I'd be happy to look 50% like Josh Hartnett... so I'll take 63% any day :)
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Monday, October 08, 2007
OMG Soup.
Ok, it's October, and even though the temperature has been consistently in the 80's, I just can't help eating like it's Fall:
Several cloves of garlic, and half an onion, sauteed in olive oil; half an acorn squash, a couple carrots, and 4 little red potatoes, all chopped up and steamed until soft; sea salt and fresh ground pepper; put all in a blender with the reserved steaming liquid.
Yum.
Several cloves of garlic, and half an onion, sauteed in olive oil; half an acorn squash, a couple carrots, and 4 little red potatoes, all chopped up and steamed until soft; sea salt and fresh ground pepper; put all in a blender with the reserved steaming liquid.
Yum.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
I love cooking for one
I never understood why some people say they just don't think it's worth the trouble to cook just for themselves. It's one of my favorite things to do. Lately, I've been finding all sorts of ways to cook yummy things without animal products of any kind. No, I have not totally made a declaration of true veganism, but I find I'm so happy and guilt-free when I know I've made food choices that are better for me, for the environment, and most certainly for the animals of the world!
Here are two dishes I made recently that came out GREAT:
Quinoa, Kale and Cherry Tomato Pilaf
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1 veggie bouillon cube
1 bunch of kale, torn into small pieces
1 dozen or so cherry tomatoes, cut into halves or quarters
This is ridiculously quick and easy. You may rinse the quinoa, sometimes unrinsed quinoa is a little bitter. You basically throw everything in a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 15 or 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff it up with a fork and chow down! It's high in protein (quinoa is a complete protein), calcium, iron, all sorts of goodness, and basically fat-free.
Inari Stuffed with Rice and Veggies
Ok, this one's a little more complicated, so I'm not going to type out the whole recipe, but basically I made sushi rice and mixed it with seasoning and veggies, then stuffed it inside fried, marinated tofu pockets (inarizushi-no-moto). The tofu pockets come from the Asian grocery, and come in a can of about 16 pieces. I have done this with various veggie combinations, like edamame, green onions, and nori fumi furikake (a japanese rice seasoning). This time I went all out (and wanted to use up some veggies that were sitting around, so I used avocado, cucumber, green onions, carrots, shitake mushrooms (sauteed in peanut oil, ginger & soy sauce), and the aforementioned furikake seasoning.
These are so good, I ate several during the stuffing process, brought 5 to work with me for lunch the following day, then finished the rest off when I got home from work. They can be dipped in soy sauce, or just eaten as is. The only downside is the prepared tofu is made with MSG (apparently that's the "no-moto" part), which I would rather avoid, though it doesn't seem to give me headaches or anything. If anyone knows where to get non-msg inarizushi - a longshot, I realize, given my huge audience - let me know!
Here are two dishes I made recently that came out GREAT:
Quinoa, Kale and Cherry Tomato Pilaf
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1 veggie bouillon cube
1 bunch of kale, torn into small pieces
1 dozen or so cherry tomatoes, cut into halves or quarters
This is ridiculously quick and easy. You may rinse the quinoa, sometimes unrinsed quinoa is a little bitter. You basically throw everything in a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 15 or 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff it up with a fork and chow down! It's high in protein (quinoa is a complete protein), calcium, iron, all sorts of goodness, and basically fat-free.
Inari Stuffed with Rice and Veggies
Ok, this one's a little more complicated, so I'm not going to type out the whole recipe, but basically I made sushi rice and mixed it with seasoning and veggies, then stuffed it inside fried, marinated tofu pockets (inarizushi-no-moto). The tofu pockets come from the Asian grocery, and come in a can of about 16 pieces. I have done this with various veggie combinations, like edamame, green onions, and nori fumi furikake (a japanese rice seasoning). This time I went all out (and wanted to use up some veggies that were sitting around, so I used avocado, cucumber, green onions, carrots, shitake mushrooms (sauteed in peanut oil, ginger & soy sauce), and the aforementioned furikake seasoning.
These are so good, I ate several during the stuffing process, brought 5 to work with me for lunch the following day, then finished the rest off when I got home from work. They can be dipped in soy sauce, or just eaten as is. The only downside is the prepared tofu is made with MSG (apparently that's the "no-moto" part), which I would rather avoid, though it doesn't seem to give me headaches or anything. If anyone knows where to get non-msg inarizushi - a longshot, I realize, given my huge audience - let me know!
Monday, September 03, 2007
linky link
You might remember, dear readers, my trip to Berlin. About a year ago I went over to visit Mark Butler, who was living and doing research there. He is back over there for the whole Fall semester, and has started up a new blog, for those of you who might be interested.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
I heart Colleen Patrick-Goudreu
She is the founder of Compassionate Cooks - and has a fabulous vegan podcast that I get through iTunes, called Vegetarian Food for Thought. I have learned so much from listening to her, AND the clincher was today, when I made her "Better Than Tuna Salad" - which came out great!
(from Greenoptions.com)
Better-than-Tuna Salad
Serves 4-6, depending on serving style: sandwiches or side dish
1 can organic garbanzo beans/chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (or more) eggless mayonnaise (Wildwood’s Garlic Aioli, Nayonnaise, or Vegenaise are great options)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 scallions (white and light green parts), finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
Black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Add the chick peas to a food processor or blender and grind them down into small pieces. You can even grind them down so it becomes somewhat like a thick puree. The ultimate texture is up to you. Grinding the beans is optional, but I find that it’s easier to eat it as a sandwich this way; plus, it really does resemble tuna in taste and texture when the beans are ground up. It's best if you use the "pulse" button on your food processor so you can control the ultimate texture of the beans.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Season with salt, pepper, and the amount of aioli/eggless mayonnaise you desire.
Serving Suggestions:
*Wonderful as a sandwich filling on a hard roll or stuffed in a pita
*Serve on crackers as an appetizer or party dish
*Serve as a side salad – great for picnics and BBQs!
Variation Suggestions:
*Of course you may also use beans made from scratch, as opposed to canned beans.
*Use cubed, steamed tempeh for a “Better Than Chicken Salad."
*Use potatoes for a tasty potato salad.
*Use mashed extra firm tofu for an “eggless egg” salad.
*The walnuts are optional, but they add a really nice texture.
*You may sprinkle some kelp flakes in as well, to really add to the “fishy” flavor.
I used red onion instead of scallions, and just estimated most of the quantities, and I used Nayonnaise. I chopped everything with a food processor to get it done quickly. But I'm thinking a simple version of just the chickpeas, onion, mayo, maybe celery and/or walnuts would be great for making back-to-school bag lunch sandwiches. Yum! And no dead fish or tortured chickens were involved!
(from Greenoptions.com)
Better-than-Tuna Salad
Serves 4-6, depending on serving style: sandwiches or side dish
1 can organic garbanzo beans/chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (or more) eggless mayonnaise (Wildwood’s Garlic Aioli, Nayonnaise, or Vegenaise are great options)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 scallions (white and light green parts), finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
Black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Add the chick peas to a food processor or blender and grind them down into small pieces. You can even grind them down so it becomes somewhat like a thick puree. The ultimate texture is up to you. Grinding the beans is optional, but I find that it’s easier to eat it as a sandwich this way; plus, it really does resemble tuna in taste and texture when the beans are ground up. It's best if you use the "pulse" button on your food processor so you can control the ultimate texture of the beans.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Season with salt, pepper, and the amount of aioli/eggless mayonnaise you desire.
Serving Suggestions:
*Wonderful as a sandwich filling on a hard roll or stuffed in a pita
*Serve on crackers as an appetizer or party dish
*Serve as a side salad – great for picnics and BBQs!
Variation Suggestions:
*Of course you may also use beans made from scratch, as opposed to canned beans.
*Use cubed, steamed tempeh for a “Better Than Chicken Salad."
*Use potatoes for a tasty potato salad.
*Use mashed extra firm tofu for an “eggless egg” salad.
*The walnuts are optional, but they add a really nice texture.
*You may sprinkle some kelp flakes in as well, to really add to the “fishy” flavor.
I used red onion instead of scallions, and just estimated most of the quantities, and I used Nayonnaise. I chopped everything with a food processor to get it done quickly. But I'm thinking a simple version of just the chickpeas, onion, mayo, maybe celery and/or walnuts would be great for making back-to-school bag lunch sandwiches. Yum! And no dead fish or tortured chickens were involved!
Monday, August 06, 2007
my (lacking) memory
People who know me well know better than to ask me the plot of a movie, book, or play, if it has been months or years since I've seen/read it. For some reason my brain doesn't hold on to narrative. I'm not sure what's wrong with me. I can tell you whether or not it was a good movie, book, or play, and whether or not I liked it. I can recall how it made me feel. Who was in it? Maybe. (You know, that guy who was in that other movie, with that other guy where they, uh... oh forget it.) What exactly happens in it? No clue. A vague remeniscence of the general subject matter, ok, probably, but actual plot? Never. Not unless I've seen it over and over again. Sure I can tell you the story of the Wizard of Oz, but only because I've seen it a zillion times.
I say my brain doesn't hold on to the plot, but that's not exactly accurate. More than once, I've rented a movie that I've already seen. I've even read the summary feeling fairly certain that I'd never seen it, but in the first few minutes of the film, a light bulb goes on. The synapses connect, and an overwhelming "oh yeah!" feeling brings the whole story flooding back to me. It's as though the information is tucked away, but I just can't get at it. It's frustrating at times, but nothing I can't live with.
Take, for example, "Gone With The Wind." I know I loved it, I know it's about the Civil War, I know Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler are in love, and that he's a soldier, that he goes and comes back, and "Frankly... I don't give a damn." What doesn't he give a damn about? Not sure. I know Tara, the plantation, burns. I know a thing or two about Hattie McDaniel. I know Scarlett has some kind of "let's worry about it tomorrow" thing going on. This is actually quite a bit more than I can remember about most movies, which is next to nothing, but still I can't say what happens, in what sequence, or retrieve the details from my mind. I haven't seen it for several years, but I know if I saw it tonight, it would all come back to me during the first scene.
This weekend I stored several more narratives in my memory banks, wondering as I always do, "Will I remember this in a week? A month? A year?" How can I stop losing this information, or at least, losing the pathways that let me unlock the information that just sits there? This weekend I saw a play, "Eurydice", three movies: "Mon meilleur ami", "The Fan", and "Sicko", and I finished one book, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. I don't really have the time or the desire to keep notes about these stories. I wish I could talk intelligently about them a year from now, but I don't know if it will be possible! ("The Fan" was worth forgetting, but the others were good, and "Sicko" was great.)
Is it from the countless hours I spent watching terrible TV sitcoms as a kid, that kind of vegetating I did in front of the tube where the brain is virtually turned off? How many times did I go to the kitchen to get a snack during a commercial, and not even remember what it was I had been watching? Of course all those Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island and Bewitched episodes are also stored away, somewhere beside the Ingmar Bergman and Krzysztof Kieslowski films, just next to the Vonnegut novels, and behind various musicals, plays, and operas I've seen over the years. I guess there's some comfort in knowing they're somewhere in there.
I say my brain doesn't hold on to the plot, but that's not exactly accurate. More than once, I've rented a movie that I've already seen. I've even read the summary feeling fairly certain that I'd never seen it, but in the first few minutes of the film, a light bulb goes on. The synapses connect, and an overwhelming "oh yeah!" feeling brings the whole story flooding back to me. It's as though the information is tucked away, but I just can't get at it. It's frustrating at times, but nothing I can't live with.
Take, for example, "Gone With The Wind." I know I loved it, I know it's about the Civil War, I know Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler are in love, and that he's a soldier, that he goes and comes back, and "Frankly... I don't give a damn." What doesn't he give a damn about? Not sure. I know Tara, the plantation, burns. I know a thing or two about Hattie McDaniel. I know Scarlett has some kind of "let's worry about it tomorrow" thing going on. This is actually quite a bit more than I can remember about most movies, which is next to nothing, but still I can't say what happens, in what sequence, or retrieve the details from my mind. I haven't seen it for several years, but I know if I saw it tonight, it would all come back to me during the first scene.
This weekend I stored several more narratives in my memory banks, wondering as I always do, "Will I remember this in a week? A month? A year?" How can I stop losing this information, or at least, losing the pathways that let me unlock the information that just sits there? This weekend I saw a play, "Eurydice", three movies: "Mon meilleur ami", "The Fan", and "Sicko", and I finished one book, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. I don't really have the time or the desire to keep notes about these stories. I wish I could talk intelligently about them a year from now, but I don't know if it will be possible! ("The Fan" was worth forgetting, but the others were good, and "Sicko" was great.)
Is it from the countless hours I spent watching terrible TV sitcoms as a kid, that kind of vegetating I did in front of the tube where the brain is virtually turned off? How many times did I go to the kitchen to get a snack during a commercial, and not even remember what it was I had been watching? Of course all those Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island and Bewitched episodes are also stored away, somewhere beside the Ingmar Bergman and Krzysztof Kieslowski films, just next to the Vonnegut novels, and behind various musicals, plays, and operas I've seen over the years. I guess there's some comfort in knowing they're somewhere in there.
Friday, July 27, 2007
renovations, phase II
I decided to do paint my bathroom next, since it was small enough to tackle in one day, didn't involve a huge amount of furniture moving, and didn't require any new sheetrock (as my living room now does.)
I took a chance and bought the color "American Blue" - it only took one quart - without even bringing home a sample! I have to say, it turned out pretty good. Definitely better than the chipping dirty white paint that preceded it. Before:
And after: 
Friday, July 13, 2007
facelift for my kitchen
Right before I left for Hawaii, my landlord finally got around to fixing my kitchen floor. It had obviously been rotting out underneath the linoleum for quite some time. The clincher was when I saw soap bubbles coming out between the wall and the floor! They tore a huge hole in both the floor and the wall, and replaced pipes, rebuilt the floor, etc. When I got home from my trip it was almost done, but it was left looking like this:
Unfinished, flithy walls, tons of dust everywhere, a lumpy-bumpy concrete floor with a ratty piece of linoleum simply laying on it, no baseboards. To add insult to injury, when I called my landlord asking when I was going to have a real floor, he started threatening to not renew my lease! WTF?!
Anyway, after much discussion about how I was not asking for anything unreasonable, he agreed to get a professional in to do the floor, and I offered to finish the walls. Finally, at about midnight last night, I finished paining, and was able to move my stuff back into the kitchen:
Hooray! It's hard to see the exact color in the photos, but the walls are "pale tangerine". I'm so happy with it, I just might tackle my living room next...
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Summer Rolls and Mochi! Hooray!
After my 9:00am dentist appointment, I thought I'd reward myself with a trip to the asian supermarket. Ever since I tasted mochi ice cream treats - little bonbons of ice cream covered in mochi - in Hawaii, I've been craving them. (Ha, now that I looked on wikipedia for mochi, I see it's available at Trader Joe's - so maybe it's not that exotic anymore...) Nevertheless, I hit the jackpot at the asian store. They had green tea, red bean, and mango flavors. I decided to get the green tea and the mango:
I also bought a bunch of other stuff for making sushi and for summer rolls. I decided since I had to get rid of some lettuce and green onions, I'd make some summer rolls when I got home. It was my first time, so I was kind of nervous working with rice paper! But I think I figured it out pretty well:
Thanks to some cooking tips from Miss K, I was pretty sure I could come up with something tasty. They're stuffed with romaine lettuce, tofu (fried in sesame oil, ginger, soy sauce, lime), mint leaves, green onion, and rice vermicelli. Yum! Dipping sauce is soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, & a splash orange-mango juice.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
The Submarine Ride in Kailua-Kona
Who knew? In Kona you can get on a submarine that seats about 20 people, and dive a hundred feet below the surface! Coral reef, pretty fishies, shipwrecks... so cool!
More airplane photos
The other highlight of the plane ride was seeing the Hamakua coast from the air. The view of these huge gorges, lush vegetation, and beautiful waterfalls was spectacular. 
At one point the pilot said, "watch this!" and did a turn that revealed these beauties:
This is the only road that leads down into the Waipio Valley:
Two days earlier, Kirsten and I made a valiant attempt at walking down it. It was so steep, and so hard just to walk down, we decided to stop (we think) about 1/3 of the way. Going back up was a workout!
On the way back up, we ran into a Japanese family walking down, that included an old lady with a walker! I don't know how they got her back up! We didn't take her picture, but here's Miss K. illustrating just how steep hit is...
Monday, June 18, 2007
Madame Pele puts on a show
I have a lot of catching up to do, regarding activities on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday was pretty amazing, so I'd better just start with that. We took an air tour of the island, and as luck would have it, Kilauea was especially active. Our pilot told us that Volcano National Park was closed, and was being evacuated, because some roads could potentially be blocked. They had been having various earthquakes since 2am, around 3.5 in magnitude... So we went straight to the craters where the action was:
Then, down at the shoreline you can see new land being created as the lava spills into the ocean. The ocean water turns all kinds of weird colors from the extreme heat, and gives off nasty toxic fumes. YAY!
Coming soon... more airplane pictures, submarine pictures, pretty Place of Refuge pictures, black sand beaches, and waterfalls galore. I'll be back in Philly in about 24 hours, where I can do all my catching up. (I'll be hiding upstairs on the computer - away from the GIGANTIC MESS my landlord apparently made in not exactly fixing my kitchen floor...)
Very cool. There was red hot lava inside these craters, and chunks of the crater walls were falling in! Further on down the slope there were actual rivers of hot lava that were visible:
Then, down at the shoreline you can see new land being created as the lava spills into the ocean. The ocean water turns all kinds of weird colors from the extreme heat, and gives off nasty toxic fumes. YAY!
Coming soon... more airplane pictures, submarine pictures, pretty Place of Refuge pictures, black sand beaches, and waterfalls galore. I'll be back in Philly in about 24 hours, where I can do all my catching up. (I'll be hiding upstairs on the computer - away from the GIGANTIC MESS my landlord apparently made in not exactly fixing my kitchen floor...)
Thursday, June 14, 2007
a day in Puna
What'd you call me?
Today Kirsten and I drove down the east coast of Hawai'i to the area known as Puna - it's the most recently formed part of the island. We walked on beds of lava that were the result of a flow from around 1990. Most of it is Pahoehoe, lava that is smooth and often has these cool ropy patterns:
We stopped along the way for three yummy varieties of Poke (cubes of raw ahi tuna with various seasonings). Also on the way we stopped at Lili'uokalani Park in Hilo. Very pretty. It's been raining off and on (mostly on) like crazy, but we get occasional breaks of sunlight, so we took full advantage of those moments. It was high tide, so the tidepools (where one often finds pretty tropical fishies, or heat from underground vents) were overwhelmed with cold ocean water flushing in.
Today Kirsten and I drove down the east coast of Hawai'i to the area known as Puna - it's the most recently formed part of the island. We walked on beds of lava that were the result of a flow from around 1990. Most of it is Pahoehoe, lava that is smooth and often has these cool ropy patterns:
We stopped along the way for three yummy varieties of Poke (cubes of raw ahi tuna with various seasonings). Also on the way we stopped at Lili'uokalani Park in Hilo. Very pretty. It's been raining off and on (mostly on) like crazy, but we get occasional breaks of sunlight, so we took full advantage of those moments. It was high tide, so the tidepools (where one often finds pretty tropical fishies, or heat from underground vents) were overwhelmed with cold ocean water flushing in.
Still, we got to stick our feet in the water a little. Also saw the Lava Tree state monument, which is very cool. Lots of carcasses of former trees that got burnt up by lava flows.
Tonight we're back in Hilo, getting ready for a nice Thai dinner and preparing for our road trip to the Kona coast tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
In Hawaii!
Susan Miller was right again - she said Mercury was retrograde, and technical glitches & communication problems were to be expected... My flight from Newark to Honolulu ended up arriving late, due to two patches of weather we had to circumnavigate. However the 10+ hour ride wasn't bad, all in all. I did get fantastic views of the Great Lakes, then the Great Salt Lake, and also Lake Tahoe. I missed my connection, though, and ended up having to spend the night in Honolulu, delaying my arrival in Hilo until this morning.
Once I got here, Miss K greeted me at the airport with a beautiful fresh Lei, and took me immediately to Ken's pancake house for a yummy breakfast. We poked around downtown Hilo, and I went to a little show called "Hawai'iana" at the Palace Theater. They are a historic movie house from the 1920's that showed silent films accompanied by a theater organ. I got to hear the organ and some traditional Hawaiian music & stuff.
We went to the farmer's market after that and got summer rolls, pumpkin & tofu curry, & cold coconuts to drink from. Yum!
It's been raining like the dickens this afternoon, which provided the perfect backdrop for a much needed nap. Jetlag (plus the need to get on a plane super early) got me up at about 4:30am today...
Looks like sushi tonight and a trip to Puna tomorrow.
Once I got here, Miss K greeted me at the airport with a beautiful fresh Lei, and took me immediately to Ken's pancake house for a yummy breakfast. We poked around downtown Hilo, and I went to a little show called "Hawai'iana" at the Palace Theater. They are a historic movie house from the 1920's that showed silent films accompanied by a theater organ. I got to hear the organ and some traditional Hawaiian music & stuff.
We went to the farmer's market after that and got summer rolls, pumpkin & tofu curry, & cold coconuts to drink from. Yum!
Looks like sushi tonight and a trip to Puna tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
what's goin on...
My band, NMR, is playing this Friday night at Sisters. Come see us if you're in the Philly area!
I'm heading up to NYC on Saturday to spend Memorial Day weekend with my boys, DS & Eric. YAY we're gonna have fun.
Lastly, I'm launching a new website, dedicated to ME! Well, to me as a pianist. It is a step in the right direction, I hope, to furthering my career. Plus I want it to be a resource for my zillion-and-a-half students, where they can read about upcoming concerts, where to order music, what editions are good, recordings, practice techniques and habits, etc. Right now it's just a page with no active linkies yet - but it is at www.bradshawpiano.com. I will blog again when I launch the site in its full working glory!
I'm heading up to NYC on Saturday to spend Memorial Day weekend with my boys, DS & Eric. YAY we're gonna have fun.
Lastly, I'm launching a new website, dedicated to ME! Well, to me as a pianist. It is a step in the right direction, I hope, to furthering my career. Plus I want it to be a resource for my zillion-and-a-half students, where they can read about upcoming concerts, where to order music, what editions are good, recordings, practice techniques and habits, etc. Right now it's just a page with no active linkies yet - but it is at www.bradshawpiano.com. I will blog again when I launch the site in its full working glory!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
In the starz
I always try to read my astrology zone forecast at the beginning of the month, when it comes out. This Susan Miller lady writes these really long, detailed monthly horoscopes. (She also inevitable says something funny regarding Uranus. This month it was "Mercury will move over Uranus at almost precisely the time of the full moon on April 2...") Anyway, I had been thinking about booking a June trip to Hawaii to visit my beloved Miss K, and noticed this little blurb in my forecast for April:
"At the new moon, April 17, if you've been toying with an idea of going abroad for a vacation or study, the pieces of your puzzle will slip into place. The coming year really glows for international travel - if it's within the realm, make it a priority this year. (A trip in June would be great). If an overseas trip isn't possible, take a journey to a locale that's new to you but close by, perhaps in your own country. Spin your compass over the weekend of April 21 - 22, for Mercury's collaboration to Jupiter will make it zesty fun."
Well who doesn't like a little zesty fun?! So I thought I'd wait and see what deals I'd find if I checked all the travel websites on April 21st. Lo and behold, my itinerary:
Hawaya, here I come!
Here's a teaser pic of Miss K's new hood:
"At the new moon, April 17, if you've been toying with an idea of going abroad for a vacation or study, the pieces of your puzzle will slip into place. The coming year really glows for international travel - if it's within the realm, make it a priority this year. (A trip in June would be great). If an overseas trip isn't possible, take a journey to a locale that's new to you but close by, perhaps in your own country. Spin your compass over the weekend of April 21 - 22, for Mercury's collaboration to Jupiter will make it zesty fun."
Well who doesn't like a little zesty fun?! So I thought I'd wait and see what deals I'd find if I checked all the travel websites on April 21st. Lo and behold, my itinerary:
June 12: Amtrak to Newark, direct flight to Honalulu,
little island-jumper flight to Hilo
June 19: little island-jumper flight to Honalulu, overnight flight back to Newark,
June 20: Amtrak train back to Philly
total cost... (I still can't believe it) $577.54
Hawaya, here I come!
Here's a teaser pic of Miss K's new hood:
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Soloist
I went to college and graduate school to play piano. I didn't have a clear idea of what that meant for my ultimate career, but I just knew I wanted to keep playing, keep learning, keep improving. I did a substantial amount of performing during those years, something like six solo recitals in all, plus many more in collaboration with others. Performing was always stressful, but occasionally it was so tremendously rewarding and such a transcendent experience, that I knew no matter how challenging and often frustrating it was, I needed to keep doing it. I continue to perform to this day, collaborating with my long-time piano duo partner, Maria, but it has been (*gasp*) over 10 years since I have performed solo. Part of me yearns to have that experience again.
I have never stopped wanting to perform solo repertoire, but somehow I've just stopped doing it. I refuse to give up, though - I still believe there is another solo recital in me. (Maybe even dozens of them.) Usually a little later in the year than this, say around the beginning of the summer, I start thinking, "Ok, Chris, you've got the whole summer ahead of you. Your schedule is much lighter; you should use these months to learn a solo program so it's ready to perform in the Fall."
The summer then slips by and I know a couple pieces pretty well, and I proceed to neglect and forget them once I go back to my full-tilt schedule in the Fall. Fast-forward to the next summer, and repeat the same disappointing cycle.
How to break it? It seems like it should be simple. Choose the repertoire, set specific goals, create a reasonable practice schedule, and stick to it! Shouldn't that work? If I start getting organized now, maybe I can do it this year!
Today I listened to part of a recording of one of my grad school recitals - some Brahms mostly - just to remind myself that I have the capacity to do it. Of course, back then my whole life revolved around the practice room, and I didn't have to work an insane schedule to pay the bills. So now I have less time, but I think I have more ability to use that time efficiently if I set my mind to it.
Will this be the summer of success?
I have never stopped wanting to perform solo repertoire, but somehow I've just stopped doing it. I refuse to give up, though - I still believe there is another solo recital in me. (Maybe even dozens of them.) Usually a little later in the year than this, say around the beginning of the summer, I start thinking, "Ok, Chris, you've got the whole summer ahead of you. Your schedule is much lighter; you should use these months to learn a solo program so it's ready to perform in the Fall."
The summer then slips by and I know a couple pieces pretty well, and I proceed to neglect and forget them once I go back to my full-tilt schedule in the Fall. Fast-forward to the next summer, and repeat the same disappointing cycle.
How to break it? It seems like it should be simple. Choose the repertoire, set specific goals, create a reasonable practice schedule, and stick to it! Shouldn't that work? If I start getting organized now, maybe I can do it this year!
Today I listened to part of a recording of one of my grad school recitals - some Brahms mostly - just to remind myself that I have the capacity to do it. Of course, back then my whole life revolved around the practice room, and I didn't have to work an insane schedule to pay the bills. So now I have less time, but I think I have more ability to use that time efficiently if I set my mind to it.
Will this be the summer of success?
Monday, February 12, 2007
going vegan?
Recently I listened to several episodes of a podcast called "Vegetarian food for thought." I have been a vegetarian (of sorts) since the age of 18. I've never completely eliminated animal products, such as eggs and dairy, and I've almost always included fish in my diet as well, which really means I'm not a vegetarian at all. However, chickens, pigs and cows have been out since I was 18. (I won't say how long ago that was!)
I like to think I'm pretty freethinking, and not extremely impressionable, but this podcast is very persuasive. It certainly reinforced my decision to never eat chickens, pigs and cows. In fact, It made me want to eliminate all animal products. I truly don't need them. The idea that vegetarians can't get enough protein from plant sources is a myth, and I know I don't want to be a part of a system that regularly abuses, tortures, mutilates and kills animals. But can I go all the way?
Is it selfish and greedy to not want to give up sushi? I do love it, even though I don't need it to live. Can cucumber rolls cut it for me? Is it hypocritical to say it's ok to kill fish but not ok to kill chickens? I can probably do without eggs... but cheese? I love cheese! I also own leather shoes and belts, though I don't think I could handle owning a leather jacket. Again, not very consistent, I know.
I guess people subscribe to all sorts of ethical codes, and aren't necessarily perfect adherents to those codes. (Just look at religions!) So for now I guess I'm doing what I can, eating what I'm comfortable eating, wearing what I'm comfortable wearing, and denying what I'm comfortable denying! For the moment I'm not changing anything, but it's in the back of my mind. I'll keep you posted.
I like to think I'm pretty freethinking, and not extremely impressionable, but this podcast is very persuasive. It certainly reinforced my decision to never eat chickens, pigs and cows. In fact, It made me want to eliminate all animal products. I truly don't need them. The idea that vegetarians can't get enough protein from plant sources is a myth, and I know I don't want to be a part of a system that regularly abuses, tortures, mutilates and kills animals. But can I go all the way?
Is it selfish and greedy to not want to give up sushi? I do love it, even though I don't need it to live. Can cucumber rolls cut it for me? Is it hypocritical to say it's ok to kill fish but not ok to kill chickens? I can probably do without eggs... but cheese? I love cheese! I also own leather shoes and belts, though I don't think I could handle owning a leather jacket. Again, not very consistent, I know.
I guess people subscribe to all sorts of ethical codes, and aren't necessarily perfect adherents to those codes. (Just look at religions!) So for now I guess I'm doing what I can, eating what I'm comfortable eating, wearing what I'm comfortable wearing, and denying what I'm comfortable denying! For the moment I'm not changing anything, but it's in the back of my mind. I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
keeping the momentum
"A recent trip overseas leaves Aries seeing everything through the eyes of a disenchanted American. Your old 'hood can certainly seem boring after a fun week away, but rest assured more such trips are in store for Aries."
This was in a December horoscope I came across the other day. Three weeks ago today, I was immersed in overwhelming art, architecture, music, food, and wine. Three weeks ago today, I spent nearly the entire day with a lump in my throat, not only because it was my last day in Paris, but because I had been on the verge of tears several times in quick succession. The first was upon entering the Sainte Chapelle
and being surrounded by overwhelming color. The next was upon seeing the Eiffel Tower at Sunset. 
The last was listening to Chopin and Liszt in a 12th Century church. (I mean, how much can a person bear in one day?)
I spent the next week almost constantly thinking about living in Paris. Was there a way to make it happen? Was I just romanticizing it because I saw it from a vacationer's perspective?
It seemed like the universe was sending me all sorts of signals that I needed to jump-start my life - to go after the things that I wanted, rather than sit back and let life happen to me. I heard a radio interview with Danny DeVito in which he spoke about just that. He said he had always gone after the things he most wanted, and pursued them relentlessly until he got them. I felt like he was speaking to me! I wasn't going to simply "go with the flow" any more.
Little by little, though, I got wrapped up in all the mundane things that tie me to this life, and this place. Am I content, as the horoscope says, knowing there will be more trips like the magical one of a few weeks ago? Or am I losing the momentum I had when the smell of the sidewalk creperies was still fresh in my mind?
This was in a December horoscope I came across the other day. Three weeks ago today, I was immersed in overwhelming art, architecture, music, food, and wine. Three weeks ago today, I spent nearly the entire day with a lump in my throat, not only because it was my last day in Paris, but because I had been on the verge of tears several times in quick succession. The first was upon entering the Sainte Chapelle
and being surrounded by overwhelming color. The next was upon seeing the Eiffel Tower at Sunset. 
The last was listening to Chopin and Liszt in a 12th Century church. (I mean, how much can a person bear in one day?)I spent the next week almost constantly thinking about living in Paris. Was there a way to make it happen? Was I just romanticizing it because I saw it from a vacationer's perspective?
It seemed like the universe was sending me all sorts of signals that I needed to jump-start my life - to go after the things that I wanted, rather than sit back and let life happen to me. I heard a radio interview with Danny DeVito in which he spoke about just that. He said he had always gone after the things he most wanted, and pursued them relentlessly until he got them. I felt like he was speaking to me! I wasn't going to simply "go with the flow" any more.
Little by little, though, I got wrapped up in all the mundane things that tie me to this life, and this place. Am I content, as the horoscope says, knowing there will be more trips like the magical one of a few weeks ago? Or am I losing the momentum I had when the smell of the sidewalk creperies was still fresh in my mind?
Monday, November 13, 2006
I'm still here!
Those of you who are instant message addicts, like me, surely know that an "away" message can express way more than simple non-presence. Whereas in the early days of IM, an away message consisted of a simple "I'm away from my computer right now", today an away message is an advertisement of your entire mental, physical and emotional state. "Ugh... Monday" or "at the gym" are meant to let our immediate chat realm know that we are less than happy to be back to work, or that we're ever-so-healthy and therefore sexually desirable.
Today is the first anniversary of the breakup of my most recent relationship. It lasted three and a half years, and ended one year ago today when I received an email saying we should no longer be a couple. That may sound like a cold way to end a relationship, but since all of our serious conversations for those three and a half years took place via email or text message, it was not at all surprising at the time. In the year since then, my ex- has been on and off my chat buddy list. At first it was way too painful to see his name there, constantly reminding me of his presence, so I removed him. Once in a while I put him back, sometimes out of curiosity - I wanted to know what his away messages said, despite the fact that they never express any emotional state. Apropos, I suppose, for someone who is emotionally detatched. Once in a while we actually chat. In honor of the anniversary of our breakup I have kept the following away message up almost all day for the past few days:
I’ve run the gamut,
A to Z.
Three cheers and dammit,
C’est La Vie.
I got through all of last year,
And I’m here.
Lord knows, at least I’ve been there,
And I’m here!
Look who’s here!
I’m still here!
-Stephen Sondheim
I rather enjoy the irony of an "away" message boldly proclaiming my presence. I have no way of knowing if my ex- still has me on his buddy list, or if he even reads my away messages. Tonight I came very close to IMing him something like "happy anniversary" or "can you believe it's been a year?" or simply, "do you know what today is?" But after some consideration, I realized there really was no point.
Twice this weekend, well-intentioned friends sent me text messages telling me they spotted my ex- somewhere in his neighborhood. A year ago, or even 6 months ago, it would have been yet another painful reminder of his presence - a vision of him in a familiar place, going about his life without me. Today I just don't care much. If he could see how often I go to those familiar places, going on with my life, it would balance out. Maybe well-intentioned people send him similar text messages. Maybe they don't. I did see him on Saturday night at two different local bars, for the first time in two months. I was with a group of friends, he was with a couple friends of his own. My heart didn't leap into my throat as it used to. If my pulse quickened, it was imperceptible. I didn't really care. We never said hi or even waved of made eye contact. He didn't stick around long in either place.
Just now, the guy with whom I've recently had three rather promising dates called. He just got back from a weekend visiting family in Toronto. That might have something to do with my feeling less concerned about running into my ex-boyfriend. This guy seems to be very sensitive, open, and communicative - the opposite of you-know-who. He's also extremely cultured and intelligent. Unfortunately he just called to say he was exhausted from travel and work, has a nasty cold, and is busy every night this week except tomorrow (when I'm busy). I'm leaving for Paris on Monday, so it's looking like we won't see each other for two weeks. I guess if it's meant to be, then in two weeks we'll pick up where we left off!
The good thing is that this new guy doesn't instant message.
Oh, and at this very moment, my ex- has the following away message up:
"at the gym... bbs..."
People love those dot-dot-dots...
Today is the first anniversary of the breakup of my most recent relationship. It lasted three and a half years, and ended one year ago today when I received an email saying we should no longer be a couple. That may sound like a cold way to end a relationship, but since all of our serious conversations for those three and a half years took place via email or text message, it was not at all surprising at the time. In the year since then, my ex- has been on and off my chat buddy list. At first it was way too painful to see his name there, constantly reminding me of his presence, so I removed him. Once in a while I put him back, sometimes out of curiosity - I wanted to know what his away messages said, despite the fact that they never express any emotional state. Apropos, I suppose, for someone who is emotionally detatched. Once in a while we actually chat. In honor of the anniversary of our breakup I have kept the following away message up almost all day for the past few days:
I’ve run the gamut,
A to Z.
Three cheers and dammit,
C’est La Vie.
I got through all of last year,
And I’m here.
Lord knows, at least I’ve been there,
And I’m here!
Look who’s here!
I’m still here!
-Stephen Sondheim
I rather enjoy the irony of an "away" message boldly proclaiming my presence. I have no way of knowing if my ex- still has me on his buddy list, or if he even reads my away messages. Tonight I came very close to IMing him something like "happy anniversary" or "can you believe it's been a year?" or simply, "do you know what today is?" But after some consideration, I realized there really was no point.
Twice this weekend, well-intentioned friends sent me text messages telling me they spotted my ex- somewhere in his neighborhood. A year ago, or even 6 months ago, it would have been yet another painful reminder of his presence - a vision of him in a familiar place, going about his life without me. Today I just don't care much. If he could see how often I go to those familiar places, going on with my life, it would balance out. Maybe well-intentioned people send him similar text messages. Maybe they don't. I did see him on Saturday night at two different local bars, for the first time in two months. I was with a group of friends, he was with a couple friends of his own. My heart didn't leap into my throat as it used to. If my pulse quickened, it was imperceptible. I didn't really care. We never said hi or even waved of made eye contact. He didn't stick around long in either place.
Just now, the guy with whom I've recently had three rather promising dates called. He just got back from a weekend visiting family in Toronto. That might have something to do with my feeling less concerned about running into my ex-boyfriend. This guy seems to be very sensitive, open, and communicative - the opposite of you-know-who. He's also extremely cultured and intelligent. Unfortunately he just called to say he was exhausted from travel and work, has a nasty cold, and is busy every night this week except tomorrow (when I'm busy). I'm leaving for Paris on Monday, so it's looking like we won't see each other for two weeks. I guess if it's meant to be, then in two weeks we'll pick up where we left off!
The good thing is that this new guy doesn't instant message.
Oh, and at this very moment, my ex- has the following away message up:
"at the gym... bbs..."
People love those dot-dot-dots...
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