Bea Arthur died on Saturday. Rest in peace, you funny lady.
Stuck in My Head
So I’m almost done working this camp at KAIST and I’ll get my life back in a little over 48 hours. Thank goodness.
Anyhow, today at the end of class I got this little song from back in the day stuck in my head. I thought I’d share it with you because, unlike a lot of songs that get stuck there, I actually like this one. Krista, Kelli- this one’s for you guys. It makes me think of dancing around the living room with you so many years ago.
Cooking up a Storm
I’m much better at cooking something nutritious and balanced if I’m cooking for someone other than just myself. However, I realized that with what I hope will be a busy few weeks of long days teaching, I should probably eat better than simply eggs and toast to get me through the days. So, I’ve got the oven and the stove going preparing some good eats for the coming week.
In the oven I have a ham baking with some carrots and potatoes. It should be done in a few minutes and that’s tonight’s dinner. The ham was a pickup at Costco and I promised to cook it for Aryaena when she came to visit. Thing is, she hasn’t been up to visit me for more than a few hours each time in the last month or so, and so the ham has had to wait. Now that she’s home in the US visiting family I’ve decided I’ll cook the one I had in the freezer and just buy a new one when she comes back to this side of the Pacific.
Also at Costco, except only yesterday, I picked up a roast chicken, picked off the meat and put the bones to broth. I put some of the meat back in and now it’s simmering to become a yummy chicken soup which should warm up the cool nights we’ve been having as of late.
Not as bloody as it looks
My happiest food, however, is something very simple, but something I haven’t eaten in a very long time. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I had any. It’s something I didn’t think was available in Korea, but I see that it is locally-grown. I was so excited to show Aryaena, but she didn’t seem to share my affinity for root vegetables.
I suppose it’s not her fault that a simple beet isn’t so exciting, but it makes me think of dinners at my paternal grandparent’s house when I was young. They had a garden at one time and we would go pick fresh beans and they would always have beets and new potatoes on the plates as well. In fact, my grandmother has a recipe for pickled beets I can’t wait to make again when I’m living back in Canada. I hope to be living somewhere where I can have a root cellar or basement or SOMETHING where I can keep preserves.
So, here’s to good eating. What’s on your plate tonight?
A Little Bet
Aryaena and I have a little bet going. Whose lips do you like better?
Lips A. We know the lighting, makeup and photoshopping is better. Just look at the lips.
Lips B. Amateur all around.
Comments, s’il vous plait.
Heartfelt sympathies to the family of Jdimytai Damour.
I am absolutely disgusted at the repugnant actions of some of my fellow human beings; how selfishness and greed create such a level of blindness I can’t even begin to comprehend. Black Friday indeed.
Early Friday morning, Jdimytai Damour was trampled to death- trampled to death – by a stampeding mob of people who apparently couldn’t wait another five minutes to get their hands on cheap goods likely produced in a ethically- and environmentally-questionable manner. How is it that we as human beings can walk over and kill another human being? How can we do it in the name of bringing joy to those we love by having the right gift under the Christmas tree? And, how is it that, when confronted with the monstrosity of what has just occurred, we can callously disregard what has happened because we’re busy and have schedules to keep:
“When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling, ‘I’ve been on line since yesterday morning,’ ” Ms. Cribbs told The Associated Press. “They kept shopping.”
And the officials are asking the wrong questions:
“Where were the safety barriers?” said Bruce Both, [Local 1500 of the United Food and Commercial Workers] union president. “Where was security? How did store management not see dangerous numbers of customers barreling down on the store in such an unsafe manner? This is not just tragic; it rises to a level of blatant irresponsibility by Wal-Mart.”
Here are the real questions: How can we consider this so-called ritual of Black Friday acceptable? How is it that we continue to consider this idea of releasing all holiday sales, bargains and special merchandise on one day normal, especially with the advertising efforts to whip the consuming public into a frenzy? Why do we allow retailers to bring about the conditions for mass hysteria and mayhem? Are there no laws against raising a mob? Certainly, even the lead investigator, Detective Lt. Michael Fleming, recognizes this was hardly unforeseen:
He called the scene “utter chaos” and said the “crowd was out of control.” As for those who had run over the victim, criminal charges were possible, the lieutenant said. “I’ve heard other people call this an accident, but it is not,” he said. “Certainly it was a foreseeable act.”
Events like this only suit to reinforce how I already feel about the lunacy of the entire situation. This whole idea of shopping for obligatory gifts has bothered me for some time, and events like Christmas are particularly quite difficult for me on a moral level. So, if you were thinking about buying me a Christmas present this year and you haven’t yet, please don’t. Donate it to a cause you think is worthy- something that helps the working poor would be really nice.
Foggy Ride In
The ride in this morning was extremely low-visibility; I’d be surprised if I had the ability to see anything more than 150m off. That was just enough, however, to watch a heron slowly pad its way across the shallow river to the shore with a large fish in its beak. I really do love riding to work.
100 Pushups Week 2
I missed Day 2 last week, but I’m keeping on schedule as much as possible. Today’s sets were 4-6-4-4-Max (6+) I got only 7 on the last set, but I creamed day 3 last week doing well over what was suggested. I think not getting a good night’s sleep last night is partially to blame; that and being hungry for dinner at this point in my day.
25 pushups in about 5 or 6 minutes today. That’s better than two weeks ago.
I rode down to the institute today without any bags on the bike, and it felt very light and easy. I nearly hit 40km/h on the stretch home. Whee!
Better than I have said it
So sometime last week I officially became a “fan of same-sex marriage” on Facebook. It wasn’t too many hours later that I had a message in my inbox about it. It seems that the sender didn’t consider that you don’t have to be gay to support gay marriage.
As someone who was raised in the Christian faith, and who has a minor’s worth of credit hours from university in Bible-related courses, I find it especially abhorrent that Christians would be trying to thwart equal rights to a political freedom. This comes down to the idea of separation of church and state (which is in the best interest of Christians; especially over the long term), and the basic tenet of the Christian faith: Love God with everything you’ve got, and love your neighbour as yourself (which Christ himself said was enough to cover all the other rules we’re supposed to abide by).
I’ve done a fair bit of kicking, screaming, and reasoning with all number of people about the issue, and I must say that Keith Olbermann has really done a fantastic job of leveling with the unreasonable position of the religious fundamentalists:
I have to agree.
The 100- Week 1 Day 1
I started on my quest to do 100 consecutive pushups today (I’ll post a video at any significant milestones). Week 1 Day 1 for the weak and feeble starts with five sets and a minute-long break between sets. I had to do girly pushups, but I did them. Sets were 2-3-2-2-MAX (min3). I did 4 on the max. Once I get up to a decent level I’ll start again with real, full-weight pushups.
Doing One Hundred Pushups
So two weeks ago I mentioned on my Facebook Status that I should be doing pushups to get over being so weak in the upper body (my legs are just dandy, thanks). One of my friends suggested that I start doing the 100 pushup challenge, and it sounds like a good idea, so I’m going to do it.
The dialogue
My initial test is pitiful. I can’t get down to a full parallel-with-the-ground position for even a single pushup. It looks like I’m going to have to start with the “alternative” or “girly” push-ups for a little while until I build up some strength. But just you wait. By the time Christmas comes I’m going to be doing 100 consecutive pushups in some form or another. I may not be able to write on the top half of the chalkboard for the rest of the semester, but goshdarnit, I’m going to be FIT.
I refuse to be 30 and out of shape. I started this project a little more than a year ago with commuting by bike, and have surprised myself at what has been accomplished. In a post last night I talked about the past year with my lovely Surly LHT. This summer I managed to push my bike on a more-than-100km-per-day pace for seven full days (half days on the first and last days, but over 700km total on an eight-day-seven-night trip) in Hokkaido. I lost about 15kg over the last year. I commuted by bicycle faithfully for a full year, in all weather and temperatures. 100 consecutive pushups is the next step. Anyone want to challenge themselves with me?
