New recipe

Tried this recipe yesterday and it was pretty damn good! Ray even liked it!

Tangerine-Maple Glazed Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks

5 tablespoons canola oil
1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
1 quart tangerine juice or tangerine-orange juice, not from concentrate
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tangerine or orange, zested
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
8 chicken drumsticks
8 bone-in chicken thighs
Salt
2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Grilled oranges and tangerines, for garnish

Directions:
Heat the grill to medium-high.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat, add the onion and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the juice and thyme, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to approximately 1/2 cup, 20 to 25 minutes.
Strain the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the syrup, soy sauce and black pepper and let cool to room temperature. Can be made 2 days in advance and brought to room temperature before using.
Brush chicken on both sides with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through. Begin brushing with the glaze during the last 5 minutes of grilling. Remove to a platter and sprinkle with the green onion. Garnish with grilled citrus.

Long Beach Aquarium

Wow - have not posted in a while! I am enjoying being on vacation from school and work! I have been trying to catch up on a lot of personal stuff, and trying to fit in some fun too. I recently visited the Long Beach Aquarium with my friend Sara. Here are some cool pics and video:

Some seals:


An exotic seahorse (in the middle of the pic, looks like plantlife!):

Octopus:

Me in front of fish tank:

Me in front of seal tank:

Sand shark:

Lion fish:

Me in front of jelly fish tank - ew!!

Big ass lobster and moneray eel:

Sweet little seahorse - my fav!!!

Vidoe of sawnose shark and black-tipped sand sharks:

Where's Waffles? Finding his true love....(AKA Vegas Day 1)

So, yes, despite getting over a nasty cold, going into finals week and having to defend my dissertation proposal (this is a normal part of the program, and a pretty big deal) the following Monday, we went to Vegas for what I like to refer to as the "Blogger Winter Formal." I had to work until about midnight Friday night, so we flew in on Saturday afternoon. I checked us into the hotel and Smokkee ran off to register for the Blogger tourney at Caesar's. Checking in was uneventful, and I headed up to the room. I spent most of the day there, working on aforementioned proposal defense.

Fast forward several hours.....

Smokkee gets knocked out of the tourney and heads back to the room. We have a few drinks as I complete the beautification process and we head back to Caesar's to get our drink on and show our faces. The tourney was down to the final 2 tables, so we hung out to watch the rest of it, while chatting up some of our favorite blogger buddies like Pauly, CK, Waffles, Carmen, Bayne, and LJ.

Ray and Dr. Pauly:

Final table:

Me and Waffs:

CK:

Lightening:

Astin:

The final table ended with our buddy Astin as the winner:

Al also finished at the top.

Everyone was pretty torn on what to do next, and a lot of people went their separate ways, heading to the IP or going to watch the fight. Smokkee decides to play some pokah and Waffs and I head to Noodle Asia for food. LJ shows up a bit later to hang out and what happens next, I'll only refer to as "the noodle incident."

Later that evening, Smokkee and I decided to take Waffs on a bar crawl since he was feeling pretty worthless from the previous nights events. Somewhere along the way, I decided on a theme called "Where's Waffles." See if you can identify the casino:

Waffles gets a nice girly frozen drink:

Waffles shooting Patron silver - salt, lime and all! I was so proud....

And finally, Waffles finds love.... (see sexy cowgirl in background)

We end up at the IP with the rest of the bloggers and catch up with our homies:

Me and Falstaff:

Chad and Smokkee:

Me and Al:

It was so much fun reconnecting with everyone!

A Bunnny????

What the heck was a bunny doing at the Chargers game? Sure enough, Carrie and I had to get our pic with him:

I'm a witch!

I was trying to decide between an angel or a witch. Turns out, the witch costume was more "appropriate" for handing out candy, according to the hubby. bla bla bla...

Happy Halloween!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Charger Girls

Well, we are smack in the middle of another Chargers season and it's time for the annual Charger Girls favorite picks!


Victoria is a rookie on the Chargers Girls team this year, and my top pick. She is originally from a small town in the Midwest and grew up attending dance and cheer classes, with the hopes to one day perform professionally.


Second pick is Ashlie. She is originally from Huber Heights, Ohio. My Homie!! She is enjoying her 3rd season with the San Diego Charger Girls. Her favorite events to participate in as a Charger Girls member are those that benefit American troops. Her most memorable of these events was performing in a USO Concert at Camp Pendleton last season. Ashlie is serving her first year as a Charger Girls team captain and is thrilled to be back for another season.

3rd place: Casie. She is a San Diego native enjoying her 3rd season with the San Diego Chargers. What a hottie!! Casie has experienced some unforgettable opportunities as a Charger Girls member. In 2006 she competed in NFL Network’s “NFL Cheerleader Playoffs” where she and her teammate earned the title of ‘Best Cheerleaders in the NFL’. Casie loves being a Charger Girls member because she is a diehard football fan!
4th place: Katie, as she likes to be called, is also a San Diego native. She is a huge Chargers’ Fan and proud of it! She is a rookie on the Charger Girls team and is thrilled to be performing for Chargers’ Fans in her hometown of San Diego. She considers herself an “outdoors” person. There is never a time when she will pass on camping, water sports or snowboarding.

These are the picks for this season, but you can check out more hotties on the Chargers website. Oh - and don't forget to check out the Charger Girls Calendar this year!

Shit my dad says

"Do these announcers ever shut the fuck up? Don't ever say stuff just because you think you should. That's the definition of an asshole."

OMG - LMAO

Check out this guys twitter site.

Oh! And I played FSL Sunday's with Dr. Pauly.
Here's how I did:

Finished 17th
QB P. Manning IND 24.0
WR R. Wayne IND 13.4
WR C. Johnson CIN 14.4
WR R. Moss NEP 11.0
RB M. Forte CHI 20.0
RB A. Peterson CHI 0.0
TE J. Witten DAL 3.1
K S. Graham CIN 3.5
DEF D. NYG NYG 11.0

total points: 100.4

Poker Rules

I played some poker this morning for the first time in a while. It didn't go so well. LOL - I think I overplayed Jacks:

So it's back to the basics for me! I think I need to relearn how to play texas holdem. I mean, I was out of this game in record time. It's embarrassing really. But, I guess skill only comes with practice. And the luck? Well, that seems to only come once in a blue moon!

It's Official. I PASSED

Dear Ms. Tina Terebeckij,

PASS ALL

September 18, 2009

Dear Tina Terebeckij:

It is with great pleasure that the School of Psychology, Psy.D. program faculty and administration inform you of your comprehensive examination result of Pass. You have passed all of the 5 core content areas that were assessed by the comprehensive examination. Thus, you have satisfactorily demonstrated your knowledge and understanding of the core course work for the Psy.D. program in the areas of research/statistics, psychopathology, law and ethics, assessment, diversity and intervention.

Please feel free to discuss any aspect of the examination process with your academic advisor. We are interested in your comments and feedback regarding this examination process. Again, congratulations!

Sincerely,
Bina R. Parekh, Ph.D.

Comps Committee Chair, Psy.D. Program

Temping

So I stated back at my job today, officially as a temp. Of course, my boss did not have me put into the system yet so I'm using someone else's log ins.
He tried to take the weekend on call away, too, but we worked around it. And, he never called the temp agency to let them know today was my first day. They don't even have me in the system and they have no idea what my pay rate is. The boss also cut off my work cell phone today, with no warning! sucks! And, HR shorted me on my last pay check. I don't know about this new life. But, I'm trying to stay positive. And creative about money.

I saw four clients last week. That was challenging, but somewhat rewarding. School started too, so that's a lot of fun. This semester will be pretty busy. I just have to stay organized and focused. When I look back at what I did over the past year (working full time, school full time and part time internship 1.5 hours away), I can hardly believe it. It seems like so long ago and I'm totally glad it's over. Eyes forward, nose to the grind and hopefully this year will fly by too!

Bubble Head

Well, I played some poker last night and bubbled. LOL
It was only a 6 player sng and I played like crap. I got short stacked early, trying to experiment with different hands and had to go all in with KQo, getting beat by QQ. Oh well, I'll try again!

I've been thinking about playing the blogger battle on fantasy sports live again this year. Anyone else?

School starts this week. I have Medical Psych, Psychopharmacology, Child Treatment, Therapy Seminar and a credit for my Dissertation. Should be a heavy load, but I'm excited! This is my last year of classes! Hell ya!

Buckeyes Babeeeee!!

It's that time of year!

This weekend the Bucks take on Navy.

Week 1 - Saturday 9/5
Ohio Stadium, OH ESPN 12:00 PM ET

Therapy

I see my first client at my new internship site today. He's a 13-year old boy with anger issues. He also had a suicide attempt about a year ago.

Wish me luck!

Also, this is my last week of full time work. Next week, I start the Monday/Friday thing. I guess it's good in a way. It will allow me to focus on school and my clients; the work I'm supposed to be doing. I won't constantly be in the car traveling here or there. And, I will get to see more of the hubby. Finances will tighten up a bit. But, it will be good for us. I'm really looking forward to this new phase of my life!

Cheers!

Famous Canadians

I found out recently that Bodog now allows our brothers and sisters to the North play on Bodog Poker Canada. Congratulations! I started to think of what famous peeps are from Canada and here is a short list of the female hotties I came up with.

Of Course, the lovely Pamela came up first:

Next, one of my favorite singers, Shania Twain:


A lot of people really like Avril:


Some others that come to mind are Jim Carey, Howie Mandel, Alanis Morissette and Celine Dion.

Since I'll be having more free time now, I will be able to play some too! I may even be able to play some of the blogger tourneys. But, first I need some practice....

Cheap Batteries

The hubby found a really great deal on industrial strength batteries.
I know a lot of you have kiddies, so this may come in handy, especially around birthdays and Christmas:


Energizer Industrial Alkaline Batteries

Energizer Industrial Alkaline batteries are the perfect power solution for all your household and industrial needs. We save you money on AA, AAA, C, D and 9 volt batteries. Alkaline batteries go the distance in giving your tools and devices lasting fuel they need to keep delivering excellent results. We even sell the hard to find alkaline 9 volt battery by Energizer at a low price. Having your alkaline batteries shipped to you is a great way to stock up and pay less so that you're prepared for every household and work need.

In Loving Memory

My Grandma on my dad's side recently passed away...



LORAIN — Anna Terebeckij, age 83, of Lorain, died on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at Anchor Lodge Nursing Home following a brief illness. She was born May 19, 1926 in Batschiw, Ukraine.

Anna was employed as the head cook at Harvest House in Woolworth's at the Elyria Mall for 16 years. She also had worked for Airport Tavern on Oberlin Avenue. Anna worked in the food service industry for 30 years altogether.

She was a member of the St. John Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Church, where she was also a member of the Apostleship of Prayer. Anna enjoyed her flower garden and cooking. She was an exceptional cook, and that was what she was known for.

She is survived by her daughters, Sophia Sperry-Stanchak, Olga Lydick, Mary (Thomas) Maziarz-Webb, Dianne Pelton, and Anna "Susie" Lopez, 15 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Mikolaj "Mike" in 1997, son, Ores in 1997, grandson, Andre Michael Lopez in 1977, her parents, Antruck and Anastasia (nee Kurol), two brothers and three sisters.

10 Money Saving Tips

Since I will be working only part time after next week, I have had to come up with some strategies for cutting finances and saving money. I looked on line for ideas and even read a book that recommended buying a goat. LOL While I won't be doing that, the following are some of the better ideas I will be doing:

1. Plan your meals
Yes, plan out your meals for the week so that you are not buying food you will not use. This will help to eliminate wasted food and wasted money.

2. Eat your food
Okay, so you've planned your meals for the week. Eat what you buy. Commit to this. Try to stay away from feeling lazy and not cooking. It's okay to eat out, but try to limit that to once a week. And see #7 below.

3. Reevaluate your cable/phone/internet service.
Consider downgrading your Internet service if you can cope with a slower connection. Also, think about whether or not you need 9,000 cable channels, caller ID, voice mail and call waiting.

4. Reevaluate your car insurance
Consider increasing your deductible. Is the entire household on the same insurance? This could get you a multi-car discount. Also, most insurance companies offer several different types of insurance (renters, for example). Taking multiple types of insurance through the same carrier can allow for discounts as well.

5. Stop buying things you don't need
Seems logical, huh? Well, it is. Stop the impulse buying. Before making a purchase, think "Do I really need this? or " Can I live without this?"

6. Cancel clubs
Self explanatory. Cancel wine clubs, book clubs and gym memberships you have not used for more than a year.

7. Happy hour/taco Tuesday
This can be a great way to save money. Allow yourself to dine out once a week. But, be smart about it. Hit your local pub for happy hour and taco Tuesdays. They will usually have half price adult bevs and $1 tacos.

8. Dinner specials at the grocery store
Check your local grocery store for dinner specials. The Albertson's down the street from us offers an 8-piece chicken dinner, coleslaw, potato wedges and a 2 liter of Coke for $7.99. This will usually feed us for 2 days!

9. Turn off the lights/unplug things
When you leave a room, turn off the light. Consider whether you need so many lights on at night and replace bulbs with those of a lower wattage. Look around your house for outlets. Is there anything unnecessarily plugged in? For example, we have a kegorator. When it does not have beer in it, it's unplugged and we have a phone system with 4 phones around the house. Once they are charged, they get unplugged. Also, consider unplugging your cable boxes when they are not in use.

10. Buy things on special
This may take a little more work, but it's worth it. Look at the ads you get in the mail that you may normally just throw away. For example, if you see something on special at CVS buy it. Then look at your grocery store ad, then the Rite Aid ad, etc. You will have to travel to separate locations, but you will save $$$.

Other money saving ideas include changing your hairdresser to a less expensive salon, or trying to color your hair yourself. However, tread cautiously with this one ladies! Also, try using coupons. Many stores will have double or triple coupon days. Look for these. Try the generic versions of pricey products. They often contain the same ingredients. And, go to matinees instead of evening show times at the movies.

Times are tight for many of use given the economy and the loss of our job. I hope this was helpful. If you have additional ideas, please share them!

Ookisa review

Okay, this is kind weird, but, I got this stuff and was not able to find any kind of review on it on the web. So, this is my review.

I was on some website (US weekly?) that had an ad for a shampoo line that promised "breathtaking volume. Mesmerizing shine. And unyielding resilience." for your hair. AND, you can try the products for FREE (or so I thought...so gullible). Anyways, when I got the stuff, it came with an invoice that I did not really look at, because I thought it was "free," except for $2.00 in shipping. I did some more searching on line and read about one woman ordering the products and realizing once her credit card was charged a month later that there was actually a TRIAL period of 30 days.

So, I went back to previously discarded invoice and noticed that yep, it is indeed a 30 day trial. I decided to try the stuff anyway. Hey, at worst I'll just return it and pay shipping. So, after trying the stuff for about 3 weeks now, I feel like I can offer a decent review of the product (unsolicited advertising here).

The trial system comes with three parts: shampoo, conditioner and something called the Nighttime Follicle Renewing Serum (this stuff promised hair regrowth too). The shampoo was very cleansing for my hair, but made it feel kind of dry. My hair takes a lot of abuse from me (coloring, straightening) and so I need something that is really moisturizing. Well, the conditioner makes up in that area for the shampoo. They both smell great, too, and are completely natural. Overall, thumbs up on these two. I did not notice any "hair regrowth" during that time however.

But, the "Nighttime Follicle Renewing Serum" sucked. It totally burned my scalp. You put it on at night and leave it on while you sleep. I tried it a few times, but could not get over the burning, so stopped using it. I ran out of the conditioner way before the shampoo, too. All in all, the shampoo and conditioner are not bad products. I might even purchase them, except for the price. Get this - you can order the complete system for only $89.99! And, they will send you the product each month automatically. No thanks.

My hair dresser recently recommended another product that I really, really, love. Its Pantene Ice Shine, and it's VERY moisturizing for my hair! Love it!
Girly post over.