Pink Asparagus

I was a late adopter. But hooboy, once I adopted I was all in. And now? Now I have 87 friends. I need to break up with about 40 of them. Or, more accurately, remove them.

You know what I’m talking about right?

At first I was only friends with my friends. Then I was friends with people I used to be friends with. It was all good. I looked at pictures of people’s babies, I saw that people were alive. I was happy for them. And then slowly I began comparing … why is he friends with her and not me? what are they talking about on their walls? why don’t I have the decoder ring?

The final straw was when someone that I am friends with in real-life, or at least am friendly with (I handed down boxes and boxes of baby clothes to her, so she’s not a stranger) had a status of “is sad that people are so mean” the same day that she sent me a message saying that if the baby clothes I had inquired about were so important that I would unfriend her then she would get them back. Of course, I took the status personally. Of course I get my knickers in a knot about why doesn’t she give me the benefit of the doubt. In short, she and I had been unfriended. I didn’t do that. I had no reason to. I had asked her about some baby clothes and when she said they were onto another friend, I replied with “if they’ve already found new homes, then awesome – no worries! I’m glad they’re getting another go-around.” And I thought it was over.

But my knickers were knotted.

This leads me to thinking that that particular medium isn’t a healthy social networking platform for me. I compare. I feel less than adequate. I wonder what people are thinking about me. And you know what? I would guess about half my friends are not people that I would choose in my current life. Sure, they’re great people. But we have our own lives. We’re not who we were at 16. And now that I’ve seen their baby’s pictures and been assured that they haven’t died of some horrible accident – my curiosity is satiated.

I’ve already set my security in such a way that I’m pretty hard to find. I block most applications (I have no garden, am on no mobs, won’t give flair). I won’t be friends with anyone I work with (they don’t need to know I’m swinging from a chandelier). I’ve kept it compartmentalized.

<like 2 minutes later>

I just did my first, and maybe only, prune and only got rid of 19 friends. Maybe I wasn’t as over-extended as I suspected. If I unfriended you and we really have a relationship (even if it’s all virtual) email me. I’ve been drinking. We might could get back together.

But really what is it with that damn application? Why is it so addictive?

1. the idea of communal candy bowl of unwrapped candies during flu season icks me out
2. when sharing pizza with co-workers I need to have the first piece out of the box – do you know where those other hands have been?
3. using a public restroom hearing a toilet flush, the stall door open and the bathroom door open without the water turning on first icks me out
4. when I have M&Ms I lay them out, sort them by color, eat one each of the colors where there are an odd number and then eat two at a time by color – brown first
5. I was told I was named after a street near the hospital I was born in, the nearest I can find is Santa Catherine 2 miles away
6. I failed my driver’s test the first time I took it, stalled out in an intersection and panicked
7. I’ve cried at one movie ever, that one with Christian Slater’s monkey heart

Thanks Pamela for the blog fodder. As for seven people to tag, how about if you’re reading this and you need help in the waning days of NaBloPoMo consider yourself tagged.

Hi, Haiku Friday
Did you miss me? Oh, don’t cry.
It’s NaBloPoMo

My local bloggy friend Renaissance Woman tagged me for a meme. Thank god. I need some material.

The rules are to answer the following questions in one word and then pass it on to seven others:

Where is your cell phone? table
Where is your significant other? upstairs
Your hair color? red
Your mother? distant
Your father? missing
Your favorite thing? latte
Your dream last night? nonexistent
Your dream/goal? peace
The room you’re in? dining
Your hobby? sleep
Your fear? lonliness
Where do you want to be in 6 years? blissful
Where were you last night? hot-tub
What you’re not? perfect
One of your wish-list items? side-board
Where you grew up? Colorado
The last thing you did? this
What are you wearing? sweats
Your TV? off
Your pet? resting
Your computer? on
Your mood? weary
Missing someone? no
Your car? red
Something you’re not wearing? smile
Favorite store? Target
Your summer? short
Love someone? yes
Your favorite color? pink
When is the last time you laughed? today
Last time you cried? dumb

Seven others? Wow. Okay …

Morgan
The Dayton Time
Sesquipedalian
Adventures on Brook Road II
Cacklin’ Rose
Taking What is Left
Donna Mills Diva

NylonThread at Tied to My Apron Strings tagged me for a food meme. Since I just gorged myself on excellent Indian fare, it seems like a good time to fulfill my Internet obligation.

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food – but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it.

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at Very Good Taste linking to your results.

My attempt at the VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal, no but I had “jungle curry” once and I regretted it for a few days
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

This list seems oddly biased toward the South. But whatever. I’m tagging my foody friend Becky at Hallo Leute, Joy at Obsessed with Scrapbooking, both ladies at FH Design and Tiff at Tiny Tyrant.

thought provoking words
will not be found here today,
I apologize

be distracted by
Wordle‘s pretty word picture
go make your own, now

Hat tip: What if No One’s Watching.

F. Scott Fitzgerald
named after Francis Scott Key
a great novelist

wrote a famous book
maybe you have heard of it?
it’s The Great Gatsby

writing book review
in form of a good haiku
proves harder than thought

Nick moves to West Egg
a neighbor of Jay Gatsby
no one knows him well

Jay has grand parties
Nick dutifully attends
Jay befriends Nick fast

Daisy is Nick’s kin
lives in East Egg with husband
husband has girlfriend

Tom, Daisy’s husband
visits girlfriend, brings Nick with
Nick does not like Tom

Jay loves Daisy much
always has but he was poor
left for war – good bye

Daisy was lonely
Tom was convenient to date
then they were married

Jay returns from war
Daisy is on honeymoon
sad Gatsby leaves town

fast forward five years
Gatsby wants to see Daisy
Nick is middle man

Tom diddles Myrtle
Gatsby wants to screw Daisy
Nick and Jordan fight

Daisy kills Myrtle
Tom is distraught, blames Gatsby
Daisy does not tell

Wilson has a gun
avenge wife’s murder by car
Gatsby is shot dead

no one comes to house
will not attend funeral
he’s buried alone

Tom and Daisy move
no forwarding address left
they are bad people

Jordan gets engaged
Nick Carraway turns thirty
not in that order

so often called the
great American novel
it was fine, the end

WrekeHavoc has bestowed on me the Arte y Pico award (seen to the left) because

i’m really digging her thought-provoking posts. you might, too

OH MAH GAWD, I am thought provoking! Do you feel smarter every day that you read me? You like, totally should. (I would go eat humble pie but Wii just told me my Wii Fit age is 44 and I AM NOT 44 – so no pie for me.)

I really am touched that someone thinks enough of the stuff I toss out there hoping it’ll stick that she sent me a creapy picture. And in true form, there are rules to be followed with this honor:

This award was created to be given to bloggers who inspire others with their creativity and their talents, and for contributing to the blogging world in whatever medium. When you receive this award it is considered a “special honor”. Once you have received this award, you are to pass it on to 5 others. What a wonderful way to show some love and appreciation to your fellow bloggers!

The rules for passing this honor on are..

1) Pick 5 blogs that you would like to award this honor to.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Arte y Pico” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award from Arte Y Pico.

My five nominees, in alphabetical order are:

1. Abbey at indulge*laugh*create
2. Amy W at A family Story
3. Catebrook at Adventures on Brook Road II
4. Joy at Obsessed with Scrapbooking
5. Kelsey at My Sweet Life

Each of these people bring sunshine and light to the blog-o-sphere. Honestly. Some are child-free, some are crafty (which I don’t do, but I appreciate other people doing), some are photo-centric, some I know IRL – but all of them are nice, nice. They are not mean girls. They make the world a better place, post by post.

So, to you five – you know the rules. And to Sher – thank you. My aged-beyond-my-years heart is bursting with pride.

really no secret
my abiding love of all
cute accessories

I’m not on FaceBook
followed Scrabulous scandal
Hasbro need not stress

Scrabble tiles have use
beyond twenty-eight point words:
squeezy and quartzy

extra Scrabble tiles
hang from clasped ribbon on neck
you can have one too

this one is mine
please choose a different one
so we won’t be twins

You remember when
I blogged about my cute kids?
Yeah, I don’t either

Now with no context
you must look at a picture
from two months ago

We both sit on couch
tv off, computers on
send IM, don’t talk

I wonder if all
dual-laptop couples are same?
We can’t be special

Today, a day off
will spend the day in the blue room
not just blog fodder