Thursday, January 31, 2008

there will be snacks.

I've always been fascinated and charmed by bento, Japanese boxed meals. Portable containers with small portions of various edibles, some of them are little delicious works of art. I've wanted to try my hand at making bentos, but didn't have a reason until now.

Mike has joined a weight loss contest at work. There's a cash prize at the end, so I'm determined that he will win. Within the first five days of this new diet, he had lost an astonishing 9 pounds! Yesterday he told me that because of his scaled down meals he starts to get hungry for a snack around 2 o'clock in the afternoon. As I was suggesting something sort of protein-filled like cheese or nuts to tide him over, I had the thought. Bento! Snack bento!

"I'm going to make you a little bento!" I exclaimed, bouncing in excitement.

"Um. Okay." Mike said.

So I went to the store, gathered up some yummy stuff, and spent an hour making this (I had to devil the eggs):

Two no-mayo devilled eggs decorated with black sea salt, scallions, paprika and carrot, a few dry roasted almonds, a wedge of light French onion Laughing Cow cheese, and some low fat multi-grain crackers...and a heart cut out of a piece of red bell pepper.

Cute!



I made Mike wait until this afternoon to open his bento, I wanted it to be a surprise. He loved it! The pepper valentine made him say "awww..." and he said the eggs were really good, even without the mayo.

This diet is also making me try out new cooking methods using more whole foods, like fresh vegetables, beans, and whole grains. We are eating more fish and salads and eating less beef and potatoes. It pains me to say it but we really cannot live on the beer/bacon/banana bread diet forever. Well, we could...but that would mean that forever wouldn't be all that long a time, you know?

you choose

Ever since I got out of high school, my hair has been a problem. I have had every hairstyle imaginable and have never been satisfied. I even was willing to shave my head bald as moral support for my mom when she was going through chemotherapy. She wouldn't let me, but I did get the shortest pixie cut possible. We went out and bought some big shiny earrings, some lipstick, and rocked our new looks. Bald is not a bad look on a woman, as evidenced by Sinéad O'Connor. It really makes the most of your eyes and bone structure. (plus, it's very low maintenance!) But, as tempting as it is, I am not going to shave my head. At least not now.

So, I need some help. Should I keep my current cut, or start the growing out process (for the thousandth time?)

This is kind of like my hair now:

(Style A)

But I really like this haircut:

(Style B)

I'm hoping someone more stylish than me (this would not be difficult) is reading this blog and can offer some advice. The less blowdrying required, the better.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008



Don's Guns - where the 2nd Amendment is alive and well...and the 4 Rules are 6 feet under. Get your finger off the trigger, Don!!!

UPDATE: Caleb has actually been to Don's, and refers to it as "undeniably skeezy." Shocker!

visit #26,256

I love my sitemeter. It fascinates me to see where people visit from, what they are reading, and how they got to this blog - and as a bonus, some of the results are downright hilarious.

It seems someone in Holland is lonely. Sorry to disappoint, buddy - I'm Irish and way out of your price range.

libraries, they're not just for movies anymore

click the image to see an absolutely brilliant idea!
This person is clearly a genius.

I wish I had thought of it first - this is revolutionary, people!
This might change the world!

(someone please tell me it's a joke)


H/T to my LJ buddy, falnfenix

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Nikki

(another chick! with a gun!)

Nikki and I met through our mutual friend Lydia. Last summer, Lydia had a potluck at her house to introduce us. So we drank beer, ate Nikki's delicious rice noodle macaroni and cheese (Lydia has wheat issues), laughed, drank more beer, and I quickly convinced her that, yes! non-democrat type people are nice! and fun! Really! (we are so.)

I also somehow convinced her to come shooting with me.

Nikki met us at the range yesterday, looking a little apprehensive. As we stood at the counter, waiting to get signed in, I pointed to the pistols in the case in a "look, there's some guns" manner. She said, "Okay, that's frightening."

Uh-oh.

And to top it off, the range was very crowded. More crowded than I had ever seen before. I could also hear lots of large caliber guns being shot in the back. I started to get a little nervous for Nikki at this point.

We bought some silhouettes and then I turned to her and said, "Ready?" By now she had a somewhat terrified smile on her face, but bravely followed me in.

I had previously emailed Nikki the 4 Rules, and she had read them thoroughly so we only briefly discussed them. I let her handle the unloaded .22 revolver and showed her how to properly grip it. I showed her how to load, shot the first rounds myself to demonstrate DA/SA, reloaded and then set the pistol down so she could give it a try. She shot all five rounds, but between each one said, "This is scary!"

Frightened or not, Nikki went on to shoot every gun we own and even a 9mm we rented from the range.


As time went on, Nikki became more comfortable loading and handling the pistols, and even proved to be a pretty good shot! She also surprised me by saying that our stainless steel Ruger SP101 was her favorite gun to shoot.


On our way out of the range, Nikki said that she could see how the focus you need for target shooting could be therapeutic and calming. She also said that she definitely would like to meet me at the range some weekday night to try it again!

(I recently found out that Nikki's husband Ryan has never tried shooting either. He's not a chick - but I'll teach him anyway!)

my poor baboos.

We brought the kittens to the vet to be neutered today. (I think I'm going to miss their cute little boy puffballs - but probably not as much as they will.)

While making the appointment last week, I had a heated discussion with the receptionist about the kittens needing their rabies vaccine. I've read that the rabies vaccine has been closely linked to fibrosarcomas in cats and I'm not entirely comfortable with it. My cats have never been outside, do not come in contact with other animals, do not bite people, their chance of getting rabies is minuscule...so why do I have to inject my healthy animals with a substance that could potentially cause very aggressive tumors?

Because it's the law.

So this morning when we brought the kittens in for their surgery, the receptionist (a frightening combination of The Soup Nazi and Nurse Ratched, who hums to herself and thinks she's something of a veterinary expert) told me that the kittens needed their rabies shot. I explained that I wanted to speak to the doctor and she showed us into an examination room.

As soon as the vet walked in, I beat him to the punch. I immediately informed him that I was not going to give the kittens the vaccine, and why.

"But it's the law!" he said.

"And?" I replied. "Are they going to come to my house and arrest me?"

I took a lot of convincing, but it turns out that he could lose his license. Neither of us had any choice. He had to vaccinate and I had to let him...because it's the law.

Monday, January 28, 2008

not that I'm surprised...

I've been saying for a while now that Bill would eventually torpedo Hill's campaign. His enormous ego made it inevitable.

But, you know, sometimes watching things come to fruition is just too delicious. I'm going to sit back and savor this one.

fresh air

I really dislike being cold. A lovely evening (Or morning. Or afternoon.) for me is spent reading in my big chair, wearing fleece, wrapped in fleece blankets, snuggled up with various cats and a hot water bottle, sipping a mug of steaming tea. Having the space heater chugging way nearby is entirely optional, but still a nice touch. Venturing outside and into below freezing temperatures (24°F!) is an event for me, but I've been having a bad case of cabin fever, feeling all cooped up - sluggish and stuffy.

So we decided to pay a visit to the Metroparks for a brisk walk. We go to the park frequently during the other seasons of the year and it's usually filled with people busily pursuing their own activities - biking, hiking, and the like.

The park in the winter is almost deserted. It is so quiet - the whole world seems to be asleep and dreaming of spring.

(Sunset Pond)


Crunching our way through the woods, I marveled at the stark bare-boned trees. Without the cover of leaves, they are all contrast and architecture against the white of the snow. Mike led us to the falls and...oh! The icicles!

(Buttermilk Falls)


So much surprising beauty, out there in the ice. I'm planning another walk soon. I've heard of a secret place in the woods where the wild birds will sit in your hand and that there's even a castle to explore! Winter magic!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

we're all adults here, right?

(I guess I use the word "crap" too often. Dammit!)

Saturday, January 26, 2008

saturday morning

Bliss. Snuggling under the blankets, covered in cats, sleeping in - a chance to wake up together instead of the hurried weekday o'dark thirty kisses and "I love you"s. Steaming mugs of mocha java...



Shuffling around the house in fleece and slippers, still sleepy-eyed at 11 AM, we're planning a snowy adventure!

Friday, January 25, 2008

Crazy Cleveland


She would like children to turn in their weapons in exchange for cash or a gift card.

When children have their own personal secret stash of weapons and are shooting and murdering each other in the streets, this is NOT A GUN PROBLEM .

This is a symptom of a culture that has gone terribly wrong. This is a sign that adults are not parenting the children they bring into this world. Take away their guns and these children, who have not been raised with the values or morals that would make them actual human beings instead of base creatures driven by mindless instinct, will quickly and most assuredly find knives and blunt objects to act out their violence.

Last November, the city sponsored another gun buyback, called "Enough is Enough", bringing in over 400 weapons. They also encouraged children to bring in their toy guns to be exchanged for fast food restaurant gift certificates. I'm hoping they also handed out coupons for free parenting classes and/or sterilization to the adults. Enough is enough, indeed.


Friday funny!

Paulthewineguy has taken famous works of art, added geekery like html, emoticons, and other computer-based elements to better explain them to left-brainers. They are all very funny and terribly clever, such as this one, and very frequently charming, like this one.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

hmm...red or white wine?

59%


Or! Fava beans and a nice Chianti...

doctor's orders.

Dr. Breda, that is.

I have a prescription for those suffering with sinusitis. (you who live near the Great Lakes know what I'm talking about...every time the weather changes, it feels as if someone has poured throbbing semi-solid lead in the hollow spaces of your cranium, right?)

Grab a prepared package of fresh sushi from your grocery store. Go home, boil some water, make a cup of cinnamon tea. (buy that at the store too if you don't have the world's largest collection of tea, like I do) While tea is steeping, eat the sushi. Make sure to dissolve ALL of the wasabi in the soy sauce so that it looks cloudy & opaque. Thoroughly saturate the sushi in this mixture, top it with a piece of pickled ginger, put it in your mouth and chew slowly. At this point, your eyes might water and you might feel as if your nasal cavities have been set on fire and the back of your head is going to blow off. Do not be alarmed as this is the desired effect.

Drink the tea you have made - by this time, it should be pretty spicy. It's also not a bad idea to take 2 ibuprofen if your sinuses are so sore that it feels as if your eyeball might explode.

Keep the Kleenex handy & please...don't call me in the morning, I tend to be cranky before I'm sufficiently caffeinated.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

tick, tick, tick....

Hear that? This photo has activated the ol' biological clock. Egads. The cuteness! Make it stop!

(found at Tam's, who found it at Oleg's)

Let's review, shall we?

I just got my first "the British have no guns and their society is better than the US" type comment - and honestly, it made me laugh out loud.

It's a good idea to do a little research before commenting because if you don't, well...a librarian might just feel inspired to make you look sadly misinformed. (like "stumpydoberman", the commenter.)

What's this about Britain having no guns again?

Pip pip cheerio, idiot.

in the news

In western Pennsylvania, a woman beats her older sister with the sister's own prosthetic leg.

And cops in Kentucky shoot a man because they mistake his prosthesis for a weapon.
I suppose that anything is possible, but I am seriously doubting that his leg looked anything like this:


Any moment now, I expect hysterical demands for bans on "assault limbs." Those amputees are very dangerous you know. I have a BK, myself - it's a little smaller than the AK.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Awww...

crap.

Who do I vote for now?

wait...I have an idea...
(FRED FOR VP!)


UPDATE: seems I'm not alone in my sentiments...

JayG said "crap" too...so did The Rattail Bastard, and DirtCrashr...
Greg and Sebastian said "dammit", which is close enough,
Robb said "damn", &
LawDog said "crap" and threw in a "bugger" for good measure.

Monday, January 21, 2008

beauty everywhere.

hello, ladies.

(go ahead..click it)


Ray Stevenson, who played the sexy beast Titus Pullo in the HBO series Rome, has the lead role in the next Punisher film, due out this year.

Hmm...Gerard Butler of 300, Ray Stevenson of Rome...I'm noticing a new trend in leading men. Gone are the days of waifish, androgynous boys...hooray! Bring on the big, hunky (Celtic-looking) men!

Hey, we all have our preferences, right?

a prediction...

Today, the most common words uttered by me will be:

"Yes, we're open."

Sunday, January 20, 2008

On the bedside table.

I got a little bored with Ann Coulter's newest (It's a compilation of her snarkiest bits, which I'm sure I've already read someplace or another) so tonight I started Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett. I'm only a few dozen pages in, but I can already tell that I'm going to have to find the entire series, in order, and...uh-oh. I just read on wikipedia that there's more than 40 books in the Discworld series. I'll try to pace myself.

I took this nifty quiz and the results were funny, and really kind of accurate. I scored as Nanny Ogg (note: beer)...and my second was the Librarian.



Which Discworld Character are you like (with pics)
created with QuizFarm.com
You scored as Gytha (Nanny) Ogg

You are Nanny Ogg! A talented witch, able to make yourself at home wherever you are, and insist that Greebo is just a big softie. You enjoy drinking, a lot, and singing about a hedgehog. You have a huge family, and get your daughters-in-law to do most of the housework. You are kind and gentle, and help put people at ease.


Meanwhile, my own little Great A'Tuin, Myra, is currently in the crabbiest part of her semi-hibernation. Is it coincidence that this happens simultaneously with bitterly cold snowstorms and absolutely no sunshine whatsoever? I think not.

weekend whoa-mance

Friday evening, I rushed to the brewery after leaving work. It was 6PM and I had a hot date on a cold winter night! I walked toward the bar and spied him sitting alone, a half empty pint in front of him, his leather jacket over the back of the chair next to him - saving a seat for me. He turned just then, smiled warmly at me, and suddenly we were the only two people in the room. He had a hoppy pint and hot honey mustard soft pretzels readied for me, and made me laugh and laugh until the world just fell away. He was, and always is, exactly what I needed.

(circa 2006)

Friday, January 18, 2008

war wounds

(OW!)

That, folks, is my naked knee adorned with the most spectacular rainbow-hued bruise. (sadly, the photo does not do justice to the gorgeous damson plum shade of purple it's blossomed into just today) I actually saw stars when it happened. When most people see someone sporting a bruise like this one, they exclaim, "Holy crap! What did you do?"

Let me tell you.

Mike and I have been fighting The Kitten Wars for oh....about 4 months now. We liked to think of ourselves as experienced warriors, wrangling and subduing kittens without even breaking a sweat. "Eh, kittens," we'd say with aplomb. "Some scruffing of their wee necks for some authentic momma cat scolding, a little spray with the squirt bottle when they're bad - no problem."

Until now.

(Ronan & Tighe)

I first met Ronan and Tighe when they were still in their momma's belly. Little more than a kitten herself, she would sprawl, hugely swollen, and lash her tail back and forth in annoyance every time the kittens she was carrying started to move. I should have known then.

The next time we saw the boys, they were 3 weeks old, and just learning to wrestle.
(if looks could kill)

Their momma, Shenzi, even at this early stage, already looked like she had had enough. We took them to our home, much to Shenzi's relief, 5 weeks later. We've since been informed that, without the constant annoyance of her crazed offspring, she has become a very mellow, friendly cat.

Ronan and Tighe are, during the day, very sweet, playful, cute, funny kitten boys - perfect little darlings...as kittens usually are. Nighttime, however, is a different story. Sometime around midnight (conveniently just at the exact time I am teetering on the edge of sleep), the kittens become possessed by demons...little furry demons who like to knock things off the dresser, claw at the side of the mattress, and burrow under the blankets to rasp your bare flesh with barbed tongues. (we think they're still trying to nurse. No more sleeping topless, no sir!) Also, theyare the kittens without fear. The squirt bottle doesn't work. Shouting doesn't work. Nothing works.

Months of battling the demon spawn and the resulting sleep deprivation have reduced me to tears, yelling and hysterical laughter (sometimes simultaneously)...all while stumbling around in the dark, muttering idle threats and using the f-word in increasingly creative ways. I slammed my knee into a hard edge of something at 4 in the morning and in the blur of pain decided two things: Tighe and Ronan will be sleeping locked in the (finished and pretty cozy) basement until further notice and, to hopefully cut down on the amount of crazy running through their veins, will also be getting neutered ASAP.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Out & Proud

(title and post inspired by my dear friend Lydia, who is an inspiration herself.)

(Sarah Reinertsen, triathelete & contestant on The Amazing Race, gets down with her bad self.)

(nice dress!)

I'm due for a new leg & I'm getting a little tired of hiding.

(plus, this style of prosthetic has a kind of...pedicured Terminator steampunky kickassedness.)

self defense...

(...you're doing it wrong.)

I'm sure these products are supposed to be all hep and ironical, made for people a hundred times cooler than everyone else, but I think they're just stupid. Here's more pathetic examples of designers (who probably have never shot anything in their entire lives) saying:

"Oooh! Let's add something about guns! or bullets! That will make it "edgy!"

(bullet proof vest)(yeah, good luck with that)



(a rose brooch, made out of ballistic nylon.)

(they refer to it as a talisman.....helloooooo, magical thinking!)

Monday, January 14, 2008

Not having any feet at all gives you an advantage - imagine that!


Oscar Pistorius, "the fastest thing on no legs", has been ruled ineligible to compete in the Beijing Olympics, and perhaps in any able-bodied event at all. He has been competing in able-bodied events for the past three years...but I guess placing 2nd at the South African National Championships last year made the two-leggers a little nervous.

album meme

Squeaky started it, and then Robb did one, and so did Tam and RobertaX so okay, okay - I'm jumping on the bandwagon too. (Ha! See what I did there? Jumping on the...oh, never mind.) Anyway, here's the rules:

The Band Meme
Here’s how it goes. You are about to have your own band’s CD cover. Follow these directions to the letter. It’s fun and requires no thought at all. Go to……
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first article title on the page is the name of your band.
2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.
3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/
The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result in your own journal because it’s more amusing that way.

And here are my results. One of them anyway - I did this more than once, it's a great time waster:

Sunday, January 13, 2008

range report

In homage to Tam's series of Sunday Smiths, I thought I'd include the gun I was shooting today, a Smith & Wesson model 642, double action only, airweight, with a laser sight - the reduced silhouette target was out about 7 yards.

(getting better!)

Random Fact #1

Octopi freak me out.

Described as what is essentially just a big clever brain with arms, they can not only squeeze their entire bodies through a hole the size of a quarter, they can also open jars, solve puzzles, communicate their emotions, have favorite toys, and this:

They change color to blend into their surroundings, plus they can perfectly match texture too.

They also seem to be working on becoming bipedal. Great, just great.

(notice how the octopus is using 2 legs to walk and is mimicking seaweed for camouflage with the other 6) I'm glad that they're not air-breathers - they'd be picking your locks, sneaking into your house, and raiding your fridge in the middle of the night. And then when you venture down into the kitchen to figure out just what that noise was, the octopus would go poof! and disappear into the linoleum or morph into a head of lettuce in the veggie bin.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Friday funny!

Proof you really can find everything at Walmart.

the opposite of progress


Yep, apartheid is really and truly over. One step forward, two steps back.

Fred!!



At the end of this video, I cheered. Out loud. Sitting alone in my basement, still in my pajamas.

I think I scared the cats.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

my glamorous life II

This is where I work.

(click for extra big library goodness!)

(I'm sure this is so exciting you can hardly stand it!)


And this is my Christmas bonus:

(ALMOST as good as cash!)

I could have gotten a photo of Jesse, the homeless guy, but I thought I'd play it safe since this is a PG-13 blog, and I couldn't tell if he had his hand down his pants or not.

Tam, you are just beside yourself & completely green with envy now, aren't you?

bleg

This must be poetry week here at The Breda Fallacy, what with my fisky limerick from yesterday and my first-ever entry into All Atwitter's haiku contest. I don't think I've ever written a haiku before, but...

I'M IN THE FINALS! VOTE FOR ME!

Or not - all the poets are very talented and either way, the prize is pretty terrific...a Deluxe Care Package sent in the winner's name to a member of the military serving in harm’s way.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

kitten porn

Whew! After writing (and in your case, reading) two pretty heavy gun-related posts today, I think we all could use a little laugh.

My kittens are getting...um.....big as evidenced by this totally NSFW photo of Tighe. (and me, in my usual one-handed blogging position) Seems like it's time for the old snip-snip.
Meredith Emerson, an accomplished martial arts student, went missing New Year's Day while hiking with her dog.

Her decapitated body was found last Sunday. Authorities believe that she was held for three days before being bludgeoned to death.

Her alleged murderer has been officially charged.

Stephanie Cavin, who lives in the same town as the victim says, "It's sickening that somebody that demented was among us." Describing herself as a friendly person who talks to just about anybody, she says she is now forced to analyze her actions.

I, for one, hope that she, and other women like her, consider a visit to the shooting range instead of heading to the local community center for a quickie course in self-defense because while this: might be able to save you, this:
would probably do a better job.

a limerick!

(very cute!)

A feminist, name of Mad Kane
Thinks the word "chick" is a bane,
Hates guns that are pink,
And I really do think
My blog would just drive her insane.


I found this lady's blog while perusing my sitemeter - someone had done a google search for "cute pink guns" and her blog came up in the results along with mine. Ms. Kane makes political and social commentary in the form of limericks and haikus. Very clever!

But...

As shown in the links above, Ms. Kane believes that if you teach a girl to shoot, you will be turning her into a killer. Do girls who learn to cook also become killers? Some kitchen knives are really big. And sharp. If quartering a head of cabbage with your largest santoku does not turn you into a dangerous ax-wielding maniac hellbent on decapitating innocent strangers, how does putting holes in a piece of paper 10 yards away with a tool that just happens to go bang turn you into a deranged homicidal gun-toting psychopath?

In fact, I've done far more damage to myself in the kitchen than I ever have on the range. I have filleted my own index finger with a chef's knife (don't ask) but I have never once shot myself. And nor will I.

If you are a normal person, guns will make you a more fully conscious human being. Shooting a gun is like yoga - you have to be very aware of your body: posture, breathing, the tiniest movements (down to how you move your fingertip) all affect whether or not you'll be able to hit the target consistently. Owning a gun requires you to be fully mindful of your environment and the 4 Rules in order to handle, carry and store your firearm safely. As a very nice and very wise man once said to me, it's "Zen and the art of the pistoleer."

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

hmm...

I read this little instructional over on LawDog's and my first thought was, "Where is the part where you pull your gun out of its holster, press the end of the barrel against the asshole's temple and squeeze the trigger?"

My second thought?

"Boy, what a mess that would make."

heh.


I may need this t-shirt.

my glamorous life

I am still in my pajamas and so far today I've:

been on kitty barfwatch (Eloise has been pukey. I don't know if she's working on a hairball or what)

written some emails,

done some laundry,

and eaten a Greek yogurt with honey, some nori maki (Japanese rice crackers wrapped in seaweed) and a clementine.

Next, I'm going to shower and go to Walmart to buy some razor blades and nail polish remover.

Tomorrow will be much more exciting, I promise.

Monday, January 7, 2008

aw...

Exhausted and doing badly in the polls, Hillary got all teary-eyed, the poor dear.

I have just one thing to say...



(Lily Allen is great fun, by the way. Give her a listen)

range report

The target below is the result of my first attempt at shooting the .22 revolver at 50ft, single action. I'm just glad that all 18 shots are on the paper! I'd need a lot more practice, obviously, to even consider joining the 22 league at the range, but I'm told it's a good start.


We're now range regulars on Sundays. It's nice to see the usual guys, check out their new gear, chat a little..you know, join in on what humans like to call "being social". But occasionally, there's someone new.

Yesterday, that someone new was a (Reasonably Nice) man teaching his (Jackass) friend how to shoot. Reasonably Nice was politely interested in what I was shooting, asking me about the laser sights on the .38, etc. He did have a little trouble when I showed him the other guns in the Fallacy collection - he kept asking if I had rented them and I had to keep answering, "No, this is mine too."

Jackass, now, was a different story. As soon as I walked onto the range, I caught his attention. I was only two stalls down from him and Reasonably Nice, and he kept looking at me and smiling as if I was some strange animal. I could practically hear the narrative running in his head: "OMG! Girl! Gun! Girl touching gun! OMG! Boobs! Boobs near gun!"

I had a hot-brass-down-the-shirt incident (remind me to wear turtlenecks.) which of course involved the inevitable hot-brass-down-the-shirt-HOT!-ow-ow-ow dance. Jackass's head was peeking around the corner of my stall so fast, you would have thought I was the featured entertainment at one of those gentlemen's clubs. "Hot one, huh? Heh heh heh." I looked at him like he was an insect.

And to top it all off, my friend Nicole (who came with us yesterday to continue her love affair with the Mk II) told me that while I was busy shooting, Jackass got behind me, and quick as anything, pulled out his cell phone and took a picture. Rude.

Did Jackass not notice that I was armed?

Sunday, January 6, 2008

I like to laugh at the British...

(...but just the stupid ones. If you are British and are reading this, well then, you're pretty smart, aren't you?)

(but is it bulletproof? Click to see)

The Safe Bedside Table was created in response to a report that 50% of people in London were worried about security.

found on OhGizmo!

Saturday, January 5, 2008

chocolate! beer! chocolate beer!

I introduced my best friend/sister from another mister Nicole to beer. She was strictly an amaretto sour, fruity wine, girly drink type of girl, claiming she didn't like beer...and then I bought her a pint of Guinness. I was a little nervous about it, because Guinness usually isn't a starter beer, it's something non-Irish types usually need to work up to...but I figured that Nicole was a serious chick, she could handle it. I mean, come on, this is someone who interned at a morgue and makes her own chainmail.

I warned her - "It's a little bitter and kind of heavy."

She nodded and drank the whole thing before passing judgment with one of her megawatt smiles. "It's good,"she said. "Different...but good."

Since that time, Nicole and I have tested all sorts of beer. She prefers dark beers and especially likes beers with flavors in them, such as spices, fruits, and of course, chocolate.

Young's Double Chocolate Stout has filled the need for a chocolaty beer...until now. Around Christmastime, Nicole found the chocolate flavored beer - Tommyknocker Cocoa Porter from a brewery in Idaho Springs, Colorado. Brewed with cocoa powder and honey, this dark beer has malty/milky flavors reminiscent of a mug of bittersweet hot cocoa. It's a perfect beer for those looking for something a little different and a lot chocolaty.

Friday, January 4, 2008

STOP what you are doing!!!

blogging may be hazardous to your health!



(yes, yes, I saw Bill Clinton in the lead-in to the video. I apologize.)

Friday funny!

Be sure of the artistic skills of your tattooist. Very, very sure.
Okay. You know you've spent far too much time working in libraries when you finally break down and manually rearrange your blogroll because Blogger auto-alphabetizes the list using the word "The" as the first word and you've decided that you just can't stand it anymore.

Ha! Larry us.

RobertaX, in her own unique style, has done me a great honor and flattered me beyond belief by turning me into an action figure! Your very own little Breda, plus accessories! (she forgot to mention that if you order now, you will get a complete set of interchangeable legs, normally a $20 value!)

I didn't just laugh - I guffawed. The woman is brilliantly witty.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

What not to do


I've seen this passed around the gunblogosphere recently, with both bloggers and commenters berating the man in the video for giving such a wee, stupid, and unsuspecting girl (oh, dearie me! what a big gun you have!) such a large weapon.

Let me be the first to say that the girl in the video is also an idiot and is just as responsible for the willful stupidity shown in the video.

Let's review, shall we?

The girl:
1. is dating/hanging out with/in the proximity of a douchebag who wears a shirt emblazoned with the words "Fuck Y'all"
2. has carefully planned (& don't you think for a second that she didn't) an ensemble of bikini top and camo pants, thinking that, when worn in unison they are attractive in a "I'm tough, but sexy too" sort of way. They are not. Neither are brass burns all over your cleavage if you insist on wearing said outfit while shooting. Nothing at all erotic about scabby blisters. (if you absolutely must wear camo pants - GET DECENT KICKASS BOOTS. Puma tennies do not suffice, even if they are black)
3. has a decent enough grip and shooting stance to convince me that this is not her first experience with guns. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that 50 (caliber) is bigger than say, 22.
4. coyly sticks out her tongue...what the hell is that about? You are holding a very large loaded weapon, honey, not practicing cutting circles in kindergarten.
5. pays no heed to the observers who are actively laughing at her, not with her.

From a woman's perspective, this seems to be an obvious attempt on the girl's part to be cute, to impress the boys, to make them like her, to be the "sexy gun girl"...so I don't feel bad for her at all.

To be perfectly honest, each time I've watched the video it kind of made me smile.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

shooty chicks update

When I arrived at work this evening, I found a little wrapped box at my desk. Monica, my coworker, had gotten me a gift. How sweet!

I picked it up and...whoa! Heavy little box! I looked at Monica and said, "what on earth is in here? Lead?"

She laughed and told me to just open it. I peeled back the paper to find - AMMO! Winchester Xpert22 hollow points! It was lead!

She says she wants to go back to the range and help me shoot them - yay! So far, all of the ladies I have introduced to shooting have asked for another trip to the range with me. Holly has borrowed her father's HK, hoping to find a moment in her hectic schedule to try it at the range with me, my mom wants to try out our new .22 revolver, Connie told me that she was going gun shopping with her husband over the holidays, and, of course, my best friend Nicole has been to the range multiple times with me, always professing her love for the Mark II.

Know a girl you want to introduce to shooting? Send them my way. (because...hello? I'm good at it.)

And stay tuned! I have at least 3 new chicks waiting in the wings, all lined up for their chance to make with the bang in this new year.

snow!!

We live in northeast Ohio, on the edge of the snowbelt. We frequently get what they call lake-effect snow, which causes great piles of the white stuff to accumulate quickly. Local news stations still think this is news - broadcasts are filled with radar images, weather alerts, and footage of snowplows and people wearing parkas and scarves up to their eyeballs. They go out into the elements for "man on the street" interviews, asking, "How do you feel about the weather?" The most common answer (accompanied by a shrug) is: "Eh. This is winter in Cleveland."

My neighborhood verges on Norman Rockwellian prettiness the morning after a snowfall. With the sun out, everything sparkles bright and clean. People are out shoveling their walks for the mailman, rosy cheeked kids can be seen trudging down the street, cutting through drifts, carrying their sleds to the big hill behind the city hall. And if you're bold enough to peek at a neighbor's windows, you might be lucky enough to see a little cat named Fae...

(click to embiggen the tiny cat enjoying sunspot and snow)

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Happy new year!

(we're in your computer, taking over your internets)




My husband has resolved to start blogging again in 2008.

Visit Mike-istan. You won't be disappointed.


UPDATE: he posted a post, (really!) and oh. my. gawd, I married a brilliant man.