| Community Question |
[19 Jul 2008|08:26am] |
Hi Hipsters!
There are a couple of communities that I am a member of in which I'd like to keep my membership but I don't really feel like seeing all of the gazillion posts on my friends page every time I get on. Is there a way to do this that you guys know of?
Thanks in advance!
*eh hmm - no, this is not one of those communities ;)
*edit - got it in the first reply!
Join the community, but take it off your friends list.
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| red velvet cake dilemma |
[19 Jul 2008|07:54am] |
I am making my brother's favorite cake, a red velvet cake, as his groom's cake in October. I have tested two very different cakes recently for him to try, one from a recipe from a recent Better Homes and Gardens magazine and one recipe from a McCormick clipping (from a coupon circular).
I did not like either. He liked the latter more than the former, but I just didn't like it overall.
The first one lacked cocoa but was super red. The frosting was baked, and it was overall super rich and a bit on the buttery side. It had a lot of the ooohs and aaaahhs but it just didn't taste like it should be at a wedding.
The second was more cocoa-y, and it wasn't as red. It had vanilla cream cheese buttercream frosting (i think that's what it said on the recipe!). This one just didn't taste like it should be at a wedding to me, either.
I would really like to find a tried and true recipe. I would like to make it from scratch, but if I have to use a box, I have to use a box if it means a super awesome cake. I'm really not this picky about desserts in real life! I just want to make it special, you know?
I'm looking for a balance of a very good cake and frosting to match the very good cake.
So, my question to all of you out there:
Does anyone have a recipe or can direct me to a recipe for your favorite red velvet cake?
I appreciate all of your help in advance!
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[18 Jul 2008|08:50pm] |
After a day that started at 5am and was filled with presentations, PR lunches, awkward interviews, stuffy happy hours and nearly missing my flight, I melted into my seat exhausted. An hour of silence! That is, until I realized I was sitting next to one of those chatty guys that looked kinda like Mr.Bean, sounded like Brick Top from Snatch, and reminded me of my dad in that "jokey small-talk" kinda way. Everything is always better in a British Accent, but I wanted him to be quiet. So at take-off I pretended to fall asleep.
Pretending to fall asleep is VERY hard to do, especially on those tiny shuttle planes where you practically sit in each others laps. Concentrate on relaxing your face- don't move too much, breath deeply and slowly. Eventually I gave up and started chatting with him, and I'm really glad I did. He was one of the most positive and inspiring people I have ever met. His eldest daughter was born with a handicap that doesn't allow her to move anything from below the neck. This is devastating one might think- however he says she is the happiest person he knows. She loves her life, she loves every moment, every experience, and never takes anything for granted. And he sees people running around doing things she could never do, living lives she can only dream of, and they have long grey faces and die of stress heart attacks. He says from this he takes the lesson to enjoy every second, to soak everything in, to always be positive, to always make the best of it, and to love life.
He was on a 2 week business trip where he was in 1 if not 2 states a day, barely sleeps and doesn't know where he is half the time. But he says he's so happy. He's loving every moment of being lost and not sleeping and 1-2 meetings a day. Huh? Is he crazy? No he says- just always being positive and making the decision to enjoy it. I mean, he very well could be crazy, but what he was saying makes a lot of sense. He really inspired me to live life more positively, instead of stomping around talking about how I have too much going on to enjoy myself.
When we landed he pulled out a smiley face post card. He said "I dont give out business cards, but here." I put it up at work to remind myself to try to stay positive.
And a first task of staying positive- I'm wearing a new pair of the very same style of jeans I split last weekend! Here's to faith- I hope this pair is more study. If they split while I"m out drinking tonight, its going to be a feat to enjoy life at that moment...
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[18 Jul 2008|12:41pm] |
My husband stupidly kept a 9x9 dish here instead of a 9x13 (we're in the process of moving to Germany -- the movers came and got a few things on Monday). We have one of those Campbells supper bake thingies that calls for either a 9x13 dish or a skillet...with a lid because if I don't bake it, I can cook it in the skillet, but it needs to simmer COVERED for 20 minutes. We have the skillet, but no lid.
We really need to use this thing. Is there anything I can do?
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[18 Jul 2008|08:43am] |
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Does anyone have a suggestion for discouraging house centipedes? I've spotted a couple in the past few days and the little buggers are too fast for me to squish. We are moving out of this apartment in three weeks but the idea of cohabiting with these things until then is disgusting.
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| Tax stuff. |
[18 Jul 2008|08:37am] |
Does anyone know of an computer application or just a formula where you can figure out how to fill out your W-4 so that when you do your return both your liability and refund is as close to 0 as possible? I'm sick of letting the government hold my money interest-free, but don't want to end up owing tons, either.
Thanks.
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| reupholstering chairs? |
[17 Jul 2008|11:35pm] |
I came into posession of these gorgeous 1950s kitchen chairs, and I'd really like to reupholster them because the fabric is in awful condition.
This is what they look like:
How does one go about performing a project like this?
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| Lucky Charms marshmallows |
[17 Jul 2008|11:03pm] |
Ok, let's be honest here. I buy Lucky Charms cereal for the marshmallows. Is there any way you can buy just the marshmallows? I don't care about the cereal part, even if it is whole grain now. They don't even have to be the Lucky Charms shapes, just similar little crunchy marshmallows.
Anybody know?
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| Traveling bridesmaid circus |
[17 Jul 2008|08:08pm] |
Hi hipsters! I've got two related questions.
I'm a bridesmaid in a destination wedding. Yay! But I have to take a plane to a foreign country where we're staying at a hotel whose website makes no mention of room irons or drycleaning services, making me think that they don't have them. Boo! The dress is a full-length, White House Black Market, 100% polyester (shiny polyester inner layer, crepe-y polyester overlay), flowy evening gown sort of ensemble. I normally dress about one notch above a hobo, so I'm not quite clear on the best way to transport this thing in style.
1. Tips for packing something this big so that it doesn't wrinkle?
2. Alternatively, any advice about travel steamers? Is it worth my money to buy one or should I just hang the thing in the bathroom during showers and hope for the best?
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| follow up on the search for a cute pill case |
[17 Jul 2008|09:48pm] |
hi everyone --
thank you SO MUCH for all the helpful advice re: my search for a cute pill box to keep my meds in. i ended up getting this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Zipper-Wallet-Pill-Organizer-Color/dp/B000MVEYX6/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1216345666&sr=8-11
from amazon.com. while it's not NEARLY as fabulous as some of the ones i saw, i'm happy to say it's got some big bins for pill storage while still being slim enough to fit in your bag. the only complaint i've got is that i can tell the insert's lid part is going to eventually fall off. the wallet part is durable looking, tho, and the inserts are replaceable. they also come in much more fun colors than the ones i've seen at cvs.
i'm fairly happy with it, and am hoping to sew on print of some sort to fab up the wallet.
mexi
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| Garlic smell on plastic |
[17 Jul 2008|08:28pm] |
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mood |
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 complacent |
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I stored some minced garlic in a small plastic rubbermaid container, and now that it's empty, I can't get the smell out. I've washed it in the dishwasher, let it sit all day with baking soda and then the next day with baking soda and vinegar, but no dice.
Any tips? Or should I just throw it away? :(
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| Bathroom Cleaning |
[17 Jul 2008|03:49pm] |
My home is a bit old and the previous owners (college age single guys) had no idea what cleaning was. There is some thick sludge around the base of the toilet and I am not sure the best way to get it up. Any suggestions?
Also, our shower is not porcelain but a type of plastic. Can I do a bleach water mix and let it set for awhile to clean the stains or will it eat it?
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| German Sheppards |
[17 Jul 2008|12:40pm] |
Dear hippest of the hip,
Help me tame a German Sheppard!
Edit:
Thanks so much to everyone who responded with great advice/tips/experiences. It is very much appreciated.
My meeting was canceled so I can safely hole up here until someone comes home in a few hours.
I know that the landlords to not intend any harm and would not keep him unleashed if they were not confident in his demeanor, the trouble is that they clearly do not know much first-hand of his demeanor when they are not around.
I have the utmost confidence that they will keep him leashed from now on, my concern was just the interim period.
His attack was aggressive though, which is unfortunate but I suppose indicative of good German Shepperd behaviour - he is very loving with the family but incredibly protective and territorial of the property.
Though I have been a presence since December, I'm not at this residence enough for him to have ever gotten that comfortable with me so I can see why I would be marked as an intruder on a particularly alert/defensive/boring day.
In regards to the severity of the bite, there is a bit of redness remaining, but the indentations have dissipated, all in all, I'm quite alright, it was just a shocking pain that spanned no more than hour or so and left me quite scared.
Thanks again for everything!
I love this community!
I've cut the original post due to length.
( Read more... )
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| Wedding Gift.... |
[17 Jul 2008|05:21am] |
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How much should I spend?
I will be attending a wedding next month and am wondering what you all think I should spend on the gift. The girl and I are friends but def not close friends. We went to nursing school together but I haven't seen or talked to her in 4 months.
The invite was for me and a guest. If I choose to bring someone, should I get a "bigger" gift?
Thanks in advance!
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| Ugh. Help? |
[16 Jul 2008|05:35pm] |
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mood |
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Short story: Pest control was here today. Had to remove all bedding from our bed so they could spray. We finally arrive back home after much time, I lay a little blanket down for the baby to sleep on as she was already asleep and I was just transferring her from the car seat to our bed. I put her down. Our 4-yr. old decides she wants to nap there, on the UNPROTECTED bed and I STUPIDLY let her. She wakes up from her nap SOAKED in pee. I check the bed and it's a HUGE pee spot. Luckily on my husband's side of the bed. But, still. I directed a fan on it, and it's a hot day, so I'm hoping it's going to dry. But, what do I do? Ugh.
UGH! GAH! UGH!
Why, oh why did I let her sleep there? She hasn't had a nap-time accident in MONTHS. Why now? :(
Any ideas/input?
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| Stinking Sofa! |
[16 Jul 2008|07:09pm] |
I ranted in my personal LJ so I'll do my best not to rant about it here.
I ended up with a lovely sofa bed tonight. Lovely if you're a wet dog and need somewhere to sleep! (sorry, that's ranting) Got it from Freecycle. The previous owner said she had pets and that it needed cleaning.
That's not what we got. We got a nice sized sofa with good bone structure but it stinks like many, many dirty wet dogs.
It is foul. AND it's stinking up my entire apartment with it's foulness.
What should I do now?
I've taken a fabric cleaner to it. I have to replace the seat cushions with new ones because the wet dog smell has seeped into the cushions. The previous owner gave me a nice slip cover (that is in the wash right now!) to go over the sofa, but that's not going to mask that absolute nastiness that is the sofa.
I don't have a truck. I can't just haul it away to dump.
How do you clean ground in dog stench? Is it even treatable? HELP!!!!!
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| 'out of state' mortgage? |
[16 Jul 2008|06:01pm] |
My husband and I currently live in Chicago and rent an apartment. We'd like to leave the city in a year, June of 2009. In between now and then, we love it if we could buy property and build a house rather than have to rent in the new city (Nashville) while our house is being built.
The problem that we've run into is that since we're looking to buy in Nashville that the mortgage people expect us to have jobs in Nashville. We don't, obviously, since we are not going to be living there for another year.
Has anyone else ran into this situation? Do you have any advice for us?
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| Clumpy garlic salt |
[16 Jul 2008|06:53pm] |
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Okay, maybe I'm just a touch neurotic, but it really bothers me to waste food. My husband asked me to throw out half a jar of garlic salt because the humidity has made it very clumpy. I thought about putting rice in there, but I don't think that will help if it's already clumpy, plus the rice will end up in whatever is seasoned because the shaker holes are big. Any ideas on how to save it? :) Thanks!
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[15 Jul 2008|10:01pm] |
I've picked up a bad habit- and its using "-" too much. In fact- I've noticed i've begun replacing about 50% of my commas with dashes. I only noticed it because at work we are all always proofing each others writing, and I've had a few people mention it to me. I dont know when this happened- I can't explain it! It just seems to make sense in my head, but then when people read it later it drives them nuts. But then, I will inexplicibly use a comma, like just now! But other times- its the dash.
Somehwere a grammar fairy just lost its wings!
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| House Warming Party |
[15 Jul 2008|08:48pm] |
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I'm going to a house warming party for a co-worker this weekend. What is expected of me? Do I bring a gift? If so, how much should I spend?
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