On the Rise Baking.

Hey Everyone, I thought I would share my aunt's website with you.  She makes some amazingly delicious wedding cakes and runs her own coffee and pastry shop in Worcester, Mass as well.  Become a fan of her on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/On-The-Rise-Baking/167042696234 or just check out some of her work.

 
 Here is a link to her website too: http://www.ontherisebaking.com/.  Mmmmmmmmm...

City Envy

So I saw an article today that rated Dallas as #9 for most hated cities in the United States.  I found it rather amusing since it was listed along with Miami, New York, LA, D.C., Atlanta, Austin, St. Louis, etc. - which are all cities that people, do in fact, love.  Then I realized the article was written by The Houston Chronicle and it all made so much sense (especially as to why it wasn't on the list itself).  Besides being one of the fattest cities , most humid, and  polluted cities in the country, Houston is apparently also one of the most jealous. And for some reason people from there hate other Texas cities, especially Dallas.  Not really sure why, it might be that we beat them at sports (even when we don't have a real head coach) or it might be kind of like that UT/aTm relationship where aTm hates UT but UT doesn't really give a flip about aTm.  All I have to say to Houston is hook 'em horns...

Notable things I've done today.

Today I did a few things that haven't happened in awhile, so since their occurrences are so sparse, I thought the world should hear about them. *author's note: notice that the title says "done," not attained, achieved, or something that implies anything of real accomplishment - just "done"...because if that were the case then my life would probably be much more miserable than I have led myself to believe. Here are those 7 things that are apparently not very common in my daily life.  Please don't judge...

7. Shaved my legs (For the first time since Sizzler!). It's winter, I wear pants a lot, and now that it's cold I can really use that extra layer of insulation, so why would I do something I hate doing?


6. Went Running. It's been a long time my friends.

it's a love/hate relationship

5. Washed my hair.  Dare I say how long it's been? As I texted Becca Farmer my day count today she sent me some good advice: "Fight the good fight." She's right, there are more productive things I could be doing then seeing how long I can go without washing my hair. I caved.

4. Ate some raw garlic.  I decided that instead of feeling like crap I would try to scare off this bug with the miracle plant...as well as all my friends...and vampires for that matter.

3. Threw away the conditioner bottle before the shampoo bottle. I know, weird right? I mean, is that even allowed?

2. Did not make fun of the new guy at work/trick him into doing something that will possibly get him fired. Let's just say it was his own loss he wasn't scheduled to work today. I'm just sayin...

1. Brought some Bruce back into my life. I remembered that no matter what crap is going on right now, whether good or bad (yes crap can be good at times), I am so glad I was born in this country. Enjoy.



Also, I've noticed that the majority of these things have to do with my personal hygiene, which apparently has been slacking as of late (to put it lightly). Can I just say "oops...I'll get to work on that"?

It's a sick, sick world we live in.

Why is it I always want Chick-Fil-A on Sundays?

Auguries of Innocence

I was going through my house looking for our copy of the Brothers Grimm and, naturally, this took my quite awhile since we have like 2,000 books or something ridiculous.  And of course I didn't find it, but I did discover a lot of books I didn't know we had, as well as a handful of books we have multiple copies of.  Here are 7 of those off the top of my head.

Atlas Shrugged: 3
Huckleberry Finn: 3
Anything by Og Mandino: at least 5
Lord of the Flies: 3
Rich Dad Poor Dad: 4
All the King's Men: 2
King Rat: 40?


That last one might have been an exaggeration, but nonetheless, we need to keep better track. And the search wasn't a complete failure because I did find a copy of my favorite poem and wanted to share it.  It's a little lengthy, but enjoy.

Auguries of Innocence by William Blake

To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.

A robin redbreast in a cage
Puts all heaven in a rage.

A dove-house fill'd with doves and pigeons
Shudders hell thro' all its regions.
A dog starv'd at his master's gate
Predicts the ruin of the state.

A horse misused upon the road
Calls to heaven for human blood.
Each outcry of the hunted hare
A fibre from the brain does tear.

A skylark wounded in the wing,
A cherubim does cease to sing.
The game-cock clipt and arm'd for fight
Does the rising sun affright.

Every wolf's and lion's howl
Raises from hell a human soul.

The wild deer, wand'ring here and there,
Keeps the human soul from care.
The lamb misus'd breeds public strife,
And yet forgives the butcher's knife.

The bat that flits at close of eve
Has left the brain that won't believe.
The owl that calls upon the night
Speaks the unbeliever's fright.

He who shall hurt the little wren
Shall never be belov'd by men.
He who the ox to wrath has mov'd
Shall never be by woman lov'd.

The wanton boy that kills the fly
Shall feel the spider's enmity.
He who torments the chafer's sprite
Weaves a bower in endless night.

The caterpillar on the leaf
Repeats to thee thy mother's grief.
Kill not the moth nor butterfly,
For the last judgement draweth nigh.

He who shall train the horse to war
Shall never pass the polar bar.
The beggar's dog and widow's cat,
Feed them and thou wilt grow fat.

The gnat that sings his summer's song
Poison gets from slander's tongue.
The poison of the snake and newt
Is the sweat of envy's foot.

The poison of the honey bee
Is the artist's jealousy.

The prince's robes and beggar's rags
Are toadstools on the miser's bags.
A truth that's told with bad intent
Beats all the lies you can invent.

It is right it should be so;
Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro' the world we safely go.

Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine.
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.

The babe is more than swaddling bands;
Every farmer understands.
Every tear from every eye
Becomes a babe in eternity;

This is caught by females bright,
And return'd to its own delight.
The bleat, the bark, bellow, and roar,
Are waves that beat on heaven's shore.

The babe that weeps the rod beneath
Writes revenge in realms of death.
The beggar's rags, fluttering in air,
Does to rags the heavens tear.

The soldier, arm'd with sword and gun,
Palsied strikes the summer's sun.
The poor man's farthing is worth more
Than all the gold on Afric's shore.

One mite wrung from the lab'rer's hands
Shall buy and sell the miser's lands;
Or, if protected from on high,
Does that whole nation sell and buy.

He who mocks the infant's faith
Shall be mock'd in age and death.
He who shall teach the child to doubt
The rotting grave shall ne'er get out.

He who respects the infant's faith
Triumphs over hell and death.
The child's toys and the old man's reasons
Are the fruits of the two seasons.

The questioner, who sits so sly,
Shall never know how to reply.
He who replies to words of doubt
Doth put the light of knowledge out.

The strongest poison ever known
Came from Caesar's laurel crown.
Nought can deform the human race
Like to the armour's iron brace.

When gold and gems adorn the plow,
To peaceful arts shall envy bow.
A riddle, or the cricket's cry,
Is to doubt a fit reply.

The emmet's inch and eagle's mile
Make lame philosophy to smile.
He who doubts from what he sees
Will ne'er believe, do what you please.

If the sun and moon should doubt,
They'd immediately go out.
To be in a passion you good may do,
But no good if a passion is in you.

The whore and gambler, by the state
Licensed, build that nation's fate.
The harlot's cry from street to street
Shall weave old England's winding-sheet.

The winner's shout, the loser's curse,
Dance before dead England's hearse.

Every night and every morn
Some to misery are born,
Every morn and every night
Some are born to sweet delight.

Some are born to sweet delight,
Some are born to endless night.

We are led to believe a lie
When we see not thro' the eye,
Which was born in a night to perish in a night,
When the soul slept in beams of light.

God appears, and God is light,
To those poor souls who dwell in night;
But does a human form display 

To those who dwell in realms of day.

The Black Keys - Tighten Up [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

Not sure if this is cute or creepy...

Googoo for Gaga

I have a confession to make: I love Lady Gaga.

Being an avid rock fan, those words are bitter coming out of my mouth, but her music is just...so good.  Yet she is so strange.  Some people defend her by claiming she is an artist who "lives" her art.  Well, artist or not, I still think she is ridiculous.  So, with that, here are what I deem the 7 worst Gaga outfits.

7. The Planet Uranus.

Apparently her orbit is off as her bodygaurd helps her walk straight.

 

6. The Iceberg.

The real reason The Titanic went down.

 5. The Long Lost Borrower.

Those Borrowers love their buttons, even the hairy ones.

4. The Planet Uranus Part II.

Her orbit looks a little better in this one.

3. The Lobster Nurse.

Not really sure about this one. My only guess is that she was trying to raise awareness for some form of lobster paralysis.

2. The Human T-Bone.

For every animal you don't eat, she will eat 12.

And of course, I saved the best for last...

1. Lady Gaga as Kermit the Frog.

Does Jim Henson know about this?

I really wish this list was longer.  

Oh, and here are a few honorable mentions. They didn't make the final cut for various reason, but they need to be seen nonetheless. 

The Bird's Nest.

The Legend of Creepy Hollow.

This outfit did not make the VS Christmas catalog. But it was a good attempt.

Stay tuned for the next Gaga list that will specifically cover her "hats."

The last hurrah

As I return from the latest sizzler trip in Cancun, Mexico, I'm cannot help but feel a bit glum.  While I got to hang out with the coolest people in the world and enjoy the beauty of the country around me, I can't help but be sad that that was my last sizzler.  It's hard to say goodbye to such an amazing company like Southwestern and the people you work with because they are truly a breed above anyone else you'll ever meet.  With that, here are some of my favorite memories from the trip.

Our resort: The Grand Oasis

The beach in the morning

Our human replica of the Chichen Itza "calendar."

Only Eliav would bring rollerskates to Cancun and try to go down the stairs with them.

And leave it to SkyMall to sell zombie statues for your yard.  I want five.

Even though I ended up missing Thanksgiving with my family, I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with such awesome people, not to mention, if it weren't for the company I would probably not exist.  Sigh.  I guess there's still the ski trip.

Flight frenzy

So with all the hullabaloo about the new TSA laws I thought I might offer my own two cents as to how airport safety could be improved. And here are 7 reasons why I think current airport security is silly.

1. If somebody really wants to hijack a plane, they aren't going to sneak their weapons in through security, they will get some insider to place box cutters or such under all seats in row 11 of whatever airline they plan to hijack.  Sound familiar? Now there may be a few exceptions by some fools who think they can make a statement or some mumbojumbo, but that's why they have professional bouncers checking IDs right?

2. Full body scans are an invasion of privacy. Let's just cut to the chase: I don't want some rando looking at my tatas. 

3. Pat downs? I don't care if you are a woman, don't touch me.  Plus, I mean, we're all infidels, so actually, don't go touching nobody.

4. Enough with the liquids already.  I would just like to take enough sunscreen to last me the week so that I don't get skin poisoning again.  Plus I am tired of having to chug my water bottle everytime I get in line...I always have to pee right when the plane begins to board.

5. For those of us who care about our health enough not to eat processed foods, animals injected with growth hormones, etc.  I would like to respectfully decline that extra dose of radiation.  Thanks though, it was a kind offer.

6. The only thing more sickening than some pimpled punk looking at my full body scan, is going to be the size of the security lines. Please arrive 9 hours before departure.

7. If President Obama doesn't have to show his birth certificate to be President of the good old US of A, then I sure as hell ain't showing my stuff to get on that plane.



So, in light of all this, I think the best solution to prevent terrorists from hijacking planes is to loan every legal adult on each flight one of these:

Who is going to try to take over a plane when everyone on it is packing?

The Temper Trap - Fader

I hear this song on the radio a lot.  It reminds me of something, but I haven't been able to figure out what yet.  

The Four Seasons - December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) [with lyrics]

TV Wisdom

So I came across this quote while watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.  It pretty much sums up typical United States politics.


Dennis: (to Mac) There's nothing you can do about taxes.
Dee: Uh, you guys might wanna think about voting every once in a while.
Dennis: What has voting ever done?
Charlie: Wha—since—what is—why are you coming dow—voting?
Dennis: Who am I supposed to vote for? Am I supposed to vote for the—the Democrat who's going to blast me in the ass or the Republican who's blasting my ass?
Mac: You see, politics is all just one big ass-blast.

 And they're also pretty intuitive about good old Hillary.

Frank: A woman in politics is like a donkey doing calculus.

Dee: There are plenty of amazing women politicians.
Frank: Name one.
Dee: Uh, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton?
Frank: Awful.
Dee: How is she awful?
Frank: Hates freedom.

one loss, another victory.

So a coworker of mine told me I was a fool for never having seen the original Dune movie, and seeing that it's one of my favorite books I set out on a mission to find it after leaving the polls today.  Little did I know that it was going to be nearly impossible to find.

Since I was already on the East side of town, I cruised on over to Best Buy, and naturally they didn't have it because Best Buy blows.   I then almost died on my way to Fry's Electronics because the turn onto Parker Rd. from the access road has a ridiculously steep incline.  When I saw the hemi in from of me stuggle to get up the ramp in the pouring rain, I knew my little Waldo was in for a feat.  So I shifted into first...40 seconds later I made it onto the actual road.  I'm pretty sure I destroyed my clutch in that lone incident.  But I'm alive!  

Fry's put up a valiant effort in my search since they did have the movie on Blue Ray.  Too bad I don't own a Blue Ray player. Despite my lack of high-tech instruments, the $18.99 price tag tempted me to buy it anyway.  But I decided that might be a wee bit foolish.  (Almost as foolish as the worker there who asked me what Dune was.  God help him). But since Fry's never disappoints,  it redeemed that man's ignorance by offering all seasons of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia for $16.99.  Naturally, at a price that good, I bought all of them.  That is actually a lie.  I am not rich enough to warrant spending that much on DVDs at once, so I settle for seasons 1 and 2.  The cashier there then directed me to the nearest Movie Trading Company to continue my search (go Fry's) so I thanked him and was on my way. 

Upon walking in to The Movie Trading Company, the cashiers asked me what I was looking for, and within seconds, I was holding 4 copies of the movie in my hand.  Did I want used? New? Extended edition?  They told me they all love the movie so much that they will special order it just to make sure they have at least 2 copies.  And they're pretty sure that loving the movie is a requirement to work there because the last guy that got fired from there was fired for not being a fan (although that's not what it may have said on paper).  Thank you for being funny MTC. 

And now, a mere 2 hours later, I am a proud owner of David Lynch's Dune.

Make it happen

Nothing would please me more right now than watching the Giants get their butts handed to them by the Rangers. Well, besides that happening whilst drinking a margarita.

...and watching Dan Dekay cry.  Which looks something like this:

BoOtoño

It's my favorite time of year again.  Not only is the weather here in Texas finally cooling down, but the leaves are starting to change (well, kind of)!  It's weird being home for it this time.  And it's nice to be able to eat things like spaghetti squash in season - maybe with a little onion, chicken, and tomato sauce.  Actually, I'm going to eat some right now. Ha.

But first...it's time to find a good pumpkin carving.  I'm all about traditional scary stuff and not so much the cutesy ones.  So I'm kind of a creeper, judge me. Either way, there are some pretty cool designs out there. Here are some traditional ones that are little more mellow.

I like the one on the top left.  Yup, that's the one. Done. SO PUMPED right now! I know that it's not the most exciting thing in the world, but it's better than watching Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: the Squeakquel with Seth while waiting for the squash to cook.  God help me.

Seriously, I want to know who thought putting CGI rodents in a movie where they sing bad pop songs in high pitch was a good idea?  There's only so much squeaking I can take.

Plano po-pos on the go go.

I saw some poor soul getting pulled over this morning but couldn't feel too bad because I was distracted by the glimmer of the lights glistening off the pristine body of the Escalade pulling him over.  I saw 2 other ones down the street distracting their prey with their pearly white and black paint jobs, and realized that all Plano cops now drive Cadillac Escalades.  And let me just tell you how comforting it is to know that my money goes to something meaningful and substantial...like making me feel more badass (yet classy) the next time a cop hands me a speeding ticket.  Then, as I receive the said ticket I know that the money I will soon pay will save some other speeder the embarrassment of being pulled over by a Taurus.  And I would not accept a traffic violation any other way.

Job Thinking

Finding a job is hard, mostly because I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up (oh wait...).  Hopefully I can narrow the search down and actually apply for something.  Suggestions?

n00b

I'm new to this whole blog thing, but it's fun so far.