Stuff You Need to Know

Whenever you need to know something, I am here for you.

Never doubt that friends.

Case in point, do you need to know when your favorite (or soon-to-be-favorite) TV shows start?

I've got you covered. Technically, someone else has provided this information, but I am providing it to you, so it counts.

Welcome to CliqueClack’s guide for the 2009-10 fall season! Or, in the case of NBC, The Great Experiment. Now, if you didn’t realize it already, this fall season is going to be different from past years. First, there’s no ER, which will feel a little weird. Second, Lost will be ending its run in the spring of 2010. Third, American Idol will be without Paula Abdul. And finally, Jay Leno is going to come into your homes at 10PM each night and try to convince you that scripted programming is dead.

From CliqueClack

Read more and see the complete schedule at CliqueClack

Saturday Morning Tidbits

I say tidbits like I have multiple items on offer.

That's not really true.It's not true yet, anyway.

I am sitting at work bored. It's a slow morning building up to what looks to be a rather busy afternoon and evening. Until the excitement starts, I should be working on renaming and moving faxes out of the general inbox.

That's as much fun as it sounds, so I am looking for distractions.

If you have any, send them my way.

Here are the sites I normally use to cure my boredom. I hope you like.

Plime: Plime is a forum in which people post links of interest. I like it because it's often updated and I find the links to be of interest most of the time.

ColumbusUnderground: This is how I keep up on the happenings in the 614. This is also where some poster named Hassan made promises of a Kurdish bakery in Columbus and then disappeared into the night.

I don't hold that against the site.

Blip: Twitter-like music site. One can follow others and listen to the songs they like.

I also read the news and whatnot, but you're on your own for that.

Saved

I was planning to start looking for a new job since this one is set to end soon.

BUT

I got this in my in-box today

The sum of $1 000.000.00 USD through Western union Gold Card is waiting in
your favour,as we have been given the mandate to transfer your full compensation
payment of total sum of $1 000,000.00 USD via western union Gold Card by this
governemnt of the IMF and the united nations board of trustee and directors here
in the (ECOWAS) CENTRAL BANK of west africa LOME TOGO .
Tel;+2280984779
Manager Dr.Tete Dankwa
d.funddepartment@mail15.com
Congratulations once more.
Thanks Mrs Anna Lawson.

So, I'm good.

Let the Countdown Begin

Fall is still 4 weeks away, but it's not to early to begin the countdown to the Circleville Pumpkin Show.

58 days from today.

That's not really the most important thing I wanted to write about, though.

I visited the website for the show: http://www.pumpkinshow.com/

They have a recipe section! Now you can make your own pumpkin doughnuts.

It's not really the same unless you stand in that line to duke it out with a flanned grandma for the last half dozen, but I'll bet they do in a pinch.

Here it is:

PUMPKIN DOUGHNUT DROPS

• Oil for deep frying


• 1 1/2 cups flour


• 1/3 cup sugar


• 2 tbsp. baking powder


• 1/2 tbsp. salt


• 1/4 tbsp. cinnamon


• 1/4 tbsp. ginger


• 1/4 tbsp. nutmeg


• 1/2 cup pumpkin


• 1/4 cup milk


• 2 tbsp. oil


• 1/2 tbsp vanilla


• 1 egg 1/2 cup sugar


• 1 tbsp. cinnamon

In deep fryer or heavy pan, heat 1 quart of oil to 375 degrees F. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Blend well. Combine pumpkin milk oil, vanilla and egg. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Drop by teaspoonfuls into hot oil 5 or 6 at a time. Fry doughnut drops 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Combine 1/2 cups sugar and 1 tbsp. cinnamon, roll warm doughnuts in mixture. Makes 30 -36 doughnut drops.

See more here.

Bad Start

From Food Fight (with editing by me)

1:30 am - I was awakened by Nila's wailing as Angie came into the bedroom and told me it was my turn to try and get Nila to sleep. I went into Nila's room and spent the next hour trying to work my magic.

I'm not really sure what was wrong, though. She has a cold and has had a cold for the past few days, so maybe that played some part. I told her it was time to sleep and she put herself back down and closed her eyes. I thought she was asleep and I tried to leave the room only to hear her yelling for mommy once I got into the hallway.

We did that twice. The last time, I waited an extra long time before I snuck back out. It stuck that time and she was asleep at least until I left for work.

4:30 am - After getting a couple of additional hours of sleep, my phone rang. At first, I just assumed it was my alarm, but I saw a number on the screen. I answered it.

It was a tech from California.

"Is this the Command Center?" he asked.

"No," I said. This is the sleeping center, buenos tardes.

I gave him the correct number and went back to sleep.

I have had to give my phone number to a few techs for various reasons, but this is the first time one of them has called me when I'm not on duty.

A sign of things to come.

6:30 am - I woke up 30 minutes later than I should have. I should say, I got out of bed. I'm still working on waking up.

6:50 am - After a quick shower and dressing, I tried to throw together a quick lunch and something for breakfast. I put my oatmeal and milk in a plastic bowl - I can cook it at work - and made a nice salad for lunch.

Then I dumped that salad all over the kitchen floor.

7:05 am - Lunchless, I arrived at work only 5 minutes late. Not too shabby.

What is shabby is the milk that leaked from my bag leaving a trail from my car, through the parking garage, across the bridge, up the elevator and down the hall.

I put the oatmeal in the microwave anyway. I haven't gone back for it yet.

7:30 am - I am writing this post. Next, I'm going to go get my oatmeal. Wish me luck.

Here's to a better Sunday than I've had so far!

La Loba Means Ridiculous in English

Yesterday, Sis asked me if I liked the new Shakira song, She Wolf. I answered that I wasn't sure.

You see, the song has a catchy tune and a nice beat.

But it also features howling and perhaps the craziest lyrics of any Shakira song to date.

The song in Spanish:




I think that Shakira must translate her own songs into English. I picture her with her paper-back copy of a Spanish-English dictionary, twirling her hair ansd chomping on gum with a furrowed brow.

I mean, it's impossible that the record compnay hired someone to do this:

S.O.S she's in disguise.
S.O.S she's in disguise.
There's a She Wolf in disguise,
Coming out, coming out, coming out!

A domesticated girl that's all you ask of me,
Darling it is no joke, this is lycanthropy.

The moon's awake now with eyes wide open.
My body’s craving, so feed the hungry.

I’ve been devoting myself to you Monday to Monday, and Friday to Friday.
Not getting enough retribution or decent incentives to keep me at it.
I’m starting to feel just a little abused like a coffee machine in an office.
So I’m gonna go somewhere cozy to get me a lover, and tell you all about it.

There’s a She Wolf in the closet.
Open up and set it free.
There’s a She Wolf in the closet.
Let it out so it can breathe.

Sitting across a bar, staring right at her prey.
It’s going well so far, she’s gonna get her way.

Nocturnal creatures are not so prudent.
The moon's my teacher, and I’m her student.

To locate the single men I got on me a special radar,
And the fire department hotline in case I get in trouble later.
Not looking for cute little divos or rich city guys I just want to enjoy,
By having a very good time, and behave very bad in the arms of a boy.

Shakira She Wolf lyrics found on http://www.directlyrics.com/shakira-she-wolf-lyrics.html

Seriously.

Then I thought that perhaps she just puts the Spanish into Babel Fish and sings what she gets.

I tried that, though. It wasn't the same. I wouldn't say it's less ridiculous, just different.

Here's a sample of the song via Babel Fish:

A she-wolf in the closet
It has desire to leave
It leaves, eats the district

and this gem

the life has given a voracious hunger to me
as soon as it give me caramels I go away with my legs

Ramen Recipes

This one's for Kate as she moves back to Oxford to start school again.

50 Amazing Ramen Noodle Recipes from Rasmussen College:

Going to college requires a lot of your time, which doesn't allow you to cook your common four-course meal. Using the age-old college fallback, ramen noodles, you can cook yourself a tasty treat in a short amount of time without breaking the bank.

Recipes include gems such as a Ham Ramen Frittata and Chocolate Ramen as well as links to even more top Ramen recipes.

I even think I've eaten this one:

For a light ramen salad, toss 4 cups shredded lettuce, 1 grated carrot, 4
green onions sliced and cup slivered almonds, with a package of uncooked ramen
noodles. Pour over a dressing made of 2 tablespoons each of canola oil and
honey, the seasoning packet (chicken or beef are recommended) and cup each rice
vinegar and apple juice. Toss and serve.

The Ends of the Earth

I found this posting on a long-dead blog. I wrote it in June 2007.

It's just as appropriate today.

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “ Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a servant to the nations.”
Then said I: “ Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot serve, for I am unskilled.”
But the LORD said to me: “ Do not say, ‘I am unskilled,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall serve. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the LORD.

I rewrote the scripture (Yikes!) to make it personal to me. It's pretty cool when you read it like that. I think God does this for all of us. He calls us and He tells us what to do, but we say “Whoa. Yeah, I don't think so. I am too _________.” I know I did, I still do. But He says, “Nope, I know BETTER than that. I know you can do it, because I am with you and will make it possible.”
Too often, we get stuck in the “Whoa!” and are too scared to believe the “I know better” part. I see it all the time. In myself and other people.

The following verses where God touches Jeremiah's mouth made me think. I started thinking about how cool it must have been to be touched by God and then I remembered that God had touched me, too. I mean, not like I had forgotten all about it, but Jeremiah talks about God touching him and anointing him to say what God wanted to say, so I wasn't thinking about my own experience.

But, nonetheless, God did touch me once. I can confidently say that when I needed Him, He held my hand. I don't mean metaphorically, either. I mean I felt Him. When I think of that in Jeremiah's context I think “If God touched Jeremiah's mouth to give him words so he could speak, then he must have touched my hand to show me compassion so I could be compassionate.”

I think that's something I'm not great at: giving compassion. “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot serve, for I am unskilled.” But Jeremiah didn't speak his own words, he spoke the words of the Lord.

Better Than Ezra

BTE has a new album. Did you know this? If so, why did you not inform me?

The album is called Paper Empire and came out in May.

"Better Than Ezra is one of those bands that people know the name. Ezra will
always be around, and will make albums and tour. It took some distance to really
appreciate how many fans we have. They wanted a new album, so we've done
it."

-from New Orleans Times-Picayune

Also, I have read that the BTE frontman is a songwriter, writing songs for artists I like (Tristan Prettyman), artists I don't dislike (David Cook) and artists Angie likes (Missy Higgins).

Also, he co-wrote Howie Day's "Collide." That's a great song.

White Space

I've spent an hour trying to fix the layout of this blog, so that an ad appears in the white space at the top right.

I can't seem to make it work and I don't know that there's anything I can do to fix it. We may have to live with the white box.

I hope this doesn't cause anyone - besides me - any great distress.

I am at work this morning and nothing is happening. Seriously nothing.

We've had a few pone calls, but mostly silence.

I'm bored.