i'm a huge Nadia fan. i love her style. But she was flat tonight. i mean she wasn't in key. It was painful.

i had high hopes for Anwar when he auditioned. He's a voice teacher, but Randy is right. He's not been good for quite a few weeks in a row, and only saves himself with some big notes at the end.

Carrie. i've been expecting her to do "Independence Day" ever since she auditioned. That was like a given. i think she sewed up the Sean Hannity audience tonight.

Scott. Ho-hum. Federov. Yawn.

Niko. i'm with Randy. That was a'ight. Just a'ight.

Have you tried that Coke with lime yet? Too sweet for my taste.

Do you miss Mikalah? Me neither.

Constantine's appeal is too narrow to hold much longer.

Vonzell has a black belt? That's not surprising, 'cuz she's kicked ass two weeks in a row now. Carrie was good, but not as good as Martina. Vonzell was absolutely just as good as Whitney on her song tonight.

In my mind, Bo, Vonzell and Carrie are the front runners.

House, Scrubs or Jim? Please, isn't there anything better on Tuesday night? The Amazing Race is out, because i've reached my tolerance limit for reality tv.

i could always study. There's a thought.

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Happy Easter. Here is my quick recipe for Eggs Benedict, fashioned when i didn't have all the proper ingredients or a lot of time. But i think my substitutions make it a little better.

2 eggs
sourdough baguette
thin sliced ham or turkey sandwich meat
Knorr's hollandaise sauce
pepper jack cheese <-- the key
margarine
fresh ground pepper

Spread margarine lightly on one side of the baguette slices. arrange the meat on top. Plop the egg on the meat next. Pour a few tablespoons of the hollandaise on next. Then crumble the pepper jack on top and sprinkle with roughly ground pepper.

The secret to any eggs benedict dish is simultaneity. The various ingredients cool down so fast that you have to time things right to get it all together and eat it while it's still hot. Or, you can always assemble it and hit it with the microwave before you dig in.

By the way, i tried Rachael Ray's method for perfect hard boiled eggs this morning and it worked beautifully. Cover the eggs with cold water; as soon as it starts boiling, turn the heat off; cover and wait ten minutes. That's it. Perfecto.

Posted by: annika at 10:11 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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i'm honored that Candace tagged me for this Book Meme Thingie, which originated at The Pink Bee. Here we go:

You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?

i never read Farenheit 451 either. i read one book by Kurt Vonnegut, and i figure that should take care of any obligation i have to read Bradbury. Anyways i did a quick google search for books mentioned in F451, which led me to: Alice's Adventues in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Totally re-readable, and one of the first real books i ever read. (As opposed to books with lots of pictures.)

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?

Not really. i guess the closest i came would be Dean Moriarty from Kerouac's On The Road. i was more in love with the book itself, which threatened to change my life totally for about a year after i read it. That was my celebrated hippie phase. i loved the way he looked at things; he never seemed to miss the inherent coolness in any experience.

The last book you bought is:

Fiction: American Gods, by Neil Gaiman. Non-fiction: His Excellency by Joseph J. Ellis, whose historical biographies are always more about ideas than people. School related: Emanuel's Criminal Procedure.

The last book you read:

I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe. Flawed, it was. And thick as a casebook. Still, Tom Wolfe has this way of describing contemporary culture in a way that makes you feel like you're seeing it for the first time, as a visitor from outer space or the future would. There were a few vignettes that were strangely familiar, too.

What are you currently reading?

American Gods is in my school bookbag. Also, on my bedside table is the volume of Robert Frost poetry Matt sent me. And on a little table in the garage where i smoke cigarettes is The Crossley Baby, which sucks, but i'm trying to finish it. Next to the toilet is Watercolor School by Hazel Harrison.

Five books you would take to a deserted island.

1. Like Candace and Ginger, i would take the Good Book
2. The Brothers Karamazov.
3. Robinson Crusoe, which is an obvious choice isn't it? It could double as a survival manual.
4. i like Ginger's idea of Swann's Way. But i would take the whole Remembrance of Things Past set. There's no telling when i'll be rescued.
5. From Dawn to Decadence by Jacques Barzun. A history of the last five hundred years, which i started last year, but put down.

Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?

i pick four: Matt, Paul, Weggy and Sheila, because i know i'll be fascinated by anything they say.

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i notice that a few bloggers have posted pictures of their favorite Irish beverage in celebration of today's holiday.

Eric posted about Caffrey's, a brew i have not yet sampled.

Preston posted about that old standby, Guinness, a brew that i am all too familiar with. And if Matt were still posting regularly, i know he'd put up a Guinness photo, too.

Here's my Irish brew of choice:

Slightly bitter, a hint of cocoa, very complex on the palate. Murphy's Stout makes Guinness taste like water by comparison.

No beverage pics at Sheila's but she's got a bevy of great St. Patrick's day posts, as i expected. i'm still eagerly awaitin' to see what the Irish Lass will post. And Happy Anniversary to Dizzy Girl Gennie and her hubbie!

Update: Ted wants a Corona. A Corona?! i won't even drink that shit on cinco de Mayo.

And the best St. Patrick's Day gift of all: bad-ass John is back! With a post on his drink of choice to boot!

Now, if we could just work on Bill at Bloviating Inanities.

Update 2: i almost missed Michele's Guinness Ice Cream recipe until just now. Don't you miss it.

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1 MMMmmmmmMMMMmmmm. I like Murphy's too. But I can't find it, either.

Posted by: Eric at March 17, 2005 10:31 AM (lK7Sh)

2 I'm stopping to get some Murphy's on the way home from work. We'll see about your Guinness bashing. Then again, I do have a big jug of Bushmills Irish Whiskey that I may tap instead. These are difficult choices.

Posted by: Preston Taylor Holmes at March 17, 2005 10:45 AM (WsZ4F)

3 I, too, will be trying the Murphy's tonight, having drunk many Guinnesses (Guinni?).

Posted by: JD at March 17, 2005 11:49 AM (PJ4Iq)

4 I have never tried murphy's. I guess I will try it out, I don't think there is a better day.

Posted by: chris at March 17, 2005 12:36 PM (vGRel)

5 *hugs* Thanks so much. Happy St. Patty's Day!

Posted by: Gennie at March 17, 2005 12:40 PM (5qJI3)

6 Hate to kill the Irish spirit, but try a few Belgian Blondes like Duvel. (And then seek out real Belgian Blondes) The taste is truly complex and at 9% alcohol/volume, it is a more efficient way to the land of wobbly public urination.

Posted by: Jason O. at March 17, 2005 01:40 PM (2CAKL)

7 Belgian blondes ain't no match for one Danish blonde! hee hee

Posted by: annika at March 17, 2005 02:06 PM (zAOEU)

8 I am with you on the corona the hell with that crap. So a Danish blonde beats a Belgian blonde, I don't think I have seen a Danish blonde before or any Danish person for that matter. What do they look like?

Posted by: chris at March 17, 2005 03:19 PM (vGRel)

9 Chris: I have been to Denmark a number of times. The first thing you notice about the Danish is their height. They are the giants of the human race-both male and female. Since I like tall women that is one of the reasons I am impressed with Danish women.

Posted by: Jake at March 17, 2005 04:52 PM (r/5D/)

10 One word : WHISKY www.lawguy.blogspot.com

Posted by: lawguy2003 at March 17, 2005 07:11 PM (U0IaD)

11 Blech, I'm glad that I buy Jameson's by the case. Bushmills is dog's vomit.

Posted by: Casca at March 17, 2005 10:18 PM (cdv3B)

12 i liked your "panther piss" epithet better. alliteration, hon.

Posted by: annika at March 18, 2005 09:19 AM (zAOEU)

13 Belgian blondes are definitely among the best BEER--mmmm, Duvel; mmmmm, Hoegaarden--but I'm inclined/persuaded to believe Danish blondes are better in the other sense. ;-)

Posted by: Dave J at March 18, 2005 12:17 PM (cZ/tT)

14 Oh, and the Vikings founded Dublin, so you're probably even more Irish than you realize.

Posted by: Dave J at March 18, 2005 12:20 PM (cZ/tT)

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Bo Bice made a believer out of me tonight. But i'm still sayin' Nadia Turner is the next American Idol.

And Constantine is way cute. He did a nice job with that Three Dog Night song. Or was that Blood, Sweat and Tears?

i feel sorry for Vonzell. She's got a great voice, but trying to do Dionne is like trying to do a Sinatra song. It's impossible to listen to without comparing it to the master.

Mikalah gave up on the competition weeks ago. i think she's as surprised as anyone that she's still there.

Anwar had an unusually bad night. Anthony and Scott did well, without standing out. Lindsey should be gone by all rights; she's totally out of her league.

Which one is Carrie and which one is Jessica? Aren't they the same person?

And Nikko is back, but not for long, i predict.

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i finally finished the Tom Wolfe book. Maybe i'll give you my mixed review later. Next up, based solely on the strength of Lorie's recommendation, i'm going to read American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

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1 American Gods is one of my all-time favorite books. If you like it, you can get a short story sequel in the Legends II fantasy anthology, and Gaimain's working on a novel now about the Ananzi character in the book. Gaiman's also got a cool blog: http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/journal.asp

Posted by: Ron (Naughtypundit) at March 14, 2005 09:36 AM (vTmGH)

2 If you like Gaiman's novels, his Sandman comic books (some call them graphic novels) are also very good.

Posted by: Jim Treacher at March 14, 2005 12:04 PM (uuNVx)

3 Ooh, I can't wait to hear what you think of it. If you like it, I could positively deluge you with other Gaiman recommendations.

Posted by: Lorie at March 15, 2005 06:28 AM (PPPwU)

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Haven't seen that much tongue on tv since Huell Howser went to Canter's on Fairfax.

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