Peppered Thought – The Spice of Life

Well, this week has been full of ups and downs. At work, I have been doing a project not related to my actual job at all and it was supposed to be over last week. Wishful thinking. I feel really crummy and uncreative when I feel like I am chained and only allowed to do this one thing. So hopefully today is the absolute last day and I can get back to my real job. If I can remember what that is.

But here’s the real week wrap up:

-I GOT MY CAMERA! I think the eBay seller knew I was checking the tracking info every hour for a week because he sent it at the very last possible moment. Blerg. But I got it, I cleaned it, I loaded film and I have only taken one picture but I. Am. In. LOVE.

The Beau just might murder me for putting his photo up here. Or make me take it down.

-I totally forgot that it was Space Week! Luckily I wrote about it last year, so you can read here.

-I won some coffee straight from New Orleans and it has chicory in it and now I want a garden full of chicory. Plus, it’s such a fun word to say.

Not pictured:

-It dipped way down into the 70s here in the valley, so I got to wear my amazing green pants that I will probably be wearing a little too much this fall! I’m not calling it fall yet, because it’s supposed to get back into the upper 90s next week, but fingers crossed that’s a fluke. Hello pants + tights!

-I found a recipe for apple cinnamon roll cupcakes that might stop my heart, and I am slowly putting together a rad Halloween costume, hehe.

groovin on podcast love.

I love podcasts. The more I listen to them, the more I try to think about why I like them so much. Other than the fact that so many people tell me that I was born in the wrong decade – the 40s & 50s were really my time – and during that era radio shows were still popular, I think I love podcasts for their enviable storytelling abilities. They make up in fabulism what I severely lack.

I’ve made a list of my very favorites, and ones I’m getting ready to jump into because they have been highly recommended by people whose minds I know and trust.

• My Brother, My Brother and Me (MBMBaM for short). Three brothers who give advice to those who ask for it, and ridicule (and possibly give very bad advice) to the people of Yahoo Answers. It sounds pretty straightforward, but these guys are so funny that they were my starting point for podcasts.

• Thrilling Adventure Hour, especially Beyond Belief. I could only hope I can grow into the alcoholic shoes of Sadie Doyle. She is classy, sweet, saucy and terribly, terribly funny. And PFT, well, he’s just like his bio says, “America’s finest…” Start anyplace you’d like, but here is the link to the soundcloud audios.

• How Stuff Works podcasts (especially Stuff You Missed in History Class). I like these on days I feel unproductive. They’re nice and short, and they make me feel like I learned something. So even if I don’t do anything else all day, I learned one thing.

• Ear Wolf shows. You could pretty much close your eyes and pick a show on the Ear Wolf lineup and hit a winner. My favorites are Sklarbro Country, How Did This Get Made, Comedy Bang Bang, Who Charted?

• WTF with Marc Maron. He’s a comedian who invites people on a show he produces from his garage. So awesome on so many levels. Sometimes his guests are people that he has had beef or problems, or didn’t like in the past, and that is a very interesting way to talk through it: invite them to talk about it on a public podcast! But since he’s been a stand-up comic for a while, he has a lot of great stories about being on the road, or to commiserate with other guests on the show. Amy Poehler got an apology from him when she was on his show because he would never help her out when she was first in the Second City circuit.

Here a couple that people have recommended, but I haven’t yet delved into yet for some straaaange reason:

• Mike & Tom Eat Snacks, recommended by both GillianTheGreat and The Beau. “the podcast where your hosts Michael Ian Black and Tom Cavanagh eat, discuss, and rate snacks. ” I don’t think i need to say anything that hasn’t been said already. Sounds fantastic.

• Hardcore History, recommended by Ben Fowlkes. With titles like “Death Throes of the Republic”, “Old School Toughness” and “Suffer the Children” how could I be kept away?
• Pod F. Tompkast.  Recommended by everyone who has discerning ears. I don’t know why i haven’t gotten to this one yet. I listen to Beyond Belief, I listen to Comedy bang bang, those all have the Tompkins element, why don’t I take the leap?

Do you have any more recommendations for me to add to my heaping List o’ Listening?

Vintage Polaroid via HulahoopVintage

Let’s see about this week, shall we?

-As you can see from the photo above, I have been searching for an inexpensive land camera lately. I finished my first roll in my Holga (after a mishap had to re shoot a roll that wasn’t properly secured), and have been thinking about trying several different formats to see which I like best. With all this camera talk I might have to sell some of my older, less used ones to make room for ones I actually like.

-I wandered through labyrinthine antique stores looking for a little bit of everything, for only a couple of pennies. I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t find anything in my price range, so went down the street to the Goodwill-style thrift store. Imagine my surprise and delight in finding an entire outfit for $6! I will do an outfit post next week about it, but rest assured, my brain is totally in fall mode with it.

gif via dashedlines

-Parks and Recreation and Community had their season premieres last night and I am just so happy to go back to some quality, hilarious TV time on Thursdays. (I could watch that gif FOREVER.)

-UFC 135 tomorrow! I love when there’s an MMA fight on Saturday nights, because 1) I love MMA and 2) we always get pizza that night. PIZZA!

Although this week was kind of poopy (I think i am getting exasperated with the sun/heat, a different kind of Seasonal Disorder), it’s starting to clear up and be a wonderful weekend, despite having to work on Sunday. Here’s the week in pictures:

Wished ‘Tortilla Tuesday’ a happy anniversary,

saw a cloud that looked like a sitting camel, then sang “Prince Ali” while in the car by myself,

The Beau got Limited Edition Confetti Pop tarts. Let me tell you a little something about pop tarts in our house. They are our dessert. Never a breakfast thing, so these confetti ones are right up our dessert alley. And let me tell you, THEY TASTE JUST LIKE FUNFETTI CAKE. It is uncanny!

Went with my mom, sister, and sister-in-law to see The Help. I liked it, very beautiful direction and the clothes were to die for. I’m still not sure about the story, I have heard so many conflicting views. But, I do know that watching it has made me want to read the book, and to find books about Civil Rights by black women in the South.

We watched this Spanish thriller-horror movie called ‘Eskalofrio’ (Shiver) and it was pretty good. We have watched quite a few Spanish language horror movies and they are all so much better than drivel that America seems to think is good.

Lastly, I saw this penpal gift idea on Design Sponge and am thinking that all my penpals will be getting these soon, they look like so much fun!

I also wanted to apologize for my lack of posting. With it being so hot outside, there is little I want to do except write the occasional letter and lie down on the tile next to tortilla and eat my pop tarts in frozen yogurt.

But I have a lot of things I’m working on, mainly in the vein of DIY and crafty things, so stay tuned!

Let’s see, this week:

I had what started as a girls night dinner with family ladies, then my brother came and we got to take cute pics of him and the baby. Matching stank faces!

Got two letters in the mail this week, one including stationery from the 70s! I say that’s a postal win.

Chilled with my sis and niece.

Celebrated National Smores Day with a trifle concoction.

Not pictured:

• Made a date to have lunch with one of my favorite people in the world

• Dyed my hair. NBD just black. As The Beau said “that’s a good summer color.” *shrug*

I also tried unsuccessfully to convince The Beau to make a stout cake – maybe next week. But he did make me this Strawberry Experiment – strawberry frozen yogurt, strawberry Pop Tarts and strawberry syrup. With whipped cream. I was in heaven.

I made a tumblr for best friend in honor of her birthday. She loved it – what Leo wouldn’t like all that attention?

Took my dad for surgery (don’t worry; he’s fine) and perused his bookshelf (look at those vintage bindings!)

Went to the dentist and it was a good visit. The high after a good dental appointment is like that of acing your final exam.

Lots of monsoons equal not only the best time of the summer (except the oppressive humidity), but also my favorite time to take pictures!

Tore through a lot of “Like You’d Understand Anyway” and it is amazing. Short stories you want to be longer, historical fiction that I crave, it’s all there.

It’s the first week of the month and I haven’t done a month review. I decided 6 months of that was enough. Finances? Meh. Books? Obviously need to read more, always more.

The week in review is much more enjoyable than a monthly one.

Also, the last picture above is The Beau’s concoction. He calls it the Quintuple Quatro. Those Neapolitan OREOs were gone pretty quickly in our house.