Random


I'm feeling kind of blah today.  I realize watching too much news can affect the way I feel.  All the unrest around the world & people fighting or protesting for a better life, the natural disasters (there was an earthquake in Burma this week too), deaths - everything feels so hopeless sometimes.  Then I also learned a few things personally this week & it has just added to my, "what's the point?" thinking.  Things truly are beyond our control, aren't they?  So why does it bother me so much?  Why can't I be one of those people who can let things slide off my back and not give a fuck?  I guess that is what makes us all human?  Life really sucks sometimes and why does it seem it's the people who don't deserve it sucking, have it suck the most?  I'd like to have that conversation with whatever-higher-powers-that-be are up there, one day.


Not that I'm an obsessive "green" person, but I'd like to think I do my part to try & keep this planet healthy & around after I die by recycling most everything & walking or TTC-ing it everywhere, when I can.  Yesterday during Earth Hour I did switch off the electricity while I was having a yummy meal with one of my oldest friends (21 years and counting) & chatting (and drinking...).

Screwdrivers to start. Now that Spring is officially here, I still think I will continue trying to go through my classic cocktails book & make old school cocktails by the recipes.  Evidently the Screwdriver was "invented" in the 1940s by a man who didn't have a swizzle stick handy and had to use a screwdriver instead, to mix his drink.  The movie accompanying this recipe was From Here To Eternity (Columbia 1953), which was filmed on O'ahu and leads up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  I swear I must be in the minority regarding a lot of classic films but I never understood why this was considered to be such an amazing movie.  It was okay.  I definitely don't think it was Burt Lancaster's or Deborah Kerr's best film.  I felt it was too soapy (and I like a good soap opera if it is done well) and there were a few miscasting choices.


I was craving Roast Beef this weekend.  It has been a while since I've had beef.  Very hard to come by in Burma, not surprisingly, and at home, believe it or not, I am not a huge meat eater.  Maybe once a week, if I'm lucky.  I try to eat a lot of legumes & fish (try, being the key word).  So I decided to make a proper Roast Beef Dinner last night with all the fixings.

I even made Brussels Sprouts, Horseradish Cream, Gravy, Parsnips and Yorkshire Pudding (though a tad overdone because I got distracted).  It was still good!

For Dessert I made Pears Poached in Red Wine Sauce with Vanilla Ice Cream & Amaretto Biscotti Crumbs.  My friend loves pears and with it being pretty cold outside still, this is kind of a Winter dessert.


My playlist last night?




I have to thank pepperminttina (who I discovered via blogging but who I have lost touch with, and this makes me sad) for introducing me to Rachael Yamagata.  I love this song.




Honestly, other than, you know, his Jessie's Girl back in the '80s, I hadn't listened to a Rick Springfield song in decades but somehow heard this song online a few years ago and bought this CD.  I like it, for some reason.  But I haven't listened or purchased any of his CDs since.




Most are more familiar with her brother, Rufus, but I do like Martha Wainwright and think she is talented in her own right.  Her, and Serena Ryder, below, were my Canadian content for the night.  Ha.






And of course, Ryuichi Sakamoto, who never leaves my playlist.  I think I could listen to him 24/7.




My favourite Glenn Miller song.  You can imagine how weird I was considered, listening to this stuff when I was young.  Not that I'm old!  At least I don't think I am!  I've always had an affinity for all things from the 1920's to 1940's.  Music, clothes, movies.


I have to say, nothing can pick up my mood like listening to music that I love.


And the OCD in me is, once again, letting go of the fact there are too many spaces in this post, and they are off!