Category Archives: lame

Steven’s Culinary Adventure

Posted on May 12, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

This week’s Friday Lame Post has neither random observations nor half-baked philosophy. It is a mere cooking story, and I didn’t even do the cooking. To make it even more lame, I wrote and typed it in Thursday and saved the draft, because I was afraid I’d be too tired to get something together on Friday. So here goes:

Wednesday night we had no rehearsal and no performance (did I mention we’re in Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre? I think so), so we thought it would be nice to cook a real dinner. I had an eggplant I wanted to roast, but early on at work I decided I wanted to run and let Steven cook.

I called him on a break (it was his day off) and told him to take something out of the freezer. He looked in the freezer as we spoke (love having a cordless phone) (I know, why doesn’t he have a cell? we are SO 20th century). Could I think of anything to do with sausage?

“Well, we could fry it up in a pan and add some tomato sauce and spices, then cook some macaroni.”

He further discovered some pizza sauce in the freezer that had come with the last pizza crust we had bought, so our plan was set.

Steven started cooking as soon as I got back from running. At my suggestion, he added a can of mushrooms. At his own inspiration, he added garlic powder, oregano and minced onion.

I was upstairs on the computer, emailing an important question to someone who would know. Steven came up to report that there was not a whole lot of sauce amidst all the stuff in it. Should he add more? I said no, my goal being to minimize leftovers. He showed me the amount of pasta wheels left in the canister, but I thought it not enough. He said he’d open a box of the twisty kind.

It was starting to smell quite yummy by the time I came downstairs. We enjoyed our dinner very much. Perhaps it could have used a little more sauce, but that’s a mere quibble. Perhaps this is not as exciting a post as when I cook something myself. Of course, hands on is always nice. Well, what can I do? I wanted to run. I’m in a play. I’ll try to cook something for your next week.

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Lame Jitters

Posted on May 5, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I don’t see why I should not devote a Friday Lame Post to talking about how nervous I am about opening night.

As I write this I realize a few things. For starters, this could go either way. By writing about my nervousness I could get it out of my system. I’ll feel calm, confident and collected. Or not. Reiterating my feelings and the reasons for them might reinforce their validity. Of course I’m nervous! Why shouldn’t I be nervous? I should be even MORE nervous!

Before my wrist reaches my forehead and my more sarcastic readers (you know who you are) get out those miniature violins, I take a deep breath and realize I have not taken a deep breath recently. Ah! The other thing I realize is that spending 300 or more words talking about me being nervous could get a little boring (me boring? Say it ain’t so!).

Still, it is opening night, and I am pretty obsessed by the play (Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre, for those of you just tuning in). I would actually prefer to be going over my lines right now. Only I don’t want to be composing at the keyboard later. It is much quicker and less nerve-wracking to type in something already written (I’ll just mention that I wrote the preceding in my little spiral notebook before beginning work this morning). Obviously my nerves need all the help they can get.

So now I have typed in all I managed to write earlier and am composing at the keyboard, as I had hoped to avoid. I spent the rest of the day at work being nervous, singing the song from the Bugs Bunny Show that starts “Overture! Curtain, lights!”, and, you know, actually working. Sometimes I did two or all three of those at once.

I left work and drove to Hannaford to buy snacks for the dressing room. I like to nibble a little and it’s rude not to bring enough to share. I went healthy with grapes and pretzel sticks. OK, pretzel sticks aren’t really a health food, but at least they’re non-fat. I’ve taken my shower and am waiting for my hair to dry so I attempt to style it.

I’ve written over 300 words. I hope it has not been too boring. I’ll just mention, it went the second way. I’m really nervous.

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I Should Write a Better Lame Post

Posted on April 28, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

For two Fridays in a row my Happy Friday Mood has eluded me. Two Fridays ago I did not feel completely cheated, though, because I spent all day Thursday enjoying a Happy Because Tomorrow Is Friday Mood. Then again, that raises the question (note: it RAISES the question, it does not beg the question; that means something entirely different): how many good moods per week is one allowed? Stand by for some half-baked philosophy.

For those of you just tuning in, I’ll just mention quickly that this is Lame Post Friday, my day of random observations and half-baked philosophy. For regular readers (hi, Aunt Mary!), sorry if I bore you by repeating it.

Some people seem to be in a good mood all the time. Others not so much. Some people seem to be in a really, really rotten mood all of the time, they are so ill-used. And here is a not so random observation: most people do not find others’ bad moods nearly as well justified as their own. “Look at him — he’s got nothing to complain about!” is the basis of many a satisfying conversation.

I can’t say whether my Happy Friday Mood has deserted me again this week, because I feel I am writing this too early in the morning. I must give my coffee a chance to kick in. I remember one Friday when I had gotten up early but come in to work at regular time exclaiming brightly to a boss, “I’ve had five cups of coffee! You gotta get some work outta me before I crash!” I don’t think I actually crashed that day. It was a good Friday (but not, you know, Good Friday).

The preceding was written in my notebook before starting work at five this morning. Um, and by notebook, I mean a spiral job with paper, not a fancy little computer. I would have to say, not a true Happy Friday Mood, but not a bad mood. I got a few good laughs out of the day. And here is some more half-baked philosophy for a Friday: as soon as you start to tell yourself you should be in a good mood, you are asking for trouble.

Ooh, here is material for a blog post all by itself: the evil word “should.” As soon as you tell yourself you “should” do something, what do you want to do? NOT THAT! ANYTHING BUT THAT! It works for everything! I should run. I’m too tired, it’s too cold, I don’t have to run if I don’t want to. I should do my blog post. I don’t have anything to say, this blog is stupid, my computer is too slow. I should write something better even on a Lame Post Friday. Oh, don’t go there; this whole thing will come to a grinding halt.

You know, I’m wondering now if I could use that to my advantage. For example, I should eat more ice cream. Hmmm… I guess it doesn’t work for everything.

So there is my Friday Lame Post. Heavy on the half-baked philosophy, light on the random observations. Happy Friday, everyone, and may you all be in a happy mood, regardless of whatever you should be doing.

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Excuses, Excuses

Posted on April 25, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Now I’ve done it, now I have done it. This is another fine mess I’ve gotten myself into! Now look what I did! (Substitute “you” for “I” and the first two are quotes from movies and the third is just something I like to say.) (Oh, and “me” for “myself,” but you probably figured that out already.)

I went the whole day without writing my blog post, then I got home from work and did not go running so as to have something to write about. I had an idea earlier that I would just write off the cuff about why I haven’t written anything, but you know, it isn’t Lame Post Friday. Then again, I don’t think I posted lamely last Friday, so maybe it will be OK.

In my defense, I spent my breaks at work studying my lines for Harvey, which is to be presented by Ilion Little Theatre, The Stables, Ilion, NY. Production dates are May 4, 5, 6, 10, 11 and 12. Times are 8 p.m. except for Sunday, May 6, which is 2 p.m. So you see, it is close. What, me nervous? YES!

I haven’t had a big part in a play in a LONG time. And I didn’t have all that many big parts when I used to get big parts. Um, I think two. Two big parts. Back in the 1990s. Then one small part last year. What the hell was I thinking?

Picture me with my wrist to my forehead. Now stop playing that miniature violin and keep your sarcastic remarks to yourself. I love being in a play. I love having a big part. But I’m still working overtime, still training for the Boilermaker, still trying to write this silly blog every day, still trying to take care of my husband and dog, oh yeah and myself… something’s got to give. Today it is Mohawk Valley Girl.

So I have just written some 300 words on how I do not have time to write a blog post today. That’s kind of silly, but then I always say, go with your strengths. We’ll try this again tomorrow. As always, thank you for playing.

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Lame, Lame, Lame

Posted on April 14, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

If all my friends were jumping off a cliff, I’d take it under advisement.

That phrase occurred to me as I walked into work today. The actual train of thought was this: my parking job was not perfect (it almost never is). I thought if somebody else parking at the same time said anything about it, I could move my truck three inches forward to make it closer to ideal. Then, I thought, what if that person said, “Do you always do what people tell you to do?” And I would say, “Well, not if you told me to jump off a cliff.”

I suppose that falls under the heading of long story, not very interesting. It sounded better in my head. It often does.

That was what I wrote before work started. At my first break, I wrote:

So there I was, writing my Lame Friday Post, and I don’t like it. And I didn’t start to dislike it till I was two sides of a page in! What’s that all about? (A note: as I type this into the computer later: I actually did not inflict everything I had written on you, so the preceding was not, in fact, two sides of a page.) (In case anybody was counting.) Usually if I start to dislike what I’m writing, it happens right away. After a paragraph or even a sentence. Sometimes it doesn’t even make it to the page, because I reject it while it’s still in my head.

And then I went on for another few paragraphs on the inner critic. They weren’t very good paragraphs, and I don’t feel like typing them in.

So as Lame Posts go, I’d say this is one of the lamest. I feel bad about that, because, you know, I gotta think that yesterday’s post about instant coffee was kind of lame too. I am in a blog slump. What to do? What to do? I guess the usual: I’ll look for some Mohawk Valley adventures and try again tomorrow. Happy Friday, everyone.

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Insert Lame Headline Here

Posted on April 7, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Welcome to Lame Post Friday, where once again I shall try to entertain with random observations and half-baked philosophy. Full disclosure: I’m sitting at my computer with my fingers on the keyboard, hoping something pops into my brain.

I just went back and re-read my Lame Friday Post from the day after Thanksgiving (it was a rare Friday I had off, as is today, so I thought it might help). I ended with a bit of half-baked philosophy I’d like to expand upon if I may (of course I may, it’s my blog; I just felt like adding “if I may”) (I’m in kind of a silly mood, you may have noticed).

I remembered the saying “No life is wasted; you can always stand as a bad example to others.” I’ve always taken comfort in that saying. Don’t be like me, everybody! But then I got to thinking, to really make my bad example useful, don’t I need to actually show it to people? Wouldn’t it be more helpful if I exposed all my stupid mistakes, via blog or memoir, so others could learn? EEEEK! I don’t want to do that! People will just have to observe me all on their own, if they’re interested. If I ever write my memoirs (doubtful; I write fiction), it’s going to be all lies. Any friends and family reading this, if you want me to make up some good ones about you, let me know.

Well that didn’t take up much time. I did have a random observation the other day. When I was walking Tabby, I think I saw a bona fide crazy old lady (my computer is telling me bona fide is wrong, but I just looked it up in the dictionary. Stupid computer!). At least, I didn’t stare, so I don’t know how old she was. Then again, I call myself a crazy old lady but to some I’m just a young pup.

I was walking Tabby, wearing my own crazy old lady hat, when I saw walking toward me on the opposite side of the street a lady who looked like she was wearing a similar hat. When she got a little closer, I could see it was wide brimmed like mine, but a nicer shape and a bit fancier. The lady was dressed all in black, right down to her high heeled boots. She strode down the road, grandly ignoring a perfectly good sidewalk. Her chest was out, her head was high. Normally when I meet other pedestrians or runners, I call a greeting or remark, but I felt a little intimidated by this woman. She looked neither left nor right, and I didn’t even feel that I should be taking a closer look at the hat, as I was. I put my eyes front too and kept walking.

Oh, speaking of calling greetings to people, here is another observation. Walking Tabby yesterday, I saw a lady with a baby carriage crossing at a four way stop. I was just reaching the corner as she was halfway across, and Tabby stopped to sniff a promising post. The car going one way stopped, the truck going the opposite direction kept going! She was still in the first half of her cross when he went by, but still! I yelled, “The nerve of that guy, not stopping for a baby carriage!” The lady didn’t say anything, but the toddler in the carriage gave us a friendly wave and yelled, “Hi!” Of course I waved back.

OK, two observations, one philosophy. I say that’s not a bad Friday. I’ll get off the computer now, and seek out some Mohawk Valley adventures so I can come up with a non-lame post for Saturday.

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Nuthin’ Friday

Posted on March 31, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am in a bad mood. There, I’ve said it.

I bill this as “my totally fun blog,” and I try to be upbeat and positive and even rah-rah, giving shout-outs to local businesses, boosting local charities and spotlighting community events. I even try to put a positive spin on posts about difficult runs. And some days… I just don’t jolly well feel like it.

Today is Lame Post Friday, which usually comes to my rescue at times like this. A few random observations, a couple of half-baked philosophies, and I start feeling pretty cheerful. The act of writing actually boosts my mood. Today, I got nuthin’.

I tell myself there’s no reason to feel bad that I’m in a bad mood. Everybody gets in a bad mood once in a while, some people more than others. Still, there’s no reason to inflict my bad mood on others, least of all my innocent blog readers. Readers of my blog are, I believe, here to be amused, maybe informed, dare I say, entertained. Or else they clicked on a link by accident are are saying, “What the H*%#@ is this?” (in which case, I believe most computers are equipped with a handy “X” somewhere that will get rid of any offending web page)

There is no denying that I am down. My choices are: try to get myself into a better mood, try to find something funny to say about my bad mood, stop writing now and try to write my post later. I pick three.

…

So now it’s later. I typed in what I wrote earlier, because I still got nuthin’ (I really want to type “nothing” but I believe the correct expression is “I got nuthin'”). I did achieve a better mood at work, by dint of making silly jokes with my co-workers and laughing. Nothing worth repeating, but we amused ourselves. Then I got in a not so good mood after work with another not so fun run that I may blog about tomorrow. Now I’m showered and had a cup of coffee while I typed in what I wrote earlier.

Coffee! Why didn’t I think of that before? I’m feeling much better. Still not very bright, though, so, lame as this is, this is today’s post. Happy Friday, everybody.

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Flustered Friday

Posted on March 24, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh Friday, sweet Friday. What a cliche to be so happy it’s Friday.

I’ve felt flustered all week, and I believe it has shown in my blog posts, most notably in a digression on time management and missing my turn onto Washington Street. What is flustering me about that today is that such silliness would have been perfect for Lame Post Friday. But I wrote them during the week and left them in willy nilly as written (I do like the term willy nilly. For one thing, it rhymes with silly). That’s what I get for not editing. I should say, for not editing sufficiently. One can’t help but do some editing between between page and screen (um, computer screen. I don’t write for the cinema screen. Or even the screened in porch).

That leads me to ponder writing in general and writing for blogs in particular. There is a prominent school of thought in writing that says our first inspiration is usually the best. Keep that inner critic quiet; write exactly what you think at the time. The ultimate expression in this school of thought is free writing. You just write. Don’t stop the pen for any reason.

I have never been able to do free writing, not for one day ever in my life. Sometimes I start writing and my pen does not stop moving for some length of time. But if I say to myself, “Don’t stop,” my brain dries up. I can’t think of a thing to say.

I think I’ve talked about this in a blog post before. Probably one day when I was writing about not writing. It’s all very well to say that writing about not writing is still writing, but apparently I do not have much to say about not writing.

But I digress.

Wait a minute, how do I digress on Lame Post Friday? This is the day my mind is allowed to flutter hither and thither (is it thither or tither? Or is the proper expression hither and yon?). Random observations, remember?

What I was about to observe about blog writing is that willy nilly spontaneity seems to fit right in. Many bloggers just write what they feel, composing at the keyboard and letting it go. It’s a great form of self expression. Of course, it doesn’t have to be that way. Other blogs are thought out, tinkered with and polished. That’s a great form of self expression, too.

I don’t really know where I was going with this.

But I wrote it on my break at work, and after work I am typing it into my computer. I’m busy and flustered and 80 to 90 percent whelmed, so I’m letting it stand. It may be ridiculous, but this is my post for today. Thank you for playing.

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Lame is a Many Splendored Thing

Posted on March 17, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

“Dr. Chumley, my mother used to say to me, ‘In this world, Elwood’ — she always called me Elwood — she’d say, ‘In this world, Elwood, you must be oh, so smart or oh, so pleasant.’ For years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.”
-Elwood P. Dowd in the play Harvey by Mary Chase

I think it would be nice to live by this quote. Of course I don’t usually. I’m usually still caught up in the oh, so smart mode. But I’m working on oh, so pleasant.

Here is a random observation that veers into half-baked philosophy: it is just as easy to be nice as not most of the time. For example, if somebody you don’t like says “good morning” in a pleasant tone of voice, you can smile and say, “good morning” back. It’s not that hard. Apparently for some people it is.

My next random observation veers into middle-aged musings (you see how well I can multi-task): when you’re in your late 40s, you will have pain. Today it’s a muscle spasm in my shoulder, making it difficult to turn my head or use my right arm (and yet I’m writing this. How dedicated am I?). It’s actually adding a little interest to my morning. As I hold myself stiffly, I’m pretending I’m the guy with the deformed hand in The Brain that Wouldn’t Die (a fun movie with or without robot heads).

Although, as I think about it, I realize you can have pain at any age. There are headaches and period cramps and sore muscles from athletic endeavors. I remember a friend of mine who suffered from migraines saying, “I wonder what it would be like to go a whole day with suffering any pain.” A guy looked at her and said, “I often go a day without pain.” Well, some people are blessed, that’s all.

A woman at work who dislikes me was maneuvered by circumstances into smiling at me. I was walking down the hall more or less level with a management type. She smiled at him then turned her head in my direction, probably not knowing who it was. She was still smiling and I was past her before she had time to stop! Ha! She can’t say good morning, but for one teeny tiny second, she smiled at me! Hey, point and laugh if you must: I take my joy where I can find it.

Incidentally, the woman did have chances to give me dirty looks later (at least, maybe they weren’t dirty looks at me; maybe she was in a fowl mood and I was in her line of vision), which led me to a Christian thought. If Jesus could forgive people who crucified him, how much more should I forgive somebody who merely gives me dirty looks.

Well, I do love Lame Post Fridays, where I just sit down and write whatever comes to mind. If you’ve been entertained, yay! If you’ve been bored, thank you for bearing with me. The nice thing is now it’s the weekend, and I have various Mohawk Valley adventures planned. Stay tuned!

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Lame Old Song

Posted on March 10, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

So, it’s Lame Post Friday, the day for random observations and half-baked philosophy. I didn’t write anything at work for reasons… well, for reasons involving work and I don’t like to blog about work, so never mind (long story; not very interesting).

I had a random observation earlier this week: I looked out the window while on the cell phone with my husband and saw a girl dressed in black shirt and pants, and bright yellow sneakers. It looked cool, even from a distance. Now I want bright yellow sneakers. I have a pair of running shoes with bright yellow laces, but I think it is time to expand my horizons.

Another random observation that veers into half-baked philosophy: when somebody says, “I’m asking you nicely,” they’re usually not. I think what they mean is that they can get a WHOLE LOT MORE nasty than they’re being, if you don’t do what they’re asking you “nicely” to do. I’m just saying.

“I’m just saying” is one of my favorite expressions. It’s probably one of those phrases that show up on pundits’ lists of overused sayings, like “at the end of the day” or…. OK, I can’t think of another one. I’m sure I use a good many of them myself but only notice when others do it. I won’t apologize for that bit of hypocrisy, though, because I believe many are guilty of it (ooh, more half-baked philosophy!).

My only other observation is that my headline really has very little to do with today’s post. As usual, I was just looking for something I could stick the word “lame” into and make a kind of a play on words. I spend a great deal of time thinking of sayings and song lyrics using the word “same” and that’s what I came up with today. If you feel I should have some comeuppance for such, well, lameness, you’re in luck: I’ve given myself an earworm for the rest of the night. Happy Friday!

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