I Had No Idea

Thanks so much for leaving comments in my last post about the monthly templates!  I really didn't know how many of you are using them and like them.  Now I'm motivated to make them, knowing that you like them!  If you remember, leave a link on my blog when you've made a page with the templates.  I would  love to see how you've used them!  :)

Today's photo is of Todd eating an In-N-Out Burger.


I dunno if you remember, but I also have a photo of Peppermint eating her first In-N-Out burger over here, and a photo of me biting into one here. I was going for the trifecta. Now that I have all three photos, I can make a page that I've been wanting to make! :: evil laugh ::

Tonight Todd and I hit up a local yogurt shop.  They have open mic there on Friday nights.  Look how cute this pair of brother and sister guitar and bass duo are!  They played four songs, one of which was Ozzie Osbourne's "Crazy Train"!


I wanted to tell you about some online classes I'm taking, especially the free ones.
Creative Techs offer weekly free classes for digital photography, Photoshop, and Lightroom! I "attended" the first Lightroom class back on Monday, and it was great. It was an overview of the next nine weeks, what we're going to cover. It's not too late to sign up if you're interested. They want as many people as possible. The first 1,000 people to log into the classes get in the live session when it's actually happening, but you can watch the class video for free for a week after the live session. After the week is over, they sell them as downloads. Give it a try if you're interested!

The other two classes I am taking are:

• Cathy Zielske's Me:  The Abridged Version at Big Picture Scrapbooking - am loving the class.  I need to make more progress on the journaling and find photos for all my words throughout the alphabet.  I would link to the class but I can't find the page anymore...
  
• Tiffany Tillman's Photoshop Brushshop class at ReneePearson.com - This class doesn't start until next week, but I'm totally looking forward to learning more about how to make and use Photoshop brushes.  I use them already, but I think I'll learn a lot more in this class.

 I am finally going back to run with my running club tomorrow morning.  EARLY.  Wish me luck!  And have a nice weekend!

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Project 365 - September Template

Who's still doing Project 365?  Well, if you're still in it, I applaud you.  It not easy to stick with something for 365 days!  I'm still in it too!  :)

Some of you may have been looking for the September template giveaway, which I'm happy to say is here! 



**Download link no longer available**

Since Box.net doesn't allow comments, I'm interested to know if you are still downloading these and like the monthly templates?  It takes me some time to create them, so if not that many people are interested, I may take a break from making them.  I'm just wondering who's using them?

Todd made a new dish called Cold Sesame Noodles with Chicken and Cucumbers today.


I have to say it is completely, unequivocally delicious! What a keeper this recipe is! Yum yum yum! We use our old George Foreman grill to cook the chicken a lot of times. That thing was like $60 way back in 1996, and we've been using it ever since!

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Sea Rocket

Tonight was a Socrates Cafe (philosophy club) night for Todd.  That meant I got to go hang out with Sally and eat some good food.  Sally lives in North Park, and Socrates Cafe meets not far from there.  And North Park is full of good restaurants.

Sally & I looked in her coupon book and decided to try out the Sea Rocket Bistro.  We figured we couldn't lose too badly with a buy one entree get one free coupon.  When we arrived, we realized that the restaurant is participating this week in San Diego Restaurant Week, so they also have a $20/person three course prix fix menu.  We looked at it but the entrees didn't seem as appetizing to us, so we skipped the prix fix menu and ordered on our own.

Sally got the Beet & Goat Cheese Tart.


I have to admit that dish was a little strange. It was like a quiche filled with beets.

I had an open-faced mushroom sandwich.


I thought it was pretty good. I have to give Sea Rocket Bistro props for serving original food. I've never had anything like it elsewhere before. I had a lot of fun chatting and catching up with the Salster.  Plus I always think it's extra fun when I get to go somewhere on a weeknight.  :)

I did this layout with mostly Little Dreamers Designs stuff.

Click here for credits.
Jackie Eckles and Lisa Warren are retiring from designing and all their designs are 50% off during September at LDD!

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Old or New - I Will Read You

A couple of weeks back I wrote about my good fortune to borrow a Kindle from my company. I had to give it back a week later but I think I'll get one again in the next month or so and will get to hang on to it for a while. In the absence of the high-tech device, I had to go old school. Some time ago I purchased and read Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks after hearing him talk about it on NPR's Fresh Air. The book is about brain damage as it relates to music. There is a story of a man who was struck by lightning and became obsessed with playing the piano though he had never done so before. Stories of folks who have seizures if they hear a certain kind of music. Stories of music as therapy for sufferers of Tourette's Syndrome, Parkinson's disease, and speech problems. And about 15 more. Sacks is best known because of the movie Awakenings which is based on his book of the same name. He is the author of the book and is the doctor portrayed by Robin Williams in the movie. Back to Musicophilia, I was completely mesmerized by the stories in the book if not enamored with Sacks' writing style. The topics were so fascinating I'll be sure to read more from him in the future. Also I plan to give a Toastmasters speech about a story from the book. I haven't settled on the particular story yet, but a strong contender is the effect music therapy has had on a man who can only remember the past six seconds of his life because of brain trauma. The only problem is I have lent my copy the book to a friend that I haven't seen in a while. The San Diego library comes to the rescue! This is the first time I tried out their delivery service and it worked beautifully. I requested the book online. A couple of days later it's at my local branch and I picked it up on the way home from work. Lovely! I hope libraries never go away. I'm on a new dish kick in the kitchen. The last three as well as the next three scheduled dinners are all first tries for me. Tonight's was Korean-Inspired Sautéed Tofu. Like the two before it, it was another winner. It's a vegetarian dish, but I did add a side of Johnsonville Sausages that I had on hand (not pictured). That probably upset the fat balance of the meal a bit but it was super yummy. Hopefully the next three will also be successes. Good new food and an "old school" library visit ... a not-too-shabby Tuesday for Todd.

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She Would Have Been 66 Today

Today would have been my mom's 66th birthday, had she not died from uterine cancer on Valentine's Day 2007. I know that she's in heaven, but it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt for those of us who love her here. I scheduled my annual check-up with my doctor today, on purpose. I couldn't think of a better way to commemorate the day than to go to the doctor for my annual exam. My mom died of uterine cancer because she did not get regular check-up's and pap smears. Even when she had unusual post-menopausal bleeding, she didn't get it checked out. She had a phobia of going to doctors, and it cost her her life. Uterine cancer is over 90% curable if it's caught early. If it's caught early, they'll most likely only have surgery to remove the uterus, and there wouldn't even be chemotherapy or radiation involved. Instead, my mom's gone. I love her a lot, but sometimes I can't help but be angry that she wasn't strong enough to overcome her fear of doctors to save her life. To give me a few more years with her here on earth. To hold hands with my dad in their old age. To see her grandsons grow up. To help my dad with his ministry. That's why I go to the doctor every year. Nobody likes to be prodded, poked, pinched... to disrobe and put on the flimsy hospital gown with a large opening. To feel cold instruments inserted into private places. But I do it, because I want to hold Todd's hand when we're old and gray. I want to see my nephews grow up. I want my sister to have a sister to call on the phone when we both have wrinkles and all our hair is gray. My exam went well. I have good blood pressure, lung capacity, healthy breasts, healthy heart, and no lumps on my uterus or ovaries. I'm thankful. Very thankful. As I drove away from the doctor's office, I suddenly started sobbing uncontrollably. I miss my mom so much. I wish she were still around for her 66th birthday. I wish my dad didn't have to spend today laying flowers at my mom's resting place. I think I'll make it an annual remembrance to schedule my check-up on her birthday. It's my simple way of remembering her, while making a difference for those I love who love me too.

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