Children worshipping a lizard god at a rave.

So lazy...

I find myself with a lot of free time on my hands lately. 

I've finished with all of my prerequisites for nursing school.  I'm waiting to see if I'm accepted.  It is so competitive that I'm worried that I won't get in.  Sure I have one of the highest scores in the pre-entrance exam and a 3.9, but the stupid point system at the school doesn't really factor in good grades.  It gives a lot of points for currently working in the medical field.  A student working as a receptionist in a doctor's office with a 2.5 and a low score would have priority over me.  I don't know what I will do if I'm not accepted.  The deadline was March 1st and I still haven't heard anything.  It makes me nervous. 

On the days that I don't work, I find that I waste all of my time.  I think about productive things, but do none of them.  Today, I watched movies, made dinner, did dishes and that was it.  There's got to be more to life than this.

RuPaul's Drag Race

I hate reality shows, but I really think RuPaul's Drag Race is fun.  It has an element of corniness, intended or not, that I love.  The drag queens have a task to perform every week.  They are then judged by a panel.  The panel actually doesn't do anything other than advice RuPaul, who makes the final decision of who is in the bottom two.  The bottom two must then LIPSYNCH FOR THEIR LIFE.  They make it super dramatic.  It makes me giggle everytime.  

Little Greg and I have favorites too.  One of our favorites was Tammie, but she got canned the second week.  She was a little bit odd and is more of a Bette Davis-type than a Beyonce-type.  When I say "odd", I really mean "a little crazy", but just enough to make the show interesting.  Here's her little interview.  She enjoys cleaning and chanting, whatever that means.

Under-employed

So, I recently switched jobs to one of the "premiere" casinos in town.  I got hired part time with the un-guaranteed promise of getting at least three days a week.  That's was fine by me because three days a week pays the same as a full week at my previous place because of the increase in tips.   I also thought this would be good for school and my sanity. 

Everything was working out great...until... Apparently, there is some sort of economic crisis going on.  You wouldn't know it listening to the news.  Anyway, the casinos were feeling it, but they were doing fine.  Except, it just keeps getting worse and worse.  Suddenly, business is very, very slow.  Tips are running half of what they were.  It is so slow that they have cut me down to two days a week.  On those days, they send me home early, because I'm not a full time employee.  I'm getting about 10 - 14 hours a week. 

On top of that, I bought my house at the peak of the housing bubble.  I'm seriously underwater and overpaid to the tune of $100,000 or so.  (I bought it for $220,000 and now it is worth $120,000).  However, because I don't think I have a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loan and because I was responsible and said "no" to an ARM, I don't qualify for any financial help from the housing bailout.  Because I quit my last job and took a part time job, I do not qualify for unemployment benefits, nor am I able to find a job here.  The unemployment rate is officially 10% in Vegas, but experts estimate that it is more like 20%.  A 7-11 opening easily gets 200 applicants before noon.

I hate when real life intersects my own.

Under-employed

So, I recently switched jobs to one of the "premiere" casinos in town.  I got hired part time with the un-guaranteed promise of getting at least three days a week.  That's was fine by me because three days a week pays the same as a full week at my previous place because of the increase in tips.   I also thought this would be good for school and my sanity. 

Everything was working out great...until... Apparently, there is some sort of economic crisis going on.  You wouldn't know it listening to the news.  Anyway, the casinos were feeling it, but they were doing fine.  Except, it just keeps getting worse and worse.  Suddenly, business is very, very slow.  Tips are running half of what they were.  It is so slow that they have cut me down to two days a week.  On those days, they send me home early, because I'm not a full time employee.  I'm getting about 10 - 14 hours a week. 

On top of that, I bought my house at the peak of the housing bubble.  I'm seriously underwater and overpaid to the tune of $100,000 or so.  (I bought it for $220,000 and now it is worth $120,000).  However, because I don't think I have a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loan and because I was responsible and said "no" to an ARM, I don't qualify for any financial help from the housing bailout.  Because I quit my last job and took a part time job, I do not qualify for unemployment benefits, nor am I able to find a job here.  The unemployment rate is officially 10% in Vegas, but experts estimate that it is more like 20%.  A 7-11 opening easily gets 200 applicants before noon.

I hate when real life intersects my own.

Barbecue Ribs

I was quite scared to make my own Barbecue Ribs.  I'm very picky about what type of ribs I like.  In fact, I pretty much like ribs from two places.  One such place is the Sugarhouse Barbecue Company in Salt Lake City and the other is Famous Dave's (large chain).  So, making my own, without a smoker, seemed doomed for failure.

They however, came out great.  First, I bought spare pork ribs from Costco.  They cost a lot less than baby back ribs and they come as baby back ribs with a large portion of boneless meat attached.  This large portion of boneless meat needs to be cut off and saved.  They make the best pork steaks you've ever had.  Then there is a cartilage filled portion that needs to be cut off and discarded.   That leaves you with just the ribs.   

Take these ribs and rub them with whatever you can think of rubbing on them.  I put minced garlic, salt, and peper.  I have since learned, the more the better.  I think next time I'll rub on some chile powder, season-all, paprika, thyme, and whatever meat seasoning I can find.  I then wrapped them (half rack at a time) in tin foil and put them in a 300 degree F oven on a lipped cookie sheet for two and a half hours.

After that, I took them out, unwrapped them, and let them cool for 10 minutes.  Then they went on the grill for about 5 minutes per side, brushing them with Barbeque sauce while on the grill.  I just put them on until they got a little burned on the outside, just the way I like it.  I used Famous Dave's Devil Spit Barbecue Sauce that they had at my local grocery store. 

I think they might have benefited by putting on the rub and letting them sit overnight in the fridge to absorb some of the flavor.  Or perhaps add a little liquid smoke.  However, as a first attempt, I was quite happy.

The world needs more cookies

From peaseblossom via mkhobson 

"The world needs more cookies."

So, the first five people who respond to this post will get a batch of cookies made by me and brought (or sent) to their house sometime in 2009...

as long as they repost this in their journal.

Those of you who don't bake could still participate by promising on your journal to order cookies online or ship a box of Milanos or something.

Because the world needs more cookies.

Amen, sistah. I've got the new mixer and I know how to use it. Who needs cookies?