For someone who can’t cook, I sure like to frequent food websites. I just came across a vegan/vegetarian sloppy joe recipe consisting of mushrooms and zucchini, and now my mouth is watering (at 11pm, mind you). I gotta go grocery shopping tomorrow. I’m hungry for some hearty foods.

Earlier this evening, I was in baking mode. Made pb snacks for the pups and chocolate no-bake oatmeal cookies for me. God, those are the best. So easy. I don’t remember where I got my recipe, but there are a million variatons online. Try this one. You’ll love these treats!

Last winter after John and I returned from about three weeks in the US, we found ice all over our kitchen countertop. A water valve in the cabinet above had cracked, resulting in a slow leak. Fortunately, it was a small drip AND it was wintertime so the water just froze. The valve was replaced and that was that. Or so I thought.

Well today, while I was in the study obsessing over the LifeLine Shanghai webpage, I heard what sounded like water pitter pattering. I wasn’t running the laundry, but for some odd reason, my brain convinced myself that I was. An hour or so later, I decided to get the rice cooker going and whatdya know, the kitchen floor was flooded about half an inch. And water was spurting out of that damn valve cabinet. Water was all over the countertops, in all the drinking glasses; it was a frickin’ mess. I turned the only valve I saw and nothing happened (I think it was for the gas– to heat the tap water). I frantically called maintenance and the lady told me to just turn off the water: the maintenance guy was busy. How to turn off the water? I ran out into the hall and searched like a madwoman for the utility closet. No labels on the valves. Turned off one. Ran back into the kitchen. Water was still gushing. Tried the other valve in the hall. Finally, the water stopped. Jesus Christ! Fearing the water would seep downstairs, I dropped to the floor soaking, mopping, wringing. Damn dogs. Didn’t notify me of anything. They were lucky I was home– they could’ve drown. That water was really coming out fast. Ugh. Why do I always have pipe bursting issues? (flashblack Gainesville). Well, guess I won’t go on complaining. The maintenance guy put in a stainless steel valve– that oughta protect us for eternity, or so he claims. I guess next time I leave for a trip, I oughta turn off all the valves–gas and water. Geez, now who do I sound like? That’s right. Paranoid parents. It’s no good.

‘Nuff said.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but the last week I’ve been getting up before 7 am (after going to bed around 1 am). Yesterday, I started feeling muscle spasms around my left eye. John insists my unchanging, cheapie vegetarian diet is deteriorating my health. Generally, I feel fine– a bit tired but ok I think. Ahh, nothing a Centrum can’t fix. Hehe. Yes, vitamnins will cure all. Just ask the expert, Tom Cruise.

So the days continue to zip by. Danielle and I had a phone chat with Animals Asia on Thursday. Looks like the visa paperwork is going to take a long, long time; now we’re aiming for a late October/early November start date. Given how fast time’s been passing, we’ll launch in no time. In the interim, I’m keeping myself very busy, getting sucked into more unpaid/volunteer work. I’m a sucker. Just can’t help it.

For example, last week I got an email about a man who gave his Great Pyrenees dog to the Shanghai Wild Animal Park. He had purchased the dog as a puppy, but then his wife got pregnant and the dog started becoming aggressive (not exactly clear on the timeline). Long story short, no one wanted Yuki, so the owner handed him over to the Park, which had show dog plans for him. Well, months later, Yuki was deemed untrainable. Today I’m going to the Park to observe their overall operations (not sure if I’m up for the safari ride) and to also see Yuki. I do hope he can be rehabilitated. Where’s Caesar Milan when you need him?

In other news, LifeLine has been very busy. We’re under a new executive director, and she’s got big plans for fundraising and changing things up. I just spend two days updating the site and putting everything into templates. I know, sounds like I know what I’m doing, but actually, I’m the queen of trial and error. No wonder, all my time disappears! My biggest news of the last few days? I found a new calendar for my websites. Check out Localendar. Free and most importantly, not blocked in China (keep your fingers crossed!). Very straightforward. This morning I went calendar-crazy and added a crapload of new events. Soon you’ll start seeing entries like “cut hair” or “bought a book.” Sadly, I actually log stuff like that in my personal Outlook calendar… I know, it’s very scary.

I’m going to a party tonight. I actually considered attending the Shanghaiist party last night, but after reading the invitation urging me to bring all my “rowdy friends,” I decided it wasn’t for me. So I OD’d on Andy Lau movies instead. Silly, Chinese romantic comedies in Mandarin and Cantonese. Very cheesy. But I enjoyed listening (though not fully grasping) to the Mandarin dialog. And of course, Andy is easy on the eyes. 🙂

R&M are Greenies crackheads. Btw, did you know one 20 oz. bag costs $15?

I’ve been doing a bit more cooking lately; I’m trying to spice up my ordinarily bland diet (as in eating pattern, NOT as in weight-loss, calorie-counting obsession). In the last week, brown rice and stir-fried bok choy has been a favorite. This evening, I went way out on a limb and had zero rice and stir-fried string beans. Thrilling, I know. To be honest, I didn’t feel like brown rice. Today, the “brown rice” just didn’t conjure “healthy,” “cleansing,” “nutritious.” So I switched things up by deleting the filler. Well surprisingly, the beans just didn’t hit the spot. Olive oil, garlic, veggie. I could have used cabbage or spinach or bok choy. It would have tasted all the same. Don’t get me wrong, I like the stir-fry flavor; it’s just after consuming a plateful, I’m still hungry. Ok, so I didn’t eat ALL of the beans. I fed some to the dogs, as part of their well-balanced kibble/homestyle blend. Remy’s grown quite fond of stir-fried garlic, actually. Too bad, her stinky breath lingers all night. I gave her a bean, fully expecting her to spit it out, but lo and behold, she started chomping. And she wanted more! Marts normally is anti-veggie, but I think he decided to hop on the bandwagon tonight. Remy was that convincing. Of course, Martin made a mess, spitting the string stuff out. Luckily, Remy trailed behind to pick up his scraps. I was quite mystified really. Was it the olive oil that did it? The garlic? I don’t know. But then, I thought: hmm, maybe the Greenies dog treats are made from green beans?! Ding, ding, ding. Eureka! Yeah, I know. I’m a moron. They’re not made from green beans. They’re made from corn starch and surely a ton of other artificial fillers. Oh and a sprig or two of chloryphyll or whatever form that comes in. I dunno. My mind just grabs an idea and runs. Next thing I know, there’s absolutely no link. It’s abrupt and totally illogical. So after I discover this “secret,” I google Greenies (naturally). This is what I found. I am horrified. And I’ve canceled my Greenies order from Dog.com. And no more whole veggies. Everything’s gotta go through the Braun blender. From now on, they get baby food. This is no games, man. Especially following the tampon debacle. I know, I’m a freak. Do you see why I can’t have kids?

John says I’m an agoraphobe, because I can stay cooped up in the house for days, especially if I’m left to my own devices. But I disagree: isn’t agoraphobia defined as a fear of open spaces. I don’t mind lots of space. I actually enjoy nature and being outside, but some days, home is just so convenient. I have access to everything I need: munchies, drinks, internet, dogs. Sometimes I just don’t need to go outside. Today is one of those days. Plus, it’s hurricane season– in Asia and in the US. Taiwan’s been slammed a few times already this summer, Japan just the other day, and I think there’s another one brewing nearby. This morning, we had a downpour. As long as I’m inside, the strong gusts and lower temperatures are a welcome change. I haven’t had to turn on the AC in weeks (my penny-pinching game continues…). Unfortunately, the pups are looking rather tired. I think the pressure changes bother them. Either that or the big, scary curtains swishing about, trying to grab them.

This afternoon, I reached for a bag of chocolate morsels. Ghirdelli’s, from the States. Usually, I ration my imported foodstuffs, but these treats have been sitting around long enough. Actually, I forgot about them. They were originally slated for chocolate chip cookies, but after a few failed batches, I shelved baking a few months ago. I think these chocolates are going stale. Is that possible? Stale chocolate? Ah well, it doesn’t much matter. This afternoon alone, I’ve whittled the supply down. It helps that I scarf down handfuls at a time, crunching them in my mouth like I’m eating peanuts. Sometimes you just have to binge.

So my little pigout session reminded me of my friend Josh in college. He used to keep a bag of morsels in his top desk drawer. While he worked on his homework, he would pop a few morsels in his mouth and just let them sit there to melt. I think he’d store the wad between his front teeth and inner lip. I thought it was the strangest thing. I never could understand exercising all this control just over a few pieces of chocolate. I think he hated taking out his stash in front of me, because I’d always grab myself a helfty handful or two. And my portion would be gone in a matter of seconds. Poor Josh. Had it not been for me, his little 12 oz. bag would have lasted all semester.

I found some new readings today. Online, of course. Shanghaiist interviewed a Hooters gal. Made me laugh. Shanghaiist is having a launch party next week, and I’m actually thinking of going. Could be scary for a sociophobe like myself. We’ll see if I’m up for the challenge.

What else. Well, I’ve been spending a good bit of time doing dog research. Don’t laugh. I already told you my business card reads “dog enthusiast”! Anyway, I found myself a Mandarin tutor to help me with some business Chinese. I’m prepping for my Animals Asia job– I want to get all the terminology down. Don’t want to sound like a bumbling idiot when talking about serious issues like animal cruelty, dog safety, and pet education, you know? The learning is fun though very slow-going. A lot of looking stuff up in the dictionary. But it’s good exercise. We’ll see how long that lasts. 🙂

Ugh, the chocolate coma is setting in… I think I’m gonna have a tummy ache. That reminds me. I actually cooked lunch today. And no, I didn’t cook pasta and pour on the sauce. I actually made mashed potatos and black beans and rice. Hehe. Serous carbo loading. Well that’s what happens when you’re a “confused vegetarian” seeking clarity. Surprisingly, all the stuff came out great. The downside is I fell into a food coma this afternoon. I think I may have a food allergy, because I didn’t consume that much but I got really sleepy afterwards. We’re talking falling-sleep-in-front-of-the-computer tired. Hmm, will have to research that further.

Still raining outside. The sky is dark. I’m hoping for a big storm. I could use the drama.

How can you NOT think so? I can’t believe the magnitude of Katrina’s devastation. I’m reading horrific stories about death, destruction, chaos, and violence. What the hell? People are raping women in the Superdome while there’s all this crap going on? Of course, the government is to blame for its slow, unorganized response. And yes, the whole aftermath is racial. Go Kanye! Tell it like it is!

Well I suppose we should try to be constructive despite Bush’s utter incompetence (ok, cheap shot but jesus, he did hire his inexperienced buddy to head up FEMA). Anyway, there are many ways to assist, but the easiest probably is to donate. Please consider making a contribution. In case you’re wondering, Oxfam usually gets my vote, but don’t forget about the animals: check out Noah’s Wish, the only org dedicated to helping animals in natural disasters. You may experience some website glitches caused by the heavy web traffic. Alternatively, you should be able to contribute via Paypal to the org email, info@noahs-wish.org. Thanks!