You Light Up My Life

Howdy,

I have been inspired by a Mr. Edward Wong Pepelu Tivrusky the Fourth to request the following:

Recommend to me:

1. a movie
2. a book
3. a musical artist, song, or album
4. a LiveJournal user not on my friends list
5. what I should have for dinner
6. a website
7. a quote

If you recommend stuff for me, post the above on your blog and I shall do the same.
feel free to post in the comments.

Wordy Blog Time

It's been a while since I've done a proper non gimmicky non photo blog. At least I haven't since I had a cold on New Year's Eve. Perhaps this it's time to review the status of my new year's resolutions.

As a reminder here are my new year's resolutions as posted on New Year's Eve:

Next year Luke and I will travel to Europe, I will pay off my credit debt (which is quite manageable, thank god), I will install a car stereo in my car, lose ten lbs, write a screenplay, continue to move forward in my career, become a more frequent blogger, further improve my cooking skills, watch more movies, hang out with my friends and spend time with my family. I want to continue a well-rounded life.

Now that I'm reading my list of goals, they are totally different from what I thought were my goals. It must have been the Theraflu talking.

Sadly I haven't done anything to install a new car stereo. I guess it's low on the priority list. I was working out regularly, but I've slacked off and will hop back to it soon.

Anyway we have already accomplished a goal, I paid off the credit debt. yay! That's one crossed off the list.

As to the Europe plan, we haven't made anything official yet, we're still focused on other things. I may start looking into it next week and buy a France travel book and an Amsterdam book.

I'm still in the early developmental stages of a screenplay, which has been stalled in recent weeks, but I may need to get more research materials to get kicked into gear. However, we have developed a good plot structure, we just need to get more research done to add flesh to the bones.

I'm doing well at work, and as much as I want to confess the typical frustrations with one's job I don't want to get fired for talking about work on my blog because I really like my job. All I'll say is this: it's not always easy to maintain a calm, helpful demeanor in the world of customer service. I just really need a vacation.

I have blogged more -17 times so far this month, that's a definate improvement.

Sadly, I haven't had much time to hang out with my friends, what with time and money constraints. However I've spent more time with my family since dad had the heart attack.

The one thing I left off of the original resolution list was that I wanted to improve my French and I am definately getting that done. I'm listening to French lessons on my IPOD while I work out and watching French films.

I hope you're all doing well out there in blogland.
PS: I'm really having lots of fun with secret pal...

Knitting Project Update

Hello Friends!
Have I been productive tonight?!!!! I read my secret pal's blog, went to the grocery store, called the cable company to get my hard disk recorder and I'm going to cook dinner and post this blog. Living a full life is really about making good use of your time. With any luck, I may get a chance to email my friends...

Last week, I was halfway through with my striped scarf, I have finished it and all I need to do is weave in the ends:




Here is the wavy scarf that I've been making with white Cascade 220. I'm loving this yarn so much. So easy and so soft. I got the pattern of of this year's Knitty

Yay for Secret Pals!!!!!

I'm so excited I just got my secret pal. I've already got a gift to send too! I'll be at the post office tomorrow morning! yay!!!

To my secret pal who is reading my blog, I will be adding some project photos tonight while I watch The OC.

For My Secret Pal

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high- a nd/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you? I’m not a big fan of acrylic yarns, but if they’re unique or a nice color I don’t mind. I prefer blends over 100% acrylic.
2. Do you spin? Crochet? No spinning or crocheting.
3. Do you have any allergies? I am allergic to smoke
4. How long have you been knitting? About 6 months
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? yes
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) bergmot, ginger, orange, grapefruit, vanilla.
7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Yes, for homemade choccolate chip cookies or brownies.
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Quilting, beading, cross stitching, though knitting is taking up all of my time
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I love anything I can dance to Jem, Franz Ferdinand, Beastie Boys, Air, Zero 7, the Garden State Soundtrack, The Shins, Coldplay, The Amelie Soundtrack, though I am terribly disapointed in the Gwen Stefani album –it doesn’t really feel true to her, like the producers didn’t let her just make an album, they made her work with other people. It sounds affected. I’m over it.
10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Teal, Hot Pink, Fuschia, purple, lime green, I like the following combinations: hot pink-orange-yellow, teal-hotpink-white, teal-purple-gray
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I am married, without children or pets, not that those may not be on the horizon one of these days.
12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know) My life dreams are to spend a year in France, to live in Australia by the beach with my husband, a baby and a dog, to open a trendy store where people can knit and hang out.
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? Cascade 220, Arftul Yarns Museum Wool, Lion Brand Homespun, Lionbrand Thick and Quick
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I’m not a big fan of the feathery novelty yarns, I prefer ribbon or mohair or novelty yarns with interesting contrasting bits of color/fabric (herwool curly kid, frou frou, bernat matrix)
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s? scarves, though I am trying to move into hats, socks and gloves. I am also obsessed with knitting books.
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Scarves or handbags
17. What are you knitting right now? What else- scarves – the wavy one on this season’s knitty.com issue
18. What do you think about ponchos? I would really like to learn how to knit a simple one. I have one that someone knit for me but it’s striped and I don’t wear it in public, I want to because it keeps me so warm.
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? I’m still trying to figure them both out, so no preference yet.
20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? All
21. Are you a sock knitter? Trying to be
22. How did you learn to knit? I taught myself with a Lionbrand yarn kit
23. How old is your oldest UFO? Huh?
24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird? Spongebob, but I already have a lot of spongebob stuff, but still he always makes me smile. I love hot pink, orange and yellow roses. I don’t really have a favorite animal.
25. What is your favorite holiday? My birthday
26. Is there anything that you collect? Vintage tea cups and saucers, old cameras, fancy boxes, kaleidoscopes, Alex Marshall ceramics.

It's Oscar Time

Please see my pics in bold for this year's oscars, subject to revision:


Best Picture:

THE AVIATOR (Miramax)
FINDING NEVERLAND (Miramax)
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (Warner Bros.)
RAY (Universal Pictures)
SIDEWAYS (Fox Searchlight)

Achievement in Directing
Martin Scorsese for THE AVIATOR (Miramax)X
Clint Eastwood for MILLION DOLLAR BABY (Warner Bros.)
Taylor Hackford for RAY (Universal Pictures)
Alexander Payne for SIDEWAYS (Fox Searchlight)
Mike Leigh for VERA DRAKE (Fine Line Features)

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Don Cheadle for HOTEL RWANDA (United Artists)
Johnny Depp for FINDING NEVERLAND (Miramax)
Leonardo DiCaprio for THE AVIATOR (Miramax)
Clint Eastwood for MILLION DOLLAR BABY (Warner Bros.)
Jamie Foxx for RAY (Universal Pictures)

Best Supporting Actor
Alan Alda for THE AVIATOR (Miramax)
Thomas Haden Church for SIDEWAYS (Fox Searchlight)
Jamie Foxx for COLLATERAL (Dreamworks SKG)
Morgan Freeman for MILLION DOLLAR BABY (Warner Bros.)
Clive Owen for CLOSER (Columbia Pictures)

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening - BEING JULIA (Sony Pictures Classics)
Catalina Sandino Moreno - MARIA FULL OF GRACE (Fine Line Features)
Imelda Staunton - VERA DRAKE (Fine Line Features)
Hilary Swank for MILLION DOLLAR BABY (Warner Bros.)
Kate Winslet for ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Focus Features)

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett for THE AVIATOR (Miramax)
Laura Linney - KINSEY (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Virginia Madsen for SIDEWAYS (Fox Searchlight)
Sophie Okonedo - HOTEL RWANDA (United Artists)
Natalie Portman for CLOSER (Columbia Pictures)

Best Original Screenplay
THE AVIATOR (Miramax)
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Focus Features)
HOTEL RWANDA (United Artists)
THE INCREDIBLES (Disney/Pixar)
VERA DRAKE (Fine Line Features)

Best Adapted Screenplay
BEFORE SUNSET (Warner Independent Pictures)
FINDING NEVERLAND (Miramax)
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (Warner Bros.)
THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (Focus Features)
SIDEWAYS (Fox Searchlight)

Best Foreign-Language Film
AS IT IS IN HEAVEN - Sweden
THE CHORUS - France
DOWNFALL - Germany
THE SEA INSIDE - Spain
YESTERDAY - South Africa

Best Animated Feature Film
THE INCREDIBLES (Disney/Pixar)
SHARK TALE (Dreamworks SKG)
SHREK 2 (Dreamworks SKG)

Achievement in Art Direction
THE AVIATOR (Miramax)
FINDING NEVERLAND (Miramax)
LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (Paramount Pictures)
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Warner Bros.)
A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT (Warner Independent Pictures)

Achievement in Cinematography
THE AVIATOR (Miramax)
HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS (Sony Pictures Classics)
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (Newmarket Film Group)
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Warner Bros.)
A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT (Warner Independent Pictures)

Achievement in Costume Design
THE AVIATOR (Miramax)
FINDING NEVERLAND (Miramax)
LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (Paramount Pictures)
RAY (Universal Pictures)
TROY (Warner Bros.)

Best Documentary Feature
BORN INTO BROTHELS (ThinkFilm)
THE STORY OF THE WEEPING CAMEL (ThinkFilm)
SUPER SIZE ME (Roadside Attractions / Samuel Goldwyn Films)
TUPAC: RESURRECTION (Paramount Pictures)
TWIST OF FAITH

Best Film Editing
THE AVIATOR (Miramax)
COLLATERAL
FINDING NEVERLAND (Miramax)
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (Warner Bros.)
RAY (Universal Pictures)

Achievement in Makeup
LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (Paramount Pictures)
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (Newmarket Film Group)
THE SEA INSIDE (Fine Line Features)

Best Original Score
FINDING NEVERLAND (Miramax)
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (Paramount Pictures)
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (Newmarket Film Group)
THE VILLAGE (Touchstone Pictures)

Original Song
"Accidentally In Love" - SHREK 2 (Dreamworks SKG)
"Al Otro Lado Del Río" - THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (Focus Features)
"Believe" - THE POLAR EXPRESS (Warner Bros.)
"Learn To Be Lonely" - THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Warner Bros.)
"Look To Your Path (Vois Sur Ton Chemin)" - THE CHORUS (Miramax)

Achievement in Sound Mixing
THE AVIATOR (Miramax)
THE INCREDIBLES (Disney/Pixar)
THE POLAR EXPRESS (Warner Bros.)
RAY (Universal Pictures)
SPIDER-MAN 2 (Columbia Pictures)

Achievement in Sound Editing
THE INCREDIBLES (Disney/Pixar)
THE POLAR EXPRESS (Warner Bros.)
SPIDER-MAN 2 (Columbia Pictures)

Best Visual Effects
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (Warner Bros)
I, ROBOT (20th Century Fox)
SPIDER-MAN 2 (Columbia Pictures)

Best Documentary Short
AUTISM IS A WORLD
THE CHILDREN OF LENINGRADSKY
HARDWOOD
MIGHTY TIMES: THE CHILDREN'S MARCH
SISTER ROSE'S PASSION

Best Animated Short Film
BIRTHDAY BOY
GOPHER BROKE
GUARD DOG
LORENZO
RYAN

Best Live-Action Short Film
EVERYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY MUST
LITTLE TERRORIST
7:35 IN THE MORNING
TWO CARS, ONE NIGHT
WASP

Knitting Projects...

Howdy all,

In anticipation of secret pals 4 I am posting a photo of my yarn stash and my current project. I have another project that does not photograph well...

I'm doing ok. I'm glad its friday. I need some rest..

The Striped Scarf:


The Knitting Stash


Thank the universe for the joy of knitting for getting me through this week. Heart Attacks, lawyer meetings, Bush's reinaugeration.

We interrupt this blog for a reality check

I had every intention this week of posting my knitting stuff, especially since it's almost secret pals 4 time. Unfortunately, my dad had a heart attack this week. Thankfully he's going to be ok, but jeez louise it scared the bejeebers out of me.

more knitting later this week I'm working on two different projects...

Luke with his favorite -Van Gogh

Luke with his favorite -Van Gogh
Originally uploaded by grenadinegirl.

I think Luke look a little like Van Gogh, only without the ear cut off...

Luke's new Scarf

Luke's new Scarf
Originally uploaded by grenadinegirl.

This is my husband Luke. He is wearing his new scarf, which I worked so hard all through December to make. Voila, the first photographic example of my knitting!!!

yay!!!

The Productive Action Filled Weekend

It started Friday with a trip to the grocery store. Luke and I get paid, so we get food. It was a veritable spree of the shopping kind. Never will we starve again, except for two weeks from now when we're 2 days before pay and eating canned soup. It's not really starving is it?

Saturday involved much cleaning and bookstore browsing as well as documentary watching.

Sunday we not only went to the Legion of Honor (http://www.thinker.org), we also went to the gym and rented another movie. And the house is still clean, no more Christmas decorations to be seen.

Here are some photos:

Standing with a Jacques Louis David Painting -one of my favorites


It's mighty glamorous hanging out with these old paintings


Always thinking of Paris...Seurat paints the Eiffel Tower best:


Was this me in a past life?


Unfortunately the workout has given me a bit of a headache so hanging out with the computer is a big of a chore so excuse me while I go to bed early.

Photos from 2004

I found a four-leafed clover last year, haven't done that before



Luke and I went to my cousin Shannon's wedding in Connecticut. Yummy food.

Getting Lazy

Ironic how with all of these new year’s resolutions I have actually become LAZY.

Somehow, with all of this focus on such grandiose plans, regular everyday chores have fallen to the wayside, like kitchen cleaning and laundry. I’m even too lazy to cook properly. Funny enough, lazy cooking sometimes causes remarkable innovation, hence my latest dish: Curry Lambburgers.

Angela’s Curry Lambburgers

1 lb ground lamb
2 Tablespoons curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 apple, loosely chopped (optional)
slices of cheddar cheese

Whole wheat pita bread
HP Sauce (or other bbq sauce, HP is a British sauce found in some specialty super markets or at Cost Plus in California)
European salad mix

Combine the lamb, curry powder, Salt and Pepper and apple. Form into patties (should make 2 or 3)

Sauté over medium high heat in fry pan until cooked through and seared on both sides, about 7-10 minutes. Place cheese to melt in last minutes of cooking. Take burgers off heat and allow them to rest for a minute or two.

While waiting, cut pita in half, spread bbq sauce and fill with greens, insert burger.

yum

I'm dreaming of France

I swear I was French in a past life.

Even when I visit ersatz facsimiles of France, like the Paris Las Vegas or the French pavilion at Epcott Center in Florida, I find myself crying like a baby because I love France so much and I long for it, as if a piece of my soul is missing and hidden there. It's so bittersweet and I haven't been there in a decade! A decade! So this is the year. Luke and I are renting an apartment for a week or two and inviting some friends to meet us there. It's going to be great. I can't wait to go to the market and buy the fresh food for this amazing meal I am going to cook. I've always wanted to cook in France. Cucumber and Tomato salad, some chickens, a cheese platter for after. And this time I love cheese. I can't wait.

Here's the quick reference website of all of the places I want to see:

http://www.cbtravelguide.com/france_paris/

bon soir!

Angele

Hi Ho Hi Ho It's Back To Work I Go

Sometimes I wake up and wish that I was still in university with less responsibility, fewer bills and more time on my hands.

Top ten things I would do if I were unemployed and rich:

10: get up earlier
9: go to a museum every day
8 write every day
7 exercise every day
6 travel everywhere
5 keep my office clean
4 hang out with my friends more
3 read the ny times daily
2 read a book every day
1 see a movie every night
(1.a: eat at a restaurant after every film to discuss)

Ah fantasies.

I cooked something fabulous tonight: I splurged and bought two tuna steaks.

Angela's Seared Tuna

Ingredients:
2 Tuna Steaks fresh from the market
4 tablespoons of olive oil
pepper mill

Directions:
heat fry pan on medium high heat. Whilst pan is heating, rub 2 tablespoons olive oil onto each steak. Wash your hands, then grind a light coating of fresh ground pepper on one side of the steak. Place the steak in the hot fry pan and coat the opposite side with ground pepper. Watch steak closely from the side as it will cook very quickly. The tuna will turn white as it cooks. When the cooked part reaches close to the middle of the steak, flip the steak, cook until the other side is almost all white, but there should still be a slightly discernable bit of pink still in the middle of the steak. This should take less than 5 minutes per steak.

The idea is that you should have this spicey-crispy-seared outside, which contrasts with the yummy silky inside of the steak. Pair this with a wasabi soy sauce and you're good to go.

I like lots of veggies with my fish. Something sweet would go nice with the spiceyness of the tuna, which is why I like to use the following salad, it has a nice fruity taste that allows you to enjoy the flavor of the fish.

Angela's fruity salad

Ingredients:
European Salad Mix (spinach, frisee, arugula etc)
1 Mango
1 Cucumber
1 Avocado
1 bunch of green onions, finely chopped
salt & pepper to taste

for the dressing:
1/2 orange
1 lime
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tblsp olive oil

For the salad:
Add the loosely chopped fruits and veggies to the European mix, season with salt and pepper.

For the dressing:
Squeeze the juice of half an orange into a mixing bowl, along with the juice of 1 lime. Combine with rice wine vinegar. Add the dijon mustard and mix with a whisk until combined. Slowly add olive oil as you whisk to create an emulsion. Add salt and pepper to taste.

James' World: The Reality Soapie

G'day friends,

This is my new favorite blog. I've been reading it off and on for a couple of weeks and it never ceases to make me crack up. It inspires me to be more dramatic in my blogging, something which my preceeding post is seriously lacking. Arg...

James' World: The Reality Soapie

Resolution Status

So far, so good on this whole resolution thing. I have worked on the screenplay for the last two days. We're still in character development mode, we have finally grasped the term "characer-based screenplay". All of the actions in a film, should be based on the character's needs and inner desires. The failure or sucess of these actions present opportunities for the character to grow. I have to get a story synopsis, character description and how this all relates to my story's theme within the next two weeks. Seeing as all of this writing has left little time for knitting, I am including it as a craft.

I am still a little sick, getting over the cold, which means I am camped out in the living room, propped up by bean bag chairs and cocooned with blankets. Thank god for the newspaper, wireless internet and knitting. It's raining cats and dogs. Luke's editting more dvds. I should be cleaning the house today. I'm sick of looking at the Christmas tree and my office is a disaster area. With all of the rain we're having a serious ant invasion. We've got to get some ant traps.

So being camped out in front the of tv, I have been subjected to various atrocities of television. Imagine my excitement at discovering a tv show about knitting, but them I realized that I was knitting while watching a show about knitting and thought maybe that was a little too much. Then I realized that in the 200+ channels I had on cable, there was nothing else on except for the knitting show. Please god bring back Iron Chef... or perhaps we need to get Tivo.

After the tv knitting thing, I mustered the energy to hoof it to my local video store and rented 5 movies. Considering how little I went to the movies in 2004 I owed it to myself to catch up. I rented Something's Gotta Give, Wimbledon, Shawn of the Dead (which I already saw in the theatre, but Luke hadn't seen it yet), Under the Tuscan Sun and Spiderman 2. Luke rented that terrible King Arthur movie with Clive Owen in it. You have to have a dud in there just so you can appreciate decent screenwriting. Oh and we also saw Bourne Supremacy. I was impressed that out of all of these films, only one was truly BAD. Seriously, Hollywood must be doing something right.

OK I've got to go b/c now I'm watching the food network and it's made me all hungry. I had hot and sour soup from Ming's Garden yesterday. It's the best when you've got a cold. It was better than dayquil.

hope this wasn't too boring for you.

ps thanks to jenny for the beautiful photo album... I LOVE it