Refuse to believe

I refuse to believe that this is the best corn on the cob I could ever have. I don't like hyperbole in instances where people are listening and believing. Play it straight - this is very good corn on the cob.

But the real reason I'm cooking this rant is that people need to know that the microwave is the superior vessel for heating delicious corn on the cob (provided you're cooking fresh good corn).

Yes. I said it. The microwave. For two reasons.

People sometimes act like the microwave is some dangerous magical box wherein airborne radioactive chemical waves heat your food with zaps and beeping. It's really just a device producing radio waves that fly through the air and wiggle the water molecules they find in food. I like to think about it like water molecules turning on some music and dancing their bonds off, working up some heat. But back to corn on the cob... Corn on the cob is often boiled, which dilutes the flavor a bit, don't you think? (If not, taste the corn water after cooking.) Microwaving, on the other hand, seems to seal in the inherent corn flavor because the kernels are heating up within themselves and steaming inside the husks.

The microwave is also vastly simpler than any other way of cooking corn. You just take off the outermost leaves of the corn cob, chop the ends down so the corn can rotate in the microwave, microwave normally for 2 minutes, let rest, touch, if not pretty warm microwave for another minute. Total time will depend on your microwave and the amount of corn you have in there (I've done up to 2 at a time). When cool enough to handle you just peel it, butter and salt it, and eat it.

I'm still debating if fresh black pepper belongs on fresh hot corn, and I'm leaning yes.

Purslane!!

Perhaps one of the best surprises of my summer has been the discovery of purslane. It first came to me in my CSA box and looked oddly familiar....... This is the damn weed that's crawling around my garden. I was picking out and tossing this albeitly-cool Martian succulent left and right. Not Any More.

Correctly identifying my garden purslane of course worried me, but proved easy enough. The first time I ate mine I made sure people knew about my experiment = = good general laboratory practice. 

Have a tranquil day

Or just flow with it.

[Postscript: I had no clue this video had sound! I link sea plants with ultimately tranquility (and motion!), and this sound is not so pleasing. Now if only could remove it...]

Angel

I sometimes think this cat must be an angel of all that is good.

Hippy Carrie

If you ask me, Carrie does well with a summer tan, blonde streaks, and flower-child clothing. It's a bit rare that she goes this way full throttle, and I love it every time. In this scene Charlotte goes to Carrie crying her face off because her date fell asleep while they were "making love". When you fuck, of course, you tend not to have that problem, Samantha or Miranda will say.

Charlotte is devastated and Carrie is doing her best not to laugh while offering up some herbal tea.

You're a hardcore SATC fan if you knew about the herbal tea just by looking at these screen captures.

I don't know the correct classification for this look. It's somewhat hippy. Maybe bohemian. It's loose, colorful, playful, casual, and relaxed. A tough line to toe. And I like it.

Polka dot dress

This, my friends, is the quintessential polka dot dress. Damn you, J. Crew, for reading the pictures in my mind and then presenting them to me in the flesh at a price tag that makes me envy rich people.

Can a non-redhead pull this off? I think most definitely. 

Fun with search boxes

Sometimes I like to go to Etsy and type absurd things into the search box. Animals barfing. Boob candle. Atheist baby. Psychotic soap. Balls in zipper. Fart lip balm. You'd be surprised how often there's a hit. On a recent search for animal sex I found these gems. I dare you to wear one on your next blind date - double dare if you're a dude (actually no, double dare if you're a dudette because the wrong blind date could take this as more of a suggestion than a joke - please bring a friend as back-up -wait no no NO, on second thought, don't do this!!!).

Bunnies, Horsies, Doggie, oh my!

I'm definitely keeping the horse brooch in mind for a Christmas white elephant gift. I hope I get it.

Work hard, save hard, learn code

Do you find yourself procrastinating at work? Today is your lucky day, because I've found a cure. While procrastinating on Gawker (while at work) I stumbled upon a series they are doing:

Hello From the Underclass

Like driving by a cop car running over a human after a long chase through a highway median (I've seen this - thank you Philly), I could not look away. I read all 5 volumes, riveted, saddened, scared. Will my generation, heck, all of us between 15 and not-retired-yet, be fucked forever? Will I ever own land? Will I ever grill on my deck while watching my dog frolic in the yard?

So I've been thinking a lot about what I can do to ward off unemployment and the crushing depression it inevitably ensues. It kinda boils down to work hard, save hard. So that's what I'm doing. Oh yeah, and optimism - cause I might as well ward off frown lines while I'm at it.

PS - As one Gawker commenter points out, learning code would be a smart new hobby.

Signature drinks

It's high time I get a signature drink. For a while I was easy and ordered a local IPA anywhere I could (not much of a challenge in the last 10 years). But all that beer volume and gluten need to get checked. Wine is tricky because I like red the most, which doesn't always go well with summer heat, and it discolors your mouth like a mutherfucker. Ever smile for pictures at a party after a few glasses of wine when you're starting to feel nice and smooth, only to gasp in horror when you check yourself out in the bathroom later? Not hot.

Did you know the queen of England has a signature cocktail? She has one every day. It includes Dubonnet, which Wikipedia tells me is a fortified wine containing herbs. I like that idea. Overall the recipe can be called a Zaza. Oh how I'd like to offer the queen of England a Zaza.

While learning about Dubonnet I learned that I may just love old liquor ads.
They look like "period" ad replicas that chain restaurants sometimes plaster everywhere, only better.
The one with the cat was made for my future kitchen. Gimmee!!
All found using Google Images.

The Zaza contains gin, which is on my short list for liquor in my signature cocktail. Vodka, tasteless. Whiskey I get risky. Tequila's for margaritas. Rum --- how do I rhyme rum with cloying?

Goal - create a signature gin cocktail for me that is low in sugar, easy for any bartender at any bar to whip up, potent, delicious, and unique. Go!

How hell must smell

<< trigger warning for bad smells >>

I bet on the continuum of smelling power, I have a good one. Women often do (I happen to identify as female). Smelling is so useful! For example, I never accidentally eat food that has turned and I have a strong appreciation for beer. Win win! But imagine my agony when I'm stuck on a 2 hour bus ride next to a man with horrific body odor.

This man and I were 2 of many heading to the aiport after a weeklong conference - a conference that provided soap, showers, and towels mind you. Why didn't you shower, friendly man? Are you trying to get a solo row on your flight back to home? CAN YOU NOT SMELL YOURSELF???? I really think that must be it.

When pushed, I can see myself honestly saying to a man like this (a nice guy, probably well-meaning, perhaps a tad creepy) that the reason I'm covering my nose with my perfumed wrist and looking to change seats is that I smell a bad body odor coming from him. Then I'd move, close my eyes and daydream while my headphones blare my preferred travel tunes. I'd wake up to screams and a cold sensation as my throat now has a knife in it -- but I will live of course. This "New England Bus Attack" will cause a national stir, and a national debate. Did the cardigan-wearing young female deserve this for being so rude as to tell him he was offending her with his stench? Did she have every right to be honest? HE ASKED what was the matter. I'd be a hero to some and an idiot to others.

Why does my mind trail like this? I was having the most pleasant daydream of becoming the first female president with Eddie Vedder and Fiona Apple performing a duet at my inauguration when this man embarked upon my area to speak to someone across the aisle, waving his arms a lot as he talked, making me want to vomit and cry. Now all I can think of is are my clothes going to retain this smell until I can wash them? Are there other seats available? Can I be honest if he asks me what's the problem? I think I'm getting dizzy. Why such injustice in the world?

Ultimately I did survive this ordeal without passing out or puking. But I ask you, how is it possible that someone can put me through fetid hell, which I end up rolling with, and I feel like prissy bitch for having nasty thoughts? The basic truth is that I was on public transportation, so "my area" didn't exist. Unpredictable smells come with the ticket!

These are the problems of those of us without private jets. Note to self - buy private jet.

Fall wardrobe

Can anyone give me six thousand two hundred and sixty dollars plus tax?

All Missoni from here.

Cesspool of awesome

There are two blogs that I go to for inspiration and procrastination - A Cup of Jo and Little Green Notebook. I discovered Cup of Jo when a hair tutorial post was linked in some other smaller blog that I used to love to hate. Cup of Jo introduced me to Little Green Notebook. There are more that I peruse, but these are my mainstays.

These blogs are very different so they appeal to different parts of me. Jo has her finger on the pulse of what people with a little extra money spend their money on in the most diverse and cultural city on the planet, NYC (that last part must be true, no?). I'd say it's a lifestyle blog - especially if you have the lifestyle of a full time blogger, mother of small boy, and white wine drinker. Over at LGN I'm a voyeur of DIY home craft projects and COLOR. Jenny at LGN is not afraid of funky color, and I'm a fan of all the fearless.

So imagine my surprise when after my posts, these two blogs deliver posts that makes me vainly think (wish) these ladies read my itty-bitty blog! A girl can dream! This must happen all the time in the blog world. Originality in content is.... rare. Inspiration comes from everywhere. Blogs are a cesspool of awesome!

Data:
My post --- Jo's post (same wallpaper!!)
My post --- LGN post (same room daydreaming!!)
My post --- Jo's post (same undies!!)

Entirely different creatures suckling from the same teats of inspiration.
Photo credit.