menus

Every week I simultaneously dread and look forward to making a grocery list. I love planning meals and even love making meals once I get started. But the reality of most days is tired and drab and tasteless and forces me into jammie pants way before bed time so that dinner doesn't get made but purchased and that keeps me in jammie pants instead of getting me into a bikini where I belong.

So I thought I might try posting my menus here not because they are exciting or remarkable, but as a way to monitor and discipline myself. I'll make a few interesting things this week, so I will do my best to blog about them and take pictures.

• Monday - Shrimp tacos with avocado and Green Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad
• Tuesday - standing night out at trivia
• Wednesday - Tofu Lo Mein
• Thursday - Pasta (I'm working late, so it has to be a boy-friendly recipe)
• Friday - Veggie Burgers and Roasted Cauliflower
• Saturday - Black Beans and Rice (my favorite slowcooker recipe)
• Sunday - I might be passed out from all the cooking, so I'm not making any promises

oooh pretty!

We are very slowly, let me emphasize slowly, putting our little house together. Between both of us working all the time and very inconvenient break-ins, we don't feel like we've had a lot of time to devote to putting our stamp on 1049. But today, a light breaks in the clouds... We just ordered the best print from Bold and Noble to hang in our bedroom. Between this and getting our mattress off the floor and onto an actual bed frame, we're starting to feel like we actually live in this place.

For me, art always makes a room feel more complete. Growing up and in college, I had some posters on the wall, but never many and those I did have were of paintings or photographs I liked. I hated the impermanency of the brittle paper, held up with thumbtacks or tape. Buying actual, grown up art, even inexpensive prints, makes the house feel more cultivated. We deliberately chose this house over lots and lots of others so my philosophy in decorating the house is equally deliberate. This is the first home we've ever owned and there will never be another one like it, good or bad. 

snow!

Portfolio!

I've created a portfolio of some of the work I've done over the past few years including examples of writing, photography, logo and collateral design. Check it out! Hopefully I'll be adding more to it soon.



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Home Sweet Home

Home ownership has been so different than what I imagined it to be and not in a really anecdotal way. We moved into a small post-war cottage in July. We moved into an intown neighborhood not because we wanted to yuppify or gentrify our southeast Atlanta neighborhood but because we believe in supporting sustainable urban growth and development.

That hope and aspiration has been shattered. In the last three months, our house has been broken into twice. The first time was the Saturday before Thanksgiving and the most recent the first week of February. Both times the burglars were able to kick in our front door despite taking extra security measures after the first break-in.

They have taken two TVs, two laptops, two Wiis, an Xbox, many hours of sleep, more money than we can afford and our sense of autonomy and security. What is most disconcerting is knowing that someone is watching you and waiting for the right time to invade your home and disrupt your life for trivial material items.

I don't think enough voices can say how terrorizing it is to know that you, your way of life, your peace of mind is being pursued by an unknown force, individuals and groups that are seemingly unstoppable. On top of that fear, to be told that you are hysterical or exaggerating, makes you feel frustrated and hopeless. The overarching feeling is a lack of control over my life, my safety and the safety of the ones I care about.

hey look at me!

New Orleans Museum of Art Sculpture Garden
Originally uploaded by zazufoto

It's not much, but a picture I took a couple of summers ago in New Orleans has been included on Schmap's New Orleans Guide. I'm proud of myself.

Check it out:
Schmap's New Orleans Guide

*it's teeny-tiny in the upper-right hand corner

occasional linking

Chief Sustainability Officer at GA-Pacific - More and more corporations are including sustainable efforts in their organizational structures and planning. My only question is if the assimilation of green practices as a response to a popular cultural trend will be sustained (ironically) so that effectual change and growth is possible.

Suing the Beltline! - Financial hurdles continue to plague the Beltline's progression. A striking example of how one person can have an incredible impact on a city's growth, for good or for bad.

GreenDimes - We gave the gift of GreenDimes to all of our parents this year as a Christmas gift. The service will stop a large portion of junk mail delivered to your home and ALSO plant 10 trees on your behalf. A simple, cheap way to lessen your environmental impact, and doesn't require any work on your part!

Baggu bags - There seem to be endless options out there for reusable shopping bags. I like these because again, they're cheap (noticing a pattern?), they come in nice colors with no logos or branding and have seemingly endless expansion capabilities.

*Note to my small band of faithful readers. If you click on the fancy "Bookmark" icon at the bottom of any post you can add zazucity to your browser favorites or any of several social bookmarking sites so I can become increasingly popular all over the Internet and you can keep up with new posts. Thank you! Thank you!