Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Tonight's Attempt

Okay, I know it has been a while since I have posted a new recipe attempt on here. There was nothing stopping me other than the fact that I have been avoiding anything that included cooking with more than three ingredients or cereal...pure laziness.  So I decided this week, I would make up for that.  As I eat my newest attempt, I figured I may as well talk about it.  


Fettuccine with Black Olive Pesto and Scallions


Okay, so first off, I was more than a little iffy about this one.  So much that I made Alfredo sauce as a plan b.  Shockingly, I didn't need it.  Before this, I usually stayed away from jalapenos, but this is what added the kick that made an already good dish better.   It also helps that it is one that doesn't take too long to make.  The pesto consists of black olives and juice, thyme, chopped onion, parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar and, yes, olive oil.  I cheated a little bit and used dried thyme, but I think it worked out.  The only thing that I really skipped was the scallions...forgot to pick some up.   Oops!


At the end of the day, this was has been added to my list of dishes to make again and believe me, that's saying something.  Next time, the plan is to try it with a tomato mozzarella salad with vinaigrette dressing.  


Would I recommend it?  Absolutely!  


I have long believed that good food, good eating is all about risk. Whether we’re talking about unpasteurized Stilton, raw oysters or working for organized crime ‘associates,’ food, for me, has always been an adventure.—–Anthony Bourdain

Monday, October 17, 2011

Functionally Dysfunctional

Of all the posts that I started, but didn't post, this is the one that has been nagging at me the most.  Maybe it's the fact that its a semi feel good post and sometimes, I just have to post one of these.


A week or two ago, one of my coworkers said to me one morning, "If you don't like the people that you work with, then maybe it's time for you to find another job.  You will spend more time with them than anyone else, including your significant other."


Wow!  He couldn't be more right.  We spend about 45 hours a week at work, whether we like it or not and in order to get through the week, we have to deal with each other.  These are the people who often see almost every side of you and at the end of the day, become like a family.  You may fight it with all your might, but it's true.  I speak my first words of the day to them, vent my frustrations, swap shortened versions of stories, laugh with them.  These people have seen me knocked out in the break room when I am so tired that I can't keep my eyes open during lunch.  They are the ones who have to deal with me BEFORE I have any food or caffeine in my system.  Brave souls, I say.


In the six months that I have been with this place, I have come to like most, if not all, of my coworkers for various reasons.  I wonder if the main reason is the fact that it is not overrun with drama, being that most of the people that I work with are men or insanely cool women.  That if there is an issue, they call each other out on their crap, talk it out and move on.  Or could it be that they just genuinely like each other.  When I started, it's like I was accepted into the fold without question once I made it clear that I would let them do their jobs, be there for support and not add any unnecessary drama.  Like any family, they want to find out what the have in common and see what they can include you in.  Kickball, gun range, dinner and drinks after work, possible movie nights, debates, lunch, coffee runs...etc.  


Last week, I found myself defending "my people" when someone from another division made a crack at them.  Silly, but that's when I realized that I had claimed them as my own.  I have no idea when that happened, but I really don't see the point in fighting it.  


Of course, each person has their quirks that drive the other people crazy.  Lack of communication, forcing others to pick up the slack when they decide not to do the work or show up, moodiness.  These things happen, but what family doesn't have to deal with this?


At the end of the day, it's what brings them closer. 


At the end of the day, they have each other's backs.


It's what makes them a functionally dysfunctional family and I consider myself lucky to be included.

Monday Randoms

In the past week or two, I have started a few different blog posts, thinking that I would post them later.  As you can see none of them have made it on here unfortunately.  So here is a quick update on the life of Shareece:

  • Decided to visit Chicago next month during the long weekend, thanks to Veterans Day
  • Read an article about men pole dancing for sport.  Yes, you read that right....pole dancing!  These guys now have their own competitions now.  Like most people, I find this just a little disturbing.
  • I'm thinking that my mini writing break may be over.  After Thanksgiving, I'm thinking about taking a weekend, closing myself up in a room and work on my second book.  We'll see how that goes.
  • I have totally slacked off on trying a new dish every week or so.  Hell, I've slacked off on my no meat during the week rule for myself.  Last week, I was terrible and now, it's time to get back on track
  • Slowly but surely, I've been taking more time for myself and I think that it's beginning to show with the people who call me impatient and find it hard to deal with me.
Out of all the blog posts that I started, but didn't pos

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Hometown Rivalry

While I was checking Facebook this morning, this caught my eye:

 

Working in an office near MSU full of UM fans, let's just say that I will not be passing this one around. 

It just amazes me how far some people will take this rivalry.  It's almost like a war.  Homes are divided until the last second of the game.  Feelings will be hurt.  All over a freaking football game?  To some, this may seem crazy, but to a sports fan, UM and MSU fans, its just how things go.  A way of life.

With that said, I say:

GO STATE!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Diverse Upbringing

Great achievements are not born from a single vision but from the combination of many distinctive viewpoints. Diversity challenges assumptions, opens minds, and unlocks our potential to solve any problems we may face. -- Unknown
Last weekend, my family and I went to the Apple Festival at Wolcott Cider Mill and Winery.  We have gone almost every year since we moved back to Michigan in the early '90's.  Over the years, it has really expanded (the winery was added in the last few years) and the crowds have gotten larger.  For my family, it has become a yearly tradition that we have all come to enjoy. 


While we were sitting in the barn area eating donuts and got to talking about how more often than not, we would visit museums and aquarium's when traveling or in the cities around us and go to festivals like this one.  It was just how Mom and Dad raised us, despite the fact that they weren't.  When we were little, they would just put us in a car and they would find things to do just because they wanted to and now that all of us are older, its like second nature.  We never felt like it was forced upon us, but how things are supposed to go.  Maybe this is why we are all as tolerant of different cultures and people. 


A good example of this is during the conversation, a country song came on that I knew and had recently downloaded and I started singing along with it, while still listening to the conversation.  Jay stopped the conversation and asked, "Are you seriously singing this song?"  They all know that I will listen to anything if it sounds good.  Mom just said that it's just like what we are talking about, how you have to be open to anything.  Music included. 


In today's world, I feel like is it an advantage to have a diverse upbringing where almost anything is tolerated and is almost necessary.  Even more so as a minority, whether it be racial, gender, whatever.  As I look back, I love that I was raised this way and know that if I ever had a family, I would continue this way of thinking and set the same example that my parents did.