House Guest

I've had a visitor in my home the last few days. She's been as pleasant as could be. She was quiet and unobtrusive, yet she brought life and personality to my living quarters. She asked for very little from me, just a bit of water when she was thirsty, a nice sponge bath every few days and some sun to warm up to. In return she gave me company, fresher air and a nice spot of color. My guest's name was Lily, and she is none other than a peace lily!

A friend of mine went out of town for a few days and asked if I would plant-sit his precious Lily. Having no plant life in my apartment, I happily agreed. I quickly realized that having vegetation in your life is something you don't realize you need when you don't have it. But once you do, it becomes inconceivable how you could have lived without it. As a friend who visited my apartment aptly pointed out, 'I didn't realize you needed plants in here until I saw Lily, but now that I see her in here, you need some greenery!'. I concurred.

In the days that have followed, I've been contemplating my options. One thing I'd like to try is a 'roof-top garden' on my balcony, complete with window boxes, some hanging planters and a tree or two. I'd also like to try an herb cutting garden. I think I'll need to wait a few weeks for the temperatures to drop, but in the meantime I have time to shop and plot and dream of my little green oasis. To temporarily satiate my newly acquired green thumb I bought my first plant tonight- a fragrant little basil plant. I've yet to name her, but I'm looking forward to tending to her and watching her grow. And eating her. Pesto, anyone? With that, I cross of #273 on my list: bring a bit of green into my life.

Tough Times

It seems that all around me friends and family are going through tough times. Some have expectedly or unexpectedly lost loved ones, others have been sick or in the hospital, in car accidents, going through divorce or break-ups, facing unexpected pregnancies, caring for sick family members, struggling with unemployment or job difficulties or money issues. It's a bit odd that so many of the people I care most about are going through these trials at the same time, and it's hard to watch them struggle knowing there isn't much I can do to ease their burdens.

I've tried to reach out to each of you individually, but I want you to know again that I'm always here for you, and I think of you every day. Life can't stay difficult forever, so just continue to forge ahead and call on me anytime. I love and care for each of you dearly.

As long as I'm able, reaching out to loved ones is something that I'll never cross off my to do list. But for the sake of blog continuity I'll mention that it's pretty high up on my list, say #3.

Elderberry Blossom Wine, Wildlife & Produce

I'm back from summer vacation, and as suspected spirits run higher whilst anticipating, versus reflecting on, vacation. Nevertheless, my spirits are in pretty good shape after having had a wonderful time.

Though it was just a trip back to the heart of the Midwest to visit my place of birth, and the city most of my relatives still call home, it was as enjoyable a vacation as I've had. The weather was a perfect respite from the furnace I now call home, with daytime temperatures in the mid-70's and nighttime temperatures in the mid-50's. I quickly adjusted to the cooler clime, and was even beginning to be convinced of an impending fall season, however that rug was pulled out from under me when I stepped onto the jetway back in Phoenix to a 99 degree evening.

I spent my vacation days sleeping in, lazing around the house, visiting with family and eating copious amounts of locally grown produce. This is a distinct advantage to Midwestern small town living that I had somehow overlooked on my previous trips, but that made quite an impression on me this time. It seemed everywhere I turned there was an abundance of local produce being offered up. Family or neighbors with too many zucchini or tomatoes or sweet corn that were happy, almost grateful, to share it with you. And these weren't your grocery store variety produce, these were zucchini the size of my calf and super flavorful tomatoes and corn on the cob that was juicy and sweet. I was in heaven.

Apart from the local produce, I was also treated to some local wildlife. I had my first encounter with a mole, and it scared the shit out of me. I actually screamed when it ran past, I kid you not. If you've never seen one of these creatures for yourself, click here. I think you can understand now why I screamed, right? Creepy! I was also treated to a visit from a opossum. It wasn't as close range as the mole, and it wasn't my first time seeing one, but man are they creepy too! As my gran accurately pointed out, they look prehistoric.

Another highlight of the trip was hearing about, and sampling, elderberry blossom wine* that my gran & grandad brewed themselves back in 1949. I think at this point it would be more accurate to call it liqueur, or extremely strong alcohol, rather than wine, but it was tasty nonetheless and certainly the oldest (or should I say the most aged?) alcohol I've ever sampled!

Though my vacation is over, it feels great to be back knowing that I spent some good quality time with family, and so I'll go ahead and cross that #159 off my list: go on summer vacation.

*Note: The picture above is of the elderberry blossom wine, specifically, of us filtering out the sediment from the wine. The green bottle is the original bottle. Cool, huh?

Bon Voyage

The red suitcase is packed, the boarding pass is printed, and the dramamine has been taken. I'm going on vacation! I'll catch up with you next week when I (begrudgingly, I'm sure) cross off #159: go on summer vacation.

Crying Over Burnt Rice

Lately, I've been making an effort to be more self-aware. I'm already a pretty cognizant person, but I've been trying to learn and appreciate a little more about my strengths and my flaws--to examine the inherent parts of my personality better, and take them less personally. My approach, thus far, has been two-fold: first, I've tried to slow down a bit and really be aware of what is going on around me and my part in it, and second, I've tried to spend more time reflecting on my day and the things that have taken place in it. If I haven't lost you yet, then you are probably thinking that I am spending way too much time thinking. And you are probably right. But nevermind that, it's been interesting, and I've been enjoying it! Which brings me to the subject of this post...

Last night I had the opportunity to cook for friends again. I decided to make kung pao chicken and fried rice. This is a relatively easy dinner, and one that I've cooked a million times. The key to these two dishes is preparation. They cook fast, so it's imperative that you have everything organized and ready to toss into the respective pans at the proper times. Fortunately for me, organization is one of my strengths! I had everything organized: my vegetables were chopped, my ingredients were pre-cooked, measured and mixed. I even had the ingredients separated out, with those for kung pao chicken on the left side of the stove and those for fried rice on the right side. Like I said, organization is one of my strengths.

Things were going well. My friends were keeping me company in the kitchen. We were drinking wine and talking and laughing (they a little more than me, I did have to concentrate on the cooking!). They were commenting on how delicious everything smelled, how effortless I was making it look, and how they felt like they were at one of those restaurants where they cook the food at your table all fancy-like (aren't my friends sweet?!). I was soaking up the compliments, multi-tasking between the two sizzling pans, and all the while insisting this was an easy dinner anyone could whip up. It was about this time that the chicken required more of my attention. I took my eyes off the rice for only a few moments, but in those moments rice began to burn. By the time I got back to the rice and stirred, the bottom of the pan was scorched. I grabbed the pan off the burner and began picking out the burnt bits, but there were too many. I dumped the unstuck rice into another pan, and resumed the cooking.

But in my mind, it was too late. My friends continued to drink and chat and laugh and effuse on the delicious smells, but I was far far away. I was sulking in the corner of my mind, so pissed that I had just ruined a perfectly simple dish to prepare, and that I was going to have to serve the resulting ruined dish to my friends, the friends who were going to be too nice to tell me how disgusting it tasted, because they were already being too nice about how delicious it smelled. Suffice to say, my night was ruined. I was pissed. And all over a little burnt rice. Then something miraculous happened. We sat down to eat with plates full and dug in, me a little less heartily than them, because I was of course anticipating the worst. But the worst didn't come. The rice tasted perfectly delicious. I was shocked, and relieved, and embarrassed. I realized at that moment that my friends had surely noticed my change in mood, and why? Because of a little burnt rice? I also realized at that moment that I am a terrible sport when things don't go my way. As laidback and flexible as I try to be, when I have a well-laid plan, I expect it to work! And so I shared these revelations with my friends. We laughed about them and they commiserated, and then we went on to enjoy a great night.

But they've stuck with me, much like the rice that was still stuck to the pan the next morning after soaking all night in water. Though I can appreciate the side of my personality that is an optimist and has very high hopes and expectations, I know the result can be immediate and overwhelming disappointment at the first perceived flaw in the plan. So I've got something to work on. Fortunately for me, I also love a challenge! I'm going to continue crossing off #119 because I'm enjoying it and learning so much: dissect my personality.

*I have to mention we drank the most excellent bottle of wine. Not sure about the pairing with kung pao chicken & fried rice, but none of us were complaining! The wine was a Louis Jadot Beaujolais, 2003 vintage. I highly recommend you go out now and buy a bottle of this wine, and then come directly to my place to share it with me!

**For the record, I didn't actually cry after burning the rice. I just want to clarify that.

Music Quiz

Today a friend of mine asked me a few really thought provoking music questions. Not the tired (though interesting), what are your top 10 favorite songs, or what are your five favorite albums from the 90's, or what are your favorite summer songs, etc. Nah, these required a little more thought. I enjoyed them so much I thought I'd share them here, along with my answers.

Questions:

1. Who would you bring back to life?
2. Who would you save from creative oblivion?
3. Who would you preserve for all eternity (alive & making music)?
4. What song do you wish you had written?
5. If you had a cover band dedicated to just one bands music, which band would it be?

My answers:

1. Though it feels like the obvious and cliched answer, I'd bring back John Lennon. He's the dead musician I've thought most often about. I wonder what sort of music he would have made, or if he would have made music at all. I wonder what influence he would have on present music & musicians, whether he would have started a record label and sussed out some cool bands. And of course, the most burning question, I wonder how long it would have taken him to drop Yoko.

2. This question is still stumping me! I can't think of anyone I really care about that has sunk into creative oblivion. Bjork? She's in creative oblivion alright, but I never really liked her. Cat Stevens (aka Yusuf Islam), that guy is definitely in oblivion, but creative? Probably not. Don't have an answer on this one yet...

3. I'd want to preserve Jeff Tweedy (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo) for all eternity. In my humble opinion, this guy is an absolute genius and responsible for some of the most beautiful compositions.

4. Two songs come to mind. I'm allowing myself both since I can, and since I thought of them for different reasons. The first is Sandusky by Uncle Tupelo. It's strictly instrumental, and really a masterpiece. I wish I had even a fraction of the musical ability it took to compose this song. It blows me away everytime I hear it. The second is A Day in the Life by The Beatles. Not sure why, it's just the first song that came to my mind, and one of my all time favorites. Woke up. Got outta bed. Dragged a comb across my head. You've got to love it!

5. The cover band question is tough. The first band that came to mind is Oasis. They are far and away the band whose entire catalog of music I'm most familiar with. They're the band whose music I can hear a few bars of, and then sing the entire song to. But, the band who I think would be the most fun to cover (though I have to state for the record that I don't think two albums makes you worthy of having a cover band) is Kings of Leon. I love the dirty, gritty, Southern rock style of their music, and think it would be immensely enjoyable to try and duplicate it. Not that I have any musical talent, but I can always dream...

If you have any more cool questions, or want to share your own answers, feel free, I'd be interested to hear them. For now I'm excited to cross #318 crossed off: pick my future cover band.

Wedding Crashers

The way I see it, I have two choices. Either: 1, stop going to see big budget Hollywood movies or 2, stop expecting them to be any good. Knowing me, I'll take option two; but knowing my optimistic and forgiving nature, it will be difficult to sustain the low expectations and then I'll be right back in the position I'm in today- sorely disappointed at a movie I desperately wanted to be good.

It seems like lately all I do is bitch about Hollywood movies. If you're getting tired of all this bitching, don't worry, I am too. I don't want to hate them, honestly, but they leave me no choice. They are sloppy. They're filled with bad acting and bad writing and bad storytelling and bad everything else that you can think of. They are just bad. Wedding Crashers is no exception. My love for Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson couldn't even save this movie. Sure, if you were sitting next to me in the theatre you would have caught me laughing a couple times. But a few laughs does not a good movie make. You could tell in the first ten minutes that this movie was going to suck. It was solidified about twenty minutes in when they went into a way too long (I'm talking at least 5 minutes) montage of scenes from various weddings the pair crashed set to the beat of loud annoying music, a la what you might expect to see in a trailer or a teaser for the movie. But this wasn't a trailer or a teaser, this was the actual movie. Dumb.

Just so you don't think I'm a movie snob, I adore Vaughn and Wilson's work. I love Vince Vaughn in Swingers (one of my favorite comedies), Old School and Dodgeball; he was even pretty amusing in Mr & Mrs Smith. And Owen Wilson, he's one of my favorite actors. He's phenomenal in all the Wes Anderson films like Bottle Rocket and Royal Tennenbaums and Life Aquatic. His cameo in Meet the Parents was hilarious, and I'm ashamed to admit I loved Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knights. So being a genuine fan I hoped for the best going into this film. And I got the worst. Vince Vaughn's long fast-talking monologues can be hilarious. They can also fall flat- that's what these did. The same with Owen Wilson's quirkiness, it can be hilarious, or it can just be dumb- this was dumb. There were weird choices in this movie- weird character traits (Vince Vaughn's over-eating), weird characters (the gay brother), weird makeup (Owen Wilson looked like a woman at times, it was caked on so thick). I could go on, but honestly I'm tired of hearing myself complain about the same things in movie after movie, and I'm sure you are too.

I'd have to give Wedding Crashers two and a half stars. There were some times I laughed, but I'm not sure if I was laughing because it was funny, or because I felt bad that other people were laughing and I wasn't. I'm beginning to wonder how I've strayed so far off the mainstream, where critics are giving this movie three and a half stars and popular opinion is giving it four and a half stars, and I can barely muster a chuckle. Ah well, that's a topic for another post. For now I'll just cross off #249 from my list: see Wedding Crashers.

Pork Perfection

I realize the picture above looks a little more disgusting than delicious, but you're just going to have to trust that it depicts absolute pork perfection, if I do say so myself. No one likes a braggart, I know, but maybe this is because they haven't tried said braggart's delicious pork tenderloin. Maybe if they sampled the tasty pork, not only would they like the braggart, they'd love the braggart and beg her to invite them over to her meager digs in order gorge themselves on copious amounts of pork tenderloin. Hmm, okay, I think I'm going way off on a self-indulgent tangent here...

Last night I had the pleasure of cooking dinner for a few dear friends. All week I excitedly mulled over possible menu choices, and finally settled on a pork tenderloin as the main course. It's a dish I've been making for ages, but I couldn't recall the last time I'd made it. (Cooking a whole pork tenderloin isn't exactly something I'm in the habit of making just for me!) I thought I remembered the details of the 'recipe', but there was one hitch: I was to be working in the office the day of the dinner and wouldn't have time to cook the pork in the oven as per my usual habit. But by mid-week when I realized the hitch, I was really set on making the pork. Then I remembered a little-used cooking apparatus housed in my kitchen's lazy susan, the crock pot. Some people swear by these appliances, but I hardly use mine, and hardly know how to use it. Surely, I thought, it would be capable of cooking the pork, but would the recipe need to be modified to include more liquid? Would cooking it on the low setting all day be too much time? Would the pork release too much juice and overflow the pot? Would the pork even taste the same as my tried and true oven method? I agonized over these questions, but in the end decided the pork was worth it, and I'd just do the best I could.

I prepared the marinade the night before and tried to make a little extra in order to have enough liquid for the cooking process. This plan worked beautifully and there was no need to add any extra liquid for cooking. I marinated the meat overnight and then cooked it all day on low. I arrived home to an apartment that hadn't been burned down by the crock pot and hadn't been flooded by any excess crock pot juices, but it smelled deliciously, as if I (or some magic cooking fairies) had been slaving away in the kitchen all day long. When I finally served the meat to my ravenous dinner companions, it had been cooking a full 12 hours. It was so juicy and flavorful it nearly melted in your mouth- no knife required. We all agreed it was tasty as hell, though I effused a little less than them, for modesty's sake.

Here is the recipe for my pork tenderloin if you'd care to duplicate pork perfection in your own crock pot (after seeing how well it turned out in the crock pot, I'd highly recommend it over the oven). Please be warned that this is a very loose 'recipe', and I'm just estimating on the quantities. Use your best judgment if the consistency of the marinade isn't quite right, or if you are making a smaller or larger quantity.

Teriyaki & Orange Pork Tenderloin

2.5 lb pork tenderloin trimmed of really excess fat (do leave some fat because it contributes to the tastiness factor!)
whole cloves

marinade:
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
3 cloves of garlic, minced
juice from 3 juicy oranges and some of the pulp and zest too (why waste all that yummy orangeness?!)
2 tbsp orange marmalade

Mix together the ingredients for the marinade and set aside. With a sharp knife pierce the tenderloin all over. Insert whole cloves into the holes. (I'd suggest maybe 10-20 whole cloves, depending on how much you enjoy their flavor.) Place the meat in the marinade and leave in the refrigerator overnight. The next day place the meat & marinade in the crock pot and cook on low for 12 hours. (I'm sure you could get away with cooking it a lot less than 12 hours, so just use your best judgment here.) Serve & enjoy!

With a belly full of leftovers, I cross off #99: prepare pork tenderloin for wonderful friends and savor their compliments as much as the pork itself.

*I paired the pork with mashed potatoes** and green beans*** for the ultimate 'comfort food' dinner. We also drank a bottle of Blackstone Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 vintage. Though the wine was delicious, it was a bit full-bodied and a tad dry for my taste. I'd recommend Blackstone's Syrah over the Cabernet.

**I used organic white creamer potatoes and boiled them (skin on) in free-range organic chicken broth with a little water, then drained and mashed with a stick of butter, several spoonfuls of sour cream and a bit of salt. Yum!

**I used fresh organic green beans, trimmed the stem end, parboiled for 2-3 minutes, drained and sauteed with a little olive oil, shallots and the juice of 1 orange for 2-3 minutes and then served topped with toasted pine nuts. Yum!

Exercise, Part Two

I am sure that you are all eagerly anticipating an exercise update. Have I kept up with my routine? Have I continued to find motivation? I am happy to report that yes, I have kept up my routine! Don't worry, I am as shocked as you are. I'm quite sure that fifteen days of working out is some sort of record for me. Equivalent to an Olympic medal or a Nobel Peace Prize. Truly. It's astonishing. And what's more astonishing is that I'm actually beginning to enjoy myself.

As you recall, it began innocently enough on July 20th after feeling like the ultimate slug in the company of a friend who is a workout maven. One of those rare individuals (are they so rare afterall?) who enjoys working out. It seemed that everywhere I turned people were beginning sentences with 'When I was at the gym...' or 'After I workout...'. With every mention of the words 'workout' or 'gym' I could feel myself slowly taking on more slug-like characteristics. I never used those words; they were no more a part of my vocabulary than 'lima bean' or 'dirty diaper'. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to do something. So I worked out. And then I wrote about it. Somehow announcing my intentions on the blog solidified them and made me feel I'd have to be accountable to someone if I quit.

But I haven't quit. Quite the opposite. Each day I've looked forward to working out. (I have to mention this is likely due in large part to the fact that I usually workout when I should be working. Anything to avoid work, that's my motto.) It's been a non-negotiable part of my day. I haven't considered not doing it. And now I wonder what made it such a challenge in the first place? I haven't found that 'runner's high' yet, but I'm feeling good. Whether it's the endorphins or the sense of accomplishment of doing something I've never really done before, I'm not sure. Of course, it's not all roses. There are challenges. In the last week or so I've been able to begin interspersing my treadmill walking with jogging (this was an absolute revelation for me!). My lungs are able to handle the exertion, but my legs tire quickly and turn from mere legs into pillars of lead. With their sudden unbearable weight they beg me to slow down to a comfortable walk for a few minutes in order to regain their original mass. And just when they are getting comfortable, I jolt them to a jogging pace again. This means at the end of thirty minutes they are dead tired, and climbing the three flights of stairs back up to my apartment is a slow and painful agony. But I'm not discouraged. A few swings of water and a banana later and the pain is a fairly distant memory.

So where do I go from here? I keep at it! At the suggestion of a friend I may try to alter my routine a bit, which is made more difficult by the oppressive Arizona summer, but I'm sure I can come up with something. I may also incorporate some weight training with the cardio. I've been doing a bit of free weights for my arms, but I'm thinking doing legs may help build up my jogging endurance. I don't want to count my chickens quite yet, but I have to say I'm pleased. I still consider #14 on my list a work in progress, but exercise and I have gotten to know each other a little more with each passing day, and we're becoming fast friends.

March of the Penguins

Since the week I saw War of the Worlds and Fantastic Four, I've been on a break from seeing movies in the theatre. I think it was the combination of the mediocre movies I'd been seeing, and the prospect of more mediocre movies in the future that kept me away. But, it was Sunday afternoon, and I started to miss my old friend, the movie theatre: it's sub-zero temperatures, the sickening aroma of fake buttered popcorn and floors sticky with spilled soda. I just couldn't stay away. Luckily for me there was actually a movie playing that I'd been wanting to see- March of the Penguins.

I'd seen a preview for March a month or so ago, and it looked absolutely adorable. I must admit I'm a sucker for nature/animal documentaries, especially when they involve an animal as cute and cuddly as penguins, and March did not disappoint. It was filmed by a French documentarian, Luc Jacquet, and is the story of a year in the life of an Emperor Penguin in Antartica. The movie follows the 70 mile trek the penguins make to a common mating ground, and the subsequent search for a mate, laying of an egg, trek for food, hatching of the egg and the hatchlings first swim. All this amidst the brutally harsh winter storms. The film is beautifully shot with amazing footage of the frozen Antartic. The penguins' story is endearing and the shots of these animals are gorgeous. My only complaint was that since the film is rated G it was filled with parents and their kids. I'm not sure if it's being marketed as a kids film, but I honestly think it's way too slow/boring for kids, and will result in what I experienced: kids and parents talking through out the entire film. A bit annoying and distracting, but otherwise a great experience. I'd give this film 3.5 stars.

With my relationship with my local movie theatre temporarily redeemed I cross off #283: see March of the Penguins.