Saturday, August 30, 2008

Question of the Day

What is one guilty pleasure you enjoy to much to give up?

Coffee with sugar in the morning. I know that granulated sugar is not the greatest thing for me to consume. Splenda has lass calories, raw sugar is better for my digestive system, Blue Agave nectar is, well I don't know what the benefit is other than I was told it was better for me (my best friend is a yuppie :-P). However, they all taste so strange to me. So I will continue to get my morning caffeine fix by way of 16 ounces of freshly ground coffee with tap water and granulated sugar.

What is YOUR guilty pleasure?

Friday, August 29, 2008

100 Must eat American Foods

Copy to your blog and bold which ones you have eaten! Strike thru any you would never consider.

  1. New York pizza
  2. Hoppin' John
  3. New Mexico green chile
  4. Homemade buttermilk biscuits
  5. Tasso
  6. Whole Maine lobster
  7. Calabash-style shrimp and hushpuppies
  8. Kansas City barbecue ribs
  9. Hot glazed Krispy Kreme
  10. San Diego fish tacos
  11. Cheese curds
  12. Key lime pie
  13. Philly cheese steak
  14. Memphis pork barbecue sandwich
  15. Lowcountry boil
  16. Huckleberry pie
  17. New England clam chowder
  18. Boiled peanuts
  19. Buffalo burger
  20. Eggs Benedict
  21. Pastrami on rye
  22. Corned beef and cabbage
  23. Pancakes with maple syrup
  24. Everything bagel with cream cheese and tomato
  25. Thin Mints (preferably frozen)
  26. Frito pie
  27. Potato knish with mustard
  28. Silver Queen corn on the cob
  29. Soft pretzel from a street cart
  30. Fresh-picked blueberries
  31. Sourwood honey
  32. State fair funnel cake (no because I'm lame and have never been to the state fair. And I am more an elephant ears)
  33. Chesapeake crab cakes
  34. Candied yams
  35. Oyster dressing
  36. Snow cone or snowball
  37. Wild Alaskan salmon
  38. Sautéed morels (Dad and I used to go pick them from the woods behind our house, then sautee them up. The rest of my family didn't like them, which was more for us!_
  39. Persimmon pudding
  40. General Tso's Chicken
  41. Frozen custard
  42. Italian sausage with peppers and onions on a hoagie bun
  43. Chili dog
  44. Buffalo wings with blue cheese
  45. Spam musubi
  46. Saltwater taffy
  47. Fluffernutter sandwich on Wonder Bread
  48. Black and white cookie
  49. Frybread
  50. BLT with thick-cut applewood bacon
  51. Baked beans (I consumed soooooo many of these today. One of my favorite foods.)
  52. Pumpkin pie
  53. Collards with vinegar and Tabasco
  54. Tex-Mex fajitas with skirt steak and sautéed peppers
  55. Fried green tomatoes
  56. Succotash
  57. Shrimp and grits
  58. Hot water cornbread
  59. Barbecue chicken pizza with red onions
  60. Chicken fried steak
  61. Carnitas burrito
  62. Apple butter
  63. Geoduck
  64. Soft-serve ice cream cone dipped in chocolate shell (especially Dairy Queen) (We treated ourselves to Dairy Dream cones on the way home from the funeral today. Definitely hit the spot.)
  65. Pecan pie
  66. Catfish supper at a church or fire station
  67. Oysters Rockefeller
  68. Homemade cranberry sauce
  69. Pimiento cheese
  70. MoonPie washed down with R.C. Cola
  71. Pickled watermelon rind
  72. Cracker Jacks at the ball game
  73. Smithfield ham
  74. Meatloaf and mashed potato blue plate special at diner
  75. Chicken and waffles
  76. Po'Boy (not yet, but I plan on eating a HUGE one in NOLA)
  77. Green bean casserole with French's fried onions
  78. Stuffed sopaipillas
  79. Turducken
  80. Shad roe on toast
  81. Sweet potato casserole with or without marshmallows
  82. Cioppino
  83. New York cheesecake
  84. Pan-fried river trout
  85. Jambalaya
  86. North Carolina pig pickin'
  87. California rolls
  88. Burgoo
  89. Penuche fudge
  90. Fried peanut butter and banana sandwich (the Elvis)
  91. Scrapple or livermush
  92. Elk medallions in red wine reduction
  93. Muscadine grapes
  94. Cheeseburger at backyard barbecue
  95. Open-face turkey sandwich
  96. Chicago deep dish pizza
  97. Cobb salad
  98. Peach pie a la mode
  99. Macaroni and cheese with Tillamook sharp cheddar
  100. Root beer float
I'm at 56% right now. Pretty pathetic. I need to eat more!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Question of the Day

What's your comfort food?

I think for me, the better question would be: What isn't your comfort food? I'm being serious here. The closer I get to my wedding, and the closer that slinky little dress gets, the more I realize that I am a stress eater. I am constantly thinking of food, and it's even worse knowing that I can't have that cheeseburger that I want so badly. I am trying so hard to lose weight and I hate dieting so much. I am a complete foodie, to give up so many things that I crave constantly is so difficult. It certainly does not help to watch Jordan eat a Big Mac in front of me. That is one of my comfort foods. Big Macs. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

A couple more:
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese
Peanut Butter and Butter sandwiches (it's a salt thing)
Potato chips of any kind, as long as they are salty and greasy
Basically anything with large amounts of fat in it

I also miss baking, and I just recently figured htis out. I've stopped baking in the past few months, because I know if I do, I will eat the entire batch. But last weekend one of my techs had a cookout and he asked me to bring dessert, so of course I jumped for joy at the task! I made these, which as you can tell just by looking at them, are soooooooooooooooooooo rich. I ended up only having just a bite of one, I didn't even lick the bowl when I made 3 batches! These are going to be a repeat recipe. I WILL make them again when I can eat real food again. I can't wait!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Power's Hamburgers

I've only been here once, but I keep wanting to go back! These are REAL sliders, so much tastier than the White Castle version---and I LOVE White Castle. I remember going waaaaaaaay back during Driver's Training, when Spender suggested that we go to Power's for lunch.

I was pretty excited when they were listed on one of my favorite national foodie blogs under their favorite places for burgers!

Fort Wayne natives...have you ever been to Power's?

Monday, August 25, 2008

Wedding Bands

I've only had one class so far today. The professor was 7 minutes late--Trust me, everyone was counting and watching the clock. I've always been a loner in classes, I usually read or write while waiting for the prof. However, most of my peers have gotten to know each other though various clubs and groups, and they were anxious to catch up after the summer.

Being the casual (and to others, though I don't mean to be, creepy) observer that I am, I overheard a conversation that amused me. Two young men, also in their senior year (it was a 400 level class), were talking about their summers. One of them noticed a band on the other's fourth left finger.

A: "Did you get married this summer?"
B: "Yup I did!"
A: "Hey, so did I!"
B: "When was your date?"
Reader note, I don't remember what day it was. I'm not THAT creepy. The conversation only caught my attention because I am obsessed with all things wedding right now.
B: "You beat me, that's 1 month and 14 days before mine. But my ring is so much better than yours."
A: "I bet mine was much more expensive though."
B: "Probably not, I paid 4-500 for mine."
A: "Mine was 6!"

They went on to discuss metals and decision process they went through picking out the rings, things they were getting engraved on them. I gradually tuned them out and went back to reading Lolita. Still it struck me as amusing because here were two male college students, talking in detail about their wedding. While I'm used to women gabbing about every detail imaginable about their ceremony, it's a rare treat to hear two grooms doing so. B has a good start, he is already counting days since his vows, hopefully he'll be able to remember that date next summer, and plan a very special first anniversary. As technical and egotistical as their conversation was, you could tell from the affection in their rough male way, that they both really loved the woman they married. I hope that Jordan brags about our wedding the way these two men did.

First Day of the Last Year

It's finally here--Senior year. Most of you know that I have had Senioritis for almost a year now. I have been so frustrated with school, Junior year was hell. I know that I have a career path in place, and I'm so anxious to begin. Unlike most of my business college peers, I don't have to go through a grueling set of interviews, career fairs, and internships. I don't have to worry that I may be working at the same amusement park that I've worked with for the past nine summers, because I didn't get that big internship with an accounting firm last year. I have a great start at a rapidly expanding company, in an industry that is here to stay. It may not be the glamorous suit and tie corner office job in New York that so many of my peers are striving for, but it is perfect for me. It's difficult, it challenges me more than I've ever been challenged. I work with amazing people (with one or two exceptions), who work hard AND play hard (as evidenced Saturday night). We are a close-knit team and we've got each others back. It's a great environment to work in, and it is giving me a great amount of experience in many different areas. I know that even if I don't become a "Mr. Rooter Lifer"--as a tech called me the other day--I will be able to find a great position in a company in any area of the Midwest. Jordan would love to move back to Bluffton, and while I have my doubts about that, I'll be prepared to get a good job there.

All this knowledge has me so restless. I want it NOW. I don't want to struggle through another horrible year of juggling work and school and classes. In October, the wedding planning will finally cease, and this year, I don't have to continually worry about my deployed soldier. But different challenges face me this year. In 54 days I will be newly married. I'm learning to run my own household, which most of you know is not an easy task for me. Last year taught me to stand on my own two feet, and do things without help. But now, there is two of us. I have a husband to cook and clean and care for, one who is facing some serious challenges himself right now. Thank you, Lord, for finally giving David the peace he has been needing for 15 years. In 54 days I will officially be a "non-traditional" student, thought I've felt that way for awhile now. We've moved off campus, for a reason. We are going to be looking for another church, a Muncie church. While CCH holds a very dear place in my heart, Jordan and I need to find a home where we can build fellowship with other married, local couples. It's going to be a difficult transition for me, because I have so many close friends at CCH and I want to be able to be a part of all of those amazing activities. But I watched someone I loved dearly struggle with transition last year, and I am trying to learn from her pain.

So here we go. It's the last two semesters that I will be a student. The end is in sight. Finally.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Question of the Day

Are there people you would not tell if their fly was down?

Pretty much, if I know you, I'm gonna tell you. I don't get embarrassed by those things easily. At worst, it will create a awkward moment that we will laugh about later.

If I don't know you, well I'll probably just laugh at you. Maybe not out loud, but you can be sure, I notice everything. So an hour later when you realize you were showing your goods to the world, yep someone noticed. It was me. And inside, I was laughing.

There is ONE person I know that I did not tell that their fly was down. My boss. He stood in the parking lot a few weeks ago and carried on a long conversation about direct mail, all the while his fly was open. That is an awkward moment that does not get turned into a funny story later. It just gets turned into a badly written blog post.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Question of the Day

Where is your favorite place to be alone?

We have a balcony at our new apartment and Jordan surprised me last week with pretty wicker patio furniture :). I love to sit out there after a long day and catch up on my RSS feeds, read a book (currently it's Lolita), and write. We have a pretty good view of the sun going down, and on a cool night, I like to sit out there and unwind before I have to cook dinner and Jordan comes home.

It's a nice way to escape from Keira, who frequently attacks me (She adores Jordan, but for some reason, thinks I am a scratching post. Seriously, check out my arms and legs. It's ridiculous. She just tried to bite my ear off while I'm typing this.) Unfortunately it's too hot and muggy to sit out there tonight, so I sit here with her climbing all over me. I wonder if I smell like catnip or something.

Hm...tangent...

ANYway, it's so nice to have a place outside to go. I'm shielded from the sun, so I won't get pre-marital sunburn. It's also nice to meet some of the neighbors, who walk and play in the lawn below me. The people in the apartment directly below us, while a little rough around the edges, are very friendly, we'll often swap funny stories of the day.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

We need this!

Let me tell you a little something about me. One of my biggest pet peeves is when I go to the fridge and there is no ice. Even worse is when someone has put the empty trays BACK into the freezer without refilling them. Sigh. I drink almost all of my beverages with ice--water, juice, even milk. I can't drink things warm, so it really irritates me when there is no ice.

Now let me tell you a little something about Jordan. He does not know how to refill ice cube trays. I'm not kidding. When we lived in the old house, I had to tape a note to the side of the freezer reminding him to refill them. It was a constant argument.

We need this ice cube tray. Not only is it convenient, but it is fun enough that Jordan will refill it on a regular basis.

Cat eating Spagetti

You guys have to read this post and watch this video. It's hilarious. It's one of those things that will make you laugh for no reason, sort of like the dramatic chipmunk.

Question of the Day

What's the biggest leap of faith you've ever had to take?

Jordan and I had been dating a grand total of a month when we found out he would be deployed in March. The feelings we had for each other were already really strong, but how do you know after a month whether or not you will last through 2 years of military hell. I'll never forget the night he told me. I was devastated. It was a difficult night, debating between what my heart was telling me and what my head was telling me. In the end our hearts won and we stuck it out. It's not been an easy 2 years--it's been filled with so much heartbreak and pain, definitely something we are hoping we don't have to go through again. But our relationship is so much stronger now and I know that our marriage will be a happy one.

Miles biked: 8.358 in 1 hour

Monday, August 18, 2008

Question of the Day

What is your favorite time of day and why?

Evenings. I come home from work, and have time to wind down and make dinner before Jordan comes home. Now that I have a bike, I can take off and ride for an hour and get a good workout in before I need to start dinner. I just got back from a ride and I feel fantastic, albeit a little tired and sore since it's only my second day out.

No matter how much I love him, Jordan can be a bit overwhelming if I don't have that wind down time. My job is so stressful that I need do to something to calm my mind, whether I sit down to read, copy down a recipe, or listen to the Dawn and Drew Show while riding on the Cardinal Greenway.

The two or three hours before he gets home has also given me a chance to really cook. I can try out new recipes (more fail than succeed though) and Jordan and I can sit down for a real meal at the end of the day. No, 9pm really isn't the ideal time for a big dinner, but we both really enjoy good food and having a few moments of quiet together to share about our day.

Miles biked: 6.68 for 1 hour

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Product Review: Tylenol Severe Allergy

We recently adopted an adorable kitten named Keira. She's lived with us for 2.5 days now and we are smitten. She is gorgeous, active, and so lovey. She loves us as much as we love her! Take a look:
Isn't she beautiful???

The problem? I'm severely allergic. I have been since childhood, though when my family adopted LC way back when, then Smokey and Boo, I gradually got used to having cats in the house. Then came college, and I moved away from home and have lost that immunity. Not only that, but it is hayfever season and my allergies were already going nuts. needless to say, Saturday was miserable. So I went to the store and scoured the allergy aisle. I used to use Claritan during the day, and Benedryl at night. However, Claritan didn't do the job on it's own, and the Benedryl made me feel like death (not to mention the drunken effects immediately after I take it). I did pick up some Claritan during the day, but for night I grabbed Tylenol Severe Allergy. After the trouble with Nana, I've been trying to use Tylenol more often, since it's easier on the stomach, but I was pretty skeptical about the allergy use.
Picture from here.

I took it right before bed last night. Wow. I didn't feel drunk at all. Nor did I wake up feeling like a grizzly coming out of hibernation. I actually felt pretty good. My throat was a little dry, my nose a little clogged, but compared to the miserable hacking mess I've been, I felt amazing! This product works. It does say that it will cause severe drowsiness on the box, so I would be cautious about using it during the day, but paired with a nondrowsy formula for daytime, this keeps my allergies from reeking havoc at night!

hharnish05 is...

Those of you who frequent my actual blog may notice my Twitter feed at the top. Blame my lack of programming skills for the horrible formatting, but I can't figure out how to fix it.

Anyway, I love Twitter. I have it forwarded to my phone. I have it linked to my Facebook status. I have it on Digsby, and as previously mentioned, I have it added to my blog. Therefore, I love this mug. The only downside is that I can't update the status on it.

I want to ride my bicyle, I want to ride my biiiiiiiiike

After 2 months of me saying, "We should really get bikes, it would be such a great way for us to exercise AND spend time together," Jordan and I finally bought new Schwinns today. Well, of course we had to break them in! I had the phones, but I hadn't had any calls all day, so we took off on a ride, making sure to pack my phone and notebook in Jordan's pockets (thank goodness for cargo pants!). We were not a half a mile down Walnut before my phone went off! Sigh. So back to the apartment we went, to dispatch a tech. Blah Blah Blah I worked some.

Flash forward to Take Two of our Maiden Voyage. This time, we were off smoothly. The sun was setting, the air was cooling, not a cloud in the sky. What a beautiful night! Our only real hitch was that Jordan can't figure out his gears--they keep changing on him for no apparent reason. We were really enjoying ourselves, talking about how happy we were that we finally bought bikes, making plans to go out again tomorrow. We took Walnut north to Riggin, then cut over west to the Cardinal Greenway. It really was a beautiful night, though we both said that my allergies are probably going to dislike all of the wild flora. We crossed 400 N, considered turning around, but we were having so much fun, we decided to keep going, even though our quad muscles were screaming by this point (we really have done NO exercising since he's been home). However, fate would have it that coming in the opposite direction was a very attractive jogger, in a tight fitting top. After we passed her, Jordan turned to me and made a comment about how he resisted gawking at her as she ran past. Sigh. We laughed and he put his arm out for a high five.

Seems innocent right? Well, if you know me well, you know that I am not so coordinated. And I hadn't been on a bike for YEARS. I went off the trail just a bit, and overcorrected on the gravel shoulder. I ate asphalt. It was inevitable that I crash on our first time out. I'm a Harnish, that's what we do. We fall. Anyway, all I did was scrape up my ankle a bit on the pavement. It stings quite a bit, but not a serious injury. It was more my pride that was hurt. It shook Jordan up though! He thought I was really hurt. He can be sweet on occaision :).

Obviously, that was the end of our ride. We turned back and made our way back to the apartment. My phone only rang about 5 times on the way home. Sigh. On the way home, we talked about what we needed now that we have new bikes. Helmets (since I can't stay upright), lights (since he works so late that we may go out at night on occaision), water bottle and racks (kind of self explanitory). I think I could really get into this. I really enjoyed it, even though my first time out was frustrating. I'm really out of shape. But, if I keep this up and go out on at least a semi-regular basis for the next few months, I may fit back into my wedding dress. Once I get into better shape, I may start riding to class or work, which will help save on gas. It's about a 10 minute car ride to campus, probably 30 on a bike. Not a bad ride for those days when I don't have to wear heels for a presentation. I really do miss being fit. I miss the high I get when I work out, the joy I get from being outside, the thirst I get for more once I get started.

Ok, time for a shower, then at 10, the Bob Saget Roast!

Miles biked: 6.634 in 1 hour

Rainy Days


I know more than one person who feels this way. Me? While I agree that rainy days yield great activities, I'd much rather curl up with hot coffee and a novel then the Xbox.

Comic from here.

Yogurt prank

These videos are hilarious! Casters for a yogurt commercial put salt in the yogurt to see what the kids reaction would be. You can't really understand what the kids are saying, unless you know what language this is (I'm definitely not multilingual), but the facial expressions are very amusing!

Male/Female Keychains

This is such a great idea! Jordan and I don't really have trouble keeping our keys separate, but it would work for a lot of couples!

Advertising on Municipal Vehicles

I'm not sure how I feel about this. It's great that our mayor is trying to find ways to help with government cash flow. However, how intimidating are our cop cars going to look like with a Tampax ad on the side?

Question of the Day

What is your preferred method of transportation for trips over a couple of hours? Why?

I actually really enjoy long car rides. I did not used to, when I was growing up, as I would get severely carsick. However, I've pretty much grown out of it. Now, I find great enjoyment in driving or riding long distances, especially through small towns. I love to turn the music on loud and sing badly to whatever genre Jordan has flipped the radio to (at least for the next 15 seconds, until he gets tired of it and switches the station again).

We recently traveled 9 hours to visit my cousin in North Carolina. We purchased a Garmin right before the trip to help us navigate since my eyesight is not sharp enough to be much help. For whatever reason, it took us through the middle of nowhere Ohio, down some bumpy country road. It was fantastic! Jordan and I had so much fun! The road trip was just as much fun as the actual visit to Winston-Salem, and that is saying a lot because we had a BLAST climbing mountains and floating down rivers!

I'd like to take more roadtrips, but unfortunately we don't get enough time off. With the price of gas these days, vacations are not quite as cost efficient as they used to be.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

6 unspectacular quirks about myself

1. I collect pigs! Right now the collection is small, only a few stuffed animals, but I hope to grow it with time. And now I have a place to put them--in my apartment office!

2. I go through food craving cycles, where I will be hungry for the same thing for about a week. If I don't get that food, I go crazy and will eat everything in the house until it is met. For example, this week has been macaroni and cheese. I should just go buy some, but it isn't good for me, so I've been trying to just eat a slice of smoked gouda when the craving hits (as opposed to the 75 slices of Kraft processed cheese that Jordan eats), but it is not working and so I still feel hungry (even after an entire meal).

3. I love pens and notebooks. I try to journal regularly, often just so I can write with a pretty pen in a pretty notebook.

4. I also LOVE stationary. Unfortunately, there are so few occasions to handwrite a letter anymore. Anybody want a pen pal?

5. I change the background on my computer every day or so. Really anytime I come across a neat picture. Sometimes a few times a day. Thanks to Google Reader, that number is increasing.

6. I am OCD when it comes to my books and music. I keep an Access database for the books I should read (currently at 790), and the books I have read (227), and the music I want to download (224). I alphabetize the books on my shelves, and separate the ones I need to read from the ones I have read. In Itunes, all of my music has to have a title, artist, genre, and rating. It really irritated me that when I got a new computer I had to redo all of my ratings and playlists.

Queston of the Day

What is your "embarrassing" cooking (or food-related) story?


I almost burned the house down! I had bronchitis and was on some serious medication. I was hungry but was running low on groceries. I couldn't go to the store, because it wasn't safe for me to drive. Somehow though, I felt it safe to operate the stove, and decided to make a grilled cheese sandwich because I always have bread, butter, and cheese. The first side cooked perfectly, I flipped it over....and woke up to all of the smoke detectors buzzing! I completely blacked out! Needless to say, the second side was inediblely black. My roommates took my keys away for the next few days, and wouldn't let me cook anything.

What is your story?

Friday, August 01, 2008

Another necessity at the Beechwood house...

...where every plug is occupied. Actually, this product would be good for ANY house really. Just be careful about blowing fuses!