neurosesgalore.com

Archive for February, 2008

Sunday, February 17th, 2008

Ready for College

chase-ready-for-college.JPGBecause she’s super smart, mature and sophisticated? Nope, because she likes to wear her dad’s socks and to pretend that they’re UGG boots. All she needs now are some sweats aka street pyjamas and a headband and she’s good to go. She’s already eyeing my headbands. Everyday she wants her hair like mommy’s. I try to explain to her, no, you really don’t but she insists. Maybe this will provide some incentive not to go around looking like… what’s an appropriate adjective here? Disheveled? I’ll go with that. Not bloody likely though. One of these days you’ll see. I’ll do it, just shave it all right off. One of these days. No more headbands for me.

I just looked and tomorrow is NOT a holiday for me. This is total BS, this stinks!

Related Posts:

Saturday, February 16th, 2008

Chase: A Quick How-To

How to ride the el:

Tip #1- Sit near the station sign so you remember where you are.  Also, look as mean and/ or bored and affected as you can so no one sits beside you on the bench.

0216081554a.jpg

Tip # 2- Put your feet up on the wall in front of you.  People will think you’re cool and/or hard and won’t try to sell you incense.

0216081618a.jpg

How to eat out with friends:

Tip #3- When you arrive at your destination, demand a windw seat and then as soon as the food arrives claim the biggest piece and eat it before anyone else has a chance.

0216081404a.jpg

We were in Philadelphia today.  Actually the pictures are out of sequence.  We took the train downtown with friends to treat Danielle to a birthday dinner at a tapas place.  Ok, there weren’t truly authentic tapas but the food was really good all the same and the place had great atmosphere.  I think that everyone really had a good time.  I tend to not care for beer-battered items but the beer battered shrimp were so good but that could be the sangria talking.  Chase loved everything.  I got her her own little plate of mashed plantain and sweet potato and she cleaned it before also devouring chicken wings, asparagus spears and of course my dessert.  I hear that this good eating phase is quickly replaced by a picky eating phase, I’m not looking forward to that at all.  Here’s where we ate.  Erin, this might be a place worth checking out next time you’re there.  It’s just a few blocks from Cuba Libre.

Related Posts:

Friday, February 15th, 2008

Chocolates and Bubbly

chocolates-and-bubbly.JPGThe food was good and all but the chocolate truffles we washed down with a half of bubbly were the real show stoppers and I’m not a big chocolate girl. Buying a half is definitely the way to go. It’s cost effective and there’s no waste, it’s perfect. Tomorrow I’ll post the recipes for this stuff but for now just pictures. Read the rest of this entry »

Related Posts:

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

I Made History Today

vday-sweater.JPGOr so my sticker tells me. Today was the Potomac Primary so you know we both made time to cast our votes. The family that votes together stays together? I don’t know but we split it straight down the middle and both finally confessed that once we got into our respective booths we both waffled, checked and unchecked and finally cast votes opposite of what we originally intended. This was so far from just a primary. We both fell back into the car completely emotionally and mentally exhausted. Chase got a sticker too and felt very patriotic. Ben and Chase got a little ahead of me leaving our polling station and watching them walk down the hall hand and hand had me a little freaked out. She’s so small I said but I know the day we walk her to kindergarten will be all too soon.

I had two good classes today in spite of the fact that I only brought about 50% of my materials with me. I have this knack for putting half my books in my bag and sitting the other half on the chair near the door. Then, I put my shoes and coat on, grab my bag and leave. Most of the time I remember my coffee but I never remember those unpacked books. We’re covering the Truth in Lending Act. I get all geeked up over combing through code to puzzle out answers to problems. When did this happen to me? I used to be so cool and then one day bam, I’m hunched over my code book with my hand in the air, ooh, ooh, pick me pick me. In my defense, who wants to sit in a room full of silent people? The class needs to move at a good clip so I don’t fall asleep. Read the rest of this entry »

Related Posts:

Sunday, February 10th, 2008

Duck Hunt

0210081324b.jpgIt’s a good thing we live in Baltimore or I wouldn’t necessarily be able to coordinate errands with duck spotting but lucky for Chase it’s water, water, everywhere. We stood in the gale force winds atop the precipice overlooking the millstream at whole foods trying mightily not be be blown down the embankment but we saw the ducks dangit, ducks! (More pics from the spycam.) Read the rest of this entry »

Related Posts:

Sunday, February 10th, 2008

50mm..

looking-up.JPGI just moved a 50mm f1.8 lens to the top of my list the other day. I have two lenses that came with my camera but neither of them are good for what I want to use them for. Ok, I take that back. I’m too brainless to use either of them to achieve what I want. However, because I tend to be an impulsive shopper and am often criticized as such I decided to first make an effort to use what I already have. I thought I took some reasonably good pictures and then I went on Fbook and saw what Chelsea’s been up to. Once my jealous rage subsided I reconciled myself with the fact that I just don’t have the gift of effortless creativity and an eye for all things ‘art’ that she does. I also tell myself (and then tried to sell it to Ben) that if I had some kind of awesome natural backdrop that I’d also be more successful but he didn’t think that was reason enough to fly me to the Caribbean. Here are my two best shots from today: Read the rest of this entry »

Related Posts:

Friday, February 8th, 2008

This Here Sack ‘a Rice

rice-sack.JPGLibrary day again. I have a lot of good stuff to look over for inspiration in my nonexistent free time. I also borrowed Texas Ranch House. I don’t believe I ever saw the series through to its conclusion and even though I’m near the end of the series I could use a break from the Sopranos. We ran some errands after the library and then spent the rest of the afternoon at home ‘trying to (or not to) nap. Chase it usually a good napper but some days… not so much. She lies there for a while and presumably tries to sleep then she stands up and throws her pacifier as far as she can so I can never find it again. I have to get her off the pacifier… but I don’t relish the prospect.

Last week I wrote about how Chase has started to manipulate objects so that they are oriented in a particular direction. She was still pretty slapdash about the way she handled them but has now learned to make her movements more careful and precise. She has become really interested in setting things down just so particularly in putting animal toys down on their feet as it were.

Read the rest of this entry »

Related Posts:

Friday, February 8th, 2008

Ladies Who Lunch

bonaparte.jpgCan you believe this weather that we’ve been having? Not so much today I guess but it’s still way nicer than it was last week. We’ve really been making the most of the nice weather and spending some time outside. I remember how much our days changed when Chase was first able to sit up unassisted. Walking or learning to walk has had the same effect. Now we can go outside without needing something to ‘do.’ Just going out to walk around and to see and be seen is enough to amuse Chase for hours. Yesterday I had to pick up some forms at school so we both went. Everyone was out in the plaza and it took us about 30 minutes to make our way across what would normally take about 15 seconds but she just loved every minute of it. Read the rest of this entry »

Related Posts:

Tuesday, February 5th, 2008

Onion Soup Gratinee

onion-soup-gratinee.jpgI hardly have any exposure to onion soup at all.. it’s been pretty limited but this soup. Wow, that’s all I can say. What’s not to like? Caramelized onions? The golden raft of melted cheese? The slices of delicious baguette? There’s certainly nothing not to like that I can think of. Not to mention that this is yet another incredibly easy soup recipe, it could hardly be simpler.

I made the soup and croutons ahead then when I was ready to serve I reheated the soup briefly, poured over the bread , added the cheese and popped the bowls right into the toaster oven. I had planned the soup as a first course to our meal but we never even got to the chicken. That’s right, my carnivore husband passed on the meat in favor of cleaning his soup bowl so I consider the endeavor a success. I bet this would be a great recipe to freeze in individual portions to pop out of the freezer whenever you have a little end of baguette to use up. That would make such an awesome impromptu hot lunch Read the rest of this entry »

Related Posts:

Tuesday, February 5th, 2008

Mischief Maker

mischief-maker.jpg Remember that video from the other day… yeah, Chase laughs at those puny attempts now. In just 48 hours she her walking skill level has increased exponentially. She has even taken cruising to another level since she feels confident enough to let go briefly if she needs to span a gap between a wall and a table for example… or to get down the box of Ritz. I should buy stock in Dole and Nabisco since we are contributing to their success quite regularly.

Today was the longest day of my week and I am so glad it’s over. In fact it was the longest day of the semester so far because I had to attend an afternoon session that I’m not always scheduled for (and that was completely irrelevant to me and a waste of time but whatever). It’s lovely to come home to baby girl after a long afternoon. Sure it was less than three hours but it felt like an eternity considering the subject matter. We watched this Frontline exposee about state intervention in cases of child abuse and neglect. I know it’s Frontline and that’s what they do but man they really sock it to ya. They play on all of your emotions with their stories until they have you so turned around you don’t know how to form an opinion you’re just generally outraged, not sure whether or not you should be choking on your liberal rage or not. Read the rest of this entry »

Related Posts: