12.31.07: Closing Out Posts for 2007

Dear Friends and Family,

I need to close out all of my posts for 2007 so I can archive them, so I'm publishing my "baby... maybe" drafts.

Had some delicious sashimi for dinner and we're headed out for martinis. I can get back on the bandwagon tomorrow, January 1, a day for new beginnings.


Cheers!
mouse

12.31.07: Quiet Weekend at Home

Dear Friends and Family,

We had a quiet weekend at the mouse pad to close out 2007. After our fall and winter travel schedule, we were looking forward to a couple of quiet days catching up on errands. The days are blurring together. Let me see if I can remember Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday. For the life of me, I can't remember how Saturday started off. I know we slept in since I didn't eat breakfast. My guess is we slept in. I had a long morning of catching up online while having my tea. I made an mushroom and swiss cheese omelette for brunch. We started our Christmas cards. We did laundry. Mr. mouse did a Target run. We went grocery shopping. We had bulgur and chicken and soup for dinner. And, I experimented with some kalbi tchim (essentially, Korean short rib stew) for dinner for Sunday night. I'm 99% certain that's how the day went, but the morning is still a little fuzzy.

It was therapeutic to do the Christmas cards. Granted, they're clearly arriving after Christmas this year. It's the time we spend that makes it a tradition and a whole day affair - word smithing our letter, making the cards, signing the cards, randomly sorting the signatures, organizing addresses, writing a couple of lines, stuffing the cards, sealing the envelopes, stamping the envelopes, and dropping them off at the post office. It feels like a major accomplishment to get them done. And, it feels like the year is truly closed out now.

Sunday. We got up early and had breakfast. We headed out to return a couple of things we bought as potential gifts that we ended up not using. We mailed our cards. And, we went eye glass shopping. Nothing caught my eye. I think I'll have to spend some time in January looking some more. We completed our returns. Mr. mouse got a free shirt at Brooks Brothers which is always a nice bonus. And, we came home to have our kalbi tchim for dinner. It came out good. I was happy with it. We started a loaf of whole wheat bread that should be ready for dinner tonight. It's therapeutic to be making more of our food - reduces the "not food" I need to report on Tuesdays. And, we spent the entire evening planning out our Christmas gift purchases for ourselves. More on that once they arrive. (Instead of exchanging gifts, we opted for the joint functional presents this year.)

Happy New Year's Eve, everyone!


Cheers!
mouse

12.30.07: Not Pregnant

Dear Friends and Family,

This may be TMI so stop here if you're not certain you want the gory details.

Last night I had a couple of drops of blood on my underwear, but it was different from my usual "start". I went to sleep not knowing if I started or not. Mr. mouse and I agreed we'd wake up together and take a pregnancy test if I hadn't started by morning.

Would you believe I got up super early this morning? My dream was on repeat mode playing through a pregnancy test sequence which is a pity because before that I was in the midst of a really cool dream about flying.

This morning, still no period, so I peed in a cup and we took the test. It told us "NOT PREGNANT." For now, I'm going to believe it's right and assume we'll be doing this all again in January.

There's a piece of me that's glad. Like I said in November, if it happened super quickly, I'd be super scared it could happen at the drop of a hat anytime in the future. But, a couple of months is making it more real for me.

Will keep you posted.


Cheers!
mouse

Shikago Restaurant

Dear Friends and Family,

Ah. A review I can sink my teeth into. What'd we have?

1. Tartare of Tuna with Wasabi, Soy and Ginger and Spicy Tuna and Avocado Maki
2. Vietnamese Springroll of Grilled Korean Style Short Ribs with Lettuce, Ginger, Papaya and Sesame and Sriracha
3. nigiri sushi: hamachi, sake and unagi
4. Rice Cracker Crusted Shrimp with Toasted Garlic, Chili and Soy on Kneaded Cabbage Pickle in Red Curry Vinaigrette
5. Grilled Black Cod in Spicy Broth with Crab, Daikon, Tomato, Ginger, Chili, Chinese Broccoli Leaves, Scallion, Garlic, and Basil with Fresh Pickles
6. Bulgogi Marinated Grass Fed Red Angus Ribeye with Ginger Roasted Shiitake, Daikon, Garlic, Sesame, Chili Arugula and Scallion Pancake
7. dessert: poached pear, ice cream, caramel sauce

The service was impeccable and the food delicious. We ordered our dinner a plate or two at a time over the course of several hours. Once our waiter figured out that we'd be ordering a bunch of small bites, he kept an eye on us without making it seem like he was hovering. We had a secluded corner booth from which we could enjoy the food and the atmosphere.

We ordered the tasting portion of each of the dishes. And, the portions were just right. The tuna tartare was nicely seasoned and light. The spring roll was fatty in a good way with the spicy sauce cutting into it so it didn't seem greasy. The sushi was okay. That was the only part of the meal that was disappointing. The shrimp was hot and spicy and complex. I wanted a second to dissect the flavors a little more, but since we only ordered the tasting menu, it was one shrimp each.

The cod was delicately done. And, the steak came with some delicious mushrooms. I'm becoming an even bigger mushroom fan than I ever thought possible. And, dessert was just the right amount of sweetness to finish off the eight course meal. I forgot to count the tiny macaroon that came out at the end. It had a sharp citrus bite that cleansed the palate beautifully.

A perfect way to kick off the holidays.

Overall rating: 8/10

Shikago
190 South Lasalle Street
Chicago, IL 60603 map it
(312) 781-7300
http://www.shikagorestaurant.com


Cheers!
mouse

Kum Gang San (aka Kumgangsan)

Dear Friends and Family,

Funny. Another restaurant without a URL. Why am I not surprised.

We went for dinner Saturday night with my entire family. We started with bulgogi (marinated, barbecued beef) and haemul pajun (seafood pancake) to share. Then, Mr. mouse and I split a maeun kalbi tang (spicy short rib soup). The bulgogi is good, but I prefer their kalbi (short rib). The pajun was stocked with seafood, but it was a little greasy (not that that stopped me from finishing my piece). And the soup was delicious - nice and spicy with a bright red broth.

Overall rating: 8/10

Kum Gang San
138-28 Northern Boulevard
Flushing, NY 11354 map it
(718) 461-0909


Cheers!
mouse

Georgia Diner

Dear Friends and Family,

My dad took Mr. mouse and me to Georgia Diner for breakfast. It's another place we used to go to all the time growing up. And, it hasn't changed at all in the past ten years. You get seated quickly. Coffee and tea come out quickly. You order. The food comes out hot and just the way you ordered it. You eat. You pay. You leave full. (If you go late at night, you can dawdle, but Sunday brunch is not the time to squat on a table. Once you're done, they'll hustle you.)

I got a mushroom omelette with toast and home fries. My dad ordered scrambled eggs with bacon. And, Mr. mouse had challah french toast. All good standard diner fare.

Overall rating: 8/10

Georgia Diner
8655 Queens Boulevard
Elmhurst, NY 11373 map it
(718) 651-9000


Cheers!
mouse

Singas Famous Pizza

Dear Friends and Family,

More comfort food. Growing up, we'd go Singas for lunch. It's pan pizza, but not deep dish pizza. Now, they've expanded beyond their original location to fifteen locations throughout the New York metro area.

We ordered three pizzas - one cheese, one pepperoni and onion, and one half pepperoni and half hamburger. The onions made the pepperoni and onion pizza a little watery. The others got inhaled by my brother, my sister, my dad, Mr. mouse and me.

Overall rating: 8/10

Singas Famous Pizza
8286 Broadway
Elmhurst, NY 11373 map it
(718) 651-3190
http://www.singaspizzas.com


Cheers!
mouse

Sam Won Gahk (aka SamWonGahk)

Dear Friends and Family,

Chinese food if you're Korean. Growing up, we used to go to the one in Elmhurst before it closed.

We ordered the sweet and sour pork (tangsooyook and/or tangsuyuk) and the garlic chicken (gganpunggi) to share. Then, we split a single order of the black bean noodles (jajangmyeon and/or jjajangmyun) which was enough for each of us to get a taste without getting overly stuffed.

For me, the Sam Won Gahk is the yardstick by which I measure all other black bean noodle places since it's the one I grew up with. The noodles are dense and chewy. And, the sauce is thick and rich. I love all of the onions they put in the sauce. The chicken and pork are both deep fried with a lot of sauce. I'm not sure either are super healthy, but, for me, this is comfort food. And, I love it.

Overall rating: 8/10

Sam Won Gahk
144-20 Northern Boulevard
Flushing, NY 11354 map it
(718) 445-8500


Cheers!
mouse

Noodle Chu Dim Sum Seafood House

Dear Friends and Family,

What can beat dim sum for brunch on Christmas day? Very few things.

I've learned to navigate the non-pork options for dim sum with the exception of the congee. I love congee, and the standard dim sum congee has pork and preserved egg in it. I figure if I'm down to one pork dish for dim sum, it's close enough for now. Now, if I could only find a way to make it low points like sushi. Sigh.

I thought the dim sum was very good. Mr. mouse's step mom says it's normally better. It confirms what I've always suspected. There are no good dim sum options in Chicago.

Overall rating: 8/10

Noodle Chu Dim Sum Seafood House
770 Route 46 West
Parsippany, NJ 07054 map it
(973) 299-6518


Cheers!
mouse

Irving's Delicatessen

Dear Friends and Family,

We went with Mr. mouse's dad and step mom for lunch at Irving's. Their tag line says it all, "Huge servings... at Irving's." I ordered the stuffed cabbage. Mr. mouse got half of a pastrami sandwich. The half sandwich is served full-sized, but with half the meat of a full-sized sandwich. My stuffed cabbage was stuffed with almost all meat and very little rice. Mr. mouse's pastrami was juicy and flavorful although the rye bread was very bland. He finished half of his sandwich. I finished two of my three pieces of stuffed cabbage.

The fries looked amazing. Fortunately, we didn't order any. I'm sure I could have finished a plateful if we had. Although the food was decent, the service was atrocious. They had one person running the entire restaurant when we were there. It was super slow to get anything from her. I'd recommend take-out if that's an option.

Overall rating: 7/10

Irving's Delicatessen
575 Mt. Pleasant Road
Livingston, NJ 07039 map it
(973) 994-5100


Cheers!
mouse

Nonna's Italian Feast

Dear Friends and Family,

My expectations were low going in - family style Italian. But, the food was surprisingly good. We ordered the fried calamari and the crab cakes for our appetizers and linguine bolognese, chicken parmigiana, and broccoli rabe for our main entrees. Each dish is perfectly sized for a party of six although there were lot of groups of four in the restaurant.

The calamari was crispy, not greasy. The crab cakes were small, but almost all crab without a lot of filler. The linguine was hearty with good tomato flavor. The chicken parmigiana was standard, but we had an eleven year old with us, so we had to order something he would eat. And, the broccoli rabe offered us some greens to round out the meal.

We got desserts to go (pannetone, cannolis, eclairs, and chocolate covered strawberries) since we were too full from dinner to eat dessert. The cannolis and the chocolate covered strawberries were well done. The eclairs had an off taste to them - we thought they might have added some cheese to the filling.

In summary, good food and hearty serving sizes. It's Jersey, what more can you say?

Overall rating: 8/10

Nonna's Italian Feast
190 Route 9 North
Marlboro, NJ 07726 map it
(732) 536-9050
http://www.nonnasnj.net


Cheers!
mouse

Sorting Old Papers

Dear Friends and Family,

We flew back to the mouse pad yesterday. And, after lunch, we decided to tackle the basement. It's still full of boxes and odds and ends. And, it's begging for some organization love.

We started by bringing up ten or so boxes full of hanging files. I remember the last time we did a purge. It was right before I started school, about ten years ago. And, a lot of the papers were from the days when we had just started dating. It felt like we were shredding history, but the other option was to be buried under a mountain of paper. So, we shredded. We found bits of paper - my first paycheck, Mr. mouse's first paycheck, etc. that we kept, but most of it went.

This time, we've been going through a lot of stuff from my school years (papers, offer letters, curricula) and our wedding and our first house. It's a little tough making the decision to save 1% of it and shred the rest. But, it's the same option as last time - shred or be buried under a mountain of paper. I guess if we didn't sort through it, no one would even see the bits and pieces of wreckage that are worth saving. Anyone else would just toss all the boxes without looking. I know I would, if it was someone else's stuff.

Box status?

1. empty (recycle)
2. empty (recycle)
3. full of empty hanging folders (donate)
4. full of empty hanging folders (donate)
5. full of empty hanging folders (donate)
6. 2001-2003 papers (storage)
7. 2004-2006 papers (storage)
8. to be filed (current)
9. to be sorted
10. to be sorted

I'll do the last two boxes this morning as Mr. mouse files the one box with current stuff worth saving until the next paper purge fest.


Cheers!
mouse

12.27.07: Week 4, Maybe

Dear Friends and Family,

We're potentially in the middle of week 4, maybe. We'll be taking our next at-home pregnancy test on either Sunday the 30th or Monday the 31st, depending upon my mood and anxiety level this weekend. So far, nothing feels out of the norm this month. Stomach is still flat. Appetite is still normal. Emotions are still in check. So, my initial guess is, not pregnant. A couple more days and we'll know more.

I'm not sure if we should keep going about it all the way we have been. Or, if we should start charting temperatures. Or, if we should invest in an ovulation kit. I'll wait until it gets closer and then we can decide. After all, if we are already pregnant, then it'll be a little moot.

Baby
Your baby is still very small, only about 0.014 inches to 0.04 inches in length. The embryo, probably in about its second week of development, has multiplied to about 150 cells. Your baby is being nourished by secretions from the uterine lining. Layers of cells already are specialized according to functions. The outer layer will become the nervous system, skin and hair; the inner layer will be the breathing and digestive organs; and the middle layer will become the skeleton, bones, cartilage, muscles, circulatory system, kidneys and sex organs.

Mom-to-Be
You're probably expecting your period this week, and if it doesn't occur it might be one of the first signs that you're pregnant. You may also notice light spotting as the embryo implants itself in your uterus. You might not feel any different yet, but the amniotic cavity, which will be filled with fluid, and the placenta, which will bring oxygen and nutrients to nourish your baby, are forming in your uterus.

Tip for the Week
Try to eat healthfully, which means choosing a variety of foods from the recommended food groups and drinking at least six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. But you don't really need to "eat for two." You need only an extra 300 calories per day during pregnancy. And don't worry if your food intake drops a little in the beginning because of morning sickness. If you've been eating right already, your baby will get what it needs.


Cheers!
mouse

Family Style Food

Dear Friends and Family,

We had another quiet day at Mr. mouse's dad's place. I got some work done in the morning. Mr. mouse ordered his sneakers. We went out to lunch with Mr. mouse's dad and stepmom. Then, we headed out for the afternoon and evening to see Mr. mouse's friends. It's been so good to have the time to catch up with everyone.

We went out for dinner. And, I had a wonderful meal. But, I have a confession to make. Don't ask me why, because I'm not sure I can explain it. But, I really don't like the idea of family style eating at Italian restaurants. I'm fine with it at Korean restaurants and Chinese restaurants, but not at Italian. I just don't have a good explanation for it. Maybe one day I'll figure it out, but, for now, it'll just have to be another one of my nueroses. Family style Italian just isn't my gig.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Off to the airport in a couple of hours.

Bad Dreams

Dear Friends and Family,

I had the worst dream last night. And, unlike most dreams, I woke up and went back to the same dream. I won't say it makes 100% sense, it's a dream after all. But, I was on my way to meet this guy after work. We were going to head to the beach to watch the sunset. I went to pick him up and we were on our way out, when a bunch of people in ski masks came in to hold up the place. We were herded into a room with a bunch of other people and were being held for ransom. I knew no one would come looking for me because no one knew where I was.

After awhile, they decided to transfer us. A bunch of people dressed in black with ski masks came to keep the transfer orderly. They herded everyone into a house across the street except the last three of us. They ran out of room, so they put the three of us in a car with these two old ladies. We reached across from the back to choke them and gain our freedom only they were super strong so we couldn't kill them. We dashed out of the car and ran our separate ways. I tried as hard as I could to blend in with the locals (since we were now, surprisingly enough, in a foreign country.) And, I made it to the train system without detection. Then, the details are a little fuzzy, but I end up working in a local hospital caring for young women. And, I was working really closely with one of them. But, I knew she was going to die. I just didn't know how. Then, right before I woke up, I realized it'll be me that kills her to make my escape. Only I woke up before I did it.

I can't even begin to tell you what prompted these dreams, except maybe eating too much yesterday and/or eating too late at night. Or maybe it was watching VH1's Top 100 songs of the 80's. Or maybe it was built up random bits of stuff being purged. I honestly can't tell you. I'm still trying to shake it all, it was so real.


Cheers!
mouse

Merry Christmas, Everyone

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry. The timeliness of my posts this week are going to be erratic at best since I don't have my alarm clock set when I'm not working.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, everyone.

My mom and sister drove us to Mr. mouse's dad's house yesterday. We've got a couple of days here before heading home. Things are a lot more low key at Mr. mouse's dad's house. Mr. mouse and I went out yesterday afternoon to the mall to get my watch fixed. Then, we had dinner with the family before opening presents. There were a couple of phone calls to Mr. mouse's grandmother and Mr. mouse's stepmom's son. All-in-all a quiet evening.

Mr. mouse and I watched the Hong Kong version of Shaolin Soccer on the Kung Fu HD channel. There were a couple of missing scenes and a bunch of additional scenes. If we ever buy the movie, we'd probably try to hunt down the Hong Kong version. It's just a tiny bit funnier.


Cheers!
mouse

12.24.07: Home for the Holidays

Dear Friends and Family,

After a flurry of last minute Christmas shopping and bag packing and cooling our heels at the airport, Mr. mouse and I made it home for the holidays.

Actually, we had a great dinner on Friday night to kick off the weekend. We went to Shikago and made a seven course treat for ourselves with a nice glass of wine. (Restaurant reviews should be coming this week. I promise.) Then, we ran to hit the stores for last minute gifts and stuff.

We left Saturday and got into town mid-afternoon. We took a cab over to my grandmother's. She wasn't doing well at all. I'm not sure if it's old age, a bad day, or the extra food my sister gave her, but she didn't recognize Mr. mouse or me. She would for a second, but then, she'd forget, and we were strangers visiting from the church. She forgot she has seven living children and that my grandfather passed away almost seven years ago. It broke my heart. I can't believe she's such a different person from when we saw her last year.

We went out to dinner Saturday night with the entire family. I think it's pretty important to my parents to be able to get us all together for at least one meal. Then, I had a chance to catch up with my mom over coffee before turning in for the evening.

Sunday was a typical day in the extended mouse household. My mom left early to go to church. We (all the kids) were supposed to drive over by 9:15 to join her. She calls around 8:30 asking my sister to tell a little white lie when people ask where her ex-husband is. Could she just say he didn't come without going into the whole divorce story? She threw a fit, of course. And she refused to go to church. So, then, it'd be awkward for the rest of us to show without her so my mom told all of us to stay at home. Okay. Not like either Mr. mouse or me had any skin in the game. My sister fell back asleep. Mr. mouse, my dad and I went out for brunch at the local diner.

We came back. My dad napped. My mom ran over at church. My brother and sister woke up. We hung out waiting for my mom. We ordered pizza. She came home just as we were eating. We finished eating. We took the family photo. We opened gifts. My Dad headed out for a wedding. We ate dinner at home with my mom. Mr. mouse and my sister installed the new TV and ended up having to rearrange the living room to get enough viewing distance between the TV and the couch. We watched TV before turning in.

Gifts. Well, we mis-judged on sizes for both of my parents. I re-ordered the gifts in the right size. They'll be arriving here in the next week or so, saving me the hassle of going out last night or shipping it from home. Perfect. My brother got us a GPS unit, which is awesome, except Mr. mouse's dad gave Mr. mouse his Christmas gift early (when we visited in August) and it was a GPS unit. Fortunately, my mom wanted it and bought it from us. My parents gave us cash, as usual. And, my sister got us a gift card for a steak dinner, a box of chocolates and a bottle of champagne. Fun.

We're headed out to see my grandmother again today before heading over to Mr. mouse's dad's house.


Cheers!
mouse

Happy Winter Solstice

Dear Friends and Family,

I made it!

It's the winter solstice, which means after tonight, the days will start getting longer again. The last two weeks were the toughest. So, I'm hoping the same is true in the other direction. That after the next two weeks, it won't be as bad, light wise.

This week, I have the holidays and travel to sustain me. Then, I get the euphoria associated with the new year and new beginnings to keep me going. Then, hopefully, the sunlight will catch up and we can put it all behind us.

I slept in today. And, I'm feeling wonderful. Time to have some tea and ponder what I'll do today. A whole day to myself. So many options, so little time.


Cheers!
mouse

12.20.07: Week 3, Maybe

Dear Friends and Family,

WebMd has a short blurb each week from The Mayo Clinic. It's just enough information to capture here. Weeks 1 & 2 aren't really weeks, but just used to help everyone with consistent timing. And, weeks 3 & 4 are guessing weeks as well, since it's sometime during week 4 or 5 that you usually take the pregnancy test. So, it might be the middle of week 3. Or, it might not. Statistics say there's a 20% chance it's week 3, 80% chance it's not.

Baby
Congratulations! If your egg and your partner's sperm have joined successfully, your embryo is really there, although it's very small -- about the size of the head of a pin. It doesn't look like a fetus or baby; it's just a group of about 100 cells multiplying and growing rapidly. The outer layer of cells will become the placenta, and the inner layer will become the embryo.

Mom-to-Be
You won't notice any changes. It's too soon. Remember, you haven't even missed your period yet.

Tip for the Week
Home pregnancy tests are about as reliable as a urine test or blood test done in the doctor's office and can give you more immediate results than waiting for a doctor's visit. To ensure accuracy, make sure you've read the directions carefully and that all equipment being used is clean.

So far, I don't feel any different. It's the same as last month where I'm not sure. There's just not enough to go off of yet. Eleven days until we take the next pregnancy test.


Cheers!
mouse

Action Item #1: Energy Audit

Dear Friends and Family,

I know it's not 2008 yet, but I didn't want to get caught up in the details. Here's what I found in my weekend of playing with the Kill a Watt Meter. I think I can account for ~350 kWh per month of my, so far, ~500 kWh usage. The rest is a combination of overhead lighting and appliances. 150 kWh for that? I guess that's credible... I have a feeling there are more compact fluorescent light bulbs in our future.

Our monthly electrical usage (approximate, each):

1. 120 kWh: Mr. mouse's computer
2. 58 kWh: secondary fridge
3. 49 kWh: primary fridge
4. 18 kWh: TV, my computer
5. 9 kWh: VCR, toaster oven
6. 7 kWh: radio, dryer, computer speakers
7. 5 kWh: lamp (on timer), router
8. 4 kWh: printer, cable modem
9. 3 kWh: Wii TV, VOIP box, washer, lamp
10. 2 kWh: phone, ipod, answering machine, UPS, lamp (3)
11. 1 kWh: Mr. mouse's alarm clock, paper shredder, Wii, palm pilot, my alarm clock, additional phones (3)

I was surprised at results. I expected the two refrigerators to be the biggest power hogs followed by the washer and the dryer. I didn't expect to see such a differential between my laptop and Mr. mouse's desktop. And, I was surprised at the numbers for some of our older electronics with less sophisticated power management systems. 9 kWh for the VCR? That puppy's going to be finding a new home in the near future. But, tops on my list? Replacing Mr. mouse's computer with a new one.

2008 Action Plan

1. 12.20.07: I conducted a power usage audit.

Cheers!
mouse

The Value of Respect and of Values

Dear Small,

Yesterday morning, on the train, on the way to work, I realized what the monumental responsibility we've undertaken in the decision to become your parents. There are the basics like a roof over your head, warm clothes on your back and food on the table. Then, there are things like how to ride a bike (which your father will teach you) and how to swim (which I will teach you). But, more importantly, there are values and morals and other things that are harder and more individual to the individuals and the family.

I thought about what would be the most important thing. If there was only one lesson that I could convey, what would it be? I think, for me, it's the value of recognizing and respecting people's differences. Each of us is unique. There are physical differences like our gender, our race, our ethnicity, and our age. And, there are non-physical differences like our religion, our sexual orientation, our experiences, and our beliefs. And, it's important to not pass judgment on anyone or make decisions that someone is better or worse than someone else. There's a line in a speech by Martin Luther King that summarizes it oh so well -

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

I have that dream for you, Small. And, I want you live that reality. But, more important, you need to be that reality for others. Judge others not by easy to categorize physical differences, but by harder to see individual differences. Recognize and respect those individual differences. Look beyond to see the humanity in everyone.

At the same time, it's okay to recognize and appreciate the community and kindred spirit associated with finding a circle of people with like values. It's okay to like some people more than others. Personalities will differ and you won't be friends with everyone. That's completely normal. But, never, for one instant, pass judgment on someone else for being different from you.

Now, I realize there's no chronology to this letter. We're not even sure, yet, of when you'll be joining us. And, there'll be many discussions we have about much simpler topics before we have this discussion. That's okay. It was important enough that I wanted to write about it first.


Love,
your mom

12.18.07: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 120

Although I suspect sodium is playing a big role in this week's weigh in (I ate my 22 + flex, but I ate a salty dinner both Sunday and Monday nights), I'm not going to take the chance. I'm reducing my points this week to 20 + flex. Once I re-hit 118, which shouldn't, theoretically, take long at all, I'll slowly add the points back in. I don't think it's off by much, I just think a bunch of bites, licks and tastes -AND- salt have added up to two extra pounds of mouse.

On the quest for real food, I did better this week. Under a dozen fake food items. Yeah! Also, we decided to stop buying candy at work for our workshops - it's not worth the temptation for either of us. That'll be good. And, I finished off the last of the not-food cheese this week so that's one less item you'll be seeing on the list. But, Mr. mouse discovered yet another pack of chicken sausages in the freezer. I can't believe it. Three more links to go. Slowly, but surely, we will make our way through it all.

We went to the grocery store last night and picked up mostly food: apples, brown rice, crackers (for our guests tonight, not me), asparagus, garlic, cheese (real food cheese), ginger, olives, blueberries, chicken, and Kashi lunch (not food, I'll have to tackle it sooner or later).

FOOD

apples, balsamic vinegar, barbecued brisket, blueberries, brown rice, butter, butternut squash, canola oil, chicken thighs, chili powder, chocolate sauce, cinnamon, corn, edamame, egg, egg whites, fish stew, fruit tart, homemade bread, honey, kalbi, leeks, mixed greens, mushrooms, mustard, olive oil, onions, peanut butter, pecans, popcorn, prime rib, red potatoes, roasted vegetables, Ry Krisp crackers, Ryvita crackers, salmon, salsa, sugar, turkey, vegetable stock, white rice, wine, yogurt

BORDERLINE

beef fajitas, bibimbap, bran cereal, dinner roll, flour tortilla, lactose free milk, Mexican rice, sushi rolls

NOT FOOD (10)

Hebrew National 97% fat free hot dog*, Kashi granola bar, Korean yogurt*, Kraft 2% cheese*, Lean Cuisine*, mandoo, Reese's peanut butter cup, stuffing, tamales, tortilla chips, Viactiv calcium chew*


Cheers!
mouse

12.17.07: Math is Hard

Dear Friends and Family,

Can we spell over-engineering? Yes, we can, because that's what I was doing this past weekend.

From what I can gather, you want to have intercourse on the day of ovulation (O) and two days before (O-2). And, because in my silly mind, freshness counts, on O-4. Then, since you have nothing to lose, you might as well on O+1. And, just for fun once the work is done, on O+3. With me so far? Good, cause it's going to get only more complicated from here on in.

What happens if your cycle hasn't been the most regular the last six months? As in 28 days, 28 days, 30 days, 32 days, 31 days and 28 days? And, guessing 31 days for the upcoming one? Well, you layer in a probabilistic model to the above calendar and come up with a modified plan.

And, since I'm a complete dork, you factor in the cost associated with too often vs. not enough. And, basically, end up with a plan that has you covering 10 days, roughly ~33% of the cycle, when you're really only fertile for 24 hours. Mr. mouse took a look to see if he could simplify it all, and was like, forget it, basically, we should be having sex all the time. I'm not far from agreeing with him because my calendar is way too complicated for anyone, even me.

We're in wait and see mode now for December. I think my next cycle is supposed to start 12/30 or 12/31. So, I'll use my second pregnancy test on 12/31 because I'd rather know than not know. I'm silly like that for New Year's Eve since New Year's Day is such a big day of reflection for me.


Cheers!
mouse

12.17.07: One Year in the Mouse Pad Together

Dear Friends and Family,

What a wonderful sense of karma. Last weekend, last year, was our move from the mouse house to the mouse pad. And, coincidentally, we were in the Twin Cities last weekend. And, this past weekend was our first weekend in the mouse pad. And, coincidentally, we were at home this past weekend. It's like we planned it. Only we didn't, which somehow makes it even better.

Saturday morning we slept in. It was cloudy and grey and wintry and wet. And, I realized how closely linked my mood is to the weather. I was struggling. I was dragging. We went to pick up our package - the kill a watt meter - and came home. I baked another loaf of bread. And, spent the rest of the day and evening grousing and grumbling as the snow came down. It wasn't the snow per se, it was the cloudy, dark sky that had me down. Mr. mouse went shopping Saturday night, and I used the time to finish off my electrical usage audit - will publish separately.

Sunday we got up early because a friend called Mr. mouse. I was enjoying my morning tea when I realized, SUN! The sun was out! I dragged my tea by the brightest window, pulled back the curtains and drank in the light. After breakfast, we decided to go out and shovel some snow - partly because our association plowers hadn't come by yet, mostly because I wanted some light. OMG - it was simply awesome to be out in the bright sunlight. I was giddy. When the official snow removal people came, we hung up our shovels and headed out onto the deck. We broke out two of our recliners and basked in the sunlight. Mr. mouse took a picture - me, in the lounger, with all my winter gear on. It was fabulous. Then, we were nosy neighbors and watched the entire snow removal process because we were bored and just enjoying the day.

We went shopping afterwards, in the neighborhood. Then, we hit Borders for a Christmas gift and ran into one of our friends from work. They've been over a couple of times and we've got dinner Tuesday on the calendar. It should be fun. Afterwards, we went out to dinner. Then, turned in for an early night.

The sunlight totally made my weekend.


Cheers!
mouse

Electricity Tracking: December 2007

Dear Friends and Family,

Still can't view our electric bill from home. But, I can view it at work. Bizarre. Something to troubleshoot once we have some free time. Finally! Down from last year! And, I'm learning that the analytics are going to be harder without the right tools. So, we bought an item off of my wish list.

The Kill A Watt Meter helps figure out electrical usage by measuring what your plug-in devices consume. Mr. mouse ordered it next day delivery, so I should be able to play this weekend. I'm inordinately excited about this.

• Last year Nov, we consumed 849 kWh. This Nov, we used 507 kWh. We're down 40%.
• In Oct, we spent 642 kWh. So, we're down M-O-M 21%. Whoppee! Now, if I only knew why.
  
• And, at last report out, we had been trending +40% YTD and with Oct's addition we're trending +30%.

Cheers!
mouse

Beautiful Glass Trees

Dear Friends and Family,

I worked from home on Tuesday so I missed the freezing rain that was in the weather forecast. But, yesterday, I got to see the beauty it had wrought. Each tree was covered in ice and looked like it was made of glass. And, since the sun was shining, they were all sparkly and glittery and dazzling to behold.

Sometimes we rush through life absorbed in the mundane administrivia that our daily lives are composed of. And, moments like this are a breath of fresh air that remind us to be less selfish, to look externally, and to take a moment and stop and see and admire and absorb.

By lunch time it was warm and sunny out and the ice began to melt. I realized how ethereal true moments of beauty can be. And, I realized how strongly correlated sunlight and happiness are, at least for me.

I think I'll start a new category and label it: little things. It'll be a nice pick me up to be able to go back and look at these spontaneous moments that capture something small, but precious.


Cheers!
mouse

A Friendly Reminder

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday was such an interesting dichotomy to analyze. I have two friends that I invited over for dinner last night. One is literally falling apart at the seams - work is not going well, her dog is sick, her budget is not balanced, her time is stretched, her health needs help, and she's expecting. The other is a case study in calm and connectedness - she just rolls with the punches. One had to cancel at the last minute because of work and weather and the other came with a bottle of wine and a fruit tart.

Both, in their own way, helped me realize how important it is to keep on top of things. When a million and one things pile onto your plate it becomes an ugly game of Whack a Mole. And, I realize I had a million and one things on my plate at one point - selling two homes, unhappy at work, long distance relationship, wellness, money, you name it, I was tackling it.

Maybe, it's time to remind myself what's on my Top 3. Make sure I'm keeping focused on what's important and not merely what's urgent.

1. baby, maybe
2. living green
3. money matters

Yes. I'm continuing to make progress. Nothing to report on the baby front. It's a wait and see game. I haven't added a bunch of new items to living green since I completed my 2007 action plan. The budget piece has been hard but good for me. The "food" piece is a matter of not buying anymore "food" and slowly eating through the existing "food." And, I have about three more weeks of water before I need to switch to Nalgene. Last, but definitely not least, money matters. This will be the first year that Mr. mouse and I contributed to retirement savings outside of the conventional corporate sponsored retirement programs.

As an added bonus, it's only eight more days until the holidays!


Cheers!
mouse

12.11.07: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 119

Another week another weigh in. The holidays are tough. Traveling is tough. Really, I should be more on top of it. But, I just can't get myself to stress the 1 lb between me and my goal weight. I have a rule, anything less than four weeks in a row is random chance. Four weeks in a row is statistically significant. So far, I haven't had any four week stretches. So, I'm not sweating it. This week, I ate 22 + flex + 1. We'll see what next week brings.

FOOD

almonds, apples, asian pear, beef broth, brown rice, bulgur, butter, butternut squash, canola oil, catfish, chicken curry, edamame, egg whites, espresso with sugar, french fries, fruit salad, homemade pumpkin muffin, mixed greens, olive oil, pan chan, pasta, pecans, red potatoes, Ry Krisp crackers, Ryvita crackers, shortribs, soy cappuccino, sushi, turkey, turkey stock, white rice, wine, yogurt

BORDERLINE

baguette, bran cereal, chocolate mousse, croissant, french onion soup, frittata, lactose free milk, pizza, turkey sandwich, Whole Food fruit gelatin

NOT FOOD (21)

Campbell's soup at hand*, cheese dip, Diet Ginger Ale, Diet Pepsi, frozen yogurt*, Hebrew National 97% fat free hot dog*, Kashi granola bar, kettle corn, Korean yogurt, Kraft 2% cheese*, Lay's baked potato chips, Lean Cuisine, naan, oatmeal raisin cookie, pasta salad, Pillsbury reduced fat crescent rolls, samosas, Snickers candy bar, tortilla chips, Twix candy bar, Viactiv calcium chew*, yule log


Cheers!
mouse

12.10.07: Twin Cities

Dear Friends and Family,

What a wonderful feeling! With our travels this year, we've been able to see a ton of friends we hadn't seen in so long. I feel like the past two years, the weekends were about cleaning up/setting up the houses to be put on the market. And, this year, we were able to use the weekends to catch up on all of the different house visits that were way overdue. And, we saved the two best for last - seeing our Twin Cities brethren and going home for the holidays.

We originally had grandiose plans to fly out Friday night, but we both had too much to do work-wise and home-wise to pull that off. So, we stayed in Friday and finished up a bunch of stuff. Then, we headed out first thing Saturday for the airport. Picked up the rental car, and stopped by our old dry cleaners. It was so good to catch up with her. She and her husband are both doing great. They're almost like an aunt and uncle to me - always asking if we have a baby yet and offering to take us out to dinner. They want us to stay over the next time we're in the Twin Cities, which will be tough, since, honestly, there are so many places that make more sense. They're always so glad to see us. It was a great way to start off the trip.

From there we went to our neighbors' house to drop off our stuff. Mr. mouse dropped me off at Salut for lunch with my girlfriends and he went back to the house for some Guitar Hero action. At Salut, we decided to forgo the table they had set up for us and grabbed a table at the bar instead. It worked beautifully because people came and went throughout the day instead of everyone showing up at once. I got to see Trixie, friend, and G. Then, G had to go and Mr. mouse showed up. And, friend had to go and Kris showed up. And, when Kris had to go, Ms. Jordan and my Turkish friend showed up. So, it was a steady stream throughout the day. And, Trixie, the trooper, showed up first and stayed the whole time. I love her. Everyone seems to be doing well and, fortunately, no one's changed a ton from the last time I've seen them. I do need to schedule phone time with Trixie once her travel schedule calms down so that we can really catch up on stuff you can't really talk about in group talk. And, I get to see everyone again in January for the party. It'll be great.

We went back to our neighbors' house to get ready for dinner. We had a mini-reunion planned with the three families on our little street. As usual, the food was absolutely delicious - samosas, chicken curry, vegetable curry, rice, naan, and yule log. But, even more important than the food was the company. I really miss being in the Twin Cities when I think about all of the people I've grown to care about, and how little I get to see them. But, then I realize how much I love the mouse pad and the other people we get to see and I realize how fortunate I am. The whole crew is doing well minus a couple of people being in varying stages of cold recovery. One pair are grandparents now. And, another just bought a new computer. And, the girls are both growing older. You can see the transition from kids to preteens. It's scary how quickly time flies.

We all turned in early to let people catch up on sleep and recover from colds. Plus, the neighbors had a big soccer game Sunday morning and we had been up since 4 to catch our flight. Sunday morning, we had a chance to sit back and relax before we all headed out for the day. Mr. mouse and I picked up some pastries and headed out to St. Paul to see my middle school friend. I was a little scared. What if it was all awkward and we had nothing to say once we caught up? I can be such a goose. It turned out to be fabulous. They have the cutest little house in St. Paul and two darling children who, like everyone else's kids, want to put on a special show for guests. Mr. mouse really bonded with them, as he always does. And, I got time to catch up with my friend and her husband. She's had such a rich life with Peace Corps and working on environmental initiatives and everything. I feel a little lame in comparison. But, I console myself in the fact that I at least recognize the need for change and am doing little things towards making the world a better place. Plus, in ten years, if all goes right, I'll have the flexibility to do something different work-wise, and that motivates me. It was so good to see her. And, we'll have to catch up more the next time we're there or she's out here.

And, from there, Mr. mouse and I headed out to Punch for some delicious pizza. I put a quarter of the pie in the box to prevent temptation from turning into bad pizza move II for the week. It was just the right amount. I love their pizza, I really do. And, we hit the mall real quick to look for turtlenecks. My dry cleaner gave us a gift card, which we originally gave her, and we needed to spend it while in the Twin Cities. I got three wonderfully warm turtlenecks and had $27.53 left over that I used towards my mom's Christmas present. End of month accounting will be a little tricky, but I'll manage.

We got back to the house, watched some football, candled my ears, and ate sushi take-out for dinner. Then, we lazed on the couch watching FoodTV (cable is such a treat) until Mr. mouse checked up on flights. Turns out flights were looking dicey Monday morning due to weather over the weekend and a bunch of flight cancellations. Figuring better safe than sorry, we hauled @$$ to get to the airport for a late Sunday departure. Got home just before midnight, and here we are - 10 more work days left for 2007.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Just curious what a year ago today was like... Here's my post from 12/10/06. Wow, what a difference a year can make. Good for us!

12.10.07: Trying Again

Dear Friends and Family,

It's that time of the month. According to the math, this week is my fertile week. So, unromantic as it sounds, I've put Mr. mouse on notice. And, we've got "trying" scheduled on the calendar for Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Guess it's a wait and see game.

It's still all a little surreal for me.


Cheers!
mouse

Self-Inflicted Food Torture

Dear Friends and Family,

For the record, last night, I discovered:

mouse : wine :: oil : water

Two great things that don't go well together. We brought a bottle of wine with us to a pizza place that's BYO. And, I had half a glass on an empty stomach. And, then decided that a 14" mushroom prosciutto pizza sounded like a good idea. Normally, I have ~3 slices of the 8; last night, I ate the entire pie. Yep, for the record, for dinner, I had half a bottle of wine and an entire 14" pizza. Can you say not feeling well? I can. I couldn't sleep. I sat up all night sipping a Diet Ginger Ale trying to digest...

I'm going to be hard pressed to have either again anytime in the near future. Ugh. Still feeling gross. And, I was so looking forward to pizza (with Mr. mouse) and wine (with friends) this weekend. What have I done to myself?


Cheers!
mouse

12 More Days, 12 More Days

Dear Friends and Family,

I've been super tired lately. And, I don't know if it's just me dealing with the dark of winter. Or, if it's that we haven't been hitting the gym as often as we should. Or, if it's work bogging me down. Or, if it's something that requires medical attention. I just know I need to find a way to drag through the next two weeks and change to get to the end of the year. Two more days this week. Two more weeks after that.

I think I have 12/14 free. I'm going to ask Mr. mouse to schedule me for a general check-up, make sure ye olde thyroid and other organs are still up to snuff. I've wanted to get an appointment in since August. I don't know why it's taken this long for him to get into gear on getting this set up for me. Maybe, I should take matters into my own hands and just set this up myself. I'll talk to him this morning about it.

I'm going to go do a little clean up. Maybe that'll make me feel better. Fifteen minutes a day. I've been doing good this week.


Cheers!
mouse

Looking Forward to 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

As 2007 draws to a close, I find myself planning out 2008. We have a calendar I keep in Excel where we slot in our free weekends and our committed weekends. And, we had our first request for 2008 - our neighbor's graduation down in Texas. And, there's our annual party, and weekends in Detroit, and F1, and before you know it, I spent the last hour just inputing stuff. So far, 22 of our weekends are committed. But, that includes an allocation of 12 for a no-fly zone for Small. I'm glad we got as much travel in this year as we did. If we do have Small, it'll mean a lot less travel, at least the first three months, I'm guessing.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Got our first real snow of the winter last night. It'll be fun commuting in this morning.

Budget Update - November

Dear Friends and Family,

It was tough, but I stayed within my November budget. Frankly, I'm stunned at how quickly $500 goes. I don't think I'm being overly strict with myself, but it is forcing behavioral changes. December will be super tough - it's a five week month and it's the holidays. Actually, that may make it easier, since I have one less week of train pass and I'm less likely to do stuff on my own. We'll see.

Description	Amount
Haircut & Wax	145.00
Gym	62.00
Tailoring	59.00
Lunches at Work	53.82
Train Pass	45.05
Books	38.39
Dinners without Mr. mouse	35.36
Weight Watchers	16.95
Work - misc (taxi, fridge)	16.00
Snacks, Coffee, Soda, etc.	13.71
Muffin Pan	5.39
Total	$490.67

Cheers!
mouse

12.04.07: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 119

Lots of salt over the weekend will do you in every time. Still within my range, so I can't complain. I ate my 22 + flex again. Almost caught up to my over weeks. Three and a half weeks to go. Yeah! We're getting low on groceries. Hopefully we have some time this week to stock up on food.

I haven't done as well on the "food" consumption as I thought I would. I think it's a gradual thing. There's still lots of bits and pieces left in the freezer, fridge and pantry. And, I'm too practical to throw it out. After all, I'm doing this for the environment and from that perspective, it's suck cost. I think that's what I'm looking forward to. As we go grocery shopping, if we don't buy any "food" then sooner or later, the list has to get shorter.

FOOD

acorn squash, almonds, balsamic vinegar, banana, barbecue brisket, barbecue chicken, barbecue sauce, blueberries, brown rice, butter, candied sweet potatoes, canola oil, chicken breast, cilantro, corn, cranberry orange relish, cucumber, egg white, grape fruit, guacamole, homemade bread, ice cream, lettuce, maple syrup, mashed potatoes, mixed greens, olive oil, orange, pasta, salsa, soy cappuccino, sushi, tomato, tuna, turkey, wine, yogurt

BORDERLINE

beef fajitas, black bean noodles, bran cereal, bread, coleslaw, lactose free milk, Mexican rice, peach cobbler, pretzels, queso, stir fried udon, sushi rolls, sweet and sour pork

NOT FOOD (17)

cheese pizza, Diet Coke, Diet Iced Tea*, fruit cocktail, green bean casserole, gummy fruit, ham and cheese kolache, Hebrew National 97% fat free hot dog*, Kashi granola bar, Keebler 100 calorie snack pack*, Lean Cuisine, life saver, Milky Way, stuffing, tortilla chips, twix candy bar, viactiv calcium chew*


Cheers!
mouse

12.03.07: Live Music Capital of the World

Dear Friends and Family,

The weekend flew by. We flew down to Texas for the weekend to see our friends from the first mouse house. The flight down was uneventful. We ate. We read. We played Scrabble. Our neighbor, the Dad, came to pick us up at the airport. He's been on Jenny Craig and looks fabulous. Kudos to him for sticking to it!

Saturday morning, we had a slow morning in the house. We ate some fruit, drank some coffee, and lazed around the house. Then, we headed out to lunch to meet up with some of my old friends from work. It was going to be a party of twelve (2 families, our neighbors and us). We got to the restaurant a little before noon and grabbed a couple of stools at the bar waiting for people to show up. And, wouldn't you believe it - another couple we were really close with showed up for lunch! I had left them a message telling them the details of our lunch plans, but since they hadn't called me back, I assumed I wouldn't get to see them. Turns out the message got garbled so they didn't have my phone number, but they did have the lunch details, so they just showed up. I was so jazzed! We grabbed a table at the bar and ordered some chips and salsa and queso and guacamole and some iced tea and just started catching up on the last five years. It was so good to catch up. Around 1 o'clock, we assumed the others were no shows, so we ordered lunch at the bar. Our neighbors showed up, so it was six of us, and we had fun.

We left to go do some shopping at a new mall that's been built since we left. And, we got a call from one of the no-show families. They had lost track of time and wanted to get together Sunday morning. Done. No clue what happened to the last family. I need to call/write later this week. Did some walking. Did some shopping. Bought a Christmas ornament. Then, we headed out to get some barbecue for dinner. I love the food down there. It's a good thing we've moved. Otherwise, it'd be a constant temptation.

Sunday morning, we got up early to meet our friends for breakfast. They have an absolutely darling three year old. I cannot believe she's as old as she is. I have a sneaking suspicion time goes even faster once you have kids. We spent some time afterwards driving around downtown, taking pictures and enjoying the warm Texas sun. We drove back to the house to pack and get ready for the flight back. We went boot shopping, picking up a belt and buckle instead. Then, we had a quick lunch and some ice cream before heading to the airport.

Our flight was looking dicey. So, we rented a car and headed on the road to Houston. It's a drive Mr. mouse has done often for work. We stopped off to pick up some snacks along the way. I slept the entire car ride. Our flight was delayed, so we logged on to do some work. Then, we boarded the plane. Mr. mouse is sleeping. And, I'm going to get back to work. Figured this was a good break and that I'd be exhausted tomorrow morning.

It's been very therapuetic, having the time to do all of the trips we had been postponing - Boston, Miami, Detroit, and now Texas. These are the moments that make life so special - connecting with all of our friends and spending time with the people we love.


Cheers!
mouse