Stories I Only Tell My Friends

Stepping away from fiction for a spell, I borrowed Rob Lowe's autobiography, Stories I Only Tell My Friends, from the library. I am a big fan of his character on Parks and Rec (Love that show!) and decided I'd like to learn a little more about his life. Why not?

Lowe spent his formative years in Dayton, Ohio. Small world, eh? He caught the acting bug as a child and eventually moved with his mother and brothers to California. As a child actor, Lowe was always waiting for his big break. His retelling of these days was very interesting and probably very similar to a lot of child stars. Fame didn't really catch on for him until he was just about ready to throw in the towel and go to college. He was cast in the Coppola film The Outsiders, and everything changed. Throughout the autobiography, Lowe describes anecdotal moments from each notable TV and move shoot he experienced. He also explains his party lifestyle and battle with alcoholism that probably began somewhere around his Brat Pack days and helped him forget and escape a troubled family life at home. The book continues on through his time on TV in the West Wing and up to present day.

I thought this was a quick, interesting read. There was excessive name-dropping but I suppose in a book about Hollywood then that's par for the course. Plus, Rob Lowe is dreamy so he can do whatever he wants. If you're a fan of his work, Lowe has some good stories to tell you. He's had a very busy career and a lot of his work I had completely forgotten about. (Wayne's World, duh!) Give this a shot if you're into the movies of into foxes like Rob Lowe.

Rating: * * *

PO Problem

When we went to Cancun back in October, I decided it would be fun to start sending ourselves a post card from each trip we took. We don't typically buy souvenirs from the destinations so this is a nice way to remember where we go through the years. Well, I promptly forgot about that post card when we returned home and only remembered it when it finally made it to our home more than 2 months later!

Good thing we weren't sending important information!

So a word of warning when mailing post cards internationally, don't rely on speedy service!



Recipe Reblog #3

Hosting a crowd for the Super Bowl? Take note!
Slow-Cooker Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches: This recipe comes from the Everyday FOOD Jan/Feb 2011 issue by Martha Stewart. This pulled chicken had the perfect amount of heat for someone (me) who doesn't like things too terribly spicy. It was also a really nice departure from your typical BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches. Double bonus, I had all but one ingredient on hand! The flavor was really nice and some bleu cheese crumbles would have melted in well, if I'd had some. I followed the recipe exactly but I'll tell you this. It suggests 4 hours on high in the crock, after you've already cooked everything. I don't think this is necessary, especially since the chicken really lost any texture by the end. I would do maybe 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high and I think it'd be just fine. Give this a shot!

Switching Switchplates

We finally got around to fixing the outlets in the kitchen backsplash that we screwed up oh, about 10 months ago. Being tiling novices, John and I had no idea that you were supposed to bump out the outlets so that they would be flush with the tile and then put the plates on TOP of the tile. That would have been some good information prior to starting that project, right? Well, in case you've never tiled a backsplash before I'm telling you now, DO THAT FIRST! Not only does it look super crappy the other way:


                                                                     Case in point

Ignore the terrible picture and half empty (half full?) bottle of wine

But we could have save a lot of time trying to cut these tiny travertine squares to fit perfectly since they would have been hidden. And let's not forget how terribly it went the first time anyway. We have not tackled tiling since.

Anyway, it just so happens, Lowe's carries this handy dandy little product for you DIY fools like us. You accordion these little plastic doo-dads (technical term) and put them around the screws in each outlet. This pushes the plug or switch forward far enough so your plates can lie flat against the tile like they're supposed to, instead of being sunken within the tile.

Another word of warning. If you're going to get decorative stone plates (recommended!) you should buy them all at once because you'll probably stop making the ones that match the 2 you purchased 10 months ago, leaving you at a loss for the other 4 outlets. No matter. John broke one of the fancy plates that we had wedged in to begin with so we just bought all new ones to compliment the tile. See?

So now, finally, we don't think it looks like crap. What an accomplishment! Another word of warning. Before putting in those fancy accordion doo-dads, turn off all appropriate breakers. There's a chance that if your garbage disposal is a combination outlet and switch, it will have two separate breakers. John learned this the hard way in the form of a little shock therapy. Luckily all his faculties seem to be intact.

In other outlet news.....we are in the process of switching all toggle outlets to these fancy bar switches (Do these have a real name? If so, I don't know it) We also bought fancy plates for those too! More on that another time.

John deemed this switch relatively simple once he figured out what he was doing. It wasn't an expensive upgrade, about $2 per switch and the plates were $8-$10. I think it adds a little interest thoug.h And ta-da, my new year's resolution of completeing things on the house is set forth this month. Yahoo!

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I am over half done with the HP books now. This is good news because they are getting increasingly longer and longer and harder to hold onto. This is the 4th in the series by J.K. Rowling.

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire the students of Hogwarts are all aflutter over the Tri-wizard Tournament. Two other wizarding schools will be sending students to Hogwarts where each school offers up a champion wizard to compete against each other in wit and wizarding battles. There is also a new, curious Defense of Dark Arts teacher and Hermione wages a fight for house elf rights. But, all wizards, especially Harry, are nervous about the signs that are pointing to a return by Voldemort. Quelle horreur! Which school will reign supreme? Will Voldemort rise again? Read it and see!

I am really enjoying these but I have a hard time offering up a decent synopsis because I don't want to give anything away and there are lots of plotlines. I'll be taking a Potter break for a few books but never fear. I'll finish it all sooner or later. I've also taken to renting the movies after I finish each book. Unfortunately, I fell asleep in the last 30 minutes of this one on Friday night. Oops! I started it later than I wanted and I'll blame the fact that by Friday, I have trouble keeping my eyes open past 11:00 pm.

Rating: * * * *

Winter Brew

Thirsty?
Yeah, it's winter and the last thing you want to do is tuck into an ice cold beer but......trust me on this one. I've had this many times but have neglected to share it with you. Je suis desolee.

Looking for a warming, winter beer? Look no further than Breckenridge's Vanilla Porter.

Oh, my friends, this is one dark but sweet and smooth libation. You can definitely tell it's brewed with vanilla beans. It has a great taste! From the bottle: "Deep in the jungles of Papua New Guinea and Madagascar grows the perfect ingredient for an extraordinary Porter brewed in Colorado. Breckenridge Brewery’s Vanilla Porter. An ale that has all the chocolate and roasted nut flavor of a classic Porter, with an enigmatic surprise thrown in for good measure."

Sounds exotic, yes? Breckenridge typically retails for $9.99 / 6 pack. Not a bargain but well worth it.

Recipe for a Bad Day Buster

 Last week I had one of those days where you wonder why your sock is all wet and then you realize there's a hole in the bottom of your shoe and you stepped in a puddle on your way back from the mailbox. No really, it definitely happened to me. The best way to bounce back from that is to have your fruit cheer you up.

This was my morning snack. Yes, I eat two oranges and a banana around 10:00 am each weekday. Actually, I spread them out throughout the morning, and I don't always have two oranges but we had extra. I love me some clementines!

The next best way to cheer yourself up is to have your husband surprise you with a special treat when you get home.

Cheerfully dyed daisies and a Cadbury egg! It may only be January but the Easter candy is out in full force, folks. Does John know me or what? My bad day blues went away and I ended up having a great workout. Exercise is also a great way to bust a bad day. Endorphins are your friends.

Happy Monday, to you!

Here's to not stepping in any puddles!