2010-08-01T00:58:49Z Dana Torakis Copyright 2010, Dana Torakis SPHPBLOG ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100228-190212 2010-03-01T00:00:00Z 2010-03-01T00:00:00Z
Red Cross benefit bead on Ebay ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091002-115205 2009-10-02T00:00:00Z 2009-10-02T00:00:00Z
]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091002-113758 2009-10-02T00:00:00Z 2009-10-02T00:00:00Z
I just bought some inline skates. Discovered they are pretty hard on me, so I bought some good old school roller skates! They are MUCH easier, and I am eager to go try them out. They have outdoor wheels - yee ha! Give my neighbors a good laugh!]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090719-180850 2009-07-19T00:00:00Z 2009-07-19T00:00:00Z
love
l'ove
l'oeuf
the egg]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090602-232112 2009-06-03T00:00:00Z 2009-06-03T00:00:00Z
Whoo Hoo! These kids are really good, too. You should hear their awesome harder rockin version of The Stooges "Now I Wanna Be Your Dog", one of my faves of theirs. They'll also be doing Metallica, Jimi Hendrix, etc, etc...

June 6 - Roseville War Memorial Park - Relay For Life Benefit
June 20 - Boney's - Gratiot Cruise, 12:30
June 26 - Mt Clemens - Stars and Stripes Fest 6:00
June 27, 28 - Mt. Clemens - Stars and Stripes Fest 1:00
July 2, 4 - Citifest 3:30
July 10 - Wyandotte Art Fair 5:00
July 21 - All-Stars @ Emerald (TBA)
]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090529-185816 2009-05-29T00:00:00Z 2009-05-29T00:00:00Z
1/3 bar of grated Fels Naptha laundry soap bar
1/2 c washing soda (not baking soda)
1/2 c borax

simmer some water with the grated soap and 2 powders in it until all it dissolved evenly. Put it in a 2 gallon bucket. Add more hot tap water, some cold tap water, then mix it up.

Use 1/2c in each load. You can use it right away, but after a while, it will gel up. I put mine in empty laundry soap containers with spigots on them. I am using 1/2c-1c since I always have big loads.

Borax and Fels Naptha are at just about any grocery store, I found the soda at Meijer.

I am still also a big fan of soap nuts! ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090506-124807 2009-05-06T00:00:00Z 2009-05-06T00:00:00Z http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090425-124324 2009-04-25T00:00:00Z 2009-04-25T00:00:00Z http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090422-123233 2009-04-22T00:00:00Z 2009-04-22T00:00:00Z
Here's how the trip went, in a nutshell. We left monday evening, and slept on the way down (hardly). We would have had more sleep, but they forced bathroom breaks every 2 hours - which they didn't do on the way home (force all to get off the bus). Sometime around 7am, we arrived at a restaurant in Gettysburgh, PA. This is where we could change from sweats into our clothes for the day. I forgot to pack mine in my carry on, of course, so I was stuck in sweats.

The restaurant was a historic building that was part of the underground railroad. Some of the chaperones, myself included got to see an actual area where the former slaves were hid, under the floor!

We went to Gettysburgh Museum and battlefield afterwards. The battlefields were very neat, actually. Both the monuments and the landscape - the hills and huge rocks.

We went to the national archives, the halocaust museum, arlington cemetary (where we saw the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier), the capitol building, the national zoo, outside the white house, lincoln memorial, WW2 memorial (very pretty in the evening), Korean War memorial, vietnam war memorial, a dinner cruise on the potomac, a fish market (WTF?), and on the way home we went to Luray, Virginia to see the Luray Caverns. Google it, it's spectacular.

Michelle - I see what you mean about WDC, I like it, too. It's a very nice city. Obviously the parks and monuments are great, so's the architecture, not just the gov buildings, but I like all of the brownstones. The cherry trees were blossoming nicely, too. I am eager to go back, so I have enough time to really appreciate the museums and zoo.

When I got home, I slept for so long, I woke up with a sore throat from snoring like a chainsaw. We were out of our hotel from 7am till 10pm every night.

I did almost choke one of the girls assigned to me, though. She spit at arlington cemetary! Right on the grass not 10 feet away from a grave! Think about it, dumbass!! She's old enough to know better. Girls should never spit in public anyway, but not at a cemetary, and certainly not at arlington. I was so embarassed. ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090421-211927 2009-04-22T00:00:00Z 2009-04-22T00:00:00Z

My Souki (RIP)




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We're leaving at night on monday, sleeping on the bus, and being dropped off right at a restaurant for breakfast. Then immediately after, we start touring. We won't be back at the hotel until about 10pm! We'll spend the next 2 nights at the hotel, then we're leaving for home thursday night and arriving back here in the morning. Sounds like fun, huh? I used to get car sick all the time, I hope the bus isn't too terrible.

My puppy girl will be at a doggy hotel. She's so attached to me, I think she's going to be upset the whole time. The place she is staying should be good with her, though. It's a nice place.

So much to do before then. Still have to get my taxes done. Crap. ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090405-154912 2009-04-05T00:00:00Z 2009-04-05T00:00:00Z http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/2 ... 79491.html


The grass is greening up, the tree seed buds are coming out, and the tiger lilies are poking up in the back yard. I wish it wasn't raining so I could take Misha to the dog park. She is going to be a hyper spaz tonight.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/meteotek08 ... 847488964/ ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090323-202552 2009-03-24T00:00:00Z 2009-03-24T00:00:00Z
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090323/ap_ ... on_colbert

]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090323-202405 2009-03-24T00:00:00Z 2009-03-24T00:00:00Z ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090322-210944 2009-03-23T00:00:00Z 2009-03-23T00:00:00Z
Misha went to the vet today for xrays. She was still limping and whimpering this morning, so I had to take her. Dogs are usually pretty stoic. However, no broken bones! Just a soft tissue injury, thank goodness!

The weather is awesome! Lovin it!]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090316-114404 2009-03-16T00:00:00Z 2009-03-16T00:00:00Z
There were more dogs there today than I have ever seen at once before. There had to be at least 25 dogs. I love that place! You can go pet a bunch of cuties and get lots of muddy kisses! Herkimer was my buddy today. I almost dognapped him. ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090315-204224 2009-03-16T00:00:00Z 2009-03-16T00:00:00Z

The future, just as I had imagined it - except kinda more Futurama-ish, is already here.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090311/ap_ ... el_sanders ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090312-004537 2009-03-12T00:00:00Z 2009-03-12T00:00:00Z http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090305-194901 2009-03-06T00:00:00Z 2009-03-06T00:00:00Z
itunes radio > alternative > metaphoric radio

www.metaphoric.me ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090302-175511 2009-03-02T00:00:00Z 2009-03-02T00:00:00Z
Alex is really liking School of Rock. I am very excited for him.

I had a huge disappointment the other day. I went to turn on launchcast, and it was gone - forever. Not that I don't have enough music of my own, but, I like to listen to it and discover new things. Over the years listening to it, I have discovered so many obscure things I otherwise never would have. I thought since there's nothing just like it, I was screwed. But, as it turns out, itunes has better internet radio than I thought possible. Too bad I didn't take a look sooner. I've been listening mostly to one station called Gimme Noise (dot com if you wanna look). Lots of other promising looking ones, too. I miss the ability to fast forward, but I'll get over it. ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090224-121804 2009-02-24T00:00:00Z 2009-02-24T00:00:00Z http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090219-132541 2009-02-19T00:00:00Z 2009-02-19T00:00:00Z
Seriously! I thought it would be disgusting, but it's not. I feel a lot more comfortable and certainly more freedom using the cup than with icky pads and tampons. I am also happy to not have to spend money on those items ever again. Even happier that I'm not loading up the landfills with them. You can wear it without emptying it for up to 12 hours. It's comfortable, clean, leak proof if you're using it the right way, and easy to use. I won't get too blunt here, but there are many other benefits. Google "diva cup reviews" for more opinions.

So, if you want to try one, google "Diva Cup". I bought mine at drugstore.com, but them I found out they're less elsewhere. I think I paid about $30 - well worth it!

I am sure this would have freaked me out back when I was 12 and started my period for the first time, but maybe someone who's had a period for a few years. That will also give them enough time to grow to hate pads and tampons.

]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090216-192133 2009-02-17T00:00:00Z 2009-02-17T00:00:00Z
buysoapnuts.com

]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090211-142252 2009-02-11T00:00:00Z 2009-02-11T00:00:00Z
I am very happy with the recipes I have found so far for these things:

salad dressing (viniagrette like Good Seasons brand)
taco seasoning
fajita seasoning
chorizo seasoning
breakfast sausage seasoning
pork chop breading (better than shake n bake)
spaghetti sauce seasoning

I am always on the lookout to add to this list of items I regularly use. For anything and everything from roast seasonings to laundry soap.

Here's the pork chop breading I use to bake pork chops. First, I cut the fat off of about 8 boneless chops, each about 3/4" thick. I also "tenderize" them by stabbing them repeatedly with the knife.

Beat about 4T of soy sauce into 2-3 eggs. Then I drag them through the coating mixture:

3/4 c crushed corn flakes
1/4 c bread crumbs
4 t paprika
2 t oregano
1/2 t salt
3/4 t chili powder
1/2 t each of black pepper and garlic powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper

It's delicious and smells great, too. ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090211-140652 2009-02-11T00:00:00Z 2009-02-11T00:00:00Z Click here to read what this blogger mom posted about it. ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090211-140256 2009-02-11T00:00:00Z 2009-02-11T00:00:00Z
]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090130-171800 2009-01-30T00:00:00Z 2009-01-30T00:00:00Z ]]> http://www.danacreates.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090129-142956 2009-01-29T00:00:00Z 2009-01-29T00:00:00Z I've said, every time I open the door (studio) - something terrible happens on tv. From time to time (when I remember or have time) I will report the gruesome activity on the screen the moment I open my door. We'll see how often I'm subjected to the grotesque and disturbing.



Cropped image from:
The Extraction of the Stone of Madness (The Cure of Folly)
by Hieronymus Bosch 1475-1480

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