Category: To Occupy my Time

It’s about the layout, stupid.

We have our tabloid format, which I’ve already expressed my displeasure about.  And now there is another problem.  Here’s how big the tabloid paper is when folded open.  It’s too big to read on the train that way, so I fold it in half.

Except what the hell am I supposed to do when I get to the middle of the column?
I’m not sure what I did in a previous life to deserve what has become the Oregonian, but I’m very, very sorry.

Look what I picked up.

It was on the Max.  I did what it said and picked it up.

It seems there’s a travelling book thing.  And it’s a big thing, with lots of books registered.
I wasn’t interested in reading the book, so I left it for someone else to find, but it was fun to find it.  I’m not one who purchases books often, but when I do, I may sign up for this.

Oscar Party Food

Kelly provided the house and the TV plus the prize for correctly predicting and the Oscar BINGO. I provided the food.  We had one item for each best picture.
For Dallas Buyer’s Club: an antioxidant salad
For Nebraska: Mac & Cheese
For Philomena:  Buttered Cabbage
For Captain Phillips:  a traditional Somali Lentil dish
For American Hustle: Vegetarian Pigs in a Blanket
For 12 Years a Slave: Vegetarian Collard Greens
For Her: Jello Jigglers cut in heart shapes
For Gravity:  the Cosmonaut, which was Tang and Vodka, shaken.
For Wolf of Wall Street: Mini Quiche 
(which were not available, so I bought Nancy’s Quiche and cut them up)

Look at our lame new size!

Before, we had the long skinny paper, as pictured on the right.  After, we will have the short, stubby tabloid-style on the left.  But right now?  We have both.

A two-sized paper is annoying for the following reason.  Here is the normal mode of transport for the paper.  It tucks nicely in my bag.

Right now, we have two different sizes, resulting in a hangover flap thing that doesn’t tuck away very easily.
This will last until April, when it all becomes tabloid.

Wardrobe Architect: Your Color Story

I was held up by this week’s installment of the Wardrobe Architect.  The color thing I wasn’t really interested in doing.  But I buckled down and here are the results.  I think one of my things is that black is the main color (although khaki is creeping in a bit more) and then I wear something that pops, meaning I like a lot of bright or strong colors.  Bright orange is my favorite, but I like bright blue (aqua) or bright green too.  I used Kuler to create these palettes.  As for base colors, I never wear brown, grey or white.

Vintage Cakes: Gingerbread Icebox Cake with Mascarpone Mousse

Or make that “mascarpone” mousse as I had plans to make my own mascarpone, but the shop that sells the cultures was closed due to snow.  I needed a pound of mascarpone, which would have cost me $10.00 at New Seasons, so I went with the Internet cheat of cream cheese, a bit of sour cream and a bit of whipped cream.  Viola!  “Mascarpone”
I made the cookies on the Friday of the snow and the party was moved from Sunday (because of ice) to Monday.  So Monday I assembled.  Ten layers of gingerbread cookies with the mousse dividing them.

“But how will you cut this cake?” every single person at the birthday party asked me individually.  The plan was that the mousse would soften the cookies and it would be easy to slice.

And it was!  Isn’t it fun?

Delicious too!