I am so fickle. One day I love the masters program, the next day I hate it. Think of it as an oscillatory function, and right now I am in the negative. Negative thought bog. Last week of school. Two papers due (OK they are mostly done), two presentations (One complete, one not yet begun), three residual homework's to finish (two easy, one really really really hard, but most likely graded on a sliding scale, the harder the homework the easier the grading), and one final quiz (no problem here). Classes finished up by Wednesday, I think I'll go climbing Thursday morning, and then. And then I need to "buckle down" and do some real research. Some build a reactor, deposit a thermal plasma film, interpret the data research. I have not at all been looking forward to this, but the time is now. On the upside I have absolutely no money right now so there is nothing tempting me away from all of this work. Like that's a good thing.

Labels: Miscellaneous

Weee! Mak and Kate came to town and met Jill and Me for dinner. Well that's really only true if you consider strawberry margaritas dinner.

Labels: Jill, Mak and Kate

So I had what turned out to be a great date last night. I was a little skeptical when he asked me to tea... It turned out to be one of those Bubble Tea places filled with high school kids and board games. We played chess, rummy, and connect four. He was a really good sport about all these pictures, even when I insisted on snapping this shot immediately after beating him at connect four (I was red). In all fairness I won one game to his ten.

Labels: Dudes

Labels: Miscellaneous

Amanda came to visit last weekend from Chicago. Her friend met us for drinks at the Rio. Then we met up with the friend, and her boyfriend at the Rock Bar. We got a little loopy and danced our asses off.

Labels: Jill, Mom

My new favorite bar. OK, it was a little too hipster-y but the music was awesome, and you can walk to Suzie's after a long night of hard drinking. I look forward to getting my Rock on again at some point in the future.

Pics from Friday night with Amanda to follow.

Labels: Miscellaneous

These boys were really pimps... just ask them. They were 21 years old, and out for a friends 21st birthday. One dudes glasses said Gabanna in huge letters all down the side. Cool cats abound. Amateur night.

Labels: Sameera

An old flame of Jill's met us out at The Front Porch. We hadn't seen him in a few years, and I'm not sure, but the years haven't been to good to him. He's looking a little "weathered". Is that too mean? Well those aren't all my words, I only bear half the blame. This guy was awesome. Rockin' the Ferrari fleece jacket. Hahahahahahaha. Our friend Tyler, mixing up some drinks. This guy in the red hat was ordering like 20 drinks at a time, and winning all of his flips. I have never heard anyone bitch so much about making such simple cocktails. No mixing, no straining, just some bubbly and a splash of cran. Mmmm hibiscus. And I love this guy in the background of this photo.

Labels: Jill

Labels: Jill, Sameera

I love me some Jill. OK, I love me some Tanya too. I wish this picture of Jill was more clear, she looks beautiful. Pretty Sara!

Labels: Jill, Sameera, Sarah, Tanya

All I can see when I look at this cute picture of Sara and Me is this enormous zit on my chin! The Gorgeous Sameera. The ever-lovely Suzie. (Who doesn't think she takes a good picture... crazy!)

Labels: Jill, Sameera, Sarah, Suzie, Tanya

We had quite the turnout for Flip night this week. A little post-ballet, post-yoga cocktail time.

Labels: Sameera, Sarah, Suzie, Tanya

duo Restaurant (lower case duo). So Jill and I got really excited about the artichokes, but were a little disappointed to be honest. The 'chokes were kind of bland and the meyer lemon creme could have packed a little more of a punch. That said, the barley and quinoa salad was nutty and gorgeous.

The gnocchi was great, like last time, at duo it was tender and well made, but I much preferred the mushroom ragu to the pesto and favas. Personal preference, I'm sure if I were a pesto person I would have loved it.
The grilled cheese with prosciutto and fig jam was even better than it sounds.

The best of all was Sara's sourdough breaded fried free-range chicken breast. It was so good, it even tasted good for you. Mmmm.....

Labels: Restaurants

So I was mired in my (albeit misplaced) sadness, I had just mixed myself a gigantic cocktail, and hunkered down in my chair on the deck with a book (Harry Potter, OP), when Suzie called. She had corralled the ladies and made a reservation at Duo for supper.

Sara brought her boyfriend, and Jill came out from her parents house and we converged in the Highlands. It was great catching up and just what I needed to snap me out of it.

Labels: Jill, Sarah

Oh my God!I just realized I missed the I Love New York reunion show and The Flavor of Love Girls Charm School premiere last night on VH1. Good thing they will both be on 30 more times this week.

Labels: T.V.

Labels: Food

A few years ago I came across a copy of the 1962 cult classic Sex and the Single Girl by Helen Gurley Brown. I never read it, but picked it up last night and made a pretty good dent. I kind of like her philosophy on life, and I really like her narrative voice, because she sounds outgoing and confident, but also realistic, and forthcoming about her insecurities (which are really every one's insecurities). A quick Wikipedia search (not a reliable source, I don't want to hear it, I would never use it for school, but nothing is really riding on the accuracy of my posts) yielded a short bio, and these quotes which I really enjoyed:

"Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere."
"Beauty can't amuse you, but brainwork -- reading, writing, thinking -- can."
"People think chutzpah is in the genes. It isn't...it's in the needing and wanting and being willing to fall on your face. It isn't fun...who wants all that rejection, but life is sweeter if you make yourself do uncomfortable things."
"The flirt reacts. She laughs at the jokes, clucks at the sad parts, applauds bravery. I really think it gets easier to flirt as you get older because you learn to listen to any man, employing the same charm and rapt attention you once reserved for seven-year-olds."

A couple of great excerpts from the book:

"There is a catch to achieving single bliss. You have to work like hell."
"I don't have to describe a married man. He is available for observation as the common housefly and about as welcome to many single girls as the common cold."
On men you meet in bars "...they're like the steaks you get in Mexico. They seem like regular steaks and have regular steak names on the menu, but when you order a Chateaubriand for only $2.95, it tastes more like chateau plaster. It wasn't cured properly."

And finally, the recommended 2-day crash diet, to be used sparingly and in emergencies only:

Breakfast 1 egg, any style One glass white wine
no butter
Lunch 2 eggs, any style Two glasses white wine
Dinner 1 steak Finish the bottle of white wine

I guess the idea is that you'll be too loopy to notice that you are hungry? I don't know wine for breakfast sounds like my kind of diet, maybe I'll have to give it a shot.

I think I'm in a bit of a funk. I can't really bear the thought of dating someone again. Or, I can't bear the thought of breaking up again. I think I need a little break.

I am about at my wits end with this damned weather. I am aware that April is the third snowiest month in Colorado, but baby I've got cabin fever! I want to get out and about. I want to wear short skirts and high heels. I want to take Murph on long walks, and go climbing in the canyon. I want to sit on a patio in shades and drink ice cold beer all day, I want to get a hot dog at a ball game. I want to grill out at home on Tuesday, and at Suzie's Saturday afternoons.

But that is not in the stars anytime soon. The forecast this weekend calls for snow, and lots of it. I don't think I'm even going to leave the house. Do I sound depressed? I'm not, I just hate the snow.

All is not bleak, in recent metallurgy news (I know, it's not usually about metallurgy), I am having a great week professionally. I gave an amazing presentation on the thermodynamics of equilibrium and non-equilibrium plasmas today. Definitely the best I've ever given. Maybe a little heavy on the plasma physics, but really good. I was confident, concise, interesting. All the things I am usually not when speaking publicly. I have been dreading my thesis defense but today has given me a little room for optimism. Maybe it wont be that bad. Maybe it will be awesome!

Again for Tanya, interesting site, and links to lots more Gluten-Free Goddess.

For the Fran Man... well I don't have anything just yet, but give me some time, I'll work on it.

Labels: Books

Labels: Jill

Labels: Jill

Labels: Jill

The weekends weather really had me down in the dumps. I wasn't feeling great, and didn't leave the house all weekend. Well, I took Murphy out, but other than that, I barely left my couch. Imagine my glee upon waking up Monday morning to sunshine and chirping birds. I'm such a piece of easy meat for nice weather. After Three hours of class, a couple of hours of work and a couple of hours of studying, I just couldn't take it any longer. I called Jill and we played hooky for the rest of the day sitting in the sun and drinking Salty Dogs. Mmm Salty Dogs.

Labels: Miscellaneous

This is what the first one (at LoDo's) looked like. NO SALT! If I wanted a vodka and grapefruit, that's what I would have ordered. I sent it back to the bar, and asked for it to be poured in a new glass with more salt.

I shit you not this is what they sent back. Jill and I had a pretty hearty laugh about that.

We decided to move on to The Rock Bottom Brewery. That's where we were parked, and the crowd had more potential for cute late-twenty-something boys than anywhere else. This is what a Salty Dog is supposed to look like. Well done.

We had some wings, ordered extra-crispy. They were fine, but ever since I grilled those amazing wings for the Super Bowl, I not too impressed with any restaurant wings anymore.

Finally we had some supper. I love meatloaf. LOVE IT! But I have never seen such an odd recipe for meatloaf, ever. Those are gigantic strips of sun-dried tomatoes. Completely bizarre and inappropriate meatloaf flavor. Very off-putting.

Labels: Food, Restaurants

I happened upon this site Cupcake Bakeshop who had called for entries to a cupcake recipe challenge. While reading the submission, which all look tasty by the way, I came across these three gluten-free recipes. Maybe one will strike your fancy.

Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes at Something in Season
Spice Cupcakes with Maple Marshmallow Frosting at Gluten-Free Organics
Very Gingery Cupcakes at Something in Season

Labels: Recipe

Apologies, I have been lazy lately, lazy dater (according to my friend Cook), lazy schlep around the house, and a lazy blogger. In an effort to have a more interesting life, an endeavor that began when Paul so unceremoniously threw me away, I have been checking out what people with actually interesting (or at least more interesting than mine) lives are up to, what they do, and how they do it. Hopefully I'll become so jealous that I'll make something happen. That's the plan anyway. I guess I'm just trying to find some kind of catalyst to get me off my ass and into something new.

I have been reading a lot of new blogs lately, I stumbled across Daily Dish and read her entire archives. I wish we were friends, and I am totally jealous that she gets to eat at so many great restaurants, the dining scene in Denver leaves something to be desired. What I really like best are the blogs she reads. I have poached a great many of them and added to my links section so you guys can fritter away a few more hours at work and fan the flames of you daydreams.

Labels: Miscellaneous

Lava Lamps

INGREDIENTS
1 (3 ounce) package red or blue colored instant gelatin mix
1 cup boiling water
1 cup vodka
1 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, stir together the gelatin mix and boiling water until completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Stir in vodka. Pour the liquid into small paper cups or portion cups. Chill until set, at least 2 hours.
Pour champagne into glasses. Break up the gelatin with a fork, and pour into a glass of champagne. A little stir gives it some 'lava' action. Drink with caution, these will sneak up on you.

I think this looks really fun, and I want to keep it in mind for our next fete.

Norwegian Waffles

INGREDIENTS
2 eggs
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 3/4 cups milk (warmed)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
DIRECTIONS
Preheat a waffle iron.
Beat together eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Pour in shortening, milk, salt, and vanilla; mix until well blended. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Mix the flour into the liquid.
Spoon 2/3 cup of batter onto the preheated waffle iron at a time. Close the iron and cook until steam no is no longer coming out and waffle is browned.

These made the best waffles I have ever had in my $9 waffle maker! This weather makes me want to hibernate, and I woke up feeling crappy today, so that's just what I did today. I drank champagne, and napped with my pets in the giant chair in my living room, ate waffles and watched the Flavor of Love Season 1 Marathon on VH1. I didn't discover Flavor of Love until season 2, so this has been a real treat for me.

Labels: Recipe

Labels: Jill, Suzie

I love the shenanigans that ensue (caps, air humping, etc.) when we really get going.

Labels: Jill

Wednesday is fast becoming my favorite night of the week. First I have ballet, which I look forward to all week. Next Jill, Tanya and I met for dinner, then went to flip night. We lost both our flips this time, and called it an early night but not until we met a couple of characters at the bar.

Labels: Jill, Tanya

Labels: Jill, Tanya

Thy name is Fromager d'Affinois.

Labels: Food

Jill looks a little like a blow-up doll.

Sara made an appearence with her fella.

Now things are really starting to get rowdy.

Labels: Jill, Sarah, Suzie

Labels: Jill, Sarah, Suzie

I just ate 2 boxes of peeps and a half a canister of cheese popcorn. I feel disgusting, I just couldn't stop. I had to feed the beast.

Labels: Miscellaneous

Well, it was my party, so we went to my favorite place in Golden, the Golden City Brewery.

I think this is an amazing picture of tanya.

The weather was beautiful, the beer, delicious, the company spectacular!

Labels: Jill, Suzie, T.V.

I was pretty bored tonight, so I was playing around on the internet and reading old posts when I noticed that today is The Maiden Metallurgist's one year birthday. I have got to say that for someone with a notoriously short attention span, I'm surprised I'm still doing this.

Since I spend all of my blogging time here, I have no interest in myspace, but tonight I was checking out the myspace pages of my favorite ladies, and I came across this gem. I haven't ever seen this, and I had forgotten about that night, but what a fun memory.

It was a few years ago, and I joined Tanya at Herman's for a show (either On Second Thought or Savage Henry, I can't remember which). After the show (and a couple of cocktails) the guy outside who grills up the hot links let me make my own. I was grilling up some sausages when Tanya snapped this. Notice I was rockin' my signature drunken wink even then, also notice that bitchin tan! Now I use sunscreen.

Labels: Tanya

Let me begin by saying that I LOVE bad TV. I watch I Love New York every week. That bitch is CRAZY! And she has worse taste in men than I do. And she is absurd. She wears fake eyelashes that are about an inch long. She's on a boat, and one of her falsies comes loose, and starts flapping in the breeze. It is the funniest thing ever, and she starts screeching, "Oh my god! I payed a lot of money for these, they're real fur!"

Labels: T.V.

Brunch was really fun. Everything went swimmingly.

Labels: Suzie, Tanya

Labels: Food, Murphy

Labels: Dad, Food, Jill, Mom, Murphy, Tanya

I am having difficulties uploading pictures to Blogger, so you guys will just have to keep checking back in to see if they are up yet. I had a blast this weekend, so thanks so much for coming to the party if you made it. The pictures are great, so I'll get them up as soon as I can.

Labels: Miscellaneous