Hidden Talents

Your Hidden Talent

You have the natural talent of rocking the boat, thwarting the system. And while this may not seem big, it can be. It's people like you who serve as the catalysts to major cultural changes. You're just a bit behind the scenes, so no one really notices.

What's Your Hidden Talent?

Feeling a bit blah today, the short I was supposed to help Line Produce and 2d AD isn't happening, I'm stuck trying to figure out whether my section breaks are working in my poetry manuscript. I still don't have a title for it yet (any suggestions are welcome and no, I don't think you have to read it to be qualified to come up with something clever). The good news is that the running continues to go well, Nicole's and my writers' group starts this week and I only have 16 weeks until I receive my Masters degree (a mere four months).

In the meantime, I think I'll concentrate on my hidden talent and see what kind of trouble I can get into.

Singles or Partners?

Nicole wrote an interesting blog about relationships and committment. It got me thinking about being single. It's been nearly 6 years since I was "out there" but I relate to the frustration at wanting something more and running up against the wall of "maybe".

The thing is, I think you have to simply live your truth, whether it's monogamy or playing the field. Relationships aren't scientific, don't follow logic and can't be run in a sort of "playing chicken" fashion - first to blink, loses or conversely first to blink, wins. If you're the kind of person who, when you care for someone deeply, wants to concentrate on that one person, great. If you're the kind of person who, when you care for someone deeply, still wants to leave yourself open to other options, great -- as long as the other person is aware of your particular need and agrees to the arrangement.

The trouble starts when you aren't on the same page of the "rule book".

Be who you are, live according to your own needs and your truth and you will attract someone else who feels the same truth.

Gastronomic Hints from Gmail

If you are a "gmail" user, you know that when you open an email, it picks up on words and phrases and on the sidebar offers links that are related to it. I used to think this was kind of big brother spooky but now know it's just an automatron program thing (right? right?)

Anyway, at the top of the Spam folder, the links are getting a little scary. I offer you:

                           SPAM SKILLET CASSEROLE

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 6    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Casseroles                       Main dish

 Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2                    Baking potatoes, cut into
                       -1/8" slices
  1       cn           SPAM Luncheon Meat, cubed
                       -(12 oz)
  1       c            Thinly sliced carrots
  1       c            Thinly sliced onions
    1/2   c            Thinly sliced celery
  2                    Garlic cloves, minced
  2       tb           Flour
  1       t            Coarsely ground pepper
    3/4   t            Dried whole thyme
  1       cn           No-salt-added green beans,
                       -drained (16 oz)
  1       cn           No-salt-added whole
                       -tomatoes, drained and
                       -chopped (16 oz)
  1       cn           No-salt-added vegetable
                       -juice cocktail (5 1/2 oz)
                       Butter-flavor vegetable
                       -cooking spray

 Cook potatoes in boiling water 3 minutes or until crisp-tender.
 Drain. In skillet, cook SPAM until browned; remove from skillet. Add
 carrots to skillet and saute 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add
 onion, celery, and garlic; saute until vegetables are tender. Combine
 flour, pepper, and thyme. Stir flour mixture into vegetable mixture;
 cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add SPAM, green beans, tomato,
 and vegetable juice cocktail. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer
 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat; arrange
 potato slices over SPAM mixture to cover completely. Spray potato
 slices with vegetable cooking spray. Broil 6" from heat source 10
 minutes or until golden.

Retropolitan, let me know how that works out for you at the next dinner party.

And miles to go...

After trying out three different pairs of running shoes (finally have the ones just right) and much to the amazement of friends and family, today marks a month of running.

My butt feels higher, my breathing is easier and my skin has taken on an oxygenated glow. This weekend I begin training with the Pasadena Pacers to run the 2007 Los Angeles marathon (and half marathons in between).

Now, if I could just kick the cigarettes....

Thanks to all who sent emails and called and talked me through the process of the right gear, the right stretches and just basically have supported me in my new venture.