tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76238452024-03-23T11:07:51.340-07:00quasi in r.e.m.striking the balance between sleep and bar study-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.comBlogger534125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-22608932034787273462008-12-28T21:00:00.000-08:002008-12-28T21:05:15.964-08:00Cat shaped holeI buried my kitty today.<br /><br />My beautiful green-eyed, gray-furred kitty now plays in the ceiling cat butterfly fields. I sent her off wrapped in a cozy towel, on top of a bed of flowers along with a container of kitty treats and another of catnip.<br /><br />She was probably 14ish. You never really know with a shelter cat. Her kidneys failed quickly, she was really only sick for 3 days or so. She spent the last day of fall out in the garden enjoying the grass and the blue sky.<br /><br />Bye kitty. I miss you.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com75tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-56536339009940638052008-10-21T17:51:00.000-07:002008-10-21T20:11:44.841-07:00The Wedding Phoenix part 2Can you imagine trying to find a wedding venue for a 100 guests that would permit amplified music and an outside caterer in a beautiful outdoor setting with only 6 days notice?<br /><br />It's easier when you have a very public, lock-tight sob-story and when 70 of your closest friends are calling in favors and dialing phone numbers on your behalf. Still. Nothing was working out and everyone was getting quite anxious. Friends and family were streaming in from across the country and across the pond. The pressure to find a new location and continue with preparations was reaching a fevered pitch.<br /><br />Thursday morning, I got a twitter from the groom. Angel Island was back on! Unfortunately, parts of the island were still smoldering and access to the island would be extremely limited. There would be no opportunity to schlep cumbersome items to the wedding site on Friday. This meant canceling the rented tent pavilions, and the second generator. There would be no dance floor, no fairy lights. It would not be possible to transform government grade bathrooms into clean and luxurious powder rooms equipped with full length mirrors and actual soap. The ceremony would have to be conducted in the same area as the reception, so there wouldn't be an opportunity to have a crew set up the picnic while the guests attended the ceremony.<br /><br />There's an old saying about the best laid plans...-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-67368111188968738992008-10-20T16:57:00.000-07:002008-10-21T17:50:48.625-07:00The Wedding Phoenix part 1Nothing could quench the sobs of my friend Jess, as she watched her wedding venue disappear under billowing clouds of smoke.<br /><br />You see, late in the evening on Sunday October 12 a careless camper let a spark get loose near the campgrounds on Angel Island, the 740 acre state park in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Tinder-dry brush ignited quickly and soon fully half the island was engulfed in shooting gouts of flame. <br /><br />Heroic firefighters evacuated campers and the island's few residents. Their efforts contained the fire quickly and kept it from spreading beyond the south side of the island. Thankfully, none of the historic buildings were harmed; the remnants of the immigration station and military buildings will continue to educate the public about the days of Chinese exclusion and the rarely told Pacific story of the US civil war. Still, the California Department of Parks closed the island indefinitely. My friends were scheduled to be married there the following weekend.<br /><br />The bride and groom chose Angel Island for their wedding site months ago. For their ceremony they planned an elaborate Edwardian picnic in keeping with their English heritage and the history of the island. With the fire closure, cinders and ash replaced visions of lawn games and wicker baskets loaded with china, glassware and silver cutlery.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-75716757787705672252008-10-05T13:36:00.000-07:002008-10-05T13:49:48.473-07:00Hooked on 538My friend Chris won't stop twittering about the latest aggregation of election polls over at <a href="http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/">FiveThirtyEight.com</a>. If you're at all interested in statistical wonkery, you should check it out, there are new posts every day.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I've been meaning to post this very interesting article from the BBC news. Imagine there were a tie vote at the electoral college...<br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7626471.stm">The Unit Rule give the USA its first female president</a>-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-47203208376003149892008-10-02T09:56:00.000-07:002008-10-02T10:14:33.397-07:00Hardly Strictly BluegrassThis is the name of a giant music festival that will be held in San Francisco this weekend. It features bluegrass, country, blues, and other folky sounds. The weather will be lovely, and all of the music is free. I think I might go.<br /><br />Some of you readers probably just snorted your beverage through your nose. My disdain for all music "folk" is barely contained. But... Friday afternoon Robert Plant & Alison Krauss will be performing. Ms. Krauss captured my eardrums with her lyric rendition of Down to the River to Pray on the O Brother, where art thou? soundtrack. Plus, it should be entertaining to hear her paired with Mr. Plant. As long as they don't sing Immigrant Song.<br /><br />The crowds will be intense, so I doubt I'll stay for a long time. Though it might be worth it, just to check out MC Hammer or Nick Lowe.<br /><br />Wanna see the whole schedule?<br /><a href="http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/"><br />http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/</a>-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-21906150985054162352008-09-28T14:55:00.000-07:002008-09-28T15:58:22.105-07:00Epic Cooking continuesCirque de cuisine continued today.<br /><br />TheRoommate had some apples that were starting to go soft on him. I think a soft, yet tasty, apple is still great when baked in a pie.<br /><br />It's been about a year since my last pie endeavor. No surprise then that I screwed up the first batch of pie crust. The flour was far drier than expected, and I overworked the dough trying to get enough moisture in. I generally season both crusts and pie fillings, so in addition to the small amount of sugar that I put into dessert crust, I also added lemon zest and a dash or two of nutmeg. Equal measures of allspice, nutmeg and cardamom went in to the apples along with a touch of sugar, a spritz of lemon and dots of butter. I often prefer allspice to cloves; they have a similar flavor, but it's less assertive. It's always a coin toss on whether to use cinnamon. It is so commonly used in desserts, but it's such a great spice. Thankfully cardamom provides a delightful alternative.<br /><br />Today's pastry recipe was sponsored by Jacque & Julia cooking at home. Finally! A pie dough recipe that doesn't make way too much. I had just enough for a bottom crust and a lattice top.<br /><br />Since I was already making dough, it made sense to make a half batch of savory pastry fortified with poultry-seasoning. I've been hankering for truly homemade chicken or turkey pot pie ...<br /><br />While the pie was baking I peeked into the fridge to see what I could use up. There was some corn and black beans lurking from my last taco salad, so I decided to make some more red onion, corn & black bean salsa. Alas, the beans had fermented and I had to pitch the entire batch.<br /><br />A couple of pork sirloin roasts have been waiting their turn. Rather than trying to stuff and patiently wait for a roast, I sliced one into medallions. The round slices were roughly 3/4 of an inch thick. I dredged them in the beaten egg left over from the pie crust and then breaded them in panko breadcrumbs spiked with salt and pepper and a mixture of celery seed, thyme, and oregano. I panfried these using a small amount of corn oil. The result was a surprisingly light dish somewhat like a cross between wiener schnitzel and chicken fried steak. <br /><br />The sun hasn't set yet, and I still feel like making a few more things. What those might be I'm not yet sure, although it may involve cherry tomatoes and yellow squash.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-3416161874537983832008-09-28T00:13:00.000-07:002008-09-28T00:33:10.513-07:00Red Pepper CrackThe chiles on the pepper plants are really going gangbusters. Last week, put a pound of them in a bag with some fresh tomatoes and then forgot all about the whole thing. I found that bag today. Happily, it was full of amazingly BRIGHT RED peppers, and a couple of tomatoes somewhat past their prime.<br /><br />Since these peppers have been a profound disappointment in the spicy realm (they were supposed to be the famed green chiles of my native land), I decided they'd shine best roasted. And then I decided that since they mostly taste like your average red bell pepper they should be used in my all time favorite red bell pepper recipe.<br /><br />Of the 83 cookbooks on the dedicated shelf, one of the biggest is the 1996 CIA New Professional Chef. Despite its huge size, I use exactly one recipe from it. That recipe however, is a doozy. Tucked beneath a script for vegetarian crepes is a list of ingredients and a few simple instructions for roasted red bell pepper coulis sauce. In it chopped shallots are softened in dry white wine until syrupy while red peppers roast under the broiler. Once the peppers are slipped from their crackling black skins, they join the shallots and are bound together with a few other choice ingredients. A rustic chef serves this as is, but I like to whirl it through the blender to create a lighter sauce. Honestly, I could eat it like soup.<br /><br />As luck would have it, a few of the peppers are packing some heat. I tested the sauce for balance and to my delight experienced a slow burn roar through the sweet, smoky aftertaste.<br /><br />It will take an extreme act of willpower not to harvest all the other peppers and use them just for sauce, no matter how addictive.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-75612018204892839082008-09-17T23:03:00.001-07:002008-09-18T10:24:52.680-07:00On my mindThere's been a lot going on over the past month. Here's a glimpse at what I've been up to.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Portrait of the Lawyer as a Young Artiste</span>:<br />After the Bar exam my right brain rebelled against too much structure and I immediately undertook two super secret art projects for the annual Burning Man large-scale art festival cum rave. My first project was to create and execute the exterior design for a small museum. The museum director wanted a collapseable structure that would resemble a log cabin. I was lucky enough to be able to collaborate with a professional set designer, and with her advice and plenty of independent research I pulled off a highly representative design that worked really well.<br /><br />The second project was a fire art project initially conceived by TheRoommate. The core concept was a small scale effigy. We built small man-shaped statues (nothing in size or shape like the Big Man) that would hold their shape while on fire. Some looked like the gingerbread man, and some looked like South Pacific tikis. They're extraordinarily evocative and beautiful flaming sculpture.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Garden Rant</span><br />While I was gone, I'd asked the wife of one of my oldest friends to water for me, every other day or so. She expressed no reservations, and I felt comfortable that my garden was in good hands. On returning home, I discovered that her notions of watering missed the mark. My dahlias were nothing but scorched sticks. My bush beans were a mass of withered leaves and woody pods. My barrel of New Mexico chiles were wilted to the stem. Only 2 of 6 cucumber vines survived. Given that this woman has numerous houseplants, all thriving, I'm forced to consider that this may have been deliberate, and I don't understand why.<br /><br />Meanwhile, we've had terrible squirrel deprivations. The little bastards have attacked the sweet corn and the seedless sunflowers. They got every ear, and nearly every flower. TheRoommate set up some HaveAHeart traps. The traps are empty. I think he should set the coyote traps.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Garden Gloat</span><br />Meanwhile, the tomatoes are finally starting to come in. They are red, ripe, juicy, and unfortunately cracked due to the above watering fiasco. I committed three quarts of unripe globes to Fried Green Tomatoes at a surprise party for a dear friend from the Carolinas. Our 4 Crimson Carmello plants are producing abundantly. The cherry tomatoes which didn't get transplanted in time are trying to play catch up.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-13332411831576699582008-09-17T23:03:00.000-07:002008-09-18T09:34:10.637-07:00Come to supperApparently I am the right kind of dinner guest.<br /><br />You can invite me at the last minute, even when you, yourself don't entirely know what it is that you're to be fixing.<br /><br />You can shove a cast iron griddle at me when the food isn't cooking right. I'll know what the problem is, and how to correct it. As I'm doing that, you can point me to the plate that has the overflow, and I'll cook that up as well, because if you're going to cook some of it, you may as well cook it all. And yes, I have no problem gripping those squishy, slimy raw chicken breasts and reducing them to a manageable size for your pan. This is because I am an unrepentant carnivore.<br /><br />You can tell me what you had in mind for dinner. I'll ask pantry questions and come up with a healthier, lower-fat alternative that uses what you have on hand. I'll hop right on it. We'll work in tandem in the kitchen, and before long, I'll set the table and we'll hustle out the hot food.<br /><br />Afterwards, I'll wash the dishes.<br /><br /><br />I will also respond to a more timely invitation, dress up, apply make up, arrive on time, and bring flowers.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-83678214347592114332008-08-13T00:17:00.000-07:002008-08-13T00:30:43.035-07:00Two wheel paradisePrior to taking on Squiggle duty I'd swapped my car for a bike and was either walking or riding to everyplace I needed to be. Alas Squiggle's home is 35 minutes away by private car, or 3 hours by public transit. I am not willing to sacrifice 5 hours of my time to endure the company of mouth breathing vectors of drug resistant TB, the clinically -and possibly criminally- insane, and other horrors of public transit. So, I've been driving and not biking and it sucks.<br /><br />This past Sunday was gorgeous and blue and the first chance in a week to get back on my bike. Of course my lady parts had forgotten all about the terrible squishing that must be conditioned, and I forgot to wear a backpack, so I sounded like a tinker or a goatherd as my lock and other items clanked unmusically from my handlebars. Must Install Bike Rack.<br /><br />It was still wonderful to be out in the fresh air as I pedaled around on my errands. I'm looking forward to more biking after S gets a real nanny.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-19986095746020409592008-08-12T23:55:00.000-07:002008-08-13T00:17:14.569-07:00Squiggle DutyMy sister's nanny moved out of state on short notice for a family emergency, leaving my sister in the lurch at the end of PA rotations and on the cusp of a move to a new house. So I've been filling in on Squiggle Duty.<br /><br />Squiggle hit his first birthday two weeks ago. He can open jars of baby food and put caps on pens, but he neither walks nor talks. His utterances seem to revolve around a sound that might be "quack" and a something that sounds like "Baba Yaga," but seems to mean "get me the hell out of this chair harness NOW!" Needless to say, we don't chat much.<br /><br />Mornings are spent eating oatmeal, reading stories and napping, followed by a lunch with the consistency of library paste, a ride to the park, and some time on the grass practicing walking, playing chase or throwing dirt at the other kids in the sandbox. Followed by reading stories and napping. Rather, he naps, I do dishes, prep food, do laundry, and put away toys. He enjoys it, I find it freaking exhausting.<br /><br />My nephew is pretty cute for a guy who only has 4 teeth and a long ribbon of drool hanging from his bottom lip. It'll be entertaining to see if he learns to walk before my sister and brother in law get the house all packed up.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-2075250415098531152008-08-05T22:58:00.000-07:002008-08-05T23:26:26.924-07:00a slaker of matesHe wasn't my closest friend, he wasn't my friend of longest acquaintance. Nevertheless, the Frank-sized hole in my universe is immeasurably huge. Every time I think about it, the tears well up in my eyes until there are too many and then they pour down my cheeks. This makes driving considerably more challenging. You see, my friend Frank died Saturday morning.<br /><br />I can't imagine how this must be for his wife. He'd just retired. They were starting their golden years (to the extent that people can when they're trying to put as much distance between themselves and the sterotypical "golden years" sponsored by AARP and the makers of Metamucil). They were not going to age gently and fade away. Together they held a fast grip on everything fun and vibrant, and I never saw one without the other nearby. I can't imagine being so utterly partnerless.<br /><br />Frank was a bear hug, a quick-witted jester, a dapper fellow, a slaker of mates, and so many other things all rolled into a complicated package with a singular laugh, a chin dimple and a glint in his eye so bright it was cheeky.<br /><br />When I last saw him a couple of months ago, I was thinking how much fun he is, and how glad I am to know him. I was looking forward to seeing him this coming weekend. Instead I'll be attending his memorial.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-79760209715779084452008-08-02T17:59:00.000-07:002008-08-02T18:09:26.574-07:00In case you're wondering what taking the bar is likeEvery morning I got up around dawn, and trucked on down to the Cow Palace. At 8:30 a.m. they read the same monotone set of instructions, and warn that if you even twitch after the "5 minutes remaining" warning, you'll get a disciplinary violation and you may as well abandon your career right then.<br /> <br />Once they call time the fun begins. On the first day, you rip open a booklet of 3 short stories. The stories are tales like the story of Hank and Winifred, their married life in NY followed by retirement in California, and the shennanigans that transpire when Winifred expires from an infected fleabite and her secret will is discovered; or the story of Bradley and Sheila, and Bradley's frustrated attempt to buy a rare Honda Civic from Sheila that ends with him stealing the car.<br /><br />After each story is a set of questions that asks you to briefly, but completely, detail and explain every single legal right that every person had in relation to the others in the same story, and the strengths, weaknesses and likelihood of getting their way on each issue. Part of the fun is making sure you limit yourself to one hour for each short story, so that your answers aren't lopsided.<br /><br />Then you get a lunch break which isn't quite long enough for you to escape the excelsior district and forage for actual food. I believe some made do with the onsite hotdog window, while others found nearby fast food. I sat in my car and ate low-fat triscuits and laughing cow cheese wedges in lieu of the salad that composted itself during 3 hours I was inside. The benefit to an automotive picnic is that it gives you time for a 40 minute nap, the downside is you're restricted to food that won't get fugly after 3 hours in your trunk.<br /><br />Then you go back inside for another rendition of monotone instructions and warnings. This time you get 3 hours to respond to a memo from your fake boss asking you to write some kind of document. It might be a court filing, or just an internal memo back to your fake boss. In either case you have to read some fake judicial opinions, some fake state or federal laws, and client file for a fake client. Then you have to follow the instructions in the memo, sort out all the legal rules from the fake laws and cases, and explain what they mean for the facts in the fake client file. If you finish before the 5 minute warning, you can leave. Otherwise you're stuck there for another 40 minutes while they collect all the tests.<br /><br />Day 2 is all multiple choice, or as I like to call it, multiple guess.<br />You also get fingerprinted! (again).<br /><br />On the second day it's very important not to forget your pencils, and eraser, and a RULER (so that you don't accidentally skip the bubbles at question 3 and incorrectly answer 80% of the following questions).<br />I did not forget my pencils or my eraser. meh.<br />This is the only day where the morning and the afternoon are exactly the same. Multiple guess only tests laws that are basically the same in all 50 states, so all the questions are about painting contracts gone wrong, car crashes, and mortgages. There are a few questions about crimes and the US Constitution to keep you awake. When in doubt, choose letter A.<br /><br />Day 3 is a repeat of Day 1. You get the same instructions and warnings in the same monotone. You get a completely different set of stories to read in the morning, and a completely different task memo to complete in the afternoon.<br /><br />Then you can send out your "I'm done" tweets, voice mails, and sms messages. If you're not completely exhausted yet, you can join friends for drinks or dinner. However, if you choose this option, you will crash midway through dinner and barely have enough endurance to safely arrive home, where you will wash your hair for the first time in three days and fall asleep on top of the blankets with a towel on your head and your bathrobe twisted all around you.<br /><br />At least, that was what it was like for me.<br /><span style="color:#888888;"><br /></span>-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-48956682956204841492008-08-02T17:49:00.000-07:002008-08-02T17:57:42.979-07:00Fun Facts about the bar examThe exam is something you register for months in advance. This is to remind you it takes time to re-memorize everything that you learned in law school, especially from the first year classes. Because you *did* promptly forget everything about 3 weeks after those final exams. Happily the one company in the test prep business that has a near monopoly makes excellent study materials.<br /><br />In a best case scenario you cram everything back into your noggin and perfect the delicate art of writing paragraphs containing only buzzwords and the occasional complete sentence. In the real world you study when you can, deal with issues of real life like rent checks, children or reasonable facsimiles thereof, illness, and all those things that will continue to be just as pressing after the exam memories have been obliterated by several liters of quality alcohol.<br /><br />When the stars align, you get to take the test at your preferred location, which is usually convenient to the closest BART stop near your home. When Global Warming is in effect, you are assigned to a test center that requires either a one hour train commute, or at least one bridge.<br /><br />A friend graciously allowed me to crash an empty room at his place in San Francisco's Inner Sunset. This was a perfect combination of unfamiliar accommodations that prevented me from sleeping through my pre-dawn alarm clock, and close enough proximity that my alarm really didn't have to wake me up before actual dawn. Although due to the fog, I was never really sure when dawn occurred. I was always first in line at <a href="http://www.arizmendibakery.org/about">Arizmendi</a>'s when it opens at 7:00am.<br /><br />When it comes to taking the test you're on your own for timekeeping.<br />You can wear an analog watch, but not a digital one, and never one that beeps. Unfortunately, I can't find the damn receipt to take that shiny Timex back to Target.<br /><br />If you finish before the 5 minute warning, you can leave. Otherwise, you have have to sit quietly in your chair, and wait, and wait, and wait. If you get up or otherwise twitch, you get issued a disciplinary violation that goes to the State Bar.<br /><br />No food or drink (even water)can be brought into in the exam room. Mints and gum are not food. Bringing in food gets the same violation as twitching after the 5 minute warning.<br /><br />You can bring earplugs. Unless you're hard of hearing. In that case, don't need earplugs, but ask the area proctor to repeat all the instructions that were broadcast over the loudspeaker, or at least the ones you didn't hear. You may need earplugs if there is a violent sounding windstorm that shakes the building. Earplugs will not help in the event of an earthquake. I pity the fools down in Chino.<br /><br />Unlike other state licensing exams, there is no instant pass/fail notification. Instead they wait until the weekend before Thanksgiving to notify you. Applicants get three days to sober up, commit suicide, or flee the country before the general public gets access to the results. Yep. THANKSGIVING that famously low-stress, family gathering event.<br /><br />I'll let you know how I did after Thanksgiving, unless I've fled the country. ;)-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-91177646634619299822008-07-28T17:52:00.000-07:002008-07-28T18:28:24.408-07:00Last tasksI'm heading on over to Saint Crisco by the bay. I'll stay at the Chateau St. Jason Hippy Commune & Crashpad for Wayward Bar Examinees.<br /><br />It's probably too late to start studying, eh? (rimshot)<br /><br />But of course I have things yet to do:<br /><br />Scoop out the cat box; buy a new bag of cat food so the Dowager Princess Tasha has something to put into the cat box. Buy 3 days worth of TJ salads, and some luna bars so that I don't have to pay exorbitant prices for crap food<br /><br />Pop by Target and pick up a large Analog wrist watch. Wash the windows on the car that hasn't been driven in a month. Do a drive by of the test site, figure out how to get there.<br /><br />Charge cell phone, find bluetooth BORG appendage, withdraw cash.<br /><br />Pack an overnight bag with:<br /><ul><li>clean sox, panties and tshirts. And sweaters (the fog is back despite a swelteringly hot Saturday). </li><li>bottle of Xanax, to avoid a repeat of last weeks' adventure, </li><li>and the prilosec, so I don't throw up.</li><li>alarm clock</li><li>pillow</li><li>whatever I'm forgetting<br /></li></ul><br />Must also bring ticket, photo ID, reading glasses, pencils, pens, an eraser, a highlighter or two, cash for the highway-robbery parking fees that will no doubt be charged.<br /><br />Hopefully that covers it.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-42349898830517192612008-07-25T10:58:00.000-07:002008-07-25T11:02:43.015-07:00Good luck on the bar exam<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uY97YELFW6eXI2iHTre8yYaeBYfL5OVlfpK_JOh3n7TKtehuY3_TbtVxHdGjP3s_brEAr_2tRpXSX5KTudSP6Uuwb-w-tEzoNyWJJpxmjAmWqWkcUUDoRPjHCjzyqUvta716/s1600-h/hopeUpassthebar.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uY97YELFW6eXI2iHTre8yYaeBYfL5OVlfpK_JOh3n7TKtehuY3_TbtVxHdGjP3s_brEAr_2tRpXSX5KTudSP6Uuwb-w-tEzoNyWJJpxmjAmWqWkcUUDoRPjHCjzyqUvta716/s200/hopeUpassthebar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227013358472000050" border="0" /></a><br />This came in the e-mail this morning. From the fine folks at <a href="http://www.someecards.com">http://www.someecards.com.</a>-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-69078673538322818302008-07-23T18:34:00.000-07:002008-07-23T18:44:24.950-07:00The mother of all anxiety attacksI have a big 3-day test next week. I'm more than just nervous about it, I'm terrified.<br /><br />That terror manifested today. Just after a reasonably healthy late breakfast - early lunch my chest clenched up with extremely tight pressure all across my floating ribs. I panted with pain, gasping for breath as I sank to the floor and struggled out of my t-shirt, my bra, and loosened my pants. After about a minute, I stumbled upstairs and lay down on my bed. The pain started to subside and I was able to breathe again. I took a long nap.<br /><br />6 hours later, I feel fine, although I'll be eating lightly for a little bit. The food was nothing I haven't eaten before, perhaps I wolfed it down too quickly. But I think the performance anxiety is getting to me. I have a few anti-anxiety drugs left over from law school. I think I'll be using them for the next few days.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-57164822728783498932008-07-16T20:33:00.000-07:002008-07-16T20:51:09.706-07:00Basil overloadThe recent heat wave (read: delightful warm, sunny days) kicked my basil plants into overproduction. I'm not ready for them to bolt, so a serious shearing was in order. After a judicious pruning they're back under control, and two giant basil bouquets have been decorating the kitchen for a few days.<br /><br />Outside of caprese salad, I don't eat much basil. This put me in a quandry, the plants were taking up too much counter space. You see where this is going don't you? Yes, yes it is. But rather than making pesto, I made its Provencal cousin, pistou. (Pistou doesn't include any nuts)<br /><br />The recipe I used goes much more lightly on the oil than many other recipes I've encountered. I used extra garlic and found the resulting spread to be eerily reminiscent of the pesto served at Carrera's Cafe, the long-gone neighborhood cafe that was my second home in my twenties.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Pistou</span><br /><br />3 cups basil leaves, packed<br />3 large garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced<br />4-6 Tbsp olive oil<br />1/2 C grated asiago<br />1/4 C grated parmesan<br />1/2 tsp salt<br /><br />Prep all ingredients first: discard basil stems, press or mince the garlic, grate the cheese and measure the salt and oil, so that everything can move at once.<br /><br />In a food process bowl sandwich the garlic, cheese and salt in between the basil. Pulse gently until a rough paste forms, then add the oil in a slow stream until the desired consistency is reached.<br /><br />Yield approx 1 cup-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-1139473973825186782008-07-16T17:13:00.000-07:002008-07-16T17:24:30.463-07:00Bureau of Logging and Mining: "Let's Kill the Horses"I can barely read the article, it's guaranteed to induce a throbbing forehead vein.<br /><br />In a nutshell, the BLM has decided that wild mustangs are a nuisance to be eradicated. So they've rounded up half of the wild mustang population and are now proposing to exterminate all the horses.<br /><br />Do you have any idea how many head of cattle lounge around on BLM land for years at a time? (Lots, the land is leased for cattle grazing). It is difficult to fathom how a few horses can be such a problem, but big lumberous cattle are not.<br /><br />The Bureau of Land Management is a good example of a captured agency. The purpose of the agency is to maintain the land for the public good. However, private mining, timber and ranching interests have reached a position of power within the agency, such that agency decisions are made in alignment with these special private interests.<br /><br />Those poor horses don't have a chance. Read the Newsweek article <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/144279?tid=relatedcl">here</a>.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-1614935668798476232008-07-10T19:44:00.000-07:002008-07-10T20:14:20.915-07:00SaladsMLE's post about salads reminded me that it had been ages since I'd indulged myself with one of my all-time favorite foods: taco salad.<br /><br />My current taco salad has evolved from the days of pan-fried onions, spices and ground beef; lots of medium cheddar shavings, tomatoes and enough lettuce and tortilla chips to add satisfying crunch tossed in a decent italian dressing.<br /><br />I had most of the items necessary for an impromptu taco salad: copious romaine, tomatoes, a salsa composed of corn, red onion and black beans marinated with garlic and spices in a tablespoon of vinaigrette, shredded mexican cheese blend and turkey breast sauteed with spice dust. Guacamole or even a few slices of avocado would have been heaven, but I didn't have them or the corn chips. It was still delicious.<br /><br />Otherwise I've been eating a lot of what I think of as a greek style salad: chopped romaine, cucumber, mint, dill and tomatoes tossed with a few tablespoons of lemon juice and olive oil. Red onion is a great addition. The addition of feta or steamed salmon makes this an entree although I've been eating it as a side dish. Those who like yoghurt could probably combine it with the mint and dill for a nice dressing if you like that creamy style.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-24262235143454456832008-07-08T12:52:00.000-07:002008-07-09T12:39:00.931-07:00The aged olympianSo Dara Torres went to Nebraska, took some names and kicked some butt. She's on the US Swim team, again, for the 5th time. I think it's beyond fabulous to see a competitive world class athlete of this age. It's not about glorifying perennial youth, is about being fabulous all along the route.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-1692190976316375362008-07-05T12:01:00.000-07:002008-07-08T12:57:09.693-07:00Garden Notes - DatesSaturday is fertilizer day, as well as pull the weeds day, check for powdery mildew day, prune a little bit here and there day, and pick anything that didn't get picked during the week day. I wish I had jotted down when certain things have happened in the yard. It's frustrating not to be able to judge process, or to have a baseline for doing things better next year.<br /><br />Tomatoes:<br /><br />I do love tomatoes. This year we have crimson carmellos (Renee's Garden) and some sort of cherry, possibly sweet 100s. We started the first batch of seeds in mid March, and a second batch on April 20th. April 10th seems like it would have been the best time. I don't know when I transplanted the tomatoes, but it looks like it was between the middle of May and the middle of June, which seems like the right time to do it. Any time during the week leading up to Memorial Day is probably best. The poor cherry tomatoes are still languishing in the plastic box my organic baby greens from costco came in. It was a great planter for starting seeds, much better than the half gallon milk containers cut lengthwise. I'll use these again.<br /><br />I just read a good article on pruning tomatoes for best production, <a href="http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/how-to/articles/pruning-tomatoes.aspx">Pruning Tomatoes.</a> Clearly I should be snipping more off these plants. I barely pruned at all last year. This may explain why the plants didn't do so well.<br /><br />Snap Peas:<br />I cut down half the snap pea vines, the dead ones and the dried out ones that were only producing pods with a single pea. The rest I left to hang out with the Dahlias and the volunteer Catnip plant that I thought was a weed until the distinctive scent from the bruised leaves and stalk clued me in. I'm thinking I may start some peas in pots against the back garage wall. They'll only get about 5 hours of direct sunlight even at the peak of summer. Later I'll move the pots to a different shady area. Because we're on the direct fog path, I want to see if I can grow peas in containers year round. Because they fix nitrogen to the soil part of my plan is to use their soil as replacement soil for the one strip that is sunny enough for tomatoes.<br /><br />Beans:<br />I also love green beans. I have 6 plants producing, but it's not as much as I'd like. Next year I should have 9-12 plants, and should also get them into the ground by May 15. The beans are mostly green with purple marks on the pods.<br /><br />Herbs:<br />The parsley, marjoram and oregano are still going gangbusters. I am now agressively pruning them and drying the stalks. The lemon thyme and the Danish thyme are both bolting, which is sort of a surprise. That the cilantro and dill are bolting is not a surprise at all. The summer savory is doing well, at the base of the tier far back along the fence. I hope to harvest a few bags worth of pesticide-free, Italian blend dried herbs.<br /><br />Flowers:<br />I have BEE city over at my forget-me-nots. Every time I go over there the stalks are humming with bumble bees, honey bees and some sort of tiny bee that is probably either a carpenter bee or a sweat bee. The forget-me-nots are squeezing out a remaindered white carnation that I found on clearance lacking any sort of label. I happened to recognize the foilage, and thus got quite a bargain. The pure white blooms are small, (since I haven't pruned at all), but have the classic spicy sweet scent. I hate to displace the bees and cut the forget-me-nots back, but they're crowding the carnation out. We'll see what happens.<br /><br />On either side of the forget-me-nots, I have pots with sweet william (another member of the same family carnations belong to), white lobelia, and blue salvia. The salvia has a terrible case of powdery mildew. I may just pull those plants so that the mildew won't transfer to the dahlias.<br /><br />TheRoomate has planted a fair amount of corn and some sunflowers. He likes the tall seed producing kind. I like the smaller, dark orange kind. This year, we'll have both.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-24475309237907689382008-07-04T12:01:00.000-07:002008-07-04T13:08:57.665-07:00barbecue diariesI was out at the Albatross Bar last night, working on a super secret culture jamming program. At some point the topic of alcohol based social bonding was raised. What are the elements? Certainly, late night eating is one of them. Sure enough, we found ourselves ducking into Everette & Jones BBQ at 9:58, 2 minutes before closing.<br /><br />Quality Barbecue is hard to find. The family owned and operated, brick oven places are few and far between. Everette & Jones provides a typical western US BBQ. Spice rubbed meat is slow-cooked at low heat in a large brick oven. This is a key distinction. Slow cooked meat is barbecue, fast cooked meat is grilled. Needless to say, BBQ doesn't lend itself to the 3-ring binder eateries so common from coast to coast. Meaning, just because Chili's offers baby back ribs, doesn't mean it's good barbecue.<br /><br />Meanwhile, as today is the 4th of July, my landlady is using an entire city block's worth of carbon credits to get her grill going with lighter fluid. I wish I'd seen her setting up, so that I could close all the windows. The house smells like a toxic waste dump. At least the fumes will evaporate quickly.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-19069349387476732842008-07-02T15:32:00.000-07:002008-07-02T15:59:28.269-07:00Stuff to readA friend pointed me to kottke.org today, so that I could read about <a href="http://www.kottke.org/08/06/dara-torres">Dara Torres</a>, the FORTY-ONE year old former gold-medalist who is trying to land a spot on the US women's swim team. 41. How about that? Click her name for an awesome photo. Kottke.org is full of other things you may want to read as well.<br /><br />If that's not your style, I've also been checking in with <a href="http://www.gardenrant.com/">Garden Rant</a> of late. Gardeners are funny in a dry, sometimes unintentional sort of way. They also talk about stuff like permaculture, free booze samples and how best to kill snails. (I'm trying to figure out how to make better use of a splendid back yard; and get more of my mostly chemical-free veggies onto the table. If I knew where my camera is, I'd snap a few shots of the forget-me-nots. They are a huge hit with the bees.)<br /><br />I've been slowly working my way through Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series. The series is similar to the werewolf or vampire mystery series popular of late, featuring a wizard instead. I'm very much enjoying the monster lore, but am finding limited patience for the protagonist, a self-avowed "gentleman" who is reactionary without much charisma to compensate. The dialogue is clunky but has been steadily improving and the plots really are interesting twists on traditional monster stories.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7623845.post-85762965747788779682008-07-02T15:30:00.000-07:002008-07-02T15:31:59.538-07:00Happy New YearJuly 1 is the start of a fiscal year for lots of government agencies & such. My contract with the non-profit ended yesterday. Wah. Must look for new job now.-qirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245693855179148019noreply@blogger.com1