#hashtag

A friend of mine went on a #hashtag rant on Facebook, and I couldn't really blame her.

Though I did think my comment, #whatdoyoumeanhashtagsareannoying? had some merit.

She was NOT amused.

I still chuckle about it, but she deleted my comment.

Oh, well, her point is that everyone is using and abusing the concept of the #hashtag with ridiculous #hashtags. Overuse and misuse has made #hastags obsolete unless there are particular #hashtags one wishes to follow, such as #AmericanIdol or #superbowl. 

I have a twitter account, but almost never use #hashtags simply because I can't type that much without putting a space in the middle of the gobble-de-gook, and who really cares that #I'mwalking, #I'mwriting, #I'mprocrastinating?

Periodically there are a couple agents which will do #10queries that I'll check out, simply because it's a snapshot into those particular agent's minds when they look at novel queries, whether the concept is same old, same old; interesting topic, but the writing isn't there; or whatever.

But the best take on #hashtags has to be the Jimmy Fallon skit performed with Justin Timberlake.

#enjoythechuckle

Later, Peeps!

Snow Day!

Other than yesterday being Groundhog Day AND a really one-sided Super Bowl, we got about four inches of snow.

We receive enough snow in this part of the country that we know how to deal with it (plenty of salt, sand and snow plows). In other words, what happened in Atlanta wouldn't happen here. Virtually all the main roads and expressways are clear, with the exception of turn lanes, and on/off ramps, but the neighborhoods are a slick, icy mess.

While they did shut down the public schools, due to the problem with school buses unable to navigate in the neighborhoods, my daughter's school (private) was in session though on the 'late start' timetable.

And a I had a doctor's appointment that I couldn't miss.

First, my hubby drove to his work, then I took over the driving to take my daughter to school and get to my doctor's appointment.

I just wanted to point out that even though the city did a great job with the roads, it doesn't stop stupid from happening with the drivers.

I guess he didn't want to see the cars behind him . . .

Today the sun is shining, and most of the snow on the road is melting, and life goes on.

In fact, we're expecting more sleet and snow tonight.

If it's as bad as they expect, I imagine schools will be closed tomorrow . . . including my daughter's school.

I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

Until then,

Later, Peeps!

Afghan Finished!

In 2012, and a little bit into 2013, I was crocheting many, many afghans for presents--thirteen afghans to be exact.

Needless to say, I was slightly burned out from crocheting.

But sometime during late August I got the bug again. Too bad the pattern I wanted to use was totally confusing and wrong. Trust me, I tried to make the pattern work about eight times.

So I gave up on that pattern and looked for a new pattern.

I came across this one, Red Heart's Kaleidoscope pattern. . But I had to make a few changes as I had already purchased a variety of blue yarn. So instead of ten colors of yarn, I had five shades of blue to use.

This afghan was the result.

Yesterday, I crocheted the border while I was watching Warm Bodies. 

It didn't end up quite as large as stated, but it could be because the stitches are still tight and not stretched out.

I have plenty of yarn to make another afghan, but I think I'll make a couple other changes to this pattern.

Well, guess I'll have to quit goofing off and get down to writing!

Later, Peeps!

Weighty Wednesday -- Always an Excuse

I had weigh-in yesterday, and to tell you the truth, I knew my weight would be up.

And it was.

This time of the year is so hard, especially when the weather isn't co-operating. So much of the country is in the deep freeze, including my little pocket of paradise.

We haven't had much snow or ice, but when we do get it, it sticks around because the temperatures plummet into the teens or lower. Normally, I have no problem walking in cold, wet or even snowy temps.

Heck, I even have a selfie from last year when I walked in the snow, but I do have a problem with the wind.

2012 picture

The wind chill will drive cold weather into the bitter cold, potential frostbite range.

Two days ago I tried walking, but even with all my layers, the wind bit into my old bones. I walked past the elementary school and turned into the neighborhood. I figured the houses would block the wind as I walked the long way back to my house, only 1.5 miles compared to my normal 4.25 miles.

With the way my fingers felt when I got home, I think I had the beginning of a little frost bite.

So take care if you exercise outside. Don't be stupid, and stay safe.

Another problem with winter and losing weight is that I want to eat comfort food. Something warm, filled with high-carbs, eaten out of a bowl.

I'm not a fan of root vegetables, and though we do have summer fruit and veggies courtesy of South American farmers, I'm not usually in the mood to eat 'healthy'.

Along with this problem is the fact that most of us tend to get dehydrated in the winter. We simply don't drink enough water. Who wants to drink water when you're freezing your tail feathers off?

I don't. But I force myself to do so. If you have to add flavoring to the water, do it, but try warming up a mug of water. I used to drink tons of coffee, not so much for the coffee, but to hold a hot mug in my hands to warm them up. So instead of coffee, or even tea, try warming up a mug of water and adding a little lemon juice. It will help you keep hydrated and give you the warmth you need.

And when I go on my walk, I use the hottest tap water I can to fill my water bottle, It stays warm for about 3 miles.

If you are stuck inside because the weather is frightful, then every time you open the fridge or pantry, make yourself walk up and down the stairs ten times, or put in your kid's Dance Dance Wii video game and dance like a crazy person.

My key words to surviving this winter are:

keep hydrated, keep moving, and keep out of the comfort food!

Off to follow my own advice. I will get my walk in this morning since it's only 20 degrees and virtually no wind. Yay!

Later, Peeps!

Common Courtesy

What happened to common courtesy?

Everyone has a view as to what is causing the breakdown of society. Radicals tend to express their views according to their religious views, others blame the government, or lack of morals or values, but I have a simpler explanation.

Humanity has forgotten how to be nice to each other. 

It's not that hard to express one's appreciation or gratitude in the words "please" or "thank you".

I've heard people talk about how empty the words are because they are used without thought. But when you are the RECIPIENT to a please or thank you, it changes your attitude for the entire day.

It makes one happy. And when one is happy, then they will be more pleasant to be around, which then works it's way outward, spreading the pleasant feeling.

Courtesy and niceties are insidious that way.

True, the person might not be thinking about it when they say it, but the fact that it is spoken speaks well for the person expressing the sentiment.

My daughter was telling me about waiting in the cafeteria line at school. Her friends give her a hard time because she thanks the cafeteria worker when the person hands her the food. Most of the other kids in her class simply don't take the time.

What does my daughter get out of this?

Maybe a smile. Maybe she doesn't get anything, but what she did was express her thanks for the person and the job they were doing.

It could change that one person's attitude for the entire day.

My daughter didn't learn to use the terms please and thank you by osmosis--she learned by watching her parents. My husband and I firmly believe that one should use courtesy in our day-to-day life. If he brings me a drink while watching TV or removes my plate from the table. I thank him, and vice versa. Or if he holds the door for me. I thank him.

When someone does something that they don't have to do, then take the time to thank them for their effort.

Learning common courtesy starts in the home.

But then it extends outward.

Our servers in a restaurant are on the receiving end of please and thank yous.

We will hold doors so the person behind us can catch it before it closes.

On an expressway, I'll manage my speed to allow the merging traffic to enter at a normal pace, sometimes I'll speed up, so I don't have to pound my brakes, or remove my foot from the gas pedal to slow down just enough, depending on the situation.

Slamming ones brakes shows a lack of foresight and awareness, and can cause an accident simply because they weren't paying attention.

I'm ALWAYS aware of those around me.

When I'm walking and have to cross a road, I'll wave to the drivers who stop for me as an acknowledgement of their presence. I always greet the other people on my walking trail. Sometimes it's only a wave of my hand to the biker or jogger heading in the other direction, but it's still an acknowledgement.

Think about it.

It's not that hard to start being courteous to your fellow human.

All it takes is one please or thank you to start spreading common courtesies.

Later, Peeps!

Monday Morning Lagnaippe

I totally regret not making time to go for a walk on the weekend. The weather was a balmy 60 + degrees, but I had other 'stuff' to take care of, so I didn't walk.

This morning, it's 23 degrees with the wind blowing about 25 mph. . . from the North. Yeah, this is my penance for not walking when the weather was WONDERFUL!

 . . . and maybe because I goofed off last week and didn't walk a few days that I could have walked.

Oh, well, when the sun finally comes up, I'll bundle up in layers and take a walk. Afterwards, I'll stand in the shower for 20 minutes just to warm up.

At least I have a plan!

I've almost finished my afghan. It's taken forever for me to work on it. I think it has something to do with the 13 afghans I crocheted for the previous Christmas's presents. This afghan has been a PITA from the beginning. I had purchased yarn to use for one pattern, but I never could make sense out of the pattern, so I had to look for another pattern. Found one, bought more yarn and this is what I have finished piecing together. 

I couldn't decide which color to use as a border, so I decided to do a quick section of each color. I think I'll opt for the off white. Originally, I wanted to do the dark blue, but it didn't give me the finished look that I wanted. 

Yes, I have plenty of yarn to make you one, too. Just send $250 to my PayPal account, wait about two months and I'll take care of you! 

I'll probably crochet the border while watching Judge Judy this afternoon!

Today I plan to finish Blake Snyder's beat sheet for DRAGON. Oh, I still have my elemental series to figure out, but I thought if I could break down on of my stories, then I would have a greater understanding of this tool. 

Blake Snyder wrote the Save the Cat screenwriting books. Yes, I know I'm not writing a screenplay, but I need a tool to help focus my mind as I tend to jump all over the place and leap on tangent threads like a kitty eating catnip.

Theses books break down familiar movies into different genres, which helps you understand the core theme into the story. Blake developed what he calls his "beat sheet". This is basically a synopsis for what has to happen in certain time increments of a movie. It's sort of a combination of the three-act play and Vogler's Writer's Journey. 

What I discovered are some plot holes, which is a good thing! Now, I have to figure out how the characters go from point D to point H without it sounding stupid, plus amping up the tension. 

This is on my list of things to do today. 

I hope y'all had a good weekend, but now it's time to focus on healthy eating--especially me, since I made pizza for dinner last night. The crust was too thin, but when hubby put the pizza together (I make all the separate parts, while he builds it), he didn't go cheap on the cheese! 

I really don't want to weigh myself this morning, but I need to face that harsh reality!

Well, the sun is up enough for me to get my walking clothes on and brave the cold wind.

Later, Peeps!

Foodie Friday -- Lemon Chicken

As I posted on Facebook earlier this week, I made this lemon chicken recipe -- Cuisine magazine's name--Light Chicken Francese, but I knew the title would get lost in the "what the heck is this? file" so I went with the more traditional name-- that was wonderful! I ate my lemon chicken on a bed of spinach, while my hubby and kiddo enjoyed their chicken on a bed of angel hair pasta.

See? There are ways of cutting calories without cutting flavor AND getting in a serving or two of raw veggies!

This recipe is from Cuisine magazine. My sis-in-law very generously gave me a subscription for Christmas. This magazine is awesome in the fact that it doesn't have advertising. I hate flipping through a magazine looking for recipes only to discover 60-75% of the magazine is in the form of ads. This was why I stopped taking Martha Stewart years ago--it was before she even went to jail!

Back to the recipe, sometimes chicken can be a little boring, but add a little lemon and everything brightens up!

Lemon Chicken

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, pounded flat to 1/4 -inch thick, fat removed, 5-6 ounces each
1/2 cup flour, combined with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper
2 egg whites whisked with Tbls. skim milk
4 tsp. olive oil, divided

Sauce: 
1 Tbls. olive oil
2 shallots, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tbls. parsley
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1 lemon, thinly sliced, optional

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Chicken: Dredge pounded chicken in flour mixture, shake off excess. Evenly coat cutlet in egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge cutlets again in flour mixture.

Heat 2 tsp. oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-heat. Cook half of the cutlets (2) until golden on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer cooked chicken onto baking sheet to keep warm in the oven; repeat with remaining 2 tsp. oil and cutlets.

Sauce: In same skillet heat 1 Tbls oil over medium, add shallots and cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add 1 Tbls. flour and cook 1 minute.
Whisk in broth, wine, and lemon juice. Increase heat to medium-high and bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium and cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture reduces slightly and thickens.
Add butter to skillet, whisk to melt. Add 1 Tbls. parsley and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper; add lemon slices to coat with sauce. Serve cutlets with sauce and lemon slices; garnish with chopped parsley.

Serve with angel hair pasta or spinach for a healthier alternative.

Tips &Tricks:

• If you've never made a recipe before and you're worried about how quickly everything will move along, then do what the cooks on the TV shows do--pre-measure, pre-chop, pre-everything! Have everything ready to toss into the pan. Yeah, you'll have lots of little dishes to wash, but it's easier than freaking out at the last minute because it's cooking too quickly for you. 
• Pound your chicken inside a resealable gallon freezer bag. Less mess. 
• I used shallots instead of 1/4 cup minced onion, as I didn't want a cut onion stinking up my fridge. The shallot is milder, plus it was easier to mince into tiny pieces
• I didn't want to open a bottle of white wine, so I used more chicken broth. 
• Lemons vary with the amounts of juice they give. It took one lemon to get 1/4 cup of juice. Sometimes it's more, sometimes less. 
• I don't buy chicken broth, or use bouillon cubes, I use Better than Bouillon chicken base, which must be refrigerated after opening. It lasts a long time, and all you need is hot water to reconstitute it. 
• I used dried parsley. It had been freeze-dried, which helped it keep its beautiful dark green color and flavor. 
• I used two pans for dredging chicken: one pan for the flour mixture, and one for the egg mixture. Use tongs to transfer chicken back and forth . . . the tongs get gummy, but not your fingers. 
• When the first side of the chicken cooked, I sprayed the floured, uncooked side with olive oil spray. 
• When you cook the chicken in two batches, place the first batch in the oven to keep warm while cooking the rest of the chicken and making the sauce. Place your dinner plates in there, too, to get them nice and warm. This way you aren't plating hot food on a cold plate, and your meal stays warmer longer. 

That's it for now. Enjoy!

Later, Peeps!