Tag Archives: blogging

Day 29: Your dream vacation.

Years ago, my dream vacation would’ve been to see the pyramids and Valley of the Kings in Egypt or to traipse through Spain. More likely, it would’ve been to Atlantis in the Bahamas. Don’t get me wrong — I still hope to go to all those places someday. But now, after having read a certain book series and the subsequent movies and embracing my inner geek, I would kill to go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando. I could walk through Hogsmeade! Ride a roller coaster that’s set inside Hogwarts! I could die happy!

While I’d jump at the chance to go now, I’m hoping it stays open for many years to come since I want to take Coraline to visit it. After she’s read the books and seen the movies, of course.

Hogwarts coaster (Image found via Google)

Day 28: If someone gave you $1,000 to spend on YOURSELF, what would you buy?

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzt! Sorry, that was my drool shorting out my laptop keyboard. One thousand dollars? To spend on myself? Lawdy, I have no idea. Last time I spent that kind of money on myself was when I saved up in 2009 for my solo vacation at the Toronto International Film Festival (I paid for everything for that trip with good old-fashioned cash). My most recent splurge? A Coach wallet to go with the Coach purse my parents gave me for Christmas; I paid nowhere near the $218 retail price thanks to the outlet store. But $1000? Maybe I’d take another solo vacation. More likely, though, I’d update the hell out of my wardrobe — I still have and wear pieces I’ve had since high school and college. I’d say I’m due for a complete wardrobe overhaul at this point, wouldn’t you?

Day 27: Your favorite meals or recipes.

My specialty is lasagna. My mom taught me how to make it ages ago, when I was in high school. I tweaked the recipe a bit in that I now make it with ground turkey instead of ground beef (since it’s leaner) and with Arrabbiata sauce instead of marinara for a spicy kick. In addition to those ingredients, I make it with mozzarella, Parmesan, and ricotta cheeses; I add mushrooms to about half the lasagna for Rich. It’s one of my favorite things to make, even though it takes a while (about an hour of prep time), because it’s beyond delicious and when I make it just for Rich and myself we have a bunch of leftovers for the next couple of days. It’s also a favorite of both my dad’s and my father-in-law’s, so it’s good for family dinners (the rest of the family likes it, too, but the dads really like it). Alas, like the best family recipes (I also make a fab beef stew, taught to me by Dad), this one’s not written down. It’s on a recipe card in ye olde noggin.

Mmm ... lasagna

Day 21: Something you love about yourself.

My warped sense of humor. It comes through better in person than it does in my writing, believe me. A lot of telling believable stories has to do with delivery. Which is why I have friends who believe Rich and I met in a police lineup, that Rich is my fifth husband, that I’ve been arrested, that I really did need my resume updated for a new career in “circus trapezery,” and so on. I also enjoy engaging in silly physical comedy when the mood strikes me, like the night I happened to find these very long ribbons and wordlessly did a goofy ribbon dance around the living room, much to Rich’s surprise. Being able to still surprise Rich like that after all these years is a badge of honor for me. Well, that and when he lovingly calls me “so weird.” Gotta keep the spouse on his toes, you know.

Day 19: A skill you’d like to learn.

As much as I want to learn how to stunt drive, I’m going to say archery (that sound you just heard was Rich breathing a sigh of relief. Also, my lead foot just detached from my leg, looked back with disgust, and left me). And, yes, it’s partly due to Katniss Everdeen’s kickassery with a bow and arrow in The Hunger Games. But I did learn archery many moons ago, at Casa Mare Girl Scout Camp in Galveston, albeit for the short time I was there. And given that I was pretty young, I wasn’t that bad. I say that since I never hit a living target. Over the years, I’ve been reminded by this or that that archery was something I really enjoyed, and the desire to take lessons would once again pop up. Surely there’s a place in Knoxville that offers classes; someday I might even find the time to take some.

In the meantime, I’ll order the Katniss Everdeen Barbie doll. She can join all the other collectible Barbies I have high on a shelf where Coraline can’t reach. For now, anyway.

Kickass Katniss Barbie