Fairies' Song

Today is going to be a much bigger blog than I've done in a while (well ever at blogger).

I realize I rarely post much about myself and my personal life. It's not that I overly value my privacy, it's literally because my life is pretty banal. I've done a blog posting over at TV.com which outlined my routine in a sort of 'day in the life' feature. I'll link that if I can figure out how. I'll summarize it in brief here.

In general, I work 3pm - 11pm, five days a week. (I'm union ... so holding a particular schedule is dependent upon seniority, of which I have very little.) I usually wake up between 9:30 and Noon, depending on how late I was up the night before.

I usually get up ... take a shower, watch a little tv, make my lunch, put on my face, get dressed, and head to work. This continues day after day.

Some variations: I may stop at my mother's house to play with my niece and nephew. (She sits them when both of their parents are working) I might take time to do some grocery shopping. I've been known to turn off the tv and actually read a book. (Shocking? Probably not!) I might do some laundry, or clean the floors, or dust or vacuum. There are any number of variations which usually are pretty mundane.

There, my life in a nutshell, now on to an interesting story.

I'm pretty much a chat-aholic. I spend a lot of time in either a Pagan Chat room ... or a Books and Literature Chat room. (Not as much now that I've found the joys of blogging and blopping) Moving on ... One night I was ranting on some soapbox or another to a fellow chatter. At which time, a third person got into the mix. We'll call him Loki (as that's his chat name). Anyway ... he and I argued and in general annoyed eachother.

Regardless of the annoyance and the argument, I found him to be intriguing, therefor, I posted a request to add him to my friends list. He did, and requested the same from me.

Oddly, we began corresponding, frequently. We discovered we had more in common than not. (We just stay away from Political topics and in general we're pretty darn amiable)

This was about three weeks ago. There isn't a day that goes by that we don't talk on the phone, or barring the ability to do that, video conference online. (He lives about 6 hours from me)

We've grown extremely fond of eachother in such a short amount of time, and we're making plans to meet soon after the holidays. (I can't wait!!!)

So I'm completely infatuated with him, and he with me. So wish us luck on this journey we're taking together. Have any of you all had to struggle with a long distance relationship?

That's me, that's news ... On with some other interesting stuff.

ஜ~§Quote of the Day§~ஜ

The groves were God's first temples.
William C. Bryant

ஜ~§The Question Of The Day§~ஜ

It's the full moon today. Almost every culture has its share of lunar lore, from werewolves to lunacy to true love. Do you believe that the full moon affects our behavior or do you think it's a myth?

ஜ~§The Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Insipid
PRONUNCIATION: [in•sip•id] adj.
MEANING: Lacking flavor or zest; not tasty. Lacking qualities that excite, stimulate, or interest; dull.
ETYMOLOGY: From L. in- "not" + sapidus "tasty," from sapere "have a taste"
USAGE: "In ye coach ... went Mrs. Barlow, the King's mistress and mother to ye Duke of Monmouth, a browne, beautifull, bold, but insipid creature."

ஜ~§What I'm Reading§~ஜ

J.D. Robb: Salvation in Death

In the year 2060, cutting-edge investigative tools can help catch a killer. But there are some questions even the most advanced technologies cannot answer ...

At the most solemn moment of a Catholic funeral mass, the priest brings the chalice to his lips. Seconds later, he is dead on the altar.

For the mourners packed into the pews, Father Miquel Flores's sudden demise is an unimaginable shock. When Detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas confirms that the consecrated wine contained enough potassium cyanide to kill a rhino, she's prepared to plunge in and find out why, despite her discomfort with her surroundings. It's not the bodegas and the pawnshops of East Harlem that bother her, though the neighborhood is a long way from the stone mansion she shares with her billionaire husband, Roarke. It's all that holiness flying around at St. Cristobal's that makes her unearsy.

A search of the victim's simple, sparsely furnished room reveals few personal touches, except for a carefully hidden religious medal with a mysterious inscription, and a couple of underlined bible passages. The autopsy reveals much more: faint scars of knife wounds, a removed tattoo -- and evidence of plastic surgery suggesting "Father Fores" may not have been the man his parishioners thought. Now, as Eve pieces together clues that suggest identity theft, gang connections, and a deeply personal act of revenge, she hopes to track down whoever committed this unholy act. Until a second murder -- in front of an even larger crowd of worshippers -- knocks the whole investigation sideways.

The way Eve sees it, vengeance may be the Lord's business, but if there's going to be any earthly justice in this case, it's up to her.

ஜ~§What I'm Watching§~ஜ

Tonight is: Sanctuary and The Starter Wife.

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

Fairies’ Song

We the fairies blithe and antic
Of dimensions not gigantic,
Though the moonshine mostly keep us,
Oft in orchards frisk and peep us.

Stolen sweets are always sweeter;
Stolen kisses much completer;
Stolen looks are nice in chapels;
Stolen, stolen be your apples.

When to bed the world are bobbing,
Then’s the time for orchard robbing;
Yet the fruit were scarce worth peeling
Were it not for the stealing, stealing.

James Henry Leigh Hunt
Translation of a Latin poem by Thomas Randolph

ஜ~§Recipe of the Day§~ஜ

Eggplant Parmesan Rigatoni

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 eggplant, thinly sliced crosswise
Flour, for dredging
Salt
1 pound rigatoni
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella
8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Dredge the eggplant slices in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add enough eggplant slices to the skillet to fill it without crowding and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices and more oil. Let cool, then cut into 1/2-inch strips. Set aside.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes

Add the tomato sauce to the cooked pasta and toss to coat, then stir in the mozzarella. Divide the pasta among shallow bowls and top with the reserved eggplant strips, basil and Parmesan.
Yield: 4 servings

Brightest Blessings,
~S~