This is one of those days where I’m just not going to write much.
But it kind of counted for NABLOPOMO.
Well, that happened.
09 Nov 2016 Leave a comment
in NaBloPoMo, Uncategorized and beyond. Tags: 2016 election
I wasn’t crazy about either major-part candidate, and it has been one really weird election year.
More than ever, I feel like I’m in bizzaro world. The Spock with a goatee will walk in at any moment.
I claimed I wouldn’t be surprised either way, but I think I am actually surprised.
I hope every registered voter who reads this, voted.
I’m going to pray and hope that we can all find good in this going forward. I think there can be good.
(I like and love all kinds of people. It is harder to like the ones with unkind words coming out of their mouths. I hope that can improve.)
This was my post for NaBloPoMo Crazy Day 9.
V-O-T-E, Vote!
08 Nov 2016 Leave a comment
in NaBloPoMo Tags: elections 2016, vote
Just a reminder, folks, that you should vote today if you are in the USA and registered and haven’t already voted!
Please vote even if you don’t like either major-party candidate. You don’t have to like them. Just vote.
You can vote 3rd party. You can vote via write-in. You can vote for yourself or your favorite high-school teacher. Just vote.
Some of the 3rd-party candidates you might see on the ballot are:
Darrell Castle
Gary Johnson
Evan McMullin
Dr. Jill Stein
And more. But not all of them will be on the ballot in all states.
Some folks say that voting 3rd Party is throwing away your vote. They have virtually zero chance of winning. But if it’s the choice between not voting or voting 3rd party, then V-O-T-E.
The only way to throw away your hard-earned right-to-vote is by not voting at all.
Plus you may have other important options on your ballot like Senate seats, House seats, or other local options. These probably have more impact on your day-to-day life than the President anyway, so vote.
If you are happy to vote for one of the major-party candidates, that’s great. Just be sure to vote!
Good luck to all of us!
Panera x2
07 Nov 2016 Leave a comment
in NaBloPoMo, NaNoWriMo Tags: NaNoBloMo, NaNoWriMo, writing
Today was a NaNoWriMo Write-in at a local Panera Bread. Write-ins seem like a cool idea to me — get to meet other people who are trying to write a novel this month plus actually get writing done.
Panera had sent me an offer to get a free bagel every day of November.
Apparently, Panera had sent me this offer for the month of October, but I forgot about it and didn’t use it even once. So they re-sent me the offer for November. Thank you, Panera. I guess I haven’t been in one for a while, so they started throwing bagels at me to get my attention.
It finally worked today. I figured it was the perfect combination of reasons to go to Panera this morning — get writing done and collect a free bagel.
The NaNoWriMo thing started at 6:30, but this morning I decided I just had to clean part of the kitchen before I left. A bowl of fruit and garlic had been sitting around for way too long and the bowl was becoming a catch-all. It had crumbs on the bottom and some splatters. Plus I don’t think I ever meant the fruit and garlic to live together in the first place. It was supposed to be a fruit bowl. Time for it to go. So it did. Now there’s a tiny clean spot.
Then I needed a shower — there’s only so much that can be done with dry shampoo, and I rode on a hayride yesterday. It always seems like a good idea to bathe after one of those, and I was too tired last night.
Then I needed to give one of the cats his morning medicine.
I finally arrived at the Panera within the 6:30-8:30 timeframe, but distinctly late.
The free bagel could be any flavor. I got an Everything bagel with cream cheese.
It turns out that one little 2-oz-mini tub of cream cheese is about $1.40, and the free bagel doesn’t come with it. So it was a grand total of about $3.50 for my free breakfast (cream cheese + coffee+free bagel), but it was yummy and hit the spot. When I asked about the cost, the cashier told me that the bagels cost about $1 and that the butter is free. She said I could change my order. But my taste buds were primed for cream cheese.
Not knowing how the NaNoWriMo thing was supposed to work. I just picked a table and wrote. I got a few hundred words written and then headed in to work.
It was a busy day.
At about 5:30 my phone chimed with a schedule reminder — NaNoWriMo at Panera at 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Yes, PM not AM. Writing just seemed like more of a morning thing to me, so I hadn’t double-checked the time. I saved the event directly from the website into my calendar, so it was correct there just not in my bagel-filled head.
After work I stopped at the Panera again. I’d already used my free-bagel option for the day, but after ordering soup I found out that now they were giving me a free coffee or soda. Well, that worked out well.
There was a small NaNoWriMo area sign on a large table. I got to meet a few other writers (Josslyn?, Jannet, and Greg) and a random man who came there for NaNoWriMo, but didn’t actually come to do any writing. That was awkward for those of us writing. He just sat at the table and looked around. I think he was expecting a Meet & Greet not a Write-In. But I’m not even sure why he came to a Meet & Greet because he said he wasn’t even trying to participate in NaNoWriMo.
But we all seemed to get some writing done (except for the random guy).
So NaNoWriMo and NaBloPoMo I wrote words for both of you, YAY!
Another Awesome Day and Cats
06 Nov 2016 Leave a comment
in Kitties, Mom Stuff, NaBloPoMo, NaNoWriMo Tags: fall festival, NaBloPoMo, NaNoWriMo, old kitties, writing
I have over 500 words for NaNoWriMo so far today (only about another 1,500 and it will meet a daily goal except that I’m behind on my total goals). It’s early, so I have another chunk of writing time planned for later.
Plus this post counts for NaBloPoMo Day 6 which probably seems silly except that this way it’s done. That’s better than not done. (And actually I wrote more than I thought I would. So I may post again later today or not …)
I’m trying to squeeze a lot into this beautiful day. I’m planning to get several things done at home then maybe visit a farmer’s market. Then maybe take my daughter to Cox Farms to enjoy some Pumpkin Madness (a day of pumpkin smashing and fall activities). There’s a market there too though so maybe I’ll just skip the farmer’s market beforehand.
Our cats are completely battling it out in the kitchen as I type this. I can hear them squealing and thumping on the floor and on each other. Glad they still have some spunk. They finished the old-man gruel that we like to call “cat food,” and now they’re just full of it (piss & vinegar along with the food).
We have old kitties, so we mix their food with lots of extra water and some added clear fiber (like Benefiber only generic).
Dave recently purchased a mini-blender for the sole purpose of mixing up the cat food. The cats gobble this stuff down, and then they don’t know what to do with their extra time.
They feel like they should be eating for longer, so they pester us and each other in the time they would have used for eating. It used to take them about a half hour to an hour to finish their food because we’d have to add more water and give a little stir. They’d leave and come back a couple of times.The blender has changed that.
Plus, our cat Mojo doesn’t like to drink water the same way most cats do. He likes to stick his paw in the water, splash it a while, then lick the water off. Sometimes he’ll even leave his paw in the water as he sucks on it, almost like a straw. It makes a mess. When he’s done, there’s water on the floor and a path of wet paw prints.
Our other cat, Fletcher, usually looks at us as if to say, “Do you see what I have to put up with?” He doesn’t like drinking the water after Mojo’s had his paws in it. Today, Mojo was especially splashy with the water. So we took the water away for a few minutes. That’s when the cat fight started.
They’ve calmed down now and will probably take their old-man naps in a few minutes.
Maybe they can sun on the balcony for a bit while it’s still warm out. Kind of what I’d like to do.
Beautiful Day, NaBloPoMo Day 5, and NaNoWriMo
05 Nov 2016 Leave a comment
in NaBloPoMo, NoNoWriMo Tags: autumn, fall leaves, NaBloPoMo, NaNoWriMo, urban farm
Well, the weather may not be the most attention-grabbing topic for a blog post, but few days are this lovely.
The leaves were at the peak of their autumn beauty. There were just enough crunchy ones on the ground to do cartwheels in the light breeze. The majority clung to their branches and when the sun hit them you’d swear they were lit and glowing from the inside. Reds, oranges, browns, and yellow, along with occasional greens lurking among the warm hues for added contrast.
It was warm at the peak of afternoon, but before and after that it was just crisp enough to feel like fall.
While my daughter was in dance class I ran errands and enjoyed the day. Between stops for essentials, I stopped by something called an urban farm that I’ve driven past many times but never stopped to visit. Today I did.
- The house of pumpkins at DePaul’s Urban Farm.
It had beautiful fairytale pumpkins, squash, and an assortment of mums that looked like displaced sea creatures. The shop had apples and cider, specialty candles, and jars of yummy jam and apple and pumpkin butters.
There was also a large wood fire cracking in a large metal fire kettle that hung from a tripod. I could smell the burning wood before I stepped out of my car. Is it possible to overdose on autumn? Two adirondack chairs sat at the fire beckoning me to relax.
- Mums the word (of beauty) at DePaul’s Urban Farm. The fire is peaking out from behind the white chair.
I could have spent the entire rest of the afternoon there and been quite happy. I’d read, write, and enjoy the fire and the day. My daughter would have been a little upset if I’d failed to pick her up after dance though. And I’d have missed her company. So I filed the name of the DePaul’s Urban Farm in my brain for a future outing and took a few pictures on my way out.
Meanwhile, I think I officially registered for NaNoWriMo. I could be wrong.
It is highly doubtful that I’ll make the word count, but if I set aside a little time most days through the end of the month then I should get something done. That’s better than nothing.
This compleats my NaBloPoMo post for day 5.
NaBloPoMo Day 4, Wax update and Patti LaBelle Pie
05 Nov 2016 Leave a comment
in Food, Foodie, NaBloPoMo Tags: glade seasonal, NaBloPoMo, patti labelle sweet potato pie
Well, I’m may not be posting my Day 4 post before midnight on the East Coast, but I posted an update about Glade wax melts to another post well before midnight on Day 4. I think that will just have to count. See my updates to the Glade Winter Scents by clicking here. Maybe I should have made the wax melts update a separate post. And technically, I’m posting this post before midnight Chicago time so … maybe this counts for Day 4 too. (Gah, long week. Want sleep. Started to doze and bolted awake at 12:00 because I knew I needed to post.)
My topic for the rest of the Day 4 post is just a simple post on pie. In this case it’s the Patti LaBelle Sweet Potato Pie. Maybe you’ve heard if it.
I work very close to a Walmart. Last year I saw the Patti Labelle Sweet Potato Pie in the store but didn’t buy any. Then I read about the internet sensation of YouTube personality James Wright Chanel reviewing, eating, singing, and praising the Patti LaBelle Sweet Potato Pie. See that on YouTube by clicking here. By the time I thought, “Hey, maybe I should try it,” there was no more Pie to be had anywhere. Pies flew off the shelves after that YouTube video.
So this year the pies are back! I love pie and had to taste one. Is it worth the hype?
Yes and no.
The pie filling is quite good for a grocery store pie that costs under $4. It is a beautiful vibrant orange. It’s a brighter orange than pumpkin pies, but might otherwise be mistaken for one. The pumpkin pies nearby looked almost sickly and anemic in comparison. The Patti LaBelle Pie is even prettier than a lot of other sweet potato pies I’ve seen in stores.
The flavor is also similar to pumpkin pie. The packaging on the Patti LaBelle Sweet Potato Pie says it is made with “sweet potatoes, butter, and spices.” Many of those spices are the same as pumpkin pie, but the ratio is a little different. So this has its own flavor too. This pie is well spiced and somewhat sweet.
While pumpkin pie filling has a texture closer to that of custard. This pie is somewhere between custard and sweet potato casserole in texture. It’s like a brighter, slightly starchier-textured, first cousin of pumpkin pie. Everybody thinks they look alike. But they are also unique.
As far as nutrition, the Pattie LaBelle Sweet Potato Pie has some vitamin A and iron as well as fiber and protein. Nutrition value in pumpkins pies is similar. The downside is that both are loaded with saturated fat. (There are some pumpkin pies out there that somehow avoid having much vitamin A but I don’t know how.)
The Patti LaBelle pie slices beautifully. It’s not runny and not dry.
The pie crust is where this sweet potato pie comes up short. It isn’t the light, flaky crust you’d expect in a homemade or gourmet pie. The texture and flavor ring “grocery-store prebake.” It’s not horrible, but this pie would be amazing in a flakier crust.
But it is still beautiful and the filling is really good if you enjoy that kind of spice. The price is very nice too. So I can live with the crust for now. Our pie will get very well eaten.
And it has.
It was yummy!
NaBloPoMo Day 4
04 Nov 2016 Leave a comment
in NaBloPoMo, NaNoWriMo, NoNoWriMo
Okay, Day 4 of NaBloPoMo I posted to my blog but it was an update to a previous post. You can read it here. Glade Winter Scents 2016.
Just leaving this here so I know what I did.
Carry on.
Cubs Win! NaBloPoMo Day 3
03 Nov 2016 Leave a comment
in NaBloPoMo, Uncategorized and beyond. Tags: Cubs Win, NaBloPoMo, Things Come To an End, World Series
Well, well, well. It actually happened! The “curse” is broken.
It’s exciting to see the Cubs break their 107-year losing streak even though I am not much of a sports fan. That’s the longest drought in history.* Gobs of folks lived their entire lives and never saw the Cubs win a World Series. Birth to grave and so many games in between. That’s even multiple lifetimes for some. (And just image how many in hamster lives.)
All good and bad things come to an end. It is reassuring in its own way. Like maybe I’ll conquer Mt. Laundry someday for real. Or write a novel for NaNoWriMo.
I like sports from time to time. And since I’m originally from Chicago, there’s Cubs fan fiber deeply embedded in my being.
It’s great to see my Chicago family and other Cubs fans so elated (while also seeing them stress a lot leading up to the win). Thank you Facebook for letting me share in some of their joy. (Did I just THANK Facebook? Gah.) Thank you, family, for sharing your crazy-happy moment.
Go Cubs!!!
(Sorry, Cleveland.)
And, hey, this was a blog post for NaBloPoMo Day 3.
*Non-winning streaks for major American sports teams anyway. I’m sure there’s some official designation, but I probably don’t know sports well enough to word this right. I heard the word drought used for this on the radio, and I thought it sounded good.
Following up to add that Neil deGrasse Tyson, posted several facts to give a better idea of how long it’s been. It’s a fun way to put it into perspective. Halley’s Comet has appeared twice since the last time the Cubs won a Workd Series. Mark Twain was still alive. The cosmic object Pluto, formerly known as a planet, hadn’t even been discovered yet. Ford’s Model-T cars had only just started rolling off the assembly lines. So just imagine what the streets looked like in 1908. Wow!
NaBloPoMo Day 2, Concert
02 Nov 2016 Leave a comment
in Mom Stuff, NaBloPoMo, NoNoWriMo, Writing Tags: blogging, High school concerts, Mom stuff, NaNoWriMo, NoBloPoMo, setting goals
Just a quick entry for NaBloPoMo Day 2. I managed a Day 1 entry, so I wanted to keep rolling. NaBloPoMo is National Blog Posting Month. Writers pledge to blog at least one post every single day of November. Here’s a link to some writing prompts which I may or may not use.
I didn’t get any writing done for NaNoWriMo yesterday. (National Novel Writing Month.)
My daughter had an orchestra concert at school yesterday evening plus a lot of my free time in the morning was consumed with finishing the hem and alterations on her formal orchestra dress. Got it done ,and it didn’t look bad. Yay.
The orchestra performance was wonderful!
This was the first concert of the year and my daughter’s first concert as a high school student. I’m amazed that the musicians are just high schoolers.
Many of the students wore Halloween masks, and there was a separate contest for audience kids in costume. They were way cute! Loved the Eiffel Tower girl! My daughter wore a mask that was either a fox or a cat. I’m still not sure which. Maybe a foxcat. That’s a thing, right?
I hope to get more writing done tonight.
Today is the Day of the Dead in Mexico and other countries that celebrate it. And it’s All Soul’s Day for many Christians including Catholics. So greetings to those of you who celebrate. I will remember my grandparents and also hunker down at home to get things done including writing.
I’m going to try to go about this with an amount of time set aside for writing each day. I find I can do little chunks of time and just keep going until I have some writing done.
aLightningbug 