Wednesday, August 31, 2005
And I didn't get you anything...
Today is Blog Day. If your blog peeks out of his hidey-hole and sees his shadow, there are six more weeks of summer on the way. OK, OK -- actually, today's the day bloggers are supposed to recommend five blogs. Sorry, I've been busy at work. And I have a natural antipathy towards "supposed to." So, if you're looking for some fun reading, just check out the blogs on the list to the left. I recommend them all highly.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
"She cooks like a college student."
So said Television Without Pity’s Miss Alli in an interview on The Splendid Table recently. She was referring to Sandra Lee, the host of Semi-Homemade Cooking on the Food Network. She’s right – convenience foods and lots of liquor make up most of the menus. But as much as I enjoy snarking on the show, something about it always bothered me. Besides the inedible food, that is.
After reading Shauna’s blog today, it hit me. The show and its semi-inebriated host have absolutely no love or respect for good food. There’s no joy taken in ripe, juicy fruits or fragrant herbs. There’s nothing fun about the preparation. And the only purpose of having friends over is to get them to ooh and aah over your... ahem...“tablescapes.” Appearance is everything and the whole point of the show is consumerism. Why else would she have a stockpile of KitchenAid mixers (never used) color-coordinated to each week’s theme?
Thank heavens there are shows like The Splendid Table, and sites like Shauna’s (and the ones she mentioned) to show us that good food and good friends don’t need themed kitchens and tablescapes to satisfy our souls.
After reading Shauna’s blog today, it hit me. The show and its semi-inebriated host have absolutely no love or respect for good food. There’s no joy taken in ripe, juicy fruits or fragrant herbs. There’s nothing fun about the preparation. And the only purpose of having friends over is to get them to ooh and aah over your... ahem...“tablescapes.” Appearance is everything and the whole point of the show is consumerism. Why else would she have a stockpile of KitchenAid mixers (never used) color-coordinated to each week’s theme?
Thank heavens there are shows like The Splendid Table, and sites like Shauna’s (and the ones she mentioned) to show us that good food and good friends don’t need themed kitchens and tablescapes to satisfy our souls.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Mental Junk Mail
What I'm listening to:
The sampler from the annual music issue of Oxford American. Eclectic doesn't even begin to describe it. Joe Tex, Al Green, Bubble Puppy (remember "Hot Smoke & Sassafras"?), Nat King Cole, Johnny Winter, Bessie Smith, as well as a group of yodeling sisters who sound like Minnie Mouse on helium. Oh, and some Ugandan schoolchildren.
What I'm reading:
Some magazines that have piled up: Texas Monthly, The Nation and Chow. Plus a book, U&lc: Influencing Design and Typography, a collection of the best of U&lc magazine. I started getting the magazine back in college, and drooled over each issue until it was discontinued six years ago. I still remember a 1980 special edition that explained how important computers would be to the world of design. It seemed like such an unreal look into the future -- like flying cars. Who knew?
Annoying tune that's stuck in my head:
"Solfeggio." Also known as the tune played by the Nairobi Trio on the Ernie Kovacs Show.
Kitty!
I could spend all day here.
Separated at Birth?
The cavemen from the Geico commercials and Val Kilmer?
The sampler from the annual music issue of Oxford American. Eclectic doesn't even begin to describe it. Joe Tex, Al Green, Bubble Puppy (remember "Hot Smoke & Sassafras"?), Nat King Cole, Johnny Winter, Bessie Smith, as well as a group of yodeling sisters who sound like Minnie Mouse on helium. Oh, and some Ugandan schoolchildren.
What I'm reading:
Some magazines that have piled up: Texas Monthly, The Nation and Chow. Plus a book, U&lc: Influencing Design and Typography, a collection of the best of U&lc magazine. I started getting the magazine back in college, and drooled over each issue until it was discontinued six years ago. I still remember a 1980 special edition that explained how important computers would be to the world of design. It seemed like such an unreal look into the future -- like flying cars. Who knew?
Annoying tune that's stuck in my head:
"Solfeggio." Also known as the tune played by the Nairobi Trio on the Ernie Kovacs Show.
Kitty!
I could spend all day here.
Separated at Birth?
The cavemen from the Geico commercials and Val Kilmer?
Monday, August 22, 2005
Attitude Inventory
My mother said something surprising the other day: “You know, ever since you went gluten-free, your entire demeanor has changed. You have so much more energy, and you seem happy all the time now.”
Huh. I never really gave my attitude much thought. Shortly after I was diagnosed with celiac disease in late October 2003, my friends asked me if the gluten-free diet helped me feel better. I couldn’t answer; I never felt sick in the first place. Aside from a persistent and – according to my doctor, dangerous – case of anemia, I never had any of the classic symptoms of celiac disease. It was only after six months of tests that the diagnosis became clear.
Considering the adjustments I’ve had to make, my mood should be bleak. Spontaneity has pretty much gone out the window. “Hey, let’s grab a burger and a beer.” Nope – can’t go out to eat without my dining card explaining what I can and can’t have, a couple Larabars (just in case), and a list of questions for the waitstaff. Because gluten hides in so many things besides bread and pasta – shampoos, lotions, lip balm, toothpaste, seasonings, soups, even juice concentrates – I can’t shop for groceries without reading labels and researching manufacturers. Business travel now involves taking a cooler pack of food and booking a room with a fridge, as “working lunches” usually involve pizza or a boxed lunch from the local deli. And, now that my body has adjusted to being gluten-free, I couldn’t cheat even if I wanted to. Even a little crumb will give me food poisoning symptoms for days.
Mom’s comment forced me to do a little self-evaluation. Although I didn’t think I felt any different, going gluten-free has caused some significant changes in my outlook. The wild mood swings I used to experience almost daily have disappeared. I haven’t had a cold since starting the diet, and I used to get colds at least twice a year. The migraines I used to suffer each month? They visit only about every six months now.
There are other happy adjustments: My friends and I get personal attention from the chef when we go out to eat, and we’ve learned a lot. I love to cook and bake, and I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen. So I can’t make a dozen different types of cookies for the holidays? Fine, I’m great at making truffles & fudge. Some soups and sauces actually taste better thickened with cornstarch or potato starch instead of flour. The new food labeling law going into effect next year means I won’t have to question as many foods that list “natural flavors” or “modified food starch” in the ingredients. Plus, now that all the “firsts” are out of the way – birthdays, holidays, eating out, vacations, business trips, catered events – the diet has become much more manageable.
Adding up the pros and cons, I guess I am doing better. But I may just do myself in trying to create a gluten-free substitute for Mom’s chicken & waffles.
In Related News, sort of…
I love Sarah Vowell’s writing. Her latest book, Assassination Vacation, recounting her tour of presidential assassination venues, resonates with me, because, yes, I can be a ghoul sometimes, and because I had a dad who was in love with American history. Every summer on the car trip from Texas to Pennsylvania and points beyond, we’d stop by historical markers. I’ve seen Ford’s Theatre, I’ve seen Arlington National Cemetery, I’ve seen the railroad platforms and the old Exposition sites. If someone famous lived, died, or slept there, I’ve seen it.
But I also love Sarah Vowell because she’s written about her wheat allergy. In her dead-on description of Living Without magazine, she’s said exactly everything I’ve thought – only in a funnier and more concise way. Check it out at This American Life. (Go to the archives under 1/9/04 – “Living Without.” It's about 20 minutes in. Enjoy!)
Huh. I never really gave my attitude much thought. Shortly after I was diagnosed with celiac disease in late October 2003, my friends asked me if the gluten-free diet helped me feel better. I couldn’t answer; I never felt sick in the first place. Aside from a persistent and – according to my doctor, dangerous – case of anemia, I never had any of the classic symptoms of celiac disease. It was only after six months of tests that the diagnosis became clear.
Considering the adjustments I’ve had to make, my mood should be bleak. Spontaneity has pretty much gone out the window. “Hey, let’s grab a burger and a beer.” Nope – can’t go out to eat without my dining card explaining what I can and can’t have, a couple Larabars (just in case), and a list of questions for the waitstaff. Because gluten hides in so many things besides bread and pasta – shampoos, lotions, lip balm, toothpaste, seasonings, soups, even juice concentrates – I can’t shop for groceries without reading labels and researching manufacturers. Business travel now involves taking a cooler pack of food and booking a room with a fridge, as “working lunches” usually involve pizza or a boxed lunch from the local deli. And, now that my body has adjusted to being gluten-free, I couldn’t cheat even if I wanted to. Even a little crumb will give me food poisoning symptoms for days.
Mom’s comment forced me to do a little self-evaluation. Although I didn’t think I felt any different, going gluten-free has caused some significant changes in my outlook. The wild mood swings I used to experience almost daily have disappeared. I haven’t had a cold since starting the diet, and I used to get colds at least twice a year. The migraines I used to suffer each month? They visit only about every six months now.
There are other happy adjustments: My friends and I get personal attention from the chef when we go out to eat, and we’ve learned a lot. I love to cook and bake, and I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen. So I can’t make a dozen different types of cookies for the holidays? Fine, I’m great at making truffles & fudge. Some soups and sauces actually taste better thickened with cornstarch or potato starch instead of flour. The new food labeling law going into effect next year means I won’t have to question as many foods that list “natural flavors” or “modified food starch” in the ingredients. Plus, now that all the “firsts” are out of the way – birthdays, holidays, eating out, vacations, business trips, catered events – the diet has become much more manageable.
Adding up the pros and cons, I guess I am doing better. But I may just do myself in trying to create a gluten-free substitute for Mom’s chicken & waffles.
In Related News, sort of…
I love Sarah Vowell’s writing. Her latest book, Assassination Vacation, recounting her tour of presidential assassination venues, resonates with me, because, yes, I can be a ghoul sometimes, and because I had a dad who was in love with American history. Every summer on the car trip from Texas to Pennsylvania and points beyond, we’d stop by historical markers. I’ve seen Ford’s Theatre, I’ve seen Arlington National Cemetery, I’ve seen the railroad platforms and the old Exposition sites. If someone famous lived, died, or slept there, I’ve seen it.
But I also love Sarah Vowell because she’s written about her wheat allergy. In her dead-on description of Living Without magazine, she’s said exactly everything I’ve thought – only in a funnier and more concise way. Check it out at This American Life. (Go to the archives under 1/9/04 – “Living Without.” It's about 20 minutes in. Enjoy!)
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Yes, I need a nap.
Bad Hair Day
Have you seen the latest commercial for The New York Times? Just for grins, count the bad haircuts.
For Worse, For Much Worse, Part Deux
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the comics section, Wednesday's For Better or For Worse hits a new low.
Lynn Johnston
FBorFW.com
P.O. Box 100
Corbeil, ON Canada
P0H 1K0
Cripes, I've been cranky lately. And over the dumbest stuff, too: comic strips, commercials, TV shows?! (fingers crossed) OK, I promise I'll be more upbeat the rest of this week. (/fingers crossed.)
Have you seen the latest commercial for The New York Times? Just for grins, count the bad haircuts.
For Worse, For Much Worse, Part Deux
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the comics section, Wednesday's For Better or For Worse hits a new low.
- Please tell me they're on the way to the police station to report Howard's attack. (Oh, who am I kidding?)
- Liz has been physically assaulted. Now she's being emotionally assaulted as well? Nice move, Anthony. Go back to your wife & child and accept the responsibility of being a grown-up.
- Is this whole stalking/attempted rape story arc a FRIGGIN' PLOT DEVICE to get Liz & Anthony back together? As completely offensive as that notion is, Anthony's last line is funny if you say it like Bela Lugosi's big speech in Bride of the Monster: "Home. I have no home. Hunted...despised...living like an animal -- the jungle is my home! But I will show the world that I can be its master. I shall perfect my own race of people -- a race of atomic supermen which will conquer the world!"
Lynn Johnston
FBorFW.com
P.O. Box 100
Corbeil, ON Canada
P0H 1K0
Cripes, I've been cranky lately. And over the dumbest stuff, too: comic strips, commercials, TV shows?! (fingers crossed) OK, I promise I'll be more upbeat the rest of this week. (/fingers crossed.)
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
The Not-So-Amazing Race
The best reality show ever is about to take a giant leap over the shark. The cast for TAR8 (the family-friendly version) was announced today and... ugh. Lots of blonde highlights and Chiclet-teeth, lots of perky people straight out of the casting call for "7th Heaven." I'm not wild about the show's tendency to cast models (Derek & Drew from TAR3, excepted), but this is ridiculous. Where's the diversity?
And where's the adventure? They're sticking to the Americas. Great landmarks, for sure, but --as someone who's traveled quite a bit -- I'd much rather see a roadblock in Singapore than in Epcot. I'd rather see the contestants maneuver their way through language barriers & culture clashes. This is shaping up to be a trip to Wally World. I just hope I'm wrong. That being said, TVgasm did a great job today of showing what challenges a family could encounter in the race.
(For those of you checking the time I'm posting this, yes, I'm missing the season 3 finale on GSN. I know what happens. It's not pretty. I want a re-match, with Ken & Gerard as the winners. And just because it can never be said enough, "Shut up, Flo.")
And where's the adventure? They're sticking to the Americas. Great landmarks, for sure, but --as someone who's traveled quite a bit -- I'd much rather see a roadblock in Singapore than in Epcot. I'd rather see the contestants maneuver their way through language barriers & culture clashes. This is shaping up to be a trip to Wally World. I just hope I'm wrong. That being said, TVgasm did a great job today of showing what challenges a family could encounter in the race.
(For those of you checking the time I'm posting this, yes, I'm missing the season 3 finale on GSN. I know what happens. It's not pretty. I want a re-match, with Ken & Gerard as the winners. And just because it can never be said enough, "Shut up, Flo.")
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Land of the Lost
Went with some friends last night to the WNBA Silver Stars game against the Detroit Shock -- a heartbreaking game that came down to the last 10 seconds. The big surprise for me was that the Shock's head coach was Bill Laimbeer. I remember him when he was a Piston (and a whiner and a floor-flopper). But I remember him best as a Sleestak.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
But what do her shirts say about Tony?
Fametracker takes a peek inside Eva Longoria's T-shirt drawer.
Friday, August 12, 2005
Cool Jerk
The gang at M.I.T. has developed phone software that can determine if you or the person you're speaking with is being a jerk. (What? Like you couldn't?) I know a few people who could destroy the program within seconds.
For Worse, For Much Worse
I know, I know... It's only a comic strip. But the latest storyline in For Better or For Worse has really got me steamed. Patterson daughter Liz has been getting some dangerous and unwanted attention from a co-worker. Stalking and attempted rape -- just what I want to see in the funny papers with my morning cup o' tea. OK, I'll give Lynn the benefit of the doubt... maybe she's trying to make a statement.
In yesterday's strip, Liz was doing a pretty fair job of fighting off her attacker, until the last panel when an arm comes out of frame and gets him in a headlock. Who could it be? Oh, hell -- longtime readers know darn well it's geezer Anthony, Liz's first love. What the heck is he doing at her workplace? Was his spidey-sense tingling?
Today's strip was the pits. Anthony twists the guy's ear and makes him apologize?! And then LETS HIM GO?! Jeez, Anthony, hold him down while Liz dials 911, fercryinoutloud! But possibly even worse was the last panel. Anthony says he finally found something worth fighting for. Umm... hey, guy -- what about your wife and kid? Lynn -- exactly what statement are you trying to make?
In yesterday's strip, Liz was doing a pretty fair job of fighting off her attacker, until the last panel when an arm comes out of frame and gets him in a headlock. Who could it be? Oh, hell -- longtime readers know darn well it's geezer Anthony, Liz's first love. What the heck is he doing at her workplace? Was his spidey-sense tingling?
Today's strip was the pits. Anthony twists the guy's ear and makes him apologize?! And then LETS HIM GO?! Jeez, Anthony, hold him down while Liz dials 911, fercryinoutloud! But possibly even worse was the last panel. Anthony says he finally found something worth fighting for. Umm... hey, guy -- what about your wife and kid? Lynn -- exactly what statement are you trying to make?
Non Sequiturs
Non Sequitur #1
"We found a real need in central Pennsylvania for a lard-based product."
-- Potato chip company executive, quoted on the History Channel's "Snackfood Tech"
Non Sequitur #2
Wish I had a camera when I was driving home from work last night. I got behind an old truck with some lumber sticking out of the back. Hanging off one of the boards was... a Mexican wrestler's mask. By day, the driver's a humble carpenter. But by night -- El Santo!
"We found a real need in central Pennsylvania for a lard-based product."
-- Potato chip company executive, quoted on the History Channel's "Snackfood Tech"
Non Sequitur #2
Wish I had a camera when I was driving home from work last night. I got behind an old truck with some lumber sticking out of the back. Hanging off one of the boards was... a Mexican wrestler's mask. By day, the driver's a humble carpenter. But by night -- El Santo!
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
"Dogs got personality. Personality goes a long way."
-- Jules (Samuel L. Jackson), Pulp Fiction Reebok, my sister's dog, died Friday at the age of 12-and-a-half. Plagued with cataracts and hip dysplasia, he hadn't been doing too well for the last few months. The family took him to the coastal town of Rockport late last week and noticed his erratic pacing and quivering. They held him close, and quietly -- with just a tremble and a sigh -- he passed away, looking out at the water he loved.
At the family birthday dinner last weekend (my birthday was Saturday, Mom's was Sunday), we all shared happy memories of a dog who "got personality":
- He was a purebred yellow lab, but you'd never know it to look at him. He was bigger and beefier than most labs, with a massive, pit-bull-like head. During Reebok's early digging stages, my brother-in-law installed some electric fencing around his property, so the puppy wouldn't dig his way out of the yard. No such luck. Reebok thought the current vibration from the fence was a delightful massage.
- He reduced a three-piece wood patio set to slivers and sawdust. Not surprising, really; his daddy's favorite toy was a two-by-four.
- My mother once caught Reebok gnawing on one of my nephew's tennis balls. She put the ball back on the dresser. Moments later, she caught Reebok in the act again. And again, the ball went back on the dresser. Not swayed in the least, Reebok got the ball again. But this time, when Mom put the ball back, she noticed that Reebok left a baseball on the dresser in its place. Now that's a dog with personality.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Dear Diary...
What I'm listening to: The latest sampler from Paste magazine, specifically, Master of Disaster by John Hiatt. Hmmm.... probably not the best song to kick off this venture.
What I'm reading: Caramba! A Tale Told in Turns of the Card by Nina Marie Martinez. An entertaining departure from my usual non-fiction.
Annoying tune that's stuck in my head: The theme to Super Chicken. No, I don't know why, but it pops up occasionally in the jukebox of my mind. Also not a good way to start this off. I guess I knew the job was dangerous when I took it.
Anyway, I've never been much for the diary thing. I always figured I'd die in a horrible accident and the only thing left to identify me would be a little bound journal, detailing day-by-day what mayhem I wanted to wreak on the bitch who cheated off me in Chem class or who wore what to where and how awful they looked. The embarrassment from beyond the grave would kill me off again. And when I go, I don't really want to cause a lot of trouble for anybody.
But as I lurch towards that end, I realize we all need some sort of pulpit. This will be mine, although it's not really political, social, religious, or possessed of any sort of theme. It's really more a collection of mental Post-Its (R). Bear with me. I'm just getting started.
What I'm reading: Caramba! A Tale Told in Turns of the Card by Nina Marie Martinez. An entertaining departure from my usual non-fiction.
Annoying tune that's stuck in my head: The theme to Super Chicken. No, I don't know why, but it pops up occasionally in the jukebox of my mind. Also not a good way to start this off. I guess I knew the job was dangerous when I took it.
Anyway, I've never been much for the diary thing. I always figured I'd die in a horrible accident and the only thing left to identify me would be a little bound journal, detailing day-by-day what mayhem I wanted to wreak on the bitch who cheated off me in Chem class or who wore what to where and how awful they looked. The embarrassment from beyond the grave would kill me off again. And when I go, I don't really want to cause a lot of trouble for anybody.
But as I lurch towards that end, I realize we all need some sort of pulpit. This will be mine, although it's not really political, social, religious, or possessed of any sort of theme. It's really more a collection of mental Post-Its (R). Bear with me. I'm just getting started.
