*organic apples from new zeland won for most miles traveled to my belly.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
take the chill off
or not
i use this blog as something like a....conversation starter. two blogs ago, it was titled "join me, won't you" meant to offer up activities i wanted to pursue and invite your input and company. alas. the blog prior to this was titled "don't delete" to remind me that it's okay to say what i want here. again. not so successful. so this time "you should probably" is a more direct title, yet still inviting i hope. trying to solicit your ideas via a suggestion. it's what i wish i had more of in my life. conversation. idea exchange. yeah, i like to be light and joke with the best of them. i like company more than conversation perhaps. i do wish i was part of more long dinners. more sitting and talking. more walks and thoughts. in between those times i write to you here and hope it compels you to participate.
~~~
the npr all songs considered blog had an interesting topic: "Can you think of a song that gives you the chills, time after time? Why is that, and how does it happen?" there are pages and pages of responses. and when i read through them i thought to myself---there are so many songs here that affect people that either i've never heard of or would have never in a million year have chosen. a few made me think. i agreed with others. but the thought that there is no wrong answer to the question...no room for judgment. are YOU going to tell ME the song that gives me chills is dumb? wrong? worthless? if so you're a douche. the correct response would be, "really? amazing! you know which song really gets me is...." and i wish more of us were like that. didn't knee jerk judge other people's ideas and opinions. the conversation, to me, comes in when we can say, "i hadn't thought of that." or "tell me more about that." it's pretty much over when you say, "that's retarded."
so let's converse. off the top of your head, what's a couple of songs that really affect you? give you chills, or---what i would use as a good and bad term--makes you hurt. and maybe why if you're willing.
off the top of my head, a few songs that make me hurt so good. i've put a few below:
exist music (for a film)- radiohead
this song sounds like a dark ally. it sounds like a dark theater. it looses control. it "hopes that you choke." the chills in this song come from thom yorke's delicious and talented brain.
sister winter- sufjan stevens
i bought this cd box set when we lost power for 8 or 9 days in december 2007. the songs are a mesh of holiday traditionals and originals by ss. i wore this track out. i was getting over some friendships. and not unhappy about it. i was feeling selfish and self-centered. worried. content. okay with wanting nothing more than what was important to me. it's a dark song and yet ends with this odd christmas greeting. when i hear it now i remember the empowering feeling of de-friending the dead weight. and of the bitter dark and cold of that week and a half. "i apologize"
long road - pearl jam
this was pearl jam when i loved pearl jam hard. "i have wished for so long / how i wished for you today"
i will sing you songs- my morning jacket
nothing says lovin' like a nine minute song. sure i like some of the newer mmj, but it still moves will always be my favorite album. it reminds me of where and when i bought it. october. lawrence, ks. being single (which was about 9 months of my whole life, heh). walking. smoking. takeout in my motel room. it makes me feel lonely but happy. loved. content. these are good chills. "just don't make it last any longer than it has to"
minmin- do make say think
anything off 'goodbye enemy starship' would do it. again a when and where album. there's something clean about no lyrics. something exploratory in the build up. i think the chills for me come in the waiting.
you're it.
i use this blog as something like a....conversation starter. two blogs ago, it was titled "join me, won't you" meant to offer up activities i wanted to pursue and invite your input and company. alas. the blog prior to this was titled "don't delete" to remind me that it's okay to say what i want here. again. not so successful. so this time "you should probably" is a more direct title, yet still inviting i hope. trying to solicit your ideas via a suggestion. it's what i wish i had more of in my life. conversation. idea exchange. yeah, i like to be light and joke with the best of them. i like company more than conversation perhaps. i do wish i was part of more long dinners. more sitting and talking. more walks and thoughts. in between those times i write to you here and hope it compels you to participate.
~~~
the npr all songs considered blog had an interesting topic: "Can you think of a song that gives you the chills, time after time? Why is that, and how does it happen?" there are pages and pages of responses. and when i read through them i thought to myself---there are so many songs here that affect people that either i've never heard of or would have never in a million year have chosen. a few made me think. i agreed with others. but the thought that there is no wrong answer to the question...no room for judgment. are YOU going to tell ME the song that gives me chills is dumb? wrong? worthless? if so you're a douche. the correct response would be, "really? amazing! you know which song really gets me is...." and i wish more of us were like that. didn't knee jerk judge other people's ideas and opinions. the conversation, to me, comes in when we can say, "i hadn't thought of that." or "tell me more about that." it's pretty much over when you say, "that's retarded."
so let's converse. off the top of your head, what's a couple of songs that really affect you? give you chills, or---what i would use as a good and bad term--makes you hurt. and maybe why if you're willing.
off the top of my head, a few songs that make me hurt so good. i've put a few below:
exist music (for a film)- radiohead
this song sounds like a dark ally. it sounds like a dark theater. it looses control. it "hopes that you choke." the chills in this song come from thom yorke's delicious and talented brain.
sister winter- sufjan stevens
i bought this cd box set when we lost power for 8 or 9 days in december 2007. the songs are a mesh of holiday traditionals and originals by ss. i wore this track out. i was getting over some friendships. and not unhappy about it. i was feeling selfish and self-centered. worried. content. okay with wanting nothing more than what was important to me. it's a dark song and yet ends with this odd christmas greeting. when i hear it now i remember the empowering feeling of de-friending the dead weight. and of the bitter dark and cold of that week and a half. "i apologize"
long road - pearl jam
this was pearl jam when i loved pearl jam hard. "i have wished for so long / how i wished for you today"
i will sing you songs- my morning jacket
nothing says lovin' like a nine minute song. sure i like some of the newer mmj, but it still moves will always be my favorite album. it reminds me of where and when i bought it. october. lawrence, ks. being single (which was about 9 months of my whole life, heh). walking. smoking. takeout in my motel room. it makes me feel lonely but happy. loved. content. these are good chills. "just don't make it last any longer than it has to"
minmin- do make say think
anything off 'goodbye enemy starship' would do it. again a when and where album. there's something clean about no lyrics. something exploratory in the build up. i think the chills for me come in the waiting.
you're it.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
try
"do or do not. there is no try." thanks, yoda. but try living that way. it's half empowering and half scary / seemingly impossible.
i want to try to eat foods with ingredients i can pronounce. that are naturally occurring if you will. you know what i'm getting at. this eliminates a lot of "low fat" or "fat free" which is scary for me. but it also does away with things fast food and things loaded with preservatives which has to be good, right?
i want to try to not think about work too much once i'm away from it. but i want to try to absorb ideas and be smart about what i do.
i want to try and be in the moment a bit more. i'm always thinking of 5 days from now. or more.
you should probably tell me what you want to try. to do. or to do not.
i want to try to eat foods with ingredients i can pronounce. that are naturally occurring if you will. you know what i'm getting at. this eliminates a lot of "low fat" or "fat free" which is scary for me. but it also does away with things fast food and things loaded with preservatives which has to be good, right?
i want to try to not think about work too much once i'm away from it. but i want to try to absorb ideas and be smart about what i do.
i want to try and be in the moment a bit more. i'm always thinking of 5 days from now. or more.
you should probably tell me what you want to try. to do. or to do not.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
try one bite
what makes someone a chef? is it a white hat? credentials from some fancy food school? what makes someone a cook? what makes one good at cooking? don't "chefs" sometimes have an overdone omelet or a flat cake? does bobby flay ever burn a burger or use a cook book to recall a favorite recipe. sure sure sure
just thinking. about how i want to make the entire five course mexican meal for six that i read about in the june issue of bon appetite. is it wrong that i would literally copy step by step each recipe. what if it was good? what if everyone loved it? would i be a good cook or simply someone who followed directions? i'll say this...87% of the time i am someone who simply follows words on a page.
over time you get braver. repetition can be tasted. you can tell my pasta fagioli or taco soup has a bit more "umph" to it. because i've made them many many many times and love them and love to share them. my mom's chocolate caramel brownies...hit and miss. they're hers. i just try to recreate.
and sometimes you get creative. knowing the next two weeks will be uber frugal at case de harper due to my upcoming (expensive) business trip, i went to the farmer's market a bit listless saturday. but after buying a few veg items i stopped by the grocery store on my way home, sat in the parking lot and on a scrap of paper banged out a menu for the week. a tasty one i might add. after considering what trusty staples i had in my pantry and buying the items that would round out the farmer's market buy i spent a total of maybe $40. that's for two adults to eat four dinners plus leftovers for my lunch. not shabby. so what does that make me? creative? frugal? a good cook? i dunno...but it made me feel proud...and full as i'm polishing off my leftover-lunch salad of romaine and beet greens with strawberries (all from fm)walnuts and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
again, the chubby girl (i'm more nigella than giada)does not in theory feel comfortable writing about food. or to show complete and utter joy in it. but i've found a thing i enjoy. may not be a pro at. but it makes me think. makes me use my hands. makes me consider. i get to share it. it nourishes me. it makes me creative and create. and how , in a sense then, is it any different than scrap booking, gardening, photography or other hobby....
just some thoughts today.
you should probably tell me what hobby you enjoy and feel proud of.
just thinking. about how i want to make the entire five course mexican meal for six that i read about in the june issue of bon appetite. is it wrong that i would literally copy step by step each recipe. what if it was good? what if everyone loved it? would i be a good cook or simply someone who followed directions? i'll say this...87% of the time i am someone who simply follows words on a page.
over time you get braver. repetition can be tasted. you can tell my pasta fagioli or taco soup has a bit more "umph" to it. because i've made them many many many times and love them and love to share them. my mom's chocolate caramel brownies...hit and miss. they're hers. i just try to recreate.
and sometimes you get creative. knowing the next two weeks will be uber frugal at case de harper due to my upcoming (expensive) business trip, i went to the farmer's market a bit listless saturday. but after buying a few veg items i stopped by the grocery store on my way home, sat in the parking lot and on a scrap of paper banged out a menu for the week. a tasty one i might add. after considering what trusty staples i had in my pantry and buying the items that would round out the farmer's market buy i spent a total of maybe $40. that's for two adults to eat four dinners plus leftovers for my lunch. not shabby. so what does that make me? creative? frugal? a good cook? i dunno...but it made me feel proud...and full as i'm polishing off my leftover-lunch salad of romaine and beet greens with strawberries (all from fm)walnuts and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
again, the chubby girl (i'm more nigella than giada)does not in theory feel comfortable writing about food. or to show complete and utter joy in it. but i've found a thing i enjoy. may not be a pro at. but it makes me think. makes me use my hands. makes me consider. i get to share it. it nourishes me. it makes me creative and create. and how , in a sense then, is it any different than scrap booking, gardening, photography or other hobby....
just some thoughts today.
you should probably tell me what hobby you enjoy and feel proud of.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
feel it more
happiness is washing the grit off lettuce that came from the ground about 20 miles away. the bright, intense red juice the stems leak on the scissors when trimming the greens from the beets. it is the smell of strawberries, tiny and perfect, as they rest waiting to be savored and shared. happiness is not noticing 30 minutes has slipped by while i walk from plant to plant outside whole foods sniffing and tasting. dreaming of buying them all. will i plant the basil and parsley in the same pot. will the mint over take the lavender. do i really need marjoram. loving the lack of knowledge i have. how can there be SO MANY tomato varieties. how did they come up with pineapple sage. what is a chocolate mint plant. happiness is hours in a day to do whatever i want. the way my cat looks so bored all the time. opening a window so he can peak out because i think it makes him happy. i like the sunlight too. hearing the coffee pot shut off and knowing a fresh warm cup is just a few feet away. being able to skip songs on itunes. remembering for a few seconds what it felt like to like this song in 2004. or 2001. 0r 1990. doing little things for the one i love the most.
its a good day.
you should probably tell me what made you happy today.
its a good day.
you should probably tell me what made you happy today.
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