Mmmm, sausages...

Earlier last week I tried my talents at cooking a new dish. I managed to make Spicy Italian Sausage and Peppers. The first thing I learned is that you can precut the sausage because it's like ground beef. You have to cook it first so it becomes more solid. I wish I had known that before I started. Also, it helps not to cut the slices too big. You'll want to make sure they can cook all the way through without any problems. I think my sausages were a little pink on the inside but no one got sick, so I guess it's okay.

So basically you cook up about a pound of sausage. Then when they're almost done, take 'em out and cut them. Continue cooking them with the slices of peppers and onions til they aren't pink on the inside anymore. When that is done, you pour on a bottle (26 oz) of pasta sauce (preferably a chunky brand) and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. I wish I could have found one with sun dried tomatoes. I love 'em, they taste so good!!! It's a pretty simple recipe that doesn't take long to prepare. I tried eating it with wheat pasta, then rice and I can't decide which is better. What do you guys think?
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Now playing: Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy
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Paranormal Stuff

So, there's this small movie sensation going around. The movie is called "Paranormal Activity" and it's about... well, paranormal activity. The movie has similar cinematic styles like the Blair Witch Project and follows a very familiar story line. A young couple moves into a house only to sense a disturbing presence that is most active at night. During their stay they set up a camera to see and record their experiences with this presence. This go from spooky to worse real quick and you might not be able to sleep if you're home alone. Can't find out what else happens until you see the movie.

It seems worth watching but it's only in select theaters. If you'd like to see it in a city near you, click here to the petition to demand it in a city near you. Paramount has already agreed to expand viewing to 20 cities:

Atlanta, GA
Chicago, IL
Dallas, TX
DC/Baltimore, MD
Denver, CO
Detroit, MI
Houston, TX
Los Angelos, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Miami, FL
Minneapolis, MN
New York, NY
Philadelphia, PA
Phoenix, AZ
Sacramento, CA
San Antonio, TX
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Jose, CA
Tampa, FL

Maybe a city near you is on this list. :)
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Now playing: Shiny Toy Guns - Burning For You
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Recession or Not?

In the past year, people have been cutting back on services and other expenses. You would think that in this supposed recession companies would be jumping at the chance to get your business. Nope, not the case with here. Recently my sister's backyard has grown wild and it's pretty embarrassing to be "that house" in the neighborhood. I always make fun of those people. Anyway, it was decided that we would have someone come and take care of the whole yard in one swoop. That's where I come in.

A list of landscapers in the area were gathered and I started with some calls. A called a number of places letting them know that I was interested in receiving quotes. Of all the places I called only one company returned my call. We then set up a time for him to pass by, examine the work to be done and write up a quote. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, it would have been had he shown up. He never came by during the time he said he would or even call to reschedule. Not a good first impression in my book. Feels like I've been stood up, but there are plenty of landscapers where he came from.

...After I wrote this, he finally showed up (3 hours late). I still probably won't choose him because his quote was pretty high.
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Now playing: Aaliyah ft. Timbaland - We Need A Resolution
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Lucy's Fall Lineup

The Fall season of shows has started, but with so many new shows and seasons, it's sometimes hard to keep track of what's good. So I'm making a list of a few of my favorites.

1. Solitary - Fox Reality Channel

I caught this show while I was flipping around one afternoon. This reality game show involves 9 contestants locked in individual octagon pods, 10 feet across, with no windows or contact to the outside world. They are at the mercy of the computerized voice, Val, who seems pretty emotionless. They have a variety of challenges to do and penalties for uncompleted tasks. When a person can't take it anymore, they can opt to press the red button. If they are the first person to quit they have to leave. However, the other contestants won't know when or if a person has quit. Some people have done challenges for hours to ensure they make it to the next round.

You'd think they're going against each other, but really they're going up against themselves, their endurance and their own will power. Some of the challenges include adding clips to their bodies, running on rocks, placing the weight of their opponents they've never seen in order. The reward is either food, an hour of sleep or exemption from the next challenge. It's funny to watch people's strategies and how much it takes for them to break down.

2. Fringe - Fox Channel

This science fiction show is like a younger "X-Files" mixed with "The Outer Limits". FBI Agent Olivia Dunham somehow gets roped into handling cases of an unusual kind. With the help of a former research (mad) scientist and his crafty son, Olivia tries to solve cases that deal with "fringe science" anywhere from teleportation, spontaneous combustion, psychic abilities, etc. Since it's co-created by J.J. Abrams, you are sometimes left with answers and wanna watch the next episode to find out more. I got hooked on the first episode especially with Joshua Jackson in it. The commercial breaks are only 60 to 90 seconds long and it is definitely worth watching every Thursday night.

3. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - FX Channel

This show is hilarious. It's a cast of four self-involved misfits who run a bar together in South Philly. When alcohol's involved, calamity ensues. They get involved in some crazy money making schemes that end in illegal activity. Some on which include dressing as fake cops to score free hot dogs, trying to give a confused family a home makeover, starting a band and even trading places to see how the other lives.

They managed to get Danny DeVito who just adds to the comedy as Dee and Denise's dad who boast about his time in Vietnam (running a sweatshop). If you like good, clean, fun then this is not the show for you. It's gross, controversial and a must see. If you get a chance, check out their traveling play show. Too funny!!!


There are some other shows I can't wait to see, but these are my top three. i just noticed all three are on a Fox Network... weird. I guess it's because they'll air anything. Have one that's not on the list, post it here.
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Now playing: Fall Out Boy - Love Will Tear Us Apart
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A Whole Slew of Things

So much has happened in the past few weeks. I moved and I'm still unpacking. I have more things than I could ever imagine. I visited my grandparents staying in Canada one last time. Other than hitting a bit of traffic on the way up, the move went swimmingly. For anyone driving up there, head up at night. You're less likely to hit traffic, but you will need to find a way to stay awake. That's the hardest part. And I'm trying Blockbusters version of movies delivered to your home. I managed to find a great online deal that gave me six weeks for free. I have to say, if I were paying for it then I wouldn't be too pleased.

When you sign up you have 3 options: 1, 2 or 3 dvds at a time then you can choose to add the option of exchanging dvds in the store. Sounds pretty cool, right? After you start adding movies to your queue, you'll notice that some can be downloaded to watch from your computer. There's a fee for that and you can also buy the dvd. The only downside is that you can't watch the movies online and the prices are a bit more than Netflix. All in all, if you don't mind heading to the Blockbuster store, then it's pretty good deal.

But after my free trial, I think I'll stick with Netflix.

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