Happy Halloween!!

Be safe and have fun!!

Toodles,

A super cool invention...

I recently purchased one of these online and used it for the first time today (I got the blue one). It is uber cool. I like my morning cereal, and I like to eat it at my desk at work. So all I have to do the night before is pour in a little milk, some cereal and I'm ready for the morning! The milk stays cold and separate from the cereal, plus there is even a little built in spoon! You can find them here.

Today's cool t-shirt...

Easy trivia: Who invented this so-called charity????

Santa? Are you ready for my list yet??

Hi.

If someone could buy me these smokin' hot boots I would appreciate it.

Size 8 1/2.

Thanks.

It's my Berfday!!

And this will be the best year yet!!!

Recipe of the Week: Turkey & Artichoke Stuffed Shells

Turkey & Artichoke Stuffed Shells

1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells
1 T extra-virgin olive oil + 1 T unsalted butter
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (15 oz) can artichokes, quartered and chopped
1 (15 oz) container part-skim ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, salt, black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and basil. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 baking dish with 1 cup of tomato sauce (I made my own). Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 20-24 shells. Drizzle the remaining tomato sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)

Delish!!

A True Love Story

Happy 39th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!!!


Much love,

Quote of the day...

"Knowing you is like going into the jungle...I don't know what I'll find next and I'm real scared."

Jerry to George
Seinfeld

Gus & Libby

I am in love. Recently a pair of the sweetest kitties found their way to my porch. I faintly remember returning from a jog around the neighborhood one night a few months ago and seeing a few newborn kittens playing in the yard down from mine. But I never really saw them again--until they showed up at my front door! At first they were really shy and wouldn't let me pet them. But I've been speaking kitty-talk and feeding them and now they are my 'outside' babies. The orange one is Gus (Gustopher Gustafson) and the calico is Libby (Libitina Lovington). I've tried letting them in the house (Gus especially, since he follows me everywhere). But my 'inside' babies just aren't having it. Charli is interested in the new addition(s), but Cleo is, pardon my french, a beeotch. She hisses and growls at Gus. He is wary but explored the house nonetheless. I want him to stay and snuggle and be happy and warm and comfortable. I worry about him and Libby being outside, especially now that it's getting colder. I know they can survive but I want to take care of them! Gus is such a sweetie...he makes my heart smile. Such furry little charmers!!

This post has no title.

Texas has the #1 ranking this week. Yuck. I'm not going to pretend that they aren't playing some good football, but I don't have to like it. Our Sooners are still in the top 5 and that shows stamina and consistency. There is still hope for a National Championship...

That's all I'm going to say on this Monday morning.

Later,

This man is making my life miserable...

He is Pierre-Simon Laplace, a pioneer in mathematical physics and astronomy.

I enjoy math. I do not, however, enjoy mechanics. All the nerdy engineering students in my DE class are loving the last few weeks of Laplace transforms and all they entail. I don't care about springs attached to objects with a mass on the end...blah, blah, blah. Just give me a differential equation to solve and I am happy--I don't want to know how it applies to physics. Ok, I got a B in Physics but only took it because it was required. I just plain don't like studying it. Ironic, considering my love for biology, chemistry and geology, not to mention how physics makes the world go round. But, alas, I have no love for physics. Don't get me wrong...it's a fascinating field of study. It's just not my cup of tea. Perhaps I don't like it because it reminds me of a self-righteous, arrogant mechanical engineer I used to date...who knows.

But I for sure can't wait until we are done with Laplace and can move on to another mathematical topic in DE. Only one more week of this crap...

Because every little bit helps...

Fascinating, nerdy stuff...

HUGE NEW PRIME NUMBER DISCOVERED

Mathematicians in California could be in line for a $100,000 prize for finding a new prime number which has nearly 13 million digits.

Prime numbers can be divided only by themselves and one.

The prize was set up by the Electronic Frontier Foundation to promote co-operative computing on the Internet. The team from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) found the new number by linking 75 computers and harnessing their unused power. This enabled them to perform the enormous number of calculations needed to find and verify a new prime.

Thousands of people around the world linked the powers of their personal computers in the search for a higher "Mersenne" prime number - named after 17th Century French mathematician Marin Mersenne. Mersenne primes are expressed as two to the power of P, minus one - with P being itself a prime number.

Edson Smith, the leader of the winning UCLA team, told the Associated Press news agency: "We're delighted. Now we're looking for the next one, despite the odds."

Red River Rivalry 2008

The beer is cold, the snacks are stocked and I am ready...ARE YOU READY???

There is a buzz in the air and it can only mean one thing: the Sooners are going to head-to-head with Texas. Oh, yes, it's that time again...the battle of OU/Texas in the Cotton Bowl. As Big Tex overlooks the fairgrounds, our Sooners will be fighting for bragging rights this season. This game encompasses much tradition for both Okies and Texans. The series began in 1900 but has been played in Dallas since 1912. I attended this matchup a few times in my youth, though I was more concerned with the fair and cotton candy back then.

This is an important game and a turning point in the season. Both teams are in the top 5 (OU #1 of course) and both have been playing very well. I am nervous but excited. Unfortunately I have an exam first thing Saturday morning (yes, a Saturday exam on campus) so I will be preoccupied tonight with studying. But I will be poised in front of Dad's flat screen TV and ready by game time. College Gameday will set the stage in Dallas so tune in!!

Come on Sooners...beat those Horns!!

Born & Bred,

When I Grow Up...

...I want to be like my sister-in-law, Susan.

She is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, career woman, rock star. Ok, maybe not that last one but she does know any lyric to any song ever made in the 1970's. Susan is one heck of a lady. She's smart, funny, loving, goofy (a must in our family) and very down to earth. It doesn't hurt that she comes from good people (even if they are Longhorns). I can still remember their wedding day (even though I was a little tipsy at the reception) and the way my brother's face looked when Susan walked down the aisle. She's pretty darn special, that Susan. She doesn't know that I really miss hanging out with her. And now that I live 700 miles away it's pretty hard to do. But we are headed down to H-Town for Thanksgiving and I think I may just give her a big hug and tell her how much she means to me. Yup, that's what I'm going to do.

Much love,

Today's Deep Thought...

by Jack Handy

One thing kids like is to be tricked. For instance, I was going to take my nephew to Disneyland, but instead I drove him to an old burned-out warehouse. "Oh no," I said, "Disneyland burned down." He cried and cried, but I think that deep down he thought it was a pretty good joke. I started to drive over to the real Disneyland, but it was getting pretty late.

Another Vincent post...

I stayed up until 2:00 am last night watching yet another Vincent movie. The film, The Whole Wide World, stars Vincent as Robert E. Howard, famed pulp fiction writer and creator of Conan the Barbarian. His costar, played by Renee Zellweger, portrays Novalyne Price, a schoolteacher. The story is set in the 1930's when they met and explores their friendship and unrequited love.

The screenplay was adapted from Novalyne Price's novel penned One Who Walked Alone. The movie is beautifully written...the story is sweet, simple and sad. Vincent's portrayal of Howard is brilliant. His character acting is so incredibly believable, and his depiction of Howard's emotional struggle is truly captivating. And the score is so poignant...very subtle yet powerful. I was impressed to say the least...and I cried for about 10 minutes. I practically watched the movie 1.5 times because I went back to pivotal scenes and turned on the commentary. I believe it's Vincent with the director and screenplay writer. They explain each scene, describing that day on the set as well how they chose to film it. Vincent was of course embarrassed by the big kiss scene, but it's simply breathtaking.

My obsession has turned into pure ache, awe and admiration. This guy has really got me good.

*sigh*

Today's Deep Thought...

by Jack Handy


To me, it's a good idea to always carry two sacks of something when you walk around. That way, if anybody says, "Hey, can you give me a hand?" You can say, "Sorry, got these sacks."

"Meet me in St. Louis, Louis, meet me at the fair..."

Ok, ok, so tonight's debate in Missouri won’t be NEARLY as fun as watching Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis.

I really don't know what to say or even think about tonight's debacle, I mean debate. All I keep hearing and reading about is how Sarah Palin will have to prove herself. Why????? Not every candidate running for office has known all there is to know up front…nor have they all had the experience. For instance, here are some interesting facts about a former Vice President (and later President) of the United States who turned out to be a strong, energetic leader:

I am under 45 years old,
I love the outdoors,
I hunt,
I am a Republican reformer,
I have taken on the Republican Party establishment,
I have many children,
I have a spot on the national ticket as vice president with less than two years in the governor's office.

"Speak softly and carry a big stick, and you will go far."

It’s Theodore Roosevelt, our 26th President. Ironically, here is a real picture of him toting a rifle.

Yet the talk of Sarah Palin being a hunter and proud gun owner makes her out to be some crazy woman from the boondocks. The Liberals are having a field day with Palin. It just goes to show they only like women with testicles (aka Hillary). I’m not sure yet if I am 100% behind Palin, but I sure as HECK don’t want Hilary anywhere near 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue ever again. Why does Sarah Palin have to prove herself? She is a fresh face, and a much needed energy boost for the McCain trail. Give me a break, you left-winged, overbearing, self-righteous fascists!!

Whew, I feel better now. And my last words come from one of my favorite t-shirts:

“I’d rather be a conservative nut job than a Liberal with no nuts and no job.”

Peace out,

I'm a little bit obsessed...

...with this man.

He is a brilliant actor and I adore watching him on TV and in films. I am currently in a phase of watching everything he has ever been in (can you say fanatic?). He is apparently known in the acting community as being "the actor's actor" because of his wide range of work and versatility. He gained a record 70 pounds for his role as Private Pyle in one of my all-time fav movies Full Metal Jacket. For cryin’ out loud even Renee Zellweger thanked him in her 2003 Oscar speech! This guy is the shizzle.

Ok, so not only is he a great actor, but he is a bona fide stud in my book. Physically, he is everything I could ever want in a man. He's so damn sexy.

Is it hot in here??

Go watch Vincent. Must watch Vincent. I love you Vincent.

Madly,