Second Chance: Sizzling Bombay

Ross decided we should have Indian food tonight since I won't be having Rasika for restaurant week. I was way too sleepy to go all the way down to Charles Street, so I thought we could give Sizzling Bombay a second chance. Our first experience at the restaurant wasn't great.

This time we had vegetable samosa. Man, I love potatoes. Ross ordered the masala chai and the waiter said it would take at least 5 minutes because it had to be cooked. It was basically fresh ginger milk tea. It was very good.

I ordered the chicken tikka masala and Ross ordered the malai kofta. The chicken tikka masala was great. I could taste the jalapeño. It had some sort of green peppers in it that were good and some onion too. I think it was basically a chicken tikka kabob that was dumped in some awesomely creamy sauce. The malai kofta was a bit mushy, but the sauce was very good. We ordered the garlic naan again and they gave us two orders. We really only needed one. Oh, and the rice was very fragrant--spiced with cinnamon.

The whole experience was much better this time. I'm glad we gave it a second chance, I just wish it wasn't so expensive.

I'm really full now and so Ross and I are going to chill and have some chainog (we decided it is pronounced k'nog) -- malsala chai with egg nog. I was so happy today to find that the store still had a cooler full of egg nog.

Timer

If you could know exactly when you were going to meet your soul mate would you want to know? That is the premise of the movie Timer. In Timer-land you get a timer implanted into your wrist at puberty or whenever you want to after that.

Ross and I really liked the movie (available on Netflix instant watch). The writing was great. The acting was good. The movie was funny. The main character had great clothes--for some reason I just couldn't get over that. It was a movie that really made you think. Would you get the implant?

Poster Progress

Along with cutting, I've been doing some pasting. I was sitting on the floor, so most of the progress has been on the bottom of the eye poster.

Suddenly Relieved

I don't really like talking about being a doctor (because I graduated from medical school), but not really (cause I never finished a residency). I've never really been totally comfortable with my decision to quit. That's what I did. I quit. I'm a quitter and that sucks. I didn't get the residency I wanted, so I said screw it, went home to Texas, and looked for something else to do.

This weekend I talked with Dishi, one of my medical school classmates, for a long time. She was telling me how she works long hours and her husband (also a doctor) is on call. I would have been miserable throughout residency. I'd be miserable working long hours and being on call (the one year I did endure nearly drove me off the deep end). I suddenly felt relieved. I'd love to make more money, but I hate working and high stress. I don't want to be miserable, so I'm suddenly feeling better about things.

If only I could teach yoga full time--but I'm not ready for the stress of opening my own studio (and I'm not even certified to teach yoga). Maybe someday. Maybe someday I'll have Brown Cat Bakery and Brown Cat Yoga Studio. For now I'm just happy I'm not on call.

Latest Addiction

16 and Pregnant is a train wreck of a reality TV show. Depressing, awful, predictable, but I can't look away. I can't get enough. Each episode follows a separate 16 year old girl from 24 weeks pregnant through birth to a couple months after birth.

The episodes are so similar that they are all starting to run together. The girls want the fathers to help more. The fathers are usually older, and much more immature. The teenagers, are, well, teenagers. They don't understand how a baby will completely change their lives. They fight over the silliest things. They don't understand or accept the responsibility. They are the future of America. Depressing. Still, I keep watching.

The good part of this addiction is that I find myself thankful. I'm thankful that I never had to deal with that situation. I'm thankful that even now I don't have to deal with a baby. I'm thankful that Ross has a job. I'm thankful I don't have to pay for daycare for Bailey. I'm thankful Ross and I both have educations. I'm thankful I have internet and I can watch awful reality television whenever I want.

Wristcutters: A Love Story

As there was nothing on TV last night Ross decided we could watch Wristcutters: A Love Story. We were both glad to finally find dark comedy that wasn't all dark. The movie was about the afterlife of those that have killed themselves. It was funny, but not cheesy. Tom Waits and Will Arnett make appearances. Good ending. I highly recommend it.

That Was Scary!

I was in the middle of feeding my latest addiction (more on that later) when I heard a snap and the lights went out. I could see the lights on outside, so I knew it wasn't a power outage. The time was still showing on the microwave, and the bathroom light worked---so I had tripped the circuit breaker. I wasn't sure how though, because I hadn't plugged in anything new or done anything different. I opened the circuit box and tried to flip the circuit back on, but it wouldn't stick. I unplugged everything in the living room, and I just couldn't get it back into the on position. I called Ross and asked him if he had any ideas. He was stumped because I had indeed actually flipped the circuit all the way to the off position and then back on, but it wasn't working. While I was on the phone with him I tried it again and heard loud crackling, crunching noises coming from the wall above the circuit breaker. That scared me and Ross said he was coming right home. Another try and I heard the same noises. Third try and the lights came back on. I walked out of the bathroom (where the circuit box is) and smelled smoke. I immediately turned the circuit back off. I started to freak out a little. I was terrified that there was a fire in the walls or ceiling. I was walking around sniffing everywhere and feeling the walls to see if they were hot. When Ross got home he definitely noticed the smell. Ross immediately called the landlord--who still hasn't called back. He got to sniffing and then noticed smoke stains coming from the entryway fixture. Ross took down the light fixture and found where the fire had been. I'm so grateful that it didn't spread. We went to Home Depot, got a new fixture, and Ross put it in. Everything is back to normal now, but I'm really annoyed that the landlord still hasn't called.

Back to Being Creepy

This weekend feels like the first care-free weekend in a while. Ross is done with school for the semester, and so am I. We didn't have anything planned for today. Ross is indulging in Call of Duty Black Ops, so I decided to get back to being creepy.

I want to knit, but for some unknown reason my knuckles are really hurting. Just on my index fingers. I need to do some sort of exercise, but this crud I've got makes me feel exhausted. So--I'm back to being creepy.

Don't understand the creepiness? Check out this post.

Do You Believe in Santa?

Last night when we sat down to dinner with the Lusters Evelyn asked me if I believe in Santa. I told her that was a hard one. She let me off the hook because she said that people who believe in Hanukkah don't believe in Santa. It was a big weight off my shoulders not having to answer that question.

You see, years ago I participated in the fleecing of a child. A young girl was desperate to know the truth about Santa, and I participated in the deception by writing her a letter from Santa. I will never forgive myself. Really. Growing up I never believed in Santa. My parents didn't lie to me and tell me my gifts were from some jolly fat man. Sometimes I wanted to believe, but I always knew it was just a story.

I don't feel like I missed out on any part of my childhood by not believing that Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy were real. When I lost a tooth, the fact that my parents could put a quarter under my pillow without waking me up was miracle enough for me.

I will never understand why parents lie to their kids about Santa. I guess it is easier than the truth. I don't want to hear bull about childhood wonderment. There are plenty of real things that kids can be amazed by. And don't even get me started about how Christmas is actually supposed to be a religious holiday...actually, don't get my mom started.

I'm really thankful my parents were always straight up with me (about everything). I was never blindsided by the truth coming from somewhere else. When kids ask me a direct question I want to tell them the truth. I guess I'm lucky Evelyn asked whether I believe in Santa, not if Santa is real. If she had asked if Santa is real, I would have had to say no. I just can't lie again.

Tron Legacy

On Friday we saw Tron Legacy. I didn't have high expectations, so I was pleasantly surprised. If you haven't seen the original, you'll miss a few things, but won't be totally lost. The story is interesting, the acting is good, overall I'd recommend the movie. There was no kissing in the movie (Hurray!), which is an improvement from the original.

I was particularly interested in the age regression of Jeff Bridges. I didn't really like it. The age-regressed Jeff Bridges looked like the characters in Beowolf. The mouth just wasn't right. Also, I don't think they changed Bridges's voice, so there was a mismatch between the way he looked and the way he sounded.

Ross had a lot more to say about the movie than I did. He was a lot more critical. I didn't really even notice the things that bothered him. I think I agree with Ross though that the first movie was better.

Everything is Illuminated

Last night we watched the Netflix DVD that we've had for the past two or three weeks. Ross says I had the movie on my instant watch queue, but it is no longer available on instant watch and he ordered the DVD because a coworker recommended it.

Ross and I really liked this movie. The movie is based on a novel and was adapted for film and directed by Liev Schreiber, which I find odd. Everyone in the movie is ugly, but the acting is great.

I can't seem to help it. I'm always drawn to the stories about Jews. I'm like a Jew-story magnet. When I go into the library and pick up a book: BAM! It's about Jews.

Hmm. I guess that isn't much of a movie review, but we both give it a thumbs up.

Warm Pillow

I woke up one morning and this is what I saw--Bailey curled up on Ross's head. The photo isn't great because I took it in low light with my cell phone, but I knew if I got up to get the camera Bailey would follow me.

Bailey is funny in the winter. She suddenly wants to snuggle up because she is cold. We all know she gets under the covers and sleeps there during the day, but at night she acts like you are crazy for even suggesting getting under the covers. I cover her up, but she protests if I cover her head. The other night it was so cold I put my big ol' hand around her head and pulled the covers over it. She didn't notice. Two nights ago she got upset when I was snuggling up to her like a pillow. She uses Ross as a warm pillow all the time, but if I try to do it to her she gets upset. Typical cat.

Evidence of Life

Penny, my orchid, has lost a few more leaves, but isn't entirely dead. I haven't watered it in two weeks and when I went to check it out today I noticed a little green sprout coming out of the bottom of the largest stalk. I guess I'm having a little success with the orchid! I watered it today and I need to remember to open the blinds in the morning so that it can get some light. I'm excited that despite the cold weather Penny is still alive.

Self Conscious, but Warm

This is an old photo of me in my fur coat. I have been wearing it this week because the temperatures in the morning are below freezing. I feel like people stare at me when I wear this coat. I feel like people are giving me the evil eye. The thing is, it keeps me warm. I hate to be cold, and why should I be when I have a fur coat?

Reflections

One of my favorite parts of the Air and Space museum (we went on Sunday) was the gallery of photos of the different planets. Ross and I particularly liked Saturn. I tried to take a photo of the photo, but ended up with a lot of reflections, including another cool photo of Saturn. I was disappointed that they didn't have a postcard of any of the planetary photos in the gift shop.

Safety First

Always remember to wear a helmet when snowboarding in the living room.

Dem Bones

Ethan entertained us while we waited in the cold at the Greenbelt Metro stop.

Dollar Days: World Trade Center Observation Deck

After lunch at Five Guys on Saturday we decided to go up to the observation deck of the World Trade Center in the inner harbor. It was a great view, and it only cost us a dollar apiece.
The aquarium is in the foreground.
One of the views from the top.
Hopkins East Baltimore campus.
Ethan took this photo of us.

Dollar Days: National Aquarium

On Saturday we braved the cold and the lines and the crowds to see the National Aquarium. The line actually wasn't so bad--it moved quickly. We headed straight for the Australia exhibit, and then went through the main exhibit.
This is the back of the building. The line then wrapped around the front, and through a cattle shuttle to the ticket booths (green building in the foreground). We arrived around 10a, stood in line for about half an hour, and our tickets were for 11a, so we warmed up a little in Barnes and Noble.
My cutie, Ethan, pointing out a fish in the Australia exhibit.
A spotted ray.
The sea anemone.
Not a great photo, but this is the octopus. It was awesome. The octopus is new to the aquarium, and very shy. We weren't supposed to take photos (I'm so bad). This was definitely the best part. Ross also loves the dogfish, trumpet fish, and the puffer fish. I have to get stills from the videos I took. They were swimming around so fast it was hard to get a good photo.

I am so glad we braved the crowds and went to the Aquarium. Can't beat seeing all that for a buck!

Double Take

The last few days I've been doing a double take when I go to get into the car. I've been driving Ross's car because I couldn't pick up our friends from the airport in my car. Ethan has a booster seat, and seeing it in the car freaks me out.

Burlesque

The whole family went to see Burlesque over the Thanksgiving weekend. Yeah, I know Dita isn't in the movie, but she's what I think of when I think Burlesque. That won't ever change.

We all loved the movie, including my dad, who only really likes comedies. The music was pretty good (but it wasn't a musical, everyone was thankful for that), the acting was decent, and there were plenty of hot bods to look at, including a naked (but not full frontal) guy.

Ross thought that Cher's singing would have been better. I don't know. It was okay I guess. I know that this sounds corny and trite, but when Christina Aguilera started singing I got chills (my mom admitted that she did too.)

I'd totally recommend this movie. It is fun and flashy. The only downside really was that all those beautiful dancers made me feel chubbo.

I just checked Dita's website. She's performing in LA this month. I really want to see one of her shows, I need to checking her site to see when she's in NYC. She's got a dvd out. Maybe I should buy that.

Drink Much?

I was looking for some pu-ehr tea this morning, and discovered that I had to open a new package and put some in the appropriately-labelled tin. I realized I had a lot of bags from Tea Embassy and a few empty tins, so I labelled the tins and emptied some of the bags into them. The tea cabinet looks a little better, and I found some things I didn't realize I still had.

Do I buy too much tea? I don't think so. I think the problem is that I don't drink enough! Ha!

I'm a chaholic, but I'm a binger (as with everything). I need to drink more every day, instead of just binging and drinking more once in a while.

And why pu-ehr? I read it can be slimming, and I'm desperate. With the discovery that I have a huge bag (that I just opened today), I will be binging on something that might help me slim down (instead of my usual binges).

fyi--this is by no means my entire collection.