Random Rants – Peeves and Likes for 2013

I haven’t blogged a random rant in 3 years.  Time sure does fly.  Random rants are just that….random.  Nothing to do with business or home décor.  Now that I can breath after the maylay of gift sets I made I can blog about something mindless. 
Throughout this year some things just stick in my craw (is that a word?) or drive me crazy.  Most are not really new to 2013 but bug me nonetheless.  (In no particular order):

• Speaking to me in person, talking to me on the phone or writing a letter to me like you only have 140 characters.   Why are you saying “LOL”  can’t you just Laugh out loud?  I’ll get it!  OMG, YOLO and #hashtag.  What the heck are you verbalizing a hashtag?  Am I suppose to reorganize it in my brain for another time and click on it in the future? #stupid
• Cra Cra – What the heck is that?  Why do we have to shorten a 2 syllable word to two half words?
• “It is what it is” What Is it?!  Never liked that saying and I still don’t in 2013
• Look up when walking.  Why must I dodge the zombie phone users on a Manhattan street.  Next time I’ll just walk into you.  I may only be 4’11 but I have an intimidating stare.

• Learn basic math – I’m no math whiz but If I give you $20.52 for total purchase of $15.52, chances are I’m not looking for change back.

Why is there a tip jar by the cashier?  Donut shop, Gas station, Chinese take out?  I thought tips where for restaurant servers who get below minimum or for those who go “above and beyond” on a regular basis.  Since when have we gone tip jar crazy?  Your socializing with the cashier next to you about your boyfriend problems and because you took all my coupons  and said “have a nice day” I must tip you? Cra Cra.

• Tweeting or texting on your phone while driving.  I see you.  I’m behind this person and they are driving extra slow because they think they will be safer doing that as one carries on a heating phone conversation when in fact they also have their left blinker on but the car is turning right.  Or they are  texting in between stop lights and by the time I realize they are too busy texting and blow the horn the darn light changed again.  Newsflash driving is important.  You can kill or injure you or someone else if you are not alert and paying attention to what is going on; or piss me off if I’m late for work and behind you.
• Get some social skills….Offline.  I know you have 10,000 friends/followers but turn off the phone when we have lunch.   I don’t want to see your brown roots (or grey or dandruff) all afternoon because your head is buried in your phone that you didn’t even have time to eat your lunch.  Next time I will just Instagram my lunch to you and #didlunch and say we did
• The Knicks (sorry…that’s a 10 year pet peeve)
• Cyberhacked – Having a business online and doing most of my bills and shopping online I have been the victim of numerous cyber hackings despite locking myself out of my own account because I can’t remember what the heck I changed the password to every 90 days as suggested. 
• This year my business emails got hundreds of spams per minute that my website vendor had to go in and change my password because it was overloading his “thing-a-majig” (will that be the new catchphrase for 2014?)
• Last week my personal ebay account got hacked (that I don’t use very often) and somebody bid and won over $5000 in bitcoins (whatever that is) and Itune gift cards.  



Honorable mention - Selfies – I really don’t have that much of a problem with this.  But some people overdue it a bit




If you’re on Facebook, Instagram and something has just touched your heart or simply made you smile and restored your faith in humanity that the peeves have not taken over and left you bitter towards the world.

•  The news isn’t all bad. I have noticed (or paid attention more) that TV has more humanitarian stories than it use to that melt my heart:
• Homeless man who returned a diamond ring
• Boy who gave his trophy to his competitor.
• Whole City grants wish for Batboy for a day.
• And the list can go on…
• My Family – I may gripe about them but I love them and I’m thankful they are all safe.
• My Health – Thanks Dr. Forman for making me healthy again.  I feel like a new woman!
• TV dramas are back – Enough of the cat fight reality shows.  Great acting has revived must-see-tv
• Breaking Bad -  I was a very late bloomer and caught it on Netflix and I’m salivating for the last season to get on Netflix cause they haven’t shown any reruns on regular tv.  Where are the reruns when you need them?
• Scandal – I say OMG to myself after every episode.  
• House of cards – Kevin Spacey….enough said

Honorable mentions : Justin Beiber announces his retirement.
 Jessica Simpson announces she won’t act anymore.

So what are your pet peeves and thumbs up 2013 moments? 

Happy New Year!

Random Rants - BOGO Jerk! Is this Leno worthy?

I took this picture on a road in the Cayman Islands and immediately thought Jay Leno would get a laugh out of this.

The picture is actually an advertising sign from a Jerk Chicken shack and after passing it several times that week we took them up on it.  It was delicious!  If you don't know what Jerk is it's a sweet and spicy rub originated in the Caribbean (particularly Jamaica).

Jerk Chicken is the most popular but the rub can be used on any meat, poultry, fish or tofu.  There is also a technique to cooking the jerk chicken that I have yet to perfect.

I found this tutorial and recipe from JamaicaTravelandCulture.com

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to prepare enough jerk chicken for 4 people:-
 One 3 1/2 lb chicken (3lb of chicken breasts may be used if preferred)
6 sliced scotch bonnet peppers (jalapenos may be used if scotch bonnet peppers are unavailable)
2 Tbsp. thyme
2 Tbsp. ground allspice
8 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 Medium onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tsp. ground black pepper


1 to 2 Tsp of the following (to taste)
-ground cinnamon
-nutmeg
-ginger

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
Juice of one lime
1 cup orange juice
1 cup white vinegar

Preparation

• Chop the onions, garlic and peppers. These do not need to be chopped too fine as they will be liquidized by the blender

• Blend all of the ingredients (excluding the chicken) in a blender to make the jerk sauce

• Cut the chicken up in to 4 pieces.
• Rub the sauce in to the meat, saving some for basting and dipping later.
• Leave the chicken in the fridge to marinade overnight
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turn the meat then bake for a further 30 minutes OR Grill the meat slowly until cooked, turning regularly. Baste with some of the remaining marinade whilst cooking. For best results, cook over a charcoal barbeque (ideally over a rack of pimento wood).

• Chop each quarter chicken portion in to 5 or 6 smaller pieces using a heavy cleaver.
• Us a wooden spoon (or something similar) to hold the chicken in place while chopping and NOT YOUR HAND (you will be chopping with enough pressure to cut through bone!!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm of the take out generation and have never heard of Scotch bonnet peppers until I read this recipe.  Okay, you see the 3rd to last step where they say "ideally BBQ over a rack of pimento wood".....I think this is the key to lip-smacking jerk chicken.   Wondering where I would find pimento wood in Long Island :-)

 

Random Rants - Haiti needs our help!

This is usually a light-hearted blog promoting Nikki Makes Scents and other handcrafted businesses, some tips and random personal and/or funny tidbits.   Nevertheless, I could not ignore the devastation of the already impoverished country of Haiti only 750 miles away from the U.S.  Living in New York which has the largest population of Haitians, I am acquainted with some who are still waiting on word on the well being of their relatives.  It reminds me of when living in Michigan the time of Sept 11th and waiting on word of my family and friends in New York.  The not knowing for only a few hours was unbearable.  I can only imagine after seeing all the news clips of the ruble and people in the streets the turmoil of not knowing after 72 hours if your loved ones are safe.

With 80% of the population below the poverty line;

you can see Haiti does not have earthquake-proof buildings. 

There are many survivors out there that need medical attention.

This beautiful building, the Presidential Palace is now just ruins.

So what can we do?  

• Give of your time -  With economic times as they are it may be difficult for some to reach into an empty pocket. For others who want to be proactive. And for those who want to show their teenagers the self satisfaction of giving; short of catching the next plain to Port-au-Prince here are a couple of suggestions:
• Go to your local Red Cross or disaster relief agency to offer your assistance for anything.  Relief workers are probably working around the clock and someone just getting coffee or manning the telephones for a couple of hours while other relief workers prepare supplies for shipment would be a big help right now.  
• Take the opportunity to donate blood. This is a gift of life. 

• Give Money - More than anything right now the major relief organizations are requesting money than other material items so they can specifically obtain the supply needed.  The times are meager.  Although, just making instead of buying coffee and bagging lunch for a couple of days and donating what you would have spent can make a world of difference.  Consider these  reputable organizations my business and I have contributed to:

The premiere emergency relief organization, The Red Cross is in the process of sending relief from the US, Peru, Mexico and the local chapters already in Haiti.  Go to the Redcross.org or 1-800-REDCROSS to donate.

YELE, Founded by Haitian-born artist Wyclef Jean. This organization was
established to promote the betterment of the Haitian people.  With just a text message "YELE" to 501501 $5 will be donated to the relief fund and 100% of the proceeds are used for this purpose.  For larger donations go to YELE.org

• Doctors without Borders comprise of medical and mental health professionals donating their skill around the world regardless of race, religion or political affiliation.  These selfless humanitarians need supplies to give quality medical attention.  Go to DoctorsWithoutBorders.org to donate.

 If your not giving to one of these organizations please 

beware of scams like email solicitations, and third party fundraisers.

• Promote the cause - I urge everyone not to make this just "news of the week" only to newspaper the bird cage with the headlines next week.  This is not tabloid news but current disastrous events.  The death toll is climbing to the 10's of thousands and as many as 3 million people are in need of some type of aid.  Emergency help is needed now. Reconnecting with family members, cleaning up, rebuilding, and so much more will be needed in the weeks and months to come.  Keep it in the media.  Just like we were tired of hearing about the latest Tiger Woods scandal we should keep the spotlight on this because rebuilding 3 million lives will not happen overnight.