Tagged

I got distracted yesterday before I could finish the Tale of Saturday, but I'll get back to it eventually.

In the meantime, Kara tagged me in a mini-interview. Since talking about myself is one of my favourite things, this seemed like a natural fit ^_^

1. Where would you like to live once you retire?

Somewhere that was a mixture of rustic and urban. Since I've been in Faro, I've become much more rustic than I ever was before, but there are times that I miss the city. I'd like to live somewhere where I didn't have to socialize with anyone, but I wouldn't have to look too far if I did want to. (*realizes this is not a definitive answer, but [hopefully] has many years to think about it)


2. What causes you to worry the most?

The thought of dying alone. (Or the fear that I'm somehow going to destroy every place I live.)


3. What was your favorite toy as a child?

Well, there was that My Little Pony that I loved and some jerk girl stole from me in second grade, but I think I have to go with Sheepie - a stuffed sheep given to me when I was born. He's travelled the globe with me, and he's sitting on my bedroom windowsill at the moment.

4. Do you make decisions quickly and easily or do you fret over them for long periods of time?

Both. I think and think and think, and then I shut my eyes and jump in, and then after I've jumped I think and think and think and regret and wonder why I can't be a normal girl who makes decisions rationally.

5. What hobby would you pursue if money wasn't an issue?

I would become a full-time quilter. I'd have a quilting room set up with sewing machines, a frame so I didn't have to have the quilt on my lap in summer, a TV so I could watch endless hours of forensics shows while I worked, and a crazy big stash of fabric.

Either that or move back to Japan and study bellydance all the time.


I hope you've enjoyed this little trip inside my brain. It was fun for me. I'm tagging Erica S, because I don't think I can do a touch-back on Kara. (If I can, Kara, consider yourself re-tagged.)

1. What inspires you?
2. What is your favourite fairy tale/folk tale?
3. Which historical figure (real or fictional) would you like to have dinner with?
4. Which of your personality traits is your favourite?
5. If you were about to be exiled and could only take one memento from home with you, what would you take?

Back at it

Ah, another Monday dawns...the golf course is greening, the dandelions are popping up, and my stomach is in knots.

I'm not sure if it's a weekend of trying to eat well (but probably failing), or if it's just that time of year, but I feel gross. Seriously. Like, alien parasites swimming around in my stomach gross.

And I walked to work today, which may have made things worse. Mom gave me the "Oh, Erica!" when I mentioned I had been driving to work since I got my truck, which sent me into a shame spiral. So, I walked to work and got my stomach all churned up in the process.

This is why I'll never be an award-winning blogger. Intestinal woe!

Cryptic Note

I've been taking notes since yesterday in the Tenorikuma notebook I purchased on my first trip to Puroland. They're tiny bears who run a coffeeshop (at least, I think they're bears - their tails look a bit more like racoons), and they're accompanied by smiling sugar cubes, spoons, and little wisps of steam. I wasn't going to get sucked into something boring, like Hello Kitty - although I do have a fondness for Kuromi-chan (or Bondage Bunny, as we like to call her) - no, I am on Team Tenorikuma all the way.

I mention this because I found a page where I had written some cryptic notes. I think maybe I wrote them while I was still in Japan - I only received this book in the mail yesterday - but have no idea what it means. It's about sushi rolls, salads, and main dishes - but right in the middle is this cryptic note:

"Please feel free to ask a NINJA"

Was I doing a lot of drugs back in the day? Was I tripping? Is this like that notebook full of ramblings from the time I spent the night in a Shinjuku McDonalds, waiting for the trains to start running again?

And at the back are 6 pages of notes from two episodes of Stargate: Atlantis, which are obviously for that story I wrote for the Secret Santa exchange. That takes me back. Maybe one of these days I will get around to watching the rest of SGA...maybe.

All I need is a notebook, and a really cool pen, and I am happy.

Not good with planning

I've never really been a person who's good at planning - particularly when it comes to meals. Other people seem to have the knack of plotting out plans for a week or a month at a time, and they stick to them. Me, I can decide at 4:00 to make salmon for dinner, and by the time I get home at 4:30, I've changed my mind in favour of a burger or soup.

I'm really trying, though. I made an inventory tonight of everything that's in my freezer, and everything in my pantry.

I am trying to follow the advice of a woman who feeds her family of 6 on $190US a month. Granted, some of her options are not available to me - food up here is always going to be more expensive - but I have to try. I've already spent $100 this month on crap from Mel's - stuff I really didn't need to buy, but couldn't stop myself. I knew there as a reason I stopped going there for a month!

I get really tired of recipes that tell me to double the recipe up and freeze it. This is a problem for me because:
A) I am only cooking for one person anyway, doubling it up would make enough for 8 servings;
B) I don't have a really big freezer;
C) I don't have a microwave, so reheating food is just as much a pain as cooking it the first time was, and;
D) I tend to forget about things in the freezer, and eventually end up throwing them out.

Whew.

Anywhooo, to wit, I am trying to plan ahead, so that my next grocery trip will be an organized, list-following extravaganza.

My body may be giving up the fight

I'm not sure, but yesterday it was my stomach, today it is my throat and head. I think my body is trying to tell me something. Perhaps that something is "You are making yourself sick, dumbass. Go home, wear fuzzy pants, and lie on the couch while watching movies, drinking tea, and feeling sorry for yourself."

I went home a couple of hours early yesterday, because of my Stupid Stomach Troubles. I am debating going home after the others get back from lunch, because I need rest and there's no way I can take a sick day tomorrow.

On the other hand, if I go home, I'm just going to stress out and be anxious about emails coming in or missing phone calls or people thinking I am a slacker.

On the third hand, ginger-ale would be really nice right about now. And maybe some toast with jam. And I wish my dad was here to bring me tea with honey. And my cats were here to curl up on my lap.

Okay, rambling over. Back to work.