What's for dinner? I still hate that question, but I've been feeling the urge to cook lately, after a dry spell of, oh, seven or eight years. I guess I can only cook when I really feel at home. I was fretting over my long-lost cookbooks till I realized the Web must be a treasure trove of great recipes. Sure enough, I've found lots and lots of great things to cook. Tonight we're having Slow-Cooker Adobo Chicken and Spanish Rice. I've never made Spanish Rice -- who can forget that reddish blop of goo we used to get at the school cafeteria -- but I'm willing to try. Twenty-five or so years of living have dimmed the memory of that cafeteria slop, and one of Antonio's relatives made an awesome version of the dish that made me realize there's a whole world of Spanish Rice out there....
On to the news: California Republicans apparently believe they have the right to depose a governor elected twice by the state's voting citizens. What the f***?!?!? The effort apparently started with Darrell Issa, described as a "millionaire GOP congressman," who just also happens to be the first declared Republican candidate seeking to replace Gray Davis, a Democrat who has played lots of politics but also managed to do a few good things (like try to get health insurance for the noninsured working poor). These jackasses apparently have gathered enough signatures to place the recall question on next fall's ballot, though legal challenges could pose some obstacle. Davis hasn't been the most effective or charismatic governor, but... the people elected him. I am shocked but I also see a pattern in Republicans throwing money and effort and underhanded tactics at elected officials they see as obstacles to their nefarious goals of rampant free marketeering. Clinton nearly got impeached for getting a blow job in the oval office (and for being an obstacle to the Republican Agenda, of course); now the Evil Empire is after Davis most likely because he ordered inquiries into the 2000-2001 "energy crisis" stemming from the shenanigans of Enron and other energy empires jacking around California's energy supplies to maximize their profits. No mistake here -- that's the real issue, not Davis' "overspending" (what the hell is Dubya doing???) or overall competence/lack thereof. That this effort has gotten this far shows just how powerful the energy barons are -- they will stop at nothing, including negating the will of the people, to get away with their cheating and lying and exploiting. If they get away with it, shame on us for letting it happen but more shame on them for believing they have the right to do what they have to in order to get their way.
Now for something lighter:
This-or-That Tuesday
1. Lemonade or Ice Cold Beer?
Lemonade if it's made from real lemons (or limes - yum) on a really hot day (like we've been having for the past week), then a cold beer on a warm evening (theoretically; I'm abstaining for now). I can't drink beer during the day -- partly because of my Puritan heritage and partly because it makes me way too sleepy and sometimes gives me a headache. After about 5 p.m. it's okay... well, it will be in eight months or so... ;-)
2. Swimming pool or beach?
Beach when I'm anywhere near it, but now that I'm 850 miles away from one coast and 1200 miles away from the other, a pool will do just fine.
3. Long weekends here & there, or a 2-week vacation?
Both -- but now that I'm a freelancer it's not an issue (yes, I'm gloating a bit). All work-weeks should be four days, and all working people should get four-week vacations every year.
4. Destination: Acapulco or Hawaii?
Hawaii -- one of the more remote places where we can rent a little loveshack in the woods and eat mangos and coconuts and go scuba diving every day.
5. Destination: Mountains or Beach?
Mountains -- they're generally cooler and less crowded, and I love the view from up on high. I have to admit, though, that my favorite place on Earth (that I've seen so far) is Big Sur and points south, on the California coast -- mountains AND beach right there together.
6. Hotel/motel/B&B or camping?
B&B -- I should love camping because I love being outdoors, but I can't take the hard ground and I really need to shower at least every other day. I dig motels, too, just because they're everywhere and are easily accessible during impromptu road trips.
7. Carefully planned vacation, or play it by ear?
I like to read all about where I'm going and make sure I have a really good map, then make some loose plans and see what comes up. I used to carefully plan everything but it was too much work -- and Antonio usually finds really cool places and people that I could never have planned for.
8. Sneakers or sandals?
Sandals. I wouldn't wear them, even, except for all the major bugs out here. The spider I saw running under the porch last night was fearfully large and waved his front legs around like he wanted to start boxing with me. Lucy the dog eats birds and lizards; I sure hope she develops a taste for spiders and scorpions and centipedes, too.
9. Air-conditioning or fans?
Fans -- a ceiling fan in every room just about does the trick... but during heat waves like this, I'd love to have a swamp cooler (that's desert-ese for a/c) for our bedroom, at least, so we could sleep.
10. Concerts in the park or baseball games?
Concerts in the park -- they're more casual, and I'm terrible about dealing with big crowds and lines and all that. And I love watching all the kids run around and seeing the babies on blankets and having my own little place under a tree.
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