Entertaining search logs of February 2008

Monday, 18 February, 2008

So I started this post a while ago, intending to post it on a slow day when I didn’t have anything to talk about:

One sad thing about not posting very often for, like, two years: my search word reports, listing the search terms that folks were looking for when they got to my site, are not as entertaining as they used to be (and I’m sure they were only funny to me, in the first place). I shall have to come up with more incongruous phrases to combine in amusing ways in order to boost my enjoyment of my search word reports.

reqs search term
1 lauren 32 ruby tuesdays
1 wauna lake
1 i’ll never dance for another
1 laurenisms
1 ‘ll be dancin’ on a pony keg

But now I have a funny update so I have to post it now even though I just posted yesterday! Went to check my logs again, just for fun, and I found this most excellent query that led someone to me: cower before my awesome stew.

In light of last night’s very successful oxtail stroganoff with fresh pasta from the market, and tonight’s impending butternut squash and garlic soup, I find this particularly pleasant.


We are the challengers of the unknown

Sunday, 17 February, 2008

If I could write, this is what I would write about: A sunny morning with the mountain out and Seattle misty and shining across the water; Neko Case challenging the unknown in my ears; a gull swooping and riding the wind in front of the boat.

(song: “Challengers,” The New Pornographers [listen!])


Things I might or might not do.

Wednesday, 6 February, 2008

1. Go to the Washington caucus, which is at the exact same time as my tiny friend Ciaran’s first birthday.
      1a. Finish making Ciaran’s Christmas present.
      1b. Decide who I would vote for.
2. Ride my bike in March with all my new bike-nerd co-workers. (ALL of them ride their bikes to work. I feel a little left out, but I get to take a ferry, so there.)
3. Ever get enough sleep, ever.


January 2008 books recap.

Sunday, 3 February, 2008

Books I read in January 2008!

Dies the Fire: A Novel of the Change, by S. M. Stirling
At the recommendation of John Glover, I believe. Apocalypse in Oregon! Pagans! Survivalism! Farming! Hooray! The writing kind of bugged me, but along with Parable of the Sower & Parable of the Talents (both by Octavia E. Butler and highly recommended), this felt like a very true version of what would (will) happen when Western civilization falls apart.
Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay
The third of the Dexter series. Not nearly as good as the first two, which I quite enjoyed.
The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language by Christine Kenneally
Really nice summary of the research to date about evolution & language development, especially re: what is it that makes only humans have language like we have it, when so many other species have several of the qualifications, but none has all? Recommended.
In the Woods by Tana French
An engrossing book that I only took about two days to read. I cried, but then, I always cry at books. It reminded me, somehow, of The Black Dahlia, which I read in December. Semi-mystery, semi-cop-story, semi-drama, semi-totally-depressing-story-about-humanity-being-lame. Recommended.
The Zen of Fish: The Story of Sushi, from Samurai to Supermarket by Trevor Corson
Not that good. Non-fiction story of a group of students at the California Sushi Academy, but the author is not present in the book — he writes as an omniscient narrator, rather than a participant; there is no “I.” Which for some reason kind of drove me crazy. Interesting historical bits about sushi though.

I don’t know any Basque songs, so pretend this is just a bunch of Xs and Ks.

Friday, 1 February, 2008

Home sick yesterday and today, boo. The dogs like to have someone around, though, and it’s nice to catch up on sleep, lack of which probably contributed to the cold in the first places. Thank dirt for honey and ginger and lemon in hot water. And thank the Basques for my new super-easy favorite sick (or cranky, or really just hungry in general) soup:

Basque Bread & Garlic soup
Thinly slice several cloves of garlic. One or two per person, or several if making it just for yourself and you like it that way.
Sauté said slices in olive oil until golden.
Add a stale (day-old or more, but not too old) baguette, cut into 1-1½ inch slices; toss or turn over to coat with delicious garlicky olive oil on both sides
Add broth to cover; season to taste with red pepper flakes, cayenne, salt, etc.
Bring to a boil
Drop in one egg per person and boil until egg is cooked. Serve immediately. I generally eat it straight out of the pot because I am lazy.
Adapted from The Basque Table by Teresa Barrenechea.

Spicy, garlicky, protein-y, salty, & hot. Perfect. Then, a nap.


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