Camp NaNo

So Lea is forcing me to do it... dragging me kicking and screaming into *duh duh duh duh** summertime Nanowrimo.

Ha.

Last time I finished a nano Mollie was just out of diapers and I had only three little hairs on my chin. Now Mollie is getting ready to support me and I have a full beard.

But I'm a gonna try.

Got my story. Got a working computer. Just need chocolate and time.

See you ina month.

Ha.

Beef Broccoli

 I don't post a lot of recipes because as much as I love cooking (and love eating even more), I've become aware that I'm not very good in the kitchen.

Great baker. Mediocre cook.

But I made Beef Broccoli tonight and it was the easiest, tastiest dish ever. I mean it was sooooo good that I might put it on a weekly rotation.

 All you need is sliced steak (I used a cheap cut), broccoli, an onion, cornstarch, soy sauce and some brown sugar. Oh yeah, and ginger. And water.

So in a bowl combine 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 2 Tablespoons water, some garlic powder (1/2 a teaspoon maybe) and blend. Then add the beef and toss.

Heat some oil in a wok or pan. Toss the beef in and cook till it's done. 5 minutes. Put it back in the bowl.

Then toss in your broccoli florets (I used 3 small heads), your sliced onion (used 3/4 of an onion), a little more oil and cook it.

While that cooks mix in another bowl 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and half a cup of water. Whisk till smooth.

Throw the beef back in the pan and then add your sauce. Cook it only a few minutes and watch that sauce thicken and look amazeballs.

Serve with rice.

It was the kind of yummy that made me believe I can cook.

Next time I'll throw some sort of seed on top and wow.

I'm Intolerant

Yesterday as I delighted in the Supreme Court's decision, there were people who bemoaned it. People who upheld the minority decision and who saw it as a sad day for our country.

On Facebook, I unfriended them. Elsewhere, I skipped them over. And someone told me that I'm intolerant of views other than my own and just as bad as they are. And to that I say... maybe. I don't know.

What I do know is this: This is my life that I'm living and it passes in a heartbeat. One can live striving for love and happiness or one can live surrounded by hate and gloom. If you've ever seen someone who was always unhappy and never sought happiness then you might realize that happy is the way to go.

People with different points of view are everywhere in this world. And I'm not shutting the door on all of them. Heck, my own brother and I are at completely different ends of the rainbow when it comes to politics and I love him to pieces and listen to his views. And disagree with most. Think about some when he has a compelling argument. But mostly I cringe a little inside because he's so conservative and I'm so liberal.

Even he celebrated marriage equality.

Because we can disagree on whether illegal immigrants crossing the border should be sent back or given Medicaid. We argue about gun control laws and God help anyone be in the room when Hilary Clinton's name is mentioned. But we both agree that when the founding fathers said all men are created equal, they freaking meant it.

All men and women, no matter color or sexual identity or shape or size and blue or black eyed are created equal and have equal rights in this world. Nobody is born less a person. Nobody should live without the basic rights of shelter, food, health and the right to love and marry. If you don't agree with that then honestly, I'm intolerant. And I don't want you in my world because you take away my happiness.

Basic human rights. That's all we're talking about. Everyone having the same rights and opportunities. There will always be bad people and good people and moral people and immoral people. But everyone deserves the same basic human rights as everyone else.

And if you don't agree then I just don't want you in my life. I'm intolerant that way. So sorry.

Marriage Equality

It would be easy right now to list all the ways people aren't equal in this world or this country but I don't want to do that right now.

I want to take a moment and thrill that something that has mattered to me since I was a teen has come true. Gay people can legally marry in the US.

I was raised believing in equality. As a Jew with the rich history of antisemitism and ultimately the diaspora of my people, we're seeped in the belief of equality. Fairness. Live free to worship, free to learn, free to love.

My mother devoted years to working as a volunteer in the AIDs community and was a great advocate of equal rights. I have to believe that today she danced on a rainbow in celebration.

This is an important day. Marriage has become meaningful again. And now it can be truly fabulous too.

I'm so fucking happy. Words can't even describe it.

This country got it right today.

Kill Your Darlings

Oh my. Oh dear. The book I've been working on is one for the scrap heap.

It's nobody's fault, not really. But I realized this morning while driving to work, that I was writing my heroine completely wrong and from the beginning. She needs to be a straight out of the gate beeyatch and not a Carrie from Sex and the City.

My bad.

So I'm erasing it all and starting over again.

The funny thing was that Mollie and I were in the car together and I told her what I'd written and how I should write it and she looked at me as if I was stupid and said . "Well, duh."

Even a 14 year old knew my story was all wrong.

In other news, I've got a moderately new job that's forcing me to think hard and work hard. It also gives me a great sense of accomplishment because I have to get things done and make people happy. So I have no down time at all but it's all worth it. I like doing it.

Doing the summer nanowrimo in July. Got my writing partner lined up **waves at Lea** and smores are at the ready.

Also have sister and sister in law coming to vacation here in a little over two weeks and in less than a month have a huge freaking party at the house.

Mollie ended the school year with a 4.0 So proud.

Titleicious!

Sorta speaks for itself.   :-)

Imagine ...

When will imagination become reality? When?

Lady Gaga is becoming a performer I want to watch: