So much to write about!

I have been sick since Thursday. I think a mild stomach flu. But since everyone in my lab (or their children or spouses) has been sick with major stomach flus recently I wasnt taking any chances. I finally feel like I am going to recover and am at work for at least the majority of the day today. Yay! I hate when being sick ruins a weekend though. I left my house Thursday to walk to work, got halfway there and decided that I did not want to spend the day throwing up in my work bathroom so I walked back home and then didnt leave my apartment until yesterday morning. So yeah, fun times.

As for a quick life update, my parents are officially (as of Friday) the owners of two boats! The closing went through and there you have it. We are all going down to Annapolis this weekend to check her out, start working on her etc. Very exciting.

Ok, first off, movies:
Rachel Getting Married (2008). Basic story: Girl (Kym played by Anne Hathaway) is released from rehab and goes home to her family in the midst of her sister's (Rachel played by Rosemarie DeWitt) wedding-preparation. Not a comedy! This was one I added in my attempt to try to see the major Oscar nominees (Anne Hathaway for Leading Actress). This is not The Princess Diaries' Anne Hathaway. This isn't even Devil Wears Prada Anne Hathaway. She is fantastic. She really is. That being said, I could not relate to a single character in this movie. (This is also Matty's main complaint) It is probably good that I can't relate because these are some fairly dysfuncational characters. And I do not in any way think that this is a fault of the actor's or the movie at all really. But, as I have mentioned in the past, it makes it difficult for me to really enjoy a drama when I have no emotional connection to anyone. But the movie is really well done, the story is interesting, I would recommend it, but am not gushing over it.


The Road to Guantanamo (2006). Part drama, part documentary focussing on the Tipton Three, 3 British Muslims held at Guantanamo Bay for 2 years without being charged. Essentially 1 of the three goes to Pakistan to find a wife in late September 2001, the other 2 and another friend go to Pakistan for his wedding that October. While in Pakistan they decide to check out the situation in nearby Afghanistan which is being bombed by the US in response to 9-11. While there they are captured and end up in Gitmo even though they have no ties to the Taliban or Al Qaeda. I think the film was very well done and certainly paints a bad picture of the way the US does (or at least did) things. And what Pakistan and Afghanistan were like in those early months of fighting. But some major questions are left unanswered in my mind. I dont want to spell them out since I think it might take away from the movie. But I think you would have similar questions. I would recommend seeing it, but not putting it very high on my list of must-sees.

Books.
Ok, so I mentioned that I have been sick right? So that means I get to read whatever I want right? Right?! Ok, so I have been completely sucked in by the Twilight books. If any of you pay any attention to my little Goodreads thing on the sidebar you might notice that it takes me FOREVER to get through a book. So I started Twilight last Sunday night. I finished Thursday. I had Matty pick me up New Moon on his way home. I started and finished it on Friday. He picked me up Eclipse and Breaking Dawn Saturday (he is too good to me). I started Eclipse Saturday and finished yesterday and started Breaking Dawn yesterday and have about 200 pages left. So yeah. A little obsessive. But they are SOO fast to read. So it isnt just me. Now I know that some of you are thinking, "Oh My God, she is one of them!" But I am not. Really. Maybe. Ok, so first off. These are not GOOD books. These are fun books. They are entertaining. They are not terribly well written. The heroine pisses me off (even more often in the later books than in the first one) and the author (or at least her editor) really upsets me sometimes with slips in story etc. But these books were written for me and my friends when we were in high school. Yeah, I know my 10 year high school reunion is this year. And I admit that I am probably at the outside age of intended (or at least proper) audience. But they totally tug at the heartstrings and the memories of those days. The moody-aloof boyfriend, the drama, the wish to be a vampire. That was totally me. And yeah, I kinda still want to be a vampire. So there. I said it. I mean (and this is directed straight to you Beta) there is a vampire named Esme! For Christ sakes. So yeah. There ya go. Of course I am going to see the movie. But I do not expect it to be good, at all, there is no way a good movie could be made from these books. Because they are not good books. But I hope it will be entertaining. And I have absolutely no doubt that these books hold NO interest for any guys. So I would recommend staying away from them.

Recipe:
Just one, I have not much been up for cooking or eating. But Matty made this for me Sunday and it was excellent!

Hawaiian Ginger-Chicken Stew from EatingWell (of course) March/April 2009. (I forgot to take a pic of ours, sorry)

Makes 4 servings, about 1 cup each (I have no idea how much there was, I was not paying attention, and I only had a little little bit since I was not really hungry)

ACTIVE TIME: 35 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 tablespoon sesame oil or canola oil (w e used canola)
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces (we used breasts)
1 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks or minced (we minced it)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (we minced this too)
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth (we used 2 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 cups water (we used 1 cup)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian red chile sauce, such as sriracha, or to taste
1 bunch mustard greens or chard, stemmed and chopped (6-7 cups), or 2 cups frozen chopped mustard greens (we used about 2 cups chopped mustard greens and then another cup frozen chopped spinach)

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate with tongs.
2. Add ginger and garlic to the pot and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add sherry and cook until mostly evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes. Add broth and water, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Add soy sauce, chile sauce and mustard greens (or chard) and cook until the greens are tender, about 3 minutes. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.