Movies

On a recent date type thing, I went out & got a membership at my local video store. We got dirty pretty things, for the euro angle, which Shawn is huge into. It was good.

But I got basically a “your next 10-20 rentals free” card, ‘cuz it was a deal. Keep in mind I’d watched maybe 2 videos in the preceding 6 months. But there are many videos I have to catch up on.

I did see a home at the end of the world there, which I rather want to see. I’ve heard Latter Days is also out & well worth the watching. There was another film that came out around the same time as latter days and is thematically linked to it (at least in my head) that I wanted to watch, but I don’t have the faintest memory of what it is. If any of y’all have a guess as to what I might be talking about, comment on my entry and let me know. For that matter, if any of y’inz have recommendations you’d like to make, or want to talk about recommended rentals, comment. Hell, if you’re just feeling unloved and want attention, comment, but please at least try to pretend it’s video recommendation related. =)

[ed: Also, any of you conveniently located, and likeable or interested people nearby who’d like to join in watching one or more, drop me a line, and we can figure something out.]

dinner

1 cup of dried split peas purchased 4 months ago
three small carrots, chopped, with greens separated and chopped
2 sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
2 russet potatoes chopped
1 leek chopped
1 bunch (2 pounds?) collard greens chopped
2 approx 1 month old onions chopped
handful of mushrooms, chopped
1/2 of approx 1 month old clove of garlic chopped
filtered water
big squirt of braggs liquid aminos

put the peas in a large pot with about 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for an hour. Toss in carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic and onions, with enough water to cover, and braggs. Bring back to boil, and simmer for another 15ish minutes. Toss in greens (collard and carrot), mushroom. Cook until potatoes done.

Yay for simple tasty stew recipes. The sweet potatoes were an experimental element, but I think they worked out well. Ah, if only we had some basic spices (oregano, most prominently).

Home Sweet Unmetered Internet

After greyhound’s third weather based cancellation of trips I was set up for I decided to go back and quit with the hemmoraging of cash. So, I’m back in Minnesota. I’m planning on sending a letter which says in essence this: “Through no fault of your own, you couldn’t provide the service I was seeking when I paid for my 7 day pass. Instead, you took me halfway, and baited me with empty promises to take me places you couldn’t go. In the end, I didn’t go where I wanted to go, and unless I get my money back, or some other reasonable compensation, I’m not touching greyhound again with a 10 foot pole. Oh, and I’m sharing my experience, including your response, with an online forum of more than 150 subscribers.”

With that in mind, I may well convert my amtrak tickets into “do whatever you want with it” amtrak credits, and try to make it out to pittsburgh another day. Still not decided on that part. But I’m definitely not heading out of this house for at least another day or two.

Merry Hannukwanzasolstiramamas, everyone. =)

Vacation status

Not going as expected. I’m very glad that I purchased the oh-so-flexible discovery pass. 7 days of wherever the heck I wanna go on greyhound.

So, when last we left me cursing at greyhound, indiana and ohio were an impassible sheet of ice. Which has apparently not improved much. Columbus which is a major hub for all my originally planned travels lies in the middle of this.

So, now I’m heading down to southern Illinois to visit a different paternal uncle and his brood. I should be arriving a few scant hours after the end of midnight mass obviating the potentially awkward atheist-at-the-house-alone syndrome. Though I may be facing it on sunday anyway.

Still, I haven’t ever really visited these people without my parents around. It’s an interesting, dare I say, experiment. Let’s see how we get along. After that, I may be hitching a ride with uncle dennis in his private plane back to kentucky, or hopping on a greyhound in paducah, ky, to get to london, depending on the weather. (did I mention that the other greyhound stops in the area are cairo, and vienna (pronounced “vie-enna”, provides an amusing, if shallow, international veneer to the trip).

Last night, I stayed at the chicago hostel, did a bit of shopping, got a day pass at a local gym, hit a newthe pick me up cafe. Today, I slept in, then made arrangements for my 9pm bus ride. Since then, I’ve been strolling around lakeview, checking the smelts practice schedule, enjoying the lakefront, eating at the chicago diner (and leaving my contact info with a waiter there, again, but at least it’s a different waiter this time), and wasting time at the Cruise-a-bou coffee in boystown, while reading Young Miles as part of my obsessive attempt to read everything bujold’s ever written, and listening to the original versions of many of the songs I sang while in the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, including no small number of Judy Garland tunes, and a bunch of holiday music. =)

As an amusing coincidence, I saw Evan who I had one of my brief, intense crushes on shortly before leaving chicago. We’d chatted online a couple days ago (first time in years), and we weren’t going to be able to meet in chicago. So, of course, I spot him as I’m walking in and wave. I’m wearing my recently acquired ninja ski mask, and as I take it off a look of much surprised amusement spreads across his face. *sigh* I’m not his type, but he’s certainly one of my types. He shouldn’t be allowed to look even better than when last I saw him. *shrug* Pleasant chat ensued before I got my flavored steamed soy milk, and started up my wireless, which explains what I’m up to now.

In summary, I’m being a dilletante, and hemmoraging money in chicago, but having a great time doing it, and my vacation plans are weathering the winter quite nicely.

Dad’s replacements have arrived, and he should be back in the states within a month. He’s supposed to fly to Kuwait before I get back from DC.

Dear greyhound

Dear greyhound,

Blow me.

Luv, scu

It would seem that I have a 4 hour layover here in chicago, and that I will not be seeing zanesville this time around. Ah well. I’ll turn it into more time in pittsburgh. =) Wish I’d be around for lunch. I’d try to snag . I’m browsing the web in a coffeeshop that I oft frequented while doing my thing for columbia college. Down by dearborn center in printer’s row.

I like being in chicago. Maybe I’ll look for internships around here…. =)