Reverb/Resonate/Resound/Re-vibrate December 4-7

Well, I did it. I figured out how to stop time (it was relatively easy since I’ve been producing so much negative energy on my own lately. Finding the blood of 16 virgin elves to open the wormhole – damn near impossible. I mean, not that I can blame them. When you live in a glorified ice-covered sweatshop making toys for children all year long, there’s little joy other than Jose Cuervo and sweet, candy-covered sex. At least that’s how I’d do it.). Anyway, yes, I stopped time and I found a few moments to catch up on my Resonates/Reverb prompts (or, as Hubby and I have taken to calling it “Revibrate” because I scramble them up).

After not having a great response to December 4, I decided to mix it up for December 5-7 by choosing prompts from different authors. Not that they’re bad questions, I’m just not rad enough to have a thoughtful answer to any of them. Not that I ever have thoughtful answers, but I figured my honest snarks would be better served on other questions. Although I’m trying to follow one list of prompts, I may do this from time to time. ‘tis better to snark about what I know than know not what I snark. Yup.

December 4

Miracle: Do you feel you experienced or witnessed miracle this year? How so? [From #resonate11]

No. Initially I had some long, in-depth answer exploring the definition of “miracle,” but then I scrapped it because I had already fallen a few days behind in answering these prompts and, truthfully, I don’t think anyone would care to hear me rattle on and on about how I’m too afraid to commit to a word because of its heavy connotations and frequent misuse.

So, instead of a lengthy multi-paragraph response, you have the world’s longest run-on sentence.

*Deep breath*

December 4

5 Things:  Describe 5 guilty pleasures [From GeekinHard]

1. American Horror Story: I’m not sure if this should be considered a “guilty” pleasure, because I don’t feel particularly guilty for liking it. Sure, it’s a sexually deviant, mentally and emotionally abusive, and anything-but politically correct tale of boning in the afterworld – but it’s SO FREAKING INTERESTING. I can’t remember the last time I was actually surprised at a TV show (except for the last How I Met Your Mother and I kind of wanted to slap the producers. Really? You thought that was the best way to tackle that subject—and around the holidays?). Anyway, as long as they keep me guessing, I’ll keep watching.

2. Weird paranormal reality TV shows (including the really fake ones): Hey. I like Ghost Hunters. I’m not going to apologize for that. They’re genuinely good guys and their show (before SyFy started pimping it out with guests like “The Real HOusewives”) was actually pretty good. But then there are other programs like A Haunting where the show uses actual interviews with people who say they were haunted by “something” (almost always “demonic”) and then the story is dramatically reenacted by much better looking actors.

The average interview goes something like this…“

And then we seen this old Victorian mansion for $10,000 but all we had on us was a half bag-o Doritos so I offered and the sell-ar took ‘em. I dint think thur was anything wrong with tha house, though.” Spoiler alert: This story ends with “Indian burial ground.” Total nail bitter.

3. Fonts: Who feels guilty about liking fonts? I mean, fonts kick ass! Except I may or may not spend a little too much time looking at them. I notice fonts on things like logos, restaurant menus, signs, product packaging, movie posters, TV show credits, pillows, etc. And then I’ll feel the need to announce when I recognize something (or when I think I recognize something) and then start applying all sorts of attributes to the business/person who would use that font. What are they REALLY trying to tell me? You may think that’s crazy, but think about it. Would you really want to eat at a taco wagon that uses Jokerman on its menu? Food poisoning is not a joke.

4. Having a made bed: I’m pretty sure I never made my bed as a kid. It seemed stupid.  In fact, it still seems stupid. Why would you make something that you’re just going to mess up again? But since we moved into our new house I’ve made it a mission to make the bed every day and now I can’t stand it being unmade. If I don’t have time in the morning before work, I do it as soon as I get home – mere hours before we’re going to mess it up. It just doesn’t feel right to climb into a bed with disheveled covers. It throws off my sleep chi.

5. Baking Fat Stuff: I love baking – cookies, breads, pies, cakes…anything. If it has sugar and flour, we’re in business. I do it even more when I’m stressed out. My inner shrink says it’s a control thing: when I can’t control what’s going on in my life, I can at least control what’s going on in my kitchen. My stress makes other people fat.

December 7

Food: What did you eat this year that stayed with you?  Did you experiment with a new meal?  Try a new restaurant? Reflect on your good (or less desirable) eats with detail and explain why it stayed with you! [From Everlasting Present]

It’s not so much what I ate, but how I started cooking: with a crock pot. After years of shrugging off this whole “crock pot” as being a total crock (I actually gave away the one we had to Goodwill without even using it), I decided I would give it a try. Oh my gosh! GENIUS IDEA! I can make meals the night before, put them on in the morning, and come home to a house smelling like my grandma had been cooking all day. I have about 10 recipes I’ve been cycling through, but my favorite has been this shredded pork recipe.

Oh, and a very honorable gold star goes to this Szechaun Shrimp recipe. We eat this about once a week. It’s not a crock pot recipe, but it’s super fast and easy (I put on rice in the steamer and this is done by the time it finishes). It’s freaking delicious.