Sage's Journal

[CactusFlower]

At least onions are good for you! This is fried, so maybe not as much, but it's addictive. The restaurant I go to fries them a little more golden than the pic in this article: https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/chinese-scallion-pancakes/

I think for Americans, "pancake" confuses people as we tend to think of that generally as the sweet syrup-covered ones for breakfast. But this has a dough and is fried in a pan, so I can see why they translated it like that. It's crispy and chewy at the same time, and each wedge is utterly addictive with a couple drops of soy sauce and red chili oil(if you want that) on it. It's thin and not super filling, so it makes a great appetizer to share. I actually had a frozen brand from the int'l grocery store once that was really tasty, but I don't recall the brand, sorry. Also, I call them green onions. I think scallions might be either a regional or generally european term for those. They're the long skinny ones that are often used as garnish as well. This is a nice treat because it has flavor, but the onions aren't overpowering. Highly recommend!

Check back for the picture to show up, I snagged the photo off my restaurant's website. There's no location info on it, but it'll show you how they fry it well.

[Armee]

Oh yummy! Thanks for posting. Similar to a korean pancakes too. Pajeon. https://mykoreankitchen.com/korean-seafood-and-green-onion-pancakes-haemul-pajeon/

Now I want to make some...

[rainydiary]

I appreciate you sharing - it looks and sounds tasty!

[CactusFlower]

Well, that was interesting. I finally got through the phone call with the company contracted by my insurance to help people work with Social Security, as I might qualify for supplemental income. Gosh, that would help a lot. Still, hour and a HALF on the phone! and that was just their interview, they have to submit everything to the SSA and then they'll have an interview, etc. Whew what a process. I'm tired just from that.

[BeeKeeper]

I am drooling over those pancakes! Thanks for the great shot in the arm.

Whoa, you were contacted, out of the blue, (sorta) about qualifying for SSI? A-MAZING. Sure, all those conversations are well over an hour, but hey! That's one less hour and a half you have to invest later. I definitely understand the fatigue. Whether I went in person or talked on the phone, I made notes of all the interactions and keep them in my "AGENCY" folder. It comes in handy.

So, tomorrow, you're off and away. If I had a little hankie, I've wave it for you, Since I don't the sentiment will have to do. Remember charging cords. Have a fun time.

[Hope67]

Hi Cactusflower,
That is great news about your application process.   
Hope 

[CactusFlower]

Application: Not really out of the blue. The company is one that works with insurance companies to help people get on things like SSI and SSDI. I used to work for an insurance company, so I'm fortunately very familiar with the process. Now I'm just waiting to receive the consent forms and such in the mail and send them back so they can send the application to the SSA. They'll likely want their own interview, etc.

Road Trip: I have to laugh. It was a wash, and yet it wasn't. So we went to the petroglyph site but didn't really see many because the trail is NOT as "accessible" as was claimed. But I did get 3 or 4 pictures of some small ones and the area was utterly gorgeous.  It was very very quiet and had a very spiritual and peaceful feeling to it. It was lovely to just sit there in the fresh air and listen to the wind and desert sounds. I did see 3 or 4 of our cute little local lizards, and several butterflies. Then we headed to some apple farms.... But every one of them had closed fruit stands! Google said they were open. Grr. LOL  But, again, a beautiful drive and pretty area. We did stop at one place that grew pistachios, but their gift shop was way overpriced. Although my BFF did buy some pistachio fudge for me, LOL. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure it's good. Even though our goals didn't pan out, we utterly love just driving as he loves to drive, and I love to go along. It's the company that makes it wonderful. Yeah, sitting in a car that long is hard and I have to recuperate the next day, but it was worth it.

Today, I indulged a little. I made tea and toast and watched Saturday Morning cartoons on Disney + for a couple hours. (old Duck Tales episodes, to be exact) I'm actually very impressed. There was a disclaimer before the episodes explaining that these old cartoons had stereotypes and misrepresentations of peoples/cultures. It then explained that you should discuss that with your kids because it was wrong then and is wrong now.  And wow, I didn't realize how pervasive that old stuff was. They had a Spanish dude in South America dressed like a conquistador, ordering the "savages" around, and his name was Joaquin Slowly. I was just sitting there going "Wow.... really? wow."  But watching cartoons on Saturday was a fun thing to do for a couple hours.

[BeeKeeper]

Sage,

YIKES! Here I am thinking, hey! She's supposed to be on a great trip!

I worked for insurance too, but land title, however did interview for a disability examiner back when. Interesting stuff, they "tested" me with behavioral questions to see if I'd get exasperated. Anyway, glad to know you're waiting and not striving.

Oh that ticks me off about the accessibility stuff, really truly. And those closed farm stands as well as stores. (Stamping feet and having a tantrum!) Congrats on watching the cartoons, I've come across the same stuff, and was equally surprised, but my faves are Bullwinkle & Rocky, not too much stereotyping until we get to Boris and Natasha. I'm glad you were able to take the disappointment of the trip in stride, and allow yourself recovery time and activities. I have yet to develop that kind of resilience, any change throws me right off.

When I first read your post, "We utterly love just driving as he loves to drive, and I love to go along" my mind substituted "sing" along because that was a heart lifting activity, until it wasn't. It had more to do with the driver. Just wondering if you do sing with your BFF sometimes on your drives?

[CactusFlower]

AHAHAHAHAHAH!  I love to sing, but he can't carry a tune in a bucket and doesn't even try. It's something we joke about. I'm a second soprano and have chorus experience, he's not even that interested usually in listening to a lot in the car. He doesn't mind on the occasions I do. When I and my bro are in the car, we do tend to sing to the radio a lot because we listen to a local station that's mostly 80's and 90's but quite eclectic, so there's stuff we both grew up with. At home, I love to sing along with my video playlists, but I keep it to daytime or weekend evenings as I have close neighbors.

Were they hoping you'd get frustrated, or seeing how much it takes to mess you up? I must admit, I'm nervous about their judgement.

[BeeKeeper]

You just brightened my day, all of 45 minutes old! Tell me more about the choral experience, and maybe choose 5 musicians that bring on the good feelings.

If you have close neighbors, nobody's stopped you yet, you might interpret that as THEY ENJOY IT!

[CactusFlower]

Aw, thank you.  Experience... I was in Madrigal chorus in high school, where I had a great teacher and found I was a second soprano. (Madrigal is  mostly medieval and renaissance music, often in other languages.) Later in life, I was part of the Denver Women's Chorus for a few years. (ok for location as I haven't lived in that state for quite some time.) I also did some musical theater in school and have always loved to sing. I love music in general and can pretty much find a song for any mood. I do have a playlist on youtube that can cheer me up most days, I just call it "positivity". It's got things like Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop the Feeling", Mika's "Big Girls are Beautiful", etc. My chorus teachers were wonderful and taught proper technique, so part of why I fear sometimes being too loud is I project without thinking about it .

5 Musicians.... Well, I have really good memories of a car full of friends and we were all singing along to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", just like in Wayne's World. I've always appreciated Queen. (first rock band where all members had college degrees.) I have some Irish heritage, so I appreciate that by listening to the Chieftains, and have been lucky enough to see them in concert. Mom instilled a love of folk music in me, so I'd have to add another group who I've been to their reunion tour, the Chad Mitchell Trio. Fourth - I can listen to the "Here for Your Entertainment" album by Adam Lambert for hours. That boy is so incredibly talented. There's a reason Queen chose him to be on their tour. Lastly, my favorite band ever who I've seen in concert 7 times in my life, they're Canadian folk rock from Newfoundland. Well, they went their separate ways amicably after the 20th anniversary album, but Great Big Sea! And yes, they have one song about hockey. Highly recommend their stuff, they're amazing.

Thank you, that was a really good exercise. It's nice to think of the positives.

[BeeKeeper]

Sage,

Your answer blew me away! There's a lot there, in experience, kinds of music, innate love, technique and of course Queen! Any one of those things would take a separate journey down the musical lane. Thank you so much for giving me a lot to think about. You're appreciation of your teachers, and discoveries along the way are inspiring (off the chart!)

After I got my cochlear implant in 2017, it was a new experience learning how to hear with it, especially music. In 2018, I attended my college program put on my the performing arts department. Their focus? Queen! I attended and cried in the front row. Not only was it energetic, but also the first "live" concert I'd attended in 50 years! What a life changer! Eventually, I found my way to web music and now have several hundred songs organized neatly in playlists.

I would love to be your neighbor.

[CactusFlower]

Awww, thank you! I told my Therapist Monday about your question and my answer, and she really liked it as a way to remember the little things that make us happy in life. Maybe I can incorporate more lists like that. I'm pretty bad at keeping up "daily" tasks, but maybe something weekly in a journal. See, you're inspiring too!

[CactusFlower]

Still here. Been trying to reset the time I go to sleep as I have that PT/OT eval on Thursday, which means I have to get up at 6:30. Yuck. Gotta be done. Still find that I can't bring myself to sleep with the door open.

Ironic that I spoke of liking the Chieftains as a band recently. Apparently the lead singer passed away yesterday. Paddy Moloney was 83. The times I got to see them in concert are all the more precious now. Sometimes I think I must now know how previous generations felt, when I see a bunch of musicians and actors and go, "Uh... who?" and the ones I liked start to die off. It's a weird sensation.

Today actually felt like October. Chilly winds, I'm wearing the cardigan I crocheted, and finally have on my warm socks. I'm all stocked up on tea and my bro made an INCREDIBLE chocolate cake totally from scratch a couple days ago. Like, I am impressed with this cake. LOL Next laundromat trip will be including sweatshirts and robes and such. Snuggly soft stuff. As a positive, it's finally cool enough that I may try that weighted blanket soon.

[BeeKeeper]

Hey Sage,

I "feel" the yuck of getting up at 6:30, the sadness of a learning a favorite musician has died and the cool October vibes. A huge cheer for your Brother who braved obstacles to make that cake! I've NEVER done that. Laundry still scares me, but with sweats, and robes, you don't need to guess at the time. An hour or more.

It makes a lot of sense to adjust your sleep time for tomorrow. I wish you well.