One Girl Revolution

There's a movement afoot in Vermont to secede from the Union. I am, to say the least, rather intrigued by the whole concept. I'd heard of (and posted about) this before, but this article seems to indicate that the idea is gaining popularity...relatively speaking. Thirteen percent of the population isn't much in the long run, but it's not that far from 25 percent, if you think about it.

The Republic of Vermont. Kind of has a nice ring to it. It'd probably be expensive as hell to live there, but definitely an option a fun fantasy to consider. theycallmeboy and I do want a garden, after all.

And now, your vile news of the day. What exactly is wrong with people?

Last night, my mother and brother happened upon this church, which is apparently a historical building in addition to being, according to Mom, quite beautiful inside. My stepdad said that she said something about my getting married there, which sort of surprised me. It's pretty rare that she makes comments like that, so I can only assume that she approves of my Love. Very, very good news, as far as I'm concerned.

Speaking of theycallmeboy, I'm going to warn you all now to expect another "lookit the presents!" photo essay. He once again outdid himself, and I wanted to document it all for posterity. I wanted to do it Sunday, but I couldn't update to my LJ. Now that things seem to be back on top, I want to go ahead and cute you all to death.

I'm surprised that none of you have attempted to strangle me yet.

I suppose I could go on - talking about my new fascination with The Doors, my need to get passport photos taken and forms filled out, the eerie coincidence of my co-worker bringing me a Hostess cupcake just as I was thinking about how I wanted cookies (but certainly don't need them *pokes tummy*), but I'll leave it all alone for now and hope that you guys comment, as I'm bored out my everlovin' mind.

Please?

I'd better see one when I get back from making some chai.

Sometimes you just need a good dinner, by which I mean good conversation, good atmosphere, and some good laughs. Good food helps too, even if it's not good for you. (More on that later.)

My dad and I went to this place tonight and had a grand time. Afterward, we went home and sat on the steps of his back patio (he's still fixing up the patio furniture) and looked at a book of Life photos from the past century. Then there was a little more conversation before I headed home and sang myself hoarse to AC\DC. I really need to quit with that - it hasn't caused any permanent damage, but I'd rather not let it get to that stage.

I really, really need to watch it with the fried foods - I had some for lunch and again for dinner, and good god, am I paying for it now. I don't feel sick to my stomach or anything - just really, really fat and lethargic in the bad, sluggish, "oh crap I gone done it now where's my fat jeans" sort of way. You'd think I would have figured out by now that I cannot eat like I used to, because my body needs real nutrients and lighter foods. I suppose old habits die hard, and the traditional foods served by my family didn't exactly help me develop a taste for vegetables. (Craving salads is a bizarre phenomenon I'm still getting used to.) I get the feeling that I will be having a cup of this stuff tomorrow morning; believe it or not, it actually does work. I'd like to try the Republic of Tea version, and I want to look into this one, too. (It can't hurt, really.) And then there's this one - I've taken to drinking the Celestial Seasonings mint tea, which is cut with chicory. I want to see what a straighter mint tea tastes like. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the mint tea in stores. I'm not sure about the other ones, either.

Why all the tea? Don't worry - I'm not giving up coffee. It's just that I've hit on a marvelous idea to solve the "container problem" I was having with the products for Moonage Daydream - tea tins. I got some World Market brand mint tea that came in this neat square tin, so once I'm done with that, I'll be using it for a bath mix or something. I'm also toying with the ideas of repurposing glass bottles with resealable caps for the body scrubs. I like the double appeal of ecological responsibility and unconventional packaging - it's very rock, or at least in my estimation. It'll also save me from having to buy new containers.

Speaking of buying things, I need a tea ball, or one of those tea ball spoon things. The World Market tea is looseleaf, and even though I have a book on how to read tea leaves, I'm not sure they'd be too keen on that at work. I'll need you all to remind me. ;)

Hmm...what else. Actually, it's occurred to me that I could really, really, really do with a massage. Badly. Possibly even one of the full body deals, though I'd be extremely happy if I just had someone work on my back. It's been tense and painful for the past week or two. Sadly, that sort of thing doesn't come cheap, and I'm trying not to spend too much money. Looks like that'll have to wait.

Ok, I think I'm starting to get a little incoherent on account of drowsiness. I'm gonna write back to theycallmeboy and then head to bed.

YAHOOOOOOOOOOO INDEED!

Check out that second to last listing. There has to be a way to standardize that...

In other news, it's official: I have a big ol' Celebrity Crush on none other than Mika. God help me.

Just got a spam e-mail in my inbox. The subject line was:

Make your fat friends envy you

...

...

...I am the fat friend. God dammit.

Ima get some coffee. Then I'm going to tell you all to go see the latest abuses of tenant...hell, of human rights over at Rental Refugees. Apparently workers have keys to the units and have taken to walking in without knocking. Oh, and tenants are having to live with smashed patio windows that don't get fixed because, "you'll be moving out in a month anyway.'

But hey hey, what's this? You can submit news tips to CNN? People should take advantage of that. I wonder what would happen if...

ETA: Ooh, you can submit to BBC News, too!

Oh my god I can never stop drinking coffee because if I do my head will implode.

Ode To Cranberry Juice

Oh god, cranberry juice.

Oh god, cranberry juice.

Oh god

Oh god

Oh god

Cranberry juice

Is the best kind of juice there is.

I am drinking some now.

Yay for cranberry juice.


***

Thank you, thank you.

If it's good enough for The Bowie, it's good enough for me!

*Note: My work computer does not have sound, but I don't need it. Bowie + coffee = automatic win

As you may or may not know, I have an interest in herbalism. I'd like to try to make some tea blends for friends and family this year, so I'm trying to settle on a flavor. Plain peppermint seemed too easy, so I was thinking about peppermint and vanilla.

But then last night, as I cleaned the kitchen with Sun and Earth All-Purpose Spray Cleaner and Method Mint Window Wash, the orange and minty scents mixed and lingered in the air. It smelled fabulous, and I found myself thinking, "I wonder if this would taste good as a tea?"

I think we know what this means, ladies and gentlemen. It means poll time.

Poll #873431 What kind of winter/holiday tea should I make?
Open to: All, results viewable to: All

Winter and holidays call for tasty beverages, but I can't make coffee blends (yet). What sort of tea sounds good to you?

Is there another blend that you think would be tasty (and easy to make, as I'm an amateur)? If so, tell me.

I'm pretty sure that the main ingredients in Republic of Tea's Wild Blueberry blend are Fair Trade black tea, blueberries, and opium. I base this assertation on two facts:

1) As I have sipped it, I have become pleasantly calm, yet alert.

2) I cannot stop drinking it. It is the shiznit. YOU NEED THIS TEA.

So go buy some. Right now. You'll be helping to save the world while getting your tea on, yo. How cool is that?

This from halcyon_shift

Hilarity is the video of Bittersweet wherein Apocalyptica, the lead singer of The Rasmus and the lead singer of HIM attempt to convince the world cellos are fantastically gothic with eighties effects and ouija boards. And hanging from the ceiling. Cello players. Hanging upside down on the ceiling. Did I mention the black eyes and efforts by both lead singers to out-prince of darkness each other in table sprawling and hair gel?

teaandbitchery, we need this video. We need it. We need it like air and caffeine. How do you suppose we get it?

In other news, Celestial Seasonings Teahouse Chai Original Indian Spice is a fabulous and beautiful thing. In my perfect world, it would be the second beverage of choice behind coffee. I feel guilty, though, because I don't think it's fair trade. Where can I get some fair trade chai?