Sisters in Law

My brother is getting married sometime next year. I like his fiancé. I've only met her a couple of times, so I haven't developed any kind of sisterly relationship. I wasn't trained for that kind of thing. My mom doesn't have sisterly relationships with her SIL's. She has really tense relationships actually. God, I hope I can avoid that. I like Oscar's sister a lot, but I don't know how to interact with her. I know we probably wouldn't be friends if it weren't for Oscar. We just don't do similar things. But she's really friendly and fun to be with. I just wish I knew how to be open with her and Sarah.

William and Sarah are getting married in my parents' backyard. Absolutely precious. I like backyard weddings. And you can't get any better than my parents'. The previous owners got married there too. Heck, I might get married there. But that plan is still a ways off.

My boss is taking me and the other girl to the Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. We are members and do some printing for them. I'd like to know why they never, ever have high quality logos. They send us 72 ppi jpgs. WTF! They're the effing CoC. They don't have/can't get an .eps?

Farmer's Market this morning was great. All my favorite flowers are out. Bloomington Coffee Roasters had a new Mexican roast out. It was very light and amazing. There were tons of bell peppers and I got some of the last local peaches of the year, even though they're on sale for 88¢/lb at Kroger. I may go buy more there. I also got some fromage blanc and cottage cheese from Trader's Point. The cottage cheese is unbelievable. I don't even like cottage cheese, but I can eat this straight on a fork. The fromage blanc is delicious in pasta. Quick recipe:

Pasta of choice for as many people as you'll be feeding. I think a pound is good for four.
Fromage blanc (I think ricotta will work too)
Broccoli, coursly chopped (I like a lot, but this is all to preference).
1 handful Pine nuts or Walnuts
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
Olive Oil
Red pepper flakes, parsley, oregano, and or basil to taste

Cook pasta per package directions. Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When you start hearing the garlic sizzle, add the broccoli and any herbs. Cover and let cook until broccoli is cooked to your liking. I prefer it pretty crisp, so I only let it cook 5-8 minutes. Add the pasta and toss everything around a few times. Remove from heat and add in a big spoonful of fromage blanc. Stir it in to melt in the pasta. Keep stirring in spoonfuls until the pasta is coated to your liking. Sprinkle on some fresh parmesan cheese, if you'd like. Enjoy!

This is a fun combination to play with. Play with the herbs. Try spinach or zucchini instead of broccoli. You could add cooked chicken or shrimp.

Edit: Don't toss the pasta into the veggies. Put it back in the pot and toss in the cheese. It's easier to coat the pasta if you can swirl and toss it. Then add all the veggies to the pasta pot. I made this tonight (09/23) and added red and yellow bell peppers and onion. Quite delicious. This is quickly becoming my mulch dish. I big pile of vegetable remnants

Better be off.

Current Mood:

Decemberists.

Yes, for me, The Decemberists are a mood. Like big is a smell. And coincidentally, they go together.

It's first cool week after summer and I'm fed up with my music. But then, without thinking, I put on 5 Song E.P. and Castaways and Cutouts and I know it's fall.

And I'm driving from Oxford to the southeast side of Cincinnati on 275, my dad's Durango full of the stuff I'd left in storage over the summer. Gran is waiting for me at Aunt Linda's house. Tomorrow, we'll be driving back to Myrtle Beach. I've just left all my friends at Miami. All the people who are responsible for this sentimentality. And the air is vast. The sun is warm, but the breeze is cool and carries every sweet smell it's ever touched. That's big.

This is the snapshot. The vertex of an angle. One segment is two years at Miami. The other spans two months and turns when my grandmothers die. It's working at Kligs through the fall. It's smoking weed. It's feeling comfortable, but then realizing this comfortable is not where you want to be.

All of this is The Decemberists. Five years later, it's still a terribly vivid emotion. So exact.

Sometimes, the customer is wrong

Why do people who wait two weeks to inform you of a problem also not want the problem fixed? The product is good enough to be used, but bad enough to complain for a refund. We don't have an explicit return policy. More of a "make it work" policy. If there's a problem with the final product, we're totally willing and happy to reprint it at no charge. But I resent being asked for a refund, especially when the proof that they approved matches the final product.

I'm not as stupid as Judy must think I am

We have a client with ridiculous two-sided, full-color, full-bleed business cards. They've ordered them for various employees maybe five times in the year I've been here. And I have fucked them up every time. The first time, it was a minor foible. Typo or something. The second time, was probably a typo too, but being the second mess up, it's no longer a foible. The third time, they'd moved, so I had to change their address and I left the old zip code. I'm such a flake. A long time went between the third and fourth. I forgot they'd moved, so I sent the proof with the old address. I'm an idiot. Now, I picked the one oddly formatted card to create proofs for new employees, so the alignment and spacing is all wrong. I can only imagine what the card orderer thinks of me. Has she even noticed that I've fucked up their cards every time she's ordered them? I want to email her some long excuse begging her not to think I'm stupid. But that would probably just annoy her.

They're measuring the kitchen and bathroom today. We will be getting a new stove and countertops. Currently, the burners on the stove are operated by push button and the oven runs 25° hot. We will also be getting a new vanity in the bathroom, which is nice, although I have no complaints about the current one. It's fantastically retro. If only it were mint green.



I watched a lot of Bridezillas yesterday. I don't understand–can't fathom–how a person gets to that point. I say person because there was a Groomzilla. Take a step back and a breath in. After that, I watched a show about wedding cakes. I'm not actually obsessed with weddings or anything, but yesterday my TV thought I was. I am a big fan of cake, though. I would totally be Cake Monster on Seseme Street. I'd live in a cake like a burlesque dancer, only I'd be homeless because I'd have eaten my home. Or it would have dissolved. To me, weddings are about cake and family.

This is my life . . .

I'm excited over my credit card company actually doing something nice.

I recently paid for my car insurance with my credit card, so I could get the rewards points. I paid it off right away. In fact, my payment cleared before the insurance charge did. Problem was, there are two accounts I pay from and I chose the one that didn't have that much money in it. It was rejected, but I noticed it right away and payed again from the correct account. They hit me with a returned check fee. But I called and explained I'd chosen the wrong account and would love it if they'd remove the charge. And they did. Sweet! I love you customer service representative.

Now, if I can just get Geico to realize I don't live in South Carolina anymore...