Sunday, December 16, 2007
Bon Jovi still rocks!
T and I were at the Garage last night ( GM Place in Vancouver ) for their first concert here. There is another one tonight. Jon is pretty hot for 48ish. And he can actually still sing, unlike a lot of people. Jon had a little remininsce about the band's previous time in Vancouver. I did know that they recorded "Slippery When Wet" here at Little Mountain Studios, but he said they also did "New Jersey" and "Keep the Faith" here. We had a lot of fun singing away. There was a late-20something girl next to me and she was singing along for most songs, but not "Runaway". She likely wasn't even born in 1982, unlike me who was 13 and in Grade 8.
Next concert: Mellencamp and Tom Cochrane at the Coliseum in Feb.
Next concert: Mellencamp and Tom Cochrane at the Coliseum in Feb.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
School answering machine message.
This is pretty funny. I got it as an email, so it could be totally bogus. However even if it's fake, some schools should do this!
SCHOOL ANSWERING MACHINE
(This is hilarious - no wonder some people were offended!)
This is the message that the Pacific Palisades High School (California) staff voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine. This is the actual answering machine message for the school. This came about because they implemented a policy requiring students and parents to be responsible for their children's absences and missing homework. Theschool and teachers are being sued by parents who want their children'sfailing grades changed to passing grades - even though those children wereabsent 15-30 times during the semester and did not complete enough schoolwork to pass their classes. The outgoing message: ____________________________________________________________>>>>>> "Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school.
In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all the options before making a selection:
* To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1
* To make excuses for why your child did not do his work- Press 2
* To complain about what we do - Press 3
* To swear at staff members - Press 4
* To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5
* If you want us to raise your child - Press 6
* If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone -Press 7
* To request another teacher, for the third time this year -Press 8
* To complain about bus transportation - Press 9
* To complain about school lunches - Press 0
* If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!
*If you want this in Spanish, you must be in the wrong country.
SCHOOL ANSWERING MACHINE
(This is hilarious - no wonder some people were offended!)
This is the message that the Pacific Palisades High School (California) staff voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine. This is the actual answering machine message for the school. This came about because they implemented a policy requiring students and parents to be responsible for their children's absences and missing homework. Theschool and teachers are being sued by parents who want their children'sfailing grades changed to passing grades - even though those children wereabsent 15-30 times during the semester and did not complete enough schoolwork to pass their classes. The outgoing message: ____________________________________________________________>>>>>> "Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school.
In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all the options before making a selection:
* To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1
* To make excuses for why your child did not do his work- Press 2
* To complain about what we do - Press 3
* To swear at staff members - Press 4
* To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5
* If you want us to raise your child - Press 6
* If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone -Press 7
* To request another teacher, for the third time this year -Press 8
* To complain about bus transportation - Press 9
* To complain about school lunches - Press 0
* If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!
*If you want this in Spanish, you must be in the wrong country.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
My Epicure spices
On Nov. 22 I had a tasting party for Victorian Epicure spices. I have been using them for several years and have had the odd party or two. I use regular spices too, but Epicure has nice mixes that make it easy to add flavour without using your imagination too much. Some days I prefer that! The spices also have no salt or MSG or preservatives or anything weird. Epicure also has very nice cooking tools, etc. I have had the stainless steel teapot for a year now and I love it!
KELLEY'S LIST OF OLD STANDBYS AND POTENTIALLY NEW FAVOURITES:
French Onion Dip - I am on my 3rd jar of this and I have never actually made dip with it. If a recipe calls for a package of that nasty onion soup mix, I use a heaping tablespoon of the dip mix instead. I also put it in soup, gravy, meatloaf, etc.
Herb and Garlic Dip - This is my first time using this but my sister has used it for years as a rub before roasting a chicken.
Curry Dip - This I think I will actually use as dip, for things like chicken strips ( homemade of course! )
Louisiana Hot and Spicy Dip - My kids are just getting into hot stuff, but this dip is pretty killer, so I don't think I should use it as rub or anything. The dip will be fine, or maybe a small bit in marinade for chicken.
Maple Spice Dip - This is quite nice on fruit, but I will be using as icing flavouring and for sprinkling on oatmeal.
Hot Buttered Rum Mix - This apparantly is really good mixed with the melted butter for popcorn, according to my neice.
Beef and Steak Spice - I've used this for years and put it in almost everything.
Souvlaki Seasoning - Another favourite. I mix it with olive oil and lemon juice and mix it with potatoes. Roast them in the oven and they are fabulous. Also excellent on chicken.
Pumpkin Pie Spice - I use this all the time when allspice and cloves are called for. I have neither, and the PPS is better anyway.
Taco Seasoning - I never buy taco kits anymore. We just buy tortillas and use a scoop of the seasoning, instead of that nasty packaged stuff.
Chinese Five Spice - We use this in stir-fry and asian soup a lot.
KELLEY'S LIST OF OLD STANDBYS AND POTENTIALLY NEW FAVOURITES:
French Onion Dip - I am on my 3rd jar of this and I have never actually made dip with it. If a recipe calls for a package of that nasty onion soup mix, I use a heaping tablespoon of the dip mix instead. I also put it in soup, gravy, meatloaf, etc.
Herb and Garlic Dip - This is my first time using this but my sister has used it for years as a rub before roasting a chicken.
Curry Dip - This I think I will actually use as dip, for things like chicken strips ( homemade of course! )
Louisiana Hot and Spicy Dip - My kids are just getting into hot stuff, but this dip is pretty killer, so I don't think I should use it as rub or anything. The dip will be fine, or maybe a small bit in marinade for chicken.
Maple Spice Dip - This is quite nice on fruit, but I will be using as icing flavouring and for sprinkling on oatmeal.
Hot Buttered Rum Mix - This apparantly is really good mixed with the melted butter for popcorn, according to my neice.
Beef and Steak Spice - I've used this for years and put it in almost everything.
Souvlaki Seasoning - Another favourite. I mix it with olive oil and lemon juice and mix it with potatoes. Roast them in the oven and they are fabulous. Also excellent on chicken.
Pumpkin Pie Spice - I use this all the time when allspice and cloves are called for. I have neither, and the PPS is better anyway.
Taco Seasoning - I never buy taco kits anymore. We just buy tortillas and use a scoop of the seasoning, instead of that nasty packaged stuff.
Chinese Five Spice - We use this in stir-fry and asian soup a lot.
