Dig That Scene

Making an effort to update, even if it's boring. . .

2006-06-14T00:26:19Z

I'm having lunch with my friend Annie on Thursday, which rules, because I haven't seen her in about six months!

In an effort to save some money, the groceries I buy this week are going to be far less interesting. This means, of course, that the dinners I cook will be far less interesting. Bummer, n'est pas? Oh well. I spent about two years with Nic (early in our relationship) eating various "helpers" so I'm sure I can handle another two weeks. Besides, some of the money saved is going toward our trip to Leavenworth next week for our third anniversary. Definitely worth it!

I find myself sitting here, wishing it was Christmas. Hello, random?

I wish mayo and Miracle Whip would stop feuding- I love them both!

Misc.

2006-06-12T20:41:09Z

I really can't believe that I am planning my daughter's first birthday party. What?! I've had a child. . . for a whole year?! It is seriously bizarre. It's way too hard not to spout cliches like, "time goes so fast" and "I never thought this is where I'd be at 24." But I certainly thank God that I am here. "I wouldn't trade it for anything." ;)

I recommend: Kashi Go-Lean Crunch cereal. Yummy and healthy, and that's hard to beat.

I promise, I really am NOT DEAD

2006-06-10T03:42:40Z

So, first things first: if, in fact, anyone was disappointed by my lack of entries over the last few months, I apologize. Let's just say I was in a coma of sorts.

Here is a quick update, so you know what you've been missing:
Ella is 11 months old. Ahh!
I am obsessed with Gilmore Girls on dvd and I highly suggest everyone watch
and love it.
I am still cooking a lot and I have a strong desire to write and publish a
cookbook.

That's it. Okay, not really, of course, but I think you can now understand why I haven't been updating- there hasn't been much to say! But I suppose that excuse only goes so far. I am going to try and make an effort to post more. Even if all I have to say is that I wish I lived in the fictional town of Stars Hollow.

Oh yeah- listen to these songs:
"Mad World" Tears for Fears
"Hard to Concentrate" Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Not About Love" Fiona Apple
"Walk on the Ocean" Toad the Wet Sproket
"Tornado" Sara Groves
Anything by Belle and Sebastian
Anything by Imogen Heap

krcann @ 2006-03-21T13:21:00

2006-03-21T21:33:44Z

Ella update anyone? she is 8 1/2 months, about 16 lbs 8 oz., 28" long (I figure I'll say "tall" when she can walk). She has two bottom middle teeth, and more are poking through. She creeps around like a champ, but does not crawl on all fours. We suspect that she won't, and will instead move right on to walking, as she is most interested in standing. She can pull herself up to standing if she has something sturdy to brace herself. She says "ma-ma" but it is somewhat indiscriminate. That is to say, sometimes Nic or my mom or the cat is "ma-ma."

krcann @ 2006-03-13T11:46:00

2006-03-13T19:50:26Z

Why am I so tired? I got 14 hours of sleep!

Watch these, please!

2006-03-07T06:14:13Z

Always looking to add some killer tv shows and movies to your watching schedule? I know I am! If you have the time, the channels, the Netflix/Video store, and the interest, I suggest the following:

"O'Grady" airs on The N network, which for me is channel 120. New eps air on Fridays, I think at 6:30 pm (because of it's east coast 9:30 time). It's an animated show about a group of high school kids in the town of O'Grady, which is a town famous for it's weird goings-on. Strange things happen all the time, like for example, tv remotes suddenly stop working on tvs and start working on people. They simply call it "the weirdness," and it's absolutely hilarious! Go to www.the-n.com to check it out.

"Glorious" and "Dress to Kill" which are stand up comedy routines by Eddie Izzard. He is BRILLIANT.

"Food Network Challenge" airs on the Food Network on Sunday nights. It features various culinary challenges, such as elaborate cake decorating and fancy burger building. Very fun and interesting to watch.

"Walk the Line" Johnny Cash fan or not, this movie is both moving and charming. Reese deserves her Oscar. . . she makes a fab June.

Also, if you haven't yet, see The 40-Year Old Virgin and Crash.

Pics of my "new" living room!

2006-03-05T10:16:58Z

We painted three walls- two of them the same color, which is called "Toasted Wheat" and the small wall over the fireplace is a bit of a darker color called "Burnt Almond." Hungry, anyone? In the pics, they look kinda pink, but just take my word for it that the walls are, in fact, light brownish colors that look much like their names would have you imagine.

New furniture so far includes: arm chair, coffee table, square bookshelf, and tv stand. Most of the stuff on my walls is new too. . . I love the topiary pics. They look so fresh or clean, or something. We have ordered our couch online, but it will be a few weeks before it arrives.

So anyway, here are the pics taken with my lame-ass crappy camera. (Just to be clear, the captions refer to the pic above them)

the bookshelf with which i'm so very in lust, and my pinkish purple topiary pics

this is (clearly) our tv wall, with the green topiary pics

wall above the fireplace

close up of my new "vintage modern" clock

arm chair, and Nic lookin' cute

coffee table

mirrors above the couch

My New Living Room

2006-03-03T18:19:00Z

My walls are painted and decorated, my new coffee table, bookshelf, and tv stand are assembled and in place. I am about half a day away from living room bliss. Thank God for Ikea! I'll update with pictures later.

Got a sweet tooth?

2006-02-23T08:11:03Z

Here is a recipe about which I feel compelled to spread the word, as it is quite tasty and pretty easy. Bon appetit!

IRISH CREAM TRUFFLES
1 pkg choc chips (any kind you want, I like the new semi-sweet & white swirl ones)
8 oz cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
Irish Cream Liqueur to taste (Bailey's is the best, but Saint Brendan's is cheaper and will do just fine)
1 cup Cocoa powder (unsweetened)

Blend cream cheese and powdered sugar, adding sugar slowly, one cup at a time. Blend until smooth. Melt choc chips either in double boiler or microwave (if you use the microwave, do 30 sec at a time, stirring between, until totally melted. It's tedious, but it is likely to burn otherwise). Add melted choc to cream cheese and sugar mixture, blend well until smooth. Begin adding liqueur. Basically, you can add as much as you want up to 2 oz (any more than that and the mix will not set properly). Put mixture in fridge for several hours (at least 2 1/2) until it is firm enough to roll. When firm, roll into balls (of desired size), then roll each ball in cocoa powder until coated. Put balls back in the fridge for at least another hour. Then, enjoy! (Yields about 5 dozen)

krcann @ 2006-02-14T21:25:00

2006-02-15T05:31:55Z

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Sorry I haven't been writing much lately, but things are slow. Just bear with me. . .

The Food Network is making me fat(ter). . .

2006-02-06T09:47:13Z

I watch the food network way too much now. On the plus side, I have had the fun of making all sorts of new dinners for my fam and I am learning a lot about cooking in general. But a major bummer about it is that I am always hungry. Tv does that to you anyway, so watching a channel that is all food, all the time, I don't have a fighting chance. I watch all the shows, but I tend to cook Rachel Ray's recipes the most, because hers are quick, easy, and dee-lish. Here are the recent meals I have made:

Chicken Mug Pie (courtesy of Rachel Ray) This is a chicken pot pie without the pie- you make the thick "soup" part (chicken with carrots, celery, onion, potato, various spices), then serve it in a mug with a biscuit on top

Morroccan spiced lamb burgers served on a tarragon cole slaw with wild mushroom cous cous on the side (this idea was inspired by Rachel Ray, but heavily modified)

Grilled portobello mushroom caps topped with smoked gouda, grilled onions, a lemon dill mayo, and watercress (in that order), with baked potato on the side (once again, inspired by various chefs from the Food Network, as they all love to cook with portobello mushrooms)

Chili spiced sweet potato hash- maple breakfast sausage, sweet potato, onion, cheddar cheese, chili powder & paprika, topped with a fried egg or two (you guessed it- idea from Ms. Ray)

"Kristin's" Chicken Enchiladas (this one is all me) tortillas stuffed with chicken, black beans, and salsa, and topped with a cheddar, gouda, Mexican spiced cheese sauce, and sour cream

I adore cooking. I often think I should have attempted culinary school, but then I think that I would be turned off by such disciplined cooking. I prefer to be inventive and sloppy. Besides, I'd much rather cook for my fam than people I don't know.

Check them out

2006-02-03T07:51:30Z

Bored? Try these kick ass sites:

www.youtube.com look for just about anything you've ever seen on tv or in movies, and they have most of it. Good for finding various stand-up comedy routines.

www.retrojunk.com So great! It even has old commercials! I love the intros to cartoons and shows I watched as a kid, like I found Hey Dude, Doug, Ducktales, Anamaniacs, Salute Your Shorts, Mysterious Cities of Gold, Beverly Hills Teens (does ANYONE remember this besides me??), Jem and the Holograms, etc. SO FUN! And way nostalgic, which I always support.

www.soyouwanna.com tells you how to do EVERYTHING

www.postsecret.com awesome, but can be a bit depressing. But it can also be liberating, so take a chance, I guess ;-)

'Cause music rules

2006-02-01T22:17:48Z

My friend Leah posted, in her LJ, 7 songs she's enjoying this week, and since I think there is never harm in spreading the news about awesome tunes, I shall do the same:

1. "Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard" by Paul Simon
2. "Close To Me" by The Cure
3. "Tymps" by Fiona Apple
4. "Beau's All Night Radio Love Line" by Joshua Kadison
5. "Breakfast in America" by Supertramp
6. "God Bless the Child" by Yeardly Smith as Lisa Simpson
7. "Wonder" by Brandy Creek

French rap? Yes please! Cruise ships? No thanks!

2006-01-27T07:37:44Z

If you think it is interesting to hear rap/hip hop music in other languages, as I do, check out MC Solaar. I just think it sounds sexy! My fav song so far, is "Belle et le Bad Boy." C'est magnifique!

What's my prob? I've seen/heard the Carnival Cruise commercial 80 bazillion times, at yet, EVERY TIME I find it necessary to sing along to "Beyond the Sea." To be honest, I'm not even sick of it! Is that successful advertising, or simply a sign that I am easily manipulated by a catchy song? Whatever, it doesn't matter, I would never go on a cruise. . . I am afraid of boats and water.

Stephen Colbert is distracting me, so I must go now. Sleep well, my lovelies!

Good Stuff

2006-01-23T09:12:38Z

Here is an imaginary convo between myself and Albert Einstein:

EINSTEIN: "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding."

ME: Word to that, Al

EINSTEIN: "Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -- how passionately I hate them!"

ME: Testify!

EINSTEIN: "He who joyfully marches to music rank and file, has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action. It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder."

ME: You're, like, a genius.

Annnnnnnnnd Scene.

Now if only Einstein were around today to talk to G Dub.

FN RULES!!

2006-01-19T02:23:36Z

I love the Food Network soooo much!! Everday Italian, 30 minute meals, semi-homemade meals, party line with the Hearty Boys, Paula's Homecooking, Iron Chef, Mystery Cake. . . they are all so great. Cooking is perhaps one of the greatest things in the world.

Silly words

2006-01-16T16:42:46Z

Certain words/word combos are a delight to say. Childish? Yeah. Do I care? No.

monkey
dimple
poo
bee's knees
glop
mondo made-to-order burrito
gak
nissan of the eastside
dulce de leche
honkin'
lanai
rubber baby buggy bumper baby-sitting service
shrubbery
pickle
Boopa (what I call my daughter)

Some goals (not calling them resolutions, because that idea intimidates me)

2006-01-15T08:23:40Z

So this year, I would like to:

-Send at least one short story and one poem to a publication

-Successfully record all episodes of Daria onto dvd (with my cool new dvd burner, they air on The N at 1:00 am Mon-Thurs, and at 2 & 2:30 am on Fridays)

-Successfully buy on dvd: Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, Fraiser, and various other great shows

-Get a work out routine in order and control my portion sizes when eating, NOT with the ultimate goal of losing weight (though totally welcome), but to be healthier and set a good example for my daughter

-redecorate my living room and either my kitchen or bathroom, and be happy with my color scheme choices

-go on more dates with the mr.

-read before bed

-make more girl friends and go out with them and drink cocktails

-learn how to tolerate myself, and not jump to conclusions about everyone thinking I am annoying and/or stupid and/or ugly and/or anything negative

-discover something

More to come, as they develop

I am alive, really

2006-01-13T04:21:44Z

So, I haven't had internet access at home for many moons, and that is mostly why I haven't been udating. We just got it hooked up, so I thought I'd better let everyone know that I still exist. . . though I'm pretty sure there are only two or three peeps that read this journal, so I guess it's not that big a deal after all. Hmmm. Anyway, that's my story.

Brandy Creek

2005-12-23T23:36:34Z

They have recently recorded a new demo, and are pursuing future gigs. Check out www.myspace.com/brcr for more info and to have a listen to one of their songs, entitled Street Lights. If you are so inclined, spread the word! Tell your friends! There, I've done my PR for the moment ;-)

krcann @ 2005-12-19T14:52:00

2005-12-19T23:00:25Z

This is definitely cause for celebration- today I bought a bra that fits! Two, actually. Being a large-chested gal has plenty of drawbacks, but one of the worst ones is that it is impossible to find a bra that a) is big enough, b) isn't incredibly expensive, and c) is a decent color or pattern (the bra making world seems to think that if you wear a 36 DDD, you most certainly don't mind wearing an ugly bra). Layne Bryant has larger sizes, naturally, but I was always hesitant to go there because the clothes tend to be a bit expensive. But they had buy one get one 1/2 off, so I got two magnificent bras that not only fit, but also look so cute that I considered walking around the mall with my shirt off for a while. But alas, I was too cold ;-)

YAY FOR GREAT BRAS!

Let the Games Begin

2005-12-16T07:42:41Z

I am not very competitive at all, but I do love to play games. Mostly board games, but I also enjoy card games, charades, and even the occasional game of Red Rover (just kidding of course, Red Rover was designed by sadists). Since Christmas is a great time to play games (with the fam) and give them as gifts, here are some recommendations- my personal favs:

SCENE IT- the ultimate movie lover's opportunity to show off the fact that you've seen too many movies too many times. So fun! My only complaint would be that if you play a lot, it doesn't take long before you start seeing a lot of repeat questions and clips. But fear not, they make booster cds.

SET- An awesome card game in which you must be the first to discover similarities in a given set of shapes. Works those mind muscles nicely. Perfect for the puzzle type, or those that enjoy video games like Tetris and Dr. Mario.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT: POP CULTURE EDITION- Regular Trivial Pursuit allows one to exhibit their talent for remembering useless, yet academically impressive information. This edition is the same, only subtract the educational merit and you have only questions about the delicious black hole that is popular culture. Great for those of us that read Entertainment Weekly and watch the E! channel.

TRUE COLORS- Warning! Do not play this with people that a) you don't know very well, b) have no sense of humor, and c) are in complete denial when it comes to their strengths and weaknesses. In the game, you get a question like "if you needed a baby-sitter, who would you trust most?" or "who is the worst driver?" and the group votes, then must guess how many votes they get. Crazy fun, but can cause arguments among the annoyingly sensitive.

TEN PENNY- This is a Cannelora family card game, so you can't buy it. I just love it and wanted to give it a shout out and mad props.

Save the Empire!

2005-12-15T02:03:21Z

Today, I bought Empire Records on dvd (for $6)! I love this flick! I mean, it's not particularly sophisticated, but I think it's funny and has some good musical moments. . . and of course Lucas is so fab! I've had it on video for a while, but now that we don't have a working vcr, videos are nearly worthless (I say nearly because they still look kinda pretty sitting on my shelf). Besides the obvious great things about this movie, here are some added bonuses:

-Academy award winning Renee Zelleweger in a role that I'm sure she will never play again. She was basically a no-name when this came out in '95, then Jerry McGuire came out in '96 and really launched her career. So weird to watch her in this, and she also sounds a bit like Joey Lauren Adams (from Chasing Amy)

-It seems like the movie was designed so that AJ would be the dreamy guy that all the chick viewers would love and root for, but as it turns out, most every girl I've ever talked to about the movie agrees that Lucas is way better (not so flippin whiny and angsty!) and even cuter. It makes it seem so delightfully cult-ish!

-The guy that plays Rex Manning is also the main guy from Grease II, a horrible horrible movie in which he is the main character/heartthrob! So it is so appropriate that he plays the washed up guy that still thinks he's sexy

Unfortunately, the dvd doesn't have commentary, which I always love :( Damn the Man!

Grammy noms announced

2005-12-10T08:03:28Z

No love for Fiona? Lame! Okay, she got a nom for "best pop vocal album," but that's it. The Grammy awards have always been a little. . . stupid. I mean, if Britney Spears wants to make sex kitten music videos and walk around in public bathrooms bare-foot, and marry a guy that left his pregnant girlfriend, that's just fine, but I fail to see how she deserves an award for her music. She doesn't have much of a voice, lyrically there's nothing there, so I don't get it.

I'm actually pulling for Mariah Carey to win a few. I'm not a huge fan these days, but I was when I was 10-15 years old, and I'm happy that she made a comeback after that whole mental breakdown and "Glitter" disaster. Whether or not you like her songs, you have to admit she has an impressive set of pipes.

Raindrops on roses? I guess that's pretty cool. . .

2005-12-10T00:37:07Z

I was listening to Christmas music on the radio and "My Favorite Things" from The Soung of Music was playing. I'm not exactly sure what makes this a Christmas song, but whatever. It inspired me to make a list of "a few of my favorite things":

-Thai leftovers (esp. for breakfast!)
-Monkeys
-My daughter's exquisite laugh
-Dressing/acting boho from time to time, even though I'm not quite cool enough to pull it off
-Getting my beloved Entertainment Weekly every Friday
-Fedoras (esp. on Johnny D.)
-The yogurt curry sauce at The Melting Pot
-Eddie Izzard's "Glorious"
-Wine before lovin' *blushes*
-Tv on dvd
-Ten penny (a Cannelora family card game)
-Safeway frozen creme brulee- no really, it's $6 for two and it's imported from France. It's amazing, as good as any I've had
-Converse
-RHCP music vids

I have to stop myself before I list for hours. . . it's good for the soul to have fav things, I think. Also, here's a random thought- George Clooney is yummy (he's on the tv right now)