So far, I'm a Stan fan

A few weeks ago I blogged about Stan. Stan represents the Indian corporation that just finalized the purchase of Ray's employer.

Ray's been through acquisitions before, and so far this one has had way more positives than any other. The acquiring company is large, seemingly well-run, and have expressed every interest in retaining employees. What Ray and I talk about most is the possibility of moving overseas for a few years, as the company has offices all over the world. This idea is so exciting it makes my ears twitch.

Also, as of this week, our family unit is supported by paychecks that come from a country half-way around the world. This feels...somehow satisfying. It's not that I'm anti-America per se, but I feel a bit about our mother country as I do about Starbucks. Starbucks is a great company for our local economy. From what I understand, they are a good employer and give back to the community in many ways. And they peddle pretty good coffee. However, when I have a hankering for a cuppa, I usually go elsewhere. I'd rather patronize a coffee place that doesn't occupy every other corner or has pushed out smaller independent coffee shops. And I often prefer the taste of coffee from Caffe Ladro, Cafe Allegro, Bird on a Wire, and frankly, Tully's.

It seems like we've now got one foot out the door, and it's a mystery for now whether the other foot will follow. (As for the foot that's creeping into PhD territory here at home...well...do we have to have just two feet?)

Granola: the new chocolate cake

I'm about midway through my sugar-free Lant. I've made a couple of exceptions for the sake of practicality. For example, allowable items include: peanut butter, cream-style coffee additives (okay, okay, I've let a little whipped cream in my americano) and yogurt. Last Saturday, I was craving a yogurt-fruit parfait thingy, so I bought some granola to mix in.

Holy moly, have you tried this granola?

Well, I highly recommend it. If you try it, will you please tell me if it's beyond tasty or if my taste buds have changed their sense of sweet. This granola seem like the next Dairy Queen Dip Cone. Yum.

We can't buy this stuff any more. Granola has just achieved crack status. Who knew.

I don't get it

Why Cameron Diaz? Why is she featured at the Oscars and invited to present an award? I could wonder about Miley Cyrus or Jessica Alba presenting for similar reasons, but they are apparently the "it" girls of the moment, so that explains something about their part at the Oscars tonight. But still I wonder...why Cameron Diaz?

When she came up on stage to present the award for cinematography, I said, "Huh? She's such a fluffhead." Then Diaz had trouble pronouncing cinematography. Maybe I am missing something. Maybe there was some great performance that I wasn't aware of...

Last year she did Shrek. The year before that it was The Holiday. And before that...In Her Shoes. That was it for those 3 years.

I guess maybe she's just everyone's favorite ditzy/perky actress with an extremely good publicist.

10 Thoughts

...about Sandwiches! ('10 Thoughts' theme courtesy of Sheila)

1. I don't like cheese on cold sandwiches.

2. I don't like ham on cold sandwiches, but it's great as a hot sandwich, though only with cheese.

3. I don't like PB & J on wheat bread...only white, oat nut or sourdough.

4. I love Reuben sandwiches.

5. Grilled cheese and tomato is also really good. Heck, put tomato between two slices of bread with a little mayo and I'm happy.

6. I don't like mustard on my sandwiches.

7. I don't like pickles on my sandwich, but they are okay on the side.

8. An exception to the pickle rule is tuna salad, which can have diced pickles mixed into the tuna.

9. I usually like homemade sandwiches with toasted bread. Sucks to have to bread stick to the roof of your mouth and teeth.

10. Ray likes to order a 'pancake sandwich': pancake, topped with egg over-easy, maple syrup, tabasco. Ewh.

This post is brought to you by the Torta at Taqueria Rinconsito of Burien, where you can get (as I did tonight) a delicious torta jam-packed with spicy beef, pork or chicken, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and jalepeno, all between halves of a toasty bun. I first tried a torta in Guadalajara and it trumped the burger in the big hot sandwich category. Though it depends on the burger.

I love this photo

My mom when she was about 16...

The freezer

The freezer is not my domain. I noticed recently that I don't even know what's in the bottom 4 shelves...mysterious frozen meats, doughs, and stocks I guess. A now I've learned that Ray hides his Oreo stash from Valentine's day there (I didn't want to look at them since I'm not eating anything remotely Oreo-y until March 23).

I've just learned that my Girl Scout cookie order has arrived. That means 3 boxes will need to be stashed away under the pork loin and chicken breasts. I'll let Ray do that since he apparently has some kind of special system in there.

It's Valentine's Day

6 months today

Fat Sunday

Indeed.

9:20 am -- stack gingerbread pancakes, blueberry syrup

10:00 am -- coffee

10:15 am -- "throw-away" pancake, while cooking up rest of batter

11:00 am -- "deformed" pancake

noon -- Diet Coke

12:30 pm -- cappuccino

1:30 pm -- 2 "lonely" pancakes dipped in syrup while feeding August

1:50 pm -- piece of cheese

2:55 pm -- 2 small "pre-Superbowl" pancakes while watching Ray make "Superbowl Quesadillas"

3:30 pm -- quesadilla, corona + limeade

(4:20 pm -- Oooh! Ad for comedy about football in the 1920s with George Clooney! Susie, let's go!)

4:30 pm -- quesadilla

SIDENOTE
What Not To Wear - Superbowl Edition
Dear Bill Belichick: As head coach, do you really think it's appropriate to wear what looks like a hoodie with the sleeves cut off to the Superbowl? Tacky tacky tacky. Whatever...hurray Giants!

7:20 pm -- final granddaddy pancake, dribble of syrup, limeade

7:35 pm -- apple, water

8:00 pm -- commence gingerbread pancake stupor

UP NEXT
Lant, midnight til March 23, featuring no refined sugar (maybe no pancakes either).

Yea Lant!

Hurray for Tosha, my one Lant recruit! She is giving up meat for Lant, and she has put the rest of us (i.e. me, and then the Catholics of the world) to shame by starting today.

I have already decided on last place of the Lant race, as I'm going to have two exception days: 1) February 7, August's 6 month birthday, when I am going to make a 1/2 birthday cake and 2) March 2, when I am throwing a baby shower for my sister-in-law. But I will start Lant 2 days early to make up for these lame excuses for cheating.

So T-3 and counting. I start Monday, February 4. (Hey, maybe I should make/have gingerbread pancakes as my Fat Sunday treat.)

By the way, it's not to late to join in the Lant "fun."