Sing Like the Saved

Yeah, so I went back to college this semester. Or so you may have heard.

So far, it goes well. My CJ professor is nice and gives good feedback on assignments. Somehow one of my assignments for this week was eaten by her computer, so she asked me if I still had a copy that I could resubmit. (duh.) she said that she'd hate for it to be gone because she said it was good and the class could learn a a lot from it. (I think she may have meant that they could learn how to put together a coherent sentence.) I got a 10/10 on the assignment, my first perfect score on a discussion question. She posts the grade breakdown, and I'm among the 6 students with an A going into week 5.

Tonight was a quiz in math, and I'm pretty sure I did well.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

Everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001. I'm no different. I've never written of that day, and I likely never will again.

I went to work that morning marveling at the beautiful blue sky. I still have trouble looking up at the a blue sky without thinking of that day.

I remember that day as a series of phone calls. The first one was from our pianist. He told me that a plane ran into the World Trade Center. I was annoyed with him because I was busy and didn't have time for jokes. I teased and called him a liar, then said, "Seriously, what do you need?" He insisted that he was not joking. I was a bit shaken and set off to find a tv or a radio, neither of which we had in the office. I called Jesse and we spoke of "idiot pilots who can't see a giant tower in front of them." I walked down to the school office to see if they knew what was going on. It was bedlam down there, so I headed back to my office, out to my car, and went home to get a radio. On the way, I called my mom, who had no idea what was going on either.

I turned on the TV at home while I found a portable radio. What I saw was absolutely shocking. BOTH towers were on fire. "What the heck?" I thought. "It was 1 plane, 1 tower. Why are BOTH on fire?" It dawned on me that this was no case of an inattentive pilot or mechanical malfunction on the plane's part.

Shaking, I flipped off the tv, grabbed my radio and headed back to the office. People would be calling the church, and while I had no answers, the least I could do is be there.

I'd barely gotten back to the office and set the radio up when the phone rang again. It was Jesse. He said, "I don't want you to worry, I'm fine, but they say that a car bomb may have gone off over at the Pentagon. I wasn't there; I'm in my office." He didn't stay on the phone long. He was a DoD contractor with a top secret clearance; there was SOMETHING going on at his secondary workspace; he obviously had business to attend to. He said that he would take care of what he needed to and then he would try to come home. Of course, it was not a car bomb. His story of what happened at his workplace that morning is his story to tell, and I'll let him tell it if and when he is ready to tell it.

Sandy and I took turns going upstairs to the 6th grade classroom to watch the television that they had on up there. I was up there when the 1st tower fell. I watched it come down, and I was sick. I'd been to the twin towers. There wasn't nearly enough time to evacuate the towers. There were people in there. I knew that there were emergency personnel in there. I personally knew people who worked in NYC and a few that I knew were in the towers. (Later that afternoon, all friends were accounted for and safe.)

Sporadically throughout the day, Jesse and I received calls from friends inquiring of Jesse's safety. Time and again, I was relieved to report that he was not at the Pentagon at the time of the crash. It was difficult to get through on the phone lines, and I appreciated our friends' persistence and was touched by their concern.

When we got home that day, I remember looking up at the barren sky and thinking about how the day held such promise to be a wonderful day, and how it all turned to crap. Our house was in suburban Washington, DC, and we always had a lot of air traffic.

In the days that followed, I was awed by the response of the American people. We pulled together like I'd never seen in my entire life. Flags were flown. People sang together. When people called the church, I was amazed to listen to my coworker minister to people in a way that I couldn't. She brought to mind Isaiah 61, in which the prophet says:

...provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

It was discovered that the hijackers for the plane that hit the Pentagon planned their attack from a motel in Laurel, MD. I drove past that motel on several occasions to go to my favorite cross-stitching shop. I did my grocery shopping in Laurel. Whenever we went out to eat, it was usually in Laurel. I didn't understand how people could live among us and still do such a terrible thing.

Life would never be the same for us. Jesse continued to go to work each day, and it took me months to not be near a panic attack, worrying if he was going to come home. In late 2003, he answered a call to quit his job with ASD and go into full-time ministry. Thus closed the Pentagon chapter of our lives.

I do believe that you all said last night that tonight is a full moon, and thus, Lycantech night.

I checked my villain roster and have Itsy Bitsy Betsy on Guardian. She's a 27 crab spider.

She's a touch irritated at only earning 3 badges on login on I17, so she's ready to shoot at anything that moves. (Those 3 badges were 2 vet badges and 1 day job. Grumble grumble.)

Anyone have a list of the new badges? My main hero on infinity earned only 1 on login, Faultline Finder. (All exploration badges in Faultline.)

ETA: and why the heck are my enhancement numbers in 4 point font? Gee whiz, I can't see them. What do they think, that we're all 12 and have good eyesight. BLIND here, people. I need a freaking magnifying glass to see them. (That's what she said.)

My Stewsday offering (one day late, but that seems to be a theme this week.)

PS - cobie, feel free to yank this for your food blog.


Today, I made Brunswick stew. The question was posed to me a few weeks back, "What makes Brunswick stew Brunswick-y?" My understanding was that Brunswick stew was basically beef stew, but made with chicken and chicken stock.

I decided to research this a bit. I perused my cookbooks with Brunswick stew recipes for clues. The only hint came from Desperation Dinners by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross. Alicia's note says, in part:

Maybe it's my southern heritage showing, but I crave this stew. Good Brunswick stew needs to be hearty and thick. Years ago, the meat base was squirrel. Nowadays, chicken works for most people. The choice of vegetables varies from cook to cook, but one thing is still true: the stew must be low on broth and high on vegetables and meat.

Squirrel? I was sure that there was more to this story.

A quick internet search turned up a story revealing the origins of the stew. Whether it's true or not, I cannot say. From the Brunswick County, VA website:

The original Brunswick Stew, according to Brunswick County historians, was created in 1828 by a black chef, "Uncle" Jimmy Matthews. As the story goes, Dr. Creed Haskings, of Mount Donum on the Nottoway River and a member of the Virginia State Legislature for a number of years, took several friends on a hunting expedition. While the group hunted, Jimmy Matthews, Dr. Haskin’s camp cook, hunted squirrel for the evening meal. Matthews slowly stewed the squirrels with butter, onions, stale bread and seasoning in a large iron pot. While the hunting party returned they were reluctant to try the new, thick concoction but, one taste convinced them to ask for more.

Since that time, Brunswick Stew has been prepared by many different stew masters and they continue to produce large batches of the "Virginia ambrosia" for church functions, local fund raisers, family reunions, and political rallies. While Jimmy Matthews’ recipe for Brunswick Stew has varied through the years - chicken has been substituted for squirrel and vegetables have been added - the exceptional taste and commitment to quality has never been lost.

Another story, this one from Georgia, claims the stew was named for the place it was first made, Brunswick, Georgia. This story, however, is dated quite a bit later, in 1898.(1)

The Georgia humorist Roy Blount, Jr. quipped, "Brunswick stew is what happens when small mammals carrying ears of corn fall into barbeque pits." Stews that combine meat and grain probably originated with ancient agriculturalists, in both the Old and New Worlds. According to the anthropologist Charles Hudson, Southeastern Indians made a stew from hominy and groundhog or squirrel, and also boiled bear and deer meat with fresh corn kernels and squash. Brunswick stew belongs to a family of southern stews, its closest relative perhaps being Kentucky burgoo. (1)

In any case of its origins, here's my recipe:

Brunswick Stew

2 large chicken breasts
32 oz. chicken broth or stock
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 bay leaf

Place ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is mostly cooked. Remove chicken from the pot, dice or shred, and then return to the pot.

While the chicken is cooking, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. When it is hot, add:

2 potatoes, peeled and diced. (the size of chunky hash browns is good)
1 small onion, chopped

Let the potatoes brown, stirring occasionally. Despite the oil, they will stick a little bit. When they are done, add them to the large pot, along with:

1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper (more if you like pepper a lot)
1 teaspoon Worstishire sauce
1 tablespoon bacon bits (NOT the fake stuff. You'll regret it.)
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 envelope chicken gravy mix

Return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until done. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

This is really good with some cornbread and a small salad. Sadly, I have no salad today.

Happy belated Stewsday!

(1) New Georgia Encyclopedia website

gregtrotter got this from a partisan group and changed it to be more neutral, since it's a good message. I'm in agreement and asked if I could repost it here:

The Top 5 Reasons To Vote In A Non-Swing State
Or: Why It Still Means A Thing Even If It Ain't Got That Swing

OK, so maybe you're like me, and you live in a state whose electoral votes are a foregone conclusion. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't vote. Here's why:

1. Big margin = big mandate. The popular vote doesn't put anyone in the White House, but it affects what presidents can do when they get there. Want your candidate to have the clout to pass his agenda? Or want the other guy to have a little less clout to pass his? Go vote.

2. The other things on the ballot matter! For example: Congress. Without more support in the House and Senate, the winner will have a hard time promoting their agenda. Plus, there are other important local races and ballot questions in some places.

3. If you don't vote, everyone can find out. Voting records are public. (Not who you voted for, just whether you voted.) Pretty soon, finding out whether you voted could be as easy as Googling you.

4. Help make history. You could cast one of the votes that elect the first African-American president, or one of the votes that elect the first female Vice President. Either way, we'll tell our grandchildren about this election, and they'll tell their grandchildren. Do you really want to have to explain to your great-great-grandchildren that you were just too busy to vote in the most important election in your lifetime?

5. People died so you'd have the right to vote. Self-government—voting to choose our own leaders—is the original American dream. We are heir to a centuries-long struggle for freedom: the American revolution, and the battles to extend the franchise to those without property, to women, to people of color, and to young people. For those of us who have that right, it's precious. If we waste it, we dishonor those who fought for it and those who fight still.

Thanks, Greg!

I almost choked when I saw this one:

I saw the doctor today. He talked to me about my surgery the other day. He said that I'll get some feeling back in my thumb, but it likely won't be 100%. Opposable thumbs, who needs them anyway?

I told him about the tingling in my thumb, and he gave me some medication for it. It's not bothersome to me, and I'm taking it as a good sign, so I'm probably not going to get it filled. Considering that said drug is listed as being possibly habit-forming, I'll stay away unless I decide that it's needed.

He gave me the ok to do light activity with my hand, but not to overdo it. I don't have to wear the sling all the time, but he said to wear it to keep my arm and hand properly positioned. I took it off for a bit today, and decided that was a bad idea. He said to exercise my shoulder to keep it healthy.

I have to wear this crazy bandage for 3 more weeks. Ugh.

this made me cry happi tears:

One of the great artists on the coh comm on lj made this for me:




That's Miss Picklechips, my 50 thugs/ff mm, and my favorite toon of all time.

I was cutting the pit out of an avocado with a knife that is not meant for such. The knife slipped and sliced the fleshy part between my thumb and first finger.

I immediately yelled for Jesse, who came downstairs to assess the situation. He started getting shoes, as he knew we'd have to go to the ER. It was pretty much then that I started getting very lightheaded and sick to my stomach. Jesse made me lay on the floor while he called 911. The ambulance arrived along with a police car. There were 4 paramedics, for my little ol' hand!

They were very nice and dressed my hand for the ride. I was pretty coherent, though in a lot of pain. My thumb was numb, which worried me terribly.

Upon arrival at the hospital, I went straight back. Can't have people bleeding in the waiting room, ya know! After a short wait, the doctor looked at my hand and talked with me about it. He said that he would call the hand surgeon on call, but all they'd be able to do there was stitch it up. The hand surgeon said that he would see me for surgery tomorrow, but was pretty sure that I severed a nerve. I didn't hit any tendons or ligaments (yay!) and they'd probably be able to repair the nerve.

The doctor will call me tomorrow and let me know which hospital to go to and when to go there. I'll have general anethesia while they operate on my hand. Having the novacaine and the stitches was uncomfortable enough!

So, iguthrie, feel better now that someone else has done the same thing?

More as it develops!