Thursday, September 9, 2010

Immersion Blender, Cemetery, Cosby

Recently, I blogged about My Notebook -- a composition book that I've been filling with things I want to remember, consider, create, purchase or otherwise return to later: quotations, recipes, consumer products, gifts, project ideas. It's not a to-do list and not a bucket list, just a collection of good (or potentially good) stuff.

Since I'm struggling to find the time and mental resources to blog these days, I thought I'd share some items from My Notebook.
Quotations
"Don't settle for food when you need conversation, rest, appreciation, or fun." -- a tweet from @michellemay, author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." -- wise words from Bill Cosby but brought to my attention by a facebook status update of a childhood friend of a college friend
"Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." -- Francis of Assisi, courtesy of my high school religion teacher in response to one of my facebook status updates
Can I just mention for the umpteenth time that I love facebook?
Gifts
Of late, I've been making entries in My Notebook about gifts I would not mind receiving, such as an immersion blender, the box set of The Hunger Games Trilogy (just finished listening to audiobook of Mockingjay), and the As Seen on TV perfect brownie pan.
City Living
Since our move to the 'burbs is not happening this school year, I've also added some items to My Notebook that have to do with making the most of our current city location.
Movie and popcorn at the iconic Music Box Theatre. Ashamed to report that I've never been inside after five plus years living here, and it's only three blocks away. One of these days . . .
Empanadas from El Mercado Food Mart for dinner. This little store that's even closer than the movie theatre sells empanadas out of a hot, glass case. I always say to myself, "You should buy some of those for lunch or dinner sometime." And so I should and shall.
Check out tombstones in Graceland Cemetery. I love a good cemetery walking tour and this nearby one is the final resting place for many famous Chicagoans.
New Ventures
I think I mentioned that I have also come up with a few ideas for "businesses" since beginning My Notebook. One of them is particularly exciting to me so I am starting to lay the foundation and figure out what it would take to get it started. Hubby is asking for a business plan before any additional household capital is committed to the endeavor, but he seems fairly intrigued by the prospect. No details for now (Hubby says the business term for that is "stealth mode"), but it's fun to have a project. Plus, the next time someone asks me if I work outside the home, I am going to try to say, with a straight face, "Well, I work from home and am raising capital for a new business venture right now." NTB.
So, there you have it, some tidbits from My Notebook. What's in yours? Any good quotations for me to add to mine? Spanish speakers, am I correct in suspecting that El Mercado Food Mart is redundant? That's what the sign says.



13 comments:

Melissa Walters said...

I so want that brownie pan too altho my hubby likes the middle pieces with no edges...

I want to go through my inbox of recipes. every time I get a good email recipe, I throw it into a file thinking I'll get back to it later and print it out...and I never do. but I think I will.

need a new hair do. something different, but I probably won't because I'm scared thanks to childhood bad hair cuts (I'm sure you remember my 2nd gr mullet, my 8th gr mullet, and my sophmore year boy hair cut/afro).

need a new photo album for brady.

bought a new bagless vacum, should actually try it out....

need to think of and buy birthday presents for hubby, mom, sister and son, all born in September. but it should be a good cake month.

thinking of ordering a thing to go on brady's crib railing because he is chewing off the paint. put it in the cart, now need to go back and just order it. I have a problem with "One Step Ahead" catalog. there are so many cool gadgets and I feel like I have to narrow it down to only the necessary items...if you've never seen that catalog, don't get it. you'll add way too many items to your list.

Stacia said...

Oh, empanadas! I'm drooling over here, especially as I eat my healthy, wholesome breakfast of 1 can of Dr. Pepper.

And the Hunger Games trilogy ... Gruesome? How much bad stuff happens to kids? I want to read them, but I'm not sure I can take it.

E... said...

I purchased Mockingjay for my Kindle, after doing audio version for the first and library for the second, and I too, find myself wanting them for my actual bookshelf.
May I encourage whoever purchases gifts for you and also reads your comments in the gifting of the immersion blender? I LOVE mine. It also happens to have a container that makes it into a food processor, and I use it quite frequently. I would not as highly recommend the perfect brownie pan. It leaks, and I can't really figure out its configuration since the first time I used it.
My own notebook seems to be a nesting book all of a sudden -- lists of crap to get done before New Baby shows up any day now, though more likely we'll still be hanging out in pregnant mode until October. I have grand dreams of redesigning my laundry room.
I've also been really good about getting all my clippings into files, though now the files are just sitting around. I found a whole stack of magazines from when I was pregnant the LAST time in the corner of my room when I was clearing out the spot for the bassinet to go back in its spot!

Lap said...

I would love to be around to see you deliver the new business venture line without smiling. That is not meant to imply that your idea isn't great and worthy of capital, just not the way you typically talk:)

I've been trying to find new apps for my phone. One I got this week was quotes. Two that stuck with me are: 1. Don't make someone a priority when to them you are just an option and 2. If you really want to do something you will find a way. If you don't, you will find an excuse. I am too lazy to go look those up on my phone to give credit to the
speaker of those deep thoughts.

I think I need a notebook...maybe one inside a binder so I can throw magazine articles in the folder pockets. My current system is simply to try to remember my good ideas but you can imagine how well that works.

Mrs.Mayhem said...

The empanadas are calling to me! I make a fantastic chickpea version (I'm a veggie), but they take approximately forever to make. I can't image the joy of having them READY in a store nearby. I imagine that market is a very cool place.

brainella said...

I have an immersion blender that I've yet to use -- I have a recipe that I want to try it with. Maybe next weekend. I have the first book of the Hunger Games series. That's my next book TBR. :)

I'll have to pull out my notebook and make a report!

Actchy said...

Wait. For the first time in years, I can think of 100 things I'd like for Christmas. No doubt by the time we get there, the only thing I'll need is a large margarita, though. And I can't believe you don't have an immersion blender? Possibly the best kitchen tool ever.

Alexandra said...

haha.

Yes. El mercado means the market, so "the market the market."

too cute.

xoxo

Anonymous said...

i don't know what an immersion blender is, but i'm sure that i need one! i'll look that up later tonight. i have a basket filled with cut outs of hair cuts i like, cute makeup combinations, workout moves that i must try (or at least must make a few patients try), the "dream" kitchen/family room layout, the perfect fireplace, paint swatches, pieces of art, etc. i just drop that stuff in a basket.

mother teresa inspires me and i often find myself googling her quotes in the evening. "do no great things, only small things with great love." rita

dusty earth mother said...

I am so loving your Notebook. My mind is kind of like a notebook (full of different types of things that don't connect to each other), unfortunately the pages keep getting ripped out.

I also so want an immersion blender.

CaraBee said...

I've still got to start my notebook. It's such a great idea! In fact, I have a notebook that stays in my purse and one by my bed, either or both of which could serve in this function. Just a matter of following through.

I'm with E..., I read the first two from the library and Mockingjay on the Nook, but I really want them for the shelf. Might add them to my Christmas list.

Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but we do Amazon wish lists. Neil and I create them and we do one for Sophie and we send them to our families. It makes Christmas time a lot easier. We put things from all price ranges, so everyone can find something in their range. We get what we want, in the right size, color, whathaveyou. I wish everyone I knew did them. :)

I can't wait to hear more about your new venture! How exciting!

Steph said...

What a cool notebook! I love the idea!

Shannon said...

The brownie pan? Total rip off and crap! I was soooooo disappointed. Regardless of what the commercial claims, you have to use non-stick spray - if you fail to spray a corner/edge of one of the little individual squares, it WILL stick like cement.
So, I thought I learned...the next time, I used what seemed like half a can of spray! I think I was high on fumes the rest of the day from my "assuring" the complete coverage. Mine went in the garage sale and I'll save the money, time and Sprayer's Lung fees on a nice knife for which to slice a pan of brownies. LOL

 
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