Thursday Thoughts - Reminded who are we by the girls of wild strawberries

I carried a watermelon. MFD wanted to run and get his camera to capture the moment. 

Pasta salad season. Mine varies but is typically a Barilla veggie pasta base, some type of cheese, and obviously veggies. I lean to cucumber, broccoli (I throw it in with for the last minute and a half of pasta cooking), olives (kalamata in here but open to all), grape tomatoes, a bit of red onion, italian salami, an orange pepper that was about to go down, garlic salt, onion salt, garlic powder, and Olive Garden dressing. It's like a complete meal for summer. 

Getting rental season ready by doing things we could have done all winter. Insert upside down smiley face here. Painting shelves, touch up paint, trim paint touch ups, having powder room sink braced by a local handyman, replacing broken trim pieces, dry wall repair, Mermaid surgery to reattach the hangers to the back, anticipating arrival of new bench and stools that will need assembly. When I paint furniture these days, I prefer the Heirloom Traditions All in One Paint. No prep aside from cleaning needed, dries quickly, and it lasts. This is it after 1.5 coats in Capri on the right, I left it intentionally distressed in spots. It is pretty impossible to fuck up. I am painting two dressers this fall, one in navy and one probably in tea rose. 

Multiple mass shootings since Uvalde - which I wrote at length about last week - we have work to do as citizens. We cannot accept strangled minority rule. We must become ungovernable in the current system, and everyone operating in it holding change back must go, regardless of who they are and what "side" they represent. Follow Emilyinyourphone on Instagram, who is bringing action items as they come. Follow Shannon Watts, who founded Moms Demand. Moms....demand action here. Please. I am sorry it is falling on you like most things do, but if you just continue the work school after school activity wash rinse repeat nothing will change and we really need it to. We're all being ground down to not have the energy to effect change, but we must. We cannot have kids dying like this in America when it is not happening elsewhere on the globe where there are also guns, mental illness, otherness, misogyny, etc. These shootings and this culture of violence is entirely preventable and all of us are responsible for breaking the broken system. Some thoughts that resonated with me. 

Reminder, especially to women who are chastised for being aggressive or too much when working for something you care about, like kids being safe in schools. 

General reminder.

Analog LOLs

My perfect iced tea is brewed in a maker, and it's Boston Mint-in-Tea with a smidge of sugar and some fresh citrus, whatever is available

Happy happy birthday to my lady loves of over 30 years, KVSR who had her birthday yesterday and Kim who celebrates Sunday. 

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Girls of Wild Strawberries by Guided by Voices

Thursday Thoughts - imagine all the people, living life in peace

1. I've officially started counting down until my birthday (28 days) and monitoring nightly shore temps to see when we can open the house again. Please enjoy these Ides of March cupcakes I found on Pinterest.

2. I also submitted the paperwork to adopt our beach at the shore! I am so fucking excited about this, you'd think it was about winning the lottery instead of picking up trash. I put both of our names on the sign even though I didn't tell MFD about it until after I submitted it and he will likely never participate in the clean ups. He's running a campaign, he's got other shit to worry about (click here to donate).

3. Typically how I fill in Thursday Thoughts is I set up the list and will update with a tidbit that I will go back in and expand on on Wednesday night. This Wednesday, this is what that looked like at 6 pm.

4. Part of that is due to my feeling that it was just Sunday and I was sharing weekend things and now it's Thursday and I have nothing to show for the week because I have spent most nights in a Goldberg haze and I'm following the real Beverly Goldberg on Twitter and looking up what the family is doing now and this is why I don't binge watch things often. I lose time on completely inconsequential shit.

5. I have wanted to do this for years. I finally did it and fucked up all the WiFi things in the house but I don't care because my main internet is called Kellerman's and my 5G is called Johnny Castle. I changed it at the shore too, it's Thunder Road down there. I've needed the small triumphs this week.

6. The 40/40 started yesterday. I almost forgot all about it. 40 minutes of exercise for 40 days during Lent. Sundays or day of your choice off if you want. Doesn't matter what it is and it doesn't all have to be together. I started yesterday by walking at lunch and running errands while I did that.

7. I haven't had nail polish on my toes since October? I had major discoloration every time I took nail polish off so I just left it off. I think I'm ready to get back into it.

8. Every week I think I cannot possibly hate this republican administration more. Every week I am wrong. For your attention/consideration this week: Even if you think you know what immigrants can and can't do, and how they can become citizens, please read this (it will take you to a public FB status; this op/ed from two known nonpartisan writers at The Atlantic that contains the frank statement that a certain form of partisanship is now a moral necessity as the Republican party as an institution has become a danger to the rule of law and the integrity of our democracy; Sessions, the top lawyer in the land and also a racist fuck who has shown his racism many times, spoke of the "anglo-American heritage of law enforcement" because he's (one more time) a racist fuck who owns stock in private prisons and has contributed handily to the mass incarceration of brown people and I can't fucking believe he's still in that position and everyone is okay with it; this fire column from Rob Porter's ex wife who he abused - once again for the fucking world, this president is an abuser and knowingly hires abusers and they are all very fucking anti-woman, even the women. Also, for those of you with your heads still up your asses simpering things like why don't women come forward why don't women report things why don't women leave first, let me invite you to shut the fuck up and second, they don't come forward because when they do there are many people like the president and chief of staff/former military man John Kelly knew and didn't care...and despite overwhelming evidence from THREE WOMEN, the president still tweeted about how they were allegations that were going to destroy HIM. The man. The beater. I truly cannot explain my fucking rage over this.

9. Reminder: Thoughts and prayers aren't doing a damn thing for the kids gunned down in Florida yesterday. Year after year, shooting after shooting, America sits here and says it's people, not guns; it's mental illness; what about the criminals with guns?!; all it takes is a good guy with a gun and other tired bullshit as they stroke their shiny guns and worship at the altar of the gun while our children lay dead in school hallways. Meanwhile this does not happen in our  peer countries.Those countries also have people, mental illness, criminals with guns, and guns. They have much stricter laws and don't fetishize guns like we do here. It is disgusting and disgraceful and because the NRA owns so many congress people it is also a political issue. We care more about our guns than the children of this nation. What are we fucking doing here? Does it have to happen to you and your family personally before you are moved to drop the tired replies, speak up about the NRA's hold on our government, and demand change? Check out Moms Demand Action and Everytown. Get involved. It starts with us.

10. Ecard of the week:

Life Lately...March

What I'm doing lately...

Drinking...one of these every once in a while. I drink water with lemon all day every day and coffee for a lot of the day. I like to sneak in an iced tea or one of these and shake shit up.

Keeping a list...of possible long weekend trip destinations. I always like to travel to new places, and I always like to have a list of possible destinations in my back pocket. Do you have any ideas, Philly area friends? Short/cheap flights or driving distances of under 5 hours?

Still on a high from...Dirty Dancing on stage Tuesday night. Carol and I went with Michelle's mom, two aunts, sisters, and cousins. Thanks to Aunt Cathy for securing the tickets! We had dinner at Bellini Grill before the show. I was super jazzed to see they sold merchandise, and I bought a zillion things because I'm insane. I've had the time of my life indeed. I really enjoyed the show because honestly? I love all things Dirty Dancing. However, I do think it was a hard translation for a much loved movie to go from screen to stage. I thought Baby was awesome and looked and sounded a lot like Jennifer Grey. Johnny was a little off, forced or overacted maybe? Then again, no one comes close to The Swayze. I really liked seeing how they worked around some of the limitations of the stage, and how they incorporated the music without relying solely on the soundtrack. The two main singing cast members were very good. I appreciated how they stuck with the main frame of the story and made sure to include well known dialogue but were a little more interpretive in some scenes. I went into it with no expectations - I knew it couldn't be a replica of the movie I love so much so I liked what they did well and wasn't bothered by what they didn't. Was it a technical masterpiece or an award winning show? Probably not. I think it's a show for true fans so in that regard, I loved it.

Looking forward to...seeing The Breakfast Club on the big screen tonight for the 30th anniversary re-release. Yes, I will be the dork in the John Bender tee-shirt. Look for that on Instagram, I'm sure it'll be up there. It's like a freaking 80s revival in my life this week.

Reading...The Bullet by Mary Louise Kelly. Mark your calendar for the next Show Us Your Books link up on April 7.

Finishing...My March Relationship Theme goals for Choose Your Own Adventure. The link up is a week from today on April 2.

Regretting...That not everyone knows this. It's important.

Playing...a lot of Amy Winehouse.

Watching...Very little TV. Phase 1 of Give Comcast Das Boot has commenced.

Loving...being back in touch with my old college friend Jana, who you likely know better as Jana from Jana Says and the lady with whom I peddle the aforementioned Show Us Your Books linkup. She trekked into Philly yesterday and we had lunch at Continental Midtown. We haven't seen each other in 15 years. Can you believe it? We're going to make it a monthly thing. I'm so pleased to have this relationship revived.

Needing...to get my shit in check. Birthday month eating has gone way off the rails as you see from the lunch time dessert above.

Appreciating...My parents.

Nodding at...

What's life like for you lately?


Linking up with Kristin and Joey for Stuff & Things

Things that happened this week

1. I made a healthy shamrock shake. That is a lie. I made a healthy shake (handful of baby spinach, frozen banana, cup of ice, teaspoon of vanilla) and added peppermint to it so it tasted minty. It did not in any way taste like a shamrock shake.

2. We finally watched the finale of Parks and Rec and I cried. More than once. I'll miss you Pawnee!

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3. Self tanning started back up. My products of choice are Jan Marini Bioglycolic Sunless Self Tanner for my face and Banana Boat Summer Color Self-Tanning Lotion for my body. The Jan Marini is worth the price - it doesn't clog my pores or make me look orange, I don't find the odor offensive, and I look like I have some color without the sun damage and old lady wrinkles that accompany the real thing. As always, exfoliate like a boss before applying any self tanner or you'll come out looking like a freaky streaky Oompah Loompah.

4. My friend Kelly from Boston sent me TWO containers of the sacred sea salt caramels from Whole Foods that you can't get here to kick off my birthday month. Hallelujah and amen. Thank you Kelly!

5. It cracks me up when people on Facebook who are frequent riders of the hot mess express switch gears and post statuses giving grandiose life advice to the world. That time would be better spent getting your own house in order, am I right? And, I don't know, when you're losing your shit maybe the first place you turn shouldn't be the facespace. If you need to let it all hang out, text your best friend. As the song goes, that's what friends are for. That is not, however, what Facebook is for.

6. Birthday month treat yoself from LOFT and Old Navy Outlets. My LOFT purchases were supposed to be $156 and were $76 after sales and my birthday month coupon. I had stuff to return to Old Navy, so I paid nothing for these and have a credit leftover. Winning. I'm glad I checked out the outlets of both stores.

7. If you follow me on Instagram you are quite familiar with my Saturday and Sunday (and vacation) coffee mug photos. So I thought I'd show you MFD's mug of choice recently. That's right. My Dirty Dancing mug from Kerry. He seeks it out and he's proud of it.

8. Ice. Snow. Bullshit. Tuesday night sucked for ice and Thursday I worked from home due to snow. I'm quite thankful I have the ability to work from home in inclement weather. My train line went down numerous times during the time I'd be commuting home.

9. Pros to working from home: quiet, lots of projects get done that I never seem to find time for in the office, can work in pajamas, nicely scented tarts and candles, don't lose two hours of the day to commuting, can lounge on the couch and watch a show and have freshly made naan pizza for lunch, MFD makes breakfast, overall more gets done. Cons: furry coworkers are alternately lazy, needy, and barky.

10. This is like a delayed Thursday Thoughts post, isn't it? So then a weekly e-card seems appropriate. Link up with me & Jana for Show Us Your Books on Tuesday!

Now lay it on me - what happened with you this week? Good, bad, ugly...I want to hear about it!

Friday Five: Favorite Fictional Places I'd like to visit

1. Downton Abbey. As long as the Dowager Countess is there. We can discuss what a week-end is.

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2. Fraggle Rock. I'd really like to consult Marjory the Trash Heap about some shit.

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3. Jane Eyre's moors. "I am no bird, and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with independent will." Have I waxed poetic about my love of Jane Eyre?

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4. Kellerman's. Duh. I know I can actually visit this place, it's in Virginia. But I want to go to THE Kellerman's, not the Kellerman's facade. Take me to the lake too, while we're at it.

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5. The Peach Pit. As long as Brenda and Kelly were there and Dylan was slumped in a corner, brooding. Andrea can stay home. I don't have time for her whining to Brandon.

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What fictional places would you visit?

 This post initially appeared on Northeast Bloggers.

Linking up with  Meet @ the Barre

Linking up with Joy as always

Hungry Eyes: Ga-gung Ga-gung Chili

You know when Baby is learning to dance and she's not getting it? Johnny says, "It's not on the one, it's not the mambo. It's a feeling...a heartbeat. Ga-gung. Ga-gung. Don't try so hard. Ga-gung. Ga-gung. Close your eyes." Cue Hungry Eyes.

Chili is the same thing.You have to taste your way through making it. It's a feeling...a heart beat. Ga-gung. Ga-gung. Chili.

Ingredients
1.25 lb ground beef
1 lb beef for stew
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 cup bell peppers, chopped
15 oz tomato sauce
3 tbs tomato paste
28 oz crushed tomatoes
15 oz pinto beans, rinsed
15 oz kidney beans, rinsed
diced green chiles
Chili powder - start with two tablespoons and add as needed
Cumin - start with two tablespoons and add as needed
Paprika - start with one tablespoon and add as needed
Garlic powder - start with one tablespoon and add as needed
Ground mustard - start with one teaspoon and add as needed
Salt & pepper to taste (last)
Hot sauce if you choose, to taste.

Directions
Drain and rinse beans in colander.

Brown ground beef and half of the onion. Drain and set aside. Cook stew meat in same pot without washing it out. After the outside is all browned, add the other half of the onion and peppers and cook until veggies start to get soft, about four minutes.

Add tomato sauce, green chiles, crushed tomatoes in juice, and beans. Stir well. Add your seasonings and stir. Cook over medium for five minutes, taste, add additional seasonings if desired. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.

If you want to be a fancy dancer, you can make homemade cornbread in a cast iron skillet using this recipe. To make it in a cast iron skillet, put two tablespoons of butter in the skillet in the oven and let melt, then pour the cornbread in and stir a bit. Bake as instructed - mine took a bit longer but I didn't time it so keep an eye on it.

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Haikuesday:

Dirty Dancing meals?

Hungry eyes...hungry eyes...mmm

Dance and dine with me.

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Did I just connect chili to Dirty Dancing? You bet your sweet maracas I did.