Random quotes from today

"Mom, pick me up!" commands my daughter.
"Why?"
"Cuz I'm the boss!" she responds.

At midnight, Sadie wakes up to tell us she has to pee. We are so proud that she didn't wet her pull up so we whoop it up and tell her so. Her face is all scrunched up because she's really tired and her eyes haven't made the adjustment to the change in lighting yet.
"I want to give you a high five!" she blurts loudly, even though she's obviously drowsy, and her face is still all scrunched up.

Right before she goes back to sleep, she turns to me and says, "Mom, every day I love you cuz you're my best friend."

Awwww...she just melts my heart and fills it with joy.

Midtown lunch joys and woes

I work on 47th and 5th. I don't like to venture far for lunch. Unless I'm meeting someone for lunch, I try to keep the transaction brisk. So I restrict my lunch options to the businesses clustered on 47th st. between 5th and Madison.
I usually end up going to Blue Flowers, which is only across the street. The short review: fast, lots of choices, tasty, generous portions and cheap(ish) - can't compare to Chinatown, of course.
The long review: They have excellent breakfast and lunch options. Plus they are very quick and efficient. For breakfast, they do lovely made to order eggs and they have a good choice of breads, rolls, etc. For lunch, my hubby likes their burritos (a good deal at $6.95, and way better tasting than the yuckier ones at Qdoba and Cavonberry. Hubby gets the vegetarian version, while I highly recommend the spicy beef. No extra charge for guac. *Doing victory dance*.) while I generally go for the hot entrees. As far as hot entrees goes - the roasted 1/2 chicken is to die for, jerk chicken pretty good (kind of lemony), pecan encrusted chicken awesome (but very salty, I get extremely thirsty after but it's generally worth the torture), teriyaki beef brisket, salmon, sesame chicken and chicken with broccoli very good. I've nevered tried the always-available chicken cutlet, chicken parm and cajun chicken (which looks like the chicken cutlet with orange-colored cheese melted on it). So on a daily basis, I get one of the hot entrees mentioned and add two sides (usually rice with steamed vegetables) and the price is 7.95 for chicken, 8.95 for beef and 9.95 for salmon dishes. Oh how can I forget that for the days my hot entrees aren't available, there are a few other choices. There's a neat little section in the back where you can get Korean and Japanese inspired fare that's decent. The bi bim bap (don't order it if you're Korean) is good - request it with brown rice and get the beef version, so are so soba noodle soups (don't ever order shrimp tempura, you will be hungry, sad and definitely regretting paying extra for only 2 pieces of floured covered skinny-ass previously frozen shrimps) and the "sushi" is OK (good deal on the cooked salmon roll - only $4.95 for a big portion). Finally, they make a delicious whole wheat brick oven pizza. Mmmmm.
Now for the complaints. I cannot believe how bad service is here. From the middle (as the Asian guy in the back of the store who prepares the "Asian" fare is really nice and friendly) of the store to the front, only assholes work there. (This probably doesn't need any mentioning, but I'm sure this wouldn't apply to any well-endowed, friendly, provocatively-dressed women.) I've gotten into a few verbal altercations with all of them about the stupidest things and have many times stopped myself from getting into more hostile confrontations. And this is coming from a person who doesn't like to speak up about these things. Any way, if I had better options, I'd drop them like a hot flaming potato. I cannot believe how terrible the customer service is and how clueless the employees are about what service means.
Today, I re-discovered Cafe Metro. This will become my new go-to place when I can't deal with bad service. But I'll have to eat less...
They don't rush you like their Type-A-got-ants-in-my-pants-and-I'm-going-to-give-them-to-you-too counterparts - the Blue Flowers and Hale+Hearty ilk (BTW, it usually costs me $9 or more for lunch there and I'm still hungry). The fare is leaning towards being marketed as "gourmet". I deeply enjoyed my organic black bean soup with spicy cajun chicken pressini (heated/toasted, yum!) for $7.49, including a bottle of water or soda. Best of all, I discovered that you can order online for today, tomorrow and the next day and it's cheaper than going in the store!. The website is http://www.cafemetryny.com/ My only complaint is that my lunch was kind of small compared to my regular gorge of gluttony at Blue Flowers.

Wanted: Chatty husband

Can't believe I didn't win the lottery! I was so sure it was going to be me.

On another note, I'm about to embark on a litany of complaints.
I don't like it when my husband stays out late - I'm always suspicious he's doing something he's not supposed to be doing. But I can get over that, what really annoys me is that when he comes home, he makes no comments about his outing. All I get are silence and maybe some smiles. I'm interested to hear all the details, the feelings, the opinions or whatever about the experience. I know he must have chatted while he was out, it's not fair to be all chatted out when you come home. I wish he could be more expressive. He is above chatting, complimenting, bad-mouthing or gossiping. He doesn't Facebook. He has no blog. He doesn't talk about other people's motivations in life or how egos get into the way...etc. etc. What up with that?!

Now if I were to ask him the best way to solve an equation or some brain teaser, he'd probably keep talking until I fall asleep. I just don't get it. I'm interested in talking about every day life, feelings and people but he gets excited by logic, facts and figures.

Back to his reticence after late social outings, it only adds to the suspicion that he was doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing! Oh and I hate it when I overhear him or someone else that's usually not chatty being chatty with someone else. I think, why isn't this person chatty with me?!

And the ultimate complaint that I have -- I have to admit that I love jumping to conclusions and making accusations. I like it when the person I've accused, gets all riled up and denies the accusations, going into a heated outpouring of reasons or justifications. My husband, what does he do when he's accused of vile things? He might smile at you. He might ask for clarification of an irrelevant detail (this has to me the most irritating of all - totally ignoring the accusation and the point of the diatribe altogether). Most likely he would just be silent. It's so aggravating! I think it's totally disrespectful to remain calm when someone in your presence is excited. He did say to me once that the person who hotly denies is most likely guilty. I still think that remaining mum doesn't reek of innocence to me.

Finally, when I go out, I always come home flush, eager and excited to share stories. What a fun, lovely, humble, chatty and loyal wife I am. :)

Mo money mo problems

Two articles on how winning the lottery can bring all sorts of issues and anecdotal tales of people who ended up in debt or in jail after winning the lottery:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/8lotteryWinnersWhoLostTheirMillions.aspx
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_146760.html

In one of the anecdotes, an ex-girlfriend came out of the woodwork to sue for money (and won), a brother hired a hit man, really sordid stuff.

I don't think this would happen to me - jail or debt (but first let me win the lottery, to prove it you, hehehe).

I do think it's terrible to publish the winner's name and address. Before coming forward to claim your ticket, I think the winner should get security guards and systems for their homes. Maybe even change your names! Maybe to Cassandra Jupiter.

Second chance

No winner for the $171 megamillions jackpot. Prize is up to $212MM now! Drawing is tomorrow.
I'm going to buy a few more tickets.

Alert: Hubby in the kitchen!!!!

(Picture of gigantic mixing bowl - >13" in diameter!)

My husband is exploding everything in the kitchen to make his vegetable lasagna. I interviewed him about the ingredients....
I found out that he used 2 lbs of dry pasta, about 6lbs of tomato sauce, 6 lbs of cheese and 2lbs of broccoli!!!!
Excluding the pan, about 17.5lbs of ingredients went into the oven!

He would like to make a PSA/share a secret for my dear readers: Use more noodles than you think you need.

Egads, I have waaaay too many things on the counter that needs to be cleaned up. Nice smile, Josh.

Too cute and funny!

Sometimes I can't believe the things that come out of my children's mouths and how they cn possibly and appropriately apply to a situation. Today as I finished buckling Dazy in her car seat, she says in a heavy accent - O dat hurt me. I'm so shocked I can't even believe that I heard. Did that really hurt her? So I swiggle the buckle around, thinking she means it feels tight or it bunched up with her pants. And then I said, Is that OK now? And seemingly older than all her years of 20 months she succinctly replies in another heavy accent - O dat bedder.

Taking burning the midnight oil concept tooo far

It's 10:30 PM, the mega millions numbers haven't come out yet. What gives? What time do they do this drawing? I want to know with certainty if I'm going to be a gazillionaire.

[UPDATE] It's quarter to midnight, I'm practically a pumpkin. A still poor one. My mega ball number was not a match so no winnings.

Tough questions

May God bless and keep you
Every moment every day,

May God smile at you,
And fill your heart in every way

May God help you find the goodness in everything you do,

May you be blessed with peace from above, may you be blessed with peace from above.

Every time we sing this song at Tot Shabbat, it is so heartwarming and uplifting. All the children are sitting under the tallit, so innocent and sweet - from ages 9 months to about 5 years, as the adults stand above them, holding the tallit. Like we're watching over and protecting all of them...twenty or so little ones, in all sizes, shapes and colors.

Tonight was no different, after the rendition, I felt so filled with joy. And then a few seconds after, a 3 year old or so boy looks at me solemnly and asks, "Why did God create bad guys?"

A moment ago the world was so good and perfect...then this boy pops me out of my bubble.

Which odds are better?

Playing the same lotto numbers over and over again or selecting new
ones each time?

On another note, it is so weird that lotto is not only legal, but is
run by our govt. Isn't it kind of like a giant pyramid scheme?

Joking like Josh

Following a long string of bizarre behavior (at least from my husband's perspective), including a lot of shopping and even getting ashes (egads!) on Ash Wednesday, I've picked up yet more items he would never approve. This time, it's $5 worth of lottery tickets for mega millions. The jackpot is $117 million, results come out this Friday...wish me luck. And honey, if I win, I'd like to buy a few more things before I give you the money to refinance our mortgage.

Need job at army canteen

What's wrong with me? I can never cook just for a few people or enough for my family, but I have to go way overboard. Today, I made 6.5 quarts of carrot soup! I think it tastes pretty good. Any takers?

Part of my problem might be the enormous cookware I've demanded from my husband. I think I'm the only one I know who owns not one but two 14" frying pans!

The soup was a product of using a 12 quart stock pot, probably the largest one in most kitchens. But I go one further. I own a behemoth, 20 quart stock pot! Sometimes I make a ridiculous amount of chili in it. 4 lbs of beef, 2 lbs of sausage, 4 lbs of dry beans, an insane amount of peppers, and onions, and various sundry. This chili can swallow up any ingredients. Once, I chopped up an entire bunch of cilantro and the chili swallowed all of it up, the cilantro all but disappeared.

I chuckle at recipes that say, this can be doubled. Pfshaw!!! What I'd like to know is can your recipe be octupled?!

Good laughs

I come home from work today and my older daughter is not her usual rambunctious self. She's lying down on the couch. I feel her all around and conclude that she has a fever.
"I think you're sick, Sadee," I say to her.
"Are you sick, Mom?" she replies.
"Only a little," I say.
"Well, you're little sick and I'm big sick," she responds. Heehehehe.

Then after I give her some Tylenol, I notice sweat beads on her nose.
"I think her fever's breaking," I say to Josh.
"Yeah, I'm losing my fever, " she chimes in. "I can't find it."

Hahahahahah!

Youthful thinking

My daughter is fascinated by foreign languages. She's always asking to hear her favorite Disney songs in other languages on Youtube. She can actually sing "A Whole New World" in a few languages. But I think she might think that foreign languages are gobbedy gook because she will make random sounds and insist she's speaking or singing in Japanese.
The other day, a Japanese person and her child was at our house and I thought it would be a good opportunity to show her that Japanese is a real language and not non-sense sounds. I pointed out to Sadie when she spoke Japanese. She told Sadie about how to say goodbye, 'sayonara'.
I think she got very confused. She kept asking me, "Mom why are they talking like that?" as if the only reason to "talk like that" was for amusement. It perplexed her to witness two people, who were clearly communicating and exchanging thoughts with each other, but she had no idea what was being said.
It is reminiscent of my own experience from childhood. I remembered that when I first came to America, it was so confusing that nobody spoke or understood Thai. I remember being told things like dog means 'ma', etc. I kept thinking, well if dog means 'ma', then why don't we all just cut to the chase and say 'ma'. My frame of reference was so self-centered.
I think it's interesting to think about the thoughts we had as children that we couldn't verbalize or understand. And it feels really good to remember the ones that used to stump us in our youth and answer our own unanswered or previously thought unanswerable questions. I wonder how much of my daughter's experience with that I witness but won't be able to appreciate until she grows up and points them out to me.
Right now the days are always full of why this and why that. Which ones are the ones that are truly memorable, that she will recall later in life, and answer her own questions with great amusement and pleasure? Give herself the same joy she gives me everyday!

Little gator

"Your skin is so dry! Like an alligator!"
"Are you scared?"
"No, what is there to be scared of?"
"Are you scared of me?!"
"No, why would I be scared of you?"
"Because I'm an alligator!"
"No, sweetie, people often compare dry skin to an alligator's. You're not an alligator."
"You're not scared I gonna eat you? Cuz I'm an alligator?"
"No, you're not an alligator. Your dry skin is LIKE an alligator's."

Ups and downs

Every time I wash Saydee's hair, it's a battle. She doesn't want me to rinse her hair; she doesn't like the feeling of water over her ears or face. It's really a nuisance for me because I can't finish the task at hand and I worry that when she takes swim lessons, she will be at a disadvantage. A friend of mine told me that her daughter was the same way and she had the same concerns, but had a success story. She decided on the tough love route and poured water over her daughter's face. For some time, her daughter screamed bloody murder but after a bit of time, she got used to it.
I've been taking the patient, gentle coddling route - putting up with her and finding creative ways to rinse shampoo off her head. The other day, my patience ran really thin. I threatened to pour water over her head if she wasn't going to tilt her head back for me. I repeated the threat a few times, to give her ample opportunity to cooperate with me. In the end, I poured water over her head, the whole time wretched with guilt, knowing how she would react. But I really wanted to rinse all the shampoo off and get the bath done. Any way, it was worse than I thought....she jumped out of the tub in absolute fear and terror. She cried and cried for at least ten minutes. I felt terrible. Through her screams and tears, I apologized profusely and tried explaining that if she cooperated next time, this won't happen again.
About twenty minutes later, she had fully settled down and we were in our bedtime routine, which is always very special to me. We often cuddle and exchange some nice words. I apologized again for pouring water over her face. She tells me, "That's OK mom, you don't have to say sorry." Her tone is so wise and mature, she had communicated so clearly to me that she had moved on and didn't even need any apologies. Amazing. Twenty minutes ago, I was dealing with a whiny 3 year old and now she's wiser than me.

Ranting and Raving

If someone were to start a stop watch and ask me to either start verbalizing all of my complaints or things I want, I could get really excited and go on for a long time before pausing even for a breath. However, give the same challenge to my husband and you'd practically have to start and stop the watch at the same time. "What? Did you say something?" you might ask. "No, nothing," he would respond. Then in an annoyingly chirpy and cheerful tone, he might say, "I want nothing. And I have nothing to complain about."

What gives?!

Keys to the city

So Bloomberg has awarded "keys to the city" to Captain Sullenberger
and his crew for their heroics and amazing feat of landing Flight 549
beautifully with no lives lost or major injuries. What the heck are
"keys to the city"?! Is this literal or figurative or both? Can the
Cpt unlock the doors to Gracie Mansion? Go to the Bronx zoo after
hours? Get to the head of a line at the DMV? Get into a Yankee game
for free? Etc. I'd like to know exactly what is proffered by this
privilege and why every journalist assumes I know because I have no
clue.

UPDATE - I found this website defining keys to the city.
Still pretty murky to me. Says that "...the recipient is as free to come and go at will." When, where, what, how?!

Listen up Chinese takeout establishments

What's up with hot oil? Why not just "hot" and no "oil"? It'll save you money and I'll like it more.

If only life were so simple

"Are you going to come to my house tomorrow?" my daughter asks me last night as she's going to bed.
"Yes, I'm going to stay home with you tomorrow. I'm taking the day off work." I reply.
"Mom, do you like to go to work?" she asks.
"No," I reply.
"Stay home then, OK? Mom why don't you stay home with me?"