Stephen was sick the other day, so I promised I’d cook for him. I’m a pretty decent cook, but very rarely feel like doing it. Most of the time, I’m just throwing something together last-minute. This is another example of that, but it turned out really, really well.
Jillian’s Pineapple-Curry Chicken
Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 jar of VH’s Pineapple sauce
2 tbsps. hot curry spice
Fresh baby spinach
Sesame seeds
Thaw and cube two boneless chicken breasts and add them to a frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the pineapple sauce and mix in the curry spice.
Wash the baby spinach and put it in a bowl.
Once the chicken is cooked through and slightly blackened, spoon it on to the beds of spinach. Sprinkle the chicken with seasame seeds. Tasty!
Last December, I went a got a second tattoo. I had this dream earlier this year that I was at a tattoo parlour, looking back over my shoulder into a large mirror, admiring a new tattoo. It was of a golden spiral:
In the dream, I was so happy. It looked great. So when I woke up without it, I was a bit disappointed.
So what did I do? I went and had it tattooed on for real.
Veronique at The Scarlet Ink did such an amazing job. Her ability to make perfect lines was amazing. I had been hesitant to get the tattoo until I saw her portfolio through my brother. I was blown away by her skill.
It was surreal standing in front of the big mirror in her studio, looking over my shoulder just as I had done in the dream. A supreme sense of deja vu.
Yesterday, I had the touch ups done and I’m so excited. It’s perfect.
It’s been awhile since I posted on any sort of regular basis. I feel badly about that, not because I know some of you are reading, but because I do this site mostly for myself and it feels like a let down to go so long without posting. This is the first post of what I hope will be a more regular schedule.
I love my dogs as much as the most important people in my world. I would have trouble choosing between one of my dogs and the people closest to me. That isn’t a slight to those people I love, it’s just a testament to how much I love my dogs.
Earlier this week, Saxon was diagnosed with lymphoma. The ultrasound pictures were jarring and tragic, disgusting and heartbreaking. Several years ago, we lost our last dog to lymphoma. It feels like cruel deja vu to have to go through this again.
I asked the vet how long she thought he had, her immediate answer was, “6 weeks.” No one can guarantee how long it will be. It might be a matter of a few weeks or maybe he’ll hold on for a few months. It’s hard to say. As long as he’s comfortable and happy, we’ll leave him be.
I’m struggling over the words, “6 weeks” though. Tomorrow, I leave for Jordan for the 2012 field season, which lasts about 6 weeks. So tomorrow, I have to operate on the idea that I might never see him again. I have hope he’ll pull through, but realistically, there’s no way to know.
Tomorrow, I’m supposed to give him his (potential) last kiss, tell him I love him (potentially) for the last time, and hug him once more. I don’t know how I’m supposed to walk away from him. I have to leave, but walking away from my darling Saxon is going to be the hardest thing I’ve had to do in my life.
My heart is breaking and I can’t seem to function. I love him so much and would do anything for him.
It’s less than a month away until I’ll be getting on a plane to go back to Jordan. I can’t say I pack this way, but I think it’s been tempting for everyone. There’s alway that thing you think you might need and what if that very situation comes up and you don’t have that thing and oh god if only you had brought it?!?!
I am contemplating more posts soon. I’ve fallen behind again, but if you could see my personal journal, you’d probably feel bad for me. At least here, I’m close to caught up, there I have entries dating back to December to write in.
This is probably the best tutorial I’ve written for Photojojo. I’m really happy with how this one turned out. It’s the favourite of my tutorial babies. Read it here.
A text message yesterday from Stephen that said, “If it’s clear tonight, I think Kev and I will go stargazing. You should come, too!”
To which I responded, “Yes!”
And then night time actually rolled around and I was super tired. But I was thinking to myself, “It’s only for a few hours, no big deal.”
It was when we were on our way, past the point of no-return (i.e: the point where I could have said, “No, I think I’ll stay home and sleep.”) that I was informed we’d be out until 3, maybe 4 in the morning.
Balls.
Thankfully, it wasn’t that late (or is it early?) of a night. When all of our toes started to freeze off, we packed in the telescopes and tripods and headed home at around 2:30 am.
I do not, however, regret the near toe-loss to frostbite. Mainly, because of these images:
I’ve started writing a lot of posts lately that I haven’t finished & published yet. So today, I’m going to try and get some of these done. I’ll upload this post with links to the new entries, since some of them go back a little ways and might now show up in RSS feed readers.
It’s been a strange year. I didn’t think so much could change in one year and yet, here I am. I look back on last year’s birthday post and I’m like, “Man, that feels so long ago.”
So here’s 2012′s look back on 2011. Give or take a few months.
My favourite events from my 27th year (in no particular order because playing favourites is for chumps… most of the time).
Jonathan “Riker is a Ladiesman” Frakes
Oh the flirting! This man made my comic con. I totally thought Kirk would be the highpoint, but the what girl can say, “no” to Jonathan Frakes?!
Have I told you I’m going to meet Sir Patrick Stewart this year? My knees are already weak. (Read the original post).
Erinn graduated.
I know this isn’t something that effected me much personally, but I was just so proud of her. Erinn had found something she was passionate about and brilliant at and finished a degree in it. Where she goes from here is up to her, but Erinn’s eye for beautiful art is one of the best. (Read the original post).
Photographing Ian & Christine’s wedding.
I’ve photographed a lot of things. As the years go by, I’m doing more and more as a professional photographer. It’s a slow game, breaking in and making a name for myself. Ian and Christine’s wedding was the first time I felt like I really belonged somewhere as a pro photographer. It was like I wasn’t pretending or making it up as a I go anymore and it totally showed in the photographs. I’m proud of the work I did for them and it was such a beautiful day, filled with so much love. (Read the original post).
Putting ancient ceramics back together.
I love archaeology and I found a new type of archaeology that I love. I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy fiddling with tiny pieces of ancient ceramics in an attempt to put it all back together again, but my god, it was fun. It’s so satisfying to see something go from shards of nothing to a complete something. (Read the original post).
Falling in love with one of my favourite people.
I don’t often get too personal here on this site, but this is one I feel comfortable sharing. Friends for years, neither one of us saw this coming, but I couldn’t be happier or more satisfied with how things have progressed. It works.
Archaeology Day with Sashiere
If you haven’t noticed, I need a little adventure now and then. If I don’t get adventures, I get restless and slightly depressed. Adventures make life feel so much more satisfying. (See the photos on Flickr).
Beautiful Bulgaria
I had trouble leaving for Bulgaria. I really did. I loved Bulgaria though. It’s a great place with amazing sites. As eager as I was to get home when it was all over, it was bittersweet. Seeing Bulgaria makes me want to explore more of the Eastern European countries. I have my eye on Romania at some point, Macedonia, too. (Read more posts about Bulgaria).
Menta
One of the greatest discoveries I had in Bulgaria. Mix it with Sprite and you have a party in your mouth. I wish I could find it here.
The best photo I’ve ever taken
My sister’s wedding was great. Beyond great. She married one of my favourite people in the world and I couldn’t be happier for them. And then, I got the privilege to not only be maid of honour, but also their photographer. And then I took the best photo I’ve ever taken. (See more of their photographs here).
Now I’m going to go have a drink for the coming year!
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