Welcome to Lola's Diner.
At Lola's Diner we'll be sharing recipes and sharing conversation across a virtual lunch counter. Topics will be varied and can include current events, politics, parenting, mental health, and LGBTQ topics.
Check out the more awesome photos and the recipe here.
Nearly 2 pounds of thick cut bacon woven together with 2 pounds of Italian sausage spread over the top, then cooked bacon over top of that. Roll it all up and throw it on the grill.
Blagojevich is Impeached and he is disqualified from holding future public office in Illinois effective immediately. Hey Guv! Na Na Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Good Bye!
Monday was Chinese New Year. Because our finances are tight we couldn’t afford to go out for Chinese or order takeout for 4. So based on what I had on hand I made stir fry. Not really Chinese food, but I had to go with what I had on hand. If I had the ingredients I could have made Sweet and Sour Chicken or Pork, Moo Shoo Pork, Pork Fried Rice. But I didn’t have the ingredients. As a treat, and since technically it was a holiday, I had Anastasia pick up Egg Rolls and Crab Rangoon from the local Chinese place that we frequent.
When Anastasia went to pick up the food the young women who are always behind the counter rang up the order and gave her the bag of food. Just as she was about to take the bag, an Asian man she had never seen before came from behind the counter approached her, wished her a Happy New Year with what sounded like a Chinese accent. Then, very ceremoniously, he handed her a red envelope and slowly said "I wish you great fortune. Happy New Year." There was a card inside the envelope.
With Anastasia losing her job, we could really use some "great fortune" about now.
Anastasia was freaked out. It was like a Twilight Zone moment. Anastasia got a chill and kind of likened it to Zoltar in the movie Big (1988).
Are there more tapes? I read the transcripts, for the 4 tapes released today and it isn't clear to me what these particular tapes have to do with what he is accused of. I look forward to seeing/hearing more tapes. I'm not saying the Senate doesn't have the goods to impeach him, but why are they putting out stuff that really doesn't prove anything?
Barbara Walters was not live on set. Barbara interviewed Blagojevich from a television monitor. Bizarre.
When Barbara attempted to quote "I got this thing, it's bleeping golden. I'm just not giving it up for bleeping nothing.", instead of saying bleeping, she tried to say expletive, but didn’t pronounce it correctly. Why can’t Barbara say expletive? She repeatedly mispronounced it. Again, Blagojevich saying that the tape excerpts were taken out of context.
Barbara, "here’s your chance, did you say those things?" Blagojevich claims the tapes will show all the conversations in the proper context. He also said he can’t confirm or deny anything without hearing the tapes? WTF? He doesn’t know what he said? He claims he wanted to leverage that (the Senate seat), create jobs, protect the residents of the state from higher taxes.
Barbara "How did you allow yourself to get caught like this?" Blagojevich claimed he thought his home was a sanctified place and your conversations are private. He claimed no wrong doing, no criminal intent on his part.
Where is Patti? Why isn’t she on? Barbara said that Patti cancelled on the advice of her family, her father Dick Mell and then dragged out the old ill will between Blagojevich and his father-in-law. Blagojevich claimed that Patti wanted to be home with their daughters because he fully expects their lives are going to change, the fix is in, he expects to be removed from office.
Barbara Asked him point blank, shouldn’t he resign. Blagojevich said no, to resign would admit that he did something wrong, it would make him a disgrace to his children and then he referenced that the legislature will raise taxes before Memorial Day. WTF? What does that have to do with resigning or not resigning? Isn't it a disgrace to his children to be dragging his dirty laundry all over the media and generally looking like a delusional doofus?
After the segment with Barbara on a television monitor interviewing Blagojevich, the other women of The View, Joy, Whoopie and Sherri interviewed Blagojevich on the couch. They interrupted him several times accusing him of being to technical and had him sputtering trying to dumb things down, but in the end his responses were somewhat unintelligable.
Then they brought up that they heard he was considering Oprah for the Senate seat. Blagojevich said, "Would Oprah take my call? Oprah’s Oprah, and I’m just the Governor of Illinois." Joy burst into laughter.
Then they talked about the swearing in the tapes. Blagojevich claimed that growing up in the streets of Chicago he learned that language and that he doesn’t use it in public, only in private. Whoopie’s face when Blagojevich was talking about being a potty mouth, was just priceless.
At the end of the interview Joy wanted him to do his Nixon impression "I am not a crook" and it about brought the house down.
Blagojevich on 'Good Morning America'. To watch the video, click on ABC News: Blagojevich Says He Thought Of Oprah For Senate. Blagojevich was at his pompous best on GMA. He even got a haircut. He continues to cry that he is boycotting the Impeachment Trial today because he isn't allowed to have witnesses testify. Who does he want to testify? Rahm Emmanuel, Jesse Jackson Jr, Valerie Jared "and a whole bunch of other people". Heck, maybe he wants to call you or me.
He even argued with Senator Matt Murphy saying that the Impeachment Trial is NOT modeled after the Clinton Impeachment Trial, saying that President Clinton could have called witnesses and he (Blagojevich) is not allowed to. Senator Murphy stated that it IS modeled after it and that in fact Blagojevich can submit statements by Emmanuel, Jackson, Jared and others into evidence. The standard for admission of evidence has been lowered due to the fact that the criminal prosecution asked them to limit witnesses.
When Diane Sawyer pressed him regarding the tapes, Blagojevich said snippets of conversation were taken out of context, that not all the tapes have been provided and they tell the whole story. "I got this thing, it's bleeping golden. I'm just not giving it up for bleeping nothing." Just exactly what other kind of context could they be taken and not seem like he was trying to sell the Senate seat???
Why does Blago think the fix is in? Because he went around the legislature to get every senior free public transportation; breast cancer screenings and expanding healthcare.
Blagojevich even mentioned that he considered naming Oprah for the Senate seat. WTF? Is that a ploy to get on Oprah's show too? Being on GMA, The View and Larry King Live isn't enough?
Oh yeah, and mark his words, there will be a tax increase before Memorial Day.
Oh, and watch out, because if they can do this to him, they can do this to YOU.
Oh my, I can't wait for the circus that will be The View. Later he will be on Larry King Live.
I’ve been tagged by Ken at Dad To Two. I’m supposed to list 8 random things about me.
So, here you go…
Anastasia is helping me with this list…
1. I once met in person members of a Moms group from the internet. We were a group of Moms who met on msn.com in one of the parenting chat rooms. 2. I’m a great nazi secretary. (Anastasia has been enlisting my help in her job search and I’m wicked strict. I think this is actually a complement.) 3. I make a kick ass chili. (I think she's just buttering me up because the Superbowl is next Sunday.) 4. Just to look at me people think I’m in a bad mood, but I’m not. Really! I swear! 5. I’m not afraid to try a new recipe, even if it turns out bad, which hasn’t happened yet. ;) 6. A little over 20 years ago I moved to Chicago not knowing a single soul. It turned out the job I had lined up was working for a psycho boss and lasted not even a week. Why would I say the boss was a psycho? After the second day he called me in the office and told me I was unfriendly to the other staff and that I needed to make an effort to get to know them and be more friendly. So, I made an effort and chatted up the receptionist. Next thing I know I’m in the boss’s office for talking to much. He screamed at me the entire time he was reprimanding me. I turned in my keys and walked out. I had signed a year long lease and moved everything I owned to Chicago. It took several months to find a new job. 7. My partner and I have the same Tina Fey wannabe eyeglasses. Except mine are ultra cool purple and hers are orange. (Hers go awesome with her red hair by the way.) 8. I own a motorcycle. Five years ago, actually the weekend that I met Anastasia, I took a motorcycle riding class at Motorcycle Riding’s Cool, motorcycle riding school in Chicago. I did it to pick up chicks. Yup. It worked too. LOL! I own a Suzuki Intruder VS800. People mistake it for a Harley all the time. It’s a sweet ride, but I can’t ride anymore because of my back issues. So, I’ll be selling the bike this spring, or sooner if anyone is interested.
Here are the rules:
1. Each blogger starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves. 2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their 8 things and post these rules. 3. At the end of your post, you need to choose 8 blogs to get tagged and list their names. 4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and to read your blog. 5. For the recipients, leave a comment for the person who tagged you, so they can go read your answers.
Let the games begin. Tell me more about yourselves so I can get to know you better.
The government, for all intents and purposes views gay or lesbian partners as co-habitants, with no rights any more than 2 college roommates are entitled to. When Ellen accepted her People's Choice Award earlier this month she was trying to make a point when she thanked her “roommate” Portia. Even though Ellen and Portia got married August 16, 2008 her marriage is in limbo because of the passage of Prop 8.
Here are some things to think about marriage that are taken for granted my married couples every day:
When you are in the hospital, do you have to worry that your spouse, your loved one, will be able to visit, or be kept informed about your condition?
I was hospitalized several times in 2007. Each time, even though I was scared to death about my medical condition, all I could think about was, ‘will Anastasia be able to visit me, will they honor my wishes which I documented on my registration papers that Anastasia be allowed to visit and be notified completely of my medical condition?’ Because I have no family in Illinois, it is so much more important to me that she be kept informed. Each time I was hospitalized, different staff were involved and at times we were concerned that my wishes may not be carried out.
Do you have children? Are both you and your spouse able to obtain medical care for your children?
Anastasia and I had to seek the assistance of an attorney to draw up legal documents (Authorization for Consent to Medical Treatment of a Minor) that allow Anastasia to seek medical treatment for my children in my absence. These forms were essential in 2007 to get care for my daughter while I was hospitalized. The documents work, I highly recommend drawing up such documents in case of emergency.
When we file our taxes, we must each file Single returns. We have no other option.
Many of us have children. We make a family together. Some of us go to great lengths to make a family. We want, what you want.
Some people say, ‘you have commitment ceremonies’ or in some states ‘Civil Unions’, you can still have a party and celebrate with your friends and families.
It's not about the party. Civil Unions are not the same. Civil Unions don't afford the same RIGHTS. We want the Fairytale and the Rights.
We want to get married and live happily ever after with the same rights as you and your spouse.
Remember the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)? Mathew Broderick plays Ferris Bueller, a high school senior who "decides to skip school on a spring day by faking an illness, and then encourages his girlfriend Sloane and his hypochondriac best friend Cameron to spend the day in Chicago as one of their last flings before they head off to different colleges. Ferris manages to convince Cameron to let them use his father's restored 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California to travel into the city."
From a review I read online, "One Man's Struggle To Take It Easy. Ferris Bueller. Larger than life. Blessed with a magical sense of serendipity. He's a model for all those who take themselves too seriously. A guy who knows the value of a day off." That sums it up nicely. If you haven't seen the movie, or it's been awhile, go rent it. Here is a video homage I found on youtube.com.
In the late 80’s this movie was my inspiration. Although I didn’t have a friend with a classic sports car, and I didn’t get up on a float and sing Dunke Shoen, I did a pretty fair job of emulating Ferris Bueller. I recall one particularly spectacular day...
I got up and got ready for work, as if I were going to work, but before I left home I called in sick to my boss's voicemail. After that, the day was mine!
I drove downtown to the Grand Avenue Mall (Milwaukee, WI) in the hopes of catching my friend Nikki before she went to her job at Woolworths. This was before cell phones, so I used a pay phone to call her when I realized that malls don’t open at the same time my office did. Duh! I called Nikki repeatedly until she finally gave in and called in sick. Just like Ferris, I wasn’t going to give up. I went to pick her up and we went out to breakfast. I think we went to George Webbs. (Man I miss George Webbs. I wish they had them here in Illinois. Their chili is the best!) Then we headed over to Miller Brewery for a tour. (Did you know they gave free samples? For real! I didn't know that at the time.) After the tour we drove over to Milwaukee County Stadium (that would be the old stadium, not the newfangled domed Miller Park) to see if the Brewers had a home game. They did! We got tickets, upper deck seats, but since it was an afternoon game no one was there. We snuck down to the good seats and yelled "Hey batter, batter. Swing batter." Yeah, that day we recited a lot of lines from the movie. We were total Ferris geeks. After the game we went to our usual hang-out and bragged to our other friends about our "Ferris Day". Our friends thought we were nuts.
On another "Ferris Day" I called up my friend Roxanne. Same drill. We called in sick. This time we drove around aimlessly for awhile, and then started heading south. We drove to Chicago! We stopped at Irving’s Red Hots for Chicago Style dogs in Skokie, then headed downtown. We spent the day driving around downtown and along the lakefront. I hadn’t been to Chicago since I was a kid when we went to visit my 99 year old Great Great Great Aunt. This trip was much better.
To quote Ferris Bueller:
"Life moves pretty fast... If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
I realize with today’s economy it isn’t wise to call in sick when you’re not. Heck, it’s not even wise to call in sick if you’re actually sick! I think you can still appreciate the spirit of the movie if you take one of your usual days off, call a friend, get in the car or take a bus and then fly by the seat of your pants! No plan. Just get together and head out. Do something you haven’t done in awhile, or better yet, do something you’ve never done before. Go to the Art Institute or a museum. Go take a brewery tour or a wine tour. Go to a sporting event. Go to a show (theatre). In Chicago they have Hot Tix where you can get tickets the day of the show to area theatre. Hot Tix is made for a Ferris Day. Sometimes they even have tickets to sold out shows. If you live in a small town, drive to the nearest big city and explore. The key is not to have a rigid plan or know exactly in advance what you are going to do. I’m serious you Type A personality types! You can start off with a brainstormed list of ideas if you must, but no plan. Seriously! That’s what makes it so much fun.
So get out there and go have a “Ferris Day”! You deserve it!
