Missing photos

I just opened the blog and smiled large when I saw the photo from Donkey Loves Tortoise. I miss seeing photos in the entries. I used to add them every day. I guess I lost interest in finding photos to match. My computer has little memory and hard drive space so I have removed all pictures - or most pictures -- in order to have music for class.

In effort to reinvigorate the image, here's one I just took of my newly lit Menorah in the kitchen.

I was supposed to have a latke party tonight, but no one could come, so I cancelled it last night. Actually most people did not respond to the Facebook invite. I tried not to let that bother me, but I would be lying to say that it didn't. I did hear from a few others today, but there were no definites, and I really didn't not want to make a Hanukkah meal just for me.

Instead I went to Grocery Outlet and bought a bunch of stuff. I spent close to $40, which is not good, because I don't think I really organized the food very well. I mean, I don't know if I have many complete meals. I have components, but don't know how much I can make with just what I have. I made some brown rice in the oven and whipped up an African Stew with Chicken and Peanut Butter. The rice was fantastic. The first time I cooked it in the oven. It took a little longer, but there was no sticking. As Alton Brown said on his show Good Eats, rice needs to cook evenly which you cannot get on the stove top where heat comes from the bottom. On the other hand the stew was just okay. I had most of the ingredients, but not all. And then the recipe was flawed. I think I fixed it with some spicy salsa, but I will find out tomorrow when I have the leftovers.

On my way home from Caitlin's this afternoon, I thought about doing a food blog. However, there are so many people doing them and there are so many good ones. I think the market has reached saturation. I would have started with the breakfast that Caitlin made this morning. Scrambled eggs with sour cream with some baked pizza dough from Trader Joe's. The eggs were super creamy and the bread was like a foccacia or ciabatta. With just a little butter, the breakfast was complete. We had some yummy coffee right when I arrived, so I completed my meal with the last sip of cold cafe americano.

As I type, I notice, that my tone is more positive than usual and that all of my i's are CAPITAL.

I wonder what that means.

Oh and then there is that whole gratitude thing:
1. friends like Caitlin who offer me work
2. supportive parents
3. consistent wifi at home
4. strong coffee
5. leftover hanukkah candles
6. the picking up of faculty job postings
7. my own sensitivity