Great inspiration for more persperation

Hidey ho, girls and boys. It be the New Year, yaaarrrrrr. And it's time to think resolutions - the ones that I really have my heart and mind set to, and the ones that won't last through the week... you all what I'm talking about, you do it yourselves.

This year my resolutions are (the ones I will keep, maybe):

* take guitar lessons (and maybe some fiddle lessons, too?!)

* paint and carpet our upstairs

* travel more

* start, (and maybe complete?!!!?) the Superior Hiking Trail

* increase my level of fitness

...I'm sure I'll add a couple thousand more things throughout the year, but then, those won't be 'New Years' resolutions.

So - on to the etymology of the title of this blog. For about 4 or so months, I've been following the blog of one of the most interesting persons I've 'known', (and I know a LOT of interesting folks!). Her name is Catra Corbett, and she lives out in Fremont, CA. I came across her blog one day while Googling the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) - another trail I'm intersted in, along with the American Discovery Trail, and the Appalachian Trail. Anyhoo - she was attempting a thru hike of the PCT, but injured her knee and had to drop her quest (see her blog Catra's PCT Adventure). Turns out, she has another blog for her 'normal' life, Dirt Diva. And I have to say, she inspires me to get out there and push myself to my limits... which begat my final resolution, increase my level of fitness.

Catra - inspiration

Catra is an ultra-runner, and for her recent 43rd bday, she celebrated by completing a 43 HOUR run through the Ohlone Trail network, south of San Francisco, over 100 miles of running! She regularly does crossfit workouts, sometimes multiple times a day - and then will go for a leisurely 20-mile run! Amazing. And, have I mentioned, she's gorgeous - and totally smokin' hot. And I'm not talking in the 'for a 43 year old' hot, I mean overall, for whatever age... As I'm rocking towards my mid-30's, her exploits inspire me, I am excited to see what is possible in my own life!

Catra, and my sister Linda (who is also 43), are 2 examples of women who attack life head-on, and won't take shit lying down. I know I have that potential - but I haven't fully embraced it. I still find myself making excuses for why I 'can't' do something, or put things off, self-sabotage... but I'm getting better every day, and I'm ok with getting better.

So, to all those who inspire me, particularly the women who inspire me - my sisters, my mother, my grandmother, my girlfriends, and those unique individuals like Catra Corbett (oh, oh!! and another adventuring friend of mine, Celeste Ametrine) - thank you. I harvest a wealth of knowledge from you all, and am lucky enough to see that class, bravery, ballsiness, and femininity can co-exist, all wrapped up in the beauty that are the women I love.

Happy New Year 2008.

Gravy is God

What is your favorite food group???

Of the 7 votes cast - GRAVY wins by a vote.... just goes to show, gravy is a universal truth. And I dig truthiness.

Anyhoo. I have found a bigger, better, and fattier calling than deep fried gravy balls, although I will still chase that dream... are you ready for...

DEEP FRIED BACON!!!!

with cream gravy dipping sauce!!!

I have never quivered with so much anticipation IN MY LIFE. I was unable to link to the video, so go see it yourself:

http://www.viruz.com/boost-your-cholesterol-above-240-in-a-shot/

Cari, Nature, I will be expecting your assistance with this. When does you BOTM arrive?

**I apologize for the bland nature of this entry - I am waaaaay too preoccupied with deep fried luuuuuuuuuvvvvv to concentrate. Mmmmmm.... bacon :)

Foiled again!!!

Turns out that there already exists a deep fried gravy ball - it's called bittenballen, and the Dutch are responsible (bastards).

My personal Ambrosia

So, my friend, the Mostly Honorable Princess Cari, tells me I should talk about food. It is, after all, one of my passions. Not so much creating it, but eating it - I'm reeeeeeaaaalllly good at eating. Anyhoo, I digest...

Months ago, or has it been years now?, I dreamt of the penultimate appetizer. The pinnacle of State Fair foods, if you please. A vision of deep fried lovliness that takes my breath away, and will certainly also contribute to my future diagnosis of artherosclerosis.

Deep fried **** WAIT FOR IT!!!**** gravy balls!

YES!

On a stick even, if you're into that sort of thing! Alas, I have found myself at loggerheads trying to determine the best way to deliver the gravy in ball form; gravy being inherently liquidous in nature. That, and I can just see the law suits pile up while person after person is horribly burned by lava hot gravy, fresh from the hissing oil vats... reminds me of that Seinfeld epsiode where Kramer gets the Dominicans to roll the crepes, but they roll them too tight... heh heh, good stuff.

So, on with the R&D. Anyone care to join me in this venture? If we figure it out, we'll make hundreds!!! Or tens. Maybe. I don't know. But, gravy is edging out cheese and pizza as this site's favorite food group at the time of this missive... that's got to count for something. Right?!

Oh! I also need a catchy name, or does Gravy Balls have what it takes to reel 'em in? Discuss.

In search of the Almighty Dollar

Amid all the insistance that Americans have it better today than in 'the good ol' days', comes an interesting article that lends credence to how I (and many of my peers) feel - the middle class is getting s-c-r-e-w-e-d. Our fashion challenged predecessors from the '70's had it easy-peasy compared to today's middle of the road corporate drone and/or blue collar bumpkins.

Even with the post-modern 2 income household, 'cheap' commodities supplied by foreign manufacturers, and the colossal fuck up of the century HMO's (they were supposed to make it BETTER!), our fixed expenses eat up an average of 65% of our net income compared to under 40% for our 1970's counterparts!!! And that is considering the 'typical' 1 PERSON income on the day!

If you didn't quite get the gist from my little reduction above, check out the link to the MSN article. Depressing. *sigh* I had no idea how good we had it when we were 10.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21309318/?GT1=10450

And with that, I would like to announce that I have taken a 2nd job with REI. Even though I work in mortgage, got a great deal on our house, make decent money, and do not have outrageous debts, I STILL need the additional income to warrant against foreclosure - how frustrating is that?

Still, I feel extraordinarily lucky that I have a solid job with great benefits (now I have 2 of them!). I have a beautiful home (minus the crack in the foundation, that sux), a beautiful partner (BHo, love you!), and beautiful friends (you guys rock), and my beautiful family!!! (thank you Becky) . I have my health, I am lucky enough to be able to set aside a little bit o'money for the retirement years - which, by the time we get there will have been revised to 80 years old or some ridiculous thing - and of course, Social Security will be a relic of years gone by too (thank YOU Baby Boomers!), and I still have a sense of humor, kind of.

In summation, blah blah blah. To quote the immortal Roger Waters, "Money, so they say, is the root of all evil today.But if you ask for a raise its no surprise that they're giving none away."

Genius.