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| Thursday, September 29, 2005 |
| I want a converted diesel vehicle |
| The more gas prices go sky high and the more broke I get just trying to eek out an existence, the more I want a converted diesel vehicle so I can burn leftover fry oil or something else. My friend Jen had this link on her blog today. Coconut oil burning vehicles. How great would that smell?!? I know there are amazing uses for CO in the realm of skincare, home remedy and diet, but fuel? Amazing. Not sure it would be as cost effective here in MN due to our lack of tropical crops and temps, but it would be worth a try. I'm awaiting the day we kick petroleum fuels to the wayside and run on something a whole lot cleaner and renewable. |
posted by Jen @ 5:41 PM   |
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| Wanna make $25? |
| I did, but I can't cause I have food allergies. But for others of you in the Twin Cities area who are available next Thurs or Fri and want to travel up to St. Louis Park for a bit. I know of a Taste Test survey you could be a part of and make $25 in 15 min. Email me and I'll give you their phone number. Not sure they'd want me to just post it here. |
| posted by Jen @ 4:24 PM |
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| Tuesday, September 27, 2005 |
| I'm using my degree! |
| The results of my audition: I am the newest section leader for the parish of St. Christopher's Episcopal choir. Also I will be part of The Schola Cantorum. I begin rehearsal with them next week. And it's paid! |
| posted by Jen @ 9:32 PM |
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| There is a free lunch |
| If you're hungry, go to the grocery store. It sounds simple enough, but I went to Rainbow on the way home from my audition today to get one thing. And in the process, I found lunchtime was the perfect time to go. There were samples everywhere! I had dried strawberry, celery with peanut butter and raisins, freschetta pizza, breakfast pizza, cheese, and zuchini pancake. And this was Rainbow. I know for a fact that Whole Foods is the real place to eat a lunch of free samples. There are usual several kinds of cheese, something in the deli area, crackers, chocolates, fruit, cookies, and sometimes even a beverage. Free lunch does exsist, you just have to know where to find it. |
| posted by Jen @ 2:28 PM |
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| Sing Sing Sing |
| I haven't auditioned for anything in about 4 years. Didn't find anything that sparked my interest enough and I hate working up a prepared piece for auditions. I hate most auditions in general. I always feel like I'm being picked over with a fine-tooth comb. Today's audition for a local parish choir was different. Sure I was nervous, but the choir director is kinda laid back. And he didn't know it, but the fact that he shuffles around the church in his stocking feet made me more at ease. And he was okay with the things I didn't know, helping me to learn about plain chant and recitation. It was the most relaxed audition I've ever done. And I think I presented pretty well. The director did too. Now I just need to juggle some other scheduling things to make the rehearsal schedule of the choir work with my life. Acutally the other way around, my life needs to get shuffled a bit to fit around rehearsals. He was really up front, saying if it weren't for this other commitment I had that was creating the scheduling conflict, he would have given it to me right there and then. He was impressed by what my flabby voice could do with a song I haven't touched in 4 years. Yay! |
| posted by Jen @ 2:19 PM |
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| Squeaky Clean |
I have a "showing" of my apartment tomorrow afternoon. I've spent the better part of the last 3 days trying to make my place cleaner than it's ever been. I think I suceeded.
I feel confident that my place looks nice and inviting. I'm also crossing my fingers and getting my hopes way up that this couple will really like this place and want to live here. I've got applications ready for them to fill out. The next step after that is to start to pack up my junk and move it westward. :)
I also started to grout in the tiles on my coffee table today. Took me long enough...I bought the tiles and grout more than a year ago. If I have time, I'll run to Menards in the morning for some more grout. It's taking a lot more than I expected. But it's gonna be really cool when I'm done. |
| posted by Jen @ 12:30 AM |
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| Monday, September 19, 2005 |
| Ich bin ein Porchian |
After being at my church for just over 2 years, I've finally made it to the meeting to become a "member" as it were. I've been trying for most of those 2 years cause I really felt this church was my home and I've been participating as I would expect a "member" would for that time as well. There wasn't ever much advance notice on the meeting and my work schedule nearly always conflicted. So, today I belong. (oh and "member" is in quotes cause we don't use that term, but it will make the most sense to any of you from the outside.) Today's meeting consisted of: finding out your Enneagram type (which I have known for quite some time - I'm a 2), going over some knit-picky details, meeting some new people who were also interested in belonging, and voicing some likes, dislikes, and dreams for our community. It's good sometimes to be heard and also to have people reitterate that it's okay to have opinions and make them heard. Sometimes I need a reminder.
And now, some highlights:
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| posted by Jen @ 12:23 AM |
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| Thursday, September 15, 2005 |
| One last nod to the braids |
I have a short attention span with my hair. That, perhaps, was the reason behind my "hair of many colors" in college. Also behind the short and long of it over as many years. So tonight, on my way home from martial arts, I just felt time was up for this particular stint with braids.
So, goodbye braids. It's been fun finding new ways to tie you back out of my face. It's been fun fiddling with you when things are slow at work. The attention you garner has at times been fun (at times a little more attention that I wish to have). You've definately taught me something about my changing tastes and why I likely should not pursue dreadlocks.
Not exactly sure if I'll be getting a haircut or trim tomorrow, or if I'll just feel out the new length. It's suprising how much one's hair grows in 7 weeks. And I wouldn't have noticed except that when braided, it appears shorter. All of you who have become friendly with the braids, say your goodbyes. No telling when they will reappear. |
| posted by Jen @ 9:54 PM |
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| 9 days old |
So what does one do when one is just 9 days old? Well just ask the precious Amelie and she will tell you it's a good life. Eat, sleep, and eat some more. Then get kissed by mom and sleep again. And you get waited on hand and foot. Really, what could be better? It's like a day spa. |
| posted by Jen @ 1:14 AM |
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| Tuesday, September 13, 2005 |
| Uptown Girl |
So you all now know I'm poor and up to my ears in student loan debt. I'm getting creative on ways to be thrifty. One of those ways is to have roommates again. And the opportunity just fell in my lap. Two of my bestest friends live in this amazing duplex in Uptown and were looking to move due to the cost of renting a 3-bedroom with only 2 people. Then the offer was made, how about I move in there? Fantastic. I'd love to live in that neighborhood (near the Wedge, near the Mpls lakes, walking distance to many things fun, near bike paths, still near a Whole Foods, better bike culture, nearer to church, on the bus line) and that house is pretty neato too. I haven't had roommates in a long time, but I'm kinda excited for that. People to talk to and come home to and share stuff with and split bills with. So, I'm moving, as soon as I can find a taker for my current place. Probably a month or two (cross fingers). In the process, I will also be paring down some of my belongings. I have a lot of furniture and household things (some of which I'm not totally attached to or don't use much) which will be doubled by my roommates' belongings, so I will sell some of those to make some extra cash (yay Craigslist for free classifieds).
Other random things....I don't usually link to things on here, but I ran across this somehow the other day and thought this guy was really really inventive when he was poor and it was somewhat inpiring to me (though I'm not thinking of building my own furniture). See the FedEx furniture
If you know anyone in the market for a 1 bedroom apartment, a used car, a computer chair or 2 media bookshelves, those are all up for sale (the apartment isn't really for sale, but my share in the coop the apartment is part of is and then you get to live here rather cheaply). Time for a bedtime snack. |
| posted by Jen @ 11:06 PM |
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| Sunday, September 11, 2005 |
| Jesus said" Let the children come to me" |
Tonight I sat with the babies. It started as a quest for air conditioning, but I enjoy sitting among the little ones and seeing them interact, play, learn, sleep, teethe, drool, etc. And I was overwhelmed today by the ever increasing number of the little ones around me. And there are at least 4 more confirmed yet to arrive. The Porch no longer has that 20-somethings/college look to outsiders. We've become an even more varied group, adding new 20-somethings and young families to our midst. I've also noticed some new faces from my parents' generation.
I'm also enjoying watching the last "crop" of babies as they turn into real little people with verbal skills and real personalities. They are learning to tell you what it is they want in words any adult can understand. Learning to throw a ball quite well, recognizing faces and names, and also finding their stubborn streaks. I've been blessed to see several of these kids develop from the time of their birth. It's almost like watching Child Development class in real life. But realizing there is so much they don't teach you in those classes.
Prayer posture tonight was to hold your face. Meant as a comfort in a time of struggle or loss or as an endearing moment with someone who means a lot. It's symbolic of what we might like to offer to those suffering from Katrina or on the anniversary of 9/11/2001. I think if someone touched me in that way at this point in my life, I'd burst into tears. It's such a loving and caring kind of touch. I haven't really had a lot of that kind of caring in the last couple years. Kinda brushed a nerve. |
| posted by Jen @ 11:03 PM |
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| Friday, September 09, 2005 |
| What the poor should eat |
There have been times in my adult life when I have truely been too poor to buy food without having other bills breathing down my neck and threatening me. Many of those times, I didn't know what to do and ended up eating very poorly, including getting a bag of mostly junk from the food shelf on occassion or subsisting on rice and ramen. This is one of those times. But this time, I have a new resource taught to me by a very thrifty friend. That resource is the dumpster (not exactly what most of you are thinking. If you want to know more, email me off this blog and we can discuss). The first things to go in one's diet when poor is fresh produce on most occassions. In my new world, that is nearly all I eat and for free.
So, this week, I will be dining on sweet potatoes (which I just finished baking with a bit of butter and brown sugar), cinnamon applesauce (made from golden delicious apples), plums, bananas, strawberries (well those must be eaten tomorrow or they will be far past ripe), broccoli, buttercrisp lettuce (with a little of the Annie's dressing left in my fridge) and potatos. I'm getting kind of creative in creating new things to eat from whatever I can get my hands on and the few things I have on-hand in my "pantry" cabinet. Now I'm looking for something to do with bananas (besides the obvious banana bread). My grocery bill for this week: less than $10. I bought a half gallon of milk and a box of breakfast cereal (I'm trying to get back into the habit of eating breakfast and having food on hand for that seems to be the first step in achieving that) and a few staple items. Oh yeah, and that weird brown stuff in the jars is applesauce. |
| posted by Jen @ 11:36 PM |
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| Tuesday, September 06, 2005 |
| State Fair |
Went to the State Fair today with an old friend. I haven't been in years, but it doesn't seem to have changed much. We mainly went just to walk around and look at stuff. Managed to escape without eating much of anything (mostly it was overpriced and the grease was less than appetizing to me). We did have the all-you-can-drink milk. I finished nearly 36 oz. by myself (and for those of you who know me, you probably know how I felt later). In the agriculture building, we had cider freezes (like Mr Freeze but made from fresh cider). In the grandstand, we tried teriyaki jerky in both beef and turkey varieties. I got a big pickle at the "hidden" market (for 75 cents cheaper than the big pickle on a stick). Nothing fried, absolutely nothing. And Nate didn't even have a footlong hotdog (which he had set out to do at our onset at the fair). I think the milk really helped curb our appetites. Spent a good portion of the time in the arts buildings, 4H building, and visiting the remaining animals in the barns. 4 hours of the fair is enough for me on most occassions. And now, the photos.
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| posted by Jen @ 12:21 AM |
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