tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69398195540920687672024-03-13T23:42:24.476-07:00The GothGirl's Cookbook.What do GothGirls eat? A cooking blog with a feminist flavor.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-40805677982842610282010-05-31T10:43:00.000-07:002010-05-31T10:43:33.514-07:00The other side of the island.I have combined all of my blogs into one Femi-cooking, Twi-crunchy, blog. Here it is<br />
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<a href="http://www.bohemimom.blogspot.com/">http://www.bohemimom.blogspot.com/</a>Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-30772745737111075342010-04-22T12:53:00.000-07:002010-04-22T12:53:20.578-07:00Open letter to the rude lady at the Co-op.To the owners of Good Foods Co-op and Café,<br />
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Today I met a friend for lunch at the Good Foods Co-op Café. She brought her young daughter and I had my 3 year old and 1 year old children with me as well. We enjoyed our lunch, bemoaning about how difficult it was to try to do anything in public with our small children. When we got up to leave things turned hectic. My friend had to run with her daughter to the restroom to avoid a mishap, and I had to wrestle my little boy into the stroller while my daughter had escaped and was running out the side door to the café. My priority at that point was to get the kids into the stroller and out the door to prevent a further scene. As we headed out, my friend and I met back up to say good bye and go our separate ways. A lady approached us and in a very confrontational tone she told us that we had forgotten to bus our table, which was policy. My friend pointed out that we had our hands full and asked if she worked there. The lady stated that she did not but that she was an owner. She had no knowledge of our owner status. At this point a manager approached us asking if there was a problem and attempted to diffuse the situation. She apologized for the woman’s actions. Oddly, the woman quickly disappeared. <br />
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It is unfortunate that this incident occurred. Whenever I go in public with my children I am constantly reminded that our mere presence is a hindrance to others. Children are usually loud, sometimes hard to handle and most of the time require a lot of attention. Yes, we did leave the table as it was, and for that I did apologize to the manager. But I was faced with the choice of letting everyone around us be witness to a set of tantrums from both my children, one of whom had just run out the door and towards the parking lot. My choices were this: Do I let my three year old run into traffic while I take the time to clean the table? Do I leave my screaming one year old unattended while I take the garbage to the trash can some ways away? Should my friend have let her potty training daughter wet herself while she tended to cleaning the table? These were the choices we were faced with and we chose to gather up our children and head out the door. <br />
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It is a shame that we live in a society where young parents are unable to enjoy a lunch outing without feeling the scrutiny of others. Parenting is hard, harder than most jobs and most of the time thankless to many degrees. This woman who confronted us did so as an owner of the co-op. This makes me sad, not only for the reasons stated above but also because I believe in the co-op and have been a faithful patron for some time. My husband and I strive to teach our children sustainability and a connectedness with the world. Good Foods has been a business which we can respect and patronize often, but any business is comprised of its people and can only be as strong as is given with the quality of its people.<br />
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If this woman stands alone in shaming us for our decision to tend to our children’s needs rather than cleaning off a table then the other owners of the co-op need to be aware of her actions. I also feel it is important to point out that having a Master’s degree in Marketing has not only made me a much more conscientious consumer, but has taught me that the most powerful form of advertising is word of mouth. Plus, a negative experience with a business is talked about ten times more often then a positive experience. The owners need to keep each other accountable in regards to how customers are treated at this place of business. <br />
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Thank you for taking the time to address this concern. I may or may not return as a customer, but I will certainly be quite vocal regarding this incident.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
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Rebecca G. WestermanBohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-51085518213033535002010-03-23T14:26:00.000-07:002010-03-23T14:26:58.817-07:00Natural beauty.Excellent essay on the state of things <a href="http://www.feministing.com/archives/020453.html#more">here.</a> I have always wondered about this myself.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-64646160833886456632010-03-20T09:11:00.000-07:002010-03-20T09:11:09.603-07:00Crock Pot, Part IISo it turned out okay, I suppose. It made for a good hearty dinner. Truthfully, it was a little bland, which is easy to remedy. Next time I'll add a bay leaf or two, some sea salt and black pepper. That might do the trick. Of course with our teensy weensy family we have LOADS of leftovers which is never bad. As it was cooked in the crock pot, the meat turned out really super tender and the potatoes were exactly right. G gobbled everything up, but M turned her nose up at the pork. She thought she was holding out for ice cream, but at our house the rule is "If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding. How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat." So she did not get any ice cream, and we now can have lots of pork sandwiches.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-16720193544247016992010-03-18T09:03:00.000-07:002010-03-18T09:05:34.643-07:00What's in the Crock Pot?About 8 Fingerling potatoes<br />
About 4 Boiler Onions, peeled<br />
1 Shallot, peeled and cut into chunks<br />
1 Pork Tenderloin cut<br />
1 Peeled whole apple<br />
A sprinkling of Mrs. Dash, grill flavor<br />
<br />
Arrange the ingredients in order, with the meat on top. Sort of nestle the apple in the middle with the meat wrapped around it. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. <br />
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I don't know how it's going to turn out, because its cooking right now. I'll post an update.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-37364639174395523872010-03-10T11:01:00.000-08:002010-03-10T11:01:52.684-08:00Like I said.Here is another blog that I am also working on.<br />
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<a href="http://www.uninsuredinusa.blogspot.com/">http://www.uninsuredinusa.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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I have had a few readers ask me why I call myself the "Gothgirl" as I look very much like everyone else and I don't even wear black any more. My response as I have come to realize is this. When Gothgirl's grow up they become what I am today: A socially aware housewife with multiple degrees, a laptop and a vendetta. Trust me, you don't want to get on my bad side. Ultimately, one does not need to be a fishnet prone waif dripping in eyeliner to be a true Gothgirl. If one is Goth in one's heart, then one is Goth enough...Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-79634353821461695132010-03-06T10:58:00.001-08:002010-03-06T10:58:47.709-08:00I forgot to add the Egg.Add one egg to the mixture, too. Otherwise everything will fall apart.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-88117944919428386282010-03-04T12:44:00.000-08:002010-03-04T12:54:06.924-08:00Salmon Patty Yumminess!!One 6oz. package of wild caught Alaskan Salmon<br />3 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tblspoons</span> Pastured Butter<br />One Shallot Finely diced (or chopped or whatever manner of cutting up you prefer)<br />One Garlic Clove Finely diced (see addendum for shallot)<br />One leftover biscuit, crumbled up<br />1/4 cup <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">mayonnaise</span><br />1 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Tablespoon</span> Lemon Juice<br />Italian Spices, salt, pepper, etc. to taste.<br /><br />Melt butter in a small frying pan on low heat.<br /><br />Mix remaining <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">ingredients</span> and form into patties. Turn heat up to medium, no higher than that, and place patties in pan. Cook each side about 3-4 minutes until golden brown.<br /><br />Serve with romaine lettuce leaves or whatever you want to make.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mmmmmm</span>!! Tasty, and a good source of Omega 3s!!Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-83306978931110465342010-02-17T08:22:00.000-08:002010-02-17T08:34:10.218-08:00MulliganSo, once one gets distracted by silly things like NaNoWriMo and what not, one tends to loose one's momentum for blogging. I do so enjoy having such an online presence and folks have chided me for not updating regularly. Alas, I am in the final throws of grad school, flailing blindly towards eeking out my degree qualifications, so this time next month I should be well and truly qualified to, you know, market stuff. So if anyone is in need of some Marketing wisdom, I am the one to call.<br /><br />How did my NaNo story pan out, you say? Well, the goal was 50,000 words in one month. I think I made it to 8,000. Which isn't bad in my opinion, because that is 8,000 MORE words than I would have done if I had not taken part in NaNoWriMo. My current goal is to round it out at some point and make it into a cute little short story. Currently, it is stagnating in a computer file folder somewhere, with the two main characters frozen in time in a broken down elevator hanging seventeen stories above the basement level of a prominent downtown hotel. I will eventually have to figure out what to do with them....<br /><br />Today, I am hiding out at the library, truthfully getting some work done (aside from the fact that I am taking a blog break!). I am reveling a bit in the blissful pages-rustling-silence that is the atmosphere of the local library. When one is surrounded by squealing toddlers and grabby-sticky-hands, freedom takes on a whole new meaning.<br /><br />So as for this give-away. I am leaning towards wristlets, either black and white striped. Or green and purple striped. What says the reading public? Either way, they will have sort of a Tim Burton/ Cat in the Hat look about them. Once they are done, I will post a picture, and on the honor system, draw a name from the current members on the facebook link. Sounds like fun to me!<br /><br />I have five weeks left in school, and in the meantime I will henceforth try, <em>try</em> to post more blogs. Thank you all for your immense patience.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-77860401578932213112009-10-24T10:16:00.000-07:002009-10-24T10:26:35.776-07:00NaNoWriMo!!!!This is my new thing for November. I'd heard about it some time ago, and I think I may have even signed up, but I don't think I did anything past that. The writers group that I am in is doing it this year, and I think it will be really fun. So what is NaNoWriMo, you ask? Well, it's really fun to say and it can subsequently replace nearly any word in any setting, as in:<br /><br />"Hey, how was the meeting?"<br /><br />"NANOWRIMO!!!"<br /><br />Okay so maybe that's not a very good example. <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a> stands for National Novel Writing Month. For the entire month of November, whoever wants to can go to the website and sign up to write a novel, starting November 1 and ending November 30. That is to say you can sign up anytime, but the novel must be written during this time. At the end if you reach the word count of 50,000 you get a certificate, I think.<br /><br />It is not a contest except with yourself. Nobody wins against anyone else. I don't even think the novels get read. It's just a personal challenge type of thingy. Sounds like fun to me. Of course I am battling grad school, teething infant, potty training toddler and a whole bunch of other stuff. But I think I'd like to give it a shot. I already have a story floating around in my head and this will give me some direction.<br /><br />So yippee!! Let the NaNoWriMo fun begin!!Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-52179797933845437102009-10-19T14:40:00.000-07:002009-10-19T15:00:01.506-07:00Yes, I believe I am that much of a dork...<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mGg-TMXqdf0/StzdfOo8JAI/AAAAAAAAAD4/5FyBYjjEjFo/s1600-h/blog+pictures+001.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394429982258504706" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mGg-TMXqdf0/StzdfOo8JAI/AAAAAAAAAD4/5FyBYjjEjFo/s320/blog+pictures+001.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>... enough even to post it on the world wide web. So in honor of the next movie coming out soon, and of the Halloween holiday's just around the corner. I decided to make a batch of cookies. I had wanted to try this out just to see how they looked. You can't really see in the picture but the cookies with the white frosting have a little bit of sparkle in them if you hold them up in the sunlight. The other cookies are darker, furrier and hopelessly unrequited. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Oh, and the cookie recipe is a basic sugar cookie recipe except with whole wheat flour. This makes them less sweet to offset the icing.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Cookies:</div><br /><div>1 cup butter<br />1 tsp vanilla</div><div>1 1/2 cup sugar</div><div>3 eggs</div><div>4 cup flour</div><div>2 tsp cream of tartar</div><div>1 tsp baking soda</div><div>1/2 tsp salt</div><br /><div></div><div>Cream sugar & butter. Add vanilla, eggs. Add dry ingredients, mix well and chill. Cut into shapes or rounds (or do what I did and form them into balls and squash them). Bake at 375 for 5-6 minutes.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Then the icing is just some store bought butter cream icing with white sprinkles mixed in for the white ones, and decorative frosting for the black ones. I was trying to make them look like fur but I don't think I succeeded. That's okay. This was just a test batch.</div><div> </div><div>Oh, and I can't figure out how to flip the picture over so its the right way.</div>Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-42734258463679959272009-10-15T06:53:00.000-07:002009-10-15T07:19:09.315-07:00Experiment Gone AwrySo while we were away I was given a Crock Pot by my MIL. I have wanted a Crock Pot for quite some time now and I am very excited to try it out. Apparently, the passing of the Crock Pot was quite an event for the family as owning one is a near requirement to be a W____. Henceforth the new theme of this blog will probably be Crock Pot recipes, and experiments gone awry and that sort of thing.<br /><br />Once upon a time I stumbled across a bread machine at a yard sale. I had a similar feeling then, but I learned quickly that I'd rather just make bread the normal way. I have more control over the final outcome. It's more therapeutic and one doesn't end up with the annoying chunk of metal in the bottom of the loaf when one is done. The machine currently sits idly under my kitchen sink.<br /><br />But that was the bread machine, which was a passing fancy. This entry is about my new true love, the Crock Pot.<br /><br />Yesterday, I wanted to try it out, and I happened to have a bag of Marie <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Callender's</span> Crock Pot creations stashed in the back of my freezer. Not the most authentic of foods but it was there so I decided to use it. Around 9 am I dragged it out, looking forward to a whole day of not worrying about dinner, plus the added bonus of the extra time to work on homework. I dutifully followed the directions to thaw out the sauce by running the baggy under some warm water, setting aside the baggie of potatoes into the refrigerator to be added later, combined the sauce and the chicken/ veggie mixture to the pot and put the setting on low. Done.<br /><br />I went about my day, occasionally peeking at the stew mixture which seemed to be happily warming and cooking the day away.<br /><br />Around 4:30 pm I wrapped up my homework and went in to finish up with the Crock Pot creation. My hubby was there washing up a few dishes. When I lifted the lid expecting a wafting aroma of stewed chicken and bubbling broth I was met with... nothing. No enticing scents of an awaiting dinner, no happy simmering bubbles, nothing. I dabbed my finger into the stew. Cold. Ice cold.<br /><br />"Shouldn't this be hot?" I mused.<br /><br />"Probably," my husband said peeking over my shoulder.<br /><br />I felt the side of the pot. Cold. I examined the setting. Yes, I had turned it on. Hm. Then I checked the outlet. It was not plugged in. Of course.<br /><br />So my first attempt with the Crock Pot turned out to be a wash, but we did end up having a nice extra cheese and toppings pizza, made from an Amy's frozen pizza that I got at the Co-op. After putting it in the oven for about five minutes, I added a few layers of ham, cheese and pepperoni. Then cooked it the rest of the way. Mm. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Yumtastic</span>.<br /><br />But I am excited to try out the Crock Pot for real at some point, so if anyone has any cool Crock Pot ideas or recipes please, please, please let me know!Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-43156947415746171392009-10-05T12:04:00.001-07:002009-10-05T12:19:10.618-07:00I am still here.Dear Readers,<br /><br />While it seems that Gothgirl may have vanished completely out of the blogosphere, I have not. I am still here, and I have not been abducted by the afore mentioned aliens. Though, I do think I have located the Loch Ness monster, but more on that later. No, we have simply been sidelined by things that occasionally happen in real life, which need not be detailed in this blog. School has been on break for about two weeks now and we had such great ambitions for the time off: open an etsy store, knit some stuff, paint some stuff, practice some more recipes, etc. As it is we have had to travel out of state twice now, and are currently readying for yet another trip back. On the upside I have acquired some free yarn out of the deal.<br /><br />I have completed two experimental scarves and I am currently working on something that I don't know what it is yet. As soon as it is done I will post pictures.<br /><br />Did I mention that I have taken up knitting too? When I am not wrestling with an infant or a toddler and can find a free moment for my hands I have decided to try the art of knitting. It seems that all the pseudo-closet-goth/ neo-punk kids are doing it. Plus, it's rather a 'mom' thing to do. Since I qualify as both, then I figured I'd better get with the program. Also, in the 'making stuff' category I am exploring and extending my knowledge regarding Steam Punk jewelry and what not.<br /><br />See, I was paying attention when my marketing class taught us about 'brand awareness' and 'creating your market'. <br /><br />On top of all of this I am also trying to acquire the resources for a HUGE writing project that I would like to undertake, you know, just for fun. Yes, it does involve the Twilight books. Hehe. But don't worry I am not running out and plastering my car with "Real men sparkle" bumper stickers yet or anything. And it's not fan fiction either.<br /><br />So that's where I've been. I will try, try, try to stay more current but will need a few more days to wrap things up and finish things out. School starts next week so maybe more of a schedule will arise from that.<br /><br />I hope my absence has not broken any hearts as of yet....Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-49953373089421004262009-09-03T09:52:00.000-07:002009-09-03T09:58:46.126-07:00Obviously...We went to the park this morning. While there we saw a military plane fly by overhead, fairly low as if about to land. I said, there must be a UFO nearby, because that is what the military does most of the time you know. Then a short time later we saw a military helicopter fly by also sort of low. I said, see, that helicopter is also headed to the UFO site. Plus if we don't hear about it on the news then that means it was definitely a UFO, you know, because of the cover up. In fact there might even be a story about something completely different and that will pretty much guarantee that it's a UFO.<br /><br />So we went to the park and did not see a UFO but I'm still pretty convinced that it was there.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-8607423980934691712009-08-27T07:06:00.000-07:002009-08-27T07:43:49.141-07:00Kitchen SnippetsHere's a few details about my culinary habits. Nothing earth shattering, but whatever...<br /><br />1. I usually use cucumbers in a big cucumber salad.<br /><br />Slice and peel the cucumbers. Put them in a bowl with water and vinegar, about 1/2 and 1/2. Add some sugar, about 1/2 a cup. Salt and pepper. and stick it in the fridge.<br /><br />This way you can have cucumbers any old time you want. Plus, it goes really well with Italian food of which we have been eating a lot of lately.<br /><br />2. Sometimes I eat cheese. No crackers, just cheese. <br /><br />And that orange stuff that comes in little squares of plastic that some people put on sandwiches, that is not cheese and I would normally not have it in my kitchen. Fie! Fie!<br /><br />3. My first starter cookbook is the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. It's the one with the red and white checkered cover. Everyone should have one even if you are only slightly cookishly inclined.<br /><br />4. I'm beginning to like Agave Nectar. For one, it's dark instead of white like sugar, which goes with the whole "goth food" thing. For two you can put it in Kool-Aid and it doesn't make you all "g-g-g-g-g-g" the way sugar does. It also is good on cereal.<br /><br />5. I like to use fair trade cocoa.<br /><br />6. MSG is icky. Instead of the packets that come with Ramen noodles I use a few broth cubes from the freezer and melt them down to put over the noodles. Plus, it tastes better this way too.<br /><br />7. I use old bananas and turn them into banana bread. Not too original I know, but you would be surprised how many people just throw away perfectly good bananas just because they are a little brown.<br /><br />Well, there you go. Just a tiny glimpse into the world of Gothgirl.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-41568276184430721512009-08-25T12:05:00.000-07:002009-08-25T12:38:53.117-07:00Caster Semenya's Got Talent!In today's world of sometimes blurred gender identity and ongoing discoveries of bizarre medical conditions, it can be confusing how to react to those around us who fall into these categories. But what does it say that when faced with a person of large build with short hair who turns out to be athletically talented, running for a female team, the assumption is made that something must be wrong. Surely someone who looks like this and is so very good at running can't possibly be all girl.<br /><br />Can they?<br /><br />Oddly enough, this is a true scenario. Recently, eighteen year old <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6939819554092068767">Caster Semenya</a> was declared female after undergoing 'gender testing' the very same day that she smoked everyone in the 800 meter race in Berlin. She is broad shouldered, tall, stocky build and walks with a distinct sway that could almost be described as masculine. Oh, and she runs really fast.<br /><br />What I can't help but wonder is why did the question arise. Granted, she was not accused of cheating in any way. Rather the testing she underwent had more to do with the possibility of her having a medical disorder which might blur her gender. But the outcome of that test just goes to show how ingrained and pervasive the ideas of what it means to be feminine can be. Was this testing done because of her appearance or because of her ability? Or both? It begs the question. A fellow <a href="http://i-say-tomato.blogspot.com/">blogger</a> raised the question would this have been a scandal if she had been a svelte, blond Icelandic girl with long flowy hair and sculpted nails? And ran really fast?<br /><br />She received a <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/aug/25/caster-semenya-returns-home-hero">hero's welcome</a> when returning home to probably the biggest show of "I told you so," in recent history. Which leads me to wonder then what if she looked the way she does and couldn't run really fast? What if she was just a regular non athlete girl? Would that diminish her worth in any way? Would she be expected to pretty herself up a bit for the sake of attracting a partner? Or fitting into some Westernized ideology of what a girl is 'supposed' to look like?<br /><br />I can't help but be a bit outraged by this situation in that she obviously rose to the ranks of greatness within her field, but for whatever reason her gender identity was doubted causing the validity of her ability to come into question. More importantly the situation begs the question where do we perceive that a person's worth is held. Appearance? Ability? Talent? Does the answer change if the person is of a different gender? Apparently, it does.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-41542136517279238832009-08-23T10:48:00.000-07:002009-08-24T07:30:32.356-07:00"The Graveyard Book"<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mGg-TMXqdf0/SpGDxiK2jWI/AAAAAAAAADw/yIr6hVlK_7c/s1600-h/post3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373220717438864738" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 116px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mGg-TMXqdf0/SpGDxiK2jWI/AAAAAAAAADw/yIr6hVlK_7c/s200/post3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Okay so the truth is that the Cheesy Bread stuff that I posted turned out kind of gross. It sounded good. It might have even looked good, but nay it did not taste good or sit on the stomach very well. So proceed with caution.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>In totally other news however, I did <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">recently</span> finish reading "The Graveyard Book" by Neil <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Gaiman</span>. I have been a fan of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Gaiman</span> ever since his Sandman (genius) Graphic novel days, and he has only evolved since then. When he was promoting "American Gods" I had the life-completing opportunity to attend a book signing at Jo-Beth Cafe. Ever so much fun. Of course scads of people attended dressed up like his Sandman's Endless characters, myself included. Three guesses as to what character I picked. Of course there are about twenty more girls dressed exactly like me, plus a handful of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Deliriums</span>, and a very few Desires. No Dreams anywhere in sight. Bummer. So anyway, I make my way up to the line where he is signing the books. He is handed my books "American Gods" and "Death: the High Cost of Living". He pauses, his hand poised over the book cover. His eyes flick up to me as the lady next to him tells him my name. He looks me over solidly taking in my black clad get up, the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ankh</span> necklace, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">over sized</span> belt, and combat boots, and says in his I'm-so-British accent "Well, I've never seen that one before," and proceeds to sign my book.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>It was all I could do not to jump up and down and squeal. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>As far as all that goes, it remains one of my favorite celebrity memories, right up there with David <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Carradine</span>, and Amy Grant. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>But back to his most recent endeavor. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Gaiman</span> is such a skillful story teller that you get plunged into the tale without even realizing that there is a moral. He is a master at asking the question "What if?" and then following through until the story is complete. The Graveyard Book is a story of Nobody, young Nobody Owens who escaped murder as a toddler and is thereby raised by a family of ghosts in a nearby graveyard, including a non-ghost mysterious guardian by the name of Silas. Answering to the moniker Bod, he grows up an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">anomaly</span>, a living boy among the dead. The apparent macabre nature of the story is quickly balanced out by the innocence of the boy and the genuine affection that the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">disembodied</span> souls have for him. The story of Bod, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">beginning</span> when his a little boy jumps forward every few years. He is befriended by another living child at age five, a girl whose family lives nearby. Along the way he meets ghouls, werewolves, thieves and assassins. Ultimately the story culminates when Bod must <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">inevitably</span> confront his would be murderer, when he is a young man of fourteen. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>One thinks this is just a story at first. The answer to the question "What if?" And while in many ways this is true, it is also very much a story about potential, about finding ones true self and being who you are. The story of Nobody Owens teaches that things do not always turn out the way you want them to but that that is also okay. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>I cannot give anything by Neil <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Gaiman</span> a bad review and so with that I must admonish all of you to go out and read "The Graveyard Book".</div><div></div><div></div>Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-50004121363739045532009-08-21T16:12:00.000-07:002009-08-21T16:33:13.586-07:00Cheesy Bread PuddingThis little ditty is actually something I made up. I sort of modified a bread pudding recipe until it was no longer sweet and had a bunch of cheese and meat in it. Yum. You will need:<br /><div></div><br /><div>1 lb. ground meat, I used turkey.</div><br /><div>4 eggs</div><br /><div>3 cups of cubed bread, I used the saved up heels of loaves of bread. </div><br /><div>2 1/4 cups milk</div><br /><div>3/4 cup <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">cheddar</span></div><br /><div>3/4 cup <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">mozzarella</span></div><br /><div>Oregano </div><br /><div>Basil</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Measurements are of course completely arbitrary. First I toasted the bread cubes in the oven for about 10 minutes at 300. This actually sort of over toasted them so maybe five minutes. Meanwhile I mixed up the eggs, milk, cheese and spices. Here you can also add red pepper or whatever you want to. Then I mixed the meat and bread cubes tossed together in a 2 quart, oven safe pan. Pour the egg mixture over this and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. When a knife comes out of the middle with a clean blade, then it is done. That is a knife that you use yourself. It's not going to magically produce a knife like Harry Potter's hat or anything.</div>Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-37918237357586802832009-08-19T11:37:00.000-07:002009-08-19T11:59:08.547-07:00Writers, right?So I just got back from a thing at the library where a bunch of writers get together to do <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">writey</span></span> stuff. These are actual writers, people who submit stuff to magazines and contests and take part in poetry nights, and know what a Seven Crown Sonnet is and stuff like that. My friend who told me about it has actually written and PUBLISHED an actual book. I haven't read it yet, but I will and then I'll have to review it. So here's little ole' me, peering out from behind my notebook saying, "Um, I have a blog?"<br /><br />The thing is, I felt both wildly exhilarated and completely intimidated at the same time. If I start to go to this regularly then that means that I'll have to actually BE a writer. And write stuff. And let other people see it.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Auuuugh</span></span>!<br /><br />But then again, come December I am also going to have a Master's degree. Which means I'll have to do Master's degree stuff. I don't even know where to start with that one.<br /><br />As far as being a writer goes, I don't know what intimidates me more, the idea of flexing my creative muscles or having to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">exercise</span> my intellect a little, or both. I feel like the kid who has been bragging that he can bench press such and so amount and is now standing next to his brother's weight bench surrounded by his expectant friends who all have their arms folded and giving the look that says "Oh yeah? Prove it."<br /><br />Thing is, I've always been a writer. I wrote in the fourth grade when I thought I was reformatting "Cinderella" into a novel, and on through college when I wanted to first be an English major, then took a brief foray into acting which turned into a career for a time. And now, oddly enough, a marriage, two kids and an almost-degree later, I am back to writing.<br /><br />I always thought that writing was just like acting except it's on paper.<br /><br />And the people I met today seem most like the kinds of people who would say, you have to start somewhere, and would be supportive even if all I can do is one sonnet at a time, or one chapter at a time, or even just one segment at a time. I'll just have to see where all this takes me. In the mean time I have an outline I need to finish.<br /><br />And that's how it starts.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-54380328878269090992009-08-18T10:31:00.000-07:002009-08-18T10:57:42.346-07:00November, sung to the tune of Annie's "Tommorrow"<a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/jacob" target="_blank" o="'17"><img border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd190/hrainr/buddyicon_NM_jacob.gif" /></a><br /><br />New Moon'll come out, November!<br />They told us at the ComicCon that November,<br />Brings New Moon...<br /><br />Just thinkin' about November,<br />Makes me want to reread and remember,<br />Till they're done,<br /><br />I'm sure that the day was gray and lonely,<br />When Bella Swan lost her one and only,<br />Oh!<br /><br />The movie comes out, November!<br />Relive all the drama in November,<br />Come what may!<br /><br />November, November! It's too far, November!<br />You're only three months away!Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-30389168335690538732009-08-12T12:08:00.000-07:002009-08-12T12:32:44.543-07:00I Can't NOT Say It.Something has been nagging at me for the past week, ever since that tragic shooting in a fitness class in Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. It seems that for the most part, the story was reported by the news, a few snippets here and there have emerged about the shooter, but other than that there seems to be radio silence in response to the event. Where is the outrage that usually accompanies this sort of thing? Why is no one shouting their solidarity with the women who were horrifically victimized by this criminal, as we did during the Virginia Tech shootings? Why does it seem that no one is truly <em>disturbed</em> by the actions of this man?<br /><br />Not to long ago a famous <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">incident</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">occurred</span> in which music icon Rhianna was brutalized by her then boyfriend Chris Brown. The response to that <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">occurrence</span> seemed to have been "Well, what did she do to provoke him?" or whatever.<br /><br />Jump ahead to: Old-what's-his-name decides to take an automatic weapon into a room full of women, shuts off the lights, and starts shooting, killing four and wounding many. One of which happened to be an ex-girlfriend. It has since been found out that he planned this for quite some time, even chickening out at one point, to the extent that he felt that women in general owed him the time of day because he was a "nice enough guy" and he was "clean cut and wore a touch of cologne". (Paraphrased quotes). One could conclude that if some one had expressed an interest in him to the extent that he was seeking that this would not have happened. By that conclusion one could deduce that somehow it was the women's fault. So what did the ex do to provoke this kind of response? I'll tell you what:<br /><br />Nothing. Period.<br /><br />The reason this happened is because one man made a choice. That choice had nothing to do with anyone <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">else's</span> actions or lack there of. Chris Brown made a choice. That choice had nothing to do with Rhianna's actions or lack there of.<br /><br />Are we afraid to align ourselves with the victims of this shooting? Or is the hidden truth that we fell into the trap of thinking that certain things are owed to us if we do our part? Are we afraid to examine the motives and thoughts of this mass murderer lest we find something similar to our own?<br /><br />The news of the shooting is disturbing. The shooting reflects the motives of one man, but the media silence reflects the possible motives of an entire society, and that is what I find truly disturbing.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-54676658778103258032009-08-10T18:30:00.000-07:002009-08-10T18:35:24.955-07:00What?Was anyone else bothered by Miley Cyrus's performance during the teen choice awards? First, she rolls out on stage on a platform with a huge pole sticking out of it. Then she sashays around singing about the US of A, wearing hoochy shorts and a sassy little hat that she keeps flicking. Then as the song ends she sends a shout out to all of her fans for voting for her, a thank you to so-and-so who wrote "the Climb", and then she thanked God the Father for putting her on this stage. Then the camera pans over to the ever-so-proud Billy Ray who is beaming and clapping and standing. What?<br /><br />Can we say mixed message anyone?<br /><br />I don't know, I just found it a little disturbing.<br /><br />Just to clarify, I wasn't actually watching the teen choice awards. We had just flipped it over to see if the Twilight stuff was on. =)Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-67072851794614848912009-08-08T09:54:00.000-07:002009-08-09T12:52:42.433-07:00A do over, this time with pictures.The exact recipe as it is written on whatever long lost website I found it on, goes like this: <div><div><div> </div><div>2 cups flour</div><div>1/2 teaspoon salt</div><div>1/2 teaspoon baking powder</div><div>3 eggs </div><div>water as needed.</div><div> </div><div>Incidentally, the dough does freeze pretty well and the following is from a thawed out wad of dough from the freezer. It took about two days to completely thaw out in the fridge. Once it was thawed I put it onto a well floured surface, like so:</div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367638162123281010" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mGg-TMXqdf0/Sn2ueDAwUnI/AAAAAAAAADI/zllUDwbzDfs/s320/rebecca+013.jpg" />Let's see, next I divided this piece up into two smaller wads, took a rolling pin and rolled the first piece out as flat as possible. Once that was done I took the pizza cutter and cut the dough into this strips which might resemble fettuccine, like so:</div><div> </div></div><div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367638167820712578" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mGg-TMXqdf0/Sn2ueYPIOoI/AAAAAAAAADQ/7V36vo9ajq8/s320/rebecca+014.jpg" /><br />Once this was done I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">transferred</span> the strips onto a plate, covered with a paper towel and placed it in the freezer for just over an hour. In the mean time I defrosted some frozen leftover chicken soup. That took about an hour. During this time I also started some salted water boiling. One thing I learned recently is that I have been making the mistake of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">under salting</span> my pasta water. You want the water to resemble sea water and be just slightly murky, maybe a couple of tablespoons per 4 quarts. Or so says Rachel Ray on some episode that I don't currently remember. Once all this was ready I took out the frozen dough strips and snapped them in half as to be more <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">manageable</span> and to fit into the pot of water more efficiently. Now it looks like this:</div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367638172731625010" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mGg-TMXqdf0/Sn2ueqh-zjI/AAAAAAAAADY/ZxLUpvGetRw/s320/rebecca+017.jpg" /></div></div></div><br /><p>I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">transferred</span> the noodles by quick handfuls into the rapidly boiling water and stirred frequently for about 3 minutes to prevent sticking. I then drained the noodles the usual way and added them to the now simmering chicken soup. This was enough for a light dinner (2 small helpings, or 1 large helping) for me, my hubby and my toddler daughter, who picked out the noodles and didn't eat any of the chicken.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367638175602940242" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mGg-TMXqdf0/Sn2ue1OjmVI/AAAAAAAAADg/MGP7qyfgpzo/s320/rebecca+018.jpg" /></p><p><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tada</span>! Pasta from scratch. I think this is a good thing to make ahead so it will all be ready and not be overwhelming when you have nothing to eat and end up ordering <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Chinese</span> food. The point is to NOT order <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Chinese</span> food because you already have something yummy and easy to make in the freezer, thereby saving yourself some money. Nothing against <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Chinese</span> food. Maybe I'll track down a good homemade Pad Thai and try that next. </p><p>And yes, I know Pad Thai is not Chinese but Thai. </p>Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-63943165902363563382009-08-05T10:10:00.000-07:002009-08-05T10:32:51.008-07:00Homemade PastaYes, folks. Homemade pasta.<br /><br />I have always considered pasta something that one buys, or comes from a tree or whatever. I just never put that much thought into it. But some time ago, I began to wonder just what would homemade pasta entail. How much work goes into it? I mean it had to originate somewhere besides a pasta factory. So I did a little online sleuthing and came up with the following recipe for egg noodles:<br /><br />2 cups of flour<br />a few dashes of baking powder<br />and 2 largish eggs<br />Some water and salt<br /><br />Many recipes say to do this part on the counter but I chickened out and did this part in a large mixing bowl. Combine flour, baking powder and a dash of salt. Make a well in the center. Add eggs. Mix with a fork from the center until dough becomes sticky. Then work it together with your hands, adding water a little at a time until dough is pliable. This part is supposed to be part of the 'magic' or 'art' or 'science' or whatever it is that separates magical cooking type of people from those of us who eat cereal a lot. Anyway, when the dough "feels right" roll it into a ball.<br /><br />In several recipes this part calls for the use of a pasta machine but, my favorite recipe said that Italian grandma's have been doing this just fine with their bare hands for generations, so that's how I elected to do it. On a well floured surface knead the dough until smooth. Divide into three or four small segments. Roll one section as flat as you would like for it to be and then cut with a knife or pizza cutter into long or short, flat strips. These strips can be laid out to dry or hung up on a wire rack. They can also be plunged immediately into fast boiling water, but this part is tricky.<br /><br />I wanted to go ahead and use my pasta so I already had a pot of salted water boiling rapidly. Once I sliced up my pasta into small rectangles I took my large spatula and scooped it up off the counter and into the hot water. The directions said to stir keep the water boiling and stir frequently to keep pasta from sticking, and only to boil for about 3-4 minutes since pasta is already soft.<br /><br />When I felt like the pasta was done, (more 'magic cooking art') I drained it out. This yielded probably about 1/2 of pasta or two helpings.<br /><br />I ate mine with some chicken soup that I had made with leftover chicken and veggies in a chicken broth. It was quite tasty. Even my husband approved, saying that they seemed a lot heartier than what you would buy at the store.<br /><br />While the turnout of the noodles was nowhere near the store bought kind (they seemed more like dumplings), I did enjoy the process and hope to set aside a day for pasta making sometime in the near future. This way we can have some on hand, I will get practice at it, and most importantly I WILL KNOW WHAT I AM EATING!! which is really what this whole experiment is about.Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939819554092068767.post-72337609993883371702009-08-01T11:14:00.000-07:002009-08-01T11:22:27.102-07:00By Popular Demand...The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Yummus</span> recipe!!<br /><br />Take one can of Garbanzo beans, (I know it's not very real or whatever, but it's what I had on hand), throw them in the blender.<br /><br />Add:<br /><br />2 tablespoons of Olive Oil<br />2 tablespoons of Lemon Juice<br />1 garlic clove<br />a dash of cinnamon.<br /><br />Blend well until mushy. If you have a food processor use that instead. I kept having to take a spatula and scrape the sides down to make sure it all got chopped, but it still turned out pretty chunky.<br /><br />Also, I made mine too garlicky and I ended up feeling gross all day after eating it. I will probably <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">experiment</span> with roasting the garlic next time to try to get a milder flavor. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Incidentally</span>, I did pick up the garlic at the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">fabbo</span> little veggie stand on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Southland</span> Drive. I think I have mentioned them before...<br /><br />One can also add <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tahini</span>, but we don't have any and I don't really know what it is either. That's why I am not Paula <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Deen but the Gothgirl</span>. =)Bohemimomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240640239239155993noreply@blogger.com1