Jan 31, 2010

Shrimp Tacos

Here's an easy, healthy recipe I made up:

Whole wheat tortillas (small, taco-size)
1 lb medium raw shrimp
Pre-packaged shredded cabbage/carrot mix
1 sm red onion
1 jalapeno pepper
2 limes
1 Tbsp sour cream
1 Tbsp mayonnaise

Set a pot of water on the stove to boil.
Mix the sour cream and mayo.  Set aside.
Dice the onion and jalapeno.  Set aside.
Slice limes in half.  Set aside.
Peel and rinse the shrimp.  Boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and rinse the shrimp in ice water to prevent overcooking.
Rough-chop the shrimp.  (approx 1/4-1/2 inch pieces)
Soften tortillas in the microwave.
Add about 1/4 cup up cabbage/carrot mix to a tortilla.
Add a handful of chopped shrimp.
Sprinkle with onions and jalapenos to taste.
Take one of the lime halfs and squeeze juice over the taco.
Drizzle with the mayo/sour cream mixture to taste.

The whole thing takes about 15 minutes.  I buy the 1 lb bags of frozen raw shrimp that are already cut and deveined.  All you have to do is defrost, peel, and cook.  This recipe makes about 6 tacos.

Jan 28, 2010

You cannot be serious

Disclaimer: all names have been changed to protect the galactically stupid.

A facebook friend of mine posted a status message today. It seems her teenager is taking biology. Here is the message:

"Lisa is really getting pounded with evolutionary garbage in biology class... What a great dinner time discussion!"

Before I could censor myself, I commented, "Really? REALLY? Because I could give you 100 examples of organisms alive today that clearly demonstrate evolution in action." I went back about 10 minutes later and deleted it. I don't need to pick fights on facebook, and my comment will not have any effect in changing this person's mind anyway. It's like trying to walk a cat on a leash. It doesn't work, and it just pisses off the cat.

This woman literally believes that Adam and Eve, Noah, and all that repopulate the Earth crap is real.  I have always been a fan of science. Organisms either evolve with their environment, they migrate to a more suitable environment, or they take a dirt nap.  That includes us.

I had an articulate blog written about this subject, but my browser crashed, and it's gone.  I don't feel like rewriting it now.  Suffice to say that I am grateful that scientists actually use the scientific method instead of jumping to conclusions, and I am grateful that my friend and her ilk have no say in our state's educational standards.

Why don't you give me some of YOUR thoughts on evolutionary biology...

Jan 27, 2010

My Favorite Things: Scents

Inspired by a blog of the same name, I jotted down this list of My Favorite Things.

1.  The sweet, earthy smell of the air just before it rains
2.  Ribs smoking over pecan and apple wood
3.  A pot of cinnamon and water simmering on the stove
4.  Clean diapers
5.  The sea
6.  Fresh-cut peonies and lilacs from my backyard
7.  Hazelnut coffee
8.  Hawaiian Tropic Deep Tanning Oil (yep, they still sell the old school stuff)
9.  Sleepy children
10. My husband after a shower, shave, and a spritz of Obsession

What are your favorite scents?  Why?

Jan 23, 2010

Brain Dump

I miss blogging.  I hate facebook because my mom's on mine, and also, most of my friends are conservative bordering on nazis.  I need to vent, to brain dump, to get this out of my head so I can get to sleep.  Thanks for listening.

I was thinking about the state of things the other day, and a blogger friend of mine said something that gave me pause. I don't recall his exact words, so forgive me for the paraphrasing: "God never put food on my table. God didn't fix my broken furnace.  You keep praying and voting Republican, and I'll keep questioning authority."  I might not be so much into the questioning part, but I think he has a very valid point.  I challenge the neocons who think Obama is the devil to live paycheck to paycheck for awhile, hoping each day that your old beater of a car gets you to work and back.  Hoping that you make it on time to daycare to pick your kids up before they start charging you overtime fees.  Hoping that there are no birthday parties this month because you just can't spare the $10 for a gift.  Hoping that you don't spill your soup on your blouse at lunch because you can't afford to have it drycleaned until after payday.  Hoping that your kids don't have basketball games this week because you don't know if you have enough gas to drive them to the opposing team's gym.  Hoping that pain you've been having isn't serious because you can't afford a doctor visit.  Hoping your kid doesn't break his glasses because you can't afford new ones.  Yeah, so you get the point.  God doesn't put food on my table.  God doesn't fix my broken furnace.

I am so sick of everyone spouting off about how they are terrified of health care reform and basically anything the Democrats come up with.  I think TERRIFIED is the right word.  The Republicans are freaking the fuck out.  All I have to say to that is, "Welcome to the club. I've been shitting my drawers for the past 8 years over almost everything the Bush administration did.  Environment?  Trash it.  Welfare and social programs? Forget them.  Taxes?  Let's throw the masses a bone ("stimulus check") and placate them.  Corporations? Bow to them.  Gay marriage and abortion? Let's use them to distract people.  Real, middle class, working families?  Fuck 'em.

So yes, I've been waiting patiently for 8 long years to get some relief.  Welcome to my world, Conservatives.

I don't think anything gets accomplished when you're too far right or too far left, but there's a saying in politics that rings true:  when you walk down the middle of the road, you usually get run over.  It's a shame, really.  People vacate all reason and let their emotions rule them.  Sad indeed.  It's the people who think critically, the lawmakers who reach across the aisle, the independents of this world who usually have the most workable approach to solving problems, yet no one listens to them, or worse, they are labeled "flip floppers."

I live in a very red state.  Dyed in the wool RED.  I hear from lifelong friends about how petrified they are of this whole "Obama thing" and how they really BELIEVE the conservative pundits.  They really do think that we are all going to hell in a handbasket, and soon.  If you ever watch South Park, they did a fantastic satire of the Obama presidential victory.  The neocons were all holed up in a bunker with weapons, fearing doomsday.  I highly recommend checking out that episode.

I guess I would call myself a conservative Democrat.  It's not as dichotomous as you'd think.  It works for me.  I guess I don't fit the mold, but I am at peace with my beliefs.  I don't mind paying taxes because I like the fact that when I call 911, the police/fire/ambulance personnel actually come to my house and help me.  I have been on food stamps and medicaid, and I don't know what I would have done without it during that period of time.  I like having safe, plentiful drinking water, sewer service, electricity, and gas utilities.  I try to do little things to help the environment, but I'm no tree hugger.  I'll only buy organic produce when it's on sale, and I still like to drive my car.  Sometimes I get mad that minorities have a perceived advantage in hiring practices, but then I realize that no one will ever profile me as a terrorist or call me a racial slur just because I look different.  I give to charity, and more importantly, I involve my children in fundraising and helping others.  I don't go to church, but my kids attend Catholic school, and I actively encourage their studies of the bible.  You can't think critically if you don't have all the information.  I think abortion should be absolutely safe, legal, and available, but moreover, I think it's our responsibility to provide comprehensive sex education to kids and teens so they never need an abortion. It makes me sad that we don't use 1/10th of the technology available to us to produce vehicles and other industrial machinery that run on renewable/green energy.  We are trouncing our wildlife and natural environment in the name of mineral mining and unhealthy farming practices.  I believe in a strong military, and I think it's weak that we bow down to other countries and the UN.  Period.

I guess I could go on and on.  It doesn't have to be black and white, conservative or liberal.  And by the way, liberal isn't a dirty word.  I wish people would do a shot, let go of their fears, and realize that we're all pretty much the same.  Just because your neighbor Joe and his partner Bob are getting married, the world most assuredly isn't coming to an end.  Don't hide behind your fake beliefs in God and your fear to justify ruining the lives of others. If everyone out there used their energy to work toward solving our problems instead of pointing fingers and telling the other side how wrong they are, we could move mountains.