| Generic cereal soapbox |
[Nov. 14th, 2011|01:31 am] |
What stopped me in my tracks after communion: glancing at the food collection baskets around the corner from the altar, and seeing a cereal box with a printed message taped to it. It was a piece of paper reading "The Dream Act is an American nightmare" in large print, taped to a box of cereal, with a similar message on the other side of the box.
I don't care what your politics are -- and I know there are people of all kinds who go to my church (and who are Facebook friends with me) -- but can't we just agree that ugly, overtly political messages don't belong in a charity donation basket? Was that box of Walmart generic cereal donated for consumption by legal American citizens only?
After the service I went up and buried the box within the basket. |
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| Houston weekend |
[Nov. 8th, 2011|01:37 am] |
THURSDAY
Stay at work until like 3 a.m. doing odd jobs making sure I can leave with some peace of mind.
Sleep in, then pack, then we leave town in time to go have lunch at my dad's restaurant in Dallas.
Peach ice cream in Fairfield at midafternoon, followed by dangerous playground at the new rest area outside Huntsville. Then on to the Cappses' house by 6:30 p.m. Chicken tortilla soup ready to eat at 8 p.m. I had never made tortilla soup before, but I had all the fixings but wasn't able to make it at home.
3/4 of a large onion
chili powder, cumin, coriander
3 ribs celery
most of an obscenely large red bell pepper
like 1 cup of pumpkin chunks salvaged from carved-up pie pumpkin
a squat yellow summer squash I do not know the name of from Cardo's
2 cups black beans
28-ounce can tomato bits
6 spoons Better Than Bouillon
like 8 cups water
like 14 ounces chicken thigh meat
Saute some of this stuff. Then soup it up. Serve over blue tortilla chips and top with avocado slices, crema fresca, shredded cheese and more chips.
FRIDAY
Wake up, handle minor work crisis. Breakfast at this place we find on Yelp.
Go ride the steam train at Hermann Park.
Go eat amazing doner in Rice Village and walk around the shops. (Purchases: balsa wood glider, foam glider recommended by model shop owner for toddler, Percy wooden engine who came with a free blind-box engine, which turned out to be Dirty Thomas.)
Go to the quad on campus for alumni gathering where I talk with two ex-Threshies, Christof and Packy. Still full of doner so Dwayne and I barely touch the spread. Redding goes a little crazy because he barely napped. Make up stories about the hired juggler, constantly pursued by ill-behaved children wielding balloon swords. Wonder at the completely vacant student media adviser's office. Make a point of supporting the student-run coffee shop.
Go back to chez Capps and help Redding "play" MarioKart with Seth.
SATURDAY
I sleep in. Waffles by Donna. We get to hang out with Seth, baby Emily (whose room we have been occupying) and Donna.
Go down to Rice and pick up Brian P. Find Mai's and go eat egg rolls. Talk about our hazy aspirations.
Walk around campus, then deposit Brian at the student center, then we go to La Quinty to check in and try to force Redding to nap. No dice. Return for the offish 10-year reunion in Duncan Hall, where all Redding wants to do is climb up to the second and third floors and make paper airplanes. I talk with a few people but we dine upstairs where Redding is happy (carefully sneaking up the stairs with the caterers' dishes and silverware). Brian, who refused to pay a dime for the official event, is not missing out on this. I count a hundred chairs at the dining tables, but there are fewer attendees than that, out of our 600-something graduating class.
Nitin and Apu have a handful of Jonesians over to their house afterwards, and that is much, much better. Awkwardness falls away. And Redding is able to sleep in a spare bedroom. There are pomegranate arils and tres leches. And Laura, Jamil, Emily, Sheila and her husband Jim, and later Nitin's dad. This is what makes the trip worth it.
SUNDAY
Continental breakfast at La Quinty with a surprising number of tweens wearing Taylor Swift concert T-shirts from the night before.
Dwayne drives all the way home while I sleep most of the way (unlike Redding). Lunch at the Cooper Farms store again, and more peach ice cream. I get to work not too terribly late. |
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| My Saturday |
[May. 22nd, 2011|11:50 pm] |
- worked till 2 a.m. to post to Web and get stuff ready for the Sunday paper. I like to make sure the Saturday crew has a good start on stuff, and I always stay later than I intend to.
- woke up with Redding and Dwayne for once, so we can hit up the new breakfast cafe. Brilliant. Rectangular biscuits! Hashbrowns reborn as perfectly roasted cubelets of potato! Counter dedicated solely to coffee/tea so you can get your refill whenever you please, and a barista who insisted I come back with my empty tea mug so I could steep another cup! Everything cost a dollar more than I would like, though, which I think is to pay for the fanciness of the joint and to account for the non-tip-inducing order-at-the-counter service (although the credit card receipt includes a line for tip, which of course means I tip anyway, a little).
- to the bank for cash, while Dwayne drops off the mower tire at the shop, then Redding and I walk to the community market and buy organic sunflower greens, vivid orange beets and chard.
- to A.'s garage sale where she's raising money to start up a homebrew supply business. Kids' books, motion-powered push toy jeep, meowmeow cat keyboard with mic, all for Redding, and an oversized green cardigan for me.
- home for much-needed nap with R. while D. whacks weeds.
- late lunch, then yardwork, then messing around until we decide we want to make ice cream for the homebrew party in the evening. I burn me some sugar with a little sal gris (this is on purpose) and then I curdle some milk (this is not on purpose) and then I save my ice cream base by breaking out the immersion blender and dosing the mix with some more fat in the form of half a stick of butter. The mix requires cream, which we did not have and which we ran to the grocery to get.
- homebrew party in A.'s backyard. Don't drink so D. and I get a lot of the honey lemon vanilla soda and A.'s teas and kombuchas. Dwayne cranks up some burnt caramel ice cream, which doesn't exactly go with the theme of homemade beer and brews but gets some good reviews from the handful of folks who try it. One girl: "I had the first taste, and I thought I was the Chosen One."
- At home, Redding freaks out a little because we pushed his bedtime too late. Then Dwayne and I catch up on dish-washing and Arrested Development. |
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| green dogs and fries |
[Apr. 13th, 2011|11:25 am] |
Redding likes to play with the jar of green spirulina powder. So today I let him dip his veggie corn dog and oven fries into a little mound of it.
DUDES WE ARE OUT OF KETCHUP AND I AM GETTING DESPERATE.
(Not desperate enough to go to the grocery and/or make my own catsup.)
BTW, Redding's favorite condiment is yasai fumi furikake. |
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| texty |
[Feb. 3rd, 2011|01:16 am] |
2010
MG: Thanks to an amazing job by jen, we are now parents of a healthy baby! 21 and a half inches, 9 lbs 2oz. Give us a few days and we'll tell you the name ... [8/15]
DR: He was digging hipsville 3 last night. Got out his uke. [8/17]
AC: I got him to eat everything in his lunchbox, half the banana and an extra fish ball! [8/20]
DR: He says yum to the beans. [8/20]
JM: Anytime! Thanks for all the help and good food! [9/04]
LK: Profuse. Giggling. At everything. [9/14]
LK: Now laughing at each other laughing.
DR: Woo his feet are a smellin [9/14]
DR: He was singing and making drum noises on the way home. [9/19]
DR: There is a big thing of it in the middle bathroom. [9/21]
DR: Me and redding are gonna try to go drink and think at 9. What time are you coming here? [9/24]
DR: Home for a bit now but no sleeping. Just killed a big spider in the living room. [9/25]
DR: Redding had a whole slice of hamburger pizza. [9/26]
DR: Tom letting redding brush him.
KP: Hey Meril! This is Kimberly. I no longer have the daycare job and I'm interested in babysitting again. I'm available in the daytime til midnight if you'd like to give me another try. I am completely free on thurs and fri. [9/27]
DR: Stabbed my thumb with a screw driver pretty bad. Mostly nail damage I guess. Left a blood trail to the bathroom though. [10/7]
DR: Jason called before we left, vespa died. Went over and fuel line was off. Still would not start so trucked home. Aaron coming over. [10/10]
DR: Likes the turkey. Had to get another piece. [10/13]
EK: We're at your baggage claim (3 I think). Lucky -- Jinsoo slept maybe 2h. [10/21]
EK: Honk! Got your carseat.
EK: Checked in room 202. Drive safe. We will see you soon.
DR: Got the green pants, put cat food in timer just in case, and left my frozen meal on the banister. [10/22]
BC: Mariel, Byron here. You are the only phone number I have! Where's everyone? I just landed. [10/22]
BC: Lots of indians at the hotel :-)
DR: I trust their judgment. [10/22]
After I told him that either Redding or Jinsoo called 911 on a hotel phone.
EK: Nothing yet. No dancing we're on Indian time. [10/22]
DR: Oh no i see katie going in in the same monkey costume. [10/30]
DR: At the sale. It was down a lengthy dirt road. [11/13]
DR: So many records. Almost all orchestra.
DR: Stuck in first gear near show. Aaron coming over.
DR: Redding just tore into a kiwi. Should I stop him? [11/23]
CG: Are y'all back in town yet? V has been talking about Redding all morning. [11/27]
DR: It is great for toddlers. Redding however is sitting under a tree playing with acorns. [11/29]
DR: Beans gathering heat. What did you say to cook with the pumpkin? [12/3]
SP: V enjoyed her taco for lunch. And she keeps asking 4 Redding. [12/6]
DR: Well, redding said if I opened the gerber ravioli he would eat them all and he did. [12/14]
DR: Do not allow children to remain a closed-up tent on hot days. [12/26]
2011
HH: Aweww. Canton wknd,,, [1/3]
HH: Hee step right up
RMc: Did someone nab my space heater? [1/4]
RMc: It's gone. Sad face.
AC: He just ate half his eggs. [1/4]
DR: Where are suspenders? [1/5]
SP: Will take Vallie to Chic Fil A on University this morn. U n Redding want to join us. [1/7]
CG: Baby store in the square has cloth diapers! [1/15]
CG: Only one brand Charlie something? I'd never heard of them but they were 20 bucks apiece. So not bad.
DR: Great. He does tend to try and open the arms the wrong way. [1/20]
DR: You may have it if you wish.
DR: Authorized section and no employees around.
RMc: Super late like 30 minutes or 2 hours? [1/21]
RMc: 25 minutes or hours?
HH: Sokay. Hey can I be an extended Conferette 35 guest? [1/22]
DR: Slept 1 hour in car and 2 in bed. [1/23]
DR: What to make [1/23]
DR: In the boil. 10 min. No sauce.
DR: Mac and tuna? Grilled cheese and soup? Pizza bagles? [1/24]
DR: I only got one door for the billy shelf. I thought it was a set like. [1/31]
CG: Sounds good. I was wondering what would happen with Dwayne. Who knows what will happen with the weather? [2/1]
DR: At the loop but traffic is stopped. [2/1]
DR: Cars not making over 35 next to 77 exit. so i can't reach exit.
DR: Now move.
DR: Home. Watch out when you get to the end of willowwood and all the way to the tracks. Best to not stop if you can. [2/1]
DR: I have had maybe 10 min of power added up. It is on now though. [2/2] |
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| Radio, radio |
[Nov. 16th, 2010|01:44 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  nostalgic | ] |
I am an unlucky sunzie in that I got to hear this song not once but twice on the radio today, an unworthy and cheesy tribute to Johnny Cash.
But on the upside, KXT did air an Of Montreal song ("Coquet Coquette") to make me sit up and take notice even when I didn't realize it was Of Montreal. I have been ignoring Of Montreal since like the "Rapture Rapes the Muses" era because I just wish they'd go back to covering British Invasion songs.
I consider myself lucky to have been among the ten people in attendance at Of Montreal's 2001 Coquelicot show upstairs at Rudyard's. Even though Kevin Barnes acted like he was stoned on unicorn dust. I guess I should check out whatever album "Coquette" is on because it seems like maybe they've matured a little, or decreased their sparkly glitter consumption. |
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| text dump |
[Aug. 14th, 2010|11:22 pm] |
My sister had her baby just fine. I texted her husband, "What's shakin'?"
JM: Karen's uterus. She got an epidural, but it took two tries. She was in a lot of pain for a while, much better now. They are about to check her cervix. [8/5/10]
And now for a trip back through time, via my memory-clogging text messages.
DR: Harvey Pekar died today. [7/12]
Brent was borrowing my moped, and I apologized for not being able to give him a ride and asked how it was going.
BN: I love it! [7/12]
SS: Happy birthday, hot mama! [6/23]
[i]I guess I'll tolerate it from Sandheep.[/i]
DR: Cash grand prize! [6/19]
I won first prize in the herb division and reserve grand champion for my division in the county fruit, vegetable, herb and flower show.
Most of my messages with Dwayne are about Redding.
15 months old
DR: Blowing on the balloon like a belly. [6/9]
DR: Eating my zuc [6/7]
14 months old
DR: They are both asleep. [5/24] My dad baby-sat Redding.
DR: There are many beetles in the yard. [5/23]
DR: Redding took my cheese stick.
DR: Now he wants my pretzel sticks. [5/21]
DR: Really getting into the somasa [sic] [5/18]
DR: Redding is great. You are fantastic. When should we come? [5/9]
13 months
DR: Awake now. Cheddar bunny snack time. [4/18]
DR: Ate the sandwich while playing in the living room. [4/11]
DR: Saw booker too, he did not answer about ee. [4/1]
My poor, still-lost kitty.
DR: Headed home from carrollton. Swollen tendon and unrelated arthritis. Cort i zone shot and brace. [3/31]
12 months
KP: Going for a walk :) [3/31]
DR: No sleeping just crying [11:27 p.m., 3/14]
Went back up he wants to play [11:36 p.m., 3/14]
Playing now he cried for 30 minutes or so when i tried to get him to sleep.
If you want. He is just playing. I will try to read him some stories now. [3/15]
HH: O I know! thanky! Just gotta switch into sxsw tomorro after I sleep a million hours. [3/13]
DR: I asked redding where his socks were and he went and got them. And I did not know where they were to indicate to him. [3/10]
JO: This rice puts Mr. Chopsticks to shame! [3/8]
DR: Threw up in bath. And had pooped. [3/7]
JO: ZOMG!!! Got an iMac! It's like upgrading from a bicycle to a spaceship :) [3/7]
CG: Tell redding happy bday for me! :-) [3/5/10]
11 months old
DR: Redding keeps saying doo digum digum. [3/2]
DR: Oi! I think he just ejected most the yogurt. I guess it was too much. [2/22]
DR: Redding just did the bump pa da dum thing with us. [2/20]
DR: Now he is finishing the 2 oz of milk your mom left. All by himself, bottle up. [2/9]
DR: Just changed his clothes and diaper without waking him up. [1:16 a.m., 2/6]
10 months old
DR: I think he just said bye bye. [2/5]
D and R attended J-Pri's birthday festivities.
DR: So many distractions, he ate a jar fast.
DR: Slept all the way home. Did great the whole time. Tyler and heather showed to too. [10:41 p.m., 1/31]
DR: A little over 6 oz to sleep. [1/29]
DR: Hmmm, he is still asleep. I guess he can eat when he wakes up. But when will sleep tonight I wonder? [1/27]
DR: He is playing with his legs. [1/20]
DR: I gave him the spoon and bowl from the cereal and he is putting the spoon in the bowl and then his mouth.
DR: Gonna get a suction bowl and put some food in it. Hmmm put spoon down and just practicing his removal skills.
DR: OK now he is trying the spoon again [1/17]
DR: Not hungry. Needs to move all the grass from this area. [1/17]
On the Square.
DR: Redding is a little too excited for this quiet music. [1/15]
At the Robert Gomez church concert.
DR: I want to enjoy that. i do get blue berry pie today. [1/14]
Cooking chicken adobo in the Crock Pot.
DR: Smells more like chicken fantastic. [1/13]
DR: Cleaned the blocks. He is pretty excited. [1/12]
10 months old
DR: Had to renew his eating energy. [1/1]
DR: Redding sang loud the whole time me and Chad played.
DR: It was really cute. Chad was impressed. [12/28] |
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| Red bean mochi |
[Feb. 22nd, 2010|02:01 am] |
(rough draft, while I still remember what the heck I did)
1 box mochiko
2 cups sugar
1 can red aduki beans (unsweetened)
In a large, microwave-safe bowl, mix mochiko flour and 3 cups water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Mix in 2 cups sugar (I used mostly turbinado sugar) and drained red beans. Microwave for another 5 minutes. Stir again, then pour into an oiled glass pan and let cool for a couple hours after you lick the bowl.
Slice into squares and dip the sticky cut ends into finely shredded coconut and starch (I used cornstarch, but you're supposed to use potato starch).
I tried to slice this up and fry it like my dad did with the nian gao, but it melted into a big sticky mess. |
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| my life in texts |
[May. 13th, 2009|01:43 am] |
DR: Do we NEED MILK
pre-baby.
HH: YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!! [3/5/09, 9:31 p.m.]
post-baby.
DR: They can come look and maybe 15 min left [3/5, 9:46 p.m.]
DR: Let me look around.i am having a veg burger [3/6, 1:09 p.m.]
I got hungry again after hospital lunch.
DR: What is the drug name again? [3/8]
Sent him to Drug Emporium to get Motrin and a sitz bath.
HH: How da baybee? U got a floor or someplace I could crash friday nite? [3/10]
NX35. I missed all of it! I mainly wanted to see Harvey Pekar.
DR: Lance is going out soon, and i will call you my loves. [3/11]
HH: Watching the heelers at dans. U and baby good? [3/12]
Does he do funny things?
Depends on what the dream is.
Gonna drive back to dallas tonite so no need to get the couch ready. What u doing tomorrow afternoon around 5ish?
HH: Ohno!!!! At least it's over [3/13]
Me sicky. Throat hurty. Do you have cody-bobody's number? I may have to ask him to recap tonight for me. [3/14]
I am afraid I would cough all through pekar. Would be bad scene. Last night's weather killed me. Yes baby don't need no illness.
DR: You get my message about a hair cut? [3/17]
the screws for the enclosure are in the breast pocket of my brown jacket. one is on the platform by the pump. [3/20]
It's supper nice out! [3/24]
AG: At hospital water broke [3/31]
DR: Still at work. lance wants me to make back ups because of some virus on the news [3/31]
Better than being laid off [4/2]
It is cold and windy [4/2]
Thanks my queen
(I had told him I would buy him some Royal Crown pomade, but they I couldn't find it even though I went all the way to Wal-Mart. We only go to Wal-Mart like three times a year.)
EC: faxed! let me know if she needs it again [4/3]
DR: At bank, guess i will go by wal greens for my crown [4/3]
Still on the hunt for RC.
CG: I just realized something. do u have any newborn prefolds u dont need? [4/5]
CG: Hot and ready sounds awesome! Feeling a lot better today! [4/6]
DR: We can move the cars through the double gate maybe [4/9]
Line em up in the drive way all the way to the street.
Code enforcement was going to give us a citation for cars parked in the grass, plus the mound of rotting wood mulch.
DR: Still cooking almost done [4/11]
CG: Just went to target. both eating now. [4/13]
DR: Any more long sleeve shirts? [4/13]
DR: This baby is ready to eat again [4/22]
Donna and seth are coming to visit this weekend [4/23]
Dinner and library? [4/23]
DR: crap, i got to getting ready to go to the book store and did not put away the noodles. got some good books though! [4/24]
Not the ones with meat though
DR: Trying to get him to sleep, he acting hungry though [4/26]
DR: Are ya ll being cute? [4/28]
Washing my baby [10:56 p.m.!]
About to feed him, now he is asleep. how long can i keep this milk out? [11:41 p.m.]
Good. thing on fridge says 4.
DR: Null. I have chicken salad sandwich [4/29]
He smiled when you sent the text.
DR: Don t you remember me kissing you by and stuff? [5/1]
Ask redding if he recalls?
Trying to figure which is which..
Someone offering 500 for the van. i said ok.
(Trying to get rid of the 1977 Club Wagon, previously owned by Little Grizzly and before that Centro-matic. Piece of Denton history, folks.)
Not sure. i listed it as a band van.
eh- we shall see.
I think i found him online. looks like he rebuilds cars.
Says he will pay 500 today. i had asked he he could wait a few days.
Even better!
Should i feed him again?
CG: They did it! [5/2]
DR: I hear big fireworks [5/5]
Took redding outside to see the big ending
(I'm told he watched in awe. It was his two-month birthday, and Cinco de Mayo.)
This baby is still awake. this daddy is hungry. will you be late tonight? [11:45 p.m.]
He seems to be asleep now. [11:45 p.m.]
DR: This baby got any towels hidden? [5/6]
DR: YIKES [5/9, 3:19 a.m.]
(Staying at work too late because of upcoming local elex.)
DR: R just woke after sleeping 1 hour 27. hard day i guess. [5/9]
DR: Yep. I know he is tough sometimes [5/11]
Silly kid.
DR: Tyler is about to come look at your car. i told him it is dirty. [5/11]
Battery dead.
Maybe this amys somasa is ours?
HW: Sounds like as soon as the car is up and running we want it! The sooner the better! So excited! Thank you! [5/11]
DR: They would like to get it tomorrow.
DR: Your car is on its way to a new home. heather is very happy. [5/12]
(Selling my '93 Corolla. My first car. Had it for a dozen years and it served me well. Survived flash flooding during the lead-up to Tropical Storm Allison.)
(I asked how Redding was doing.)
DR: He seems to enjoy slim whit man. [5/12] |
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