Cheesy Green Chile and Potato Chowder AKA Tonight's dinner

Tonight's dinner was a success! WOOOOT! I found an interesting recipe on pinterest.com this morning while waiting for mom to get through her testing for Carpal Tunnel (BTW,  hospital waiting rooms are boring as alllllll get out. UGH!)
Now, the original recipe calls for the use of bacon and bacon grease- disgusting! However, since 5 out of 6 members of this family are carnivorous eaters, I cooked off bacon and chopped it up, and then used it as a topping for their soup. I also utilized the wonderful addition of sour cream as a topping- delicious! Just to make it all come together, I put it all together in bread bowls from Panera. 

Here's the link to the original recipe; I followed the directions as they are written with the exception of the bacon and grease. I used a bit of olive oil to saute the veggies.
I also pan roasted the poblano peppers with olive oil in an iron skillet.

http://www.eatliverun.com/cheesy-green-chile-and-potato-chowder/

Hope you enjoy!!!!

Cheesy Green Chile and Potato Chowder

serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 poblano peppers

Olive Oil

1 large yellow onion, small diced

1 Red bell pepper, small diced

3 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 stalks celery, small diced

6 Carrot sticks, sliced

12-15 bacon slices, chopped 

2 tsp minced garlic

32 oz Vegetable Broth

several dashes of salt

3 cups milk

1/4 cup flour

2  cup (1 bag)  Mexican blend cheese {plus additional for serving}

thinly sliced green onions (full bunch)

Listen, you despicable old man

I've tried to deal with what you've done. I thought I was over it. Well- I'm not. The fact that you continue to wake up everyday, the fact that you are still capable of crawling of the festering ooze that has become your most recent resting place revolts me to my very core.

 I wish nothing for you other than disease and destruction. As you have become a rash in my life, so too do I wish such an abrasion in yours. I'm surprised you haven't gotten scars from all the bridges you set ablaze.

I am infuriated to tears when I think of how many good and wonderful people are in the world, dying every day of fatal diseases, and yet you are able to walk the earth as you please.

You have created quite a name for yourself, haven't you? Several, in fact. You hide behind every one of them, you deceitful cur. And yet, we all know who you are, every time. Each of your faces follows you, much like the path of brokenness and misery you leave in your wake. 

I look forward to watching your sandcastles dissolve. I long for the day when you are ruined and broken, when the world casts you out and rejects you- having finally realized how disgusting you really are- and you are forced into the darkness to die alone. 

Will somebody please think of the children('s theatre): A challenge

      It's time for theatres to start owning their surroundings. Whether you're a community theatre or a member of the theatre community, we all need to adopt our communities, installing ourselves further into the minds of those around us, starting with the minds of the children. I have written (and ranted) before of the importance of theatre in the lives of adolescents, but lately I've been hit with a revelation that saddens me. I noticed that more and more young people are being stripped of artistic education in their school systems. The opportunities to learn theatre, to sing in a choir, or play in the band- all of these- are vanishing. And this is unacceptable to me, honestly.
    Now, I understand that the schools are lacking in funding and they must make cuts. It's happened in the past. Theatre members should then be more pro-active in combating this issue. We should be in our communities, sharing our passions. We should be filling in the gap these cuts have made in their lives. Many of our groups use "education" in their mission statements, but how far are we really education? And who is truly growing as a result of our events/shows? This is all a thought process with which I'm still battling, but the concept is simple- we have to get out there and allow our young people the opportunity to see why theatre is still relevant to us and to them.
    Every year I work with local Headstart/preschool groups in bringing kids into RTP, talking about costumes, acting, lights, and make up. The kids get to parade on the stage, trying on dresses, hats, and an over sized turtle shell. We then perform a short skit for them to tie it all together. It isn't a huge deal; it takes place over the course of a couple of days. And yet, it matters. The children talk about it for weeks afterwards. And they come back for the children shows we stage. The parents and teachers are grateful for the experience each year, and I really love it. I guess it is a big deal, to me anyways.
I mention this because it's an example of something so simple but something that can make such an impact. Another activity I love is bringing Girl/Boy Scout groups in for dress rehearsals for the kids' shows. They get to see a show for free and earn their theatre badge,  and the cast gets a "test audience." A few times, after the show, I've taken the groups around the theatre, onstage and off, giving them a full view.
I wish I had more time and money (along with a doppelganger) to carry out the ideas I have for our great state... but I don't. So I feel compelled to challenge all of my theatre friends.
 My challenge is two-pronged:
1.) We need to identify where in our area young folks are lacking in education geared towards the performing arts.
2.) We then need to work towards sharing what keeps us going- our craft, our passions.

What's the saying? "If you build it, they will come?" If you build up an fun and educational program, whether it's classes, workshops, or a children's production, and share it, you'll find children craving this education.
(Can you tell this is a passion of mine?)

So. Who's up for the challenge?

    

There is no sanctity in American marriage

           ***I have yet to tie the knot. The main reason for this is because I am not so stable in my emotional maturity to guarantee that I can settle down and be faithful to one person for the rest of my life. I can’t do that- right now. Maybe some day. Maybe never. I don’t know. However, I do have eyes. And a brain. And I use all three. It’s like a magical power that is seldom used anymore. And because I use my brain, I am able to make the observations necessary to know that I am not fully prepared to get married, unlike some people.***

                      I am not a politically minded person. Until the past year or two, I didn’t really care about politics. Actually, it was not until people started utilizing the subjects of sexual orientation and female reproductive organs as platforms for candidacy that I really started to sit up straighter and pay closer attention.

            In this day and age, I am truly amazed anyone actually still has the gall to use the “sanctity of marriage” as a standing point for their arguments. Really? I mean, do we as Americans in this day and age actually give a flying flip about marriage and who is marrying whom? My original viewpoint had been this: If one person feels that they can suffer through another person’s idiosyncrasies and bad habits for the rest of their lives, living with them under one roof, and, at times, attempting to raise younger carbon copies of themselves, why would we fight it?

            Nowadays, however, this situation has found me to be more cynical and grossly fed up. We find ourselves in a society where common law marriage, premarital sex, and adultery are king. We laugh at them during our midday sitcoms. We know several people within our lives who deal with these situations as their everyday lifestyles. Heck, Maury would be out of a job if it weren’t for these lifestyles. Still, not even these people with these situations are what really tick me off. What really grinds my gears are the people who view marriage to have equal sanctity with that of a dying goldfish in a toilet bowl- Those dreadful people who find marriage to be so expendable that they are celebrating their 6^th marriage within a year of their 5^th divorce. THESE are the people that are ruining marriage in America. You cannot tell me that these are stable people. I know several individuals who have chosen to play this marriage game well into their older years, and have yet to stop. I imagine they will die at the altar or in court. Some people, I feel, cheat on their spouses just to get out of the marriage. And then, sometimes, they actually marry the person with whom they did the adulterous act. Talk about trust on both accounts! It goes back to that questionable stability I mentioned.

           

            Here’s another thought for you- if we are going to limit who can marry whom, we should also put a limit on how many times people get married. I thought maybe three times, and then their locked in for life, spending the rest of their time trying to figure out how to kill the other person and making it look like an accident. I’m serious. To say that homosexuals are the reason behind the corruption of marriage in the world today is an absolute joke. Period. I find it hilarious that the people who are taking this idea and making giant campaigns for their causes haven’t actually caught on yet. Maybe we should fix what is already broken before we attempt to sever bonds that have yet to be formed. 

            Oh, and for those of you who make fun of those Sister Wives people? Yeah, screw you. Those dudes can stay married to multiple women for X amount of years and yet we’ve got people who can’t stay married to ONE person for more than 10? You won’t catch me making another Mormon marriage joke. 

Insomniac poem

My heart is heavy with the pains that my insomnia brings. 
And one thing I can't help but wonder is what I would be doing in my dreams. 
And if I were to dream, I wonder if it would involve you and me.
And if I dreamed of you and me, would that me sad or happy?
See, lately, I've been thinking of the things you've never said to me.
These things you may not ever say, or never think to say or sing.
And so I sit and think, for I fear to dream...
Because I fear I'd dream of you and me.

.fly, songbird, fly.

Appealing to your arrogance 
is the only way you'll ever see me.
Your songbird style never stops
causing my heart to bleed.
And yet
I let you keep on singing your song,
I let it plant its seeds in my brain,
in my heart.
And I let you smile on your way,
causing me to tear apart.


And I just want to scream
Fly, songbird, fly
by and by.
Don't take my heart 
when you leave.


But all I want is for you to
sing, songbird sing.
Dream, songbird, dream.
And take my heart
and never leave.


I keep holding onto you, 
praying you're grasping 
for me too. 
I keep bringing up the past
hoping the memories will make
these precious moments last.
Shading me in your wings, 
I never know what you will sing.


Which is why I just want you to
fly, songbird, fly
by and by.
Don't take my heart
when you leave.


But all I want is for you to
sing, songbird, sing, 
Dream, songbird, dream.
And take my heart and never leave.

.The diva is doomed.

The diva surrounds herself
with friends and emotion,
always fearing time spent alone,
for there the truth finds her.
The diva smiles for the crowd
But below the act,
Below the diva's stage,
her foundation is crumbling.
The diva covers her pain and troubles
with makeup and band-aids.
The diva's unrelenting ability to destroy
is her downfall.
The diva is tortured by the demons
she has created.
The diva has no room for clothes
in her closet, full of skeletons.
The diva has compromised her life,
her emotions,
her relationships.
The diva is now haunted by her mistakes,
yet continues to fail her loved ones.
One day the diva will discover true loneliness.
She will discover the bottom of the empty bottle.
No script will save her speech
when all charisma is sucked away from her eyes.
No role will spare her from real emotion.
No revival will save the diva's soul.

.I'm angry.

I'm angry.
I'm angry because you keep bringing me down.
I'm angry because I wasn't good enough for you.
I'm angry because you didn't give me a chance.
I'm angry because you suck at decision making.
I'm angry because you're an idiot.
I'm angry because I don't feel like I've won.
I'm angry because I you make me feel second best.
I'm angry because I feel used.
I'm angry because I'm not good enough for you.
I'm angry because you keep disappointing me.
I'm angry because I can't get over this pain.
I'm angry because I can't really smile. 
I'm angry because I have no hope.
I'm angry because I can't win.
I'm angry because I'll never be good enough for you. 

My name is Taaaaaah-reeeeeee-aaaaaaah

*This blog is in response to a blog post by one of my past theatre dads, Doug Whaley: http://douglaswhaley.blogspot.com/2012/05/naming-your-baby-some-mistakes-to-avoid*

   Tahrea.
 I've been called Tara, Tiara (my cousin's name, btw), Teresa, Tahera- every obscure or thinkable configuration of T's, A's, and R's imaginable. "No, it's Teresa without the S." "Maria with a T." Some people just don't get it. So many times I've been told it's an "ethnic" name or a "black girl's" name (racist, I know).  After pronouncing it twice and spelling it out, I then have to explain its origin, 1st Chronicles 9:41. THEN I have to explain that Tahrea (or Tarea, as it's spelled in 1st Chronicles 8:35) was a son of Ahaz, and that, YES, it is a guy's name. *sigh*
   I used to hate my name so much when I was a kid. I hated that it was one more thing that seemed to add to my being unpopular and different from my peers. Middle school was particularly painful. It wasn't until I became a young adult that I realized how awesome it was to be such an individual. I now dread the thought of finding another Tahrea in the world, lol. It's my name. The great thing about my name, haha, is that even if you can't remember how to pronounce it, you know it's different. When we meet again, it's in your head, somewhere. After the first or second time, it's stuck. And that makes me unforgettable. And I'm ok with that. :o)

Oh! I forgot to mention the songs. OH, the songs..... Just replace Maria and you have my childhood.....

And my sister figured this one out several years ago. heh. Clever kid. Sometimes.
(My sister, JUNIA. Jew-knee-ah. Same rant, different Bible verse. At least her namesake was a chick. Google that one.)

Today brought in the Newspaper Man (An original writing.)

I wrote this in 2009. 
__________________________
Today brought in the newspaper man.
He seemed kinda down as I poured him a round,
and he looked at me and said,
"I've had nothing to write since they stopped their
fights.
No more guns, no more war.No more rich or poor.
They settle their differences, nothing worth fighting
for.
No more wealth or fame, which are said to cause pain.
And you won't find conviction, and no drug addictions.
Everyone gets high on life.
You'll be hard pressed to find a guy who's stressed
and finds it neccessary to cheat on his wife.
And the children, it seems, have no reason to scream,
save a few playground games.
I'm no longer too criticial of thoughts political, and
the crooks that used to run their schemes.
The government is now a sentiment, and men can really
live their dreams.
No newborn religion or cult-like divisions.
The country's a bit more centered on the hope of
peace and love (though it's all a bit obscure to me.)
And old baptist preachers and other like leaders
are finding it easier to collect their believers.
No one believes it is fun to deceive or attempt any
wrong in any way...
No, it seems, my friend, there's no good news today."

Green Eggs, NO ham: My Easter discovery

 After church, I came home and I was BORED. SO BORED. So I began experiment on an Easter tradition- Deviled Eggs. The results were green. :o)

Ingredients:

7 hard-boiled eggs, peeled


1 ripe avocado


1/2 tsp lime juice


1 Tbsp finely minced red onion


2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro


A few dashes of Tabasco sauce


A few dashes of Pepper and Salt

Directions:

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the yolks and put into a medium bowl. Put egg halves onto a platter and put into the fridge.



With a fork, crumble up the egg yolks. Cut avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop out the inside from both halves and add it to the egg yolks. With a spoon, mix well, until the yolks and avocado are creamy. Add lime juice and mix well. Add red onion, cilantro, Tabasco, pepper and salt. Mix well to combine.



Remove egg halves from the fridge. Scoop avocado yolk mixture into the egg halves. You can garnish each egg with cilantro. Serve immediately as avocado will brown. 


(The flavor is much like guacamole. Try it!!!) :o)

The next great veggie adventure for Tahrea

As I delve deeper into the world of vegetarianism, I realize I have reached a plateau in my endeavors. I've reached the goals I had previously set. Or so I thought. For the past couple of years, I have said that I wanted to grow my own garden, planting various veggies and fruits that I eat on a regular basis.... buuuut I haven't really gotten around to so much as looking at a spade or hoe or whatever thingamajig one uses to create a garden (Yeah, I'm giggling because I said "hoe"). Within the last week, I revisited the idea and I haven't been able to really get it off of my mind. With that constant nagging feeling also came a sort of paranoia and annoyance with food cost (along with the cost of everything else) on the rise. I am infuriated that vegetables cost more than junk food, and that no one (in our government or in any of the institutions that were created to help us be healthy and eat safe and well inspected foods) really cares at all for our health and safety. I am tired of the growing fear of consuming a fruit or vegetable that might be contaminated, or that my father will keel over with E. coli, carried by a partially cooked patty of meat. BUT I digress...

SO, my first step is to establish where on the land I will plant said garden. Since it's almost spring and I think we may be in the clear as far as frost goes, I need to act fast. I will be doing some gardening research and taking advice from viable resources, and documenting the journey. :o)

Let's see how green my thumbs can be, shall we?

 http://www.ehow.com/how_6696690_plant-garden-central-ohio.html
http://squarefoot.creatingforum.com/t5373-planting-calendar-for-central-ohio
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1603.html

My lunch today and a little insight

After church, I was so hungry. I was tempted to hurl myself into the first Fast Food drive thru line for some fries or a sad excuse for a salad. However, I was strong. I waited until I got home. And I rummaged through the fridge and cabinets and found my lunch there. It was so delicious, I wanted to share it. :o)

I gathered some asparagus, potatoes, a garlic clove, and about a 1/6 of an onion (the onion was sliced up from a previous meal). 

After that, chopped up the onion and garlic, and threw them in some Olive Oil over the stove. While they got all hot and sizzly, I chopped the asparagus in thirds and sliced up the potatoes. Then I threw them in the skillet and started to stir the lot up.

 

I added some Black Pepper To the mix and stir/tossed it about for bit. 

I like 'em to be crispy, so I ended up getting some black spots where they had burnt, lol. 

I then placed some of the veggies on a plate and, just to experiment, I sprinkled some Feta Cheese on top (I love Feta). I had a mandarin orange on the side, just 'cause. :o)

So many times people ask me what it is  I eat, since I'm a vegetarian, and I laugh at them. There is more to this world than meat, processed foods, fast food, and pop (or soda). I'm not trying to sound all high and mighty, holier-than-thou, but there is something to be said for finding alternative means of feeding and fueling yourself. Someone once shared with me the phrase "We eat to live; we do not live to eat." It sad but I know that there are people out there in this world who do live to eat, for whatever reason. I feel sorry for those people. 

     I know it is a pain to have to prepare a meal or a dish when you know a vegetarian is in the room. I can suck to have to put with a vegetarian, especially those who do it for animal rights. They are the worst! I did it for my health, and to challenge myself. I suddenly found myself at a point in my life where I had just cut a major meat eater out of my life and I was looking for a healthier lifestyle for myself. Vegetarianism was something in which I had always been interested and that was the perfect time to try it. Almost two years later, I don't regret it. I have lost a significant amount of weight and I look forward to losing more as I gain more insight on how to eat better. 

Inflation, deflation, inflammation, and pride

   I am dealing with challenges in almost every facet of my life. I know that as humans in general, we all go through ups and downs. My life has just decided to take a couple of months' worth of time and coast on down hill, with few peaks but several turns and loops. That's just how it feels. Part of me feels I am just allowing the negative aspects of my daily life bog me down so much that I can't lift my head long enough to enjoy the positive things.

    What is so hard to admit is that I am learning, which means that the things that are frustrating me are kinda beneficial. Through the struggle of a (too) long distance relationship, I am learning to appreciate the time I have with my beloved. I am also learning to be patient for things to fall into place so that we can reach our goals together. SO painful. Another painful lesson I am learning is humility. As an actor, I am in a constant battle within myself to, well, not be so.... arrogant. It is a terrible and ugly (albeit not so surprising) truth, but most actors have a certain level of what I call "awareness and pride of one's abilities." Great euphemism, right? Well, within the past year, I had planned with one of my dear theatre friends, a director, to do a production with a local theatre company. This production was to be a pivotal one in which I was to have the lead role. I studied this play- read (AND edited) the script, and listened to a recording of the script. I advertised about the production via word of mouth and facebook. The director (We'll call him Fred) has asked me to co-produce the production as well, so I had started recruiting actors, attempting to gather a stellar cast. And then... disaster. Through email correspondence, I found that Fred had to pull out from this production due to personal reasons. Because of this, the board enforced the rule that everyone who wanted to be involved in the production had to audition. I had no stake, no claim. Every stitch of work was dissolved and diminished. I was furious and hurt. I had received no forewarning on Fred's situation and decision before receiving any of the emails. I was/am forced to realize that our brain child and growing creation was/is no longer ours. After this initial shock, I then began a strain of thoughts: I am no longer guaranteed this role. I have to audition for it, along with whomever else will hear about it within the next few months. This theatre company may have something against me or Fred for this entire situation, which means I probably have a snowball's chance in Arizona to get this part, which means I am most assuredly doomed to spend that time I set aside (keep in mind that I based my entire year around this production) miserable, knowing that I wasn't good enough to get the role I was originally promised. (Along with arrogance, a lot of actors are bogged down by low self-esteem. This girl is no exception.) Embittered, I allowed these thoughts to spin and whirl around, leading me to thoughts of arrogance, appalled at the thought that someone would think that I, of ALL PEOPLE, would be less than perfect for this role. GIRL, PLEASE! After these moments of stricken pride, I had a realization that hurt worse. For years I have criticized theatres that run on favoritism, nepotism, and exclusivity. In these theatres, there is no "community" but rather a secluded commune of people who are self-centered and focused more on stroking egos and satisfying their own needs than educating and including the general public. I realized that by being given this role and by collecting a cast of the past year, rather than potentially winning the director over with my honest audition, I risked being chastised and receiving the same criticisms. Fred and I decided on this production together and he immediately instated me as the lead role. I didn't work for it. My ego was stroked. I was puffed up more than a marshmallow in the microwave. And then I popped like a balloon against a textured ceiling. 

*sigh* Even though my BIG moment was potentially ripped away from me (hyperbole... kinda), I feel better knowing that if I am cast in the desired role, it will be because I earned it. And, after the dramatic "woe is me" mentality faded away, I was able to realize that the studying and line memorizing I drilled myself through over the past year will help me when it comes time to go through the sides during the audition. HEY! Was that a positive thought I just had? :o)

The greatest ministry tool ever!

Are you having trouble winning souls?

 Is your tabernacle a bit empty?

 And don't you just hate those vacant spots  in the pews? 

Are the old ministry gimmicks just not cutting it?

DON'T FEAR! 

I HAVE A SOLUTION!

HATE! 

Yes, HATE! 

Hate is a tried and true method, fail-proof and solid. 

Got an ornery Buddhist worshiping an Elephant? 
Throw a rock in his face!

Boys holding hands with other boys?
OFF with their heads! 

Non-denominational?
Pick a side, brother! 

Hate your enemy! Be mean to those who mistreat you! 

Kill the sinner, hate the sin!

You'll be winning sheep to your flock in no time!

HATEHATEHATE!

What would Jesus do? 

Don't be a Nancy boy! Hate them all!

Other people claim that goodness and love win others over. I say SHUT UP! 

Hate!

Act now, and you can throw in IGNORANCE and CLOSE-MINDEDNESS!