Archive for the 'bling blog' Category
After the Governor declared a state of emergency for all of Wisconsin, I wondered if we’d have to go to work today, but didn’t want to get my hopes up since I’ve never heard of state offices shutting down for such an event. But, alas, I bring you snow day 2009 in all its wintery, white, blizzardy glory.
Oh, and here’s an unrelated thought (or something). The award for the, “Who Cares Story of 2009?” otherwise known as the “This Is News?” award goes to Meredith Baxter (Birney). Last night I was reading about Baxter (Birney) coming out of the closet and there were a couple of things in the story that left me scratching my head. Now I don’t want to be insensitive and diminsh anyone’s personal journey or demons or insecurities or whatever, but really, this is pretty much a non-story to begin with. One, she’s Meredith Baxter (who? say so many). Two, she’s 62 (now, mom, I’m not saying sixty-ish women aren’t relevant, just that no one really cares about anyone sex’s life once they turn, say, 30 — unless maybe they’re someone super famous, which Meredith Baxter — esp since she lost the Birney — is not). Three, and most importantly, it’s 2009. The article ended, though, with this: Baxter declaring that she recently attended a play about Oscar Wilde in LA with her partner and she put her arm around her love. She said she decided, “Who cares what people think?” or something along those lines. Um, she was in LA. At a play about Oscar Wilde. And she put her arm around her date. What? I can’t imagine there was anyone in that audience — at a play about Oscar Wilde (did I mention this?) — who would have blinked at such an event much less had something to say about. Just struck me as a little dramatic. But who am I to judge. Well, I’m me.
A crime in Perugia
Published December 4, 2009 bling blog , law stuff 12 CommentsTags: Amanda Knox, Italy, legal stuff
I don’t know how many of you have been following the Amanda Knox trial, but the story has had me captivated for years. It was hard to believe the story was really happening: a pretty, college-aged American woman studying abroad in the beautiful Italian town of Perugia accused of, and on trial for, killing her Brittish roommate in a bizzare-o, sex-fueled, vampire-influenced game. Knox hadn’t even been abroad for a few months when she found herself in jail, where she has remained for years. I don’t know what I thought was going to happen, but I didn’t expect this result.
I have had a hard time figuring out what the facts are in this case — what’s credible, what’s science, what’s reliable — and I really don’t know what to think. Sometimes the story is Knox’s DNA was on a bloody knife found in her “boyfriend” Raffaele Sollecito’s apartment. Sometimes the story is that there is no way that knife could have been used to murder the victim, Meredith Kercher. Sometimes the story is that there was a sole assailant — Rudy Guede. Sometimes the story is that Knox and Sollecito told so many inconsistent stories they must be guilty. It’s really been a confusing mess for me to try to grasp. I have a friend who is certain that Knox has been railroaded by a crazy, overzealous prosecutor and a wacky Italian justice system. I have another friend who works for the AP in Rome and says his friend covering the trial can’t even figure out what is going on or what the truth is. I just don’t know what to believe. Usually, in my experience, crimes aren’t nearly as complicated as the version the prosecutor presented the jury with in this case. But usually isn’t always so, I still don’t know.
I guess we’ll see how it plays out on appeal. I will say that it sounds like Amanda’s Italian is near-perfect due to her extended time in Italy. I’m sure she would exchange her fluency for freedom, though.
Three days post-gobble gobble, and I’m still in pajamas
Published November 29, 2009 bling blog 8 CommentsSunday afternoon is here and I do declare that I think Thanksgiving 2009: Family Merge was a success! Folks arrived in waves with my family coming for the game at 11:30 and Aaron’s family coming in two shifts — one around 1:30 and the next closer to 3:30. We ate around four and, of course, were done twenty minutes later. Ok, maybe the meal lasted longer than that but it’s always so much work and worry and getting ready and then — poof! It’s over. Though, to be fair, it wasn’t that much work for me since my role was more cleaning and catch-all while Aaron slaved away in the kitchen. And I mean that — he worked hard. And has the sweat stains to prove it. In addition to turkey, we served garlic mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts with homemade bacon, ginger and orange carrots, and garlic green beans (my favorite part of the meal). Aaron’s mom generously brought two kinds of stuffing — one sans ‘shrooms since I can’t stand them, as well as her signature dessert. Terry, Steve & Mags brought multiple pies (apple, dutch apple and homemade pumpkin), sweet potatoes and copious amounts of wine. My mom brought the hors d’oeuvres — chips and guacamole (Whole Foods), bean dip and salsa (both from Pasqual’s — the best); shrimp; cheese and crackers; crab dip; spinach artichoke dip; potato chips; and fruit. She also brought the cranberry relish and the rutabaga (blech!). What else? Oh! Aaron served his homemade smoked fish (white fish and trout). Ok, I think that about does it. So, in all, it was a lot of work but we also had tons and tons of help and I really had a good time. The star of the show, though, you might think was the turkey or the homemade bacon but, in my opinion, you’d be wrong. The real star was…my table! Gosh, how I love it. Second and third place can go to the other two contenders.
Happy Thanksgiving, all! I hope everyone’s holiday is safe and merry. And I hope my own is a success…We are hosting Thanksgiving for 15-16 people, complete with two turkeys for a taste-off. One turkey is Amish, billed as better since it hasn’t watched tv, and the other is the classic Bell and Evans. Stay tuned for details, though I fear they may get mixed up during the day. If that’s the worst that happens, though, I can live with it. We’re also mixing families for the first time full-on, so we’ll see how that goes. I don’t anticipate any problems, but wonder if families may take to their separate corners.
Anyway, the kitchen’s a go and I’m incredibly nervous. We scaled it back, but it’s still $$$$ and could be a total disaster.
life and puppies 