ONE
For some reason my cell phone has started delivering my voice mail as text messages. While I’m sure research and development thought this was a brilliant idea, in the real world it results in your voice message:
Hi Jenn… I know we said maybe we would do something and I‘m wondering if you had any interest in going to the zoo. .. [Friends] are planing on going to the zoo tomorrow at about 10. I said I would like to go, I always love a trip to the zoo. And I was wondering if you wanted to come as well.
Coming out in text form as:
“Hi Jane… I know we could maybe we would do something and I’m wondering if you have any interest in going to the zoo… [Misspelled Friend's Names] are planning on going to the gym tomorrow at about 10:00. So I guess I would like to go. I would like to get it to you and I was wondering if you wanted to come as well.”
Leaving me wondering if I’m being invited to the zoo, the gym or if I need to be making arrangements to pick something up for Jane.
TWO
Buried in all the practical formulas for converting to UTM in an excel sheet I opened today, I found this:
Indeed, today is not Christmas. But it did make me smile. To have this as an unrelated feature in your next excel project:
THREE
One of my goals from last Christmas was to crochet 12 new snowflakes for my Christmas tree for 2009. As the excel sheet informed me today, it is not yet Christmas but we are heading in that direction. I have only made 5 snowflakes to date, so that is seven snowflakes to make in the next month. If anyone has any really lovely crochet snowflake patterns that they want to share, please pass them on. I am bored with my old standbys and so many of the patterns are hard!
Since the husband isn’t here to dissuade me from getting out of bed and making 3 minute microwave chocolate cake at 10 pm in my pajamas, I just had to try it. I think it turned out rather well for microwave-in-a-mug baking.
In a large, microwavable mug:
- Mix 4 tbsp flour with 4 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp cocoa.
- Then add an egg, 3 tbsp milk and 2 tbsp oil and mix again.
- Splash in a little vanilla and 3 tbsp chocolate chips
- Make sure it’s really mixed
- Microwave for 3 min (I think my microwave needs a little less time)
- Eat!
It’s no replacement for “real” cake but is almost as easy as dipping a spoon full of PB into the chocolate chip bag. Why didn’t I know about this when I was a student?
Microwave chocolate cake.
I was less than enthusiastic about flying to LA this morning. Especially when the pilot announced that there would be turbulence all the way to Oregon. Great, early morning flights and I’m going to be nauseous. Luckily, the pilot was completely wrong about the turbulence, and once I put on a movie I settled into a better mood. It’s not that I don’t enjoy traveling, I do, but I just felt that toasted sesame seed bagels with my husband sounded like a better idea than a crowded flight on this particular Sunday morning. I did get to use my cute new travel bag, so it wasn’t all bad (on sale too!).
I survived my flight, battled my way through the car rental lane and managed to navigate our way to the outskirts of LA. Even though I still haven’t figured out the speed limit on the freeway, driving in LA isn’t as scary as I was anticipating. And the roads are in way worse shape than I thought. My rental car is small, and has zero features, so it’s perfect.
Since we’re not really downtown, and I was exhausted, I passed a quiet afternoon in Woodland Hills just wandering the main drag. It’s as to be expected – lots of car dealerships and restaurants. No one else was out walking, but when I stopped by Target I found the crowds. I’ve never been in a Target before but it’s sort of like a fancier Walmart(?). After that I wandered as far as the Whole Foods Market when I purchased some juice and then headed back to dangle my legs in the pool. It’s hot in LA, I’m not sure if this is warmer than normal, but I was very happy I’d decided to throw in my travel dress. There is something wonderful about wearing a dress in November and not freezing that puts a smile on my face.
The view from my hotel. Thrilling, isn't it?
We had to go to In and Out Burger. The woman I sat next to on the plane felt it was the one thing I should do while I was there.
