I often spend time on Wikipedia reading chains of related articles that become progressively unrelated to the first, although each of them are linked because they are related in some way.  This is the chain of Wikipedia articles that I followed this afternoon:

postmodernism-dystopia-cyberpunk-Blade Runner-cult film-Mommie Dearest-puffery-weasel word-catch phrase-list of political catchphrases

The last one was great!
Check this out:  List of political catchphrases

Miso Hungry!

I consider myself nothing short of an expert at living well and being poor simultaneously.  It can be done; one can have a low income but also indulge in life's luxuries.

One way that I live well on a low income is by cooking healthy meals at home that come at a significantly low cost.  Rest assured, it is easier to do than you may perceive.

One of my favorite things to eat is home made miso soup.  Not only is miso very healthy, but also very inexpensive.  Soup is very filling because it consists primarily of liquid, and it's also easy on the wallet.

I buy refrigerated miso paste from the Asian market because, not only does it make more meals, but it doesn't contain any MSG which is harmful to my health.  One package of miso costs about $3.99 at my local grocer, and I estimate that one package makes about 20 bowls of soup.  Green onions and frozen vegetables are also inexpensive, so I estimate that a bowl of miso (the way I make it) costs around 50 cents per bowl to make, but likely even less.

Above is the type of miso I use.  It is available at most Asian grocery stores.
Here is my recipe:

Miso Hungry Soup (for one):

1 1/2 cups of water

1 Tbsp of miso paste

a dash of sesame oil

1 squirt of Sriracha

1 green onion, chopped

1 handful of spinach (fresh or frozen)

1 handful of frozen peas

1 egg

optional:  vegetable dumplings

Directions:  Heat the water to just below a boil.  Add the sesame oil and Sriracha.  Dissolve the miso paste in the water, stirring until it is completely dissolved.  Add the onion, spinach, and peas.  After simmering for 3-5 minutes, crack the egg into the soup and stir.  Do not boil, but heat and stir until the egg is cooked. **If you decide to add vegetable dumplings, add them at the same time you add the vegetables.  

Enjoy!

OMG Sinbad

Sinbad is my cat.  He is named after the sailor, not the comedian.

I don't mean to brag, but Sinbad is a really awesome cat.  I'm not just boasting about him because he is mine; many people express that they love him and if I ever go out of town or can't keep him that they would love to take care of him.  I think this is because he's not like the typical house cat who runs away or hisses when guests arrive; Sinbad does what he would do if you weren't there, and if you're in his way, well, he'll just walk over you.

Recently Sinbad was neutered, and, since one of his testicles had not yet dropped, he required another procedure, a result of which caused him to need stitches in his belly.  I am supposed to make him wear a hideous and uncomfortable plastic cone so he won't bite his stitches.  He has been pretty good about leaving his stitches alone, so the cone is now a mere novelty that I use for laughs.  The picture below is of my incredibly attractive, intelligent, sweet, but slightly rotten boyfriend with Sinbad in his Elizabethan cone:
Photo by Jiang Li www.flickr.com/jlifoto

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 I close my bedroom door when I leave my apartment.  I do this so Sinbad won't tear things up.  He typically doesn't, but one time I forgot to close the door and he spilled a glass of water that was sitting on desk next to my computer.  Since I don't have any type of innate tendency to pick up after myself to prevent things like this from happening, I shut the door.

Recently I was preparing to leave my apartment, so I was looking for Sinbad so I could close him out of my bedroom.  I heard noises coming from beneath my bed.  I looked under the bed and the covers, but Sinbad was nowhere to be found!  I kept hearing the noises.  After looking under the bed, I noticed a lump hanging in the fabric of my box springs under my mattress.  Sinbad had made a hold in the box springs, and when he made that hole he made the perfect hiding place.  It is nearly impossible to reach into the boxsprings to get him out.


Sinbad is my baby.  I love him like a child.  Having him has shown me that I will be completely content in my life without ever having children, given that I can always have cats.