Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Yadada at Nana
No...I didn't end up sipping Margaritas on my island. Instead we ended up at Nana (5th ave and Degraw) for Happy Hour (pretty good from six to eleven on weekdays). We stuffed ourselves with $4 rolls, dumplings, tons of appetizers and sushi, three bottles of sake (Karatamba, Yukosawa, and Black Bottle...I wanted to write that down so I won't forget). The bartender really enjoyed eavesdropping on our conversations about sex, sexuality, office politics, and political incorrectness; that she decided to "do some shots" (soooooo early twenties) with her liquor of choice, Absolut Ruby Red which she swore was delish. We politely obliged, I took a sip but dumped the rest behind her back into my glass of water, and thanked her for the house drinks and the lovely evening. And then, as I walked out of the restaurant, I screamed...
"What the hell was that Robitussin shit?!!?!?!"
Laughter, kisses, hugs. Thanks to my new favorite heterosexual couple (Tam and Mark, you'll always be #1). And of course my lovely lush-but-tea-drinking significant other. Remind me that it's still winter.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Stop talking to fortune cookies
I asked another fortune cookie what my luck would be at tonight's Megamillion Jackpot of $217M. It said "You will live a life of luxury," below which were six numbers labeled "lucky numbers." So I played them and now I'm waiting for the draw. If you don't hear from me, look for me on my island sipping my frozen margarita. :o)
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Filipino Spaghetti: For Posterity's Sake
In Manila, I grew up on "spaghetti," a saucy, sweet and spicy tomato (and sometimes ketchup) pasta topping graced by ground beef and chopped red hotdog. This was served over cold and soggy spaghetty noodles on a paper plate with a side of limp white sliced bread and a tiny plastic cup of Coca-Cola for many a birthday party when I was a child. A party would not be complete with sweet spaghetti and, in fact, this is the only way we knew how to eat pasta. The other ways (bland tomato or white sauces) were way too strange for the local palate.
And so for posterity's sake, I am writing down my spaghetti recipe which I managed to come up with using American ingredients. Nope, there is no Jufran or Mafran Banana Ketchup (yes, banana!) in this recipe. No red Swift Hotdog either. We enjoy it as a treat, though, and it reminds us of Jollibee Spaghetti. (For my non-Filipino readers, Jollibee is the #1 fastfood chain in the Philippines. Good trivia: The Philippines is the only country in the world where McDonald's is not the #1 fastfood restaurant, thanks to Jollibee's "Philippinized" burgers and breakfast meals.)
Filipino Spaghetti
1/2 lb ground beef
4-5 pieces medium sized hotdogs, chopped coarsely
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1 beef bouillon
1-25.5 oz jar Muir Glen Organic Pasta Sauce, onion and garlic flavor
dash ground cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
salt and pepper
Sautee garlic and onion and brown beef in bouillion. When cooked, add hotdog and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add pasta sauce, let simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes. Add sugar, cayenne pepper, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauce should be mildly spicy and quite sweet. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles. Top with grated cheddar cheese and serve with ice cold Coke! Save cake and balloons for later. :o)
Mangia!
Friday, February 23, 2007
Fortune Cookie
I wanted to take my chances at the $177 Million loot of the Mega Millions Jackpot for today so I bought a couple of lottery tickets this morning. At lunch, I cracked open a fortune cookie to see if there was any inclination that my luck would be good for tonight's draw. It said, "You cannot have everything because you wouldn't know where to keep all of it."
Sigh. Even the fortune cookie knew I wouldn't be rich. :o(
That's fine, at least I still have my Number One Fan...jaundiced or otherwise.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Stoners Rock!
We found the cat rubbing his face on the bag of celery left over from the Bloody Marys of Sunday's brunch, and so we took the whole bunch out of the bag to find out what the cat would do. Surprisingly, he started rubbing his whole head and neck on the leaves, and then rolled his body and rubbed his back on the stalks. Afterwards, he leaned his head on the leaves while in a dazed euphoric state, his arms wrapped around his new source of botanic fix. Say goodbye to catnip because celery is here. Look at his stoner eyes in the picture. Dooobeeedooobeeedooooooo...
Just for educational purposes, I looked it up and found out the chemical in celery is called "phthalides," which give the characteristic odor of celery. Phthalides have euphoric and sedative effects similar to valium, and also possibly protect the liver and have anti-cancer properties. It is different from the chemical in catnip (cis-trans-nepetalactone).
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Last Minute Brunch
We decided to make our usual brunch fare on a whim, after waking up hungry and not having concrete breakfast plans within the next few hours. Friends had invited us out for brunch at 2pm (what the?), and being that we are hungry nesting lesbians, we got up at seven and decided to make the trek to the grocery store to buy ingredients for our instant brunch party. The guests enjoyed the meal and the drinks, and I realized that I now know the following recipes by heart.
White Cheddar Potato Gratin
4 lbs russet potatoes, sliced thinly
2-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups grated white cheddar cheese
1/4 cup rosemary leaves
2 small shallots, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 13X19 rectangular glass or porcelain baking dish. Arrange potato pieces in layers on the dish. Once halfway full, sprinkle half the cheese, rosemary and shallots. Continue layering the potatoes, and sprinkle the rest of cheese, rosemary and shallots. Dissolve salt and pepper in the heavy cream and pour on potatoes. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake covered for 1 hour. Bake uncovered for another 45 minutes until top is brown. Let stand 20-30 minutes before serving.
Pastrami, Onion and Portabella Mushroom Quiche
2 frozen 9" pie crusts
1/4 lb pastrami, diced
1/2 onion sliced
1 cup grated gruyere or gouda cheese
1 large portabella mushroom cap, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
3 eggs
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake pie crusts until brown, about 10 minutes. In a bowl, beat eggs, add milk, a dash of salt and pepper, and cheese. Arrange pastrami, onion and mushrooms on the pie plates, pour in milk mixture until crust is filled. Bake for 45 minutes at 375, or until fork comes out clean from center. Let stand or 15 minutes before serving.
Mangia!!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Valentine's Dinner
I wanted to cook the rack of Australian lamb that we got at Costco for Valentine's Day, instead of competing with the crowd of lovers at neighborhood restaurants, especially post-ice-storm where the ground looks like rootbeer slurpee. I looked at various recipes on Epicurious, but because we had never made lamb before, it was difficult to guess which one would taste good or not. So we decided to go with the simple recipe. It was a great success! Yum, yum, yum. And this from a non-lamb eater who is attempting to broaden her horizons after sampling Convivium's lamb chops.
Pan Fried Lamb Chops With Rosemary and Garlic
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
Mix first three ingredients in a bowl and use as a rub on the lamb chops. Pat the rub onto the meat with your thumbs on both sides. Season with salt.
Pan-fry in olive oil for about three minutes per side (medium rare) until brown.
Yummy! If you serve it with Swedish Lingonberry Preserves, this dish is really good!
Mangia!
Monday, February 12, 2007
day twenty-one: Anticipating your arrival
It's two days before Valentine's Day, and the florist is taking advantage. At the corner store there aren't a lot of new flowers, only numerous red rose bouquets that are more cliche than anything.
I bought several bunches, two dozen tulips, lilies, and hydrangeas. I arranged them clumsily in a vase and was pleased with my amateur floral arrangement skills. I was almost teary-eyed to discover that after a few hours, the hydrangeas wilted into a sorry drooping semblance of botanic life, leading me to believe that there was something wrong with the water. In paranoia, I imagined the other buds blooming too quickly and shrivelling dry before you even saw them. And before I was overcome by my own imagination, I walked away from the flowers and hoped for the best. I know you'll appreciate the effort no matter what.
Just one more sleep and you'll be back. In a card I wrote that I missed you both like a new lover and an old friend. You are, and have always been, the best part of everyday.
I can't wait for you to come home. :o)
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Eureka! (for dorks only)
I had given up on setting up the satellite dish for our Brooklyn apartment in the summer, when after several attempts, I realized that a tree was in the way and there was no way I could get a decent signal. During the last trip upstate, I took home my home-assembled satellite configuration kit (hand drill, a couple of wrenches, satellite finder, compass, coaxial cables, coordinates for our zip, and level), thinking that I might just have the chance to work on the dish while the wife was away.
Today was that day (I don't know why I am always working on these things in the dead of winter), and fiddled with the azimuth and elevation while keeping the skew intact (dorkorama!). When I had almost given up, I discovered that I got my signal quality from 45 to 90%! Got all the channels and then some. This is going to be great surprise for the returning traveller, who is so sick of our analog cable connection and fuzzy television reception.
You may not appreciate this post, as you might not know how difficult it is to set up a satellite dish (especially on top of a ladder in the middle of a blizzard), but I think this progress deserves a...
hell
fuckin'
yeah!!
(If only it would continue to work when the tree's leaves come back).
Quick Jamaican Curry
Got this recipe from my sweetheart's secretary, it's quick and easy. I like simmering the stew until the potato is soft because it reminds me of the masala dosa at Hampton Chutney Company in SoHo (Prince and Lafayette).
1/2 head of garlic, crushed and chopped coarsely
1 chicken breast, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons Jamaican curry powder (or regular curry powder)
1 tsp cumin
2 small carrots, diced
1 small potato, diced
1 chicken bouillon
Saute garlic in oil until brown. Add chicken and bouillon. Dissolve curry powder in 1 cup water and mix into the pot. Simmer stew for thirty minutes and add carrots and potato, simmer until carrots and potato are soft, about 15 more minutes. I like adding a few dashes of cayenne pepper. But you know how it is. I love bold, strong, spicy and hot flavors. When done, the curry sauce should be the consistency of gravy, and if you eat this dish with hot pita bread, it will definitely be memorable.
Mangia!
Day Twenty: Another weekend without you
I miss the familiar, the routine, the everyday. Being without you feels like losing a limb, an appendage I've relied on all my life and now have suddenly lost control of. I am living and breathing, but a huge part of me is missing and an even bigger part has lost its function. The good night kisses and morning hugs, the dinners which were the perfect end to every rough day. I miss you like missing an old friend and a new lover at the same time. There is loss and longing and a desire that has to be displaced onto other tasks -- cleaning, writing, working. Being without you is like navigating without maps or stars, it's guesswork and pure luck. I don't even know how I get home everyday, when nothing awaits but silence, hunger, and wanting. Come home now. I'm starting to get used to this and it's a little scary.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
For the crime show buff in you
Early this morning as I was walking the dog, I noticed a cop car blocking the end of the road. After further investigation, I realized that the whole corner by 6th Avenue was cordoned off with yellow police tape. Sixth was lined with police cars, CSI units, and cops from the nearby precinct. On the road were bullet shells, broken glass, and triangular numbered markers for where the casings landed. My sweetheart would have loved that, being a CSI and Law & Order fan and all.
I had no idea what was going on, and since I couldn't go past our block, I walked the dog back home until a guy with a press ID ran towards me mouthing something. "Excuse me?" I said, wondering what he could possibly want from my sleepy face. He asked me if I had heard anything early this morning, I said no, and asked him if he knew what happened.
As it turns out, a few hours after I crossed that corner in drunken stupor, a cop was shot in his car. And I don't know how this press guy knows this, but rumor has it that he was shot by another cop's husband, apparently there is some love triangle theory to it. Classic Law and Order: Criminal Intent, wouldn't you say? I thanked Mr. Press Guy for the scoop and went back into the house. When I went to the grocery store with my granny cart, I saw that the whole block between Park Pl and St Marks had been closed and cops were searching stoops and bushes for clues.
Such a shocker for a quiet and crime-free neighborhood such as the Slope, eh? I imagined what would have happened if I had been there to witness the shooting. Would I have run away? Would the perp shoot me too? Would I try to help the vic? And, more importantly, would I insist on fixing my hair and showering before my television interview?
Hahaha. It IS all about me.
Garfield would be proud
Due to insistent public demand, I made lasagna for dinner and had some co-workers over for some eats, drinks and songs. I brought the Karaoke Microphone down from its home in a drawer at the upstate house (in lieu of the elusive Nintendo Wii) for entertainment.
This is a modified recipe from Ms. Samonte's Foods class during my junior year in high school. I like using both canned whole peeled tomatoes (for texture) and canned spaghetti sauce (for the flavor). Del Monte Garlic and Onion Spaghetti Sauce works fine, but if you are picky like that, Muir Glen has an excellent organic spaghetti sauce that I like to use as well, especially for my Filipino-style spaghetti (sweet and spicy) with beef and (get this!) chopped hotdog.
BEEF LASAGNA
Part 1: Meat Sauce
1 head garlic
1 head onion
1 lb ground beef
1 lb lasagna noodles, cooked
1-26.5 oz can Del Monte Garlic and Onion Spaghetti Sauce
1-28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes (Tuttoroso, Sclafani, or other)
4 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated cheddar
2 medium tomatoes, sliced 1/3" thick
1/2 cup parsley leaves for garnish
1 beef bouillon
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
In a casserole, sautee garlic and onion. Add ground beef and beef bouillon and cook until brown. Using fingers, crush canned tomatoes and add into the pot. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Part 2: Bechamel Sauce
1 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 qt milk
1 chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup grated white cheddar (or other) cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in microwave for 1 minute. In a pot over medium heat, add butter until hot, then mix in flour to make a pasty yellow mixture. Add milk and bouillon and mix well. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes on low heat, mixing frequently to prevent bottom from burning. When sauce becomes thick (you may need to add more flour), add grated cheese and mix until melted. Season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
Part 3: Assembly
Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a 9X13 inch glass or porcelain baking dish. Arrange meat sauce, ricotta and noodles into layers like so: noodles, meat sauce, ricotta (spoon onto meat sauce), noodles, meat sauce, ricotta, etc. The top layer should be noodles, allow at least 1 inch from surface for bechamel sauce. Top dish with bechamel sauce, making sure edges are coated with bechamel sauce as this allows the dish to firm up later. Decorate with sliced tomatoes and parsley and top with grated cheddar. Bake in oven for 45 minutes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.
Mangia!
Day Nineteen: The Ultimate Hangover Breakfast
Because of my internal clock (curse you for not recognizing weekends), I woke up at 6:45 AM to a headache and a half, after dragging myself home from a bar last night but being responsible enough to walk the dog, lock the doors, wash up, feed the cat, check my mail, play a game of intoxicated online scrabble (oh what fun to not be able to drag tiles onto the board, but I still won!) and finally put my sorry drunk ass to bed. Being the resident dork that I am, when my tummy started cursing me out when the sun came up for sinking eight-balls into corner pockets instead of dinner into my oral cavity last night, I wanted to make sure I would get the maximum benefit from breakfast.
Dehydration and potassium depletion are the two things which usually occur in the body during a hangover or a stomach upset. A sports drink would be ideal, but I never like any of their flavors or the fact that they have so much sugar in them. So a glass of OJ, which is rich in potassium, was the call of the morning. It is true that a Bloody Mary is the ideal hangover drink, because tomato juice is loaded with potassium, and a shot of vodka to calm the body that's still yearning for more alcohol. But I don't like tomato juice, and I didn't want to start drinking in the morning knowing I'll probably be drinking some more in the evening. So instead of dousing my system with more alcohol, I decided to delay the absorption of alcohol to give my liver time to detox.
And that is by means of grease. An old college suitor once revealed to me how he (Gasp! The forbidden pronoun!) had the reputation for being indestructible when it came to heavy drinking. He said that before he goes out partying, he goes to the kitchen and swallows a few spoonfuls of cooking oil. Gross, you might say, but definitely logical. Grease coats your blood vessels, slows down your heartrate, and allows for a gradual absorption of alcohol instead of one quick swoosh that usually knocks you off your feet and onto your knees kissing Mr. Porcelain. This lipid consumption should ideally be done before drinking, but because hindsight is 20-20, and I am pretending to have enough foresight for tonight, I made myself a greasy breakfast of scrambled eggs and Swedish meatballs.
It was early, but not too early for grease. I doused the halved meatballs with worcestershire sauce and started gobbling the feast. The table was uneven, so the sauce started making its way to my eggs, so I made a "dam" of meatballs to block the worcestershire, as if a black flood was about to invade my immaculately light yellow moist eggs. Yum! Afterwards, a cup of Earl Grey tea was in order, and after making my grocery list at seven-freakin'-thirty in the goddamn morning, I am all set.
All I need is a spoonful of Pepto and I'm back to my pseudo-non-toxic self. :o)
Friday, February 09, 2007
Day Eighteen: Rough Week
I thought that it couldn't get worse than getting injured several times in the first three hours of work. This is what happened yesterday, as a couple of angry sick cats and a super-wiggly beagle-Jack-Russel mix had their way with my already scarred arms. I am always frustrated when I get hurt, but then I float back down to reality and accept that it is all part of the job.
Today, I was at the doctor's office and got about 30 mLs of blood drawn and a tuberculin test. That wasn't so bad, but I am so glad it is Friday! The pool hall and alco-hall await...yeahhhhhh!!
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Day Seventeen: My Lips Hurt
Just because I enjoyed Napoleon Dynamite, I got myself the Vote For Pedro t-shirt at Amazon, just like the one our beautiful dancing friend is wearing above. I've always wanted one, and at $4.99, of course I can use another useless, dorky t-shirt just like my new Atari shirt.
We need to celebrate Space Invaders, Frogger, Combat, and Basic Programming. Did you grow up in the 80s? Then you know what I'm talking about.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Day Sixteen: Unusual Flattery
Overheard watching Season 4, Episode 5 of The L Word:
"You're kinda sexy. And you have nice tits. And you're sweating under your arms. And you're nervous. And I wanna kiss you."
I don't know what lesbian planet the character Jenny Schecter is from but I don't think I'd ever be flattered if anybody commented on my sweaty armpits. But then that might make some people feel manly? Or reckless? How about just sweaty and in need of a shower or, at the very least, an effective deodorant?
But then again, lesbian seduction knows no bounds. Women are just so, so, so good at playing with words to their benefit. Do you agree?
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Day Fifteen: Come On Home
Come On Home (EBTG)
Baby come home, I miss the sound of the door
Your step on the stair's not there to wake me no more
And every day's like Christmas Day without you
It's cold and there's nothing to do
And it's mighty quiet here now that you're gone
I've been behaving myself for too long
'Cause I don't like sleeping
or painting the town on my own
So please come on home
Baby, what's keeping you all this time
You're wasting your days out there in the sunshine
And who can I turn to if you believe still
That England don't love you and she never will
For it's mighty quiet here now that you're gone
And I've been behaving myself for too long
I don't like sleeping
Or watching TV on my own
So please come on home
Monday, February 05, 2007
Day Fourteen: Too F*in' Long!
A new co-worker asked me today how long I've been with the company, and that reminded me that this month I am celebrating (or mourning?) my fourth year with the office. It doesn't sound like a long time, but if you consider the fact that the company's employee turnover is over 100%, four years is actually a lifetime. I am second to only one other person as the most senior staff member, and as far as experience and knowledge goes, I am it.
I always kid around my job and say that the only people who ever stay with the company or those who don't have a life. Count me in that list.
It's not that I'm absolutely miserable. I know the job like the back of my hand, I can do most things blindfolded, and I can bullshit my way out of any difficult situation. I like my co-workers, my status as a leader and a mentor, and I like the job. But a change is needed, and it should be very soon. Otherwise I shall spontaneously but gradually decompose into an unhappy mess if I keep this up.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Filipino Cuisine 101
I spent the weekend with my dear friends Tam and Mark and their baby Josie upstate, and made for them the two "national dishes" of the Philippines. Well, I told them that adobo was the first dish they need to know when Filipino cuisine is the subject of discussion. It just so happens that munggo is the matching dish that is often served with the fatty, sour and salty meat dish known as adobo.
I was a little apprehensive about the meal, as I didn't know if it would be appreciated by foreign palates. Fortunately, they are both adventurous and didn't hesitate to try them, and based on the near lack of leftovers (I was worried that 3 pounds of meat was too much), I guess they really did enjoy it and weren't just being nice. :o)
Adobo can be made with chicken and/or pork, and the occasional string beans, kangkong (Asian spinach) , and even tofu. The base is a tangy brown sauce consisting of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and bay leaves. This weekend, I kept the pot slow cooking on the wood stove for about three hours so the meat was falling off the bone when I was done.
Munggo, on the other hand, is a sauteed mung bean stew that is often served with adobo to complement the salty nature of the meat dish. Both dishes served with rice comprise many a meal every Filipino home. For your viewing (and cooking) pleasure, I have included both recipes below.
Pork Adobo
2 lbs pork butt, spare rib tips, or pork belly, cubed
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup soy sauce (Silver Swan, or any other Filipino brand works, do NOT use Kikkoman)
5 bay leaves
1 head garlic, crushed
1 tsp black peppercorns
In a large pot, mix all ingredients except for soy sauce. Simmer over medium heat until meat is tender (usually one hour). When meat is soft, add soy sauce and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Drain and fry meat in oil until brown, and top with remaining sauce. Serve with rice and munggo.
Ginisang Munggo (Mung Bean Stew)
1/2 cup green or yellow mung beans
2 medium tomatoes, cut lengthwise into 8
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup horseradish leaves (malunggay), or spinach leaves
1/4 cup dried shrimp
Fish sauce to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice
In a small pot boil mung beans in medium heat until soft. Set aside. Saute onion, tomatoes, and shrimp until soft. Add this to the pot with mung beans and simmer for 20 minutes. Add lemon and fish sauce to desired taste. Add spinach or malunggay leaves before serving.
Day Thirteen: The Obnoxious Silence
Outside last night the moon was in full arrogance over the hill, its brightness offending the sleeping snow packed loosely over the solidly angry ground. It was a white sheet of powder, like frosting on a cupcake, the only blemishes were our steps from earlier in the day, and the four-legged pawprints traipsing around the lawn. The wind blew calmly and the chimes played sonnets over the wooden deck, iced and slippery from the winter cycle of melting and freezing throughout the past weeks.
The dog was walking around finding a perfect spot while I stood with my white breath watching over her as she did her evening rituals. Inside the guests were sleeping, and in the air was a cold smell of water, frosted soil and burning wood from the chimney. She stopped at her tracks as the chimes fell silent, and in that brief moment all was still. The wind, the woman, the wandering beast -- they all stood wishing for you.
It is during moments like this that my maddening thoughts, like pieces of roof and vinyl siding in a tornado, fall to the ground and disappear. The anger, the sadness, the doubt and despair -- they, too, wither away like flour blown off from the palm of my hand. Everything becomes clear, as does the reason I'm here, and without any feeling I become a limp rag on the floor, bathing in the silence and the moonlight's refraction on the immaculate snow, praying for a familiar face at the door that will tell me I am home.
Come on home.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Day Twelve: Deconstruction
Deconstruction (Indigo Girls)
We talked up all night and came to no conclusion
We started a fight that ended in silent confusion
And as we sat stuck you could hear the trash truck
Making its way through the neighborhood
Picking up the thrown out different from house to house
We get to decide what we think is no good
We're sculpted from youth, the chipping away makes me weary
And as for the truth it seems like we just pick a theory
The one that justifies our daily lives
And backs us with quiver and arrows
To protect openings cause when the warring begins
How quickly the wide open narrows
Into the smallness of our deconstruction of love
We thought it was changing, but it never was
It's just the same as it ever was
A family of foxes came to my yard and dug in
I looked in a book to see what this could possibly mean
Cause there is fate in the breeze and signs in the trees
Possible tragic events
When forces collide with the damage strewn wide
And holes blasted straight through the fence
The sky starts to crash the rain on the roof starts to drumming
And laid out like cash your take on my list of shortcomings
The show starts to close, I know how this goes
The plot a predictable showing
And though it seems grand it's just one speck of sand
And back to the hourglass we're going
Back to the smallness of our deconstruction of love
We thought it was changing, but it never was
Our deconstruction of love
Friday, February 02, 2007
Day Eleven: Black Cloud
A black cloud came over me at approximately eleven this morning. It seemed like a breath of foul air taking over my whole being, and from that point I had a nasty scowl on my face that I couldn't rid myself of. Psychosomatic, some would say, soon after I felt my insides hurting like I was ill, like two hundred crawfish were crawling and pinching at my intestines. My eyes were painful, and in the mirror they looked like they hadn't had any sleep in a week, when in fact last night was the most restful sleep I've had in days, thanks to the Johnnies and Patrons of last night's indulgence.
I was in such an undesirable state at work all day that my boss sent me home, saying that I looked like I needed it. I didn't know what it was, at first I thought it was the hunger I was ignoring throughout the day, but even after some food I still didn't feel good. I concluded that it was probably the eleven days of self-inflicted physical abuse, and I walked my sorry ass home to find a message on our machine.
Turns out that good friends of ours, a couple we've been friends with for a while, finally got the baby they've been longing for after years of waiting in line at the adoption queue. I gave them a call and told them the wife was away, but gave them my congratulations and best wishes.
Afterwards I dragged myself to the pool hall, only to realize in the middle of the first game that I had completely snapped out of my horrible state of mind, and I owed it all to the little angel Melissa, whose presence in our collective community's lives has already made a difference in mine.
Oh, and by the way, I won. Practice (ahem) does make perfect, after all.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Day Ten: World's Best Paella
Our favorite couple Emiko and Sue came over to keep me company in the wife's absence, and after two rounds of scotch we headed over to Maria's Mexican Bistro (Union and 4th Ave, Brooklyn) for some slamming Oaxaca Cuisine. We started with Shrimp Ceviche, which was kinda like half-cooked shrimp in a bloody mary and spices. It was awesome. Afterwards, we shared their special paella (very moist and flavorful, the best paella I've had so far), and their chuleta (pork chops) which were very much adored by the crowd.
In the middle of dinner, the wife sends an SMS message while basking in the sun in Boracay, an island south of Manila, known for its excellent beach and nightlife. I tried calling her hotel room at Sea Wind, but language barriers and outdated telecommunication technologies didn't allow it. I finished my phone card without even getting through.
At any rate, I enjoyed the evening with our dear friends, talking about life, relationships and health issues. Sometimes I feel like I haven't fully opened my doors to people who are in close proximity. Other times I feel the need for a new identity outside my immediate circle. Either way there is much to be thankful for, and the truth is, I really like Brooklyn and would recommend it to anybody who is looking for a change of pace. Gotta love the 'hood!
After a lot of scotch and very strong Patron Margaritas, drunken sleep awaits...
