Friday, March 13, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Books for Bad Habit
Kill two artistic birds with one stone; read more literature and help local theatre at the same time! Bad Habit Productions would like to invite you to shop with us at the Prudential Center Barnes & Noble on March 27, 2009, and help Bad Habit raise money to support our upcoming productions.
Do you have any books, DVDs or music that you've been putting off purchasing? Are there any text books or birthday presents you know you'll need to get in the next few months? If you make your purchase during our book fair on March 27th using the attached voucher, a portion of the sale will be donated to Bad Habit Productions. It's a win -win situation!
Use this voucher any time between 9 am and 11 p.m. at the Prudential Center Barnes and Noble at 800 Boylston Street on Friday March 27th.
The Book Fair will also feature:
Meet and greet with Bad Habit staff and performers from 4 to 8 p.m.
Free preview-performances of Universal Language, an excerpt of our next show All in the Timing, by David Ives. Performances at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.
And they'll be announcing Bad Habit's 2009/2010 season!
Can't make it in person? No problem! Call the Prudential Center Barnes and Noble at 617-247-6959 any time during store hours on March 27th and mention the book fair ID # on the voucher (491936) and your order will be counted towards Bad Habit Productions. Not only that, but you will receive FREE SHIPPING on the day of the book fair, anywhere in the United States!
This is a great way to show your support to Bad Habit Productions and cross an item off your to-do list.
About Bad Habit Productions:
Bad Habit Productions, Inc. is a not-for-profit theater dedicated to producing unique and imaginative theatrical and improvisational experiences within greater Boston.
These productions will result from direct, creative collaboration among Boston artists and will provide much-needed opportunities for non-Equity members.
BHP is committed to furthering the presence and popularity of community theatre in Boston, thereby enriching and inspiring the local arts community.
www.badhabitproductions.org
Locker Room
The first thing I saw when I rounded the corner was a 70 year old buttocks; the second, perky 20 something breasts. I never knew people were so open in locker rooms.
Now don't get me wrong, I've seen naked people in locker rooms before-but generally it was an accident. While walking to the showers a woman steps out to wrap herself in a towel or in the steam room it slips when she gets up and you see more than you bargained for.
But this was blatant. In fact, I almost ran right into the boobies.
The thing that gets me the most is that there are changing rooms-legitimate stalls with curtains and doors that conceal you as you change. But obviously, the people here don't like them. They like to shake it out in the open letting all of us see what their momma's gave them.
I suppose there is nothing wrong with this, really-it's just very shocking to me that on my first day at the gym (within 5 minutes) I saw 2 naked ladies. And the thing that kills me most is that there is no door to the locker room! It's just one of those zig zag creations that ensure no one can see you when they walk by. But...still. It's pretty open.
Am I the only one who thinks this is odd? Or is this the norm in gym locker rooms? Is it the same for men? Do you all walk around flapping in the breeze?
As for the actual gym, I am pleasantly surprised. I've been wanting to join a gym for a while but the membership fees are outrageous around here. Then I called the Y. They advertised financial assistance for people who qualified so I decided to call. Obviously because I don't have an income, I did! I ended up saving about $20 a month, which is huge. I was a little leery about joining the Y because the one in CT isn't all that great. But this one is clean and very up to date. The lap pool is great and all of their fitness classes are included! Hopefully this'll keep me occupied, help me lose weight and help my mental attitude. I really hate exercising around people though because of my face problem...but I figured that I am not there for them, I'm there for me, and if they want to knock someone who is trying to better themselves down then they're not such great people.
Yesterday I felt pretty darn good after my workout and I look forward to going back regularly. Naked butts and boobies and all...
Now don't get me wrong, I've seen naked people in locker rooms before-but generally it was an accident. While walking to the showers a woman steps out to wrap herself in a towel or in the steam room it slips when she gets up and you see more than you bargained for.
But this was blatant. In fact, I almost ran right into the boobies.
The thing that gets me the most is that there are changing rooms-legitimate stalls with curtains and doors that conceal you as you change. But obviously, the people here don't like them. They like to shake it out in the open letting all of us see what their momma's gave them.
I suppose there is nothing wrong with this, really-it's just very shocking to me that on my first day at the gym (within 5 minutes) I saw 2 naked ladies. And the thing that kills me most is that there is no door to the locker room! It's just one of those zig zag creations that ensure no one can see you when they walk by. But...still. It's pretty open.
Am I the only one who thinks this is odd? Or is this the norm in gym locker rooms? Is it the same for men? Do you all walk around flapping in the breeze?
As for the actual gym, I am pleasantly surprised. I've been wanting to join a gym for a while but the membership fees are outrageous around here. Then I called the Y. They advertised financial assistance for people who qualified so I decided to call. Obviously because I don't have an income, I did! I ended up saving about $20 a month, which is huge. I was a little leery about joining the Y because the one in CT isn't all that great. But this one is clean and very up to date. The lap pool is great and all of their fitness classes are included! Hopefully this'll keep me occupied, help me lose weight and help my mental attitude. I really hate exercising around people though because of my face problem...but I figured that I am not there for them, I'm there for me, and if they want to knock someone who is trying to better themselves down then they're not such great people.
Yesterday I felt pretty darn good after my workout and I look forward to going back regularly. Naked butts and boobies and all...
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Toosdae ?'s
1. They say that everyone has a twin-have you ever seen or met yours?2. Do you know many people with your first name? What about your whole name?
3. Would you ever (or have you already) name a child of yours after yourself? (Like a Jr/Sr, 1st or 2nd.)
1. When I was in elementary school my mother and I were traveling on a train to NY. I was walking down the isle to go to the bathroom when a man yelled at me to get back in my seat. I didn't listen to him until he said, "Maggie! Get back here now!) I turned and looked at him and for a few seconds he just stared. I got creeped out so I kept going. On the way back he stopped me and said he was sorry, but his daughter looks exactly like me. He pointed and I saw that she did resemble me very much. She even had the same name.
2. I actually do not know many people in real life with my name. In high school there was a girl on my softball team with my first name (we were co-captains and were called "Maggie squared" when we made a great play together) but other than that I've not encountered many...unless you count the girl on the train. :)
3. No, though I would like to incorporate my middle name into their name as it's a family name. If the person I had the baby with wanted to name the child after himself I'd consider it if he had a good name though.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Manic Monday: Full
I don't even remember how we convinced them but somehow, we did. He'd stay in the den downstairs and I was to be upstairs by 11pm every night. He didn't have to pay rent, but he did have to pay for his own food and during the day he'd have to fold up the sofa bed so the rest of the family could use the room too.
It was the summer going into my senior year of high school. He was leaving for college in August. We'd been dating for 4 years-he lived in MA and I in CT. This was the first time we'd be in the same state together for more than 2 weeks.
That summer we worked together at the very resort where we met. I was a chamber maid and he was the guy who picked up the laundry and drove it to the laundry shack down the hill. Glamorous, right?
Chamber maids were paired up and dispersed around the resort to clean the different sections. Every morning we'd stock up on supplies and hop into the van (driven by my boyfriend) as a big group. We'd be dropped off at our sections and stay pretty much all day until we'd make the long, hot walk back to headquarters in hopes of being released. My partner and I were the farthest away.
Every morning before work my boyfriend and I bought subs from a local deli so we'd have lunch. We didn't get an actual lunch break but we were allowed to sit down in an empty room to eat after all of our rooms were clean. On this particular day I ordered a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato with provolone cheese and my boyfriend ordered an Italian combo with all the fixings. When we got to work that day he handed me my sandwich and took his and we went about our day.
It was a very hot day, I remember that vividly. The rooms were musty and hot and we were full to capacity but also had a lot of turns-people checking out and checking in on the same day. My partner and I didn't get to sit down to eat until around 3pm and we were both starving. We found a room that was being rehabbed (and therefore was empty) and sat down to eat. When I opened my bad my heart sunk. It was my boyfriend's sandwich. I was disappointed because I was really looking forward to my sandwich but also because I didn't like everything on his. Because it was so late in the day, I assumed that he probably ate mine already and that if I wanted to have something to eat before dinner I had to eat his. So I dug in.
Just was I was beginning to feel full, the door of the room we were sitting in swung open. It was my boyfriend with my uneaten sandwich in his hands eagerly searching my hands for his. And then he saw that it was almost done.
"Why did you eat my sandwich?!" he yelled.
"It's 3 o'clock. I assumed because you didn't come by to give me the right one that you ate mine already. I wasn't going to walk all the way back to headquarters to check-you might not have even been there." (Remember, we were the farthest away.)
"Great! Thanks a lot!" he yelled as he stormed out.
I looked at my partner and shrugged. "How was I supposed to know? It's not like I wanted his sandwich anyway." She nodded agreement and finished up her lunch and then we were on our way.
The next week he got me back by giving away my portion of the donuts we bought for breakfast. I know he did it out of spite. And yet...we dated for 2 more years!
It was the summer going into my senior year of high school. He was leaving for college in August. We'd been dating for 4 years-he lived in MA and I in CT. This was the first time we'd be in the same state together for more than 2 weeks.
That summer we worked together at the very resort where we met. I was a chamber maid and he was the guy who picked up the laundry and drove it to the laundry shack down the hill. Glamorous, right?
Chamber maids were paired up and dispersed around the resort to clean the different sections. Every morning we'd stock up on supplies and hop into the van (driven by my boyfriend) as a big group. We'd be dropped off at our sections and stay pretty much all day until we'd make the long, hot walk back to headquarters in hopes of being released. My partner and I were the farthest away.
Every morning before work my boyfriend and I bought subs from a local deli so we'd have lunch. We didn't get an actual lunch break but we were allowed to sit down in an empty room to eat after all of our rooms were clean. On this particular day I ordered a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato with provolone cheese and my boyfriend ordered an Italian combo with all the fixings. When we got to work that day he handed me my sandwich and took his and we went about our day.
It was a very hot day, I remember that vividly. The rooms were musty and hot and we were full to capacity but also had a lot of turns-people checking out and checking in on the same day. My partner and I didn't get to sit down to eat until around 3pm and we were both starving. We found a room that was being rehabbed (and therefore was empty) and sat down to eat. When I opened my bad my heart sunk. It was my boyfriend's sandwich. I was disappointed because I was really looking forward to my sandwich but also because I didn't like everything on his. Because it was so late in the day, I assumed that he probably ate mine already and that if I wanted to have something to eat before dinner I had to eat his. So I dug in.
Just was I was beginning to feel full, the door of the room we were sitting in swung open. It was my boyfriend with my uneaten sandwich in his hands eagerly searching my hands for his. And then he saw that it was almost done.
"Why did you eat my sandwich?!" he yelled.
"It's 3 o'clock. I assumed because you didn't come by to give me the right one that you ate mine already. I wasn't going to walk all the way back to headquarters to check-you might not have even been there." (Remember, we were the farthest away.)
"Great! Thanks a lot!" he yelled as he stormed out.
I looked at my partner and shrugged. "How was I supposed to know? It's not like I wanted his sandwich anyway." She nodded agreement and finished up her lunch and then we were on our way.
The next week he got me back by giving away my portion of the donuts we bought for breakfast. I know he did it out of spite. And yet...we dated for 2 more years!
Sunday, March 08, 2009
What's Cookin? Microwave Brownies!
I've told you before that I'm not a huge chocolate lover. I much prefer vanilla or fruity desserts if given the choice. However, when I do crave chocolate desserts, I usually crave brownies.
The trouble with brownies for me is that I don't keep boxed baked goods in my cabinets. When I was little my mom told me that to save money (and I suspect because of her Italian father) she made all of her baked goods from scratch. Ever since then, I make things with flour and sugar as opposed to premixed baked goods. (Not that I've never used them, and I don't look down on people who do-in fact, I love a good boxed brownie when done right.) My point is that if I want brownies, it's usually not a quick fix. Melting chocolate over a double boiler with butter, allowing it to cool, tempering it with eggs and sugar-gah! That's too much trouble for me when I am drooling for the warmth and comfort brownies deliver.
Last night was one of those nights where I craved brownies. I was home alone feeling a little sorry for myself (not too proud of that!) and wanted something comforting. Being that almost every dish I owned was in the sink (they are all now clean thankyouverymuch), I knew making anything "good" would be out of the question. Just as I was about to give up, I remembered a recipe that I saw on the Food Network on the show Ham on the Street. Luckily the recipe was still online.
I'm psyched to present to you a very good compromise. Microwave Brownies. From Scratch.
This recipe is so super easy it'll blow your mind. While they are not the best brownies you will ever have they're perfect for a quick brownie fix. The texture is more cakey than chewy (which is one of the downfalls for me) but the traditional brownie flavor is there. And also-you can't beat the 7 minutes to heaven cooking time. Without further ado, I give you, Microwave Brownies...
Recipe courtesy George Duran, Ham on the Street
The trouble with brownies for me is that I don't keep boxed baked goods in my cabinets. When I was little my mom told me that to save money (and I suspect because of her Italian father) she made all of her baked goods from scratch. Ever since then, I make things with flour and sugar as opposed to premixed baked goods. (Not that I've never used them, and I don't look down on people who do-in fact, I love a good boxed brownie when done right.) My point is that if I want brownies, it's usually not a quick fix. Melting chocolate over a double boiler with butter, allowing it to cool, tempering it with eggs and sugar-gah! That's too much trouble for me when I am drooling for the warmth and comfort brownies deliver.
Last night was one of those nights where I craved brownies. I was home alone feeling a little sorry for myself (not too proud of that!) and wanted something comforting. Being that almost every dish I owned was in the sink (they are all now clean thankyouverymuch), I knew making anything "good" would be out of the question. Just as I was about to give up, I remembered a recipe that I saw on the Food Network on the show Ham on the Street. Luckily the recipe was still online.
I'm psyched to present to you a very good compromise. Microwave Brownies. From Scratch.
This recipe is so super easy it'll blow your mind. While they are not the best brownies you will ever have they're perfect for a quick brownie fix. The texture is more cakey than chewy (which is one of the downfalls for me) but the traditional brownie flavor is there. And also-you can't beat the 7 minutes to heaven cooking time. Without further ado, I give you, Microwave Brownies...
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate **I used 1 oz semi-sweet & 2 oz unsweet b/c it's all I had.
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Directions
Put the butter and chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds to melt the chocolate. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar.
In a large bowl sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the egg and chocolate mixtures along with the vanilla and stir well to combine.
Spray an 8 by 8 by 2-inch or 8-inch round microwave-safe glass pan with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan, spread it out evenly, and scatter the chocolate chips on top. Cook on high for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 3 minutes before cutting and eating.
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