I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no stranger to getting stuck in routines, and all my life I have always loved bagels. I feel as though– much like with all the cats that have come and gone– I can divvy up the eras of my life based on what kind of bagel I was into at that given time period.

When I was a kid I was all over onion bagels. Kinda boring, but my taste buds were just beginning to flourish, so gimme a break! We were also poor and lived in a tiny, rural town so this was the only time of my life that I tolerated frozen, pre-sliced bagels. But, the excitement of opening the freezer and having that cold, onion-y smell waft out at me is a treasured memory, nonetheless!

In my late teens and around the same time I discovered balsamic vinegar I had a short stint with bagel sandwiches. I didn’t really care what kind of bagel it was on, as long as it was slathered in vinegar, sprouts and avocado.

During the obligatory transition between community college and “someday I’ll go back,” I worked at a cafe that had wheat bagels that were unrealistically yummy. I know, sounds about as exciting as an onion bagel, right? But I’d always put a thin layer of cream cheese, smushed avocado and salt + pepper on top. I don’t know what it was about the wheat ones, but they were the best. Mmm… I can almost taste it now, and it tastes like me when I was 20 years old. Pleah!

Also, before I move on, I’m pretty sure my co-workers at said cafe grew concerned about my bagel intake during those days and may have been plotting an intervention… Haters gonna hate, or what?

Then, when I actually did go back to college, it was all cinnamon raisin bagels with butter and a side of fake bacon. Every day that I could, I most certainly would. For months. I’ve always had a palate for the sweet + salty combo and this was simply as good as it gets.

And don’t mistake that drink for OJ– oh no! The same housemate that got me hooked on fake bacon also had a hand in my addiction to Pineapple Orange Banana juice, another food item I associate with those days.

Now that I work in a grocery store I find myself hypnotized by the jalapeno and cheese bagels that magically appear in the bakery just as I’m about to take my lunch break. Please don’t ask me to recount how many I’ve consumed in the month I’ve been employed there… I don’t even want to know!

So, friends, what’s your favorite bagel? Or, if you’re not a bagel person, has there been a food that followed you around your entire life?

Kim is a true blue carbivore, from her head down to her legs.
This post also could’ve been about potatoes.

What a disappearing act I’ve been lately! Many apologies but, as all bloggers know, life has its way of just happening sometimes. This week has been really physically hard on me.

I’ve been working 5am-1:30pm all week… Going to bed at 7 and waking up at 3am to get ready for work is no fun! I’m on my feet all day, racing around the market doing a zillion things at once, so you can hopefully understand why I haven’t felt like blogging when I get home!

The good news is that work hasn’t entirely consumed my life (yet!). I’ve managed to squeeze out some bits of joy out of each day and– since I haven’t been taking photos– I figured I’d blog about them while my energy level’s still relatively high for the evening.

First things first, I’ve become utterly addicted to Legend of the Seeker. The show was created by Sam Raimi and is sort of in the same vein as his Xena and Hercules (the former of which I idolized as a young one to the point of learning how to do her battle call), but with a much more serious twist and a bigger budget.

Think Hercules meets Lord of the Rings, plus more violence and its own world of terminology. Seekers, Keepers, Confessors and Mord’Sith, oh my! (Can we all agree that Cara is a total babe? I’d let her use the Agiel on me any day!)

It’s all loosely based on a series of novels by Terry Goodkind, which you bet your buns I’m gonna read when I’m done with my current book.

Watch this show!

Which brings me to Ender’s Shadow!

It’s taken me way too long to pick up this book, but I’m so glad I finally did. Practically every free minute I’ve had this week was spent either watching LotS or reading up on Bean’s side of the story. I’m about halfway through, and it’s the best “meanwhile” book ever. And… While I love Ender’s Game, I think I like this one even more.

The above images were taken from the official Marvel website– they’re two covers out of the five-issue comic series released last year.

Read this book!

To get me out of my rut, but still keep the geek theme going, Chris took me out for a date last night. We saw Avatar in 3D and it. was. AWESOME!

Normally I can’t handle 3D stuff because it’s too invasive, but since we weren’t at Disneyland and they weren’t spraying scents in our faces and having shit brush against our legs, I managed to get through the flick relatively anxiety-free.

When I first saw the trailer, though, I couldn’t get over how cheesy the CGI looked, but in the theater the Na’Vi looked amazamazing. It was only the “dreamwalkers” that bothered me (Sigourney Weaver’s avatar was so stupid, like something out of a deviantart gallery).

In the end the movie made me really sad because it was only 3/4 non-fiction. It was basically one big sci-fi version of Dances with Wolves, which is one of my favorite movies, back before Mary McDonnell butchered her face. But that’s another sci-fi post for another day.

See this movie!

As long time readers know, I’m a huge geek. Although, if you’ve only been reading along for a short while you’ve probably still managed to catch some whiffs of geekery off me… Heck, this post is proof enough!

So, imagine my surprise when someone contacted me through Flickr about using my tattoos for an article and it actually turned out to be legit!

There are 11 inked geeks altogether who were e-terviewed for the article. You can read the blurbs on Mog and Cactuar here and here!

Speaking of geek ink, I wonder if my brother would get matching “So Say We All” tattoos with me? And if Chris would totally hate the idea?

Al?

Chris?

Whaddaya say? I’ve always wanted a wrist tat! ;)

I know it’s been fall for a while now, but since the last few days were the first to put real goosebumps on our arms, I’ve officially started settling into my favorite season.

While I love everything about fall and winter, these are a few of the things I get really jazzed about once the clouds come rolling in (that was for you, Sue!).

The other day I tossed on my first hat of the year. I spent last winter in sticky hot Southeast Asia, so it’s been far too long since I’ve gotten to don a knit cap.

Yes, with three o’s! (Okay, I admit it was a typo, but a hilariously perfect one!) Our trip to Thailand paired with an extended summer in Redding means I haven’t been wearing much footwear lately.

Lots of sandals and flip-flops lately, but when we lived in Humboldt these were my choice pair. They actually have horrible insulation and don’t do all that well in the rain, but… Woven leather boots. Need I say more?!

Being stuck inside all day means coming up with activities to stay busy– we can’t play video games all day! (Yes, yes I could…). One of my favorite crafting mediums is Fimo clay. I used to make dino dude earrings like nobody’s business. Unfortunately, it’s been a good year+ since I made any, but I’m ready to get back in the swing of things.

If all goes well I plan on adding these to an “etc” portion of the shop.

I admit it, since graduating college I’ve been a horrible reader. I had a brief spurt of literacy in Thailand when we had nothing better to do during the peak hot hours of the day than grab something cool to drink and read a good book. But, honestly…? I haven’t finished one since March. Yikes!

Above is my current queue. I swore to myself I’d finish the LoTR trilogy before the end of the year… Well, I still got 3 months to go, but it took me about 6 to get through the Council of Elrond (I kid, I kid!).

Granted, I haven’t done a whole lot of baking since Chris went gluten-free, so when I do jump back in the saddle it’s going to be a whole ‘nother bag of flour. But my best friend recently got a job as a baker and has been supplying me with a ridiculous amount of free pastries, so I’m determined to pay him back!

A couple years back I went on a mega-baking spree and learned how to do all kinds of new stuff. This year I’d love to learn how to make a galette.

Seriously, do I even need to write about this one? ;) Cozying up next to the window with an aforementioned pastry and hot cup of sweet and spicy tea is the perfect way to start my day. Or end it.

In fact, I think I’ll go put the kettle on now.

Happy Thursday, everyone! The weekend is almost here :)

This week I’m offering up something a little different. Instead of supplying photos of what I’ve been eating lately (which is a buncha the same ol’, same ol’) I’m going to present you with a challenge.

Below is a list of some of my favorite unlikely food combinations. I double dog dare you to try at least one of them! And, just so we’re even here, if you’ve got some weird pairings of your own, leave it in a comment and I’ll try my best to give it a whirl.

The one and only time I had this was at a friend’s birthday party some 6+ years ago. We were all playing Epic Duels together (nerds!) and some were eating ice cream, others Cheez-Its. I think this originated as a dare, but a ridiculously tasty dare at that.

Did you know that another version of this– vanilla ice cream + frosted flakes– is the official food of the Having Fun Club? It’s a scientific fact.

(photos via my Flickr and Nina)

I didn’t even realize it until just now, but I first had this at the same friend’s birthday party, some 6+ years after the Cheez-It incident. Weird! His mom had made a salad with watermelon, purple onion, peanuts, cilantro and some other stuff. It was delicious.

(photos via Nina and zeenes)

This suggestion comes from the hubby; it’s one of his favorite snacks. I’ve actually never had it, so maybe I should take myself up on this dare…

(photos via Homesick Texan and Ms evinrude)

To be sure, the french fries should be dunked in the milkshake. The combination satisfies both my sweet and salty tooth, plus the pleasure of “hot bite bite with a cold bite.” Gotta love it!

(photos via Scott Ableman and Melissa Kaye)

“Nooch” is common hippie slang for “nutritional yeast,” a shameful habit I picked up while living in Humboldt. I know every tree hugger and their mom loves to put nooch on everything in sight, but seriously– this is the only way to eat popcorn.

(photos via my Flickr, lush bella and rr0cketqueen)

A year and a half ago I visited New York for the first time and stayed with some pals in Brooklyn, who introduced me to this concoction. One of them is big, scary, red-headed man whose last name is Jonas– hence, the “Orange Jonas” was born!

While my pals like to go 3/4 OJ to 1/4 vanilla soy milk, I admit to indulging in my sweet tooth and enjoying a 1/2 ‘n’ 1/2 version.

(photos via my Flickr and Yeommy)

Okay, this isn’t exactly an unlikely pairing, but I did catch some grief on Facebook for not drinking beer with my Doritos. What can I say? I not only look like I’m 12, but act like it, too. ;)

(photos via my Flickr and JustABigGeek)

In a few hours I’m going to be in Arcata for a whole month, which is both exciting and sad at the same time.

Exciting because I get to:

• See all my old college friends!
• Shoot a wedding.
• Ride bikes to the beach.
• Have access to loads of happy and fresh produce. I can only think of one market in Redding where I can get kale. How sad is that?
• Enjoy one whole month of awesome coastal weather. Crossing my fingers for some rain!

Sad because I will have to:

• Attend summer school.
• Be without Chris and Felix for 30+ days!
• Say good-bye to the blog for a bit.

That last one is the real kicker, huh? I will have a laptop with me, so I’ll be able to keep up with all of you, but I won’t be doing photo-editing while there.

If I don’t catch you around the blogosphere, then have a wonderful month, everyone!