The Hunter/Gather of Surburbia

Are we where we live?

March 30, 2011

Facebook

Facebook has gotten some bad publicity this week. From the totally stupid, that it causes depression, to the creepy, a guy from Wilsonville, OR only a half hour from where I sit right now, that is "hooking up" with teenage girls. He has been arrested twice in five days, the last time because he is an idiot and gave new information to the Channel Two News after his release that got him rearrested. Idiot.
But, I must wax on, since this is my blog and I can do what I want for as long as I want. Nobody reads it anyway so here goes.
Facebook can do some cool things, like connect me up with friends from elementary and tween years, friends who I really missed I discovered after finding them. Interestingly, probably my most bestest friend during those years was Cheri. She probably never knew it, but I truly loved her. We met again, not on facebook, but at a union meeting. She is teaching at the Oregon School for the Deaf. Which makes total sense since her parents taught there. I remember going to a football game with her and it amazed me, totally amazed me. I wish I had taken more of an interest in sign language back then. But I was a dumb kid and we all do dumb things. I also wiffled on my paternal grandmother teaching me French when I probably could have learned it. Oh well.
Found some cousins again too. Richardsons don't take this the wrong way if you read this, but my dad's side of the family is the warmest loving family anyone could hope for and we lost touch. We had the bestest family Christmases ever. Fun, warm, loving, and totally crazy. My cousins, all I called uncle or aunt until I realized we were cousins, were older and had children of their own near to my age. I was the youngest cousin, but the oldest second cousin. There are scads of them scattered about and I really miss them. I miss that my children and grandchildren don't have those Christmases. Our family Christmases sort of suck eggs. Well for me anyway, actually all the holidays suck for me. As a family we never get together on the actual holiday day, they have their spouses families and spend those days with them. My parents would say, "What goes around comes around." They resented me and my husband spending holidays with his family. It didn't matter that they, at least, had each other on those days. They expected those days to be reserved for them, ok I overstate, my mother expected it. But my mother is a whole other story.
Anyway, I totally got off the Facebook thing. I have virtually met people all over the world due to the facebook games I play. I worried along with a gamer friend about his mother who lives in New Zealand during the aftermath of the quake. The first time, that I can recall, actually having any kind of connection with such a tragedy.
My gamer friends also make me chuckle and even cry on a daily basis. They make me think and we even debate about things from time to time.
I have virtual connection to my former students, who I still worry about, I cringe at some of their posts, laugh and cry at more of them. I now worry about my female students the most, sexist of me I know, though it is probably the predators that should be worried about them. They are all strong women in their own ways, and have some vulnerabilities too.
I have waxed on and on and on. There is a lot more in my little brain, but I will stop for now.

Berries, Yum

I made the mistake of stopping at Bauman Farms for some apples and ended up buying three bags of berries. Marionberries, Boysenberries, and Loganberries. I love berries and my black thumb does not allow me to cultivate them. I do have two nice wild blackberry bushes in the backyard, but I think I'm killing them too. An incidious foreigner that is hard to kill, but I think I am doing it.
I made a berry pie, following the directions exactly from Emerile Lagasse and the pie was way to juicy. Yummy but too juicy, I think it is because the berries are frozen so I am going to try no water the next time. Maybe today, if I get myself motivated.
I am totally bummed about Pipeline Porter only being available until March. I did buy a six pack of their Koko Brown, which instead of coffee uses coconut. I don't like coconut, but I thought, "What the heck." Well I still don't like coconut, but the ale is ok. I won't buy a second six pack, but if you like coconut it is the ale for you. I'll have to go back to the lighter Longboard. Alex O'Loughlin on Hawaii Five-O drinks it on the show. He is a looker, he is. Too bad I could be his mom, it really sucks.

March 15, 2011

Found a new brew...

So, I bought a six pack of Pipeline Porter last week. It was wonderful. I went to the website, of course, http://www.konabrewingco.com/beers/pipeline-porter, and I found out it is only available through March. Or up until March, I can't tell. Pipeline Porter is a wonderful smooth porter, with a coffee blend. Two of my favorite drinks in one, nirvana. From their website: This celebration of malt unites with freshly roasted 100% Kona coffee grown at Cornwell Estate on Hawaii’s Big Island, lending a unique roasted aroma and flavor. A delicate blend of hops rounds out this palate-pleasing brew.
Interestingly I even cooked a pot roast for the family dinner on Sunday and used this porter as the liquid. On the website it says one of the food pairings is pot roast! Never could figure out how to pair wine, but looks like I'm on a good turn with ale.

March 14, 2011

Scary stuff

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan and now a nuclear scare. The news says the financial index in Japan is down, which pragmatically makes sense to me. I sort of wonder why they think that is news. Why wouldn't Japanese stocks be down? Oh and maybe you should buy stock in iodine with all the people freaking out here in Oregon and buying out the iodine stuff available.
I guess I worry about the radiation, but not so much I am going to change my routine or run down to Walgreens and put my name on a list to get the iodine or iodide or whatever it is. I am guessing some unscrupulous entreprenuers will  start selling it on street corners for 100 times the price. You laugh, but just watch in a week or so your email inbox is going to filled with ways to prevent radiation sickness. Just watch.
Got my very first ever unemployment check. The people at the jobs office seemed amazed, why would anyone be amazed that I've had a job, been a mom, or been school and I have never been on unemployment before? It's weird. And it is very degrading, in my opinion. I am glad for the money, pittance though it is, but it doesn't make feel good. Especially when I can't seem to find a job. I got a call from a job I applied for about four months ago, with HOST, but the job is on call graveyard shift and wandering around Salem at night alone, is not something I feel I can do. Sure I applied for it four months ago, but that was when I had an actual paycheck. The position is on call and if I get called unemployment deducts what I get paid from the amount I get every week.
I'm not sure how I am going to pay my bills. Monthly it is about 30% of what my paycheck has been. Not sure how I'm going to pay bills. The bills, other than the utilities, were made when I made 70% more money. I just don't know what I am going to do.