dKJQ2DlrWCPki5WKVlZ3cpcDdmOjNrnBUCuTn54bmj-01F9wmUDjKP71Lf30cSwL8nmBgD84d4bo/s1600-h/chef.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 204px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriA0NwPqpYnKhSomZyHkVr2gp5ECtic-mITuoQv1JRhd2niG-ihXKQFmCYheJ6Q-dKJQ2DlrWCPki5WKVlZ3cpcDdmOjNrnBUCuTn54bmj-01F9wmUDjKP71Lf30cSwL8nmBgD84d4bo/s320/chef.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330739912809242066" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">I am obsessed with </span></span><a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">food blogs</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">, </span></span><a href="http://cooktobang.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">cooking</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> and attempting to save dough by </span></span><a href="http://www.tastespotting.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">making</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> different, well, doughy items at home. I have been reading </span></span><a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Serious Eats</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> for some time and think it's just about the best round-up of recipe, book and restaurant reservations along with a healthy dose of food news. Anyway, they </span></span><a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2216611"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">recently posted an article</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> wherein the writer weighed the pros and cons of making certain items at home vs. purchasing them. She tackled bagels, jam, yogurt, cream cheese, crackers and granola. I don't have a mouth that enjoys yogurt or granola, but there is little I love more than brown food (carbos) with fats on top of them. I have no real need for bagels purchased or otherwise, but this article did get me thinking that I would like to create a large batch of pizza dough that I can divide into self servings and freeze for rather spur of the moment uses. I am dying to make a </span></span><a href="http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/1072/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">breakfast pizza</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">I have tried to freeze soup before and while I hear people do this a lot, I am never too excited about the thawed product. I am now freezing ginger and am about to start doing <a href="http://www.thenibble.com/zine/archives/dorot-frozen-herb-cubes.asp">herb "cubes."</a> What else can we make at home and keep for future inexpensive meal yummies?</span></span></div></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-16633465852725642922009-04-29T15:20:00.000-07:002009-04-29T15:53:59.576-07:00Get'er done.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQPOUiicmA5UE1yJ_CnDgevVViTQ2MJmbEUAll9Occ3CEDc13GjFa_HBTMXTX-Z29VEV5ZlhvEmiEStH4-V1yiK8lMzJEonCd6OObplmBEtUinpzRAreSSpkW8LSq74d3hIEU7PtVAxA/s1600-h/45079031.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQPOUiicmA5UE1yJ_CnDgevVViTQ2MJmbEUAll9Occ3CEDc13GjFa_HBTMXTX-Z29VEV5ZlhvEmiEStH4-V1yiK8lMzJEonCd6OObplmBEtUinpzRAreSSpkW8LSq74d3hIEU7PtVAxA/s320/45079031.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330245125787704050" /></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So, a few weeks ago I mentione</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">d</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><a href="http://freetimechic.blogspot.com/2009/04/project-positivity.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">several odd jobs</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> that I intended to accomplish. Here's a status report:</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">1. My passport is about to expire. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I haven't actually sent the forms off yet. Mainly because it costs $75 to renew and I have a hard time parting with with cash for non-fun and cute related things right now. However, I got the photos taken and have everything ready to go. I will probably send it next week in case someone offers me a free trip abroad. I would hate to miss it.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">2. I will defer my student loans. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I did this because they started to harass me. I don't like waking up to an "Unavailable" phone call at 8am on Saturdays. Also, it was easy!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">3. I am cleaning my rugs. I moved in January and have yet to unroll several rugs because they are gross. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Ok, this hasn't happened yet. I tried, though. The living room rug is dead meat, I fear. Or at least it smells like it. It's beige, really fuzzy and I got it for literally nothing at a sample sale (thanks, old job.) It's also disgusting and acquired a really hideous smell when I took it outside to "air out" and accidentally left it there for 3 days. Oops.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">4. I am going to make curtains. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I did this! To completion! I really recommend getting plaid fabric because it makes measuring and sewing in straight lines really easy. Look how cute: </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; "><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3571/3484744919_82f6ea4a42.jpg?v=0" alt="IMG_2888 by you." title="" width="375" height="500" onload="show_notes_initially();" class="reflect" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; " /></span><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">5. I am going to organize my books into cute and like-sized stacks. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Yep, did this too. I love it. Boyfriend sometimes needs to ask me what color certain books are, but I have a good memory.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiys1CTdtu0c25nNylyfwgl05t3TkxSRI9junF9hjuz4gpyn4iJaT4UEhbPy21o07vqe5S6wrN9uFb_hUi-a1cLo0-lWkpcQ69fuLqQ0YlZtE8tC8VpkT5IVRp4hg2Q8sGeVIF6Z90GzYg/s1600-h/IMG_2885.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiys1CTdtu0c25nNylyfwgl05t3TkxSRI9junF9hjuz4gpyn4iJaT4UEhbPy21o07vqe5S6wrN9uFb_hUi-a1cLo0-lWkpcQ69fuLqQ0YlZtE8tC8VpkT5IVRp4hg2Q8sGeVIF6Z90GzYg/s320/IMG_2885.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330247535245279634" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJAk15i2ULWIVMx2tQDc0j55BB9tExmC8lRDi7Eh8gUJN7ed-WNsjsuGbLossUTeDFYiuV_YaXIPbk5jqMMBtKwAZUCm3VpbEVUQDw5cVDE012ZKVDEpIr7BcBu4jF940NK_gwJbVSjA/s1600-h/IMG_2887.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJAk15i2ULWIVMx2tQDc0j55BB9tExmC8lRDi7Eh8gUJN7ed-WNsjsuGbLossUTeDFYiuV_YaXIPbk5jqMMBtKwAZUCm3VpbEVUQDw5cVDE012ZKVDEpIr7BcBu4jF940NK_gwJbVSjA/s320/IMG_2887.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330247538693890962" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-18675800513497590952009-04-28T20:21:00.001-07:002009-04-28T20:23:50.749-07:00Just the job for you.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7WcltEtHo3g_p8GhSFvX-pwI9QXuiXCNDVccUssdVQHiG3S3NOkvzaBFNay9bc4EAWqIl-LE_D9JA2fJvC2hSFxKRZv8zp9-vtn1l6AggljsIhSt8oXWY2xYuLgtTLfZdSB8azKr4i0/s1600-h/cupid-vector.gif"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 271px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7WcltEtHo3g_p8GhSFvX-pwI9QXuiXCNDVccUssdVQHiG3S3NOkvzaBFNay9bc4EAWqIl-LE_D9JA2fJvC2hSFxKRZv8zp9-vtn1l6AggljsIhSt8oXWY2xYuLgtTLfZdSB8azKr4i0/s320/cupid-vector.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329948270423226114" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I found <a href="http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mar/1144016783.html">this job for you</a> on craigslist. I kind of want to apply for it. Do you?</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Super busy affluent SF Arts/ Entrepreneur who travels a lot for work needs part time help finding a girlfriend/LTR. I figured that someone out there must have the skills and time to do this for me, like hiring a recruiter to help find the right employee. This is a project that might take a month or two. The pay would be $30 an hour up to $5000 with a bonus if we succeed. I am a 50 something year old fit, smart, attractive, cultured, extrovert, humorous, white guy married once no kids. And I am a quasi high profile SF person with full a biography and photos online i.e. not some closet weirdo. I’m looking for a youthful super smart stylish creative urban woman who lives in SF for LTR. That seems pretty straightforward. The job would involve finding and interviewing 5- 10 women online and in person (I am picky visually). It would take a couple months I assume.<br />If you are interested in this job, please send me a note and let me know why you would be good at it, why I should trust you, and how you would go about it. Confidentiality and discretion on all levels is a priority. I’ve never done this before, and I am neither patient nor experienced with online dating. You need to be SF based, college educated, smart and street savvy, with a highly organized nature, great sense of humor, refined taste and an especially good eye. You can send me a resume if you want, but this is not essential</span></span>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-55574216385920643722009-04-27T10:30:00.000-07:002009-04-27T10:35:47.396-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyaETimUMSCra8MsmyDgJV36OgHiBlFDMBAUDXuFtsnlihOHeJ7cLcFkvDuycCZqI6IUlrR4db_mqY8SfCZdlbVuER2vn6Z6NmzpoHkFHiiHPOinaGXmjnkpza34lPpAHB-1szLTQTuc/s1600-h/tripskinny_large.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyaETimUMSCra8MsmyDgJV36OgHiBlFDMBAUDXuFtsnlihOHeJ7cLcFkvDuycCZqI6IUlrR4db_mqY8SfCZdlbVuER2vn6Z6NmzpoHkFHiiHPOinaGXmjnkpza34lPpAHB-1szLTQTuc/s320/tripskinny_large.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329424943532075090" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Do you guys have any jeans that are "wide-leg" or "flared" or "bell bottomed" that you no longer wear? Because if you do, I learned this weekend a way to create "skinny" jeans from these ex-favorites. All you need is some pins and a sewing machine. This is what you do:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1. Turn them inside out and put the jeans on.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2. Start pretty far up the leg so you don't get MC Hammer pants. Pin horizontally to the floor so you can pull the pins out as they go through the sewing machine's foot. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3. Keep pinning close to the outside of your leg until you get to the bottom. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4. Starting at the ankle, sew up the leg tracing your pins. Be sure to go back and forth over the hem so it's secure. I sewed the line twice so I didn't have any bust outs while I was raging in my new jeans.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">5. Cut away the extra fabric leaving at least a half inch. You can iron them flat if you get weird puckery things when you turn the jeans right side out.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Awesome. You look great.</span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-23361165298288947362009-04-21T09:18:00.001-07:002009-04-21T09:35:10.350-07:00Booty Camping.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAbNNarWJuIs3s5TO4aqjRYpfSVLzqRBJmGJ7-mzLn8Emuv3FFKZB3ura7pHmoht7_5wufhska2Bwqu_rv6tZ2Nwh1lC7rXmhqTSygjo0KRTq1g1vxpdmnWQXQxCW594tfs9gab1W_TQ/s1600-h/boot.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAbNNarWJuIs3s5TO4aqjRYpfSVLzqRBJmGJ7-mzLn8Emuv3FFKZB3ura7pHmoht7_5wufhska2Bwqu_rv6tZ2Nwh1lC7rXmhqTSygjo0KRTq1g1vxpdmnWQXQxCW594tfs9gab1W_TQ/s320/boot.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327179903252364578" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-family: 'lucida grande';">So, this whole "get buff" aspect of being job-free has it's highs and lows. On one hand we have all of the time in the world to exercise but on the other, some stuff is expensive! Also, there are lots of other fun things to do with your time. It's getting to be globally warm all over the place, so I am trying to think of an economical way means by which to camp your booty at a park, a few good men style, assuming you can handle the truth. P.S. if you live in San Francisco, have you seen those "Train Outdoors." cards that seem to be strewn about the city? I almost think they are using "littering" as a form of guerilla marketing. Lame.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">So, here are my suggestions on a DIY boot camp:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">1. Find a park and preferably a buddy who is also job-free. I would suggest coming up with a list in advance outlining your routine. I hate that "I don't know what I am going to do so I'm going to go home" feeling. Be prepared.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">2. Get your warm-up out of the way by walking QUICKLY to the park with your buddy. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">3. Is there a tennis court? You can sprint back and forth on it. If not, take the sidewalk on one edge of the park and do sprints. I played b-ball in high school and there were these things we did regularly called SUICIDES. They are gnarly. On a tennis court you can start at a short end, sprint to the closest mid-line, go back, sprint to the net, go back, sprint to the far side mid-line, go back, sprint to the far end line, go back. Word? Sprint one, jog one, sprint one, jog one. Ouch!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">4. Jumping jacks and "body builders" are more hard core than you'd think. There's a little animated weird thing <a href="http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art32652.asp">here</a> that I found. My ex-trainer once told me that these body builder things are what people do in jail and we know how buff jail birds are.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">5. Squats are pretty much hell on earth but are also really amazing for making your butt like a peach. Who doesn't want a peach butt? You can also do a lunges version of the suicides. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">6. Is there a jungle gym at your park? Or a bench? Put your feet on a bench and do sit ups for like an hour. Just kidding. But you can do pushups (plank position) and situps using a bench while trying to avoid dog poops. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">I plan on doing this tomorrow at a never to be named park so no one can come laugh at me passing out on the grass after ten minutes. Baby steps, y'all.</span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-37379746474552980072009-04-14T21:39:00.000-07:002009-04-14T22:11:07.593-07:00Cheap yummy times.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPREFeQKIgBCUESYz-5q0fWuvkOOYqoUsshbcvoaa3xrU-FyRleRsbLmUsZ3Ax-kMXi3wnChViw_pAzB-38KGPLbJGBRTNwkrizWQyz9PGUY1eyVYdWOn8kvpTyxQ9prTOTjS5BAkLDP8/s1600-h/delicious_cake_2.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPREFeQKIgBCUESYz-5q0fWuvkOOYqoUsshbcvoaa3xrU-FyRleRsbLmUsZ3Ax-kMXi3wnChViw_pAzB-38KGPLbJGBRTNwkrizWQyz9PGUY1eyVYdWOn8kvpTyxQ9prTOTjS5BAkLDP8/s320/delicious_cake_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324773620077227554" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This post has been entirely hijacked from other sources. Thanks, pals, </span></span><a href="http://tablehopper.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tablehopper</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and </span></span><a href="http://eugenecho.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/san_francisco_marin_view.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">San Francisco</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. There are TONS of amazing entrepreneurial food makers popping up all over the city and this is happening because (a) people don't have jobs so they have time to pursue "passions" (not the soap opera, thanks), (b) other people have time to search out places to have fun despite their lack of money and (c) the internet is getting hyphy and people can take things from zero to crazy popular in 4 seconds. Here is a list of cheap places to scour for grub in the fine city of San Francisco. If you happen to live in Portland, check out their </span></span><a href="http://www.sunset.com/travel/top-10-portland-food-carts-00400000039975/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">recent recap of all of the great food carts</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Good stuff. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.kitchenettesf.com/">kitchenette sf </a></span></span><a href="http://www.kitchenettesf.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">It's in Dogpatch and is run by chefs from the city's most notorious restaurants. They serve fresh, organic, spontaneous and handmade food from scratch based on what they're able to come up with the day before. It's first come first serve (11:30am-1:30pm) and located at 985 Illinois Street. Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/kitchenettesf">kitchenettesf</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://sneakysbbq.blogspot.com/2009/01/welcome-to-sneakys-bbq.html">sneaky's bbq</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: 13px;">BBQ on delivery!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/magic-curry-kart-san-francisco"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">magic curry kart</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (copied below from </span></span><a href="http://tablehopper.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tablehopper</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">)</span></span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/magic-curry-kart-san-francisco"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It feels like a Burning Man project that was released on city streets. Brian The Magic Curry Man will cook your Thai curry to order, but since the word is out, the line can be long (one man, two burners, you do the math). Twitter: </span><a href="http://twitter.com/magiccurrykart"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">MagicCurryKart</span></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-creme-brulee-cart-san-francisco#hrid:KgQFAIfkaHJqbVQ20tis_Q/src:search/query:creme%20brulee%20man"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">creme brulee kart</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (from tablehopper)</span></span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-creme-brulee-cart-san-francisco#hrid:KgQFAIfkaHJqbVQ20tis_Q/src:search/query:creme%20brulee%20man"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Who knew the Magic Curry Man has a brother, Curtis! And he's here to ply you with little creme brulee treats, with flavors like vanilla bean, chocolate Grand Marnier, and Bailey's Irish Creme. For just $3, yo. And here's a man who knows his audience: look for the Big Lebowski-inspired White Russian brulee on 4/20. Twitter: </span><a href="http://twitter.com/cremebruleecart"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">CremeBruleeCart</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/608300"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">amuse bouche</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><a href="http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/608300"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Delicious breakfast goodies everyday between 7:30 and 10:30am. Most everything is $1.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://blog.missionstreetfood.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mission street food</span></span></a><a href="http://blog.missionstreetfood.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It tastes good and is pretty inexpensive. My favorite part was having beverages at the Beauty Bar first. I have issues with dirty restaurants no matter how delicious. Just sayin...</span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-82251966532322071262009-04-09T10:48:00.000-07:002009-04-09T10:58:34.858-07:00A cornucopia of gifts.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVT4S0vMzK8GMjsdGy_1r-NVPBhjB3jjL4Wnc6MQDt018w6rrJSzMdU5QKnB4JGDol9A3s-h3ZL_FnK9ECv_SeJaSUOsbxuRegpCly3jglGDctufvwGgBswphqda4ZLlXKp93s_GyxzU0/s1600-h/present.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVT4S0vMzK8GMjsdGy_1r-NVPBhjB3jjL4Wnc6MQDt018w6rrJSzMdU5QKnB4JGDol9A3s-h3ZL_FnK9ECv_SeJaSUOsbxuRegpCly3jglGDctufvwGgBswphqda4ZLlXKp93s_GyxzU0/s320/present.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322750542231051634" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Because you're very popular and have tons of friends, you probably have a lot of birthdays and other reasons to give gifts. Since you're trying to be frugal while remaining a good pal, you'll need to come up with some fiscally responsible gift ideas. I have a few ideas that will help you:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1. Just send cards. Rather than sending emails or weird e-cards or simply saying "happy bday" on Facebook, make a cute card. Remember construction paper and glue sticks? Or maybe you have a fun box of cards stashed in your desk. Use them! Stamps are getting spendy, but it's not so bad. Everyone loves to get mail. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2. Photos. Do you have some great pictures that you can print and insert into a cute/cheap photo frame that you bought at a thrift store? Good gift!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3. Books. Do you have a stack of books by your favorite author that you've already read? And perhaps you have a sweet friend who also likes to read. Perhaps they would like an assortment of reading materials along with a friendly note explaining why you thought they'd like them.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4. Foods. Cook your friend dinner (and cupcakes!) Because you have all of this free time to learn how to cook you can cheaply replicate your recipe box and cook them some of your favorites. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here are just a few kinda obvious ideas. I think you can come up with more ideas on your own. Can you sew? Paint? Draw? Provide any kind of service? Go for it!</span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-36286730980485834232009-04-08T12:38:00.001-07:002009-04-08T12:41:34.391-07:00Twitterployed?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IbUI3xgTF5tsBkJVgCgvJdsAQByn3JTyBnhehMQDrSOJZh_gE6BVgBN9bUI47kxyrdl4_TeTmmLjDZR9n5Demi85qo3c4WkBbPv0uVcWODNbAmn3OXQa8svV3aMWAYndbxE7alIbORM/s1600-h/twitter_jobs.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IbUI3xgTF5tsBkJVgCgvJdsAQByn3JTyBnhehMQDrSOJZh_gE6BVgBN9bUI47kxyrdl4_TeTmmLjDZR9n5Demi85qo3c4WkBbPv0uVcWODNbAmn3OXQa8svV3aMWAYndbxE7alIbORM/s320/twitter_jobs.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322407380758002226" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Today Forbes posted an article about using </span></span></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.twitter.com"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Twitter</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> to find a job. Here are some highlights:</span></span><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Make sure your account name contains something about your profession, so your feed shows up when people search associated topics.<br /></span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Search for industry leaders and other people and companies in your field you’d like to know—some firms even post job openings on their feeds. Sign up to follow their tweets.<br /></span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">In your tweets, offer your opinions on news and seminars relevant to your career. If one of the important people you’ve been following says something notable on a professional topic, forward it or post an open comment.<br /></span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">If you’re following a hiring manager at a firm you’re interested in, tailor your tweets to comment on issues he or she posts about.</span></span></li></ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Courtesy of </span></span><a href="http://www.newser.com/story/55663/find-a-new-job-140-characters-at-a-time.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Newser</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">.</span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-53822880122203947962009-04-06T21:51:00.000-07:002009-04-06T21:58:37.694-07:00Free time music books to read.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmcx3j-fls8Nj7OHbRNh84sei5raQFnskKDYjE-X4o10fPsyQ8HOT1hO1hCEcuFEkyUwe55LomJfrP88r9hVf1X_Qm6xodgExEaweVotUf0sW2C7bL493RpoY0Lyc8dxOB43MzF2JHOM/s1600-h/book.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmcx3j-fls8Nj7OHbRNh84sei5raQFnskKDYjE-X4o10fPsyQ8HOT1hO1hCEcuFEkyUwe55LomJfrP88r9hVf1X_Qm6xodgExEaweVotUf0sW2C7bL493RpoY0Lyc8dxOB43MzF2JHOM/s320/book.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321809077842572530" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is a repost from </span></span></span><a href="http://unibloggal.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Unibloggal</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, a blog some pals and I used to frequently vent upon. I wrote it in June of 2006, but little has changed. However, now I use proper capitalization and have more time to read. Since you may also have time for such shenanigans, I am passing this list along to you. Enjoy:</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i read a lot. sometimes my friends yell at me for watching tv, riding the bus, playing my game boy, talking on the phone and/or emailing while hanging out with them AND reading a delicious piece of written word. i may, occasionally, provide you with a list of reading material that you're free to enjoy during your precious freetime. that is, when you're not injesting the satisfying content of this blog.</span></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">today's list focuses on one of my favorite genres: rock and roll music (or music in general) - auto/biographies/novels and other stories.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060989157/sr=8-1/qid=1150929650/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band</span></span></span></span></strong></a><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - this book was written by the members of motley crue. i called in sick one day because i couldn't stop reading this book. it was the fall of 2003, i'd just moved to san francisco and needed something to provide me with some vicarious insanity. this did the trick. and when waiting in the ambient death metal aisle of amoeba for spiritualized to play one afternoon, it was an excellent distraction from the annoying and smelly people around me.</span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060989157/sr=8-1/qid=1150929650/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060987464/sr=1-1/qid=1150929700/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Long Hard Road Out of Hell</span></span></span></span></strong></a><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - this is marilyn manson (brian warner's) autobiography. i highly recommend it because right now you probably think he's an idiot. after you read this book, you will think he's a hilarious idiot.</span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060987464/sr=1-1/qid=1150929700/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0609810405/sr=1-1/qid=1150929729/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">How Soon is Never?</span></span></span></span></strong></a><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - this is a novel by a real life rock journalist who does drugs about a make believe rock journalist who does drugs. the make believe rock journalist tries to reunite the smiths. the real life rock journalist only got to interview morrissey, something the make beli...wait, i don't want to ruin the ending.</span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0609810405/sr=1-1/qid=1150929729/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0449911411/sr=1-1/qid=1150929749/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And I Don’t Want to Live this Life</span></span></span></span></strong></a><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - this book was written by nancy spungen's mother. it almost made me cry...ALMOST.</span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0449911411/sr=1-1/qid=1150929749/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786865059/ref=cm_lm_fullview_prod_7/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Heavier than Heaven</span></span></span></span></strong></a><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - this book really did make me cry! i was on a plane home from new york and because it was so depressing, it had taken me several months to slowly get my way to the end of this book. when i finished it, i was a teary pile of crybaby. it's excellent. and pretty much contains all of the teen angst you will ever need in a book.</span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786865059/ref=cm_lm_fullview_prod_7/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0609807749/sr=1-1/qid=1150929935/ref=sr_1_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We Got the Neutron Bomb</span></span></span></span></strong></a><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - for a second, this book makes you think that maybe once upon a time LA wasn't a huge infected waste of space. but then you realize that you were wrong.</span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0609807749/sr=1-1/qid=1150929935/ref=sr_1_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/031211883X/sr=1-1/qid=1150929962/ref=sr_1_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs</span></span></span></span></strong></a><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - i ate this book up. it includes great accounts by vivienne westwood, chrissy hinde, and other females who could kick my ass. i read it in 1995 when people in orange county liked the offspring and PUNK! i felt like i was providing myself with some imaginary roots. oh, to be 18 again.</span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/031211883X/sr=1-1/qid=1150929962/ref=sr_1_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0922915946/sr=1-1/qid=1150930160/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lords of Chaos</span></span></span></span></strong></a><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - this book is evil.</span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0922915946/sr=1-1/qid=1150930160/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385491352/sr=8-6/qid=1150930624/ref=pd_bbs_6/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></span></span></span></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385491352/sr=8-6/qid=1150930624/ref=pd_bbs_6/102-4510784-3180917?%5Fencoding=UTF8"><strong><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Have Gun Will Travel</span></span></span></span></strong></a><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - in may of 2000 rolling stone published an article (the rock was on the cover) about the deaths of biggie and tupac. it was an excellent article and i was HOOKED. the article lead me to investigate more on the topic and eventually i found this book. it's VERY long and VERY detailed, but it includes accounts of every rotten thing that suge knight ever did. i'm scared of him.</span></span></span></span><br /></div></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-24504642332169129682009-04-06T11:28:00.001-07:002009-04-06T11:38:26.492-07:00Project positivity!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeP_Yz7JdUlVjuxISeQC82AzUhTJUYch3249O697VIgeq19L3gA6Qf5U5Aa8ChbVsyXMWZJBe6aIiZMek8yozzFg5wASjRZKGYRQUtyfXOAMg88_MwCYiCqgMTezCHnbQ91SW28MvKso/s1600-h/clean.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeP_Yz7JdUlVjuxISeQC82AzUhTJUYch3249O697VIgeq19L3gA6Qf5U5Aa8ChbVsyXMWZJBe6aIiZMek8yozzFg5wASjRZKGYRQUtyfXOAMg88_MwCYiCqgMTezCHnbQ91SW28MvKso/s320/clean.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321647217206395778" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">It is spring time and I don't have a job. I have decided that it's time to partake in every project I can think of all at once. My projects might not line up exactly with yours but perhaps they will provide some ideas on ways in which your free time can become productive and filled with glorious busy work.<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">1. My passport is about to expire. One morning this week I will take a shower <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>before 3pm</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> and put makeup on. I will go have my passport photos taken and I <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>will renew it. I have noticed that the new means of producing passports has <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>created a washed out effect on the face so I will wear stage makeup like a <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Rockette.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">2. I will defer my student loan. I cannot be paying that crap without a job. Easy.<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">3. I am cleaning my rugs. I moved in January and have yet to unroll several rugs <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>because they are so gross. Instead of paying someone to professionally clean <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>them, I will beat the living crap out of them with several sticks. Then they'll get <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>vacuumed and arranged.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">4. I am going to make curtains. We have french doors that separate the bedroom <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>from the<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: normal; ">living room and we have out of town guests coming to visit. In order for <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>them to not <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; ">accidentally see butts, I will borrow a sewing machine from a friend <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>and make</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; "> something cute. </span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">5. I am going to organize my books in cute and like-sized stacks. I am going <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>back and forth on whether or not to do this by color. I will probably get sick of it <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>shortly.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Photos of all photo-worthy projects to come. Cross your fingers I don't get bored.</span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-14045551903585514782009-04-02T22:53:00.000-07:002009-04-02T23:13:40.899-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49F4DQsxPkJmlhF4yW-1lDNEVnbTr5gAc5_Cz1dQuTbsdzWBQSr5cmm_QMeYTbh9lYuJCrJZZmfmYF1QDoEXZ7sAxYmViXJbjkZKohp95CwS1CXNF1oCYa7QCIoqfbnhsLyLEdQJZEtE/s1600-h/newspapers.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49F4DQsxPkJmlhF4yW-1lDNEVnbTr5gAc5_Cz1dQuTbsdzWBQSr5cmm_QMeYTbh9lYuJCrJZZmfmYF1QDoEXZ7sAxYmViXJbjkZKohp95CwS1CXNF1oCYa7QCIoqfbnhsLyLEdQJZEtE/s320/newspapers.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320339455694870946" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">So, everyone knows that </span><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2009/0328/1224243618924.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">newspapers are doing really badly</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">. And everyone also knows that there is </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">A LOT of news</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> happening out there in the world. I don't condone ignoring everything in an effort to be less confused, but perhaps we can all just get a bit more conscious of what we are eye-gesting and where it comes from. I will never give up my Sunday New York Times (crossword puzzle and T) but perhaps I don't need to get the paper every day. It clogs my recycle bin and despite all of the free time I have to read it front to back, it's not responsible so lucky me, the internet is like a frat party for news. You can talk to the really <a href="http://nytimes.com/">smart girl</a> who's not as attractive or the <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/">cheap girl with a nice rack</a>. This analogy really makes no sense, but I am going with it. Anyway, organizing internet bookmarks into folders that you can then focus on during certain parts of your day will help you avoid wasting 3 hours reading some <a href="http://itscorykennedy.wordpress.com/">asinine crap</a>. For example, in the morning, read <a href="http://www.cnn.com/">news</a>. In the afternoon, visit <a href="http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mar/">job sites</a> (seriously, look at all of those <a href="http://freetimechic.blogspot.com/2009/03/whoa-buddy.html">internships</a>). At night, read <a href="http://gofugyourself.celebuzz.com/">"entertaining" blogs</a> while you're watching <a href="http://www.cwtv.com/shows/americas-next-top-model12">crap tv</a> (seriously, Tyra's bat crap crazy). If you are lacking excellent online reading material, ask friends what blogs read. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">I finally fixed the comment function, so if you could please tell me what websites you read, I would appreciate it. I have a lot of time to kill. But not <a href="http://iminlikewithyou.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">this much</span></a>. </span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-56697129763163051422009-04-01T10:56:00.001-07:002009-04-01T11:03:04.031-07:00Walk it out.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiFDE-PcQNBsP4ovHAo8GxYzVeFsUEctS1UR7MMf-il3EBNne6WEDfU4Ji2c6q0z6ozGStIdgSh6hZZKRsWEUuM5M2qYBxDVRJeNTkY1nUr2qeSJtuLulseevwtTQfWCaqoVAGTz-0b0/s1600-h/san-francisco.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiFDE-PcQNBsP4ovHAo8GxYzVeFsUEctS1UR7MMf-il3EBNne6WEDfU4Ji2c6q0z6ozGStIdgSh6hZZKRsWEUuM5M2qYBxDVRJeNTkY1nUr2qeSJtuLulseevwtTQfWCaqoVAGTz-0b0/s320/san-francisco.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319783523558910818" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Several people in numerous cities have mentioned the fact that they're partaking in local walking tours as a form of cheap entertainment, mild exercise and in order to get better acquainted with their locale. My favorite source for all things bay-area food related, </span><a href="http://tablehopper.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">tablehopper</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">, mentioned her love for these tours in this week's e-column so I thought I'd share the idea with you too. Here's a link to </span><a href="http://www.sfcityguides.org/descriptions.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">San Francisco City Guide</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">, which has tours such as "Haight & Ashbury," "Pacific Heights Mansions" (probably really hilly!), "Ferry Building" and more. Live in </span><a href="http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=new+york+walking+tours&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">New York</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">? </span><a href="http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=chicago+walking+tours&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Chicago</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">? </span><a href="http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=los+angeles+walking+tours&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Los Angeles</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">? As you can see, I know how to Google things. Please feel free to do this for your own city.</span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-54173241598332248002009-03-31T21:54:00.000-07:002009-03-31T22:06:20.102-07:00What have you done lately?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLvmFTq6zCXYi0LLsFL2uA0uj9_XEWrUXM769a_Cc3ntD54KxbfGiKhYbL-CJoPvBvSTB_1nxlht87n-Cx2IRk5hXBbdrfEbBeKft4gn1OZ5bBEXPXU4_bCYlPDmioRGKlp1_5fd9LZM/s1600-h/TodaysLesson.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLvmFTq6zCXYi0LLsFL2uA0uj9_XEWrUXM769a_Cc3ntD54KxbfGiKhYbL-CJoPvBvSTB_1nxlht87n-Cx2IRk5hXBbdrfEbBeKft4gn1OZ5bBEXPXU4_bCYlPDmioRGKlp1_5fd9LZM/s320/TodaysLesson.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319582091461824530" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Has it been about 49 years since you wrote or updated your resume? This is a common fear I am hearing somewhat frequently, especially in this so called "economy" where you want to be sure you cram all of the amazing things you have done and know how to do into a few measly bullet points. How are they going to know how awesome you are?! Why don't they call me for an interview already!? What font should I use!? All of these fears are valid. I don't have a suggestion for some kind of magic class you can take where they will teach you all of these things but I do have some thoughts to help you out. One of them I outlined </span><a href="http://freetimechic.blogspot.com/2009/03/whoa-buddy.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Another thought is to get together a group of both employed and job-free friends for a resume review. Start by making your resume like 5 pages long. Just dump everything in there that you can think of. Then you can narrow it down and tailor it to fit the details of certain jobs. Once you have your friends gathered you can have them review your pared down, final one-page resume. I have always heard that it's best for everything to fit on one page. Does anyone know if this is still the case? Are there instances when it is not? Anyway, I think it's best to rely on your friend family to give you input, assuming your friends are smart and honest. Have your other jobless friends bring theirs so that by the end of the night everyone is sort of drunk on </span><a href="http://www.freewebs.com/khaledisaac/Charles_Shaw_bottles.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">Chuck Shaw</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> and has a solid starting point from which to land the job of their dreams. Rad, right?</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> </span></span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-76970028840461608692009-03-30T22:59:00.001-07:002009-03-31T07:36:46.416-07:00Herb dealer.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzv1CgoscTWKbAEqZHbaMlBr244QtDkAM3GCzHmpU9fTRxyxSW4JTVOwQ4mRExvry3Va_nKhiOAU0gYFdEBGoJ5AqUrIVDiRnkSo4trKRxHfkqer2Oz9vNtf36nkN7q3vy5ecFl34w-uM/s1600-h/IMG_2369.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzv1CgoscTWKbAEqZHbaMlBr244QtDkAM3GCzHmpU9fTRxyxSW4JTVOwQ4mRExvry3Va_nKhiOAU0gYFdEBGoJ5AqUrIVDiRnkSo4trKRxHfkqer2Oz9vNtf36nkN7q3vy5ecFl34w-uM/s320/IMG_2369.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319227846069518882" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqqW_Sw06l0VjGWisZfq_WWntevqEQ4EI_TmUE48Ef5tj-JNlQEok0thwhg4hm_IzNBeTd-n4lE8LxB9VoV3oDK9GaVIguwZD8mMac2BTjoO9D6Mw2Dqw4zB1_UYd145eq8ig2C-ag5s/s1600-h/IMG_2366.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqqW_Sw06l0VjGWisZfq_WWntevqEQ4EI_TmUE48Ef5tj-JNlQEok0thwhg4hm_IzNBeTd-n4lE8LxB9VoV3oDK9GaVIguwZD8mMac2BTjoO9D6Mw2Dqw4zB1_UYd145eq8ig2C-ag5s/s320/IMG_2366.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319227839940355362" /> </a><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSjIqwbRpYxUxvSkzH4FBLVyNOjyjCyOohUtKiDLgWE3O2y3RQG6CybxNE11PUAslgYEgnSsQjgdcrPttujBXx5B0HoETAkCZku32U0Q0knWQFmJJRKfMvEUI_8eqqpB3cwScyLfQTqQ/s320/IMG_2361.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319227836063226162" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; "></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; ">For about 15 years I have wanted to create my own herb garden. I have started cooking up a storm in order to save some money (does it really save money? I feel like I am spending my non-fortune on groceries), so I have positioned myself to set upon this glorious journey. I recently moved into an apartment with a small back porch that receives TONS of sunlight, that is when the sun shows it's face in this dysweathered city. It also came with a cute plant box which contains small succulents. While I'm all for cacti, they're not adding anything to my soup. Today I journeyed to Whole Foods because they have little starter plants for $2.50. I also procured some of these HerbBallz (best name!) which will occupy the box. Over the next few days I will be embarking on a full court herbaceous press. I will fill this planter and three or four small pots with parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary, basil and tarragon. This makes me infinitely happy. I am happy to share assuming I know you in real life and you're willing to barter. </span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">For some inspiration here are some websites that may help you figure out the best way to handle this project:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">From </span><a href="http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/cooking/how-to-make-a-onepot-indoor-herb-garden-035198"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Apartment Therapy</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">, </span><a href="http://www.doityourself.com/stry/herbgardening101"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">DIY</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">, </span><a href="http://herbgardens.about.com/od/indoorgardenbasics/a/GrowingIndoors.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">About</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> and </span><a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_312_grow-herb-garden.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">EHow</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">. </span></div></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505434810559093105.post-66280380728721387162009-03-27T09:23:00.000-07:002009-03-30T23:14:11.812-07:00Getting springy with it.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOJhwzu8gthj7TOHN3OZvjO96U03GzfXMQXapDeKtF51u60GjRHRprZOA-ZXd1gMmZbCWrf8KCPhy-WFhhqIIrbfd-LLUyIRXkXR7HleWUzuw-OSTx5sLphpUZldVAibv8aKWa_CsiGE/s1600-h/SpringTime4.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOJhwzu8gthj7TOHN3OZvjO96U03GzfXMQXapDeKtF51u60GjRHRprZOA-ZXd1gMmZbCWrf8KCPhy-WFhhqIIrbfd-LLUyIRXkXR7HleWUzuw-OSTx5sLphpUZldVAibv8aKWa_CsiGE/s320/SpringTime4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317904211318695986" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">I'm sorry for the stupid Will Smith reference, I really am. However, it's hella sunny and you don't have a job. I say this is a perfect opportunity to ignore all of my aforementioned advice for responsibility and keeping busy in favor of a more flippant form of amazing fun times. Where is the nearest park? What is your favorite six pack? Do you like champagne? Are your friends able to call in sick? Do you have a bike? Are you reading a good book? Can your other unemployed friends join you? Do you have a watering hole like </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/zeitgeist-san-francisco"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">this one</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"> nearby? If so, please ignore Craigslist and Linked in today. Please don't even look at your bank account, budget, resume, list of chores or even your gym membership. Just go outside and chill out. However, if none of your friends can ditch their jobs today, maybe wait to open the six pack until later so you're not 109 sheets to the wind by the time they get off work. Nah mean?</span></div>e-brohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10931554992318625517noreply@blogger.com0