Viva la Revolution!

Here is a picture my French friend sent to me of the marches that are occuring in her city (and in which she is participating). When she was staying with me several years ago, we took her to a peace rally here (it was right before the war in Iraq) and on the same day, there was a smaller rally at the statehouse to decriminalize same-sex sex (of course, we were eventually helped with the Supreme Court ruling shortly thereafter). Anyway, my French friend on one of her first days in the country was in a picture on the front page of our local newpaper marching with us. Apparently, the current protests over there are quite larger than is reported; she hasn't worked for 3 weeks en solidarite'. She's my little Revolutionary resistance fighter and I couldn't be more proud.

Red beans and rice

So tonight, we went over to a friend's place for dinner and I decided to make red beans and rice. The gal hosting it is from Louisiana so she was all over it and I have our cajun family recipe. Here you go:

Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

1 lb of Camilla brand red kidney beans (dry beans)
2 Tbs bacon grease (yes, I know)
1 medium yellow onion
1 sm can of diced green chilies
1/2 lb of pork tasso (or you can substitute andouille sausage b/c tasso is hard to find)
Tony Chachere's seasoning to taste

Thoroughly wash beans, then place in big pot and add water until it's about 2 inches above the beans. Add bacon grease and bring to a boil. Add in pork and Tony's seasoning to taste (be careful b/c it's very salty, a few shakes is all you need) and turn to low, cover and let simmer 1.5 hours. Then add the onions and chilies, cook on low another 1.5 hours. Serve over cooked white rice with buttered and toasted french bread sprinkled with garlic salt. Le Bon Temps Roule!

Reason # 367

Or why opposites attract:

Recently, one of the Agent's older female friends went to a concert (she won some tix) by a certain female singer and got backstage passes. The Agent was quite jealous; her friend reciprocated by having said singer sign a poster to give to the Agent. Soon, this poster will be hanging on some wall in close proximity, work or home office, not sure. Historical tidbit: My mom had this singer's 8-track tape and we used to listen to it on our stereo console player. Current fact: The Agent is two years younger than I am.

Who is this mystery singer? I wish I were kidding.

Now, listen, if this were someone else similar, you'd hear no complaints from me. I like cheese. But I have to draw the line somewhere in contemporary times and say enough is enough. And, frankly, enough is enough is enough is enough...

Coup de Ville

Perhaps you might be wondering what I've been doing the last month. Perhaps, instead, you've been wondering where you've misplaced your keys. Or maybe you have March Madness. Perhaps you have been working hard in your cubicle or office, doing very important things, maybe even saving the world, but deep down, if you let yourself think about it, you know you are pushing proverbial paper in the never-ending quest to make life matter, to find meaning in your daily existence, to know that you are doing something, anything, to pass the time between birth and death in such a way as to make waking a pleasure, or at least not a burden, and maybe it's just the simple joy of breathing or rather, the inevitable act of breathing that keeps you moving forward towards something or nothing, depending upon your viewpoint. In the end, it matters not the particulars. A great big Oooohhhmmmm, if you will. No beginning, no end.

But wait! Hark! There was a beginning and there now, finally, is an end! Infinity reborn! Reading this has occupied my last month and I hope it will yours as well. Six +/- years is but a short flicker of time to wait for the planets to align and my hero, Miss V, to complete her masterpiece. Enjoy!