I was about to get very, very, very concerned that somehow I had passed the 600 post mark without marking it in some way. Fortunately, it turns out that blogger, for some reason, counts draft posts as actual posts, meaning that I have about 12 to go, as I have a couple of drafts on the way (songs and albums of the year, natch).
Just so you know. I imagine you're as relieved as I am.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Thursday, December 09, 2010
Dunzo, Finito, Finis
This morning I started writing a relatively measured post - for me, at least - about how I had realised that the increased joie de vivre I've been experiencing of late has coincided with my withdrawal from politics. I decided it was not worth the bother, really - not much of substance and no attempt to analyse causality.
And then I got back from a three-hour meeting to find that the Senate failed to repeal DADT, has put on hold the DREAM Act, and has voted against passing a bill for 9/11 rescue workers (unpaid for, you see, although that's apparently fine for $700bn of tax cuts for those earning over $250k per year - and god forbid that anyone build an Islamic cultural centre 3 blocks away because 9/11 was too important and it would affect those affected by 9/11).
And I realised that I'm done. I'm packing it in. No more podcasting; I can barely even take The Daily Show these days, it's so depressing. I just want out. Out, I tell you.
This while the students at home finally get excited about politics. Sigh.
And then I got back from a three-hour meeting to find that the Senate failed to repeal DADT, has put on hold the DREAM Act, and has voted against passing a bill for 9/11 rescue workers (unpaid for, you see, although that's apparently fine for $700bn of tax cuts for those earning over $250k per year - and god forbid that anyone build an Islamic cultural centre 3 blocks away because 9/11 was too important and it would affect those affected by 9/11).
And I realised that I'm done. I'm packing it in. No more podcasting; I can barely even take The Daily Show these days, it's so depressing. I just want out. Out, I tell you.
This while the students at home finally get excited about politics. Sigh.
Monday, December 06, 2010
Outflanked
This weekend proved yet another of culinary delights and no photographic evidence thereof.* Nonetheless, delightful it was. Friday night saw us grabbing late night martinis (Hendrick's of course, sweetie) and "bar menu" snacks at Cafe Noir. We enjoyed truffle fries, a gorgeous pizza with caramelized onions and a lovely fried egg in the middle, and chorizo arancini.
Saturday was TOH's departmental holiday party. We spent a LONG time cooking, and so arrived late and missed the homemade samosas, which greatly disappointed me. The reason for our tardiness was my being inspired by this lovely lady's musings on her successes with Guinness gingerbread and my attempt to recreate it. I used this recipe, but be warned: only half-fill your tin as you may otherwise have some serious spillage. Nonetheless, it was worth it: the cake was moist, extremely gingery and rich and wonderful. We also made a billion devils on horseback and trolled off to the party, where we were greeted by some glorious singing from a Greek choir (the choirmaster is married to someone in the department and she sang vigorously all the while with a very very small infant strapped in a papoose around her chest - it was amazing). The eating at the do wasn't quite so exciting, but that was probably because we'd been overdosing on sugar from the ginger cake (it had to be tested, obviously) and the amazing zimsterne that our friend made. Basically, they're almonds and sugar and are wonderfully chewy and delicious. We then tried to shake off our sugar crashes by trying out duckpin bowling. Verdict: hard. My hands are a bit small for the ball and it took a while to get used to it, but definitely will have another go - I think it could end up more satisfying (and far less stressful on the wrist) than ten-pin bowling.
Sunday saw us hiking in the Myles Standish State Forest, a lovely part of Massachusetts.
(no creator credited - if it's yours, please let me know).
It was certainly a lot more barren than this photo suggests, but the walk took us through woodland and then would suddenly throw us out into meadows where lovely late afternoon sunlight made the ears of grass glint beautifully golden. After seven miles in the more-or-less freezing temperatures, we felt fairly justified in scoffing a truly delicious meal. TOH and I had sampled some fantastic steak in Whole Foods on Saturday morning, and then he watched the demo lady recreate it. Essentially, you season flank steak and then sear it both sides. You remove to let it rest. Then in the same pan, you melt a healthy chunk of (decent) butter, and add chopped shallots (fairly fine but not minced) and roughly chopped trumpet mushrooms. Add a healthy dollop (around 1 tbsp) of dijon mustard. Let them sweat together and then add either some rosemary or, as we did, thyme. Then add, if so desired, a splash of white wine. After cutting it in thinnish strips (perhaps about 1/2 an inch) against the grain of the meat, you put the steak back in for a final round of cooking so the juices all mix together. We served it with sauteed potatoes and a large serving of roquette/arugula and watercress, and were knocking back pouilly-fuisse - a chardonnay-based white that I can cope with, generally, as although it has the roundness of chardonnay it's not overwhelmingly oaky or in your face. For dessert, the remains of the ginger cake along with some creme fraiche. Add to that a viewing of The Holy Grail and you have yourself a very pleasant evening.
* Well, there is this, at least:
In case you're wondering - and I expect you are - the thing that's attacking TOH is a bushukan, or "buddha's hand," which is a relative of the lemon. It's particularly useful because you get a ton of zest off it without all that pesky juicy fruit inside. Very strange but beautiful indeed. The display caused a great deal of fascination in Whole Foods on Saturday morning as TOH and I took photos of us attacking each other with them. They smell glorious - lemon with a floral, almost rose-like scent.
Saturday was TOH's departmental holiday party. We spent a LONG time cooking, and so arrived late and missed the homemade samosas, which greatly disappointed me. The reason for our tardiness was my being inspired by this lovely lady's musings on her successes with Guinness gingerbread and my attempt to recreate it. I used this recipe, but be warned: only half-fill your tin as you may otherwise have some serious spillage. Nonetheless, it was worth it: the cake was moist, extremely gingery and rich and wonderful. We also made a billion devils on horseback and trolled off to the party, where we were greeted by some glorious singing from a Greek choir (the choirmaster is married to someone in the department and she sang vigorously all the while with a very very small infant strapped in a papoose around her chest - it was amazing). The eating at the do wasn't quite so exciting, but that was probably because we'd been overdosing on sugar from the ginger cake (it had to be tested, obviously) and the amazing zimsterne that our friend made. Basically, they're almonds and sugar and are wonderfully chewy and delicious. We then tried to shake off our sugar crashes by trying out duckpin bowling. Verdict: hard. My hands are a bit small for the ball and it took a while to get used to it, but definitely will have another go - I think it could end up more satisfying (and far less stressful on the wrist) than ten-pin bowling.
Sunday saw us hiking in the Myles Standish State Forest, a lovely part of Massachusetts.
(no creator credited - if it's yours, please let me know).It was certainly a lot more barren than this photo suggests, but the walk took us through woodland and then would suddenly throw us out into meadows where lovely late afternoon sunlight made the ears of grass glint beautifully golden. After seven miles in the more-or-less freezing temperatures, we felt fairly justified in scoffing a truly delicious meal. TOH and I had sampled some fantastic steak in Whole Foods on Saturday morning, and then he watched the demo lady recreate it. Essentially, you season flank steak and then sear it both sides. You remove to let it rest. Then in the same pan, you melt a healthy chunk of (decent) butter, and add chopped shallots (fairly fine but not minced) and roughly chopped trumpet mushrooms. Add a healthy dollop (around 1 tbsp) of dijon mustard. Let them sweat together and then add either some rosemary or, as we did, thyme. Then add, if so desired, a splash of white wine. After cutting it in thinnish strips (perhaps about 1/2 an inch) against the grain of the meat, you put the steak back in for a final round of cooking so the juices all mix together. We served it with sauteed potatoes and a large serving of roquette/arugula and watercress, and were knocking back pouilly-fuisse - a chardonnay-based white that I can cope with, generally, as although it has the roundness of chardonnay it's not overwhelmingly oaky or in your face. For dessert, the remains of the ginger cake along with some creme fraiche. Add to that a viewing of The Holy Grail and you have yourself a very pleasant evening.
* Well, there is this, at least:
In case you're wondering - and I expect you are - the thing that's attacking TOH is a bushukan, or "buddha's hand," which is a relative of the lemon. It's particularly useful because you get a ton of zest off it without all that pesky juicy fruit inside. Very strange but beautiful indeed. The display caused a great deal of fascination in Whole Foods on Saturday morning as TOH and I took photos of us attacking each other with them. They smell glorious - lemon with a floral, almost rose-like scent.
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
We Have Ways of Making You Talk
A while ago, a friend posted about how much she loathed the F-word - Facebook, that is. She has not taken to that form of electronic communication. I have read a lot in the last couple of years (mostly on the internets, of course) that bemoans the myriad forms of communication and how splintered we are; how the internet makes you stupid (there's even a whole book about that - that I know about because I listen to a podcast available through the wonders of the internet, of course). It has become a point of pride for some people that they will never tweet.
I end up somewhere in the middle. These things can be abused, can mute some forms of communication. The existence of Perez Hilton is a prime example of internet abuse, frankly.
Nonetheless, somehow the various social media have forged friendships from casual acquaintances as well as reaffirming others that, while deep, were not really based on keeping in regular touch. I have certainly bonded with relatively unknown acquaintances over amusing/political items posted on the F-word, and that has enabled us to go to concerts and dinners together and actually become real friends.
Moreover, I have a dear, dear friend (who I know reads this) with whom I am terrible at keeping in contact while I'm living in the US. Our friendship was formed before either of us had used the internet and, possibly as a consequence, we don't really communicate by email; the phone hasn't been our strong point either. We continue to see each other on visits, but we haven't kept up regular contact otherwise. Until round about now. Thanks to one particular social network, I now keep up with her every day. It opens a door into her world, what she's up to, where she's been, what's annoying her today. The stream of consciousness which has often formed the basis of our time together is now available to the two of us. It has genuinely changed my life for the better.
That I have one or two examples only probably illustrates the shallowness of my argument, but I maintain that for these cases at least, the fluttering shallow networks have enriched my social life in a way that I did not expect.
I end up somewhere in the middle. These things can be abused, can mute some forms of communication. The existence of Perez Hilton is a prime example of internet abuse, frankly.
Nonetheless, somehow the various social media have forged friendships from casual acquaintances as well as reaffirming others that, while deep, were not really based on keeping in regular touch. I have certainly bonded with relatively unknown acquaintances over amusing/political items posted on the F-word, and that has enabled us to go to concerts and dinners together and actually become real friends.
Moreover, I have a dear, dear friend (who I know reads this) with whom I am terrible at keeping in contact while I'm living in the US. Our friendship was formed before either of us had used the internet and, possibly as a consequence, we don't really communicate by email; the phone hasn't been our strong point either. We continue to see each other on visits, but we haven't kept up regular contact otherwise. Until round about now. Thanks to one particular social network, I now keep up with her every day. It opens a door into her world, what she's up to, where she's been, what's annoying her today. The stream of consciousness which has often formed the basis of our time together is now available to the two of us. It has genuinely changed my life for the better.
That I have one or two examples only probably illustrates the shallowness of my argument, but I maintain that for these cases at least, the fluttering shallow networks have enriched my social life in a way that I did not expect.
Sweet Zeus
I'm really trying not to rise to the bait, but I'm pretty sure that people write articles like this just to annoy me.
I'm not going to get angry - really, I'm not wasting bikram's sense of well-being and relaxed muscles from this morning - but I do have one point to make. (drum roll, please). None of these stupid, idiotic articles ever thinks to question whether that concept of "romance" - that women are helpless things without money and the ability to pay for themselves or open doors - isn't, actually, all that romantic. At least not to all of us. Whereas being thoughtful and considerate - an unexpected offer to cook dinner, rub one's feet, or just a keen need for a hug - is just always great.
I'm not going to get angry - really, I'm not wasting bikram's sense of well-being and relaxed muscles from this morning - but I do have one point to make. (drum roll, please). None of these stupid, idiotic articles ever thinks to question whether that concept of "romance" - that women are helpless things without money and the ability to pay for themselves or open doors - isn't, actually, all that romantic. At least not to all of us. Whereas being thoughtful and considerate - an unexpected offer to cook dinner, rub one's feet, or just a keen need for a hug - is just always great.
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