http://telhajj.com (past imperfect) Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:01:11 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Today is my sober anniversary! Twenty years ago today I appeared on the steps of the building pictured above, 19-25 Saint Mark's Place in New York City's East Village. That morning I had traveled from my home in Pennsylvania to attend a rehab in the Bronx, but then I had been denied ... http://telhajj.com/2008/12/01/celebrate-with-me/ Plenty to be grateful for this year. This afternoon we took a little holiday trip to Seattle to hang out in the market, laugh at the fish monger's antics, and then ride the carousel. Thursday we had dinner at a friend's house. It was a collaborative effort, but we got off easy. Tamara, our ... http://telhajj.com/2008/11/29/thanksgiving-2/   Kebabs are a good protein you can build the rest of the meal around. You have to get Syrian bread (pita) and hummus (Sabra makes a tasty spicy hummus).  It’s not a Lebanese meal without them. Ingredients: 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh or dried oregano 2 Tablespoons olive oil 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut ... http://telhajj.com/2008/11/28/mediterranean-chicken-and-vegetable-kebabs/ I invited Kennedy to go see the Hopper exhibit at the SAM (Seattle Art Museum) today. She got more excited over this than I imagined she would. In anticipation of our date this afternoon, she woke up at 2 AM. Holly had to send her back to bed at 5:30 AM. Needless to say, ... http://telhajj.com/2008/11/27/edward-hopper-at-the-sam/ Tabbouleh is a bulgur wheat salad that doesn’t take too long, tastes great on pita, and gets even better if you let it stand overnight. Ingredients: 1 heaping cup bulgur 1 cup cold water 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh ... http://telhajj.com/2008/11/27/tabbouleh/ Here at Present Tense we're mightly proud to present a memoir by Kennedy Elhajj. Not only is this Kennedy's first published work, it's her first shot at writing memoir. This essay is the result of a fifth grade project done by her entire class. The press is claiming that she fabricated parts of this ... http://telhajj.com/2008/11/25/my-favorite-water-polo-game-by-kennedy-elhajj/ I'm still a big fan of Daniel Craig as the new James Bond, but the new take on the series is not without its problems. This is the first time a Bond movie has done an honest to God sequel, starting minutes from where the last movie, Casino Royale, left off. ... http://telhajj.com/2008/11/24/quantum-of-solace/ The big problem with movies about drug addiction is that the dramatization typically simplifies things to the point of Pollyanna. Rarely do we get a glimpse of the family dynamics that often accompany drug addiction, unless those dynamics involve the disclosure of some lurking monster—a pedophile uncle, or a raging ... http://telhajj.com/2008/11/17/rachel-getting-married/ Timmy's first year in the Coast Guard he was stationed at Port Seattle. Last week Kennedy called me at work to ask if I knew any veterans. I reminded her about Timmy and my own tour of duty some thirty years ago. How quickly they forget. The fifth grade class was doing a Veteran's Day ... http://telhajj.com/2008/11/10/semper-paratus/ The kids were obsessed with last night's vote. They started watching the election results after they got home from their after school activities. It was early evening and the results were just coming in. When they heard McCain was up somewhere on the East Coast, there was much wailing. "Oh, no!" Kennedy cried. "How ... http://telhajj.com/2008/11/05/raising-good-citizens/