I love Ambien

So i was late to work today. it sucked too, b/c i was all jonesed to wake up at a decent hour and work out, have a healthy breakfast and get to work exactly on time.

But after going to sleep at an uncharacteristically early hour, i found myself terribly awake at 2am. after a half hour of tossing and turning, i finally resolved to do something about it. i went to my cabinet and broke off a third of an Ambien and returned to my bed. 20 minutes later, i was sleeping very well.

5 hours later, i had missed my work out window and had to rush around like a crazy monkey just to get to work a half hour late.

but i do feel well rested.

i love Ambien, despite its ability to block out all alarm clock noise.

Report for: Hump Day

i clipped my nails short last night. i never do this. mainly cuz it only lasts for 4 or 5 days, max. but i'm really enjoying it! my typing skills have dramatically improved, and i find myself fidgiting less and less. i guess the only one who misses out is my cat, who always enjoys a good skritch between the ears.

click here to view my shame

sigh. i'm watching french kiss yet again. i have seriously seen this movie twenty times. i dont know why i like it so much. i mean, you can only watch a romantic comedy so many times before you get cavities from the sappy-sweetness. really, i dont want to go grocery shopping. would anyone want to go for me? does anyone really like grocery shopping? there's something to be said for shopping in bulk at sam's club or costco. unfortunately, one huge trip each month would cause just as much stress for me as 2 or 3 little trips. plus, i get fresh veggies. i used to bribe myself by going to super target where i could get a bottle of nail polish or peruse the shoes before checking out. but recently, that doesnt do it. i'd rather spend the money and the calories on chipotle or walk down the road to the coffee shop. if i lived in a foreign country (you know, a quiant one) the daily shopping trip would be normal. bread & coffee. veggies and fish. sigh.


que sera shiraz.................. (what will be will be with wine - more or less)

the merits of banana bread

my bff gave me a recipe for banana bread not too long ago. to be specific, it's for chocolate chip banana bread. i do love a good chip, but sometimes, untainted banana bread is a glorious experience.

the first loaf i made was for H's bday, and in accordance with the bday rule of "you get what you want; one day only," i did not include the chocolate chips (how fair is it that men dont like chocolate as much as women?). i dont think i fully understood what type of pan to use, cuz i just used what i consider to be the standard "banana bread/zucchini bread/soda bread" pan - that rectangle one that's about 4" deep. i put the batter into the pan, placed it gently into the preheated oven and set my timer for the alloted 45 minutes. tick tick tick... ding! it's not ready. in fact, it's rather jiggly. ohhhhkayyyy.... another 15 min: tick tick tick... ding! hmm, still not quite right - golden brown on the outside, but not yet springy. in this case, i can hear my mom's voice, "put tin foil over it or it will BURN!" so i do. 5 more minutes. tick tick tick... ding! yay! it's ready!

i didnt get to try the fruits of my labor but i hear that it was wolfed down with great intensity and thoroughly enjoyed. so i decided to make a loaf for me, and me alone. to hell with you carb counters!

while creaming the butter and sugar, i realize i'm out of vanilla extract. hmm... i do have vanilla syrup from Caribou. and i'm not putting chips in, so the extra sugar should only help, right? well, i take the risk. blended away, put it in the pan (this time i'm ready) and set the timer for 1 hour.

mind you, i decided to bake yesterday, when it was 90+ outside, and i only have a window a/c unit. not in the kitchen. i'm smart i tell you.

anyway, the bff came over and we chatted over some chilled white wine in the a/c room. "So you're making that bread, right? did you use the right pan? cuz i just put the batter into 2 rectangle pans and hoped for the best. it worked pretty well!" hmm... i screw up my face.
"what do you mean, the 'right pan'?"
"a pan like an angel food cake pan - you know, 10" tubular, like the recipe says"
"oh. well, no. i put it all in one rectangle pan. but i bake it for an hour and it turns out fine"
"huh."

tick tick tick... ding! out comes the bread, perfectly golden brown and HUGE. i guess i didnt think about that before, but the loaf is probably the biggest i've seen. it is domed and cracked appropriately, no oozing or falling as it cools.

so this morning i cut into it and take a buttered piece to work as breakfast. wow. FLUFFY banana bread! i've never experienced it before! the butter actually clings in the crevases... after each bite, the end springs back to life instead of clinging to itself. and yet, it's moist (heh heh, i said moist). Success!

so here's the recipe, if you're curious. just make sure you add about a tablespoon of vanilla syrup instead of extract. dont use chocolate chips. and use the wrong pan. and bake it for an hour. :o) yum!