The Hunger Games

I've been in a funk lately for numerous reasons.  Last night I decided it was time to do something about it.  So, I did what I normally do when I feel like I'm in a funk.  I take a long, hot bath and read a good book.

I've been keeping up with the casting for the Hunger Games movie and it has made me want to re-read the series.  So, last night, I started re-reading the first book (The Hunger Games)... and then I finished it.  Ha!  I haven't been on the right schedule (for me), so I knew I needed to stay up late to reset myself.  So, I stayed up until after 1:00 reading.  

The first time I read it, I loved it.  Well, this time I still really loved it.  I think I appreciated it more this time since I know so much more about everything in the book.  The book made me cry just as much as it did the first time, if not more.  

Although I really love the book, I'm torn about the movie.  I'm not sure how in the world they will be able to pull it off.  Most of the book is the thoughts of Katniss (the protagonist).  It's not like she's saying everything out loud (I mean, she is being hunted after all).  So, I don't know how they're going to be able to really get across what Katniss is thinking and feeling in the movie.  It should be interesting.  And, you better believe that I will be there on March 23, 2012 to see it!

Just in case you missed it...

I really do not like Rafael Soriano.  

Tonight, we were winning 2-1 going into the 8th inning.  After he left (after only one inning), we were losing 3-2.  

I am almost completely certain that he actually hates the Yankees.  He's been sent to sabotage us.  It's the only explanation that I can come up with.  Why are we paying this guy so much money to make us LOSE?!  (Just in case you were wondering, the Yankees are paying Soriano $35 million for 3 years)

In good news, Brett Gardner got his second homerun of the week (and the season) tonight.  :)  And, Cano got another home run tonight as well.  And, Ivan Nova did a great job of pitching (or as I like to refer to him: "Baby CC").  Let's just hope tomorrow ends with a win!

I love the Yankees...

But I hate Rafael Soriano.  

That's pretty much all I have to say.  

Irritating Tenants

I work in property management.  The company that I work for manages several commercial properties.  I really like my job.  I like my boss.  I like my (very few) co-workers.  I like the work that I do.  And (for the most part), I like dealing with the tenants on an every-day basis.  most of our tenants are awesome: really easy-going, happy, friendly people.  

But, there will always be those few royal pains.

For instance, we have a few tenants who when confronted with their rule-breaking, will play a sort of blame-game.  Their only real excuse is, "I bet it was so-and-so who reported me."  That is no defense!  They admit that they broke the rules but then they're pissed that one of their neighbors ratted them out.  Get over it!  Don't break the rules and there isn't a problem!  Don't be pissed at your neighbor for tattling (especially if they told on you for parking in a place you know you aren't supposed to park because IT BLOCKS IN THEIR CAR AND THEY CANNOT LEAVE!).  

Next up, tenants who get upset with me for contacting them to find out when they are going to pay their past due rent.  Seriously.  Why are you mad at me?  I'm just doing my job!  It's my job to make sure you pay your rent.  If you don't pay your rent, I don't have a job.  If you don't pay your rent, you cannot just continue to work in peace while our business goes down the toilet.  That's not how it works.

Then there are the nit-pickers.  The people who will complain about every teeny-tiny little thing that is wrong with their suite (or their neighbors).  I honestly had someone come into my office and complain that their neighbor was stapling too loudly.  Seriously??  First off, I don't believe that your ears are that sensitive.  I also know that our walls are not that paper thin.  It's crazy.  

Or, another complaint: the neighbors aren't being friendly enough.  Come on people!  We aren't in first grade anymore.  Okay, so maybe your neighbor doesn't like you.  That's not really an issue for property management.  

Or, this one: the post office delivers mail too late.  How in the world am I supposed to control the United States Post Office?  I cannot determine what time the mail runs in our building.  It is completely out of my control.  I have no say in any of that.  I don't know what would make you think that I do.  

Or, "I left my keys at home.  Could you drop everything you're doing to drive all the way across town to let me into my office?"  Believe it or not, I do have other work to do besides being your personal assistant.  How about you drive the 5 minutes home to get your keys and the 5 minutes back to your office.  That sounds much better than me driving 30 minutes to your office to let you in and then driving the 30 minutes back to the office.  

Thankfully, 90% of the time, I am fortunate enough to deal with the wonderful tenants.  And the 10% of the time that I'm dealing with the royal pains, I just have to remind myself that I really do love my job.  :)

Fighting

I read something a week or so ago that said that some couples are too happy.  I wish I could remember where I read it so that I could link it up here.  Basically, the article said that couples who do not fight are destined to fail.  This is because they are avoiding confrontation and it's really unhealthy.  So, sooner or later, everything is going to blow up and the relationship will be over.

And, if you're not avoiding confrontation, the reason you don't fight is because your relationship is just boring.  And, eventually you're going to get tired of all the boredom and bail.  

The article said that optimally, you and your partner should fight about every other month.  This is what they considered a healthy amount of fighting.  

I have to disagree.  Philip and I have had one fight in the entire time that we have been together.  That was in December of 2009 after we'd been together for about 6 and a half months.  I was in Indiana spending New Years Eve with my family.  Philip was in North Carolina.  He was really sick with the flu.  He was really irritable and started a fight for no real reason other than he wanted me to be in North Carolina taking care of him.  The fight lasted all of about twenty-minutes (over the phone).  And then we made up and everything has been peachy-keen ever since.

I don't see anything wrong with this.  I'm not bored with Philip and he's not bored with me.  I think it's ridiculous to think that if we aren't fighting, then we will get bored with each other.  Because it's not like we have any other options for keeping our relationship interesting other than fighting.  GAH!  

Philip and I have a ton in common.  So, there isn't a whole lot to fight about.  I suppose we could fight over his work schedule.  He works nights and I work days.  So, if I were a normal person, I would see him for about 10 minutes a day Monday through Thursday.  

Well, I'm not normal.  Instead of fighting about it, I just switched my sleeping schedule so that I nap when I get home from work (about 4:30ish) and then I'm up for a few hours before Philip gets home. Then I spend a few hours with Philip before he goes to sleep.  I sleep for another hour or two and get up to get ready for work.  

I am generally a pretty positive person.  I may vent about something that is bothering me, but then I find a solution rather than dwelling on the negative.  Sure, the sleep schedule isn't ideal, but it's working great for us.  :)

I don't really see the purpose of fighting.  If I have a problem, I express it to Philip.  If Philip has a problem, he expresses it to me.  We figure out a solution and go from there.  Philip and I think alike, so we can see where each other is coming from.  Also, neither of us is hot-headed.  We can both address problems without blowing up about them.  

So, what is there that we should fight about that would make our relationship healthier?  I can't see anything.  I think the article was just ridiculous.  Fighting once every other month is just too much.  

The time is drawing near

My car has been giving me a few problems in the past few months.  I'm starting to think that the time is drawing near for her retirement.  I'm not really ready for that, but I also do not like wondering if my car will break down on my way to work.  

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Sam (my beautiful 1999 Pontiac Grand Am) will survive until at least September.  I would like to continue to save for our wedding/honeymoon and that will be more difficult with an additional car payment.  

Despite my hopes, I am preparing for the inevitable.  Philip and I have begun our search for a new vehicle.  We know that we will be getting an SUV.  I will be buying a brand new vehicle (for the first time ever!).  I know that I will drive it until it dies, so I want a reliable vehicle.  I want a car that will last forever (I've had Sam since high school -- she is at about 210,000 miles now).  

Well, Philip and I both guessed that we would be getting a Honda CR-V.  Philip has a 2007 Honda Civic SI.  It's a great car.  He's had several other Hondas and all have been reliable.  They're good, reliable, long-lasting cars.  

So, on Saturday, we went to the local Honda dealership to get Philip's oil changed and the other maintenance stuff done.  They were running behind, so we wandered around the lot looking at the vehicles available.  

I don't like the look of the Pilots.  They are too boxy.  So, we went over to the CR-Vs.  I wasn't really very impressed.  They don't look that great.  

(Source)

This was my favorite one on the lot.  I like red cars.  Philip wants a moonroof but unfortunately, the only ones that have the moonroofs also have leather (not so great for a vegetarian).  They get about 21/27 mpg.  Not bad.  But, they're just kind of boring.  I found myself staring at the front of the vehicle and thinking, "that's ugly."  

While we were looking, a salesman approached us.  He was very friendly even though he knew we wouldn't be buying a car today.  I think he saw my apprehension at the CR-Vs.  So, he took us to the Hyundai selection.  I immediately fell in love with this car:

(Source)

It's a Hyundai Tucson GLS PZEV.  It's cheaper than a CR-V.  It gets better fuel economy (21/28) and it's much nicer looking (in my opinion).  Also, it uses leatherette.  While this might be a bad thing for some consumers, it's fantastic for me!  It has all the perks of leather but without the dead cows!  :)  The interior looked fantastic and it had tons of options.  It's even rated higher in safety than the CR-V.  The warranty is even much, much better than the Honda warranty.  And, to top all that off, it is great for the environment since it's PZEV (partial zero emission vehicle).  

But, Philip was a party pooper.  He had to bring up all the negative things about the Tucson.  First up, it has far less cargo space than the CR-V.  My response: BUT IT'S PRETTIER!  Philip says, the Hyundai doesn't have as great of a record for reliability as Honda.  My response: BUT IT'S PRETTIER!!  Philip says, I don't think it will hold 2 kids, 4 dogs, and luggage if we go on a trip.  My response: BUT IT'S PRETTIER!!!  

Obviously, my argument did not hold up very well for Philip.  And, I know it's not a good reason to choose one vehicle over another.  I still think there are a lot of good reasons for wanting the Tucson over the CR-V, but in the end, I know my reasons are mostly because of the looks.  

Philip says that it's up to me in the end, but I know he says that because he knows I will choose the CR-V.  I can't justify buying a vehicle that I think will be less reliable just because IT'S PRETTIER.  When it does come time to buy a new vehicle, I know that we will go and test drive both of them (and possibly a few other options).  I really hope that I end up liking the CR-V better than the Tucson when we test drive them.  The 2012 CR-Vs are supposed to be redesigned, have better fuel economy, and have more room.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I really like it.  ;)

Also, I really do not like that salesman for reading my mind and showing me something that I liked.  lol... how's that for ridiculous?  

It's tough being a Yankees fan in Colorado.

My boss is a huge Rockies fan.  And, I'm a Yankees fan.  Even before the season started, he's been giving me grief about how the Yankees "are going to suck this year."  

Well, I'm pleased to say that we're actually holding our own so far this year.  Our record is 6-4.  Not bad.  We're tied for first in our division (with the Orioles of all teams!).  And, the best news of all is that the Red Sux are in DEAD LAST out of ALL teams in both the American and National Leagues.  Their record is 2-9.  It's fantastic.  :)  

Anyway, back to the Rockies.  They have an 8-2 record.  It's the best record out of both leagues.  So, of course, my boss (and all other Coloradans) are giving me a ton of flack.  I have told them that it's still really early.  I mean, it's not like the Yankees have a losing record.  And, even if we did, it's only APRIL!  I know that the Rockies will eventually choke.  ;) 

President Donald?

I'm sure you've all heard about Donald Trump possibly running for president in the 2012 election.  

David Plouffe (WH senior advisor) was quoted as saying that "There is zero chance that Donald Trump would ever be hired by the American people to do this job."  The Donald, of course, had to share his 2 cents.  

He responded by saying, "Obviously, I hit a nerve because they're fighting me."  And then, "I can tell you I'm their worst nightmare.  I am not the person they want to run against.  They know it, and I know it.  I know it for a fact because I have a lot of people that frankly are contributors to him and they tell me, 'Donald, you are not the person they want to run against.' "

I actually had to read that twice to make sense of it.  

Most of you have probably heard that Trump is riding the birther wave.  He's pushing to investigate Obama's Hawaiian birth.  I honestly think he's putting too much effort into that.  I think there are far fewer birther nut-jobs than what he's hoping for.  I think most of us do not question whether Obama is a citizen.  So, Trump is making himself look like an outright idiot to most of the nation.

I say that, but I thought Trump was an idiot even before this came out.  I do not think that most of the nation can take the Donald seriously enough to even consider voting for him for president.  Maybe I'm mistaken, but I sure hope not.  What do you think?

Cadbury Caramel Eggs

I'm not really a big chocolate eater.  In fact, I don't even eat a whole lot of sweets.  I enjoy making them more than I usually enjoy eating them.  When I make chocolate chip cookies, I use less chips than what the recipe calls for.  It can take me days to finish a regular size candy bar.  I'm not even one of those women who has to have chocolate during that time of the month.

I do have one weakness though:  Cadbury Caramel Eggs.  They are my kryptonite.  I cannot stop at just one either.  I will eat 3 or 4 of them before I realize what I've done.  They are just so good!  

So, I both look forward to Easter (oh delicious goodness) and dread it (my poor body).  Plus, those suckers aren't cheap.  The cheapest I've found them was 4 for $2.00 (so $0.50 a piece).  And they're tiny -- much smaller than a normal candy bar.  But, that doesn't mean that they have less calories.  One of those eggs has 170 calories in it!  

I'm not normally one for counting calories, but when I would usually take in only about 1,000 calories (no, I'm not starving -- I sit at a desk all day so I don't need more than that!), an additional 510 or 680 calories in a day adds up!  

So, I've now decided to limit myself to one glorious egg per day.  And, then I'll get to go through withdrawals after Easter is over.  Only 2 weeks left of heaven!  You all know where I'll be the day after Easter -- the clearance candy aisle!

France: Ban on Wearing Veils

France's ban on wearing veils in public went into effect today (read more here or here).  I think it's disturbing.  

The French have said that the veils are a "sign of enslavement" and therefore, aren't welcome.  I would think that the government telling you if you can practice your religious beliefs is more of an example of "enslavement" than covering one's face.  

I understand that there are probably women who do not want to cover their faces.  However, I also understand that there are a lot of these women who would be mortified to have to show their faces in public.  

It's outright religious persecution.  It's absolutely unacceptable.

What if it was turned around and suddenly it was Christianity being persecuted?  What if suddenly the government decided that people couldn't wear cross/crucifix necklaces because they could be used as a weapon?  It's ridiculous, I know.  But, so is forcing women to show their faces when it goes against their religious beliefs.  

I am not a Muslim, but if I were in France right now, I'd be right there with those ladies wearing a burqa in protest.  

We Can Know ... ?

With all of the natural disasters and the radiation leaks from Japan, I find myself wondering about the end of the world.  I know I'm not the only one.  

I don't spend every waking moment thinking about it.  It's just when I hear of something else terrible, like another earthquake or Japan dumping radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean.  

Did you know that there have been 107 earthquakes since January 1, 2011 with a magnitude 6.0 or greater (you can do a search of all earthquakes here)?  There were only 60 earthquakes 6.0 magnitude or greater in the same time period in 2010.  In fact, there were only 173 total in 2010.  Going back further, there were only THIRTY-FOUR earthquakes above 6.0 in 2009 in the same time period.  And only 161 in the entire year.  This intrigued me, so I kept thinking about it.  

I went back a few years and this is what I found:

It certainly looks like we've had a lot of strong earthquakes this year.  Many, many more than in this time period in years past.   The average for the past 10 years (in this time period) is 0.462 earthquakes of 6.0 magnitude or greater per day, or one earthquake every 2.29 days.  For this year, there are 1.138 earthquakes of 6.0 magnitude or greater per day, or one earthquake every 0.879 days.  

Scary, right?  I really shouldn't think about it as much as I do.  It just intrigues me, and then I have to do some research!

Anyway, I'm not the only person "researching" about possibilities for the end of the world.  I keep seeing these "We can know" billboards all over Denver:

Basically, these people think that they can predict the rapture.  The rapture will begin on May 21, 2011 (the actual end of days will be October 21, 2011).  Do I believe them?  No.  But, funny thing, they think that the rapture will begin with a giant earthquake.  ;)

They claim that the Bible has shown them the date.  I think it's a load of crap.  But, I'm sure there are plenty of people who believe.  Otherwise, how could they afford all of the billboards?!  ;)

Anyway, I often wonder about groups like these.  I mean, this isn't the first group who have "predicted" the end of times at a specific date.  Obviously, all of the previous groups have been wrong.  So, what happens to the group?  Do they come up with some kind of excuse and continue or do they accept failure and disband?  What happens to the members?  Do they lose faith after God broke God's supposed "promise" to destroy the earth on X date?  Or do they join the next end of days prediction group?  

I don't know.  I imagine that it could be quite disappointing for members.  But, since I'm enjoying my time here on earth, I'm going to go ahead and hope that they are disappointed.  ;)

More radiation

I read an article today titled: Radioactive water from Japanese nuclear plant dumped into sea.  When I read the title, I'm sure that my jaw dropped.  Then I read the article.  I was even more shocked.

The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant began releasing about 11,500 tons of radioactive water into the sea Monday evening so that it could make room in storage tanks for even more severely contaminated water.

Some 10,000 tons of the water being released into the ocean was being taken from a communal storage facility near the No. 4 reactor. Another 1,500 tons was being released from the vicinity of the No. 5 and 6 reactors — which have been less troubled than reactors Nos. 1 through 4. The amount of water being released is equivalent to more than four Olympic-size swimming pools.

Although the water being released had levels of radioactive iodine 131 more than 100 times the legal limit allowed for sea discharge, the government approved the release as an "emergency" measure so that water with 100,000 times more radiation than the water found in a normally functioning reactor can be removed from the basement of the turbine building at reactor No. 2 and stored somewhere on the site.

Is this not completely shocking to everyone else?  ONE HUNDRED TIMES the legal limit??  That really freaks me out.  I keep hearing reports about the radiation being under control and that it's not really going to pose a threat to humans.  How could that not pose a threat?  And what about the sea-life in the area.  And shouldn't it be up to more than just Japan whether or not they leak radiation into the ocean?  It's not like the water doesn't go anywhere other than Japan.  This affects the entire planet.  

It's just really frustrating to me.  I made light of it earlier and said something about Godzilla being on his way, but seriously folks, this is terrifying.  It makes me glad that I don't eat seafood (go vegetarian!).  What is this going to do to the sea-life in the area (and beyond)?

Homemade Minestrone

I love minestrone.  It's delicious.  Since Philip was sick all weekend, I made him some homemade minestrone with fresh baked bread.  He enjoyed it and soup always makes people feel better.  :)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup zucchini, chopped

3/4 cup green beans (I use frozen)

1 stalk celery (chopped into small pieces)

1/2 cup carrot, shredded

2-3 cups fresh baby spinach

3 cloves minced garlic

32 oz vegetable broth

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cans of kidney beans, drained

2 cans great northern beans, drained

1 1/2 tablespoons parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon thyme2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup red wine

3/4 cup small shell pasta

1. Saute onion, zucchini, celery, green beans, and garlic in the oil until the onions become semi-transparent.
2. Add the broth and wine and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Then add the water, tomatoes, beans, carrot, and all of the spices.
3. Bring it to a boil.  Then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.  
4. Add the spinach and stir.  
5. Add the pasta and cook for about 15 minutes or until the pasta is done. 

This goes really well with fresh baked bread.  And, it's fantastic with some parmesan cheese on top.  Yum!