Thursday 13: Thirteen things I don't "get"

Sometimes, very occasionally of course (!), I get teased about my "SweetTea&Sunshine-ness." Meaning, I think, that my glass-half-full outlook is a bit misbelieved, and surely I can't be grateful for everything, right? Of course not. Things bug me, or get me down. I just don't dwell on them a lot... And, as I like to say (a la Sally from When Harry Met Sally), I have a dark side, same as the rest of you.

While this isn't exactly my "dark" side, I have been keeping a little list of things, as they come up, that don't resonate with me. A little of this, a little of that, some recent and pop-culture-y, some that have been in place for a very long time. If I told you how long I'd been working on the list, you'd undoubtedly laugh!

So, this week, 13 things that I don't "get."

1. Why will the 50 Shades of Gray thing just not die? Every time I think that the 15 minutes of exposure for that book is over, nope, it's back again, in some headline or parody.

2. Golden raisins. (This one is a long-lasting "don't get.") In anything, cooked or uncooked, it makes no difference to me. I like my raisins dark, not golden. 

3. Twilight, vampire, zombies, goth. Any and all of that, no thanks. If it's undead, currently dead or never going to die, it's not my bag. (This is unrelated to No. 6, really.)

4. Tops with a high front and low back. This trend just seems backwards to me. Cleavage, people! What's it called in the back? Backage? And where's your bra? (I know, I'm starting to sound like an old lady. You kids and your crazy fashion. Ha.)



5. Chain jewelry, and really, really big jewelry. BIG. (And if you're really lucky, chain + big. Oh, baby.)

6. Kristin Stewart. (And Robert Pattinson. But we can leave him out of it so it doesn't feel like an anti-Twilight rant. It's not.) I don't get her, any appeal or attraction or anything. She's a lump of uncharismatic sullenness. I have a long-ish list of "don't get" celebrities, but I'll spare you the full rundown. Suffice it to say that Ms. Stewart is rather toward the top.

7. Negative energy. I don't get it, and I don't get why people are drawn to others with negative energy. When I am around it, I realize how little there is of that in my life, and I'm thankful. I saw someone recently that I don't frequently interact with, and from start to finish it was unpleasant. Not overly awful or anything, just subtle. Like grumpy cat. Why would I seek that out?

8. Soul patches. (Adventurous facial hair in general.) Nothing more to say on this topic.

9. Laziness. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for slothfulness--just ask husband about my weekend morning sleep-in-roll-over-sleep-some-more habits. Diligently applied downtime (activity at the zero level) is critical to regrouping for another week. But what I'm talking about is the no effort + over time equation. What? Huh? How do you expect to get ANYthing done? Drives me nuts.

10. Use of the word "whilst." I know, it's all the rage in this Downton Abbey world. But I don't get it. It's "while," people. WHILE. We are not in Great Britain. (This is especially prevalent on Facebook. Why, I do not know.)

11. Wishing. I just don't get wishing for things that aren't possible. I know that attribute can be perceived as a lack of "dreaming," but it really isn't that, in my book. If a door is closed, don't go pounding on it. Move on. Spend time working toward things that ARE possible. I suppose it's the pragmatism in my nature, but I find people who say "I wish" a lot very puzzling.

12. Performance art. I have long ago reconciled myself to being toward the uncultured end of the spectrum. (I heard that sharp intake of breath. You are very disappointed in me. Oops. You'll get over it.) The symphony? No thanks, I'll listen at home. The opera? Only if someone I know and love is performing (which puts the chances of attending at nil, but I didn't want to close the door entirely. Who knows what my dear nieces might chose for a future profession?) The ballet? Certainly. I'm not completely without class.

But performance art? I just don't get it. The gene that enjoys and appreciates it is somehow missing from me. The gene that could compel me to participate? That got transported to a galaxy far, far away.


13. Dreds. It's definitely a style thing, just not my style.

Don't get me wrong. If you are into these things, I say, "Yeah" for you. "Yippee!" even... But for me, not so much. Even little Miss SweetTea&Sunshine doesn't love *everything.*

Hope you're having a great day! In the comments, tell me what things you don't get, either... I'd love to hear them--maybe my list will grow!

For more Thursday 13s, go here.

Thursday 13: Been gone too long, random!

have been missing Thursday 13! My weeks are so full and my blogging time so scattered (and lacking), that having the mental space to plan ahead... well, that's on my list to acquire. I'll let you know when I find some.

Meanwhile, I thought that random might just suit this week 'o mine:
1. Sickness is everywhere. Husband, many co-workers, friends, kids... I am avoiding it (like the plague, doh!), and dosing on my Cs and other voodoo health wonders.

2. Sleep is elusive. I wish I could look less tired. However, if you tell me I look tired? Yeah, not going to win you any points. Don't say you weren't warned.

3. I love dressing for winter. Sweaters, tights, boots, scarves, mittens. Love them all. Maybe I was a teddy bear in a former life?

4. Having pumpkin spice creamer in my coffee makes me happy. (Yes, Jen. EVERY. Morning.)

5. My mom has her first smartphone and now we can text. This I love.

6. I let Chief onto the bed last night for a few minutes, and man, is he a bed hog. That won't be happening again for a long time. (I had previously thought he would be all polite and space-giving. Ha.)

7. The gray is relentless. RE.LENT.LESS. (Well, OK, we had a gloriously sunny day last Sunday. But still, since then.)

8. I was a bit stunned how soon after Thanksgiving I had to buy groceries. Apparently the family cannot subsist on leftover turkey and stuffing forever. Huh.

9. I posted this quote to Facebook this morning: "See if you can catch yourself complaining in either speech or thought, about a situation you find yourself in, what other people do or say, your surroundings, your life situation, even the weather. To complain is always nonacceptance of what is. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself a victim. Leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness." -Eckhart Tolle

10. I get that No. 7 and No. 9 are rather in opposition to each other.

11. When I read the quote again, it occurred to me that OBVIOUSLY I need to be planning a tropical vacation, because all else is madness. Am I right or what?!

12. I love plotting and planning for holiday baking. Two cookie parties on the calendar, one work catering, and then just baking for me/us/friends/family. Joy.

13. I am loving the Christmas tree. Some days I think I want to be the eccentric lady who leaves it up year round. Wouldn't that just be a hoot? Probably feel really weird around July, August... but still, what a fabulous thing to be eccentric about!

I hope you are having a great week and that wherever you are, the gray is NOT relentless. Someone somewhere has to be seeing the sun... please say that it is you!

For more Thursday 13s, go here.

Thursday 13: 13 things I love about fall

1. Putting on my jammies and robe early in the evening and somehow feeling like that's just fine. Do that in the summer and it seems very slackerish...

2. Hot drinks for the purpose of warming me up (not just waking me up!), inside and outside (hands around the mug).

3. Brisk temperatures. Not cold during the day yet, but brisk. I adore brisk.

4. Autumn light. It's leaner, thinner, the shadows longer. Awesome light.

5. Birthdays: mine and the boy's. Double awesome.

6. Less yard work. Triple awesome. I am very much over the yard by the first of October, true story.

7. Holiday anticipation.

8. More energy. It's like clockwork, the way my energy picks up in the fall and winter. I love being able to count on that.

9. Baking! And not worrying about the oven warming up the kitchen too much; in fact, looking forward to that fact.

10. Pumpkin in just about everything (that one is extra-specially put into the list for Jen, who does not understand the "pumpkin in just about everything" phenomenon. I'll take your share, dear one.)

11. All those shows that somehow don't have episodes in the summer (I find the whole "season" thing doesn't work for me in TV land, ha)--The Good Wife, Homeland, Castle, etc.--are back. That fits in with the jammies-early mentality I mentioned previously...

12. Craftiness gene gets switched back on. Related to the more energy and the less yard work... get out the yarn! Crochet hooks! Fall decorating!

13. Layers in clothes: cardigans, scarves, tights, boots, sweaters and coats! Some of my very favorite items.

I could go on for a bit longer, but I will hold myself to just 13 for now...

What is your favorite thing about fall? Give me more ammunition for my autumn love!

Thanks WWJen for this photo on FB yesterday--lovely!

For more Thursday 13s, go here.

Thursday 13: 13 quotes from Bill Gates

o I saw this book of Bill Gates quotes (Impatient Optimist) at Costco last weekend and picked it up on a whim. I like quotes, I like technology, I can't say I "like" Bill Gates but I certainly don't think he's the anti-Christ (I have a few friends--one who shall remain nameless, in particular--who have thought so).

I thought I'd share 13 quotes from the book with you today:

[Melinda] and I enjoy sharing ideas and talking about what we are learning. When one of us is being very optimistic, the other takes on the role of making sure we're thinking through all the tough issues.
-Working Together: What Great Partnerships Succeed, 2010

I don't have an iPod. A phone is a nice portable device to have your music on. Maybe some other people will think so too in the future.
-The Big Idea, CNBC, May 8, 2006

If you had asked me at any point how big Microsoft could be, Paul [Allen] and I once thought we could write all the software in the world with 100 people. If you had told us that someday we would have more than 5,000 people writing software, we would have shaken our heads.
-CNNMoney/Fortune, Oct. 2, 1995

If a kid is addicted to a personal computer, I think that's far better than watching TV, because at least his mind is making choices.
-Programmers at Work, 1986

I came to be the leader of the antisocial group [at Harvard]. We clung to each other as a way of validating our rejection of all those social people.
-Commencement address, Harvard University, June 7, 2007

People's perception of the importance of my role is certainly greater than the reality.
-Newsweek, Dec. 1, 1996

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.
-Business @ the Speed of Thought, 1999

I've always been hardcore about looking at what we did wrong. We're not known for reflecting back on the things that went well. We can be pretty brutal about the parts that didn't do well.
-Masters of Enterprise, 1999

[One] way that running a foundation is not like running a business is that you don't have customers who beat you up when you get things wrong or competitors who work to take those customers away from you. You don't have a stock price that goes up and down to tell you how you're doing. This lack of natural feedback loop means that we as a foundation have to be even more careful in picking our goals and being honest with ourselves when we are not achieving them.
-Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Annual Letter, 2009

The world is getting better, but it's not getting better fast enough, and it's not getting better for everyone.
-Creative Capitalism, 2008

When your own government sues you, it's not a pleasant experience. I wasn't sitting there going, "ha, ha, ha, I'll do what I want." I was thinking this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me.
-ZD Net, Jan. 28, 1998

I devote maybe ten percent to business thinking. Business isn't that complicated. I wouldn't want to put it on my business card. [I'm a] scientist. Unless I've been fooling myself. When I read about great scientists like, say, Crick and Watson and how they discovered DNA, I get a lot of pleasure. Stories of business success don't interest me in the same way. Say you added two years to my life and let me go to business school. I don't think I would have done a better job at Microsoft.
-Playboy, July 1994

It's unusual to have so much luck in one life, I think. But it's been a major factor in what I have been able to do.
-CNBC Town Hall Event, Columbia University, Nov. 12, 2009

I could keep going, but these represent a few of the highlights in terms of his work (both at Microsoft and their foundation) and he's perspective on everything from the antitrust case to general business philosophy.

Any favorites of the bunch? Let me know! Of course, if you know of another Bill Gates quote I haven't included that you think is particularly well-said, I'd love to hear it.

Happy Thursday, and check out other Thursday 13 participants here.

Thursday 13: Randomness is awesome, even when I'm not.

1. My brain is foggy with a cold that is trying to plant itself in my head. I'm fighting the good fight and will not give in. I want to have a peaceful and happy weekend, not a head-exploding and snot-filled weekend. (You're welcome for that last lovely visual.)

2. My treatment cocktail of choice right now includes, but is not limited to: Airborne, Vitamin C and Echinacea, with a lot of water to wash it all down. If you try and tell me that one or all of those are placebos, I may have to hunt you down. All I know is that the sore throat I had when I went to bed did NOT advance in the night, and that in itself is a victory for the cocktail. So kiss my lack-of-substantiated-research hiney.

3. Do I seem to have a bit of a 'tude? Pardon me. Some weeks are like that. Add an almost-cold, and well...

4. Love love loving the sunshine.

5. Feeling a little less love for the cold temperatures. 33 two nights ago. 37 last night. I went out at o-dark-thirty this morning to pick apples off the tree--I know, what?--and the crescent moon over the hills was just lovely.

6. Have been in discussions about the 9/11 remembrance ceremonies and a) how long we should keep them going and b) how big a deal they should be. My thoughts are: how about somewhere between an enormous hoopla and talking to the Kardashians? Seriously, NBC. You suck. I mean, other than SMASH, which you had better bring back soon. Maybe I should just say The Today Show sucks... that might cover it. (Did you like that "in discussions?" That was pretty juicy, like I have these executive sessions to discuss important issues of the day. Sure, I'll let you think that.)

7. Slowly resigning myself to the end of the fabulous fruit-and-veggie season... slowly. Very much enjoying the bounty of tomatoes that hasn't quite slowed down yet. There is simply no substitute for picked-three-minutes-ago vine-ripened tomatoes (not to be confused with run-of-the-mill vine-ripenend tomatoes). Heavenly.

8. I've been hankering for some fall arts-and-crafts time, and can feel it coming... crochet hooks at the ready! Maybe a little yarn shopping this weekend? Because of course, there's always room for more yarn, am I right?

9. I can feel my head/brain/thoughts drifting as I type. I am curious if I'll actually get to 13 before nodding off (sleep has been less-than-optimal the past couple of nights). May need another shot of espresso...

10. In general, I love mornings more than any other time of the day, by magnitudes of, like, a billion. Even mornings where I'm half-there are better than afternoons. Afternoons are just energy-sucking, to me. A little afternoon nap (can you feel me plotting?) and the evenings can perk me up. But mornings, glorious mornings!

 

I was singing Morning Has Broken early this morning, if that gives you any idea of exactly how annoying I can be. I was actually quite taken by how husky my cold-inclined voice sounded, so that's probably mostly why I sang... Ha, such a dork. Luckily, husband is equally morning-oriented, and Seth slept through it.

11. Not feeling breakfast-y this morning but know I will regret that later. What to eat when you're not feeling 100%? I would love some ideas. Please share.

12. I am fantasizing about my afternoon nap.

13. This list ended up being less random and more "look at me and my sleep-deprived-not-well self." Lucky you. Thank you for indulging me. I am sure there are many more interesting Thursday 13s out there that you will find your way to... and you can find them, here!

Thursday 13: Recipes to share

y various RSS feeds have gone largely ignored of late, I've really been falling down on the job! Ha. So the past couple of weekends, just so I don't miss EVERYthing good out there on the interwebs, I've breezed through a few of my folders and highlighted posts to come back to and save or move along.

In my food feed, there were a number of lovelies worth a try, so of course I pinned them or starred them, and I thought I would share 13 of them with you.

1. I could eat a variation on this almost every day! Heuvos Californios. Yum.

2. Flan is fabulous, and suits my custard-loving ways so well.

3. A blogger posted corn recipes from other bloggers, and looking through them, these corn cakes cried out to me, "Make me!"

4. Around here we like Mexican, we love lentils, so this stew will have to be on the menu this fall!

5. Raspberry frangipane tart with honey raspberry icecream? You had me at frangipane!

6. I have been in a curry mood all summer. Here's a version from a cook at PBS. Again, on the menu for fall!

7. This pasta with squash blossoms might still need to be made this summer... those squash blossoms aren't slowing down yet in the garden!

8. The takeaway in this recipe for me is the creamed feta. Sounds absolutely heavenly. I could see putting it over any grilled vegetables, really...

9. And another use for the zucchini? OK, can do! (Especially since it has Julia's name all over it.)

10. And now for a little  decadence. Anything with "lava" in the title needs to be tried, I say.

11. Apple slaw sounds like a great option to try with our very own apples this fall.

12. And if there's a rainbow, I've got to find it, right? This dessert is apparently a bunch of sit-around-and-wait time, but boy I do think it would be worth taking a day off work just to make it, don't you think?

13. Last but definitely not least, this salad was posted quite some time ago, and I missed pomegranate season to try it... but seasons come around again, so I have tucked this away.

So, which one should I make first? It's hard to pick, but it's sure to be something that has fresh produce right now, like the squash blossoms or zucchini tian... What would YOU make?

For more Thursday 13s, go here.

Link love: 13 links and quotes on writing and writers

n my wanderings online and gathering of tidbits, themes at times arise. Of course, trending issues in the news help toward that end as well.

This week I'm sharing 13 tidbits--links and quotes both--related to writing and writers.

1. “All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” -Ernest Hemingway

2. I adore this post. If you don't read anything else here today, please read it. Very human, and humorous, relative to the ego and envy between writers.

3. “The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them--words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they're brought out. But it's more than that, isn't it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you've said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That's the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a tellar but for want of an understanding ear.” -Stephen King, Different Seasons

4. Molly Ringwald wrote a book. It is on my must-read list, just because Molly is an old fave. Yes, I am from the Pretty In Pink generation, if you didn't already know!

5. Recently I enjoyed this post on semi-colons in The Opinionator section of The NYTimes. Me, I'm a semi-colon girl. Not overly, but certainly not to be avoided, a la Vonnegut.

6. Of course, this piece is ripped (insert loud ripping noise here) from the headlines relative to Joshua Leher's recent nosedive.

7. This quote made me laugh out loud! “I haven't any right to criticize books, and I don't do it except when I hate them. I often want to criticize Jane Austen, but her books madden me so that I can't conceal my frenzy from the reader; and therefore I have to stop every time I begin. Every time I read Pride and Prejudice I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone.” -Mark Twain

8. “If you want to write, if you want to create, you must be the most sublime fool that God ever turned out and sent rambling. You must write every single day of your life. You must read dreadful dumb books and glorious books, and let them wrestle in beautiful fights inside your head, vulgar one moment, brilliant the next. You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads. I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon you. May you live with hysteria, and out of it make fine stories--science fiction or otherwise. Which finally means, may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.” -Ray Bradbury

9. Some rules for writing.

10. One writer's quest to unseat 50 Shades of Grey. I wish him luck!

11. “All that I hope to say in books, all that I ever hope to say, is that I love the world.” -E.B. White

12. Some good tips about Copyblogger's success at writing blog posts. Now if I actually remembered them when I'm writing...

13. “I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I'm afraid of. ” -Joss Whedon

I hope there's a nugget or two there to inspire your creative muse!

Happy Thursday, and for more Thursday 13s, go here.

Thursday 13: Link love for a short work week!

Hard to believe today is Thursday, around here. I kept thinking last night that today really must be Monday, right? Having Wednesday off of work/reality is wonderful, but kind of messes with my brain...

So these links that I had been tucking away for an after-weekend "link love" post, well... it's after the weekend, right? Just a long time after...

1. The Supreme Court health care ruling, explained. Now to actually read it. (Can you give me the Cliff Notes on it, Brent? Oh wait, you kind of did...)

2. Raining poems in London? How awesome.

3. I'm a podcast fan, though I've slacked off lately, what with more work and less time in the yard. This post about podcasting and how the new move to a podcast app in iTunes caught my eye, though I've yet to follow through and explore. And then there's some additional perspective on the move, too. (Both links are from Neiman Labs, an email digest I receive daily.)

4. This saga about Instagram reminds me of the hullabaloo re: Pinterest a few months back. When will people learn to respect others' creations? (Short answer: never.)

5. I've felt this way about the whole "I'm SO busy, really, SO busy," thing at times; glad someone put words to it.

6. But of course, maybe we wouldn't be SO busy if we had better ways of managing our time, a la this post. Some good thoughts, no matter where in the employment-retirement cycle you may be.

7. Not necessarily revolutionary, but great reminders that ideas arrive more readily in certain environments, with a targeted encouragement.

8. This piece on Julia Child's marriage made me want to watch Julie & Julia again, just to see Meryl and Stanley (and Jane Lynch too!). I really enjoyed that part of the movie--the Julie part, not as much.

9. Walking On My Hands is one of my favorite blogs, and this recent post struck a chord, especially the last paragraph--but read the whole thing to get to that wisdom, really. It's worth your five minutes.

10. I have been a little Union Jack nutty lately, what with the London Olympics coming up... I found a shop online with bunches of fun items emblazoned with the flag.

11. Which works best for you, incentive-wise, a carrot or a stick? I read this post recently and it resonated with me. I used to think I was way over on the carrot end of the spectrum (and I *do* love me some gold stars), but I have come to realize that I do actually respond better to the threat of failure/defeat.

12. I saw this post on cooking pasta and had to laugh. I've been under-watering my pasta for years, and often wondered what the big deal is about having a BIG pot, with boiling water... I love how detailed and descriptive this explanation is, though! Check it out and prepare to have your previous assumptions (about cooking pasta) blown out of the water.

13. Aaron Sorkin's new show, Newsroom, has been on HBO for just a couple of weeks and I've only made it half-way through the pilot. I've been busy, OK? I have an interest, from a couple of angles--I like (generally) Sorkin's writing style, even as he can be preachy and heavy-handed, and Sports Night was one of my favorite shows, back in the day. (I've come to believe that has more to do with Josh Charles and Peter Krause than Aaron Sorkin, but whatever.) Anyway... Sorkin has taken heat in a number of reviews on the tone of Newsroom relative to women, so now I'll just HAVE to watch it and see if I agree.

All that is to say, check out this clip of various "Sorkinsims," and you'll see the guy recycles a bunch of his phrases and clever sayings. I'm sure all writers do this to some degree, but mashed together like this, it's rather humorous.



Hope your 4th of July was lovely--even those of you who *didn't* get the day off and have fireworks--and that the slide into the weekend goes all easy-like.

For more Thursday 13s, go here.

Thursday 13: Road tripping with my boy

Thirteen thoughts while driving up the state of Washington, Seth in the driver's seat:
1. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was the youngster, driving to boarding school on these same roads, my mother beside me?
2. How did he get to be tall enough that he actually looks like he should be driving?
3. I love snacks on the road. Is it time for snacks? I know we just left, but surely it should be snack time...
4. Do I feel safe enough to nap? No, not quite. What if something happens and he needs my experience and wisdom, like, NOW?
5. Seth's profile looks remarkably like it did in the sonogram 16 years ago. Is that weird? That's weird, yet makes perfect sense.
6. In the old game of pause-time or invisible, I used to pick invisible, every time. Now, I think I'd pick pause-time.
7. The beautiful thing about working is that vacations are just that much sweeter. Not complaining about the working, just noting the difference. I like the difference, not having the days all run into each other.
8. I am so glad Seth doesn't like metal, or whatever they're calling that indecipherable loud music these days. He's mostly into electronic music, which I can handle.
9. This state is so beautiful. Not always in a predictably picturesque way, though. I have grown so very fond of the rugged, barren look through the middle desert stretch. Especially in winter, when the light is really thin and bleak.
10. OK, not it really MUST be time for snacks. Egg salad. Blueberries. Chips. Vitamin water.
11. Oh, where should we go out for dinner when we get to Kelowna? White Spot? Or somewhere less chain-y? Seth loves White Spot. (So do I.)
12. I have been driving parts of this road since 1985.
13. Huh. We just passed where I got my very first ticket. Father's Day, 1986. Some things just stay with you. This stretch of Hwy 97 still makes my foot hit the brake.
For more Thursday 13s, visit them at www.thursday-13.com. I hope your Thursday is as lovely as ours, wherever you are.
P.S. I napped, I really did.

Thursday 13: 13 sentences to finish, and I did!

his meme has been languishing, tucked away in my drafts for a long time. Since I can't quite get my act together for a more organized kind of Thursday 13, the more casual approach seems more my speed...

1. No matter what mood I'm in, I can always go for: something with cheese. Anything with cheese.

2. My favorite go-to outfit would have to be: comfortable dress or a skirt/T combo. I frequently remember the times in middle school when wearing a dress was just downright awful, and I only did it as a part of a "deal" with my mom (I still don't remember what I got out of the deal, I think it was "wear a dress or else!"). Now, I am most comfortable in skirts and dresses, by far.

3. A good source of inspiration is: Pinterest. Doh. If you're not there, you really should be. I use it to search for ideas on everything from recipes (of course) to the Maldives picture, below. It's a wealth of inspiration, frankly.

4. I am so glad my parents taught me: how to buckle down and get work done. And to appreciate manual labor and the feeling of accomplishment from a hard day's work. Might not have appreciated it WHILE hauling wood or weeding the garden, but I do respect it now. Thank you guys!

5. A song I like to dance to is: Superstition. (Not to mention, it makes me think of my SIL Kim. Bonus.)



6. I wish everyone knew about: the joys of a short, 10-minute nap. It would revolutionize the working world, I swear. Much higher afternoon productivity, from my experience.

7. The best thing in my makeup bag is: Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. It's been 8 years since I first discovered this gem (definitely memorable but funny I remember quite specifically, for a not-so-much makeup girl) and I haven't strayed. Love. It.

8. My dream spring break vacation spot is: If I'm really honest, it's somewhere tropical, in a hut (well, a Four Seasons hut!) on stilts over the ocean.

9. This may be a surprise, but I am passionate about: I can't think of anything that would surprise you, if you know me at all... I'm pretty much an open book. Things I am passionate about, though, include (but of course are not limited to, or in this order!) honesty, optimism, mind-body connections, God, love, faith, family, friends, good food...

10. A favorite book that changed me for the better: (The list is very long, so choosing is a bit rough.) I'm going to go with Girl Meets God. It found me at just the right time in my life.

11. One of my pet peeves is: People who market their life choices. (OK, real-speak would be: inauthentic actions make me want to hurl.)

12. I am trying to be better at: Not judging. Tough row to hoe, some days. Especially when I encounter #11. Seriously challenging.

13. The most recent rad thing I found online was: ifttt.com. Definitely rad, and looking to explore it more.

There you have it; a few tidbits about me for your Thursday. Pick one of the questions (or more, but please at least one!) and answer in the comments. That would make my day!

Happy Thursday, and if you'd like to check out other Thursday 13s, go here.

Thursday 13: The opposite of deep thoughts

t's that kind of week, random and going by entirely too quickly. I do have 13 nuggets of information to share, of course. (I almost wrote nuggets of wisdom, but I think you'd agree that that would be pushing it...)

1. "Spring sports smell of sweat and sadness." That's our motto around here... Seth has a tennis match today and is eager to play, but the drip-drop of rain may hinder.

2. On the spectrum of acceptable adult behavior, cavorting in public is not the classiest thing (at least, that's what I've been told). (Bet you didn't know there's an adult behavior spectrum, aren't you glad I clued you in?) But when both individuals left other spouses to find that special happiness together, cavorting is somewhere well below not classy. People will want to avoid you. (I'll let you imagine what cavorting really is... brings up some pretty interesting mental images, doesn't it?)

3. My friend, Jen, is participating in National Screen-Free Week. Poor dear. Now would be a great time for me to give a recap of this week's episode of Smash (of which we are both avid watchers), don't you think?

4. At the rate we're finishing up our Easter candy (not), I'm giving fair warning to all relatives: look out for pastel colors in your Christmas stockings. Either I bought too much, or I bought too much.

5. I advised Seth yesterday that he needs to increase his revenue stream. We were talking about his card game hobby (Magic, the Gathering), but it later occurred to me that a more normal parental phraseology would have been: get a job!

6. Texting is awesome. How did one keep tabs on a traveling spouse before texting? I know, that question almost answers itself...

7. When you're looking to avoid someone, hiding behind bedding plants at Home Depot is probably not the way to go. By you, I mean me.

8. It's been a while since I've mentioned how lovely and green it is outside. It is indeed very beautiful, and I exclaim over the lushness, every day. Soon enough it will be 90 degrees. I'm happy with the cooler temps, and so are the plants! (Seth, not so much--see #1.)

9. Remind me to never buy a crewneck T-shirt again. Why do I still buy them when I vastly prefer v-neck? I cleaned out (well, mostly tidied) my T-shirt section of my closet yesterday and relegated the crewneck to a less-frequented area. Couldn't quite pull the plug on them--a thought occurred to me that maybe someone, somewhere, has posted a way to turn a crewneck T into something else? And of course, I found a couple of ideas very quickly and I know there are many more out there. And if all else fails, I can always just turn them into T-shirt yarn!

T-shirt scarf

Tank convert

10. Seth is reading to ME at night with the book we just embarked on--Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. I think this is Seth's umpteenth time reading it, and it is sweet how much he wants to read it to me. I read it probably more than 30 years ago, so any memory is extremely faint. The first night, I actually fell asleep while he was reading, it was so peaceful. Mama's gettin' old...

11. I was thinking recently... if my life were a musical, I would like a Bollywood number to be included (yes, obviously I've been watching Smash...). And of course, since no one actually stars in the movie of their life, you would be spared my gyrations to said Bollywood song. I would *let* Katharine McPhee play me, of course. Not Uma Thurman. No. (You can thank me later, Jen.)

12. I probably didn't state it with enough exclamation points in my post on sourdough pizza dough yesterday: blue cheese on pizza is amazing!!!!! It was lovely last night and it will be for lunch today, too!

13. Chief practically accosted my friend Sara yesterday when she was here for a visit and tea. Like, inappropriately so. He's sweet, but boy that muzzle on him when he's looking for a little affection... silly pup.

OK, I think that's about all that's running through my brain that's fit to share. The rest you really don't want to be exposed to anyway, believe me!

I hope your Thursday is off to a great start, and the rest of your week goes swimmingly.

For other Thursday 13 participants, go here.

Thursday 13: Random, and late

1. I had jury duty today. I was pretty convinced I wouldn't be picked to actually serve. Ha.

2. Today the weather went from blue skies to clouds to rainbursts, multiple rainbursts; now we're finishing the day off with a beautiful sunset.

3. I'm currently listening to the song my cousin, Brent, sent me yesterday in response to my Wordless Wednesday. It's fun.

4. The cherry and plum trees are blooming. It's a gift, looking out my office window and seeing the blossoms, dreaming of the fruit...

5. If people would tell the truth, about 75% of the world's problems would go away. Well, a lot of them, anyway.

6. If people stopped doing things they felt the need to then lie about, the other 25% or so of the world's problems would be solved. Solid statistics, that's me.

7. Did I mention I was on a jury today? Thank goodness it was a brief enough process. Interesting, but not sure I could give it days and days of attention.

8. If I had to do a Ten Word Tuesday on the court case: Domestic dispute, harm to property, two guys, accident or malicious?

9. After a very short and non-productive time at work after jury duty, I went to hear Seth play with the Wa-Hi jazz band at a local ale house. The band did awesome, it was very loud in a too-small space, and I'm glad to be home in my comfy George Castanza pants.

10. It's really a shame that there's a bag of SweetTart jelly bean Easter eggs on my desk. Just a crying shame.

11. Are you aware that some people don't like to make lists, or more probably, it just doesn't come naturally to them? I know, I've been shocked to discover that as well. I believe my mother was probably making a list as she gave birth to me, all that she needed to get done later. It's in my DNA, baby. I will always remember my mom and the "town lists" from my childhood. She taught me that you ALWAYS go to the furthest end of your errands and work your way back. Of course. (We lived a ways from town, so you had to make a trip worth your effort and be efficient. Of course.)

12. At Seth's concert tonight, there was a boy who was making eyes at his girlfriend in the audience pretty much the whole show, all the while playing the trumpet. It was sweet on one hand, kind of annoying on the other. Totally unabashed.

13. I need to go find something other than jelly beans to eat. Which reminds me, this is the longest span I've gone without posting a recipe on SweetTea&Sunshine. Sad face. Must remedy that very soon. Time to go stand in front of the refrigerator and mull over cravings and options and see if they line up. Wish me luck.

Happy Thursday. For more Thursday 13s, go here.

Thursday 13: Easter is coming!

aster is such a joyful holiday, for what it symbolizes for Christians, and also for what it symbolizes in the natural world with birth, renewal, fertility! I've posted a few times around this holiday before, with a Thursday 13 in 2010, as well as some recipes (eggs!) (apple cake & rhubarb cake!) that are favorites with family and friends. (Also, for even more Easter ideas, check out my blogroll for a couple of posts on Easter treats and a more natural approach to Easter. Ideas abound!)

This year there are many pretty and yummy-sounding recipes calling to me (I am hungry as I write this, which always sends me to the recipes!). Here are 13 recipes that sing "Spring celebration!" and "Easter brunch!" quite nicely:

 1. Bunny buns

2. Strawberry tres leches shortcake

 3. Cupcake eggs

4. Strawberry ricotta streusel cake

5. Carrot crescents filled with egg salad

 6. Pesto potatoes and eggs

 7. Asparagus ribbon salad

8. Bird's nests cookies


9. Bunny bread

10. Sugar snap salad

11. Bunny bait

 12. Avocado fried eggs

13. Colored egg cookies

I am in the mood to make ALL of them. I know, a little indulgent--but for sure #s 1, 3, 4, 8, 11 and 13.

And the bonus thing is, we're celebrating Easter again when my whole family gets together later in April. So we'll do something small-ish this weekend, and I'll pull out all the Easter stops when the nieces arrive, later!

Which ones appeal to you? Do you have any Easter food traditions to share? Would love to hear about them!

For more Thursday 13s, go here.

Thursday 13: 13 things I'm looking forward to

hat's better on a windy, rainy day, than to look ahead to days that will involve sunshine and family and garden-fresh produce?

Hence, my Thursday 13 this week: what I'm looking forward to. Some are practically immediate, others are a bit far off... but still, just stating them out loud makes me joyful.

1. Lunch with a girlfriend today. Pho!

2. Seth's first tennis match on Friday. I won't be there--an hour drive both ways? Um, no, especially since he'll be on the bus with his buddies--but he'll do great and I can't wait to hear about it. (He had a super-close challenge match yesterday. Came down to breaking a 6-6 game tie with an 8-10 victory in his favor. I got there for the very end, and it was great to see him prevail.)

3. The weekend. Of course. And our weekend breakfast traditions, which are legendary. (Well, to us they are, anyway!)

4. Apricots on the apricot tree this summer. I know, that sounds a long way off, but the tree is blooming just beautifully right now, and I'm crossing my fingers we don't get a hard frost, since that has killed off the crop the last two years. I'm ready for a 400-pounds-of-apricots year, I am.

5. Spring break. I am feeling very "cabin feverish" about not having left town since December. Itching to go somewhere! And I will sneak in a long lunch with Jen in PDX too, which makes me smile just thinking about it. Will it involve fondue, she asks, hopefully?

6. Some work issues to be ironed out next week. Good things are happening, but next week should be pivotal, and I'm eager to get there, and beyond!

7. The garden. We have our little seed packets ready to go and are going to start seeds inside this weekend. Nothing makes me more anticipatory for spring and summer than plotting and planning the vegetables, herbs and flowers!

8. Family visit in April. So looking forward to having everyone here together. Makes my heart so happy just thinking about it, planning, getting goofy about Easter stuff for the nieces...

9. Summer plans that involve girlfriends, food, good times, Outstanding in the Field, laughter, music, sharing, more laughter and probably more food. (OK, I will probably sneak in a little crochet time, but they can handle it. And if there's a crochet intervention need, I am sure I can handle that too!)

10. Summer eating. Follows naturally from summer garden planning, but can't help but mention that I'm hankering for fresh basil, garden-grown tomatoes, peas, beets, carrots, kale, arugula... and the list goes on... yum.

11. Extra time with Seth. It's magically delicious that we have all of next week with the lad too, and I savor Every Moment. (And then spring break too, wa-hoo. I may have mentioned that already?)

12. Weather that is consistently more than 50 degrees, at night. Is that too much to hope for, long for? You'd think we'd had a hard winter, but that's not really the case. It's the dragging out of this in-between spot that's killing me. Snow, sleet, rain, hail. Please.

13. A visit to Grandma this spring. Not quite sure which weekend Seth and I will sojourn north, but we'll carve it out in May, I'm thinking. Ready for my Tim Horton's fix! Well, and seeing Grandma too, of course!

That's it for today... but I'm sure as the spring progresses I will find more and more to look forward to.  Thinking about these items has definitely brightened my morning; I hope you have some fun things to look forward to this spring and summer, as well! Care to share?

For more Thursday 13s, go here. And have a great Thursday!

Thursday 13: When all else fails, daybook musings!

he week has just slipped away from me, in a plan-ahead-and-blog-thoughtfully kind of way... I had great plans of doing a Thursday 13 of smoothie recipes, initiated by my Aunt Bobbi asking about good combinations with yogurt... and sadly, I did a little initial research but did not get it together in the end.

So, you're stuck with musings. (The smoothies WILL happen, hopefully next week. I am in the mood for smoothies since I started looking around this week.)

FOR TODAY (pared down from the original Simple Woman's Daybook)

1. Outside my window... Gray skies with a rim of blue. Makes me think a little breeze might just blow the whole gray thing away. However, I did just see some snowflakes fall from the gray... we'll see who wins, blue or gray!

2. I am thankful... for my family. Near and far, I am loved and supported. Such a blessing.

3. In the kitchen... I made more breakfast cookies last night. This time I put in dried blueberries rather than dried cranberries, and I really like it. I am eating one as I type...

4. I am wearing... a skirt with leggings. I'm pretending that spring is coming, wearing flats and footless leggings... we'll see if my feet freeze off? I think not... heat on in the car, heat on at work! But I did get dressed before I saw the snowflakes...

5. I am creating... mental space? Maybe, but not even that, some days. Sadly, nothing much going on in the creative realm at the moment. I was thinking about getting a little crochet group going at work over the lunch hour one day a week, just to have that nudge toward working on something. We'll see.

6. I am going... slightly mad? OK, that's not even true, but in a stream-of-consciousness way, it was the first thing I thought of. Isn't that from a Queen song? On a slightly different tangent, I have been craving a little ELO lately, maybe with a side of Supertramp, and a condiment of Alan Parson's Project. ELO always brings me a great deal of nostalgic happiness.

Appropriate for my wishes of late...



7. I am reading... I am plugging away at the books I posted as aiming to read this quarter, and making a little headway. The thing I didn't factor in, but of course should have--given my short attention span--are the books that have since crossed my path and have bumped a few of the current books off the "must read now" list. So, we'll see what I have to report at the end of the first quarter. Will I have read all 13 of the original books? No. Will I have read 13 books, period. Um, no. Did I try? In a manner of speaking... But! There's March to go, so wish me luck.

8. I am learning... A lot. Every day. This project at work takes my brain to new places, and takes me back to places I've been before. It's all good, and I do usually feel completely mentally used up by the end of the day, which I really enjoy.

9. I am pondering... how to best approach an email I need to send. I will noodle on it for a bit, and see what I come up with. It's certainly not as difficult as I sometimes make it out to be in my head, and it's certainly become well-traveled road for me. I just need to get off my butt and do it.

10. A favorite quote for today... I'm sure it's from a larger poem, which I will find. But I ran across this yesterday and just loved it:

Never mind. The self is the least of it. Let our scars fall in love. 
-Galway Kinnell

11. One of my favorite things... has got to be my morning coffee. Really, my whole morning routine. Such a routine girl...

12. A few plans for the rest of the week... Work. Lunches out--two of them! Carpooling Seth to and from tennis practice. The usual...

13. A peek into my day... 

This amaryllis came via post from my oldest and dearest friend Corinne. I love it. I can't show you all four flowers at the head, but it is gorgeous, and the color! Wow. (Sorry about the white blowout there behind--that's where snowflakes are falling. But I decided this is better than turning around and you seeing my whole cluttered kitchen as a backdrop!)

I hope your Thursday is off to a great start. If you want to play along with Thursday 13, go here.

How has your week has been? I hope the fact that it's Friday tomorrow brings you great joy. It certainly does for me!

Thursday 13: Thursday link love

he past couple of weekends have been busy with home things, actually getting things done! But of course I have taken *some* time out for my usual wanderings around the internet, checking out bits and pieces that intrigue me. And you know I have to share, I'm just the sharing type, right? So I'm not waiting for a "Weekend link love" opportunity, I'm taking advantage of NOW, and sharing 13 interesting places/stories around the web.

1. Why is this news not being blasted from the mountaintops? BPA is found in canned goods as well as plastic? Good to know, even if the researchers are unsure what health effect this has, long term. Good thing we don't eat from tin cans very much. Grrr.

2. I enjoyed this post from one courageous mother, blogging about her cancer journey. Well, she didn't mean for it to be about cancer when she started it as an artsy-jewelry kind of blog a few years ago. But circumstances unfold (cancer, ugh, yuck), and she responded...

3. Have you heard of Fab.com? If you haven't, you should check it out. You have to sign up, but that's a minor whatever. There are many fun, pretty items, on sale. I have yet to buy anything, but it sure is fun to look. Check out these pretty iPhone covers:

4. Remember when Facebook used to update you with information on the pages you followed? I think they were called updates, right? Then they changed the whole "pages" thing and went with more of a business-page idea, and if you like something, updates end up in your feed. But sometimes, you still get messages, apparently. Where are they? Just below your messages themselves, in that left-hand column. I had not looked there in more than a year, and when I read this article, I decide to go looking. There were mostly updates from people/companies/blogs I'd followed for a while, but there were also a couple of "hey, wanna be my friend" messages from people I DO NOT know, and have no desire to know. Maybe I'm the only one who hadn't kept up with the "other" messages, but I'm glad to now know. (Creepy people now blocked, thank you very much.)

5. This interesting story about a small weekly suburban publication in Boston caught my attention. Seems the publisher can't figure out a reason why he'd want to publish online. Given that he doesn't seem to have any competition (print or digital) in his area, I say let's start an online rag to compete! Give him a reason to get digital. OK, that might be mean, but he's pretty much advertising for someone to do it.

6. I have had good luck with interval training in the past, and this post reminded me why I should take it up again. I did a couple of days at the beginning of the week, and enjoyed it. Now to make it a regular thing!

7. So apparently cupcakes are only for the middle to upper classes now? I guess at $2.50-$4 a pop, that makes sense...

8. Take a look at these paper dolls that have been crafted especially for Downton Abbey fans. What a hoot! The scary thing would be to find adult women actually playing with them (I have my eye on you, Jen! And Megan! And all the rest of you!)

And of course, in keeping with the ongoing (and sadly, now waiting for season 3) Downton Abbey obsession, this explanation of the highs and lows  of British cuisine was quite interesting to me. Also in the Downton vein, an article on how Downton Abbey has made PBS "cool" again. (For some of us Masterpiece/Nature geeks, it always was...) Just yesterday I was sent a link to this hilarious recap of the Downton finale. (Language warning. Really. Don't say I didn't warn you.) Just about wet my pants laughing. Thanks, Robin!

9. I enjoyed this blog post about the various kinds of commenters out there in blogland. Glad I only have the kind and thoughtful ones, so far... What's your experience? Any trolls out there in your world?

 9. This "what I really do" meme has taken off like a rocket around the interwebs, and a wide variety of themes have arisen. Mashable has a compilation of career-related ones, but I think my favorites are the ones like the North Dakota one above, where all the pictures are the same. But then I see another one, and then that one is my favorite. I am a sucker for this meme, true story.

10. This piece about how our media diets mimic our actual diets (ie, cheap and easy) is an interesting way to look at both phenomenons. (Here's an interview with the author on NPR, if you'd prefer to listen.)

monasnookie

12. And to follow the point of the article just mentioned (re: media diets), the picture above pretty much sums it up. The fact that I know who that is really bothers me.

13. And back to more enlightening topics, this piece about sleep really woke me up! I never knew that there had been other kinds of sleep patterns, hundreds of years ago. Makes sense that we have tried to jam it all up into one 8-hour slot, so we can get more done! Maybe I shouldn't fight the 3 a.m. wake-toss-thing?

That's it from me this week. Hope there was a link or two that piqued your interest! What have you read lately that kept your interest? I would love to know.

For other Thursday 13 participants, go here. And have a great Thursday, while you're at it!