Sunday Post

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LOOKING FORWARD TO FEBRUARY

This week a few of my events got cancelled due to the snow storm.  I had called into work to prepare for the storm the night it was predicted to snow, but snow didn't hit until the following evening (darn) 

It wasn't as bad as I thought, but we did get at least eight inches, and it melted the next day.  This week has been filled with improv and meeting new people online.

A Bridge near the U of M

That's my week. Tell me about yours in the comments below.

ON THE BLOG

Reading:

Sunday Post

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The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things  received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

LOOKING FORWARD TO FEBRUARY

This week I thought I'd answer more questions about myself.

pic of my son, Zulfi

1. What was the last movie you went to? What did you think? I went to see the latest "Spiderman" and it was pretty great.  I liked the idea behind the different dimensions. 
2. What did you want to be when you were small? I'm still small, lol. No but in all seriousness. I wanted to be spiritual leader or a teacher, which I eventually taught for three years.
3. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be? I would probably go to the Olympics, especially the Winter Olympics. I enjoy watching the figure skating and skiing.
4. What two radio stations do you listen to in the car the most? I listen to KDWB (new pop, hip hop, rock, and some other types) and the classical station.  My car finally has a radio that works after three years so I enjoy it (minus the commercials, self promotions and pledge drives)

   

   Went to Whole Foods grocery for scones and brownies

5. Which would you rather do: wash dishes, mow the lawn, clean the bathroom, or vacuum the house? Wash the dishes.  When I was a kid, I used to imagine I was a character from Miss Piggle Wiggle and I would try to see how well I could do the dishes because Miss Piggle Wiggle taught important lessons on how to trick your mind into doing things you didn't want to. 
6. If you could hire someone to help you, would it be with cleaning, cooking, or yard work? I'd hire Marie Kondo to help me clean and organize my home. I do a bit of hoarding and need some help.

More Pics from my week

One of the many Catholic churches I drove by

That's my week. Tell me about yours in the comments below.

ON THE BLOG

Reading:

I enjoyed this book by Sally Thorne. The main character is building a home and her reinforcements are her brother and best friend.  The main character is not someone you see a lot in chic lit. She's raunchy, funny, bold.  She dresses however she wants and says what she wants. She's not afraid to admit that she's fallen for the occasional drunk.

Sunday Post

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The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things  received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

LOOKING FORWARD TO February

Here are some ride share stories that I heard this week while driving for Uber. 

Stealing cars at 16

I picked up a girl while driving for ride share who was on their way to St. Paul community college.

“Are you in post secondary?” I asked.

Mural in Twin Cities

(Assuming that she was taking college courses while in high school)

“ oh what’s that?” She asked.

(Me feeling real old right now)

I explained it to her.

“ they call that Gateway. But yeah… I’m taking courses to cover the classes I missed while in juvie”

“Oh, what we’re you in juvie for?” I asked.

“For stealing 🚘 cars and selling drugs”

(And you’re sitting in the back of my car.)

“How old are you?”

“16. I spent seven months in juvie. The food isn’t good and sometimes they put you amongst people who have committed homocide. Sometimes you’ll be in a room and be forced to stay 🤫 quiet.”

Nuns with Alzheimers pray

Alzheimer’s clients live at Catherines in St. Paul Minnesota said my a ride share client who told me that she works double shifts during the pandemic.

At Saint Catherine’s university they have a separate nursing award for Alzheimer’s clients.And a lot of the residents are nuns.

“They still pray a lot even though they have Alzheimer’s” said client who is a nursing assistant that works at St Kates.

cast of Fearless 5 (photo courtesy of Fearless Comedy)

Upcoming shows

Fearless Comedy annual New play festival Feb 11,12,18,19,25,26 @Mounds Historical theater

I went to this musical show yesterday. Look forward to posting a review soon.

ON THE BLOG

That's my week. Tell me about yours in the comments below.

Sunday Post #amwriting #amjoy

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The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things  received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme, its also hosted by Readerbuzz

LOOKING FORWARD TO February

This week I thought I'd piggy back off another blogger's post and answer this prompt : You see someone walking ahead of you on a small path in a local park. Suddenly they stop, turn around , run straight to you and say "I know what you did"

Are you talking about the time I:

 I rolled down the aisle in a wheelchair to accept my five year dance trophy in a body cast  played floor hockey in 8th grade and broke my femur).

-the time I tried to get out of a speeding ticket and held up my red painted hands because I was returning from a haunted house: "No officer I am not injured. Nor did I injure anyone tonight."

-Or the time I wrote my second grade teacher a tear jerking letter about how great she is.

-Or the time I went to Corona, California to go zip-lining and I got stuck in the middle of the zip-line and someone had to come out on the line with me and throw me a buoy. 

Pics from my week

My son Zulfi when he was five months

A fun car in my neighborhood

A pic from my son's day at the play park

Upcoming shows

Fearless Comedy annual New play festival Feb 11,12,18,19,25,26 @Mounds Historical theater

Quote of the week

“If you can’t annoy somebody, there’s little point in writing.”  — Kingsley Amis

That's my week. Tell me about yours in the comments below.

ON THE BLOG

Synopsis: When newly-divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love—but Ivy didn't bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it's a full-time job sorting through all of it.

I know I'm reading a Christmas book in February, but as long as the snow has got me holed up, I'm going to do it. And like the character of Ivy buying a farmhouse on her own and starting fresh as her job as a marketer doesn't pan through. 

I like this self help book by Brianna Weist.  It's a great look at the obstacles we create for ourselves and how to overcome them.

Lake Nokomis and Ice Castles in New Brighton #amwriting

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The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things  received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

LOOKING FORWARD TO JANUARY

Last Sunday I went to see an ice castle in New Brighton. I had to sign a waiver, because they didn't want patrons to touch the icicles. I guess ice castles are made by crisscrossing-wire racks hoisted on tall wooden legs – they look like horizontal chainlink fences. Water is sprayed over the top and, icicles form below like stalactites, which can be harvested and fused into the formations.  The ideal weather is -10 degrees.  

In Minnesota, we have plenty of -10 degree weather, but we have had a few nice days until it drops twenty degrees (then its back to survival mode).

Latin's on Ice (Improv show on Lake Nokomis

My son at the Ice Castle

Improv on the Ice (lake Nokomis)

It also went to see an improv show on the ice (Lake Nokomis). It was adventurous because in order to save on parking, I parked on the other side of the lake and walked across(most of the ice is covered in hard packed snow-making it easier). It was fun to see so many people. A lot of hockey players were out on the ice because it coincided with a Hockey Championship.  

That's my week. Tell me about yours in the comments below.

ON THE BLOG

Reading

I loved this Non-fic book by Catherine Gildiner.  Specifically there was a story by the therapist (Gildiner) that talked about how her client lived in the forest for a few years as a child.  And it talked about her struggles as an adult and how she overcame her issues by seeing the therapist weekly for three years. I think many of us could benefit from seeing a therapist for years at a time.

Sunday post

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things  received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

LOOKING FORWARD TO JANUARY

I did some improv with Friday Delight group on zoom. Here's a picture from last week

Spent this week driving for ride share. Here are some interesting observations I made while listening to clients ...At Saint Catherine’s university they have a separate nursing award for Alzheimer’s clients.And a lot of the residents are nuns. 

current snow fall in MN

“They still pray a lot even though they have Alzheimer’s” said client who is a nursing assistant that works at St Kates.

This is the second time this week that I had to pick up a high school student while driving Uber. In Minnesota, a lot of the students take the city bus to school and during the pandemic a lot of the bus drivers are not working.I asked this student if there are a lot of shenanigans at his school because he attends Central high school, one the largest high schools in Saint Paul and he was like "oh yeah🤪"

When I went to school in North Minneapolis two guys in big wheel trucks would circle the school to get everyone’s attention. And smoking on the corner was the thing to do. 

That's my week. Tell me about yours in the comments below.

ON THE BLOG

Reading

"The View from Here" by Rachel Howzell. Synopisis: Rachel's life changes on the afternoon she receives a phone call from the harbor. During a scuba dive, her husband Truman disappears. No one—not his diving instructor, not the Coast Guard—can find him. Is he still alive? Or is grief making her believe the impossible?

I liked this one a lot and all of the secrets in this couple's marriage. Rachel's husband was sure adventureous and it mentions how he's a lawyer in a case with his neighbor (also a lawyer).  There was just so many intriguing plot threads, including Rachel's numbing process(if you get what I mean)

Sunday Post #amwritiing #amjoy

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The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things  received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

LOOKING FORWARD TO JANUARY

Taking some time this week to answer questions about myself. (I got this from secret story swap) from https://www.bakinginatornado.com/

Whats a thing people turn to you all the time?

People come to me for social work type services. How to sign up for health insurance or housing they may ask me.  They ask me how to apply for a job.  I helped a few friends get jobs at the hospital, as I used to work one for many years.  They also turn to me for events. Before the pandemic I'd attend tons of events every month and I'd often bring a friend and this was an easy way to coordinate dates with friends throughout the month.

My son Zulfi at two years old

Pics from my week

Stores are already starting their Valentine inventory, get it fast.

Upcoming Shows

Latins on Ice - Jan 29 @ 11am

Saturday, January 29, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

At Lake Nakomis-

Improv on the ICe

ON THE BLOG

Reading

Watching

The Bridgerton series on Netflix. I'm a little late on this one but I liked it a lot. I also watched "Emily and Paris" and loved that series. I was in Paris in 2011 and 2014 so I had a lot of nostalgia for these two shows.

Sunday Post

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The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things  received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Looking forward to January

This week it snowed in Minnesota. I had a friend who had to move his that hadn't been running for the last month and he ended up having a big run around with the tow company in twenty below weather before they arrived.  

And then a pipe in the building burst and the apartment lobby flooded three inches, and the fire department came with wet vacs and pulled out all the carpet.  Huge tiles from the ceiling were removed. The elevators didn't work so some people had to walk (in some instances) ten floors to get home.

Fun fact about me: A neighbor in my building Nicknamed me "Fire" (not cuz my red hair) because I called the fire department years ago and two fire trucks showed up to investigate the gas smell in the building's kitchen.  A lot of people have this sign in their front year that says "We Watch, We call." I should have that plastered on my Forehead!

I also helped my son put together some figures from the Star Wars Lego set.

My son at the buffet

ON THE BLOG

Loved this series on Netflix called "Home for Christmas". Its based in Norway. Tired of the constant comments on her relationship status, perpetually single Johanne starts a 24-day hunt for a boyfriend to bring home for Christmas. 

I just loved the snowy setting of Norway and the acting and dramatic bits were terrific.  It made me appreciate my little snowy oasis in Minnesota a lot more.

"Meet you in the Middle"  is a modern, heartfelt and hopeful romance that hilariously explores what happens when you fall in love with your political polar opposite. I thought it was cute but I do get it when people complain about the enemies to lovers trope and how it romantizes toxic relationships.

 

Sunday blog post #amwriting #amhoy

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           LOOKING FORWARD TO January

Happy New Year's Everyone

This week I drove a bit for Uber and picked up a guy who said he gives haircuts to the

 Viking's players. 

Downtown St Paul

I house sat for my sis.  This New Years was low key. Spent this year with Miley and Pete watching the ball drop. I also made peanut butter bars for my clients. I listed the recipe below. A friend of mine took me to the Japanese buffet for running her on a few errands.

Recipe

1. Peanut Butter Bars
2. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Mix the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and confectioners’ sugar together in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup (250g) of peanut butter, then press evenly into prepared baking pan.
4. Melt remaining 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter with the chocolate chips in the microwave or on the stove. Stir until smooth. Spread over peanut butter layer.
5. Chill in the refrigerator until completely firm, at least 2 hours. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve chilled. Setting them out for a few hours at room temperature for serving is OK.
6. Cover leftover bars tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

• 1/2 cup (115g) salted butter, melted*
• 1 cup (85g) graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full sheet graham crackers)
• 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (280g) creamy peanut butter, divided
• 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Readers please comment below

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