5 most common phrases overheard in the Walker-Weir household

5 most common phrases overheard in the Walker-Weir household

August 25, 2022 / No Comments

If you happened to be passing by the windows of our home, sitting at the dining room table or listening on the other end of the phone, you’re very likely to hear one of these statements:

1. Get off the table! (Yes, this is directed at the cats, not M.)

2. Sweet dreams. See also: Nighty night, rabbit. (Due to our opposite schedules, we rarely get the pleasure of sleeping in the same bed at the same time.)

3. Kill ’em a lot! (M is a gamer. I slay people in fiction.)

4. Five minutes. (Generally uttered after putting the kettle on for tea. For a snooze request, I ask for 10 minutes.)

5. I love you, my heart. (Also: my own, my love, my sugar plum and sweetie pie. We’re foolish romantics. What can I say?)
A tiny glimpse at what life as a journalist is like

September 15, 2017 / No Comments

Sit at my desk. Turn on the computer. Take a deep breath and begin.

Read. Investigate. Chat. Write. Add multimedia. Edit. Preview. Publish. Social. Email. Repeat.

Around 3 a.m., take a quick moment to run into the kitchen to turn on the kettle for tea.

News breaks. Remain at my desk and focus on doing 10 things at once.

Read. Investigate. Chat. Write. Add multimedia. Edit. Preview. Publish. Social. Email. Repeat.

Two and a half hours pass and I still haven’t had anything to drink. At that point, I notice my very kind and supportive husband is awake. He turns on the kettle again.

More breaking news.

Read. Investigate. Chat. Write. Add multimedia. Edit. Preview. Publish. Social. Email. Repeat.

Five minutes later, utterly focused on my work, I’m barely able to pull my eyes away from the screen and my fingers from the keyboard when a steaming hot cup of tea appears on my desk. I take a grateful sip.

More breaking news.

Read. Investigate. Chat. Write. Add multimedia. Edit. Preview. Publish. Social. Email. Repeat.

And the tea grows cold.
“No work would be possible without coffee.” –Henning Mankell, “One Step Behind”

January 6, 2017 / 3 Comments

When I was in college, I had a pot-a-day coffee habit. The pot was only big enough to hold four cups, but I diligently drank all of them. I did so because I liked the taste of the strong brew, because I liked the jolt of energy I received from the caffeine it contained and because it felt like the adult thing to do. I woke in the morning and drank a cup of coffee. I had another between classes, a third while working in the newsroom and another late at night when I was trying to stay awake long enough to finish my homework.

By the second year of university, I learned — the hard way — that I had a heart condition, one that was exacerbated by caffeine. On doctor’s orders, I gave up java entirely. The palpitations lessened, even more so once I started taking medicine to ease the condition. And I kept working, just as hard as before, only without the liquid-boost I once enjoyed.

I maintained my coffee sobriety in the decades that followed, allowing myself to consume only one or two cups a year. Drinking more made my heart race.

I still desired to fill the air with the delicious scent of newly ground beans and to listen to the music of a fresh brew dripping into a pot, yet I chose to abstain. Nor did I replace these cravings with other addictions; I simply went without and relied on sheer force of will when age or illness caused my energy to flag.

Then, a few years ago, I drank a cup of coffee. And another. The taste was as I remembered, silky and smooth, but this time the rhythm of my heart didn’t skip a beat or pound. Instead, I was able to consume the creamy, sweet and bitter drink for the sheer enjoyment of its taste rather than the necessary jolt of adrenaline it used to provide.

My annual consumption soon turned into a monthly one, then a weekly one. Now I allow myself to drink one cup a day and it is wonderful, all pleasure with no side effects. Well, almost no side effects. For when I drink coffee, the synapses in my brain begin to fire. In these moments, I must write, talk or move. Unlike tea, which has long symbolized quiet, comfort, warmth and relaxation, coffee demands that I go forth and do something.

Which brings me to today. I need to get some unpacking done. Time to make a cuppa joe and get started.

–Photo by se hui(shirley) Kim
5 true confessions of a jaded mind

April 19, 2015 / No Comments

* There’s a Calvin-esque part of me that emerges after rain storms. I see a big puddle and I just feel the need to jump.

* There’s another part of me that hopes for some sort of time or place travel to occur when I splash into dark puddles.

* I can’t kill bugs that crunch. Doing so just creeps me out.

* I like hot tea and iced tea, but I don’t like when hot tea goes cold.

* Two years ago, my eye doctor said I needed bifocals. Despite my reservations (which foolishly involved me feeling old), I took her advice and bought a pair. When it was time to renew my prescription, I explained that my eyes had never really adapted to the bifocals and that I wanted straight specs instead. Turns out, she was right and I was wrong, and that’s why I’ve spent the past year squinting and removing my glasses to read anything.
These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things This Year

December 7, 2014 / No Comments

The holidays are here again, and everyone is crazy busy. My shopping is done for the year — as usual I finished early — but if you’re still looking for that perfect gift, let me offer a few suggestions, à la Oprah. Dear readers, these are a few of my favorite things:

FOR THE TEA DRINKER: Melitta 40994 1.7-Liter Kettle

Our last electric tea kettle, a perfectly serviceable Proctor Silex started to die in January. M picked up this new kettle after reading some excellent reviews and I certainly put it through the paces. Unlike our last kettle, the Melitta can fill two large mugs of tea and still have hot water to spare.

FOR THE PERSON WHO LOVES AFFORDABLE, YET BEAUTIFUL JEWELRY: The Rose and Petal 925 Sterling Silver Ring

I decided to upgrade my look this year, and since we were saving for a house, I focused on accessories. This ring was my favorite item.

FOR THE GADGET GURU: Zak Designs E-Z-Rol Garlic Peeler

This gadget is so easy to use! Just pop in a garlic clove, roll and voila! All of the sticky paper is removed. For just $5, you’ll never have to deal with the odor of garlic on your hands again. Best of all, it’s dishwasher-safe. Also comes in festive red and green.

FOR THE COOK: Paprika Recipe Manager

For years I have searched for ways to collect all of my online recipes in one place. After trying archived emails, PDFs and numerous apps, I finally discovered Paprika. With this app, you can “organize your recipes, make meal plans and create grocery lists.” It’s a very handy tool and one that you can use on a Mac or PC, iPhone or Android, iPad, Kindle Fire or Nook.

FOR THE PET LOVER: K&H Thermo-Pet Mat

I bought two of these mats last spring for my eldest cats because their old bones just couldn’t take the cold anymore. The mats were so popular that I decided to pick up two more in the fall. I’m now the most popular kitty mom around. One small note: If you do end up buying one, cover the mat with an old pillowcase. This will make cleanup super easy.

FOR THE FASHIONISTA: Signare Tapestry Handbag

Big enough to carry everything you need, compact enough to not look like you’re Mary Poppins. More importantly, this purse is sturdy, which as most women can attest, is not always the case with bags in this price range.

FOR THE LONGTIME FAN OF “THE PRINCESS BRIDE”: “As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride” by Cary Elwes

Elwes, who played Westley in the film, has penned a wonderful behind-the-scenes book about this cult classic. While I have no doubt the print/ebook versions are great, I highly recommend the audiobook to hear Elwes, Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, Mandy Patinkin, William Goldman, Norman Lear, Carol Kane, Andy Scheinman and Rob Reiner share their favorite stories about the making of the movie. M and I listened to “As You Wish” in the car over several weeks and had a blast.

FOR THE ADVENTUROUS, OR AIM-TO-BE-MORE ADVENTUROUS: “I Dare Me: How I Rebooted And Recharged My Life By Doing Something New Every Day” by Lu Ann Cahn

This is a compilation of Cahn’s many fun and daring “firsts” — activities she’d never tried or hadn’t tried in about a decade. I decided to give it a whirl and this year I enjoyed quite a few interesting experiences. I avoided saying anything negative for a whole day, bought a rubber stamp that symbolizes me, figured out a way to eat, and like, brussels sprouts, got chased by zombies, had a letter-boxing adventure, became a vegetarian for a day, studied French, took piano lessons, took sign language lessons, shared a migraine photo, revealed my Oscar predictions, sounded a barbaric yawp in public, spent a whole day without looking in a mirror, stood up for a cause I believed in, took classes in astrobiology, the nature of terrorism, social media and archaeology, took care of someone after surgery, tried a fondue dinner and used a Youtube video to learn a new skill.

FOR THE PERSON RESOLVING TO BE HEALTHIER IN 2015: FitDesk v. 2.0

I picked up a FitDesk as a Valentine’s Day gift for my husband and ended up using it more than he did. Not only is the bike easy to ride, the desk part allows me to work while I do it (or more to the point distracts me while I do it).

FOR THE PERSON WHO WANTS TO STAY HEALTHY BUT HATES TO WORK OUT: Zombies, Run!

As mentioned in a previous blog post, I love this app. The game’s tagline says it all: Get fit. Escape zombies. Become a hero. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a shot. It’s great fun.