Another Thursday Five

1. My new favorite recipe (which only Uno and I will eat, but whatever):

Awesome Black Beans & Rice

* 1 TBSP olive oil
* 3/4 cup onion, chopped fine
* 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped fine
* 1 cup (or 1 small can) diced tomatoes
* 1 can Bush's Seasoned Recipe Black Beans; drain & reserve juice
* 1/2 TSP thyme
* 1 TSP garlic salt
* 3 TBSP cider vinegar
* 1/2 TSP hot pepper sauce
* 1 cup cooked rice
* Meat of your choice (if you want any) (I've used ground beef or cubed pork tenderloin)

In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Cook onion and green pepper until tender. (If your meat isn't cooked, throw it in too; if I'm using leftovers I add it at the end.) Stir in tomatoes, beans, thyme, and garlic salt, and cook for 3 minutes. Add vinegar, pepper sauce, and reserved juice, and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

(Sometimes I leave out the tomatoes because Uno isn't a fan -- I think when I do, I ought to use slightly less cider vinegar. They work well together, but the vinegar seems to take over without the tomatoes.)

2. I think it is too easy for me to disconnect from life. From people, more specifically. I don't blame technology; pundits and other talky types love to fault the internet for depersonalizing our society, making us all antisocial behind our little flickering screens.... But I was antisocial before the internet was born. I actually connect with real live people more frequently thanks to blogs (hey family, blog more!) (says the girl who averaged one post a month before this 5/day experiment) and Facebook and a private message board I belong to. Anyway, none of that is my point. Technology bla bla never mind.

It is too easy for me to disconnect. I am too comfortable in my own head. I love my family and BFFs, and when I'm physically near them I never want us to be apart; I want to always have them with me to talk and laugh and debate and commiserate with. And yet.... I go weeks (sometimes more) without talking to any of them. Part of it has to do with my phone aversion, sure, but also I am just too easily sucked into my own stream of consciousness as I bob and float through the days. I think I'm growing more introverted (if such a thing is possible) as I get older.

Or maybe I'm just completely self absorbed.

3. Our town has a weather vane store. Isn't that a crazy specific niche for a small town business? Maybe if we lived somewhere touristy that had lots of chic design / houseware boutiques and gift stores a weather vane shop would seem like a natural fit, but here it's just ... a crazy specific niche. Odd. Every time I pass it, I think, "You're so vane I bet you think that store is about you" (which is how item 2 segued into item 3, thank you very much).

4. Tres and I had preschool today! We learned about elephants at her request: We read Grandma Elephant's in Charge, learned how to make the letter E in both upper and lower case (lower case will need more practice), and then turned a few simple shapes (circles, a rectangle, and two crescents) into an elephant paper bag puppet.



We also practiced spelling her name, read another book (Pickle-Chiffon Pie), ate a snack (jello), sang the alphabet song a couple times, and of course we went out for recess. Cuatro, whom Tres elected on Tuesday to be Principal Baby, napped through the whole thing.

5. I need a passport. Not that I plan on going anywhere, sadly, but it would be nice to have in case I had to flee the country at a moment's notice. ;-) I used to have one (I've had two, actually) but it was in my maiden name. And then it expired. The girls (Uno especially) love to hear stories of my previous adventures, but it sure would be nice to add some new ones. *Sigh!*


~RCH~