In the film Stranger than Fiction, an author (played by Emma Thompson) meets one of her characters and finds herself unable to kill him off as she intended. Her novel would have been a masterpiece; however, because she could not bring herself to end her character's existence, the book ended up being mediocre.
I've come to the conclusion that being able to murder one's character-creations is the mark of a good writer and makes for better books. Harry Potter, for example: he has to struggle to achieve the end he needs and he loses good friends along the way. Some grumbled that perhaps Ron or Hermione should have died--and perhaps they're right--but the other deaths Rowling wrote were tramatic for her audience. That tragedy added something invaluable to the book. Tolkien was willing to kill off Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and some of the dwarves in The Hobbit. Lewis narrated the death of Aslan in a scene that made me cry in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. These deaths elict real emotion from readers, and forge a connection with a story that wouldn't happen without them.
(***WARNING: TWILIGHT saga spoilers ahead***)
So I finished Breaking Dawn, the last in the series of books I wrote about last week. I was dissatisfied with it. It ends all right, but the problem I have is that the main characters all get exactly what they want. Bella becomes a vampire without really losing her humanity, or even having to endure much of a struggle to not murder humans. Edward gets Bella as a vampire without sparking a war with the werewolves because he keeps her from dying instead of turning a healthy human into a vampire. Jacob--a werewolf--gets over Bella by finding his soul-mate with Edward and Bella's hybrid daughter. Bella and Jacob stay best friends, even though the werewolf nature is to destroy vampires. Occasionally, Meyer makes you think there will be difficulties for the characters, but then everything gets smoothed over perfectly. None of the main characters die. Meyer is unwilling to murder any of them.
What's so wrong with getting what you want? Because we know, deep down, that life isn't that simple. You aren't supposed to get what you want without at least a little struggle. It would have interfered with the story if Bella become crazed with thirst when she sees her father a short time after becoming a vampire, so Meyer makes sure that Bella has amazing self-control unheard of for a newborn vampire. No struggle.
Struggle is what makes for interesting narrative, the kind of story you could read again and again. Harry Potter would not have made me feel if Dumbledore hadn't died, if Harry hadn't had to struggle for a family and to find his place. The Lord of the Rings would have fallen flat if their quest to destroy the Ring hadn't been fraught with dangers and tragedy. Stories worth telling have deep struggles, and sometimes (like Frodo) the characters can't go home again.
Meyer's books are entertaining, but they likely won't end up on the same shelf as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, or other great works of fantasy literature. In fact, my paperback copies of the first two novels are destined for Paperback Swap or Bookmooch.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
A Vanilla Adventure
I bake a lot. I think I have a few friends solely because they love it when I bring them baked goods--and I'm not stingy when I bake something delicious. I have even been proposed to based on a slice of cheesecake*. Baking is definitely one of my hobbies, even if I don't keep up my baking blog much**.
If you bake, you'll know that you usually use a little vanilla. Vanilla extract adds an indefinable quality and flavor to desserts that's just wonderful. You may not necessarily notice when it's there, but you will notice something missing when it's not. Vanilla seems simple ("plain vanilla," anyone?), but it's actually one of the most complex flavors out there.
Since I bake a lot, I always have to keep a bit of vanilla extract on hand. And I buy the good stuff--some extract claims to be pure, but it actually has corn syrup and other things added to it. A good extract should be mainly alcohol and vanilla. Buying the crappy stuff--if it's labeled "pure"--is pricey. Buying the organic/free trade extract is even more expensive.
After recently dropping six bucks for a teeny-tiny bottle at the co-op, I decided to look up how to make your own vanilla extract. I had burning questions: is it difficult? is it cheaper? how is it made, anyway? I then stumbled upon VanillaReview.com. This site tells you how to make extract, and also gives general information about beans, varieties, good places to find beans, and other vanilla-related information.
So it turns out making vanilla is pretty easy. Beans+vodka+time=more extract than you can use in a lifetime. Buying beans was my next challenge, until in my internet travels I found the Organic Vanilla Bean Company, which was recommended by The Kitchn.
Today I bought 1/4 lb. of Tahitian vanilla beans for about eight dollars, plus shipping. From what I've read, a mix of Tahitian and Bourban beans are better for extract, but Tahitian are favored by pastry chefs. I'm no pastry chef, but I do bake pastries. And the Tahitians were a bit cheaper, so in a few days, I'm going to embark on making my very own extract.
*Don't worry, Lance...I turned him down.
**Which, in fact, I should just morph over here. No point in keeping all my interests separate anymore. Especially since I can't seem to keep any of them up to date. I do like have a baking blog, though *sigh*.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Linkedy-link
I don't have much to say, so I thought I'd post some interesting links:
The Facts About Corn Sweetener: an interesting look at high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), my personal enemy*. Marion Nestle is a nutrition expert, so I think she's got a pretty good perspective on the debate, especially since the Corn Association is trying to convince the American public that HFCS is harmless, and just like honey! Uggh.
The Kitchn: I love this website. They have a lot of posts, but I've gotten lots of recipes and information from it. They emphasize good, wholesome, local food. They also talk about cool kitchen gadgets and living in an apartment.
No Impact Man: A guy in New York sets out to create zero impact on the world. He talks about what his family does to achieve that goal, and philosophizes about how trying to NOT consume as much as possible makes a happier, healthier world. Pretty fascinating and inspiring.
Elastic Waist: It could probably be a diet blog, but I like to think of it as a body acceptance blog. Many of the posts are about nutrition and about eating good food, but some are about feeling beautiful and fabulous, no matter your waist size--something that many of us can stand to hear.
That's it for today! I might have a vaguely stressy/angsty post coming--I'm in the throes of figuring out when I can find time to work on my thesis (when I'm not at work or in class or working on homework for my class).
*If you've read anything recently from me, you know I really hate it. It affects me strangely, and I can taste it in food. Yuk.
The Facts About Corn Sweetener: an interesting look at high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), my personal enemy*. Marion Nestle is a nutrition expert, so I think she's got a pretty good perspective on the debate, especially since the Corn Association is trying to convince the American public that HFCS is harmless, and just like honey! Uggh.
The Kitchn: I love this website. They have a lot of posts, but I've gotten lots of recipes and information from it. They emphasize good, wholesome, local food. They also talk about cool kitchen gadgets and living in an apartment.
No Impact Man: A guy in New York sets out to create zero impact on the world. He talks about what his family does to achieve that goal, and philosophizes about how trying to NOT consume as much as possible makes a happier, healthier world. Pretty fascinating and inspiring.
Elastic Waist: It could probably be a diet blog, but I like to think of it as a body acceptance blog. Many of the posts are about nutrition and about eating good food, but some are about feeling beautiful and fabulous, no matter your waist size--something that many of us can stand to hear.
That's it for today! I might have a vaguely stressy/angsty post coming--I'm in the throes of figuring out when I can find time to work on my thesis (when I'm not at work or in class or working on homework for my class).
*If you've read anything recently from me, you know I really hate it. It affects me strangely, and I can taste it in food. Yuk.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
An Awful Book I Can't Shut
This summer, I thought I was going to take a seminar in literacy. Part of that class involved reading YA fiction, which excited me. Some of those books are award-winning Good Books. Some were merely popular to teens and fit the purpose of the unit. Thus, I picked up Twilight with the intention of seeing what all the fuss was about.
From the beginning, these books have bothered me. Meyer's style hearkens back to romance novels, punishing kisses and all, and her descriptions are heavy-handed and dull. The style is such that it calls attention (for me at least) to the language, something that it shouldn't do. The narrative should be the focus of the reader's attention, not the language; I had a hard time concentrating on the story at first because Meyer's style got in the way.
But I can't seem to NOT finish the series. Part of it is my obsession with knowing the end of stories, no matter how horrible. Part of it is the stories are strangely compelling, even with all their narrative and character flaws. Now I'm embarking on the final book in the series, knowing how it's likely to end, but I have this need to finish it, even if the end will annoy me.
The Twilight series has captured the imaginations and hearts of thousands of readers. It's hailed as the "next Harry Potter" due to its popularity. However, they can't touch that series because they lack the depth and complexity of Rowling's work. Rowling carefully spins tales with complex characters and mythological allusions. Part of reading Harry Potter is playing "spot the myth". Meyer's books lack that depth and richness.
I purchased the first two books out of curiosity, and checked the other two out from the library because they were only available in hardback, and my desire to know the end of the saga wasn't enough to justify paying for two books that will end up on Paperback Swap or Bookmooch. I'm into the last book, and I just want it to be done so I know how it ends, and then I can go on with life.
I read these books with nose wrinkled slightly with disgust, but obviously Meyer creates something that's compelling enough to overcome my distaste for her writing style. How can an awful book still be good enough to keep me turning the pages, eliciting anxiety and hope? I always feel the need to justify why I'm reading these books, yet the reason is simple: I've been sucked into a story against my will and better judgment.
I can see the appeal for teenage girls who can't imagine a world beyond high school and age 18: Bella Swan aspires to halt her life right as its beginning. She can't imagine passion and love greater than what she's found at 17, while those of us who are a bit older know that she's a teenage idiot. She wants to give up humanity because she doesn't understand what being human and having a beating heart means--her "soulmate" is more important, and what teenage girl doesn't want to believe they can't find their soulmate at 17? It's silly and awful. Still, I can't look away, and I can't shut the book.
From the beginning, these books have bothered me. Meyer's style hearkens back to romance novels, punishing kisses and all, and her descriptions are heavy-handed and dull. The style is such that it calls attention (for me at least) to the language, something that it shouldn't do. The narrative should be the focus of the reader's attention, not the language; I had a hard time concentrating on the story at first because Meyer's style got in the way.
But I can't seem to NOT finish the series. Part of it is my obsession with knowing the end of stories, no matter how horrible. Part of it is the stories are strangely compelling, even with all their narrative and character flaws. Now I'm embarking on the final book in the series, knowing how it's likely to end, but I have this need to finish it, even if the end will annoy me.
The Twilight series has captured the imaginations and hearts of thousands of readers. It's hailed as the "next Harry Potter" due to its popularity. However, they can't touch that series because they lack the depth and complexity of Rowling's work. Rowling carefully spins tales with complex characters and mythological allusions. Part of reading Harry Potter is playing "spot the myth". Meyer's books lack that depth and richness.
I purchased the first two books out of curiosity, and checked the other two out from the library because they were only available in hardback, and my desire to know the end of the saga wasn't enough to justify paying for two books that will end up on Paperback Swap or Bookmooch. I'm into the last book, and I just want it to be done so I know how it ends, and then I can go on with life.
I read these books with nose wrinkled slightly with disgust, but obviously Meyer creates something that's compelling enough to overcome my distaste for her writing style. How can an awful book still be good enough to keep me turning the pages, eliciting anxiety and hope? I always feel the need to justify why I'm reading these books, yet the reason is simple: I've been sucked into a story against my will and better judgment.
I can see the appeal for teenage girls who can't imagine a world beyond high school and age 18: Bella Swan aspires to halt her life right as its beginning. She can't imagine passion and love greater than what she's found at 17, while those of us who are a bit older know that she's a teenage idiot. She wants to give up humanity because she doesn't understand what being human and having a beating heart means--her "soulmate" is more important, and what teenage girl doesn't want to believe they can't find their soulmate at 17? It's silly and awful. Still, I can't look away, and I can't shut the book.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
*Giggle*
This event popped up in Daily Headlines* today and made me giggle
*Daily Headlines is a daily e-mail the University sends out to keep students, faculty, and staff apprised of events and other notices.
**In case you miss the reference...well, it wouldn't be funny to you anyway, so...
One Refworks to Rule Them All**I want to know who decided to do that, hehe. Usually Daily Headlines are much more bland.
One Refworks to find them, one Refworks to bring them all and in the end notes bind them. Writing research papers? Citing sources for other projects? Join reference librarian...
*Daily Headlines is a daily e-mail the University sends out to keep students, faculty, and staff apprised of events and other notices.
**In case you miss the reference...well, it wouldn't be funny to you anyway, so...
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
"I'm [Runnin'] in the Rain"
I will make all sorts of excuses to not run. Now, I really love running. I feel great every time I go, and I like how much energy I get and the fact that it's helped me manage my weight since college. But sometimes all that succumbs to the excuses I make.
Yesterday, I was tired. So I came home and watched TV. Then I was hungry. So I ate dinner. Then it was rainy and dark, so I couldn't run outside, right? And I just knew the HPER would be insanely busy, so I didn't want to go over there. So I sat at home and went to bed.
Today, I didn't get up early because it was rainy (and the rain affects me like that). So no AM workout. But I knew I needed to run. You see, I'm training for a marathon. And if I skip more than one workout a week, I feel like I'll be sliding down to not running at all, and I'll lose all momentum.
It was raining. It'd been raining all day, thanks to Gustav. It was sorta miserable outside, but my options were to haul my butt over to the HPER or to run outside. I suddenly wanted to run outside. When training for a marathon, one is advised to run in a variety of conditions and terrains, to prepare for the race. Rain is definitely a possibility in Arkansas in March, so I needed to run in the rain. Ok, I thought, I'm going to do this.
I needed something to shield my eyes from the rain. A hat! Alas, I'd given away my baseball hats because I never used them. I even had a visor once that would have worked. Drat. Then I remembered I have guy friends who live close by. I ran down to my neighbor, Mason, and asked if I could borrow one of his. He said, "sure!" and handed me one off the top of his head.
The run was great...and freeing. I've never run in the rain, and I did it. I also ditched my iPod, which is my usual running companion, and that too was liberating. It was just me, the pavement, and the drip of rain all around. From now on, the rain is my friend--or at least not an excuse. Also, if I had stayed in or had gone to the HPER, I never would have seen the guy riding a unicycle holding an umbrella. It was a scene from a circus movie, I swear to you.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Of Water and Workouts
Boy, I'm tired. I've been actually working out regularly for once, so I'm currently enjoying the feel of fatigued muscles and a sudden uptake in my energy levels.* So far so good.
Wednesday morning, I was packing my bag to bike to the gym to workout, and I randomly decided to toss a water bottle into the bag. When I was locking my bike up, I noticed that my butt was wet. "That's weird," I thought, "Maybe I rode through a puddle..." Then it dawned on me that I had WATER in my bag--and I hadn't checked the lid on my bottle. Frantically, I opened the bag to discover my phone and iPod were now the victims of a deluge. The phone was fine, but the iPod seemed destined for the pile of regrets known as Jenn's Stupidity.
However, today everything had a chance to dry out completely, and it was in good working order. It appears that a little water temporarily affects iPods and associated pieces, but they are able to recover--at least once. I breathed a sigh of relief because I hated to lose my iPod and the Nike Sport kit that I use to track my runs.
In other news, today is Lance's birthday. Lance is awesome, and even puts up with me when I do naughty things, like signing him up for Facebook (mwhahaha). So, happy birthday to one of the best people I know. I hope that it's a fantastic day!**
*Weird how that works.
**Even with your unexpected birthday gift. Look at this way--you don't have to do any work setting up the Facebook account, and you can harass people...or just delete it after I get bored with pretending to be you.
Wednesday morning, I was packing my bag to bike to the gym to workout, and I randomly decided to toss a water bottle into the bag. When I was locking my bike up, I noticed that my butt was wet. "That's weird," I thought, "Maybe I rode through a puddle..." Then it dawned on me that I had WATER in my bag--and I hadn't checked the lid on my bottle. Frantically, I opened the bag to discover my phone and iPod were now the victims of a deluge. The phone was fine, but the iPod seemed destined for the pile of regrets known as Jenn's Stupidity.
However, today everything had a chance to dry out completely, and it was in good working order. It appears that a little water temporarily affects iPods and associated pieces, but they are able to recover--at least once. I breathed a sigh of relief because I hated to lose my iPod and the Nike Sport kit that I use to track my runs.
In other news, today is Lance's birthday. Lance is awesome, and even puts up with me when I do naughty things, like signing him up for Facebook (mwhahaha). So, happy birthday to one of the best people I know. I hope that it's a fantastic day!**
*Weird how that works.
**Even with your unexpected birthday gift. Look at this way--you don't have to do any work setting up the Facebook account, and you can harass people...or just delete it after I get bored with pretending to be you.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Travel Eating
Over on Kniterati--Jenn gets her super awesome birthday gift!!!
It's not until I travel that I realize how very picky I am about food. Pittsburgh reminded me of that, and not just because of the chicken sandwich of doom. In the airport on the way out there, my fellow traveler and I stopped to eat some lunch. "Look! A TGI Friday's!" she exclaimed, "I never get to eat there." Knowing that I'm in the freaky minority of people who sniff at places like Friday's (and Applebee's and other adored chains), I went along with it. I perused the menu, narrowing on chicken with vegetables on the "right size, right price" portion of the menu, or a strawberry fields salad (with chicken). There was not one totally vegetarian option on the menu, unless I wanted iceberg lettuce salad*. I kept my judgements to myself about the quality of the salad greens.
Dinner was also interesting. Luckily, I pushed for the delicious little local LuLu's Noodle Hut (or something like that). It was soo good. I ate Pad Thai from there again the next night.
I'm so picky, and when I pick up packages and read them, pointing out why I don't consume them, my co-traveler made fun of me. She thought I was a healthy freak.
I'm not always so healthy (as evidenced by the Chicken Sandwich of DOOM!!), but I try. And I realize now why I eat out so rarely--I love being able to prepare my meals. When I do eat out, I eat at places like Greenhouse Grille, with their dedication to fresh, local produce and high quality food**. Or any of our other locally owned eateries, like Petra Cafe. Mmm, potato soup***...
*I'd rather eat meat, thanks.
**They don't serve diet anything. No fake sugars. No corn syrup. No Coke or Pepsi. It delights me to no end, though a friend who ate with me there once was not so amused when they offered her agave nectar to sweeten her tea with. Heehee.
***I would shove down tiny old ladies to eat this soup^. And I don't have anything against tiny old ladies, unless they stand in my way of this totally awesome, fantastic soup.
^Okay, so I'm a little nuts about good food. Sue me. I just feel so great when I'm eating good food.
It's not until I travel that I realize how very picky I am about food. Pittsburgh reminded me of that, and not just because of the chicken sandwich of doom. In the airport on the way out there, my fellow traveler and I stopped to eat some lunch. "Look! A TGI Friday's!" she exclaimed, "I never get to eat there." Knowing that I'm in the freaky minority of people who sniff at places like Friday's (and Applebee's and other adored chains), I went along with it. I perused the menu, narrowing on chicken with vegetables on the "right size, right price" portion of the menu, or a strawberry fields salad (with chicken). There was not one totally vegetarian option on the menu, unless I wanted iceberg lettuce salad*. I kept my judgements to myself about the quality of the salad greens.
Dinner was also interesting. Luckily, I pushed for the delicious little local LuLu's Noodle Hut (or something like that). It was soo good. I ate Pad Thai from there again the next night.
I'm so picky, and when I pick up packages and read them, pointing out why I don't consume them, my co-traveler made fun of me. She thought I was a healthy freak.
I'm not always so healthy (as evidenced by the Chicken Sandwich of DOOM!!), but I try. And I realize now why I eat out so rarely--I love being able to prepare my meals. When I do eat out, I eat at places like Greenhouse Grille, with their dedication to fresh, local produce and high quality food**. Or any of our other locally owned eateries, like Petra Cafe. Mmm, potato soup***...
*I'd rather eat meat, thanks.
**They don't serve diet anything. No fake sugars. No corn syrup. No Coke or Pepsi. It delights me to no end, though a friend who ate with me there once was not so amused when they offered her agave nectar to sweeten her tea with. Heehee.
***I would shove down tiny old ladies to eat this soup^. And I don't have anything against tiny old ladies, unless they stand in my way of this totally awesome, fantastic soup.
^Okay, so I'm a little nuts about good food. Sue me. I just feel so great when I'm eating good food.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Pittsburgh, oy!
I didn't know what I was expecting from Pittsburgh. I was excited to travel to a new place, as usual, and I had looked up some neat things to visit while I was there (Italian espresso shop, anyone??), but I wasn't expecting to enjoy Pittsburgh as much as I did.
I think I fall a little bit in love with any new place. It's like the rush of a new relationship: the city is all sparkle and wit, exciting and invigorating, and it's hard to spot his flaws. I just stand dazzled and enchanted, happy to have the thrill of a fresh scene*.
I traveled to Pittsburgh to visit with the University of Pittsburgh engineering writing folks. They were fun to talk to, and they gave me lots of good ideas to play with. Their program has been developing for almost ten years, so they've had some time to make it really, really good.
Toward the end of the meeting, Beth (the writing center outreach coordinator and orchestrator of engineering writing instruction) planted a seed: Pittsburgh would be a good place for a PhD, and I might find myself an assistantship working with their program. This I was not expecting, but it made a certain amount of sense. I love innovative approaches to composition, and I could participate in a program that flips traditional composition on its head. Wow.
The thought of living and working in Pittsburgh is appealing, especially since I'm still starry-eyed from my first encounters with the city. I could bike all over the city, or I could ride the buses--who would need a car? We'd have decent Indian food within blocks of our apartment. I could experience living in an urban setting--but still be able to escape to the lovely Pennsylvanian countryside if I wanted to. And I could get my PhD funded and work with a fantastic and fun group of people.
A new door has opened, and I find that infinitely thrilling. I'm trying not to stress about all the options because it's really enjoyable to have so many future paths open before me. I could pick almost anything! We'll see if the enchantment of Pittsburgh is enough to pull me back.
*I did the same thing with Flagstaff, Arizona and St. Louis when I traveled there and explored the new places. I love figuring out a new environment and getting a feel for a novel location.
I think I fall a little bit in love with any new place. It's like the rush of a new relationship: the city is all sparkle and wit, exciting and invigorating, and it's hard to spot his flaws. I just stand dazzled and enchanted, happy to have the thrill of a fresh scene*.
I traveled to Pittsburgh to visit with the University of Pittsburgh engineering writing folks. They were fun to talk to, and they gave me lots of good ideas to play with. Their program has been developing for almost ten years, so they've had some time to make it really, really good.
Toward the end of the meeting, Beth (the writing center outreach coordinator and orchestrator of engineering writing instruction) planted a seed: Pittsburgh would be a good place for a PhD, and I might find myself an assistantship working with their program. This I was not expecting, but it made a certain amount of sense. I love innovative approaches to composition, and I could participate in a program that flips traditional composition on its head. Wow.
The thought of living and working in Pittsburgh is appealing, especially since I'm still starry-eyed from my first encounters with the city. I could bike all over the city, or I could ride the buses--who would need a car? We'd have decent Indian food within blocks of our apartment. I could experience living in an urban setting--but still be able to escape to the lovely Pennsylvanian countryside if I wanted to. And I could get my PhD funded and work with a fantastic and fun group of people.
A new door has opened, and I find that infinitely thrilling. I'm trying not to stress about all the options because it's really enjoyable to have so many future paths open before me. I could pick almost anything! We'll see if the enchantment of Pittsburgh is enough to pull me back.
*I did the same thing with Flagstaff, Arizona and St. Louis when I traveled there and explored the new places. I love figuring out a new environment and getting a feel for a novel location.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Food Hangover
Traveling often gets me to do foolish things. On my way back from Pittsburgh*, I needed to eat lunch. After faltering between several not-so-good options, I decided to test my luck (and my stomach) and just eat at the Golden Arches.
Yes, you heard me: McDonalds.
In my defense, they had a nice picture of a grilled chicken sandwich on a "deli-style" bun** with green leaf lettuce. So I ordered it along with a little ice cream. Hey, I'm on a trip, and the school is paying for my meals. The other options also had long lines/waiting time, and I had to catch my connection home.
Halfway through the sandwich, I felt a little off. After about two thirds of the ice cream, I didn't feel too great, and threw the rest out. But it was too late; the damage was done, and I spend the flight ruing the fact that I ever ate it.
Part of me (the sadistic part) actually wondered how fast food would affect me, since I haven't eaten it in a long time. Like years. Looks like it makes me feel like crap, just like it did the last time I ate it. I still feel a little gross, so I'm hoping a dinner of fresh corn and kale/black beans will make me feel better.
Lesson learned: even if it looks like real food, the crap served at McDonald's is still crap. Just nicely packaged to fool you.
*Research, woo! More on this tomorrow.
**Not white bread? Sweet!
Yes, you heard me: McDonalds.
In my defense, they had a nice picture of a grilled chicken sandwich on a "deli-style" bun** with green leaf lettuce. So I ordered it along with a little ice cream. Hey, I'm on a trip, and the school is paying for my meals. The other options also had long lines/waiting time, and I had to catch my connection home.
Halfway through the sandwich, I felt a little off. After about two thirds of the ice cream, I didn't feel too great, and threw the rest out. But it was too late; the damage was done, and I spend the flight ruing the fact that I ever ate it.
Part of me (the sadistic part) actually wondered how fast food would affect me, since I haven't eaten it in a long time. Like years. Looks like it makes me feel like crap, just like it did the last time I ate it. I still feel a little gross, so I'm hoping a dinner of fresh corn and kale/black beans will make me feel better.
Lesson learned: even if it looks like real food, the crap served at McDonald's is still crap. Just nicely packaged to fool you.
*Research, woo! More on this tomorrow.
**Not white bread? Sweet!
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
26 Candles
Yesterday was my birthday, and a very good one at that. I've had some craziness of late, but the birthday was a welcome respite from filial turbulence*. Some highlights:
*One parent, a panic attack, a hospital, two round trips to parents' home from my home, and some other stuff. Wow. Luckily everything is better now, and I ended up spending some nice time with my mom.
- I took the day off of work, and it was nice.
- I got lots of calls and Facebook messages, yay!
- While I got exactly zero presents on my birthday, I got the promise of a really awesome one! Woo! (And I got one the day before too, hehe).
- I got to extend my birthday through today because my co-workers made it so.
- I got to see one of my favorite local bands, and they were awesome.
- Potato soup!
*One parent, a panic attack, a hospital, two round trips to parents' home from my home, and some other stuff. Wow. Luckily everything is better now, and I ended up spending some nice time with my mom.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Goodbye, Bananas
Yesterday, I finished up Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. The book chronicles her family's journey to eat local produce and meat for one year, growing it themselves or buying it from her community. It includes small essays written by her husband, Steven L. Hopp, as well as essays and recipes by her eldest daughter, Camille Kingsolver.
Kingsolver wrote the book not as a lecture about the dangers of industrial eating, but rather as a celebration of good, locally-grown food. It's about having a relationship with what we eat, about having the chance to see it as emerging from vibrant earth or from a living creature, instead of carefully packaged and tidy products to be purchased whenever and where ever. It flips the idea of convenience and availability (the "I want it now!" mentality) on its head as she joyfully moves through the season and the fruits of that particular time and place. Strawberries and asparagus are all the sweeter because they emerge for a short period; tomatoes full of flavor are those that are not shipped from California, but picked from the garden, still warm from the sun that draws out their juicy sweetness. Food that's not eaten in its proper time and close to its source just isn't as good.
I love that this book shuns the impulse to become a bitter tirade against the industrial agricultural system; instead, Kingsolver weaves her family's story in with the story of small farmers that she meets and with facts about the current state of food in the US. She visits Quebec, Italy, and seeks out the local in those places and finds it delicious. The work takes a didactic turn every so often, but inevitably she returns to her goal in writing Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: to show that eating locally is beneficial, fun, and not that difficult. It's not for an elite few, but it can be for everyone if we'll stop allowing our government to support big agriculture at the cost of small, productive farms.
The illustration above is a "vegetannual," which envisions a return to the relationships between vegetables and fruits and their season. We've lost a fundamental connection between seasonality and locality in selecting what we eat. Hence, I'm saying goodbye to bananas. Bananas are not grown in the U.S., and where they are grown, banana companies were (are) responsible for the exploitation of South American peoples and governments*.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is an inspiring work. I felt compelled (and hungry) while reading it to grow a garden, support local farmers (which I do already! yay Farmers' Market!), can and preserve my own produce, and shun processed foods and unseasonable fruits and vegetables. It was a fantastic read and ultimately hopeful that we can return to a simpler (and healthier for body and land) way of eating.
*For more interesting stuff on bananas, their origins as the possible fruit of Eden, and how the mass production and transit of them shaped South American politics, check out Dan Koeppel's book, Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World. A hint: we might not even have bananas in a few decades.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Shot in the Foot
Remember how I hurt my leg, but it was getting better? It's pretty much healed except for some lingering soreness, which makes me very happy.
What doesn't make me very happy is now that I'm nearly ready to lunge into my various athletic pursuits without worrying about my leg getting worse, I go and twist my foot. Yesterday, while playing our first game of Ultimate Frisbee, I twisted it. I limped back to the sideline, took my shoe and sock off, wiggled it a bit, and (as the pain subsided) figured I just sort of popped it or something. No biggie. It felt better, so I played the rest of that game and the next, relishing that my legs felt fast and strong.
This morning, I wake up and can hardly stand on it. It takes me a bit to get going (and a bit of painkillers), until it loosens up enough to only twinge every now and then. (Things always hurt worse first thing). So--I'm going to have to take it easy again to see how it fares. Bah. It was the left foot too, just as my right leg was healing up.
Luckily, I have a shiny new bike named Alice to transport me to places I'd normally go to on foot, hence saving my poor foot undue walking stress. I'm extremely happy with my bike, though I'm operating on the PHA* until I can build up the strength and endurance to not feel like I'm going to die when I pedal up a hill. I even wore a skirt yesterday!** Alice rocks. This bike is perfect for me and my desire to move more and consume less.
*Principle of Hill Avoidance. I've altered my way to work because even though the new route is slightly longer, its hill is less steep.
**Which ended up being dumb because it was a fitted, knee length skirt, which meant it hiked up to my thighs when I hopped on the bike. You can make the necessary leap in logic. It was then too late to go back for shorts or a different skirt, so I pedaled on, keeping my knees close together when I could.
What doesn't make me very happy is now that I'm nearly ready to lunge into my various athletic pursuits without worrying about my leg getting worse, I go and twist my foot. Yesterday, while playing our first game of Ultimate Frisbee, I twisted it. I limped back to the sideline, took my shoe and sock off, wiggled it a bit, and (as the pain subsided) figured I just sort of popped it or something. No biggie. It felt better, so I played the rest of that game and the next, relishing that my legs felt fast and strong.
This morning, I wake up and can hardly stand on it. It takes me a bit to get going (and a bit of painkillers), until it loosens up enough to only twinge every now and then. (Things always hurt worse first thing). So--I'm going to have to take it easy again to see how it fares. Bah. It was the left foot too, just as my right leg was healing up.
Luckily, I have a shiny new bike named Alice to transport me to places I'd normally go to on foot, hence saving my poor foot undue walking stress. I'm extremely happy with my bike, though I'm operating on the PHA* until I can build up the strength and endurance to not feel like I'm going to die when I pedal up a hill. I even wore a skirt yesterday!** Alice rocks. This bike is perfect for me and my desire to move more and consume less.
*Principle of Hill Avoidance. I've altered my way to work because even though the new route is slightly longer, its hill is less steep.
**Which ended up being dumb because it was a fitted, knee length skirt, which meant it hiked up to my thighs when I hopped on the bike. You can make the necessary leap in logic. It was then too late to go back for shorts or a different skirt, so I pedaled on, keeping my knees close together when I could.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Me-Powered Transportation
A few days ago, Tim posted about wanting a bike. I'd been thinking about getting a new bicycle* for a while now, but it was just contemplating. Meanwhile, Tim talks about buying one, and I started hearing several of my co-workers talk about how they were riding their bikes more and more. One guy even rides his in to work and back, which is a good 35-minute ride.
Fayetteville is fairly bike friendly for a southern town. I usually see several bike riders rolling around on the streets alongside vehicles, and we are blessed with an ever-expanding paved trail system. However, Fayetteville is also in the hills. Meaning there isn't much flat space to ride a bicycle around on. Therefore, I continued to hesitate on investing in a bicycle--I didn't like the idea of having to pedal myself (and any stuff I might be carrying) up a hill!
Well, today that changed. I have been driving my car excessively short distances that are easily accessed by a bicycle. I would walk to these places, but I usually don't have enough time. (For example, the gym is a good 20 minute walk away, which doesn't give me much time to get there and back if I've only got an hour for a workout.) It doesn't use a lot of gas, but it does put wear and tear on a vehicle that I would like to last me the next six years or so. The idea of a bike--even a nice, new expensive one--seemed better and better. Not to mention that it'll help me get in better shape! And improve my running! I went down to Lewis and Clark, and (with the help of their friendly staff) purchased this lovely lady:
Her name is Alice**. She's a Schwinn Voyageur GS, specially built for a girl who likes to wear skirts. Which is me--I even test rode it this afternoon in a skirt, which was lovely. It's a "hybrid" or a "comfort" bike, which just means that it's studier than a road bike, has bigger tires that have less tread than a mountain bike, and has a cushy seat--no bike wedgie for me.
Upon getting her home, I rode down to the HPER to see how the ride was. It's definitely harder than using the car, but I hear that after a month my body will adjust and I'll be able to handle Fayetteville hills. (I came home panting, but exhilarated.) I have visions of riding everywhere within a smallish radius of me that I'd ordinarily use my car to get to.
Next phase--get Lance to find a bicycle so we can ride places together! (Like the grocery store. That would definitely save on gas...)
*I had a cheap-o from Wal-Mart that I never rode and that eventually rolled away because I forgot to lock it up when I moved it one day. I hope the new owner had a heavy dose of guilt and then used it a lot. I then borrowed one from a friend which I rode once, then locked to a fence and proceeded to lose the key. I found the key on Friday, so that one is now in a sheltered place until the original owner decides its fate.
**Lance ended up naming her^, not me. I said, "I need to figure out her name." He said, "It's Alice." I paused and looked at Alice, and that was that.
^She's a lady, of course. Very demure.
Fayetteville is fairly bike friendly for a southern town. I usually see several bike riders rolling around on the streets alongside vehicles, and we are blessed with an ever-expanding paved trail system. However, Fayetteville is also in the hills. Meaning there isn't much flat space to ride a bicycle around on. Therefore, I continued to hesitate on investing in a bicycle--I didn't like the idea of having to pedal myself (and any stuff I might be carrying) up a hill!
Well, today that changed. I have been driving my car excessively short distances that are easily accessed by a bicycle. I would walk to these places, but I usually don't have enough time. (For example, the gym is a good 20 minute walk away, which doesn't give me much time to get there and back if I've only got an hour for a workout.) It doesn't use a lot of gas, but it does put wear and tear on a vehicle that I would like to last me the next six years or so. The idea of a bike--even a nice, new expensive one--seemed better and better. Not to mention that it'll help me get in better shape! And improve my running! I went down to Lewis and Clark, and (with the help of their friendly staff) purchased this lovely lady:
Her name is Alice**. She's a Schwinn Voyageur GS, specially built for a girl who likes to wear skirts. Which is me--I even test rode it this afternoon in a skirt, which was lovely. It's a "hybrid" or a "comfort" bike, which just means that it's studier than a road bike, has bigger tires that have less tread than a mountain bike, and has a cushy seat--no bike wedgie for me.
Upon getting her home, I rode down to the HPER to see how the ride was. It's definitely harder than using the car, but I hear that after a month my body will adjust and I'll be able to handle Fayetteville hills. (I came home panting, but exhilarated.) I have visions of riding everywhere within a smallish radius of me that I'd ordinarily use my car to get to.
Next phase--get Lance to find a bicycle so we can ride places together! (Like the grocery store. That would definitely save on gas...)
*I had a cheap-o from Wal-Mart that I never rode and that eventually rolled away because I forgot to lock it up when I moved it one day. I hope the new owner had a heavy dose of guilt and then used it a lot. I then borrowed one from a friend which I rode once, then locked to a fence and proceeded to lose the key. I found the key on Friday, so that one is now in a sheltered place until the original owner decides its fate.
**Lance ended up naming her^, not me. I said, "I need to figure out her name." He said, "It's Alice." I paused and looked at Alice, and that was that.
^She's a lady, of course. Very demure.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The Joy of Trees
A front passed through our area on Tuesday, leaving us with moderate summer temperatures and me with a strong desire to be outside before the blinding heat returns. July and August are usually the hottest months, so 85 degrees with a light breeze and little humidity feels like heaven. Especially when I think about how hot and muggy it usually is this time of the year.
The university abounds with stately trees and lovely well-tended lawns, and so the past two days I've spent my lunch hour on Old Main Lawn, under the gently waving arms of a large tree. In the sun, the heat still has intensity, but under the shadows cast by green leaves, the air is cool and friendly, especially with the gentle wind singing through the leaves above me. I ate my homemade pizza* and read my book as a bumblebee buzzed near by and the surrounding trees dampened the noise of traffic and passing pedestrians. The hour passed in quiet joy.
I gathered my things to return to my desk** feeling tranquil and well-rested. As I walked away, I thought about being like a tree: digging toes deep into cool grass and damp earth, stretching arms out to catch the bright sunshine. I felt whole, alive; I was connected to the world around me.
How sad for my fellow office-dwellers that they don't come out to experience this vibrant place, the scent of green and the songs of insects. They are content to eat their lunches at their desks, to only walk from car to building and building back to car, afraid to get a little sweaty because the temperature is higher than the artificial chill of their climate-controlled spaces. I wonder if they feel the lack, or if they are content? I would die like a plant in a too-small pot that never tastes the sun if I couldn't walk a bit each day, even if it is just to home and back, and a little during lunch.
The outdoors have been calling me stronger this spring and summer. Maybe it's because I felt like I didn't get to go out much last year. Maybe it was the resolution that I made that I would go outside more. Maybe it's that I can't stand the frigid air conditioning in my building. Either way, I've been craving it and being satisfied by it as much as I can. It's so simple, but so profound, the feeling that I'm a part of something greater, and that I get to participate in this great, beautiful world, even with the threats of climate change and knowing how much my actions--and the actions of my species--are threatening to destroy that exquisite beauty. I also have hope that more people will wake up to the missing connection with their environment (and communities), and start making small actions*** to make sure that beauty is secure for centuries to come.
*Leftover from last night--a homemade whole-wheat pizza crust topped with pesto, bell peppers, shrimp, and mushrooms, and cheese. I know...delicious, right? If you are not making use of leftovers because you "don't like leftovers," you are missing out on one the greatest advantages to home cooking: not having to do it all the time. As well as being healthier and knowing exactly what you're eating at lunch. Claiming not to ever eat leftovers is almost as bad as refusing to drink tap water in my book: both are wasteful, poorly excused actions on the part of lazy individuals. Tap water is safer than bottled water^, and leftovers freakin' rock.
^It's true! The EPA strictly regulates tap water, while the FDA looks the other way as bottlers pour tap water into petroleum-guzzling bottles. For more reasons to eschew bottled water, visit takebackthetap.org.
**At which I shall likely freeze to death. How much does it cost the university to keep the buildings at a steady 65 degrees?
***Shopping at the farmers' market. Buying from local businesses. Planting a garden. Walking or riding a bike short distances. Composting and recycling. Bringing reusable bags. Buying organic produce. Eating in-season. Participating in community. Volunteering. Becoming involved in change. Turning off the TV. Sitting outside and appreciating the wonders of the small.
The university abounds with stately trees and lovely well-tended lawns, and so the past two days I've spent my lunch hour on Old Main Lawn, under the gently waving arms of a large tree. In the sun, the heat still has intensity, but under the shadows cast by green leaves, the air is cool and friendly, especially with the gentle wind singing through the leaves above me. I ate my homemade pizza* and read my book as a bumblebee buzzed near by and the surrounding trees dampened the noise of traffic and passing pedestrians. The hour passed in quiet joy.
I gathered my things to return to my desk** feeling tranquil and well-rested. As I walked away, I thought about being like a tree: digging toes deep into cool grass and damp earth, stretching arms out to catch the bright sunshine. I felt whole, alive; I was connected to the world around me.
How sad for my fellow office-dwellers that they don't come out to experience this vibrant place, the scent of green and the songs of insects. They are content to eat their lunches at their desks, to only walk from car to building and building back to car, afraid to get a little sweaty because the temperature is higher than the artificial chill of their climate-controlled spaces. I wonder if they feel the lack, or if they are content? I would die like a plant in a too-small pot that never tastes the sun if I couldn't walk a bit each day, even if it is just to home and back, and a little during lunch.
The outdoors have been calling me stronger this spring and summer. Maybe it's because I felt like I didn't get to go out much last year. Maybe it was the resolution that I made that I would go outside more. Maybe it's that I can't stand the frigid air conditioning in my building. Either way, I've been craving it and being satisfied by it as much as I can. It's so simple, but so profound, the feeling that I'm a part of something greater, and that I get to participate in this great, beautiful world, even with the threats of climate change and knowing how much my actions--and the actions of my species--are threatening to destroy that exquisite beauty. I also have hope that more people will wake up to the missing connection with their environment (and communities), and start making small actions*** to make sure that beauty is secure for centuries to come.
*Leftover from last night--a homemade whole-wheat pizza crust topped with pesto, bell peppers, shrimp, and mushrooms, and cheese. I know...delicious, right? If you are not making use of leftovers because you "don't like leftovers," you are missing out on one the greatest advantages to home cooking: not having to do it all the time. As well as being healthier and knowing exactly what you're eating at lunch. Claiming not to ever eat leftovers is almost as bad as refusing to drink tap water in my book: both are wasteful, poorly excused actions on the part of lazy individuals. Tap water is safer than bottled water^, and leftovers freakin' rock.
^It's true! The EPA strictly regulates tap water, while the FDA looks the other way as bottlers pour tap water into petroleum-guzzling bottles. For more reasons to eschew bottled water, visit takebackthetap.org.
**At which I shall likely freeze to death. How much does it cost the university to keep the buildings at a steady 65 degrees?
***Shopping at the farmers' market. Buying from local businesses. Planting a garden. Walking or riding a bike short distances. Composting and recycling. Bringing reusable bags. Buying organic produce. Eating in-season. Participating in community. Volunteering. Becoming involved in change. Turning off the TV. Sitting outside and appreciating the wonders of the small.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Old Advice, Mostly Useful
Recently, I've been bombarded with information about how wasteful, indebted, and damaging our culture is. On the flip side, I've also seen a lot on people who are trying to do their part to change that, to help Americans see that they can live frugally and happily without buying into consumer culture. Are people waking up and realizing that buying tons of stuff isn't so good?
This weekend, Lance's mom brought out an old book (possibly from 1889 or 1892, but certainly from before 1908) called The Every-Day Cook-Book by Miss E. Neill. It's a neat volume, with interesting recipes and home health remedies, as well as sound advice. Take this passage, for example, listed under "ITEMS WORTH REMEMBERING":
I'll talk about The Every-Day Cook-Book more because it contains some gems of good sense, and some passages that are mildly amusing as relics from a time gone by. It's also a book repair project for me, since the volume I have is falling apart. I have plans to read it all, though, and maybe find someway to make an academic paper out of it...and try a few of the recipes.
This weekend, Lance's mom brought out an old book (possibly from 1889 or 1892, but certainly from before 1908) called The Every-Day Cook-Book by Miss E. Neill. It's a neat volume, with interesting recipes and home health remedies, as well as sound advice. Take this passage, for example, listed under "ITEMS WORTH REMEMBERING":
Pictures are both for use and ornament. They serve to recall pleasant memories and scenes; they harmonize with the furnishing of the rooms. If they serve neither of these purposes they are worse than useless; they only help fill space which would look better empty, or gather dust and make work to keep them clean.I love the last bit about books. But the part that caught my eye was the emphasis on not having things if they serve no purpose. And not cluttering up the home with "trifling ornaments". I've been on a quest for some time to shed some of my more useless belongings, so Neill's words resonate across a century. Good sense is good sense, no matter the time I suppose.
A room filled with quantities of trifling ornaments has the look of a bazar [sic] and displays neither good taste nor good sense. Artistic excellence aims to have all the furnishings of a high order of workmanship combined with simplicity, while good sense understands the folly of dusting a lot of rubbish.
A poor book had best be burned to give place to a better, or even to an empty shelf, for fire destroys its poison, and puts it out of the way of doing harm.
Better economize in purchasing of furniture or carpets than scrimp in buying good books or papers.
Our sitting-rooms need never be empty of guests or our libraries of society if the company of good books is admitted to them.
I'll talk about The Every-Day Cook-Book more because it contains some gems of good sense, and some passages that are mildly amusing as relics from a time gone by. It's also a book repair project for me, since the volume I have is falling apart. I have plans to read it all, though, and maybe find someway to make an academic paper out of it...and try a few of the recipes.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Dr. Horrible
From the mastermind of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, emerges Dr. Horrible. So you better go watch it. Why? It'll be gone tomorrow at midnight, and then you'll be one of the few not in the know.
Some choice quotations:
Some choice quotations:
- "Like Bad Horse." "The Thoroughbred of Sin?" "Uh...I meant Ghandi."
- "The hammer is my penis."
Friday, July 18, 2008
Good Eats, Veggie Style
I don't eat a lot of meat. While I'm not a vegetarian* (I'm one of those newfangled flexitarians, if you want an official word for it), I eat a lot of vegetarian dishes. Because they're delicious. And because I strongly believe that reducing the consumption of meat in one's diet is a way to improve both the body and the environment. Meat, particularly industrial, is unhealthy for the animals, unhealthy for humans, and definitely unhealthy on the environment. By reducing our consumption, we reduce consumption of corn (and corn subsidies), fossil fuels, and send a message to the food industry.
Anyway, this wasn't supposed to be a rant about meat. I still eat it occasionally and enjoy it when I do--because I typically buy locally produced, grass-fed (and ethically-treated!) meat. I may pay a premium...but damn. That's tasty. Because I don't want to buy cheap meat, I buy vegetables because they're cheap and really, really good. Especially when I buy them fresh from the Farmers' Market that's just down the road from my house.
I'm figured I'd share some vegetarian recipes and tips in case you're feeling the itch to try eating less meat in your own household. Last night I made this maple grilled tempeh recipe--if you want to try something unusual like tempeh, this is a good recipe to try because it's so good. I served it on a bed of brown and red rice with green beans and grilled zucchini. I just ate leftovers for lunch, and I was amazed at how good the simple marinade was on the tempeh**. Yum.
There are now many websites dedicated to making delicious meat-free recipes. One of them (the source of the maple grilled tempeh), is 101 Cookbooks. I've made many, many of her recipes and they're superb. And usually very simple for the inexperienced cook.
Another source that I turn to for recipes is Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. A gift from a dear (and generous!) friend, this cookbook has been my guide for when I need some inspiration. The recipes are simple and easy, but they offer a host of variations that encourages playing with flavors and colors, as well as experimenting and substituting. Even if you're not a vegetarian, this cookbook is a valuable addition to any cookbook collection.
*Every time I seriously contemplate completely becoming a vegetarian, Lance waves a tasty bit of meat under my nose. Like lamb. Or venison. Or even buffalo. But if were just chicken and beef? Eh, not that interested.
**I realize tempeh, like tofu, is not for everyone. Heck, the first time I had tempeh, I was a little leery. It can be strange stuff, and hard to prepare properly. But the marinade and the grilling makes tempeh extremely palatable.
Anyway, this wasn't supposed to be a rant about meat. I still eat it occasionally and enjoy it when I do--because I typically buy locally produced, grass-fed (and ethically-treated!) meat. I may pay a premium...but damn. That's tasty. Because I don't want to buy cheap meat, I buy vegetables because they're cheap and really, really good. Especially when I buy them fresh from the Farmers' Market that's just down the road from my house.
I'm figured I'd share some vegetarian recipes and tips in case you're feeling the itch to try eating less meat in your own household. Last night I made this maple grilled tempeh recipe--if you want to try something unusual like tempeh, this is a good recipe to try because it's so good. I served it on a bed of brown and red rice with green beans and grilled zucchini. I just ate leftovers for lunch, and I was amazed at how good the simple marinade was on the tempeh**. Yum.
There are now many websites dedicated to making delicious meat-free recipes. One of them (the source of the maple grilled tempeh), is 101 Cookbooks. I've made many, many of her recipes and they're superb. And usually very simple for the inexperienced cook.
Another source that I turn to for recipes is Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. A gift from a dear (and generous!) friend, this cookbook has been my guide for when I need some inspiration. The recipes are simple and easy, but they offer a host of variations that encourages playing with flavors and colors, as well as experimenting and substituting. Even if you're not a vegetarian, this cookbook is a valuable addition to any cookbook collection.
*Every time I seriously contemplate completely becoming a vegetarian, Lance waves a tasty bit of meat under my nose. Like lamb. Or venison. Or even buffalo. But if were just chicken and beef? Eh, not that interested.
**I realize tempeh, like tofu, is not for everyone. Heck, the first time I had tempeh, I was a little leery. It can be strange stuff, and hard to prepare properly. But the marinade and the grilling makes tempeh extremely palatable.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Good Poetry Brings Folks Together
My coworkers are smart. One especially loves to talk to me about books and good food and crafting--she's fun to work with and hang out with. Today, we began discussing this NY Times article about the new poet laureate. I'd never heard of Kay Ryan, so I read the article with some interest, and flipped through a few of her poems they included with the article. I liked them; they were pretty good. I prepared to not think about them again.
It wasn't until I started discussing them with my coworker, however, that these poems came alive. They held a richness I hadn't discovered until I reread them and talked about them. For me, literary analysis (especially on poetry) always emerges after I talk about the work. I shouldn't be surprised that Ryan's poetry would be any different, but I was amazed at the meaning I was able to dig out of her words just by having a conversation.
Here was the one we discussed in particular (I read it out loud for my coworker, which led to further discussion--Ryan's poems are rhythmic, and that rhythm is inherent to what the poem is, but it's hard to hear rhythm unless you physically hear it.):
GREEN HILLS
Their green flanks
and swells are not
flesh in any sense
matching ours,
we tell ourselves.
Nor their green
breast nor their
green shoulder nor
the languour of their
rolling over.
The poem rolls like hills, and the images it evokes are wonderful. I'm fond of poetry that has a certain physical feel, and Ryan's work is often about the physical and the material, like "Things Shouldn't Be So Hard," which longs for physical indications of an individual no longer present, but things are too hard, too durable, for one person to leave their mark upon them. It's beautiful.
Okay, enough gushing about poetry. My main point is that I'm now a fan of Kay Ryan, and that discussing poetry with other people makes it alive in my mind. I need to remember that when I go to teach kids how to read poetry... I'm such a verbal person that it's often not until I've talked about something that I understand it fully.
If you're interested in more of Kay Ryan's work, go here.
It wasn't until I started discussing them with my coworker, however, that these poems came alive. They held a richness I hadn't discovered until I reread them and talked about them. For me, literary analysis (especially on poetry) always emerges after I talk about the work. I shouldn't be surprised that Ryan's poetry would be any different, but I was amazed at the meaning I was able to dig out of her words just by having a conversation.
Here was the one we discussed in particular (I read it out loud for my coworker, which led to further discussion--Ryan's poems are rhythmic, and that rhythm is inherent to what the poem is, but it's hard to hear rhythm unless you physically hear it.):
GREEN HILLS
Their green flanks
and swells are not
flesh in any sense
matching ours,
we tell ourselves.
Nor their green
breast nor their
green shoulder nor
the languour of their
rolling over.
The poem rolls like hills, and the images it evokes are wonderful. I'm fond of poetry that has a certain physical feel, and Ryan's work is often about the physical and the material, like "Things Shouldn't Be So Hard," which longs for physical indications of an individual no longer present, but things are too hard, too durable, for one person to leave their mark upon them. It's beautiful.
Okay, enough gushing about poetry. My main point is that I'm now a fan of Kay Ryan, and that discussing poetry with other people makes it alive in my mind. I need to remember that when I go to teach kids how to read poetry... I'm such a verbal person that it's often not until I've talked about something that I understand it fully.
If you're interested in more of Kay Ryan's work, go here.
Monday, July 14, 2008
One of Those Days...
I woke up feeling woozy this morning. I managed to get dressed, after dragging excess chairs back to their homes to help me wake up a bit. Then, on my walk to work, I discovered the lid of my once-full water bottle was slightly ajar, meaning the book*, notebook, journal, and planner in my bag were now sitting in water. To make matters worse, my skirt was not staying put, so I was having to tug, readjust, and otherwise deal with it while fretting about the wet paper in my bag.
All of this meant that I was a little grouchy when I walked into the office. But instead of losing my temper, I pulled the books out, dried out the bag, and realized that the damage could have been much, much worse. My impulse was to call the beloved filler of said water bottle and chew him out...but I didn't. And I was glad. Acting (instead of giving into anger) cheered me up.
Thus, the rest of the day has passed in relative calm. I've been dealing with my blood sugar bouncing all over the place, but I've successfully avoided eating sugar. I've already eaten four servings of veggies and two servings of fruit today**. The day has been lovely, and I ended up taking a longer walk over lunch than I usually do, since I forgot my ID and couldn't use my extra time to go to the library.
And I get to go to a swim lesson tonight, not to mention bowling with teachers from Mexico who I'm partnered with. So, really, a day that could have been potentially very, very foul has been quite fine. Life is better when you concentrate on the good, even when it's drenched by the bad.
*Which belongs to my thesis adviser.
**Usually it's two servings of veggies and three of fruit. Fruit is good for you, sure, but it's important to not eat too much of them too!
All of this meant that I was a little grouchy when I walked into the office. But instead of losing my temper, I pulled the books out, dried out the bag, and realized that the damage could have been much, much worse. My impulse was to call the beloved filler of said water bottle and chew him out...but I didn't. And I was glad. Acting (instead of giving into anger) cheered me up.
Thus, the rest of the day has passed in relative calm. I've been dealing with my blood sugar bouncing all over the place, but I've successfully avoided eating sugar. I've already eaten four servings of veggies and two servings of fruit today**. The day has been lovely, and I ended up taking a longer walk over lunch than I usually do, since I forgot my ID and couldn't use my extra time to go to the library.
And I get to go to a swim lesson tonight, not to mention bowling with teachers from Mexico who I'm partnered with. So, really, a day that could have been potentially very, very foul has been quite fine. Life is better when you concentrate on the good, even when it's drenched by the bad.
*Which belongs to my thesis adviser.
**Usually it's two servings of veggies and three of fruit. Fruit is good for you, sure, but it's important to not eat too much of them too!
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