002. Read 100 new books - (001/100)
I was going to attempt to read Bill Bryson's Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe during my lunch breaks at work, but quickly realized that I usually find myself *working* through lunch (arf). It's not very long, though, so I'm going to read it at home and then follow it up with Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything.
047. Complete all "Couch-to-5K" workouts within 2 months - (02/27)
Today was much easier, thanks to the warmer air that didn't make me feel like I was inhaling shards of glass. I still had to contend with some challenges, though. Namely the Moe's Homewrecker burrito that I scarfed down in its entirety at noon and was still quite happily parked in my stomach like a 5lb stone by the time I started my run. In addition, I only bandaged one of my blisters, which turned out to be kind of a big mistake as, when I took off my sneakers, I discovered this (Warning! Icky!):
31 March 2010
30 March 2010
974 Days
002. Read 100 books - (001/100)
1000 pages and what felt like an entire season (but was actually only about a month) later, I finally finished World Without End. I am going to have to lay off these lengthy books or else I'm never going to complete this goal...
I felt more or less exactly the same about World Without End as I did about the prequel, The Pillars of the Earth. That is, entertaining and soapy fiction does not have to be poorly-written, brainless tripe. There is nothing important, stylistic, or meaningful about the story, but the narrative, characters, and pace kept me entertained. The historical elements seemed thoroughly researched, and I can even forgive the rather large amount of exposition between characters since the general readership is likely ignorant of medieval law and customs.
My only minor quibble, and this holds true even more so for The Pillars of the Earth, is with the inexplicable interjections of romance-novel-style sauciness. Don't get me wrong, I like a good dose of smut just as much as the next gal, but after a while it kind of felt like he was appealing to the lowest common denominator... as if he worried that a historical novel wouldn't hold the average reader's attention without a scattering few pages of porn in each chapter.
047. Complete all "Couch-to-5K" workouts within 2 months - (01/27)
I should have no problem completing the program within 2 months if I knock out a workout every other day. Yesterday I started the first phase: intervals of walking (90 seconds) and jogging (60 seconds) for 20 minutes. It wasn't what I would consider "easy", but I wasn't discouraged or dying by the end of it (which I think is the point) and I managed to cover about 4K including my warm up. The only thorns I had to contend with were blisters (poor choice of socks) and achy lungs (asthma + cold air). I am neither in shape nor particularly fond of running, so this will definitely be one of my more challenging goals.
042. Cook or bake 100 new recipes - (003/100)
Another triumph: I have very nearly replicated the coveted "Drunken Cheddar" soup. It's not quite the same, I admit, but it's close enough that I almost did a fist-pump when I tasted my first spoonful. This one probably won't make another appearance until autumn, but that's undoubtedly a good thing considering the epic amounts of fat (oh, delicious fat!).
Ingredients:
6 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups mirepoix (fine dice)
6 tbsp flour
3 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 bottle (12 oz) pale ale
1 pint heavy cream
16 oz extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Melt the butter in a large stock pot over low heat. Add the mirepoix and sweat until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle in the flour and stir thoroughly. It will make a very thick paste; keep stirring and smoothing it over low heat for about 3 minutes. Add the mustard, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper and stir thoroughly until combined. Add the beer and whisk until smooth, then turn up the heat just a little and cook, whisking occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the cream and whisk to combine, cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the cheese, one handful at a time, and whisk until completely melted before adding the next handful. Serve immediately.
[This will keep for a few days in Tupperware in the fridge, but I wouldn't freeze it]
044. Take a picture a day for 365 days - (012/365)
The first photo is what dinner often looks like when I'm feeling lazy and trying to be relatively healthy, and the second photo is what it looks like when I'm feeling more ambitious but don't give a damn that I just filled a soup pot with 6 tbsp of butter, 2 bricks of cheese, a bottle of ale, and a pint of heavy cream... (don't worry, I'm going to share!).
1000 pages and what felt like an entire season (but was actually only about a month) later, I finally finished World Without End. I am going to have to lay off these lengthy books or else I'm never going to complete this goal...
I felt more or less exactly the same about World Without End as I did about the prequel, The Pillars of the Earth. That is, entertaining and soapy fiction does not have to be poorly-written, brainless tripe. There is nothing important, stylistic, or meaningful about the story, but the narrative, characters, and pace kept me entertained. The historical elements seemed thoroughly researched, and I can even forgive the rather large amount of exposition between characters since the general readership is likely ignorant of medieval law and customs.
My only minor quibble, and this holds true even more so for The Pillars of the Earth, is with the inexplicable interjections of romance-novel-style sauciness. Don't get me wrong, I like a good dose of smut just as much as the next gal, but after a while it kind of felt like he was appealing to the lowest common denominator... as if he worried that a historical novel wouldn't hold the average reader's attention without a scattering few pages of porn in each chapter.
047. Complete all "Couch-to-5K" workouts within 2 months - (01/27)
I should have no problem completing the program within 2 months if I knock out a workout every other day. Yesterday I started the first phase: intervals of walking (90 seconds) and jogging (60 seconds) for 20 minutes. It wasn't what I would consider "easy", but I wasn't discouraged or dying by the end of it (which I think is the point) and I managed to cover about 4K including my warm up. The only thorns I had to contend with were blisters (poor choice of socks) and achy lungs (asthma + cold air). I am neither in shape nor particularly fond of running, so this will definitely be one of my more challenging goals.
042. Cook or bake 100 new recipes - (003/100)
Another triumph: I have very nearly replicated the coveted "Drunken Cheddar" soup. It's not quite the same, I admit, but it's close enough that I almost did a fist-pump when I tasted my first spoonful. This one probably won't make another appearance until autumn, but that's undoubtedly a good thing considering the epic amounts of fat (oh, delicious fat!).
Ingredients:
6 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups mirepoix (fine dice)
6 tbsp flour
3 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 bottle (12 oz) pale ale
1 pint heavy cream
16 oz extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Melt the butter in a large stock pot over low heat. Add the mirepoix and sweat until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle in the flour and stir thoroughly. It will make a very thick paste; keep stirring and smoothing it over low heat for about 3 minutes. Add the mustard, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper and stir thoroughly until combined. Add the beer and whisk until smooth, then turn up the heat just a little and cook, whisking occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the cream and whisk to combine, cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the cheese, one handful at a time, and whisk until completely melted before adding the next handful. Serve immediately.
[This will keep for a few days in Tupperware in the fridge, but I wouldn't freeze it]
The first photo is what dinner often looks like when I'm feeling lazy and trying to be relatively healthy, and the second photo is what it looks like when I'm feeling more ambitious but don't give a damn that I just filled a soup pot with 6 tbsp of butter, 2 bricks of cheese, a bottle of ale, and a pint of heavy cream... (don't worry, I'm going to share!).
28 March 2010
976 Days
046. Buy an external hard drive and back up all the files on my computer - (Completed 03/27/10)
My 6-year old iPod finally kicked it last weekend (what a trooper though, eh?), so I was suddenly very nervous about my music collection. Although my computer still works almost perfectly, it's also ancient (c. 2003) so if it crashed I would have no way of retrieving my files. I finally bit the bullet and bought a 1TB external drive. I copied over all my music (5000+ files) and videos, as well as photos and docs, and I barely even made a dent in that thing. It's cavernous!
001. Eat at 25 new restaurants - (03/25)
I am more than a little ashamed to say, in spite of the fact that
a) I am forever and always lamenting the scarcity of good Mexican food in Rochester
b) I live down the street
I had never been to John's Tex-Mex. I KNOW. That was finally remedied yesterday, though, when I popped in to grab an absurdly large pork burrito with rice, black beans, sour cream, cheese, and pickled jalapenos. My only gripe is that there is no way to eat their burritos with your hands... they're too big and are not very well wrapped, so it's a strictly knife-and-fork affair. But I got over that pretty quickly (like, the instant I took my first bite). I took it to go, but I wouldn't mind going back and eating in. It's a super-tiny space and I always find those cozy and adorable (as long as you're not vying with 50 people for the 6 tables).
040. Try 25 new wines - (02/25)
I am definitely a red-head when it comes to wine. I don't dislike whites, and I tend to drink a lot more of them in the summer, but I always find myself drawn to the rich, juicy reds. Yesterday I tried Silvertop Malbec from Argentina, as I'm trying to branch out from the Californian and French labels I normally choose. It was definitely bolder and deeper than the reds I normally drink, closer to a Merlot, and therefore perfectly suited to the little cold snap we had to endure this weekend.
044. Take a picture a day for 365 days - (010/365)
Speaking of reds, when I was picking up the external drive at Target yesterday I wandered down the hair care aisle and on an impulse decided to add a little copper to my hair for the spring. I did it last year and liked how it turned out, so I thought I'd give it a go again. It's not dramatically different, and in the photo it's brighter than normal because I hadn't shampooed yet, but I'm a fan.
And, as I'm moving out in 2 months, I've been somewhat inclined to take photos of my apartment. Here are my bookcases, which look like they might need a new friend soon. Or maybe not because I might just spend the rest of my life reading World Without End... (I'm 733 pages in, which is like 2 books already. 250ish to go... another book. SO. LONG).
My 6-year old iPod finally kicked it last weekend (what a trooper though, eh?), so I was suddenly very nervous about my music collection. Although my computer still works almost perfectly, it's also ancient (c. 2003) so if it crashed I would have no way of retrieving my files. I finally bit the bullet and bought a 1TB external drive. I copied over all my music (5000+ files) and videos, as well as photos and docs, and I barely even made a dent in that thing. It's cavernous!
001. Eat at 25 new restaurants - (03/25)
I am more than a little ashamed to say, in spite of the fact that
a) I am forever and always lamenting the scarcity of good Mexican food in Rochester
b) I live down the street
I had never been to John's Tex-Mex. I KNOW. That was finally remedied yesterday, though, when I popped in to grab an absurdly large pork burrito with rice, black beans, sour cream, cheese, and pickled jalapenos. My only gripe is that there is no way to eat their burritos with your hands... they're too big and are not very well wrapped, so it's a strictly knife-and-fork affair. But I got over that pretty quickly (like, the instant I took my first bite). I took it to go, but I wouldn't mind going back and eating in. It's a super-tiny space and I always find those cozy and adorable (as long as you're not vying with 50 people for the 6 tables).
040. Try 25 new wines - (02/25)
I am definitely a red-head when it comes to wine. I don't dislike whites, and I tend to drink a lot more of them in the summer, but I always find myself drawn to the rich, juicy reds. Yesterday I tried Silvertop Malbec from Argentina, as I'm trying to branch out from the Californian and French labels I normally choose. It was definitely bolder and deeper than the reds I normally drink, closer to a Merlot, and therefore perfectly suited to the little cold snap we had to endure this weekend.
044. Take a picture a day for 365 days - (010/365)
Speaking of reds, when I was picking up the external drive at Target yesterday I wandered down the hair care aisle and on an impulse decided to add a little copper to my hair for the spring. I did it last year and liked how it turned out, so I thought I'd give it a go again. It's not dramatically different, and in the photo it's brighter than normal because I hadn't shampooed yet, but I'm a fan.
And, as I'm moving out in 2 months, I've been somewhat inclined to take photos of my apartment. Here are my bookcases, which look like they might need a new friend soon. Or maybe not because I might just spend the rest of my life reading World Without End... (I'm 733 pages in, which is like 2 books already. 250ish to go... another book. SO. LONG).
006. Take the FSOT
I'm trying to study for this today, but I'm finding myself constantly distracted by the shiny internet, or snacks, or things happening outside. I only have about 10 weeks (they haven't opened test date registration yet but it'll be sometime in mid-June) and have barely begun revising American Government & Politics, let alone History, Economics, and Psychology. I think I probably should come up with a study schedule. Arf.
26 March 2010
978 Days
009. Go meatless every Friday during Lent - (06/21)
Just Good Friday to go, then a big, fat ham on Easter Sunday and I'm done for Lent '10.
022. (Re)watch each of AFI's Top 100 Movies - (008/100)
#93, The French Connection (1971), has been in my Netflix queue for aaaages. It's one that I've simultaneously been itching to see, yet never quite clawed its way up to position #1. What the hell was I waiting for? Things that are great about this movie: everything. Seriously. Gene Hackman as Popeye Doyle? Great. The plot? Great. The pace, the photography, the mood? Great, great, great. The car-train chase? Great.
042. Cook or bake 100 new recipes - (002/100)
As promised, I whipped up Alton's Welsh rarebit recipe for supper. It was, actually, phenomenally easy and the only ingredients I didn't already have on hand were stout, cream, and cheese. As an added bonus I'm pretty sure I can now take a stab at emulating the Toad's Drunken Cheddar soup. The base is almost identical, but I'd probably sub pale ale for the stout and maybe find a sharper cheddar. I'll try it next week as I have to bring some food to work (ah, corporate life, how you fatten me...).
Anyway, where was I before I started daydreaming about the Drunken Cheddar? Oh, right... the rarebit! It was über-tasty over toasted caraway rye bread. And, incidentally, just as tasty on the pinkie finger I dipped in the pan... and as a fondue-like snack later, when I dunked chunks of bread into the leftovers straight from the fridge.
039. Try 25 new beers - (05/25)
I'm actually quite surprised that I'm getting ahead on new beer, rather than wine, considering I rarely ever drink the former and quite regularly indulge in the latter. I needed porter for the rarebit, though, so I bought a 6-pack of Great Lakes' Edmund Fitzgerald. I'm generally not a huge fan of porters because there seems to be a trend of dumping a ton of sweet flavors into them, like chocolate or raspberry. I have to say, though... I can definitely get on board with this one for a break from the lighter beers I normally choose. It has a very distinct smoky aftertaste and, even though I'm desperate for spring, all of a sudden I long for mountain cabins and wood fires and flannel sheets and woolly socks.
044. Take a picture a day for 365 days - (008/365)
The rarebit takes the honors today. And, in case you're wondering, no I'm probably not going to stop using my crappy iPhone camera. It's far more convenient than my digital camera not only because it's at hand, but also because I can e-mail the photos to my laptop instead of having to transfer them. So pardon the quality, but it's probably not going to improve if only because the photos are for documentation, not for aesthetics.
-----
I wanted to get out of bed bright (or, rather, dark...) and early this morning and kick off my newest goal, 047. Complete all Couch-to-5k workouts within 2 months; however, this didn't really pan out as I was unable to get a good night's sleep thanks to the boatload of crazy that was sailing around last night. I awoke at 2am to what sounded like someone attempting to break down the front door, startling me right out of bed and towards the deadbolt on my apartment door. A guy from one of the other apartments finally meandered downstairs to find out WTF, as this person was pounding away for an incessant 10 minutes. I, of course, was far too chicken to even poke my groggy little head out my apartment door so I didn't find out what happened, but I think it must have been a friend of someone who lives on the first floor because there was a girl asleep in the front hallway when I left for work this morning. Then, after finally falling back to sleep, I was once again jolted awake around 3:30 or 4 by two people shouting under my window (which, as you may be aware, I have to keep open even when it's freezing outside because of the non-stop heat pumped into my apartment). Needless to say, a 5:30am wake up was not in the cards, but I'm hoping to rise and shine at a reasonable hour tomorrow and make a go of it, barring any more noisy wack-a-doodles waking me up every 2 hours tonight... Now cut yer hair and get off my lawn, you whippersnappers! *shaking fist*.
Just Good Friday to go, then a big, fat ham on Easter Sunday and I'm done for Lent '10.
022. (Re)watch each of AFI's Top 100 Movies - (008/100)
#93, The French Connection (1971), has been in my Netflix queue for aaaages. It's one that I've simultaneously been itching to see, yet never quite clawed its way up to position #1. What the hell was I waiting for? Things that are great about this movie: everything. Seriously. Gene Hackman as Popeye Doyle? Great. The plot? Great. The pace, the photography, the mood? Great, great, great. The car-train chase? Great.
As promised, I whipped up Alton's Welsh rarebit recipe for supper. It was, actually, phenomenally easy and the only ingredients I didn't already have on hand were stout, cream, and cheese. As an added bonus I'm pretty sure I can now take a stab at emulating the Toad's Drunken Cheddar soup. The base is almost identical, but I'd probably sub pale ale for the stout and maybe find a sharper cheddar. I'll try it next week as I have to bring some food to work (ah, corporate life, how you fatten me...).
Anyway, where was I before I started daydreaming about the Drunken Cheddar? Oh, right... the rarebit! It was über-tasty over toasted caraway rye bread. And, incidentally, just as tasty on the pinkie finger I dipped in the pan... and as a fondue-like snack later, when I dunked chunks of bread into the leftovers straight from the fridge.
039. Try 25 new beers - (05/25)
I'm actually quite surprised that I'm getting ahead on new beer, rather than wine, considering I rarely ever drink the former and quite regularly indulge in the latter. I needed porter for the rarebit, though, so I bought a 6-pack of Great Lakes' Edmund Fitzgerald. I'm generally not a huge fan of porters because there seems to be a trend of dumping a ton of sweet flavors into them, like chocolate or raspberry. I have to say, though... I can definitely get on board with this one for a break from the lighter beers I normally choose. It has a very distinct smoky aftertaste and, even though I'm desperate for spring, all of a sudden I long for mountain cabins and wood fires and flannel sheets and woolly socks.
044. Take a picture a day for 365 days - (008/365)
The rarebit takes the honors today. And, in case you're wondering, no I'm probably not going to stop using my crappy iPhone camera. It's far more convenient than my digital camera not only because it's at hand, but also because I can e-mail the photos to my laptop instead of having to transfer them. So pardon the quality, but it's probably not going to improve if only because the photos are for documentation, not for aesthetics.
-----
I wanted to get out of bed bright (or, rather, dark...) and early this morning and kick off my newest goal, 047. Complete all Couch-to-5k workouts within 2 months; however, this didn't really pan out as I was unable to get a good night's sleep thanks to the boatload of crazy that was sailing around last night. I awoke at 2am to what sounded like someone attempting to break down the front door, startling me right out of bed and towards the deadbolt on my apartment door. A guy from one of the other apartments finally meandered downstairs to find out WTF, as this person was pounding away for an incessant 10 minutes. I, of course, was far too chicken to even poke my groggy little head out my apartment door so I didn't find out what happened, but I think it must have been a friend of someone who lives on the first floor because there was a girl asleep in the front hallway when I left for work this morning. Then, after finally falling back to sleep, I was once again jolted awake around 3:30 or 4 by two people shouting under my window (which, as you may be aware, I have to keep open even when it's freezing outside because of the non-stop heat pumped into my apartment). Needless to say, a 5:30am wake up was not in the cards, but I'm hoping to rise and shine at a reasonable hour tomorrow and make a go of it, barring any more noisy wack-a-doodles waking me up every 2 hours tonight... Now cut yer hair and get off my lawn, you whippersnappers! *shaking fist*.
25 March 2010
979 Days
008. Eat alone at a restaurant 10 times - (03/10)
I received a voicemail from my landlord yesterday, informing me that they were going to show my apartment to a prospective tenant today at 5pm. I don't move out for 2 months, so I'm wondering how many of these temporary exiles I'll have to endure. Anyway, on the positive side it forced me out on a Thursday night and down to the Tap & Mallet for a pint or two and some supper. Accompanied, as ever, by my giant, endless book...
030. Try 25 new foods - (01/25)
For all my love of cheesy-beery-starchy goodness I've never had rarebit, so I tried the Mallet's fried egg rarebit. It was, unsurprisingly, extremely tasty. Then again, what's not to like about "cheddar, porter and Dijon melted on sourdough. Served open-faced with a fried egg on top"? I'm now thoroughly intrigued by this whole rarebit concept. I think I might make Welsh rarebit for supper tomorrow as it's both meat-free and something I've never cooked before (thus satisfying two more goals, tada!).
039. Try 25 new beers - (04/25)
Two tonight, both from the Sly Fox brewery: McBane's SlyPA and Pikeland Pils. The IPA was a little hoppy for me, but they had just launched it yesterday so I had to try. The Pils was crisp and light, but didn't have a whole lot of flavor to recommend it. I don't really see either of these entering my rotation, but neither were regrettable.
044. Take a picture a day for 365 days - (007/365)
I think I need to come up with some more interesting photos than the drudgery I've been snapping lately. I keep forgetting, then all of a sudden I find that it's the end of the day and I end up taking a picture with my iPhone of whatever is close at hand. Anyway, these 4 give you a glimpse into the mundane details of my life, which I am sure you are so very interested in: view from my bedroom window on a rainy night; Sebastian; the contents of my fridge (woo!); and the least-cluttered area of my desk at work.
-----
I'm trying to gather a to-do list of all the things I want to accomplish this weekend, considering I did a pretty phenomenal job of wasting the last one. I'd like to wake up early tomorrow and go for a jog but somehow I can never quite shake the cobwebs early enough to motivate myself to crawl out of bed. Maybe someday I can learn to be one of those "rise-and-shine" people instead of a "running around like a madwoman getting ready when I should be out the door" person. Ha.
I received a voicemail from my landlord yesterday, informing me that they were going to show my apartment to a prospective tenant today at 5pm. I don't move out for 2 months, so I'm wondering how many of these temporary exiles I'll have to endure. Anyway, on the positive side it forced me out on a Thursday night and down to the Tap & Mallet for a pint or two and some supper. Accompanied, as ever, by my giant, endless book...
030. Try 25 new foods - (01/25)
For all my love of cheesy-beery-starchy goodness I've never had rarebit, so I tried the Mallet's fried egg rarebit. It was, unsurprisingly, extremely tasty. Then again, what's not to like about "cheddar, porter and Dijon melted on sourdough. Served open-faced with a fried egg on top"? I'm now thoroughly intrigued by this whole rarebit concept. I think I might make Welsh rarebit for supper tomorrow as it's both meat-free and something I've never cooked before (thus satisfying two more goals, tada!).
039. Try 25 new beers - (04/25)
Two tonight, both from the Sly Fox brewery: McBane's SlyPA and Pikeland Pils. The IPA was a little hoppy for me, but they had just launched it yesterday so I had to try. The Pils was crisp and light, but didn't have a whole lot of flavor to recommend it. I don't really see either of these entering my rotation, but neither were regrettable.
044. Take a picture a day for 365 days - (007/365)
I think I need to come up with some more interesting photos than the drudgery I've been snapping lately. I keep forgetting, then all of a sudden I find that it's the end of the day and I end up taking a picture with my iPhone of whatever is close at hand. Anyway, these 4 give you a glimpse into the mundane details of my life, which I am sure you are so very interested in: view from my bedroom window on a rainy night; Sebastian; the contents of my fridge (woo!); and the least-cluttered area of my desk at work.
-----
I'm trying to gather a to-do list of all the things I want to accomplish this weekend, considering I did a pretty phenomenal job of wasting the last one. I'd like to wake up early tomorrow and go for a jog but somehow I can never quite shake the cobwebs early enough to motivate myself to crawl out of bed. Maybe someday I can learn to be one of those "rise-and-shine" people instead of a "running around like a madwoman getting ready when I should be out the door" person. Ha.
21 March 2010
983 Days
044. Take a picture a day for 365 days - (003/365)
Yesterday's photo shows my bed in the thick of my attempt to weed out the clothes I no longer wear (more on that in a minute). Today's, because I realized at the last minute I hadn't taken a picture, is the queue of books that are gathering dust while I try to finish World Without End. You can see that Anna Karenina was started and abandoned. I haven't given up on it entirely, but I think the next in line will be one of the Bill Bryson books.
045. Go through clothes and donate or throw out anything that doesn't fit, has holes, or I haven't worn in a year - (Completed 03/21/10)
My drawers and closet were unmanageably crowded, so yesterday I summoned all my motivation and dumped every single piece of clothing I own on my bed. I threw out anything that had holes or wasn't wearable, then made a pile of all the clothes I haven't worn in a year, which turned out to be about a third of what I own.
Today I took the three shopping bags full of unwanted clothes to Plato's Closet. They passed on most of it, but even so I still walked away with $71. Not bad for spring cleaning, right? I donated the leftovers to Goodwill, and am now much happier that I can navigate through my wardrobe. It also means that I have less of it to pack up when I move at the end of May.
-----
I took tomorrow off from work and I'm trying now to decide how to spend it. I have a few errands to run, and book club in the evening, but other than that the day is mine. I should probably start making some serious effort to study for the FSOT, but really all I want to do is sit in my comfy chair and read and do crosswords and sip coffee. We'll see what time I wake up tomorrow, maybe I can do both.
Yesterday's photo shows my bed in the thick of my attempt to weed out the clothes I no longer wear (more on that in a minute). Today's, because I realized at the last minute I hadn't taken a picture, is the queue of books that are gathering dust while I try to finish World Without End. You can see that Anna Karenina was started and abandoned. I haven't given up on it entirely, but I think the next in line will be one of the Bill Bryson books.
My drawers and closet were unmanageably crowded, so yesterday I summoned all my motivation and dumped every single piece of clothing I own on my bed. I threw out anything that had holes or wasn't wearable, then made a pile of all the clothes I haven't worn in a year, which turned out to be about a third of what I own.
Today I took the three shopping bags full of unwanted clothes to Plato's Closet. They passed on most of it, but even so I still walked away with $71. Not bad for spring cleaning, right? I donated the leftovers to Goodwill, and am now much happier that I can navigate through my wardrobe. It also means that I have less of it to pack up when I move at the end of May.
-----
I took tomorrow off from work and I'm trying now to decide how to spend it. I have a few errands to run, and book club in the evening, but other than that the day is mine. I should probably start making some serious effort to study for the FSOT, but really all I want to do is sit in my comfy chair and read and do crosswords and sip coffee. We'll see what time I wake up tomorrow, maybe I can do both.
19 March 2010
985 Days
009. Go meatless every Friday during Lent - (05/21)
Eggs on toast for breakfast, the Toad's Drunken Cheddar soup (which I must learn how to replicate...) for lunch, and sesame scallops from Golden Port for supper. Eating this well certainly doesn't seem like a sacrifice...
036. Listen to 25 TED lectures - (01/25)
Jamie Oliver won a TED Prize last month for his work educating children (and parents) about food and cooking in an effort to stem the epidemic of morbid childhood obesity. In his talk, he provided some shocking statistics about not only what people are eating, but also how fatal these food choices can be. I think the most intriguing (and, possibly, frustrating) thing about his efforts is that it all seems entirely doable. It doesn't require a lot of money, or research, or manpower to combat one of the major causes of illness and death in the US. Wild, right? People are dying because of the food that they eat, and all it takes is a little education to save their lives. Unfortunately, as Jamie mentions, there really isn't the financial backing for this kind of movement, so his TED wish was to ask powerful and connected people to lend their support.
I love to cook, so it shocks me when he talks about children and parents not knowing how. It seems like such an essential life skill... you don't have to whip up lobster thermidor after work, but it's pathetic that people don't even know how to cook simple recipes with fresh ingredients.
I'm trying to become more aware of what I eat, though. Particularly where my food comes from. I'm on the precipice of watching Food, Inc. and reading Eating Animals, but I know that as soon as I cross that line I won't be able to stomach (morally and psychologically) eating meat anymore. So, essentially, I have to decide whether or not to become a vegetarian, which does not please me. I absolutely adore meat, but it's becoming more and more difficult to willfully ignore the enormous shadiness (in production and ingredients) of the industry.
008. Eat alone at a restaurant 10 times - (02/10)
I stopped by the Old Toad for lunch today. Another pleasant meal with my book, and I had the entire place to myself for most of it. The food there has improved unbelievably over the past few years. I remember a particularly regrettable shepherd's pie 2 or 3 years ago convinced me that they were content with slopping out typical British pub fare (read: bland), but this year I haven't had a single dud. And, as I've probably mentioned about 6 million times because I am ob-sessed with it, I'll never get enough of the Drunken Cheddar soup (veggies, ale, sharp cheddar and, I'm guessing, a large dose of crack).
039. Try 25 new beers - (02/25)
At lunch I ordered Victory Prima Pilsner, which was delightfully refreshing. I was a little toasty after my walk--even with the nice breeze, the midday sun was a little hot--so this really hit the spot. It tasted spiced, almost like a Witbier, and had a bit of lemon flavor as well. A very good find, with the warm weather approaching.
044. Take a picture a day for 365 days - (001/365)
I took a walk to the Village Gate and snapped this photo (click to enlarge) inside the Yankee Peddler bookshop. It's enough to make a bibliophile like moi positively giddy. It looks like a bookstore in a movie, doesn't it? Piles of books on the floor, every inch of every shelf crammed full, no idea what each bookcase holds. In addition to the rare and used books, they also have an impressive collection of ephemera including vintage maps, photos, postcards, periodicals, and sheet music. I didn't buy anything today, but I love winding my way through the maze of bookshelves and poking my nose in the gorgeously-bound volumes that catch my eye.
022. (Re)watch each of AFI's Top 100 movies - (007/100)
I haven't seen #94, Pulp Fiction (1994), since I was in high school. I remember it was a huge deal when it came out, but I wasn't crazy about it the first time I saw it. This time, however, I liked it a lot more. As over the top as the film is, there was some really subtle humor that I enjoyed, as well as some great bits of dialogue. Am I unequivocally enamored of it? Meh. I don't know that it necessarily lived up to all the hype I recall from the mid-90s, but it was still entertaining.
-----
So. Tired. I hope I can stay awake long enough to read a little more because this book is kicking my butt. I'm not even halfway through! Tomorrow I have to be up early to take my car in to the mechanic, though, so I am calling it a super-early night tonight anyway. I can only hope that a good night's sleep will make me even more productive, provided they release my car before lunch.
Eggs on toast for breakfast, the Toad's Drunken Cheddar soup (which I must learn how to replicate...) for lunch, and sesame scallops from Golden Port for supper. Eating this well certainly doesn't seem like a sacrifice...
036. Listen to 25 TED lectures - (01/25)
Jamie Oliver won a TED Prize last month for his work educating children (and parents) about food and cooking in an effort to stem the epidemic of morbid childhood obesity. In his talk, he provided some shocking statistics about not only what people are eating, but also how fatal these food choices can be. I think the most intriguing (and, possibly, frustrating) thing about his efforts is that it all seems entirely doable. It doesn't require a lot of money, or research, or manpower to combat one of the major causes of illness and death in the US. Wild, right? People are dying because of the food that they eat, and all it takes is a little education to save their lives. Unfortunately, as Jamie mentions, there really isn't the financial backing for this kind of movement, so his TED wish was to ask powerful and connected people to lend their support.
I love to cook, so it shocks me when he talks about children and parents not knowing how. It seems like such an essential life skill... you don't have to whip up lobster thermidor after work, but it's pathetic that people don't even know how to cook simple recipes with fresh ingredients.
I'm trying to become more aware of what I eat, though. Particularly where my food comes from. I'm on the precipice of watching Food, Inc. and reading Eating Animals, but I know that as soon as I cross that line I won't be able to stomach (morally and psychologically) eating meat anymore. So, essentially, I have to decide whether or not to become a vegetarian, which does not please me. I absolutely adore meat, but it's becoming more and more difficult to willfully ignore the enormous shadiness (in production and ingredients) of the industry.
I stopped by the Old Toad for lunch today. Another pleasant meal with my book, and I had the entire place to myself for most of it. The food there has improved unbelievably over the past few years. I remember a particularly regrettable shepherd's pie 2 or 3 years ago convinced me that they were content with slopping out typical British pub fare (read: bland), but this year I haven't had a single dud. And, as I've probably mentioned about 6 million times because I am ob-sessed with it, I'll never get enough of the Drunken Cheddar soup (veggies, ale, sharp cheddar and, I'm guessing, a large dose of crack).
039. Try 25 new beers - (02/25)
At lunch I ordered Victory Prima Pilsner, which was delightfully refreshing. I was a little toasty after my walk--even with the nice breeze, the midday sun was a little hot--so this really hit the spot. It tasted spiced, almost like a Witbier, and had a bit of lemon flavor as well. A very good find, with the warm weather approaching.
I took a walk to the Village Gate and snapped this photo (click to enlarge) inside the Yankee Peddler bookshop. It's enough to make a bibliophile like moi positively giddy. It looks like a bookstore in a movie, doesn't it? Piles of books on the floor, every inch of every shelf crammed full, no idea what each bookcase holds. In addition to the rare and used books, they also have an impressive collection of ephemera including vintage maps, photos, postcards, periodicals, and sheet music. I didn't buy anything today, but I love winding my way through the maze of bookshelves and poking my nose in the gorgeously-bound volumes that catch my eye.
022. (Re)watch each of AFI's Top 100 movies - (007/100)
I haven't seen #94, Pulp Fiction (1994), since I was in high school. I remember it was a huge deal when it came out, but I wasn't crazy about it the first time I saw it. This time, however, I liked it a lot more. As over the top as the film is, there was some really subtle humor that I enjoyed, as well as some great bits of dialogue. Am I unequivocally enamored of it? Meh. I don't know that it necessarily lived up to all the hype I recall from the mid-90s, but it was still entertaining.
-----
So. Tired. I hope I can stay awake long enough to read a little more because this book is kicking my butt. I'm not even halfway through! Tomorrow I have to be up early to take my car in to the mechanic, though, so I am calling it a super-early night tonight anyway. I can only hope that a good night's sleep will make me even more productive, provided they release my car before lunch.
17 March 2010
987 Days
Corned beef... nom! I really don't know how I spent so much of my adult life sans-crock-pot. It's like having little elves toiling away making your supper while you're at work. Magic! Potatoes and carrots were roasted when I came home, in spite of the fine Irish tradition of boiling all vegetables within an inch of their existence.As for the 101, I took Monday off from work to give myself an impromptu, but much-needed, long weekend. I'm hoping to make some more progress in my reading goal this week (I think maybe World Without End is a book without end. I am enjoying it immensely, but I feel like I've barely made a dent...), and I'm going to try to attend mass on Sunday, as I'd like to go at least once during Lent. Plus I need to create a study plan for the FSOT. So much to do, and I still have to choose another 59 goals. I've made some decent progress in the first 2 weeks, though, and I've a feeling that the pace will pick up this summer.
16 March 2010
988 Days
018. Take a day trip to Toronto
Plans have been made, and this goal is officially "in progress". I'll be spending Saturday, May 1st, in Toronto because I'm going to see Eddie Izzard! My personal Holy Trinity of Win consists of Morrissey, Stephen Fry, and Eddie Izzard, so this is kind of a big deal. Awesome like a hundred billion hot dogs.-----
I know the blog entries have been brief lately, but I haven't been working on very many goals this week and haven't had a lot of time to update. I've been keeping busy, though. Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day and I'll be slow-cooking a corned beef brisket in the crock pot. So. Good. I also bought some fresh-baked caraway rye and sauerkraut for leftover sandwiches. Other reasons I'm in a great mood? It was sunny and mild today, Darienne gave me a fabulous haircut, and already 2010 is shaping up to be miles better than 2009. Hup hup!
15 March 2010
989 Days
022. (Re)watch each of AFI's Top 100 Movies - (006/100)
I'm impressed that #95 The Last Picture Show (1971) was filmed in the 70s. If I didn't know better, I could have sworn it was contemporary with Rebel Without a Cause. I'm so fascinated by mid-century, small-town life. Did most people feel trapped, or secure? This film places all of its characters well within the "trapped" category, and I can certainly identify with that. I wonder if I would've felt the same in that situation, or if I would have been more content without the pressure to achieve bigger and better things...
I'm impressed that #95 The Last Picture Show (1971) was filmed in the 70s. If I didn't know better, I could have sworn it was contemporary with Rebel Without a Cause. I'm so fascinated by mid-century, small-town life. Did most people feel trapped, or secure? This film places all of its characters well within the "trapped" category, and I can certainly identify with that. I wonder if I would've felt the same in that situation, or if I would have been more content without the pressure to achieve bigger and better things...
13 March 2010
991 Days
020. Pay $10 more than minimum on both student loans each month - (01/33)
Another $240 a year towards principal never hurts.
022. (Re)watch each of AFI's Top 100 Movies - (005/100)
Someone needs to explain to me why I've never seen #97, Blade Runner (1982). Particularly since I am so enamored of Battlestar Galactica. I'm becoming an enormous sci-fi nerd, aren't I? Oh well. It was visually stunning, with gorgeous throwbacks to film noir. The pace and tone of the film had a sedate, grimy melancholy that I found almost hypnotic. Even the violence was, on the whole, calm and precise.
The question of what makes a being "human", though, is one that fascinates me. Cylons and replicants are programmed with memories, emotions, and desires, but are they invalid because they're inauthentic, or is it enough that these things become an impetus for their choices? Is their free will any less actual than ours? Are they technology, or are they, as the Tyrell corporation boasts, "more human than human"?
Compelling stuff, right? I think I'm going to add Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep to my wish list. I've only read VALIS and it didn't particularly drive me to read more of his work, but now I'm intrigued...
To round out the double feature, I popped in #96, Do the Right Thing (1989). Extremely disturbing, but definitely worth watching. It's pretty clear that I've lived an existence sheltered from any kind of racial tension. I have to say, though, that Spike Lee is unbelievably good at crafting characters.
042. Cook or bake 100 new recipes - (001/100)
Today is just as cold and rainy as the forecast had predicted so, after briefly scooting out into the world to pick up eggs and a coffee, I have burrowed into my cozy apartment for the day. No St. Patrick's Day exploits for me, thankyouverymuch. I am quite content to avoid the inebriated (and, incidentally, extremely loud and aggressive) masses that are staggering around my neighborhood. Yes, I am clearly the least fun person on earth, but there's just something about SPD that rubs me the wrong way. Bah O'Humbug!
So, instead, I made a slow-cooked bolognese sauce. Spring will be here soon--the weather is already noticeably more mild--and I want to sneak in the last few hearty, comforting recipes that are more suited to chilly, dreary days such as this one.
I haven't been cooking very much lately, which is why I added this goal to my list. My kitchen is comically small, so whenever I make anything remotely involved I have to balance bowls and pans and ingredients on the fridge, or the microwave, or even put things out in the living room until I need them. It's not exactly effortless. However, there is nourishment in the chopping, stirring, tasting, smelling, and eating that can't be replaced by an instant meal or takeout. Even washing the dishes becomes an exercise in tranquility.
I can be a little hit-or-miss with new recipes, though, which is why I also have "Take a cooking class" on my list. This bolognese is a good example of my tendency to modify recipes:
"1/4 cup of bacon? How about 1/2 cup!"
"What, no garlic? Three cloves at least..."
"Simmer on the stove over low heat for 2 hours? Psh, into the crock pot..."
And, next time, I think I'll add 1lb of ground pork and another can of tomatoes. But it was a success, and I have jam jars full of leftovers to reheat on another rainy day, or to give away. I'm convinced that few gifts have a higher cost-to-satisfaction ratio than homemade food.
-----
I think my favorite thing so far about this Day Zero project is that it makes me feel productive even when I'm just lazing around on a rainy day, watching movies and making dinner. Even though today was chilly I can feel spring in the air. Daylight Savings ends tomorrow and I can't wait for more daylight to give me a little extra oomph.
Another $240 a year towards principal never hurts.
022. (Re)watch each of AFI's Top 100 Movies - (005/100)
Someone needs to explain to me why I've never seen #97, Blade Runner (1982). Particularly since I am so enamored of Battlestar Galactica. I'm becoming an enormous sci-fi nerd, aren't I? Oh well. It was visually stunning, with gorgeous throwbacks to film noir. The pace and tone of the film had a sedate, grimy melancholy that I found almost hypnotic. Even the violence was, on the whole, calm and precise.
The question of what makes a being "human", though, is one that fascinates me. Cylons and replicants are programmed with memories, emotions, and desires, but are they invalid because they're inauthentic, or is it enough that these things become an impetus for their choices? Is their free will any less actual than ours? Are they technology, or are they, as the Tyrell corporation boasts, "more human than human"?
Compelling stuff, right? I think I'm going to add Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep to my wish list. I've only read VALIS and it didn't particularly drive me to read more of his work, but now I'm intrigued...
To round out the double feature, I popped in #96, Do the Right Thing (1989). Extremely disturbing, but definitely worth watching. It's pretty clear that I've lived an existence sheltered from any kind of racial tension. I have to say, though, that Spike Lee is unbelievably good at crafting characters.
042. Cook or bake 100 new recipes - (001/100)
Today is just as cold and rainy as the forecast had predicted so, after briefly scooting out into the world to pick up eggs and a coffee, I have burrowed into my cozy apartment for the day. No St. Patrick's Day exploits for me, thankyouverymuch. I am quite content to avoid the inebriated (and, incidentally, extremely loud and aggressive) masses that are staggering around my neighborhood. Yes, I am clearly the least fun person on earth, but there's just something about SPD that rubs me the wrong way. Bah O'Humbug!
So, instead, I made a slow-cooked bolognese sauce. Spring will be here soon--the weather is already noticeably more mild--and I want to sneak in the last few hearty, comforting recipes that are more suited to chilly, dreary days such as this one.
I haven't been cooking very much lately, which is why I added this goal to my list. My kitchen is comically small, so whenever I make anything remotely involved I have to balance bowls and pans and ingredients on the fridge, or the microwave, or even put things out in the living room until I need them. It's not exactly effortless. However, there is nourishment in the chopping, stirring, tasting, smelling, and eating that can't be replaced by an instant meal or takeout. Even washing the dishes becomes an exercise in tranquility.
I can be a little hit-or-miss with new recipes, though, which is why I also have "Take a cooking class" on my list. This bolognese is a good example of my tendency to modify recipes:
"1/4 cup of bacon? How about 1/2 cup!"
"What, no garlic? Three cloves at least..."
"Simmer on the stove over low heat for 2 hours? Psh, into the crock pot..."
And, next time, I think I'll add 1lb of ground pork and another can of tomatoes. But it was a success, and I have jam jars full of leftovers to reheat on another rainy day, or to give away. I'm convinced that few gifts have a higher cost-to-satisfaction ratio than homemade food.
-----
I think my favorite thing so far about this Day Zero project is that it makes me feel productive even when I'm just lazing around on a rainy day, watching movies and making dinner. Even though today was chilly I can feel spring in the air. Daylight Savings ends tomorrow and I can't wait for more daylight to give me a little extra oomph.
12 March 2010
992 Days
001. Eat at 25 new restaurants - (02/25)
JM is in town this week from Hong Kong, and last night we decided to grab an early dinner and cocktails to catch up. Both of us had heard great things about Edibles and, as I'd never been, I was eager to try it.
The space is fantastic. It's wedged in the flatiron building between University and Atlantic, just behind Starry Nites café. The dining room is flanked by enormous windows, boasting an exposed-brick wall (I am a sucker for those) and lots of warm, dark wood. The bar area is tiny, but charming, and as we walked in from a sidewalk lined with café-lights, I had very high hopes.
Unfortunately, it was all glamor.
We were seated right away, but when the waitress stopped by to take our drink order we had to request a wine list and a cocktail menu. JM ordered a glass of Malbec, I decided upon a ginger-pear martini. And then we waited. And... waited. Our waitress flitted around to all the other tables, deftly dodging my attempts to catch her eye, and 20 minutes later--drinkless and, incidentally, breadless--I was starting to get a little cranky. I don't know if she overheard me muttering under my breath, but she eventually stopped by to let us know that "the bartender is a little overwhelmed right now" and that our drinks would be out shortly. Seriously? The bar area is not big enough for the bartender to be so overwhelmed that it takes him 20 minutes to pour a glass of wine.
But, finally, the drinks came and we ordered three starters to share: brie, artichoke, and spinach dip; pierogies; and a tapas platter for two. All sounded delicious, and all were unequivocally mediocre. As was my cocktail, which--although tasty--was about as strong as a Shirley Temple. I don't mind paying $8 for a drink, but could it please have some alcohol in it? The tapas platter consisted of breaded chicken on a skewer (flavorless), crab cakes (mushy), hummus with toasted pita wedges (average), fried spring rolls (actually not bad, but a little on the chewy side), and olives. There were two of each item, plus maybe a dozen olives, and this bland, uninspiring, wholly disappointing platter cost $18.
I'm not balking at the price tag itself, necessarily; I am happy to spend good money on good food. The problem is that a lot of places in Rochester think that it's acceptable to serve mediocre food in a nice atmosphere and charge what they will. If an appetizer costs $18, I expect to be wholly impressed by it.
The pierogies were probably the least disappointing thing that we ordered, certainly better than anything on the tapas platter. I think the filling was strictly potato (bor-ing!), but they were topped with caramelized onions and sour cream, which have magical properties that make most things infinitely more tasty. Halfway through our dinner a server did stop by to ask if we wanted bread (um, a little late, but yes we would...) and then promptly disappeared for 15 minutes. Me to JM: "Was he asking us just out of curiosity?"
Our eyes were a little bigger than our stomachs, so we didn't eat much of the brie, spinach, and artichoke dip. It was served with baked pita wedges, but personally I think it would have been much better with slices of baguette. I found the dip a little salty and somewhat thin, but it wasn't bad. Just, again, not worth the price ($12).
The bill for this disappointing meal for two, with weak drinks and poor service? $90 before tip. I was, to put it mildly, cheesed. I don't know why I would ever eat there again when I can spend the same amount at Good Luck for orgasmic-quality food and mouth-watering, innovative cocktails (order the Legerdemain... un-freaking-real). It's just that it was my second disappointment in a row, first being that god-awful crab fondue fiasco, and I'm hoping that the next new place I try is worth the trouble.
022. (Re)watch each of AFI's Top 100 Movies - (003/100)
Thanks to Joeflix, I was able to get my paws on #99, Toy Story (1995). Not much to say, other than it was completely adorable and fun. Up was, in my opinion, the perfection of Pixar's style, but it's tough to find fault with Toy Story.
009. Go meatless every Friday during Lent - (04/21)
One more week down, and I passed up homemade taco dip at work. Will of iron, I say!
------
This weekend is supposed to be cold and rainy. Although most people would probably consider that a miserable forecast, it's actually some of my favorite weather. I foresee myself making homemade bolognese, sipping coffee while reading in my cozy armchair, watching some more of AFI's Top 100, studying for the FSOT... Oh, and I suppose I should lift a lazy finger and clean the apartment as well.
JM is in town this week from Hong Kong, and last night we decided to grab an early dinner and cocktails to catch up. Both of us had heard great things about Edibles and, as I'd never been, I was eager to try it.
The space is fantastic. It's wedged in the flatiron building between University and Atlantic, just behind Starry Nites café. The dining room is flanked by enormous windows, boasting an exposed-brick wall (I am a sucker for those) and lots of warm, dark wood. The bar area is tiny, but charming, and as we walked in from a sidewalk lined with café-lights, I had very high hopes.
Unfortunately, it was all glamor.
We were seated right away, but when the waitress stopped by to take our drink order we had to request a wine list and a cocktail menu. JM ordered a glass of Malbec, I decided upon a ginger-pear martini. And then we waited. And... waited. Our waitress flitted around to all the other tables, deftly dodging my attempts to catch her eye, and 20 minutes later--drinkless and, incidentally, breadless--I was starting to get a little cranky. I don't know if she overheard me muttering under my breath, but she eventually stopped by to let us know that "the bartender is a little overwhelmed right now" and that our drinks would be out shortly. Seriously? The bar area is not big enough for the bartender to be so overwhelmed that it takes him 20 minutes to pour a glass of wine.
But, finally, the drinks came and we ordered three starters to share: brie, artichoke, and spinach dip; pierogies; and a tapas platter for two. All sounded delicious, and all were unequivocally mediocre. As was my cocktail, which--although tasty--was about as strong as a Shirley Temple. I don't mind paying $8 for a drink, but could it please have some alcohol in it? The tapas platter consisted of breaded chicken on a skewer (flavorless), crab cakes (mushy), hummus with toasted pita wedges (average), fried spring rolls (actually not bad, but a little on the chewy side), and olives. There were two of each item, plus maybe a dozen olives, and this bland, uninspiring, wholly disappointing platter cost $18.
I'm not balking at the price tag itself, necessarily; I am happy to spend good money on good food. The problem is that a lot of places in Rochester think that it's acceptable to serve mediocre food in a nice atmosphere and charge what they will. If an appetizer costs $18, I expect to be wholly impressed by it.
The pierogies were probably the least disappointing thing that we ordered, certainly better than anything on the tapas platter. I think the filling was strictly potato (bor-ing!), but they were topped with caramelized onions and sour cream, which have magical properties that make most things infinitely more tasty. Halfway through our dinner a server did stop by to ask if we wanted bread (um, a little late, but yes we would...) and then promptly disappeared for 15 minutes. Me to JM: "Was he asking us just out of curiosity?"
Our eyes were a little bigger than our stomachs, so we didn't eat much of the brie, spinach, and artichoke dip. It was served with baked pita wedges, but personally I think it would have been much better with slices of baguette. I found the dip a little salty and somewhat thin, but it wasn't bad. Just, again, not worth the price ($12).
The bill for this disappointing meal for two, with weak drinks and poor service? $90 before tip. I was, to put it mildly, cheesed. I don't know why I would ever eat there again when I can spend the same amount at Good Luck for orgasmic-quality food and mouth-watering, innovative cocktails (order the Legerdemain... un-freaking-real). It's just that it was my second disappointment in a row, first being that god-awful crab fondue fiasco, and I'm hoping that the next new place I try is worth the trouble.
022. (Re)watch each of AFI's Top 100 Movies - (003/100)
Thanks to Joeflix, I was able to get my paws on #99, Toy Story (1995). Not much to say, other than it was completely adorable and fun. Up was, in my opinion, the perfection of Pixar's style, but it's tough to find fault with Toy Story.
009. Go meatless every Friday during Lent - (04/21)
One more week down, and I passed up homemade taco dip at work. Will of iron, I say!
------
This weekend is supposed to be cold and rainy. Although most people would probably consider that a miserable forecast, it's actually some of my favorite weather. I foresee myself making homemade bolognese, sipping coffee while reading in my cozy armchair, watching some more of AFI's Top 100, studying for the FSOT... Oh, and I suppose I should lift a lazy finger and clean the apartment as well.
10 March 2010
994 Days
022. (Re)watch each of AFI's Top 100 Movies - (002/100)
I've actually seen most of the movies on this list and--I'll be honest--my personal top 100 list would look remarkably different. However, I still think it's important to watch these films. One of my college Lit professors said that if you want to study Western Literature or Art, you have to read the Bible. Even if you think it's a bunch of hooey, it is a cultural lodestone and is the key to understanding the full meaning behind of a number of critical allusions. And, well, I am a glutton for allusions (oh, MST3K, how I do miss you... though Rifftrax does make a very fine substitute) and I hate being lost when someone makes a well-placed reference. Likewise, it frustrates me when I crack a super-witty (er, to my mind, anyway) allusion and I'm met with crickets. So, in short, my purpose in watching (or, mostly, re-watching) these films isn't so much to have my eyes opened to the wonder of great cinema (arf), but rather to flex my cultural vocabulary. It's either that or I bow to the lowest common denominator. American Idol, people... lesser of two, non?
Yesterday evening I started from the bottom with #100, Ben-Hur (1959). I saw the famous chariot race scene in high school Latin class, but otherwise it was all new to me. I am of two minds about mid-century epics. On the one hand, to quote Lucille II, "how GRAND!" It's satisfying, sometimes, to enjoy a character developing over the course of a lifetime as opposed to a month, or a year. More realistic, certainly, and you begin to understand the subtleties of their motivation (if there are any). And who doesn't love a Cast of Thousands! Romance! Survival! Revenge! Nationalism! Still, about 3/4 in of this 4-hour behemoth, I was kind of ready to wrap it up. I don't have a short attention span, but at the same time I'm not ready to run a cinematic marathon. And I felt a little duped into thinking this would be about the cultural identity of Roman Jews, or sweet chariot races, or best friends torn apart by their personal values... but no. What is Ben-Hur about? Jesus. Did I get all weepy at their depiction of the Passion? Absolutely... I was raised Catholic, so there's no escaping feeling personally responsible for the suffering of Jesus as if I was Pontius Pilate himself. Would I have been more satisfied if Judah had realized he was being an irrational dickhead, instead of (spoiler alert!) the presence of Christ miraculously healing him of his hatred and his family of leprocy? Most definitely. But I can't really fault the film for carrying out its purpose.
Tonight's feature was #98, Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). "Why," you may ask, "was is not #99, Toy Story?" Because, in spite of the fact that the movie came out 15 years ago, it's not available on Netflix. Seriously. *shaking fist* Luckily my movie-buff pal Joe (or, as I like to call him, Joeflix) owns the DVD, so he's going to let me borrow it. Anyway. Oh, right, Yankee Doodle Dandy. I was actually pretty unimpressed, and that's coming from a gal who loves musicals (um, Gene Kelly? Yes, please!) and just about anything set in the first half of the 20th century. But... the shameless jingoism was a bit much, and the musical numbers were interspersed more as a showcase than being particularly relevant to the storyline. Oh, I know... WWII, blah blah blah, national morale, blah blah. Yet I think that a truly "great" film shouldn't just capture an era, but should also be timeless enough to speak to future generations. Even as an American living during wartime and recession, this film fell flat, and Cohan's personal storyline wasn't especially inspiring or engaging enough to rescue it. So, sorry to say, I'm going to have to give this film a sad trombone...
-----
Coming up - possibly some culinary intrigue in the tiniest kitchen on earth! I've added "Cook 100 new recipes" to my 101. Because that will make up for 6 nights a week of popcorn and sandwiches for dinner, right?
I've actually seen most of the movies on this list and--I'll be honest--my personal top 100 list would look remarkably different. However, I still think it's important to watch these films. One of my college Lit professors said that if you want to study Western Literature or Art, you have to read the Bible. Even if you think it's a bunch of hooey, it is a cultural lodestone and is the key to understanding the full meaning behind of a number of critical allusions. And, well, I am a glutton for allusions (oh, MST3K, how I do miss you... though Rifftrax does make a very fine substitute) and I hate being lost when someone makes a well-placed reference. Likewise, it frustrates me when I crack a super-witty (er, to my mind, anyway) allusion and I'm met with crickets. So, in short, my purpose in watching (or, mostly, re-watching) these films isn't so much to have my eyes opened to the wonder of great cinema (arf), but rather to flex my cultural vocabulary. It's either that or I bow to the lowest common denominator. American Idol, people... lesser of two, non?
Yesterday evening I started from the bottom with #100, Ben-Hur (1959). I saw the famous chariot race scene in high school Latin class, but otherwise it was all new to me. I am of two minds about mid-century epics. On the one hand, to quote Lucille II, "how GRAND!" It's satisfying, sometimes, to enjoy a character developing over the course of a lifetime as opposed to a month, or a year. More realistic, certainly, and you begin to understand the subtleties of their motivation (if there are any). And who doesn't love a Cast of Thousands! Romance! Survival! Revenge! Nationalism! Still, about 3/4 in of this 4-hour behemoth, I was kind of ready to wrap it up. I don't have a short attention span, but at the same time I'm not ready to run a cinematic marathon. And I felt a little duped into thinking this would be about the cultural identity of Roman Jews, or sweet chariot races, or best friends torn apart by their personal values... but no. What is Ben-Hur about? Jesus. Did I get all weepy at their depiction of the Passion? Absolutely... I was raised Catholic, so there's no escaping feeling personally responsible for the suffering of Jesus as if I was Pontius Pilate himself. Would I have been more satisfied if Judah had realized he was being an irrational dickhead, instead of (spoiler alert!) the presence of Christ miraculously healing him of his hatred and his family of leprocy? Most definitely. But I can't really fault the film for carrying out its purpose.
Tonight's feature was #98, Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). "Why," you may ask, "was is not #99, Toy Story?" Because, in spite of the fact that the movie came out 15 years ago, it's not available on Netflix. Seriously. *shaking fist* Luckily my movie-buff pal Joe (or, as I like to call him, Joeflix) owns the DVD, so he's going to let me borrow it. Anyway. Oh, right, Yankee Doodle Dandy. I was actually pretty unimpressed, and that's coming from a gal who loves musicals (um, Gene Kelly? Yes, please!) and just about anything set in the first half of the 20th century. But... the shameless jingoism was a bit much, and the musical numbers were interspersed more as a showcase than being particularly relevant to the storyline. Oh, I know... WWII, blah blah blah, national morale, blah blah. Yet I think that a truly "great" film shouldn't just capture an era, but should also be timeless enough to speak to future generations. Even as an American living during wartime and recession, this film fell flat, and Cohan's personal storyline wasn't especially inspiring or engaging enough to rescue it. So, sorry to say, I'm going to have to give this film a sad trombone...
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Coming up - possibly some culinary intrigue in the tiniest kitchen on earth! I've added "Cook 100 new recipes" to my 101. Because that will make up for 6 nights a week of popcorn and sandwiches for dinner, right?
09 March 2010
995 Days
006. Take the FSOT
I just completed the application to take the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT). The next round of testing isn't until mid-June, which is great because it gives me about three months to study and prepare. I've considered a career as an FSO for ages, but never really felt like I could make that kind of a commitment until recently. Now I find myself giddy with the potential of a well-paid, interesting, and respected career overseas. The whole process (and holy crumbs, is it a process...) from test-taking to being accepted takes almost a year, though... and even after you're accepted, it can be up to 18 months before you're offered a position (or dropped from the list).019. Sign up for genealogy site and research family tree - (Completed 03/09/10)
I signed up for ancestry.com and, using their resources and the digital collections from the public library, traced both my mother's and father's lines as best I could. I had a little more success with my dad's paternal lineage, as his family's been in Rochester more or less since my great-great-great grandfather stepped off the boat from Ireland. I'd like to do some more research into the family's history in Ireland eventually, but I'm starting to fill in a decent picture of their stateside situation.
My mom's paternal line, however, has a really mysterious break and I can't find any trace of my great-great grandfather. My great-grandfather's mother was a German immigrant who, from what I can gather, was married when she arrived. She had 4 children with her first husband until he died in 1883. The next record of her is in 1900, at which point she's taken a new surname and has given birth to my great-grandfather (born in 1887 and the only child with the new last name), but there's no indication of who she took the name from. So I'm not really sure what happened. I can only guess she remarried at some point after 1883 since she took a new name, but the new husband (my great-great-grandfather) either died or left sometime between 1887 and 1900 and is nowhere to be found, so I hit a dead end.
Really, really fascinating stuff, though. I'm marking this task completed, but I'm still going to continue researching and filling in some of the gaps. Eventually I'll see what I can do about finding information on my European ancestors as well.
06 March 2010
998 Days
Busy, busy day! I mentioned yesterday that I was feeling particularly under the weather and out of sorts, thanks to an unrelenting sinus infection that's plagued me for over a week now. I didn't realize how very worn I was, though, until I passed out at 8:30pm while catching up on last week's episodes of The Daily Show. Twelve uninterrupted hours later, I woke up feeling much better, though not entirely. The sinus infection is still entrenched, but I no longer feel like I've been run over by a stampede of wildebeests. I decided to let the invigorating effect of the sunshine and (relatively) mild weather inspire me to embark on a number of the 101 (or, at the moment, 41... I'll get to 101 eventually!).
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039. Try 25 new beers - (01/25)
I stopped at the Old Toad for lunch (the Drunken Cheddar soup was un-freaking-believable... I could have bathed in it, it was so good...) and a glass of Einbecker Winter Bock, which was on tap. I'm really not a beer connoisseur, so I'm sure I can't adequately describe it other than to say it was heavy for a bock, nutty, and very good. Very suited to winter, which I suppose is pretty self-evident in the name...
015. See 10 movies in the theater - (01/10)
It may surprise you that something seemingly so mundane is one of my goals. But honestly - I rarely ever see movies in the theater. It's expensive, and people can be obnoxious and ruin it, and you can't pause it when you have to go to the bathroom. However, I've resolved to break my habit of avoiding the theater, mostly because a) movies are much more impressive on the big screen, and b) I'm tired of being 6-9 months behind everyone while waiting for films to come out on DVD.
Anyway, today I was going to catch a matinee of Alice in Wonderland, but when I arrived at the theater there were throngs of young children and their parents queuing up to see it, which was a little much for me. I did a quick Flixster search and found out that Sherlock Holmes was still playing in one theater in town. The matinee only cost $5 (the diet coke I imprudently bought inside cost nearly as much) and there were maybe half a dozen other people in the theater, so I think it worked out well, on the whole. The movie itself was all right... I am a sucker for scenes of Victorian London, and I liked the banter between Holmes and Watson (Downey Jr and Law were rather good, I must admit). But there was quite a bit of superfluous "action" and the mystery was a little predictable and plodding. It was entertaining, though, which is all I was really expecting, so I'll give it 3 stars and move on...
001. Eat at 25 new restaurants - (01/25)
After the film I scooted over to Tavern 58 at Gibbs, which my mother had recommended a few weeks ago (she is also the one who recommended Good Luck, so I take her advice very seriously). I chose a corner table in the bar area (much nicer than the main restaurant, in my opinion) and settled in with my book. I ordered a very tasty Vesper and a supremely regrettable crab and cheese fondue - half of the crostini were burnt, and the crab and cheese were lumped in a coagulated mass at the bottom of a thin broth. Not quite what I had expected. But the service was phenomenal, and the second mouth-watering Vesper diluted my disappointment a little, so I'd be willing to give it another go and try something else on the menu before completely writing off the place.
008. Eat alone at a restaurant 10 times - (01/10)
As you can see from the photo, I was accompanied only by my book during supper. It didn't feel uncomfortable at all; actually, I sort of relished it. I was able to people-watch, catch up on reading, have a cocktail, and eat supper at a nice, relaxing pace. Not something I'd do all the time, if only because eating out is so expensive, but I think it's not a bad thing to indulge in once a month or so.
040. Try 25 new wines - (01/25)
I bought a bottle of Cortijo Rioja this afternoon, which I am sipping now, as I write this. I'm even less critical about wines than I am about beer, if only because I've rarely met a red I didn't like. Usually, though, I gravitate towards French and Californian wines, so Spanish labels are almost all new to me. Unsurprisingly, I'm happy with my choice. It's very tart, but also spicy, and smooth. Quite different to the reds I'm used to, but pleasantly so.
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So a productive and satisfying day, all told. I'm going to try to be a little more ambitious with some of my future tasks - I keep forgetting that I have almost 3 years to complete these, and I think I'm selling a bit short. The next 2 years are very much wide open for me in a lot of ways, so I think I should take advantage of that and really accomplish some fantastic things. Today, even with its small achievements, was infinitely more satisfying than most Saturdays I've had in the past year.
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039. Try 25 new beers - (01/25)
I stopped at the Old Toad for lunch (the Drunken Cheddar soup was un-freaking-believable... I could have bathed in it, it was so good...) and a glass of Einbecker Winter Bock, which was on tap. I'm really not a beer connoisseur, so I'm sure I can't adequately describe it other than to say it was heavy for a bock, nutty, and very good. Very suited to winter, which I suppose is pretty self-evident in the name...
015. See 10 movies in the theater - (01/10)
It may surprise you that something seemingly so mundane is one of my goals. But honestly - I rarely ever see movies in the theater. It's expensive, and people can be obnoxious and ruin it, and you can't pause it when you have to go to the bathroom. However, I've resolved to break my habit of avoiding the theater, mostly because a) movies are much more impressive on the big screen, and b) I'm tired of being 6-9 months behind everyone while waiting for films to come out on DVD.
Anyway, today I was going to catch a matinee of Alice in Wonderland, but when I arrived at the theater there were throngs of young children and their parents queuing up to see it, which was a little much for me. I did a quick Flixster search and found out that Sherlock Holmes was still playing in one theater in town. The matinee only cost $5 (the diet coke I imprudently bought inside cost nearly as much) and there were maybe half a dozen other people in the theater, so I think it worked out well, on the whole. The movie itself was all right... I am a sucker for scenes of Victorian London, and I liked the banter between Holmes and Watson (Downey Jr and Law were rather good, I must admit). But there was quite a bit of superfluous "action" and the mystery was a little predictable and plodding. It was entertaining, though, which is all I was really expecting, so I'll give it 3 stars and move on...
After the film I scooted over to Tavern 58 at Gibbs, which my mother had recommended a few weeks ago (she is also the one who recommended Good Luck, so I take her advice very seriously). I chose a corner table in the bar area (much nicer than the main restaurant, in my opinion) and settled in with my book. I ordered a very tasty Vesper and a supremely regrettable crab and cheese fondue - half of the crostini were burnt, and the crab and cheese were lumped in a coagulated mass at the bottom of a thin broth. Not quite what I had expected. But the service was phenomenal, and the second mouth-watering Vesper diluted my disappointment a little, so I'd be willing to give it another go and try something else on the menu before completely writing off the place.
008. Eat alone at a restaurant 10 times - (01/10)
As you can see from the photo, I was accompanied only by my book during supper. It didn't feel uncomfortable at all; actually, I sort of relished it. I was able to people-watch, catch up on reading, have a cocktail, and eat supper at a nice, relaxing pace. Not something I'd do all the time, if only because eating out is so expensive, but I think it's not a bad thing to indulge in once a month or so.
040. Try 25 new wines - (01/25)
I bought a bottle of Cortijo Rioja this afternoon, which I am sipping now, as I write this. I'm even less critical about wines than I am about beer, if only because I've rarely met a red I didn't like. Usually, though, I gravitate towards French and Californian wines, so Spanish labels are almost all new to me. Unsurprisingly, I'm happy with my choice. It's very tart, but also spicy, and smooth. Quite different to the reds I'm used to, but pleasantly so.
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So a productive and satisfying day, all told. I'm going to try to be a little more ambitious with some of my future tasks - I keep forgetting that I have almost 3 years to complete these, and I think I'm selling a bit short. The next 2 years are very much wide open for me in a lot of ways, so I think I should take advantage of that and really accomplish some fantastic things. Today, even with its small achievements, was infinitely more satisfying than most Saturdays I've had in the past year.
05 March 2010
999 Days
I'm removing a few tasks that I had started, mostly because they were having a decidedly negative effect on me... and isn't the whole point of this exercise to get me out of my rut and not into an entirely new one? I really don't want this to turn into self-flagellation, even though I do feel a little bit wimpy for giving up on them so early. Today I felt so completely dragged through the gutter that I decided to keep the focus of my goals on adding things to my life, not taking things away. Much more positive, non?
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009. Go meatless every Friday during Lent - (03/21)
One more Friday down, even though I went to the diner for breakfast with coworkers, and everyone ordered bacon (my weakness).
037. Listen to 50 iTunes U lectures - (09/50)
Today at work I listened to two series from the Open University: Analysing European Romanticism (6 lectures) and The Large Hadron Collider (3 lectures).
I never managed to learn very much about the Romantics--my concentration in history ended before the French Revolution--although I was always peripherally fascinated by them, particularly the art. The lectures were rather topical, which normally I wouldn't mind at all but I would have read up a little more on the background and time line first, had I known.
The series on the LHC was a winner. It was presented more like an NPR story, narration interspersed with interviews, rather than a straight lecture. The details of a lot of the scientific parts were explained with adequate metaphors and the narration filled in the gaps nicely. Two thumbs up. I spent the next 45 minutes of my day reading about the Higgs boson.
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My ambition to attempt much else tonight (including updating this...) has been crippled by the sinus headache that's been plaguing me all week. I'm hoping that if I go to bed at a reasonable hour I'll feel better tomorrow.
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009. Go meatless every Friday during Lent - (03/21)
One more Friday down, even though I went to the diner for breakfast with coworkers, and everyone ordered bacon (my weakness).
037. Listen to 50 iTunes U lectures - (09/50)
Today at work I listened to two series from the Open University: Analysing European Romanticism (6 lectures) and The Large Hadron Collider (3 lectures).
I never managed to learn very much about the Romantics--my concentration in history ended before the French Revolution--although I was always peripherally fascinated by them, particularly the art. The lectures were rather topical, which normally I wouldn't mind at all but I would have read up a little more on the background and time line first, had I known.
The series on the LHC was a winner. It was presented more like an NPR story, narration interspersed with interviews, rather than a straight lecture. The details of a lot of the scientific parts were explained with adequate metaphors and the narration filled in the gaps nicely. Two thumbs up. I spent the next 45 minutes of my day reading about the Higgs boson.
-----
My ambition to attempt much else tonight (including updating this...) has been crippled by the sinus headache that's been plaguing me all week. I'm hoping that if I go to bed at a reasonable hour I'll feel better tomorrow.
03 March 2010
1001 Days
002. Read 100 books - (000/100)
I just started Ken Follett's World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, so I'm going to count that as my first book when I'm finished. Nothing like a nice, soapy, historical drama to get me through the slushy dregs of winter! At 1000+ pages I have a feeling that this one might still be with me after all the snow is gone, but who knows... I read The Pillars of the Earth in less than a week when I was on vacation in Puerto Rico last year. Follett's narrative has a way of speeding happily along.
009. Go meatless every Friday during Lent - (02/21)
I'll only be able to chip away at 7 days every year, so there's no way I can complete this one until 2012. Yes, I'm backdating my count to the beginning of Lent, even though I hadn't yet started the 1001 days. Last Friday I had to throw out the bacon from my breakfast sandwich and it nearly broke my heart. I fall pretty firmly into the "lapsed" category of Catholic, but I always found this tradition to be a positive one.
I just started Ken Follett's World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, so I'm going to count that as my first book when I'm finished. Nothing like a nice, soapy, historical drama to get me through the slushy dregs of winter! At 1000+ pages I have a feeling that this one might still be with me after all the snow is gone, but who knows... I read The Pillars of the Earth in less than a week when I was on vacation in Puerto Rico last year. Follett's narrative has a way of speeding happily along.
009. Go meatless every Friday during Lent - (02/21)
I'll only be able to chip away at 7 days every year, so there's no way I can complete this one until 2012. Yes, I'm backdating my count to the beginning of Lent, even though I hadn't yet started the 1001 days. Last Friday I had to throw out the bacon from my breakfast sandwich and it nearly broke my heart. I fall pretty firmly into the "lapsed" category of Catholic, but I always found this tradition to be a positive one.
02 March 2010
101/1001
I'm not entirely sure what prompted me to attempt a Day Zero Project at this point... I suppose I could nod to the heavy-handed obviousness of the great, looming 30th birthday (snore). But I think it might have more to do with the fact that I feel as though I've done little else than "break even" over the course of the past decade, and I'd really rather like to have some measure of what I've achieved in the beginning of this one.
Conventional wisdom has decreed that, in order to consider oneself truly successful, one should be happy with one's relationship, accommodation, and employment. To be perfectly frank, I am content with none of these; I am single, renting, and in a miserable job. Yet, you will notice from the list that follows, none of my goals include "get married", or "buy a house". At this point I can't determine what I want in those areas, and I think my overarching goal is to come to a realization of what, exactly, it is that will make me feel successful and happy.
The simple truth is... I am in a sizable rut. This seems to be the most structured way to attempt to break the inertia (and I am nothing if not an enormous sucker for lists). I only hope that I manage to muster the willpower and motivation to follow through...
I'll tag each entry with the number of the corresponding goal being addressed, and you can find the entire list in the sidebar to the left or at my Day Zero page.
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(From dayzeroproject.com):
The Challenge: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on your part).
Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple challenges such as New Year's resolutions or a 'Bucket List'. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.
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[Edit 3/3/10: I'm not finished with the list yet, but I'm going to post what I have so far in order to get started...].
Conventional wisdom has decreed that, in order to consider oneself truly successful, one should be happy with one's relationship, accommodation, and employment. To be perfectly frank, I am content with none of these; I am single, renting, and in a miserable job. Yet, you will notice from the list that follows, none of my goals include "get married", or "buy a house". At this point I can't determine what I want in those areas, and I think my overarching goal is to come to a realization of what, exactly, it is that will make me feel successful and happy.
The simple truth is... I am in a sizable rut. This seems to be the most structured way to attempt to break the inertia (and I am nothing if not an enormous sucker for lists). I only hope that I manage to muster the willpower and motivation to follow through...
I'll tag each entry with the number of the corresponding goal being addressed, and you can find the entire list in the sidebar to the left or at my Day Zero page.
-----
(From dayzeroproject.com):
The Challenge: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on your part).
Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple challenges such as New Year's resolutions or a 'Bucket List'. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.
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[Edit 3/3/10: I'm not finished with the list yet, but I'm going to post what I have so far in order to get started...].
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