total irritated

Verbal trends and fads are irritating to me. I like to think of myself as a friendly and loving person who will tune in to the intention rather than the delivery, but sometimes, I get bugged by a particular way people are saying things, especially when lots of people are saying something wrong, all the same way. I don't speak perfectly correctly every time I open my mouth, but there are some things that people say that I just don't like. Maybe my brain is tuned in to these more than other people's brains. I don't know the reason. I just know that it irritates me.

Specifically, right now, it's the elimination of "ly" from adjectives. It's a trend that has been rolling along for about a year. Here's an example I heard on the radio yesterday:

"I was absolute astonished when..." (did you mean absolutely?)

Or what about this ad for toothpaste for sensitive teeth?:

"It worked instant!" (that's good, did it also work instantly?)

Are people allergic to saying "ly?" Is it some kind of shorthand that nobody told me about? Why do we do this to our perfectly good language? It's messed up enough already. I am totally LY LY LY irritated by this fad. So here's what I have to say. Does it sound okay to you?

I woke up this morning, particular__ ear__ and thought to myself, "It's time to go for my year__ appointment at the eye doctor. I walked to the bus stop and the bus arrived prompt__. I was so complete__ grateful because I get embarrassed when I am late for appointments. My Mom always told me it is total__ rude and ungracious to keep people waiting. Even so, I don't think my ophthalmologist would be too upset. He's a totally gnar__ dude who understands people like me, who sometimes have an alternative relationship with time. But still, I thought, "It would be sil__ to keep the eye doctor waiting. Let's get this appointment taken care of, then I'll go for lunch." After my eye check I went to the vegetarian restaurant, where I had a great tofu and bar___ soup which was fair__ delicious and wonderful__ garnished. That's one of the great things about living in Vancouver. Even if people follow goofy verbal trends you know you can get a consistent__ good eye examination and a reliab__ delicious tofu and barley soup. The tofu must have had a good effect on me. I calmed down after that and thought, "This is not a tragedy, just a bit of lazy unoriginal mis-speaking. People are good, even if they talk stupid. I can be friend__ and neighbour__ and stop being irritated by something that is real__ not important.

question: have you noticed this? or am I the only one whose ears are saying "OOOOWWWCH!"

mompoet - cashing in my annual allowance of grow__ harumphing

ps - I know I cheated on the barley, I'm just sayin'....

going away again

It's finally time for Andy and me to go away together. Last June we won a cruise in a contest sponsored by the businesses in old Port Moody. To enter, we visited a dozen stores and restaurants in our neighbourhood. Owners and managers were there to talk about their businesses, offer free samples and giveaways and get to know the people in the neighbourhood. At the end of the walkabout we turned in our passports for a prize draw. Mine was drawn and now we are off on a cruise. Thank you to the Port Moody merchants for your wonderful businesses, and for the great prize!

We had a choice of destinations. We decided to fly to Miami and sail to Key West and Cozumel. It's a short cruise - just 4 nights, but it will be an awesome adventure. Neither of us has been on a cruise. I don't think it would be my first choice of vacation if I was booking. Still, it will be great fun and a new experience.

Being me, I have been researching our destinations, our ship, and cruising in general, so we can get the most out of the experience. Andy researched and booked the flights and hotels. We'll drive to Seattle Saturday morning and fly out mid-day. We have a couple days at either end to enjoy South Beach in Miami, and we've booked a snorkel trip for our afternoon in Cozumel.

It feels weird to me to go so many places in such short time this winter. I guess that's just the way things happen. We'll probably travel a bit more when Fiona goes away to university. She'll mostly come home on her breaks, but I'm sure we'll want to visit from time to time. I guess this is the beginning of a new phase for us. Still, I don't think I'll be flying far away three times in two months again any time soon.

I am grateful for our good fortune, and for the wonderful opportunities that present themselves to us. Life is sweet.

question: where are you going?

mompoet - not packing again yet, but soon!

the red pot

Cathy sent me a facebook message last week, alerting me to a super sale on "the red pot." On Saturday, I bought it. It's a cast iron, enamel dutch oven that goes from stove top to oven to table top with awesome cooking power. This is the pot that Cathy has brought to Sechelt for our past couple of Septembers, to prepare our Julia Child feasts. Now I have one of my own.

My first recipe produced in the red pot was Chicken and Vegetable Coconut Rice from Canadian Living Magazine. It was really yummy! The recipe really makes a lot of food, stuffing my 3.5 quart pot to the brim. We enjoyed it for supper 2 nights in a row, and there was leftover enough even so for 2 work lunches and a bit for breakfast yesterday (served with a fresh mango for tropical flair).

I wonder if anyone would actually buy this pot for $99.99? As you can see from the Canadian Tire listing, I got it on sale for substantially less. I think it's worth a million bucks.

Cathy sent me a link to her favourite red pot recipe for beef and mushroom stew. I will try it soon!

Thanks, Cathy, for helping me get my own red pot.

question: do you have a favourite cookware in your kitchen?

mompoet - in love with my red pot

no place like home

I slept in this morning, for the first time since returning to work after Christmas break. It's lovely to have a quiet-ish weekend at home after a lot of busy days and weekends. I consider myself incredibly lucky to be able to go on trips and attend events and have exciting fun times with friends and family, but I do love home.

Right now, home is pretty messy, but very sweet. I was home most of the day Saturday, but instead of cleaning and organizing, I read the Saturday paper and watched an episode of Glee on shaw on demand and hung out with Andy while the kids were at work. In the evening I went to my friend Vic's parents' place for Vic's birthday supper, then on to my parents place to see my sister, who is in town for the weekend. I ate only a bit of the big Italian supper that Vic's mom cooked, so I was happy to join my own family at Cap Hill Szechuan for our usual big noisy yummy family supper.

Last Sunday I woke up in New York. This Sunday it was Port Moody. I can't wait to go back to New York when I get the chance, but I love Port Moody the best. I guess that's one of the nicest things about going away - you appreciate your own home even more when you return.

Today I made a yummy breakfast for the family, then I lounged while Fiona and her friend baked cookies and cupcakes for a fundraiser at school. I cooked lunch for Alex before he left for his afternoon shift at work, and bought opera tickets online for my Mom and me (the simulcast Met performance at the cineplex). Andy and I discussed plans for our upcoming vacation. Sunday after next, I will wake up in Miami Beach. I did spend some time Saturday getting our itinerary typed out, our cruise ship pre-registration done online, and travel papers organized into a binder (a lifesaver when you make your travel arrangements a la carte).

Now it's three in the afternoon, and I think I might do a bit of tidying. This cozy nest is even more lovely with clean bathrooms and and a freshly-swept kitchen floor. I have plans for a coconut chicken recipe from Canadian Living magazine for supper, and Fiona made a blueberry cake for us for dessert.

Life is sweet, and suitably slowed down for an in-between weekend. I am happy. My heart beats slowly. All is well.

question: what do you do when you decelerate?

mompoet - just being

Peter Rowan

I am loving this music right now, especially this song.



question: is your cage better than my cage?

mompoet - just odd

avenue q

On Thursday evening, after our day with Al and our visit to the Empire State Building at dusk, and after our second visit to Yum Yum Too Thai restaurant for a second really yummy Thai supper, we saw Avenue Q at the New World Stages.

This was our fifth of five musicals during our week in New York. The New World Stages is "off-Broadway," not because the other theatres are on the street called Broadway and it is on a different street. It's "off-Broadway" because of the size of the theatre. So it was in a smaller venue than the other shows we saw that week.

You have probably heard about this show. It's touring and in Vancouver right now. There was an article about it in the Sun yesterday. If you haven't heard of it, imagine Sesame Street for grown-ups. Definitely not for children. In the way Sesame Street addresses all of the stuff kids go through, with frank, funny and concrete illustration, Avenue Q looks at the lives of 20-somethings. There are songs like "It Sucks to be Me," and "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist." There are lots of references to sex. There is sex (with puppets). When I watched it I felt uncomfortable, and I laughed, and I said, "OK, I can relate." In the show, there are people portraying characters with puppets and people portraying characters as actors, and a strange feeling that everyone is portraying his or her own self. It was weird and wonderful and had some surprising layers of experience and meaning.

Don't take your kids, but if you get a chance to see it, I recommend Avenue Q.

question: Q?

mompoet - Q