Happy Thanksgiving to my US Friends

My turkey is brining in the fridge. Before I get in bed tonight I will rinse it and set it to dry uncovered in the fridge for the optimum crispy and delicious skin. I do hope this works - it is the first time I have attempted this method.

I made the tomato aspic salad this afternoon and it is congealing in the fridge now, soon to be garnished with a bit of caviar and consumed without mercy.

I will wake up in the morning and prepare the oyster stuffing. I unintentionally purchased too many oysters and I look forward to enjoying them while I cook along with the cocktail sauce I also unintentionally purchased. I will unintentionally eat them for breakfast I think.

I love preparing this meal. I missed out on it last year due to the fact that I was stuck in Mexico City. It will only make this year that much more enjoyable.

There is so much I am thankful for and although I do try to remember these things every day it is truly wonderful to have one day out of 365 where the entire focus of the day is remembering and being grateful for all I have. My life is modest but I have all I need and that is more than many can say. I try to never forget this.

So Happy Thanksgiving!

Putting Things Off Is So Stupid

So in early summer 2007 I got a wireless router and I got it set up so that I could work from home from anywhere. On good weather days I would sit on the porch for a couple of hours and I could choose to sit in the kitchen or living room or at my desk. Very important to have variety when you work from home. I was happy and all was well.

Last March I came home from Chile for 3 freaking days to find that my Bellsouth modem had blown out during my absence. They got me a replacement before I headed back out but I didn't set it up right. I came home twice after that but the wireless always worked even if the hard-wired PC didn't so I let it slide.

This has pissed me off for the past 6 months and today I tackled it. I didn't want to but I was tired of being pissed off. I wanted to put the work laptop away on the weekends and use this PC.

DONE! The actual work to get it online took about 15 minutes. I have no idea what I did but finally it worked. Then I tackled the wad of knots of line under my desk and get them all un-knotted and wrapped all the slack with velcro wire wrappie thingies.

Also I watered the plants, went to the store and bought my turkey, made an eye doctor appointment, and did a full pattern round on my knitting project. And got my Chicken Satay dinner for tomorrow night marinating.

I still have vacation time which must be burned before 12/31 or it will be lost so I am taking Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off so I have a full week with the 2 day Thanksgiving holiday. I think I have made MAJOR progress already.

I am feeling quite proud of myself.

Google Translator for Skype - the great equalizer

In high school I had a shitload of French and I was close to being low level fluent. I also had 3 years of German but it mixed up with the french and I failed everything in fluent frerman. It seriously screwed me up and I wish I had not added another language.

Flip to me 28 years later. I lived in Japan for a year and learned a lot of the 3 alphabets but not a lot of that crazy language. Then to South America to live in Spanish which I learned a shitload of thanks to French but never felt comfortable speaking let alone writing.

Then Sam turns me on to google translator for skype. And now I can type in English and immediately have a translation into Spanish. Or any other language. My Spanish contacts assure me this device is at leat 98%accurate.

Totally recommend this add in for skype.

This has already made my daily business life so much easier!

Could We Just Get Something Straight Here?

One of my pet peeves is the widespread misuse of the verb "utilize." I hear it used incorrectly every day and thought I would take this opportunity to clear up some confusion.

"Use" and "utilize" are two verbs with distinct meanings. Don't confuse them.

"Use" is to employ objects for the purposes they were designed for.

"Utilize," on the other hand, is to employ objects for unintended purposes.

Authoritative proof:

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the verb use as "to make use of (some immaterial thing) as a means or instrument; to employ for a certain end or purpose."

But utilize is defined as "to make or render useful; to convert to use, turn to account."

MSN Encarta Dictionary defines to utilize as “to make use of something, or find a practical or effective use for something.”

And here is the logical proof of the crucial distinction between these two verbs: the logical extreme of "use" is "abuse," referring to the act of using something in ways that is contradictory to its original "mission statement" or designed function.

But there is no corresponding logical extreme for "utilize" like, let's say, "disutilize" or "abutilize" since by its very definition, to utilize something means to use it in ways that is different than the purpose for which it was originally designed or created. "Abuse," so to speak, is a built-in semantic component of "utilize."

WRONG: "The TV set utilizes coaxial cable to connect to the antenna." (A TV unit and a coaxial cable were meant to be used together, by definition.)

CORRECT: "The TV set uses coaxial cable to connect to the antenna.

CORRECT: "The TV set utilizes paper clips to connect to the antenna." (A TV set is not designed to use paper clips to connect to the antenna. That's a highly unusual improvisation and -- in the stretched sense of the word -- an "abuse" of paper clips.)


SOURCE: http://ezinearticles.com/?Writing----How-To-Use-Use-Versus-Utilize-Correctly?&id=479574

For All of the 40+ somethings out there!!!

Three Dog Night!

I Can Not Believe

I just can not believe that I have lived to see this day. And I am so proud to be an American today.

OMG

We DID IT!!!!!!!!!! It happened!!!!!!!

Yessssssssssssssssssss!

The Numbers Are Coming In Now

Finally. Last night I tossed and turned. The last time I remember looking at the clock it was 1 am. at 4:50 the alarm went off and with fewer than 4 hours of sleep I woke up and I WAS FUCKING EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!

I got up to my polling place at 5:50 am and was #35 in line. I met some neighbors and a load of first time voters and we talked and laughed and the 70 minutes passed quickly. When the doors opened there was a visible surge and the line tightened up.

When I actually cast my vote in my 8th presidential election I was more excited than I was in 1980 (my first time). I took my time because I wanted to go back through the screens several times to just see my electronic mark beside Obama/Biden before I let it go. I wanted to dance and cry at the same time.

This is why - if this doesn't show why he WILL be President I don't know what will. A President doesn't need to stomp people down - that is a dictatorship. A President needs to FIRE PEOPLE UP!

If you have a leaking pipe you do not hire a piano tuner you hire an experienced plumber because a piano tuner, no matter his or her experience, will NOT WORK and you will be left with leaks.

ARE YOU FIRED UP?!?!?!?!

(PS If you did not vote you do not get to answer. Ever. Because you have chosen to have no voice. My one voice might be very small compared to the full picture but I voiced it and so I get to have a say.)