Monday, January 18, 2010

Stiching Bitch

I am a goddess of domesticity. Picked up this months Vegetarian Times magazine and discovered some great recipes from culinary students. I decided on a very Julie/Julia whim to make all of them. So far I've made the bruschetta, the green beans and tonight, the soup. All delicious and I think the best is yet to come in a wild mushroom ravioli in browned butter and sage sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

So, after making a fresh soup and cleaning up the kitchen, I threw the laundry in and started pressing my sewing project. Yes, I said sewing project. At long last, I am sewing. Just a couple of car garbage bags to start with, but still, sewing. With my new computerized sewing machine that I got for Christmas. And it was so easy. Granted, I wasn't doing anything too complicated, I wasn't quilting or embroidering or anything like that, just a couple simple straight lines to close up the straps for the bag, but I feel so very accomplished.

If I was a housewife/homemaker, I would be the Queen of Suburbia. I might already be the Queen of Suburbia because I do a lot (read: IT ALL!) while owning and running my own business. Basically, I kick ass. And I do it with only the tiniest resentment that my partner isn't very domestic (domesticated?)...but I guess I do like my men wild.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

WOTD: Propaganda

Word of the Day: Propaganda
From Merriam - Webster:
1: a congregation of the Roman curia having jurisdiction over missionary territories and related institutions
2 : the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person
3 : ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also : a public action having such an effect

I would like to focus on definitions 2 and 3 for a moment. The spread of ideas, information or rumors and or ideas, facts or allegations that are spread to help or hinder a cause. E and I were talking on the phone this morning about vaccines and about how propaganda is used to further the cause of such. A noticed that many of the people with whom he had previously spoken about flu vaccines were now sick, despite getting vaccinated and speaking vehemently in favor of them and that he himself, not having been vaccinated and using natural options, has not been sick all season. It bothers me that so many people who ARE NOT MEDICAL PROVIDERS (!) have been giving my partner, their friends and family, and potentially the world medical advice - i.e., get vaccinated - when they are both uneducated and unqualified to offer it.

Basically, it's a great example of propaganda. The companies that manufacture vaccines and the machine that is our news media have provided a one sided account in favor of vaccination that the public has adopted and repeats. It's ridiculous - people, if you want medical advise, ask your doctor!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

I also Love my boyfriend's new Netbook

A bought himself a netbook for Christmas this year. He's wanted one for a while because we usually take a computer with us when we travel and he wished we didn't need to take such a big obvious computer with us. The netbook was the perfect solution. He asked me if I wanted one since my laptop is slowly dieing, (Seriously, I thought that was mis-spelled, too, but it is apparently the correct spelling!) but I resisted. No, I want a laptop that I can edit videos with and do more than surf the net. I still want a computer I can do those things with, but I have learned to love the netbook. I'm typing on it right now.

It's tiny, it's lightweight, it's much faster than my computer. I don't save anything on it, but instead use my little corner of cyberspace via GoogleDocs, etc., so I don't have to worry about it crashing. We used it (and the iPhone) on our vacation recently to find coupons and hotels, to plot our route, to check email, to write an article for work and to play. It's great.

It's Tuesday morning following vacation, I played catch up yesterday and I have a haircut tonight. Yes, I have nothing better to do with my time than blog about how I love this computer.
XO, netbook, time to get ready for work.

Monday, January 4, 2010

OMG, I love Veganomicon

I don't even know where to start this story...at VegFest where I did NOT buy VCon? With the other soup I made from VCon? Or perhaps with my New Year New Food Planning Plan? Since A awaits me below with a video (free video day from RedBox - holla!), I'll be brief.

I have a New Year New Food Planning Plan. Part of that plan is to make a specifically vegan dinner one night of the week...actually, now that I think of it, tonight was soup night...and tomorrow's planned meal covers multiple categories, too...okay, let me explain. The Productivity Pro's mom had 31 meals that she made every month. I thought this was brilliant, but couldn't think of even 7 recipes/meals that I knew how to make and wanted to repeat.

My alternative is to select 7 categories of meals and make 1 from each category each week. Ala Julie/Julia (I confess I just read the book and watched the movie), but with a little more leeway. So my categories are: vegan, raw, soup, rice/beans, pasta, Indian and take out/date night, because come on, let's be realistic.

So for dinner tonight, soup night (not vegan night after all, but since VCon is in action, it turns out to be), I made VCon's Broccoli-Potato Soup with Fresh Herbs. I made A stop by the market for mint on the way home and it was totally worth it. I had salad ready for us when he come home - that and the baguette he picked up held us over until the soup was ready. I almost wish I had more room for soup tonight, but on the other hand, I can't wait for leftovers tomorrow!

Tomorrow's plan: Pumpkin Saag - Indian and vegan!