Miah's ArtWork

365 Days

We still wish you were here.
Ninja hug!

Thursday's Thoughts

Today's Thought

Where'd you go? I miss you so, seems like it's been forever, that you've been gone. -Fort Minor, "Where'd You Go"

I found myself in the car, listening to this song again the other day, and although it has been a favorite of mine since the album came out, it struck me harder than ever. My family and I came to this new duty station with the expectation that we would at last get a little family time. I am not complaining, because I do get to lay next to my wife every night, but this expectation was very erroneous. Time is a precious commodity here. ISP was brutal and honestly, the demands haven't lessened since I got back to teaching. I've been feeling a little like a transient in my own home.

But then as I was listening to this song, I thought of when I first heard it. At the time I was in the desert. As the song talks about my wife was scheduling her day around my phone calls, or yahoo conversations. I was worried then about the rest of the song eventually coming true. I've seen too many failed marriages and too many soldiers taking the other way out of a marriage to think that it's not at least partly about all the time we spend away. And I really feel that this is one of the most unsung costs of war. So as the discussions heat up about surges, pullouts, and other military decisions, I hope that someone who gets to be a decider understands this as well as my family.

Thursday's Thoughts

Today's Thought:

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

This is an old adage. And I agree in most cases. I know that while I was away from the schoolhouse I missed it. And my civilian co-workers seem to have missed me. Similarly I understand that I was missed here on the page. Thank you all for your concern.

There is a problem with this though. And it is the key to why absence makes the heart grow fonder. Most things in life are like paintings and statues, the closer you get, the more you can see the flaws. Lets hope that the flaws of both coming back to my job and to the blog stay small.

Have a great week!

Jay bought me a Nikon P90 for my Birthday

My new camera, with 16G of memory isn't the easiest to figure out. I've been playing with it for a while, it's many dials and features confusing my poor brain. These are the first pictures I've taken. I hope to find time when the leaves change color to head to the lake on post and try my luck at capturing the foliage.

Desperado-interesting cover

It's about that time again!

It's falling leaves weather...so we are all desperately awaiting that one last warm day. Me, so that I can pack in the garden, and the kids so that they can rake leaves and roll in them. Part of the wonder of the season is that I have a million green tomatoes who now have hardly a chance to turn red on the vine, so I take advantage and make my favorite....


Then, of course, I can't stop there. The following is a random recipe from the Internet. I ran out of Cocoa (because Laurel has been baking up a storm lately) but I did have a Lavender Chocolate bar, so I chopped it up and used it to fill out the chocolate requirement. I ended up having about 1/4 c of cocoa powder. (Must bake while the Beatles play in the background, otherwise the brownies will sour.) The lavender is a very subtle flavor, a just detectable earthy addition. I tasted some stray crumbs, and they are so good I'm having a hard time waiting for Jay to get home from work!

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cold large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

• Special equipment: An 8-inch square baking pan

Preparation

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Omakase Lunch!

The kids and I got to have a late lunch with my friend Gina! Very exciting because she is over here from Ok, and on her way to Ak. Since this is a special occasion, we went to the Japanese restaurant. I say that because I'm the only one in my family that likes this kind of food, so I was really excited. The original place we were going to eat at doesn't open until 4:30, so we drove on....to another place that isn't open! We finally stumbled upon an open place (Omakase{which means: "It's up to You"}), and headed for our table. The food was great, and I am so stuffed right now I can hardly sit up straight!
I just wanted to say thanks to Gina and John for great food and even better conversation! I wish we had had more time, I could talk forever...

Band!

Laurel and her boyfriend.
Laurel and Miah talking to the boys.

Final score!


Laurel and the band.


Laurel's artwork...Laurel getting ready to take the field.The highschool band


This was the last game of the season (that was fast, huh?) Laurel's band got to play with the high school band, and the opposing team's band. Also, not that I care, but our team kicked butt. I was just there for the band...and a hotdog!


Jay sprained his wrist, but he'll be fine soon. Notice his brace is the same color of his uniform? He has to wear it for a few weeks, and it's funny to watch him struggle with it. I think he's threatened to take it off at least three times.

I tried to get a good picture of Miah, but as usual she couldn't hold still long enough, and then when she tried all of her smiles were insane. This was the best one.

The computer died a couple of days ago while I was uploading the video. I'll have to wait for a new power cord for the laptop before I can try again. I have a couple of other things I need to post too, so I'll be busy!

"Down"

Flowers/Thursday's Thoughts will be back!

Aren't these nice? Jay went grocery shopping with the girls, and brought these back for me. He's just so darned sweet! Jay has about a week left in his funeral rotation, and he promises that he will start Thursday's Thoughts again. His schedule has just been crazy, and it's easy to let the blog slide. I love reading his posts, so I'm excited!

Breakfst for dinner

This was really good...The only problem is that our grocery store didn't have arugula, so Jay picked up fresh spinach...The feedback was good, the only complaint being that this needed some sort of meat. (Almost forgot, we decided against the sauce. It really wasn't necessary) I thought I'd be hungry before bed, but this really carried me through! Yum!

Goat Cheese Omelet

Serves 4
Hands-On Time: 15m
Total Time: 15m

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 6 cups baby arugula
• 1 small baguette, warmed

Directions

1. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, 2 tablespoons water, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the eggs, without stirring, until they begin to set, 2 to 3 minutes. With a rubber spatula, pull the edges of the omelet to the center, tilting the pan so the uncooked eggs flow to the edges of the pan. Cook until set, 1 minute.
2. Sprinkle the cheese and scallions over the eggs. Fold a third of the omelet over the center; fold over the other third. In pan, cut into 4 pieces.
3. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, and 1⁄4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Drizzle over the arugula. Serve with the omelet and bread.

Urgent Reply.?

I'd like to know how the hell someone ELSE posted this to my blog????????????
I in no way endorse this message, and have nothing to do with it!
Yikes!!!


*********************************************************************************************************
Dear Friend,

How are you today and business in your country?
I am. Ming Yang, Director of Operations of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd, Sai Wan
Ho Branch, Hong Kong.I have a business proposal that will be of immense benefit to
the both of us. If you are interested, you can contact me through My private

Email: mr.ming_yang@yahoo.com.hk

Very Peaceful
Ming Yang.

27 Random Survey Questions Just For You.
1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?	I need to wash my hair
2. How much cash do you have on you?	A couple of bucks
3. What's a word that rhymes with "DOOR?"	Poor
4. Favorite planet?	Uranus
5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?	Mom, I think
6. What is your favorite ring on your phone?	I Like the "old fashioned" ring
7. What shirt are you wearing?	My old red long sleeved shirt
8. Do you "label" yourself?	I try not to
9. Name the brand of your shoes you're currently wearing?	Issac Mizrahi
10. Bright or Dark Room?	Bright
11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?	I found this all by my lonesome
13. What were you doing at midnight last night?	Sleeping!
14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?	I don't text
15. Where is your nearest 7-11?	I am not sure there are any here!
16. What's a word that you say a lot?	MIAH!!
17.Who told you he/she loved you last?	Jay
18. Last furry thing you touched?	Harley
19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?	None
20. How many rolls of film do you need developed?	None, I'm digital
21. Favorite age you have been so far?	I'm not sure
22. Your worst enemy?	No one
23. What is your current desktop picture?	A landscape
24. What was the last thing you said to someone?	I said "Hi" to Adam
25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?	I'd like to Fly
26. Do you like someone?	yes
27. The last song you listened to?	Theme song to "Lie to Me"
Take this survey

Survey

Is your second toe longer than your first?	Yes
Do you have a favorite type of pen?	Yes
Look at your planner for March 14, what are you doing?	Moving, and unpacking boxes.
What color are your toenails usually?	Natural
What was the last thing you highlighted?	HTML code
What color are your bedroom curtains?	red and brown striped
What color are the seats in your car?	Grey
Have you ever had a black and white cat?	Yes
What is the last thing you put a stamp on?	A card for my mom
Do you know anyone who lives in Wyoming?	No
Why did you withdraw cash from the ATM the last time?	The movies
Who is the last baby that you held?	Sara's Avery
Do you know of any twins with rhyming names?	Cindy and Mindy Asbury
Do you like Cinnamon toothpaste?	no
What kind of car were you driving 2 years ago?	Mini Van
Pick one: Miami Hurricanes or Florida Gators	No thanks
Last time you went to Six Flags?	With Ben Reed in 1998
Do you have any wallpaper in your house?	yes, a little bit in the entry
Closest thing to you that is yellow:	The flowers Jay bought me.
Last person to give you a business card?	A lady from Etsy
Who is the last person you wrote a check to?	Rent
Closest framed picture to you?	Jay's map of the world
Last time you had someone cook for you?	Jay makes pancakes on the weekends, and he made dinner last week.
Have you ever applied for welfare?	No
How many emails do you have?	Addresses? A couple.
Last time you received flowers/flower?	Last week
Do you think the sanctity of marriage is meant for only a man & woman?	NO
What are you listening to right now?	"Lie To Me"
Do you play air guitar?	No
Do you have any Willow Tree figurines?	Yes, actually. The Dancer
What is your high school's rival mascot?	Um, I have no clue...
who is the last person you talked to from high school?	Adam Leahy
Last time you used hand sanitizer?	Never
Would you like to learn to play the drums?	I know how already
What color are the blinds in your living room?	off white
What is in your inbox at work?	No longer working in an office
Last thing you read in the newspaper?	I found my hometown newspaper from 9/11 and was reading articles about who was arrested that week.
What was the last pageant you attended?	EW
What is the last place you bought pizza from?	Papa John's
Have you ever worn a crown?	yes
What is the last thing you stapled?	A note
Did you ever drink clear Pepsi?	yes, weird
Are you ticklish?	yes
Last time you saw fireworks?	4th of July before last.
Last time you had a Krispy Kreme doughnut?	I have no clue
Who is the last person that left you a message on your cell?	Me, actually
Last time you parked under a carport?	last time I was at mom's
Do you have a black dog?	Yes
Do you have any pickles in your fridge?	Yes
How long have they been there??	a week or so
Who has the prettiest eyes that you know of?	Jay
Last time you saw a semi truck?	about three hours ago
Do you remember Ugly Kid Joe?	yes. lol
Do you have a little black dress?	yes
Take this survey

Quiz

Strange Survey...

Have you ever licked the back of a CD to try to get it to work?:	Yes
Ever been in a car wreck?:	Yes
Were you popular in high school?:	I don\'t know...
Have you ever been on a blind date?:	Yes
Are looks important?:	Not that much
Do you have any friends that you	Yes,
By what age would you like to be married?:	I already am
Does the number of people a person	Who asks that?
Have you ever made a mistake?:	Haven't we all?
Are you a good tipper?:	If it's well earned, yes.
Have you ever had a crush on a teacher?:	Yes
Have you ever peed in public?:	Ew, NO
What song do you want played at your funeral?:	None
Would you tell your parents if you were gay?:	Yes
What would your last meal be before getting executed?:	Chinese take out
Beatles or Stones?:	Beatles
If you had to pick one person on earth to die, who?:	That\'s not very nice
Beer, wine or hard liquor?:	none
Do you have any phobias?:	no
What are your plans for the future?:	A really relaxing vacation
Do you walk around the house naked?:	In the morning, yes.
If you were an animal what would you be?:	Dog
Hair color you like on someone you	Black/dark brown
Would you rather be blind or deaf?:	I AM deaf
Do you have any special talents?:	Yes
What do you do as soon as you walk in the house?:	Put my purse and keys down, tell the dog to sit.
Do you like horror or comedy?:	Both, just depends on my mood.
Are you missing anyone?:	Yes, a LOT of people.
Where do you want to live when you are old?:	On a farm
Who is the person you can count on the most?:	Jay
If you could date any celebrity past or present, who would it be?:	George Clooney (b/c he doesn\'t count)
What did you dream last night?:	Had a dream about Jay
What is your favorite sport to watch?:	I am so NOT a sports fan.
Are you named after anyone?:	Yes, my cousin (my middle name)
What is your favorite alcoholic drink?:	Irish Coffee
Non alcoholic drink?:	Tea
Have you ever been in love?:	well, duh!
Do you sing in the shower?:	No
Have you ever been arrested?:	NO
What is your favorite Holiday?:	Thanksgiving
Would you ever get plastic surgery?:	NO
Have you ever caught a fish?:	Yes!

Blond Joke For Blonds

A blond city girl, named Amy, marries a Colorado rancher.
One morning, on his way out to check on the cows, the rancher says to
Amy, "The insemination man is coming over to impregnate one of our
cows today, so I drove a nail into the 2X4, just above where the cow's
stall is in the barn. Please show him where the cow is when he gets
here, OK?"
The rancher leaves for the fields.

After a while, the artificial insemination man arrives and knocks on
the front door. Amy takes him down to the barn. They walk along the
row of cows and when Amy sees the nail, she tells him, "This is the
one right here."
The artificial insemination man, assuming he is dealing with an air
head blond, asks, "Tell me lady, 'cause I'm dying to know; how would
YOU know that this is the right cow to be bred?"
"That's simple, by the nail that's over its stall," she explains very
confidently.
Laughing rudely at her, the man says, "And what, please tell, is the nail for?"
The blond turns to walk away and says sweetly, over her shoulder,
"I guess it's to hang your pants on."

(It's nice to see a blond winning once in awhile.)

Random Interesting Stuff I've Stumbled Upon

GROW YOUR OWN GRASS FURNITURE

by Jill Fehrenbacher, 05/28/06

Here’s a great spring project to get you ready for those up-coming summer barbeques: grow your own lawn furniture with the Terra Grass Armchair kit. All you need to do is assemble a cardboard frame, fill it with soil, seed it with grass, then stand back and watch it bloom. In just a couple weeks, a green and grassy armchair will appear in your lawn!

This reminds us of the ReadyMade Make-Your-Own-Lawn-Couch project, and Julian Lwin’s Biodegradable Bench that we covered a few days ago. The Terra Grass Armchair however, seems like the simplest and easiest route to a furnished lawn if you don’t have a lot of time or money on your hands.

$100 or �65 from ThePresentFinder.co.uk

**************************************************************************************
The 10 Most Puzzling Ancient Artifacts

The Bible tells us that God created Adam and Eve just a few thousand years ago, by some fundamentalist interpretations. Science informs us that this is mere fiction and that man is a few million years old, and that civilization just tens of thousands of years old. Could it be, however, that conventional science is just as mistaken as the Bible stories? There is a great deal of archeological evidence that the history of life on earth might be far different than what current geological and anthropological texts tell us. Consider these astonishing finds:

The Grooved Spheres
Over the last few decades, miners in South Africa have been digging up mysterious metal spheres. Origin unknown, these spheres measure approximately an inch or so in diameter, and some are etched with three parallel grooves running around the equator. Two types of spheres have been found: one is composed of a solid bluish metal with flecks of white; the other is hollowed out and filled with a spongy white substance. The kicker is that the rock in which they where found is Precambrian - and dated to 2.8 billion years old! Who made them and for what purpose is unknown.

The Dropa Stones
In 1938, an archeological expedition led by Dr. Chi Pu Tei into the Baian-Kara-Ula mountains of China made an astonishing discovery in some caves that had apparently been occupied by some ancient culture. Buried in the dust of ages on the cave floor were hundreds of stone disks. Measuring about nine inches in diameter, each had a circle cut into the center and was etched with a spiral groove, making it look for all the world like some ancient phonograph record some 10,000 to 12,000 years old. The spiral groove, it turns out, is actually composed of tiny hieroglyphics that tell the incredible story of spaceships from some distant world that crash-landed in the mountains. The ships were piloted by people who called themselves the Dropa, and the remains of whose descendents, possibly, were found in the cave.

click for enlargement

The Ica Stones
Beginning in the 1930s, the father of Dr. Javier Cabrera, Cultural Anthropologist for Ica, Peru, discovered many hundreds of ceremonial burial stones in the tombs of the ancient Incas. Dr. Cabrera, carrying on his father's work, has collected more than 1,100 of these andesite stones, which are estimated to be between 500 and 1,500 years old and have become known collectively as the Ica Stones. The stones bear etchings, many of which are sexually graphic (which was common to the culture), some picture idols and others depict such practices as open-heart surgery and brain transplants. The most astonishing etchings, however, clearly represent dinosaurs - brontosaurs, triceratops (see photo), stegosaurus and pterosaurs. While skeptics consider the Ica Stones a hoax, their authenticity has neither been proved or disproved.

click for enlargement

The Antikythera Mechanism
A perplexing artifact was recovered by sponge-divers from a shipwreck in 1900 off the coast of Antikythera, a small island that lies northwest of Crete. The divers brought up from the wreck a great many marble and and bronze statues that had apparently been the ship's cargo. Among the findings was a hunk of corroded bronze that contained some kind of mechanism composed of many gears and wheels. Writing on the case indicated that it was made in 80 B.C., and many experts at first thought it was an astrolabe, an astronomer's tool. An x-ray of the mechanism, however, revealed it to be far more complex, containing a sophisticated system of differential gears. Gearing of this complexity was not known to exist until 1575! It is still unknown who constructed this amazing instrument 2,000 years ago or how the technology was lost.

click for enlargement

The Baghdad Battery
Today batteries can be found in any grocery, drug, convenience and department store you come across. Well, here's a battery that's 2,000 years old! Known as the Baghdad Battery, this curiosity was found in the ruins of a Parthian village believed to date back to between 248 B.C. and 226 A.D. The device consists of a 5-1/2-inch high clay vessel inside of which was a copper cylinder held in place by asphalt, and inside of that was an oxidized iron rod. Experts who examined it concluded that the device needed only to be filled with an acid or alkaline liquid to produce an electric charge. It is believed that this ancient battery might have been used for electroplating objects with gold. If so, how was this technology lost... and the battery not rediscovered for another 1,800 years?

click for enlargement

The Coso Artifact
While mineral hunting in the mountains of California near Olancha during the winter of 1961, Wallace Lane, Virginia Maxey and Mike Mikesell found a rock, among many others, that they thought was a geode - a good addition for their gem shop. Upon cutting it open, however, Mikesell found an object inside that seemed to be made of white porcelain. In the center was a shaft of shiny metal. Experts estimated that it should have taken about 500,000 years for this fossil-encrusted nodule to form, yet the object inside was obviously of sophisticated human manufacture. Further investigation revealed that the porcelain was surround by a hexagonal casing, and an x-ray revealed a tiny spring at one end. Some who have examined the evidence say it looks very much like a modern-day spark plug. How did it get inside a 500,000-year-old rock?

Ancient Model Aircraft
There are artifacts belonging to ancient Egyptian and Central American cultures that look amazingly like modern-day aircraft. The Egyptian artifact, found in a tomb at Saqquara, Egypt in 1898, is a six-inch wooden object that strongly resembles a model airplane, with fuselage, wings and tail. Experts believe the object is so aerodynamic that it is actually able to glide. The small object discovered in Central America (shown at right), and estimated to be 1,000 years old, is made of gold and could easily be mistaken for a model of a delta-wing aircraft - or even the Space Shuttle. It even features what looks like a pilot's seat.

click for enlargement

Giant Stone Balls of Costa Rica
Workmen hacking and burning their way through the dense jungle of Costa Rica to clear an area for banana plantations in the 1930s stumbled upon some incredible objects: dozens of stone balls, many of which were perfectly spherical. They varied in size from as small as a tennis ball to an astonishing 8 feet in diameter and weighing 16 tons! Although the great stone balls are clearly man-made, it is unknown who made them, for what purpose and, most puzzling, how they achieved such spherical precision.

Impossible Fossils
Fossils, as we learned in grade school, appear in rocks that were formed many thousands of years ago. Yet there are a number of fossils that just don't make geological or historical sense. A fossil of a human handprint, for example, was found in limestone estimated to be 110 million years old. What appears to be a fossilized human finger found in the Canadian Arctic also dates back 100 to 110 million years ago. And what appears to be the fossil of a human footprint, possibly wearing a sandal, was found near Delta, Utah in a shale deposit estimated to be 300 million to 600 million years old.

Out-of-Place Metal Objects
Humans were not even around 65 million years ago, never mind people who could work metal. So then how does science explain semi-ovoid metallic tubes dug out of 65-million-year-old Cretaceous chalk in France? In 1885, a block of coal was broken open to find a metal cube obviously worked by intelligent hands. In 1912, employees at an electric plant broke apart a large chunk of coal out of which fell an iron pot! A nail was found embedded in a sandstone block from the Mesozoic Era. And there are many, many more such anomalies.

****************************************************************************

Other Words for "Said"
Acknowledged
Added
Admitted
Advised
Agreed
Announced
Answered
Approved
Argued
Assumed
Assured
Asked
Babbled
Bargained
Began
Boasted
Bragged
Called
Claimed
Commanded
Commented
Complained
Cried
Decided
Demanded
Denied
Described
Dictated
Emphasized
Estimated
Exclaimed
Explained
Expressed
Feared
Giggled
Grinned
Grunted
Indicated
Insisted
Instructed
Laughed
Lectured
Lied
Mentioned
Moaned
Mumbled
Murmured
Nagged
Noted
Notified
Objected
Observed
Ordered
Pleaded
Pointed out
Prayed
Predicted
Questioned
Reassured
Related
Repeated
Replied
Responded
Requested
Restated
Revealed
Roared
Ruled
Scolded
Screamed
Shouted
Shrieked
Snapped
Sneered
Sobbed
Spoke
Sputtered
Stammered
Stated
Stormed
Suggested
Taunted
Thought
Told
Urged
Uttered
Vowed
Wailed
Warned
Whispered

**************************************************************************************

Achluophobia Fear of darkness.
Acousticophobia Fear of noise.
Acrophobia Fear of heights.
Agoraphobia Fear of open spaces or of being in crowded places.
Ailurophobia Fear of cats.
Alektorophobia Fear of chickens.
Alliumphobia Fear of garlic.
Allodoxaphobia Fear of opinions.
Altophobia Fear of heights.
Amaxophobia Fear of riding in a car.
Ambulophobia Fear of walking.
Ancraophobia or Anemophobia Fear of wind.
Androphobia Fear of men.
Anglophobia Fear of England, English culture, etc.
Anthrophobia Fear of flowers.
Antlophobia Fear of floods.
Anuptaphobia Fear of staying single.
Apeirophobia Fear of infinity.
Aphenphosmphobia Fear of being touched.
Apiphobia Fear of bees.
Apotemnophobia Fear of persons with amputations. Arachnephobia/Arachnophobia Fear of spiders.
Arithmophobia Fear of numbers.
Arrhenphobia Fear of men. Arsonphobia Fear of fire.
Astraphobia/Astrapophobia Fear of thunder and lightning.
Astrophobia Fear of stars/space.
Ataxophobia Fear of disorder or untidiness.
Atelophobia Fear of imperfection.
Athazagoraphobia Fear of being forgotton or ignored or forgetting.
Atychiphobia Fear of failure.
Aurophobia Fear of gold.
Automatonophobia Fear of ventriloquist's dummies, animatronic creatures, wax statues
Automysophobia Fear of being dirty.
Autophobia Fear of being alone or of oneself.
Aviophobia/Aviatophobia Fear of flying.

Bacillophobia Fear of microbes.
Bacteriophobia Fear of bacteria.
Bathmophobia Fear of stairs or steep slopes.
Batophobia Fear of heights.
Batrachophobia Fear of amphibians (like frogs)
Belonephobia Fear of pins and needles.
Bibliophobia Fear of books.
Botanophobia Fear of plants.
Brontophobia Fear of thunder and lightning.

Cacophobia Fear of ugliness.
Cainophobia/Cainotophobia Fear of newness, novelty.
Caligynephobia Fear of beautiful women.
Carnophobia Fear of meat.
Catagelophobia Fear of being ridiculed.
Catoptrophobia Fear of mirrors.
Cenophobia / Centophobia Fear of new things or ideas.
Ceraunophobia Fear of thunder.
Chaetophobia Fear of hair.
Chionophobia Fear of snow.
Chiraptophobia Fear of being touched.
Chirophobia Fear of hands.
Chorophobia Fear of dancing.
Chrometophobia/Chrematophobia Fear of money.
Chromophobia/Chromatophobia Fear of colors.
Chronomentrophobia Fear of clocks.
Cibophobia/Sitophobia/Sitiophobia Fear of food.
Claustrophobia Fear of confined spaces.
Climacophobia Fear of stairs.
Clinophobia Fear of going to bed.
Coimetrophobia Fear of cemeteries.
Coulrophobia Fear of clowns.
Cyberphobia Fear of computers.
Cyclophobia Fear of bicycles.
Cymophobia Fear of waves.
Cynophobia Fear of dogs.

Demophobia Fear of crowds.
Dendrophobia Fear of trees.
Dentophobia Fear of dentists.
Didaskaleinophobia Fear of going to school.
Dipsophobia Fear of drinking.
Dishabiliophobia Fear of undressing in front of someone.
Dromophobia Fear of crossing streets.

Eisoptrophobia Fear of mirrors.
Elurophobia Fear of cats.
Emetophobia Fear of vomiting.
Entomophobia Fear of insects.
Ephebiphobia Fear of teenagers.
Epistaxiophobia Fear of nosebleeds.
Equinophobia Fear of horses.
Ergophobia Fear of work.

Felinophobia Fear of cats.

Gamophobia Fear of marriage.
Geliophobia Fear of laughter.
Genophobia Fear of sex.
Gephyrophobia, Gephydrophobia, or Gephysrophobia Fear of crossing bridges.
Gerascophobia Fear of growing old.
Glossophobia Fear of speaking in public or of trying to speak. Gynephobia/Gynophobia Fear of women.

Haphephobia/Haptephobia Fear of being touched.
Harpaxophobia Fear of being robbed.
Heliophobia Fear of the sun.
Hemophobia/Hemaphobia/Hematophobia Fear of blood.
Hierophobia Fear of priests or sacred things.
Hominophobia Fear of men.
Hylophobia Fear of forests.

Iatrophobia Fear of doctors.
Ichthyophobia Fear of fish.

Judeophobia Fear of Jews.

Keraunophobia Fear of thunder and lightning.
Kymophobia Fear of waves.

Lachanophobia Fear of vegetables.
Ligyrophobia Fear of loud noises.
Limnophobia Fear of lakes.
Liticaphobia Fear of lawsuits.
Lockiophobia Fear of childbirth.
Logizomechanophobia Fear of computers.
Logophobia Fear of words.
Lygophobia Fear of darkness.

Macrophobia Fear of long waits.
Mageirocophobia Fear of cooking.
Maieusiophobia Fear of childbirth.
Megalophobia Fear of large things.
Melissophobia Fear of bees.
Methyphobia Fear of alcohol.
Microphobia Fear of small things.
Misophobia Fear of being contaminated with dirt/germs.
Monophobia Fear of solitude or being alone.
Motorphobia Fear of automobiles.
Musophobia/Murophobia Fear of mice.

Necrophobia Fear of death / dead things.
Neophobia Fear of anything new.
Nosocomephobia Fear of hospitals.
Numerophobia Fear of numbers.

Ochlophobia Fear of crowds or mobs.
Ophidiophobia Fear of snakes.
Ophthalmophobia Fear of being stared at.
Ornithophobia Fear of birds.

Pedophobia Fear of children.
Peladophobia Fear of bald people.
Phasmophobia Fear of ghosts.
Placophobia Fear of tombstones.
Plutophobia Fear of wealth.
Pogonophobia Fear of beards.
Potamophobia Fear of rivers or running water.
Pteronophobia Fear of being tickled by feathers.
Pupaphobia fear of puppets.
Pyrophobia Fear of fire.

Rhytiphobia Fear of getting wrinkles.
Rupophobia Fear of dirt.

Scolionophobia Fear of school.
Selachophobia Fear of sharks.
Sesquipedalophobia Fear of long words.

Tachophobia Fear of speed.
Technophobia Fear of technology.
Telephonophobia Fear of telephones.
Testophobia Fear of taking tests.
Theophobia Fear of gods or religion.
Trypanophobia Fear of injections.

Venustraphobia Fear of beautiful women.
Verbophobia Fear of words.
Verminophobia Fear of germs.
Vestiphobia Fear of clothing.

Xenoglossophobia Fear of foreign languages.

Zoophobia Fear of animals

Best Chicken Soup!

This is the BEST chicken soup! I exchanged the hominy with whole kernel corn, (eWW)
this is a really simple, really fast recipe that is perfect for the nights when you have no time to spare. To make it go faster, you can break down the chicken the day you go grocery shopping, then simply drop it in the pot when needed. This really cuts down on the most time consuming part of the prep.

Chicken Posole

Serves 4
Hands-On Time: 10m
Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 32-ounce container low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 dried ancho chili, thinly sliced, or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken meat
• 1 15-ounce can hominy, rinsed
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and 1⁄4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Add the broth, tomatoes, and chili and bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken and hominy and simmer until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with the lime.

"Before the Storm"

Dinner Friday

Steak With Potato-Parsnip Mash

Serves 4
Hands-On Time: 10m
Total Time: 35m

Ingredients

• 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound parsnips (about 2 medium), cut into 1-inch pieces
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak (1 inch thick)

Directions

1. Place the potatoes and parsnips in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Mash with the milk, butter, scallions, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steak with 1⁄2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook to the desired doneness, 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest before slicing. Serve with the potato-parsnip mash.

**********************************************************
I decided that the potatoes needed a little gravy, so after cooking the steak I deglazed the skillet with 1/2 c. merlot, 1 cup chicken broth, and two tablespoons cornstarch (or as needed to thicken) it was great! The "mash" was awesome, and we all voted to eat it again. Miah can be quoted as saying "It's just too good!"

Dinner Thursday

Pork Chops With Garlicky Broccoli

Serves 4
Hands-On
Time: 20m
Total Time: 20m

Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 bone-in pork chops (about 2 1/2 pounds; 1 inch thick)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400º F. Cook the rice according to the package directions. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to oven and roast until the pork is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a second large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli, garlic, soy sauce, and 1⁄3 cup water. Cook, covered, until the broccoli is tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve with the pork and rice.

******************************************************************

I'm not a big fan of plain white rice, but with more sauce mixed in this was great. Everyone loved it!

Don't do it....

Do not push the red button Please, don`t push it.

Michael Jackson Medley