This week Eric is playing the oracle (or is it 20 questions?) and one of my off the cuff questions to him reminded me of something I read about a couple years ago.

The devil comes to you and says he can make a simple change that will spark your creativity and suddenly you’ll paint or write or create music with a skill you never had before. You do not have to sell your soul for this (but remember, this is the devil we’re talking about).

You can ask questions, but not unlimited questions. After all, he’s a busy nefarious individual and needs to get back to acquiring souls for eternal torment.

Do you take the deal?

ADDENDUM the First:
To clarify, it’s something specific I once ran across while perusing the medical literature.

I love the color of these bushes, but I’m having a lousy time getting a picture that shows that. (Here was yesterday’s attempt.) I fear, however, this is the best I’m going to get this year of these particular bushes–calling for rain the next two days, then the weekend, by the time Monday comes around, they most likely won’t look nearly as good.

But that’s okay, because I’ve been enjoying looking at them all week.

This is hard to watch, but it’s also brave and wonderful and everyone should watch it.

Last week I was on vacation and so lost track of time. Today’s word is: oops

Caught the sun coming up this morning on the way to work.

Just heard an interview with John Raese, Republican candidate to replace Byrd in the US Senate.

In an almost astounding case of, “Fuck you, I’ve got mine!” Rease said he wants to get rid of the minimum wage. “Asked if the federally mandated minimum wage should be abolished, Raese answered, ‘absolutely.'”

A couple of notes here, the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. If an employee worked 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year (which never happens mind you) they would have an income of $15,080.00 a year. The median income in WV in 2008 was $37,528. For the US as a whole it was $52,029, and in that same year, 17% of West Virginians had income below the poverty level.

Raese believes that West Virginians should be at the mercy of their employers in determine what is a “living wage” (Let me tell you, the minimum wage ain’t it)

He also doesn’t like regulation of industry, so not only does he believe that businesses can pay you as little as they want, he also seems to believe that industry can do whatever they want to the environment, their employees, their customers–that they answer only to their investors.

Yeah, we saw how well that‘s worked out.

And Raese’s record on safety speaks for itself as does his record on government spending.

When I came across Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth by Jill O’Connor, I really couldn’t help myself. Everything in the book is amazing looking, however, everything also tends to make large batches, which is no good for the two of us.

As much as I want to make the Sugar Crusted Brownie Sundaes with Whiskey Caramel Walnut Sauce, I settled for the Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies instead, especially since I can freeze the cookies unbaked.

The Best One-Bowl Chocolate Chunk-Pecan Cookies
2 cups pecan halves
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks (I used Ghiradelli Bittersweet chocolate chips, as I had them on hand)

Toast pecans (350 for 7 min).

Where this recipe is different is that instead of creaming the butter and the sugar, you melt the butter, then add in the additional ingredients. You are also supposed to mic everything by hand, but as the recipe calls for 1/4 sized cookies, and I don’t like giant cookies, I used the mixer to break up the pecans a bit.

Scoop out the dough onto a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator for 45 to 60 minutes.

If you make smaller cookies (like I did) I baked ’em at 350 for 12 to 13 minutes. I also froze what unbaked cookies I had left, so now I’ll have fresh cookies when I come home from work after one of those days.

(more…)

As much as I wished that the depression was completely gone from my life, it is a slow climb back up that hill to normalcy–or at least for me an even keel. The ankle is in some ways exacerbating it, since for years I’ve used aerobic exercise to ameliorate some of the symptoms of my depression, however, I’m not yet back to the point where I was a year ago. And, to be starkly honest, these things take time.

But sometimes, I don’t do myself any favors.

One of the things I requested was an anti-anxiety medicine for when I have an anxiety attack. It’s a medicine I take only as needed, and when I have taken it, it has worked well. (Huzzah for that!) Yesterday I had an anxiety attack. But instead of taking the medicine I have, I kept thinking, “it’s not that bad right now now, maybe it will lift on it’s own. Maybe I’ll just wait it out.” And thus last night I went into a nasty tailspin.

For me, the adrenaline causes me not just to want to get up and do something, but also mentally determine WHY I am anxious.

This may sound innocent enough, except that for my brain, the answer is always the same: a detailed listing of my faults and mistakes and errors culminating in the “realization” that I’m a horrible person and if everyone doesn’t hate me, they should.

Yeah. That’s just as fun as it sounds.

So today I’m dragging myself out of that pit and resolving to TAKE THE DAMNED MEDS next time an anxiety attack hits.

ADDENDUM the First:

This is my 10/10/10 10:10 picture.

When I went outside to check the game traffic, I saw a gorgeous sliver of moon against the sunset.

Michigan State 34 Michigan 17

This is turning out to be a very good football day.

Radio is playing post-game interview, announcer asked about penalties, to which Coach Stewart replied, ‘For as long as I am coach, I will never, I will NEVER allow my boys to play dirty football.’

Thank you Coach Stewart.

These crows were huge, but crafty enough to stay just far enough away from me.