by Christine | Life, Writing
It happened like this. I was preparing for our vacation the day before we left. I’d been running errands all day, dashing hither, hopping yon, and it was a hot day so I was in lime green shorts, a black tee shirt, and a fine layer of sweat.
I’d just gotten back from my umpteenth shopping trip when the phone rang. It was a very good friend of mine. Here’s how the conversation went down.
“Hi Christine. Do you still need a job?”
“Um. Yeah. I guess so.” (Wary – I love my girlfriend, but sometimes…)
“Then take down this number. Call him right now. He needs someone right away as his secretary is retiring.”
Now my brain is kicking in gear. “Where are they, what do they do, how much do they pay, yada yada?”
“They’re in my building, five geologists who deal with water, $XX, and they’re all really nice guys. They’d be thrilled to have someone like you.”
Decision time. Even with a broken leg, I do need a job and I don’t want to go back to retail.
“Give me the number. By the way, I have a broken leg.”
*shrieks* *gives me the number* “Call RIGHT NOW.”
“Okay, okay. I’m calling.” I hang up. Sheesh. It’s two-something on a hot Friday afternoon. After fortifying myself with a cup of coffee, I call the number and am soon connected.
“Hi. My name is Christine, and my friend T. told me to call you about a job opening.”
“Wow Christine. I just got back upstairs from talking to her.”
*Cut – we did a lot of jabbering about the job, and about my quals. I tell him about the broken leg, and that I’m going on vacation the next day, but if he wants to see me this afternoon I’d come down, lime green shorts, sweat and all. He agrees.*
So I print out the resume, wash my face, and head on out. To Studio City. A 40 minute drive. Once I get there, I can see what my friend meant when she said it was a cozy place – a smattering of offices, conference room, tiny kitchen and bathrooms. Barely big enough to swing a cat in, but still, nice with a buzz of busy.
The interview goes well. What REALLY makes my day are the huge empty wine bottles (jeraboam (sp) size, I think) scattered around the office. We knock off all the important stuff about the job and then settle into a wine discussion, and one about chocolate, and how every now and then he has “seminars” on Friday afternoons involving cheese, crackers, and one bottle of wine shared out amongst whomever is in the office…
When I left, we were mutually delighted with each other. While I was on vacation, I heard from my references that they’d been contacted that Monday; on Tuesday I received a call asking me to come in on Monday the 15th for a second interview. My girlfriend T told me to be prepared to stay all day.
Upshot? I walked in Monday, we zipped through all the info, he made me a job offer, and I started working that same morning. As day jobs go, I landed a beauty.
I haven’t had a steady, 8-5, M-F job since – Um…2001??? BEFORE I became a writer. The challenge now will be grabbing the time to write, and not letting that part of my life just slip away. It means too much to me now.
I guess I need to study for my Super Writer Powers of Time Manipulation…
Tomorrow is Friday, so another wine blog is coming your way. Cheers all, and remember – drink responsibly!
by Christine | Life, Wine Friday
Hi, y’all. I’m on vacation. And I’m tasting wines. Lots of them. All under $10 – okay, I lied. I’m taking some winery wines with me, so not all of them are under $10, but a whole lot of them are.
We’re going camping – yep, even Ms. Broken Leg here. Up to Mammoth Mountain. As a matter of fact, when this gets posted, I’ll be headed home. Sigh…hate to leave the place…
But when I come back, I’ll have lots to talk about and lots of wine to share. And if I get a chance (read: internet connection) to update you, I will, I swear. In the meantime, there are books to write, chipmunks to blast with the super soaker 5000, and wine to sip by the fire.
Not to mention, getting myself lost in the night sky. There are so many stars visible up at that altitude that it fills me with wonder. And tonight the Perseid meteor shower should hit.
Update: Because of the nefarious hackers who cyber-raped me yesterday, I’ve got an update on a wine for you.
Firefly Ridge Syrah 2008 Central Coast (Livermore and Ripon) Alcohol 13.5% by volume. $9.99 on sale at Vons.
On the Label: “Our wines are a symbolic tribute to the mysterious and romantic firefly. The firefly’s brilliant luminescence is reflected in each vintage of Firefly Ridge wines.
“Firefly Ridge Syrah is a smooth red wine with exotic aromas and flavors of blackberry, spice and pepper. Velvety tannins, a hint of smoke and long, spicy finish make this an ideal pairing to grilled steaks or hearty pastas. This Syrah is delicious now or can be put down for up to 5 years to develop additional complexity.
My take: Definitely smooth. It goes well with campfire smoke, the sounds of a guitar, and sons squabbling good-naturedly as they play horseshoes. This bottle, however, was destined for great things.
I took a glass to the hubby to sip between songs. His eyes lit up, however, and he proceeded to transfer all the wine from the bottle to a plastic water bottle. The neck fit his finger – he was eyeing it as a potential slide for his cigar box guitar, as he’d left all his own slides at home.
(To break the neck of a wine bottle: douse approximately 7 inches of twine in lighter fluid. Wrap twine tightly around neck of bottle, tie off. Light the twine on fire, and twist bottle to make sure all the twine is burned and the bottle heated. When the flame goes out, dunk bottle into bucket of cold water for up to 2 minutes. If it cracks, good for you! If not, the bottle won.)
The bottle broke, instead of the neck coming off smoothly; and so we drank the wine in homage to the lost bottle. Being in plastic did nothing to mar the wonderful flavor. We had it with chicken-apple sausages, roasted potatoes with onion, and green beans.
My Rating: ~Very Drinkable~
So, summer’s almost over and I’m finally getting a vacation. If you want more of me today, head on over to Flirty Author Bitches and see my post, also hitting today. You’ll find out just why my family hates chipmunks.
Peace out people, and remember – drink responsibly!
~ Have you read DEMON SOUL yet? Head on over to Crescent Moon Press and pick up your copy today! ~
by Christine | Life
Hey folks, don’t worry, I’m not stranded in England (who in their right mind goes there in the summertime?). I’m here in the States with family – no emergency, no funds needed, but not very near internet connectivity, either. I’ve been hacked to the extent that I can’t access Facebook AT ALL, nor do I have ANY email contact list at all, and no messages after August 2nd.
I apologize, and hope whole-heartedly that the folks that hacked me will have Karma biting their butt very soon.
I don’t know when I’ll be able to straighten out Facebook and Yahoo, but so it goes. When I get everything right again, I’ll post here and on Twitter.
Peace out, people, and thanks for your concern! I’d email you individually but – you’re no longer in my email address. SO sorry!
And how’s your Wednesday morning going?
by Christine | Wine Friday
Tasting cheap wines, so you don’t have to! I’m your guide to good wines under $10 a bottle, most of which can be found in your local grocery store.
A lot of people look horrified when I pull a bottle of red wine out of my refrigerator, so I thought I’d briefly discuss wine temperature. (Not storage – I don’t store wine. It’s better to drink now, yes?)
Centuries ago, wines were stored in cellars and served room temperature. However, you must consider the times – “room temperature” could very well be 54 degrees F. During the summer, my kitchen temperature tends to hover in the high 70’s low 80’s. So the all-thinking wine gurus have made this pronouncement: A bottle of red wine should be chilled for 20 minutes prior to serving. A bottle of white wine should be well-chilled, but taken out of the refrigerator 20 minutes prior to serving. Makes sense when they put it that way.
Anyway, I’ve got two different Chianti wines for you today – two more to come later. (I’ve discovered a broken leg and wine don’t really go together. Makes me a bit too tippy, if you understand! So my wine consumption has been scaled back. Sorry!)
D’Aquino Chianti Product of Italy Bottled by Vltra-Firenze-Italy 12.5% Alcohol by volume $6.99 at Vons
The label was uninformative, just the way I like ’em. The bottle is straw-wrapped – what you expect from an Italian wine. It remains one of those feel-good bottles wrapped up in not only straw, but memories of young love. But enough about the bottle. What about the wine?
The epitome of bland. If you want a red wine but don’t want to have to think too much about it, don’t want it big and bold and in your face, then this is your wine. It’s quiet. Inexpensive. A good bottle for beginning wine drinkers. An easy bottle for a picnic.
We’ve had it a couple of times now, once with chicken, once with fish. See? It goes with just about everything. Chianti isn’t just for Italian food any more. And…that’s about all I can say about this wine.
My Rating: ~Drinkable~ but kind of boring. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Castello di Gabbiano Chianti 2009 Product of Italy Denominazione de Origine Controllata e Garantita 12.5% Alcohol by volume Under $9 at Vons
On the Label: “The 12th Century Castello di Gabbiano Estate is located in the heart of renowned Chianti Classico region. The Gabbiano Knight, or Cavaliere, protected the Estate and embodies the tradition of winemaking excellence. Today, the Cavaliere vividly symbolizes the robust charm and tradition of the Chianti region, which has been recognized through the centuries as the birthplace of fabulous wine and cuisine. Gabbiano Chianti has invigorating flavors of cherry and spice, and complements a wide variety of cuisine, including pasta dishes, grilled meats and pizza.”
This wine is more of what I think of when I think Chianti. Bigger, but not off-putting, with nice fruit on the tongue. It adds to the meal rather than merely complements it. It’ll stand up to the more robust dishes of autumn and winter, but goes perfectly well with pizza (which is how we had it). If you’re looking for a nice Chianti, Gabbiano has several different ones in varying price ranges to fit your purse or your gift-giving needs. This is the least expensive, and I know it was on special for around $7 but I don’t have my receipt with me, darn it. Usually runs $9.99.
My Rating: ~Very Drinkable~
Regarding Hannibal; I haven’t seen Silence of the Lambs, but I’ve heard way too many impersonations of Hannibal talking about “a nice Chianti”. Privately, I suspect that movie caused more than one person to avoid the wine for several months – if not years – afterwards. I don’t know why I’ve avoided it, but it was past time to search it out again. Two more Chiantis coming your way in a few weeks.
As usual, this is all my opinion. Wine ratings depend on the phase of the moon, what kind of mood the cat is in, and which stringed instrument the hubby is playing as I type. Your taste buds will vary.
~ Thanks for dropping by, and remember – Drink Responsibly! ~
