MomBlog

Times Square, Red Stairs

2009-06-02T13:36:00.001-07:00

New York. Springtime. The Fleet's in, note all the cute sailor boys all over town. And fresh new features.
Times Square has erected a 27-step program of glowing ruby stairs over the TKTS Discount ticket booth on 47th Street. And the traffic has been rerouted to the chagrin of taxi drivers. A true people-platz now, enabling one to safely gaze transfixed at the surrounding electrified canyons. Hazards have been transferred from automobiles to cameraphone wielding tourists.

Cannes Film Fest

2009-05-15T03:54:00.000-07:00

The circus known as the Cannes Film Festival is all about greasing the wheels of the cinema industry. Players from around the globe, meet, greet, view, negotiate, buy (hopefully), discuss behind closed doors or at lunches/dinners, on the beach, cafes, hotels.
But most evident are the armies of photographers dispatched to this seaside resort, entrusted with getting the shot.
Of what?
Stars of course. The studio gold is the celeb, buffed, fluffed and wheeled up to select locations where screaming (Mariah!!!! Over here!!!!) shooters jockey for the shot.
Ladders are key. And valuable. Note the pre-dawn ladders locked and ready for the next day's red carpet photo op.
Yes they all belong to someone and no, don't even think about moving someone's ladder.

Check Out Check In

2009-05-13T01:37:00.000-07:00

Not actually a hotel lobby, but a grand space indeed, Zurich Airport, Terminal 5 offers a soaring light-filled space. Shopping. Chocolates. Watches. Hugo Boss. Chocolates. Elegant, calm, sleek. Oddly unpopulated. Nice airport.

Check Out Check In

2009-04-30T08:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome COCI, a new feature on my blog, as I travel and enter countless hotel lobbies.
Hotel lobby.
This area of first impression is becoming more distinct than ever. A grand entrance. A sweeping view. An embodiment of the style/vibe of the place, as it tries to distinguish itself from all the other lodging options. Elegant. Old world. Hipper than the others. Lobbies mesh a variety of elements to create impact. Soaring ceiling. Dazzling lighting. Groovy bars and gathering nooks. Signature scented candles.
In fact, this is now a subject of study, complete with it's own unique measurement system to evaluate specific atmospheric elements.
Witness New York's Hudson. Working with a non-discript red brick residential building, designer Philippe Starck created, not a room, but an experience. The scale and flowing foreigners gives it an airport feel. But tongue in cheek.
Deets:
"The surreal design of the medium lobby has a unique mix of avant-garde. It's filled with brick masonry, dark wood, a 45 ft carved oak desk with a huge hologram lit classical chandelier and a tangle of vines fronting a 30-ft high vine-fronted glass roof. Nearby, French doors lead to a wonderful terrace beckoning with plantings, oversized furniture, and tongue-in-cheek sculpture and a bar (in season). The hotel's decor is captivating with it's color infused escalator."

More Obama Food!!!!

2009-04-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

Egads, am I onto something here?

Surely yes, because Gothamist is running this stuff as well. NYC sharpies are out catching tributes to the 44th left and right.
Obama Fried Chicken and Pizza (they don't fry the pizza, it's just a welcome mat to comfort food) is a re-branded fried chicken place on St. Nicholas just south of 116th Street, uptown.

Not even sure if this is legal, let alone ethical, but don't we love the tribute vibe?

So yes, you are on board, and hungry, so why not go takeout from Obama Fried Chicken (and pizza),
And wash it down with a bottle of Obama Cuvee?

French winemaker Angela Bousquet-Keita, who hails originally from Guinea in Africa, has created a vintage wine to celebrate the election of the first African-American to the White House.

Der Spiegel tells us about a visionary female vinter based in France:

Bousquet-Keita, who believes she is the only black female winemaker in the entire country, described how she felt a "moment of ecstasy" when Obama won the election. "It was the advent of a world that I had always dreamed of for my children," she told the French daily Le Monde.

Too cool!

"While she intends to charge a steep €150 ($198) for three bottles of the wine, Bousquet-Keita says all the profits will go to an NGO working in the Darfur region of Sudan. That gesture was inspired by the fact that she has employed refugees from Darfur to work in her vineyard for the past few years.
She hopes to be able to present the president with a bottle personally when he visits France in June. Made from three different grapes, she says the wine should improve with age:
"It will be much better when served during his second term."

Second term....people, start those plots of Obama greens right about NOW!

More Obama Food

2009-04-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

I know, I was "away from my desk" for a while.
Don't ask, I will someday tell.

But, back to our Obama food theme. (themes are good, right?)
Look, a food cart spotted in NYC.

The owner (and former cook at the Russian Tea Room) Muhammed Rahman said this about the name.
"I just wanted to come up with something new… a new name, and I feel like it would be an attraction. He is the President of America. Also, he is a good person and I really like him, but don’t know how to say it.
I want to say nice things, but don’t know the words."

I know, I too am confused about the Irish thing but as the kids say, "roll with it."

Obama Serves His Term/ We Serve Dinner

2009-03-16T05:08:00.000-07:00

As Obama continues to save the world, his latest target being lax food and drug safety regulations, the tributes in the form of comestibles continue to pour in.

From Germany, we now hear of Obama Fingers, "tender, juicy pieces of chicken breast, coated and fried," with a curry sauce.

Before anyone gets all upset about the reference to actual digits, realize that this might just be a marketing device.

The word "fingers" in the name refers to the fact that it is a finger food. "It's like hotdogs," said Judith Witting, sales manager for Sprehe, the company that makes all manner of frozen foods.

"No one would ever think they are actually from dogs."
Right. We know we aren't actually eating dogs.
Like some people.

Obama Beer

2009-03-07T06:45:00.000-08:00

It seems that there is a real fascination with Obama/food.
MSNBC lists some foodies riding the Obama tide.

"D.C. home brewer Sam Chapple-Sokol was inspired to brew a special "InaugurAle" for the occasion called The Audacity of Hops. He asked his father to roast him a special blend of coffee, with beans from Hawaii, Indonesia and Kenya. He then combined the coffee ingredients with Victory malt and Liberty hops."

Gotta love the name.

But months after the Inauguration, and all the tribute treats that were created in his honor, we still find Obama food items.

Obama Snacks

2009-03-07T06:35:00.000-08:00

So I detect a theme here, Obama imagery in food, from around the world.
These tasty snacks hail from Indonesia.

Anyone know of any other items?

Show Me The Money

2009-02-18T15:27:00.000-08:00

Or not. Which bank can be trusted these days?
People are starting to stow their hard earned cash under the proverbial mattress.
Or in other unlikely household crannies.
"Online retailer Keeping Women Safe has seen a 15 percent jump in sales of its "diversion safes" -- money hideaways disguised to look like everyday household products. Paint buckets and soda cans are the site's bestselling items, said owner Ted Kollins."
According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, there are options other than Stanford International Bank.

Keeping Women Safe has a range of false-bottom, household itemy things, but good luck getting your hands on any.
The water bottle? Out of stock.
The carpet cleaner? Ditto.
The Coke Bottle? Forget about it.
Panic. According to the site,
Most burglars spend less than six minutes inside a victim's home and only have time to check the most obvious places for valuables. These unique "safes" allow you to hide valuables inside common household products - one of the last places a thief would think to look. According to the Chicago Police these units are better than a locked safe and a thousand times cheaper.

Oh wait, there are still Pringles Cans for $16.96 plus shipping.
Pedigree Dog Food cans are available too. Just make sure you have a dog.
Arizona Iced Tea cans. Cheers. Looks just like the real thing.
Hey wait a minute, can't we just make these "safes" ourselves? Rinse out a used household item and stash our goodies inside? Why not? It would save money.
And that's the whole idea.

Obama Sushi!

2009-02-18T14:43:00.001-08:00

Too cute!

Lexicon

2009-02-16T12:42:00.000-08:00

New words for new times. A year ago, no one would have heard of these tags. Now, thanks to journalism and the viral (good kind) nature of life, we have:

Catvertising...Warner Brothers unleashed a slew of logo-clad black cats in London on Friday the 13th, timed to alert the public of the release of game, F.E.A.R. 2:Project Origin. Black cat, Friday the 13th, get it?

Note: not to be confused with other forms of catvertising, the increasingly popular kitten cams, which are ridiculously cute time sucks. They do include ads for insurance, plumbing, and other unrelated products and services, but fortunately, no branded cat blankets (yet).

Octa-Mom, the now famous Nadya Suleman, who recently gave birth to eight children. At once. And she already had six.
Tongues are wagging, and blogs are blabbing because the unemployed, unwed mother sought in vitro fertilization. Media darling or target of abstemious, thrifty, tree-huggers?
In any case, the media is lapping this stuff up. And I guess we are too.

Car Czar...fun to say, but now we don't get one. Obama has chosen to appoint a task force to restructure the struggling U.S. auto industry. Instead of one sole individual. Auto-crat. Moto-mogul. Nope, car czar wins.

Overshare. What one does on Twitter or Facebook when lacking self-edit instincts.
Example, "I think I'll have another cup of coffee, feeling tired this morning."
Also, F2F version, TMI (too much information). Ever find yourself listening to someone's views on religion, politics, sex, money, their medical history, or other musings more appropriate for a therapist? Do they not notice your lack of participation in the "conversation?"
Can we invent a hand signal that says TMI?

Valentine's Day Contest

2009-02-05T19:54:00.000-08:00

What do you regard as a potent sign of love that has flowed outwards?
Wow!

We're talking valentine's day cards, birthday cards, condolence cards, poems, emails, Twitters, random posts, love notes, whatever counts as expression of love.

We've all shared. Over-shared.
Share here, if you dare. We keep it all on the low down.
Give us words, sayings, tickles, purrs.

Keep it anonymous. Keep it clean. Keep it coming.
LOVE.

Sundance....Star Watch

2009-01-18T07:49:00.000-08:00

Everywhere, people are star sighting. Yes some people go to view film (more on that later) and some people seem to shop, and eat, and do the sort of things one does in a picturesque mountoun town. But there seems to be a lot of "oh look, who is that" going on.
I shot this while strolling Main, which throbs with "events" and people toting recently claimed swag bags. I saw several clusters of big cameras and crowds focused on individuals. But I couldn't tell you who the individuals were. Sorry, my career as a celeb reporter obviously ends right about now, but I wasn't alone in this mystery. People were asking me "who's that?"
I think the guy above "does soaps." Yeah him, the one in the middle in the black.

Sundance Edition...Come See My Movie

2009-01-17T15:05:00.000-08:00

So I am here in Park City, Sundance Film Fest where people come to see stories on film, show their stories. Some people also come to star sight but that's another story.
Right now, its all about figuring out what you want to see, catching buzz, throwing buzz (posters, postcards, schwag, costumed beings) , planning ticketing to film, parties.
Robin-egg blue sky, some people actually seem to be skiing, but mostly strolling through the choked main drag, aptly named Main Street, and looking for thuggish men with wires in their ear at guard outside venues like bars, galleries, shops, all comandeered to host Parties!

Mind Your Manners

2009-01-14T21:53:00.000-08:00

So we always taught our kids to be kind, patient, considerate of others. But not everyone does that.
And this great NYTimes piece by pediatrician, Perri Klass, M.D. sorts it out in a great way.
As a doctor, Klass views social skills right up there with the three R's. Reading, (w)riting, rethmetic.
Rude is not good.
Parents, your job is to help prepare a being for their future. In social skills along with everything else. Or they can't function in society.
The good doctor says:

"One of the long-term consequences of being a rude child is being a rude adult — even a rude doctor. There are bullies on the playground and bullies in the workplace; it can be quite disconcerting to encounter a mature adult with 20 or so years of education under his belt who still sees the world only in terms of his own wants, needs and emotions: I want that so give it to me; I am angry so I need to hit; I am wounded so I must howl."

Not OK.
It really seems to be a disservice to allow bad behavior.
Who to guide us?
As a model, the Miss Manners serves.

"I like Miss Manners’ approach because it lets a parent respect a child’s intellectual and emotional privacy: I’m not telling you to like your teacher; I’m telling you to treat her with courtesy. I’m not telling you that you can’t hate Tommy; I’m telling you that you can’t hit Tommy. Your feelings are your own private business; your behavior is public."

Not always easy. The little people have a way with getting their way. But that's how we, as a community work. With each other. Manners.

"But that first big counterintuitive lesson — that there are other people out there whose feelings must be considered — affects a child’s most basic moral development. For a child, as for an adult, manners represent a strategy for getting along in life, but also a successful intellectual engagement with the business of being human."
Good business that human stuff.

I Knew It!

2009-01-14T21:18:00.000-08:00

Seems like the New York power monopoly, Con Edison, is not so cool. This historic, enormous, complex electric power system is corrupt.
Makes you wonder about all those weird, off hour, overwhelming, underground projects that brazenly take over the city. Citizens as slaves. To who?
Today, 11 Con Ed supervisors were arrested on charges of kickbacks. Released on $100,000 bonds, the defendants had demanded bribes from a construction company, to approve invoices for work that was unnecessary or never performed.
Not just money. Sunglasses. A watch. A Blackberry curve phone. And Giants-Dallas game tickets.
And one of these guys even shows up in court today with a Giants jacket on!
"Mr. Fassacesia, who received four tickets to the Nov. 2 Giants-Cowboys game, appeared in court wearing a New York Giants jacket."
Shmaaaht!

“These defendants used their positions at Con Ed to line their own pockets at the expense of utility customers and the residents of the New York City metropolitan area,” Benton J. Campbell, the United States attorney in Brooklyn, said in a statement.

That's for sure.

Skimming, lighter than air

2009-01-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

So lovely to view the young before they have been (mis) directed. My nephew Simon, who has the breathe of Terpsichore in him, just loves to move, and sing, and play with sounds, and rhythms, and body sensations as he floats through the universe. We love to watch.

We also wonder, after viewing ancient beauty at the Met, if maybe others have felt the breathe of Terpsichore. What cherubic beings float through space and play with the feeling of their bodies defined by Earth's gravity.

Dream Team

2009-01-06T16:08:00.000-08:00

As Barak Obama assembles his cast and crew for the next term, there are some odd, yet refreshing choices. All is subject to vetting and blessing, which will happen this week, but what a fun bunch of new friends to land in D.C.

We hear that 39-year-old, medical journalist, Dr. Sanjay Gupta is being recruited to the esteemed U.S. Surgeon General post. Great news. Smart guy. Let's hope he isn't on the pharma-dole.

And Leon Panetta might get the CIA head gig. Lot's of grumbling about his lack of experience but this anti-torture, long-term insider has the right stuff. Some people are explaining why this is a well measured, sound choice.

From CNN's site:
"Robert Baer wrote a piece in Time magazine praising the nomination. Baer, who had a storied career with the CIA as an operative in the Middle East for decades, is popularly known for having inspired the film "Syriana," which is based on his book "See No Evil."

The CIA could use Panetta to "hold off the Senate and House intelligence committees, which are gearing up to rip into the CIA for the last eight years of renditions, secret prisons and bad intelligence on Iraq," Baer wrote.

'Mistakes aside, the last thing the CIA needs is another round of overly intrusive congressional hearings like those that so badly damaged it in the '70s. If today's Congress were to deliver a coup de grace to the CIA, the Pentagon would effectively be the nation's only intelligence agency.'

Most relevant for Panetta's possible new job is that he has been a vocal critic of the agency's interrogation techniques, which Obama decried as torture during the presidential campaign."

Hilda Solis, is being considered for Labor Secretary. She's the daughter of a union shop steward from Mexico and an assembly line worker from Nicaragua. She served in the California state legislature before she was elected to the U.S. Congress in 2000.

EPA?
Lisa Jackson is a strong choice for EPA chief. She’s a trained scientist, and spent 15 years working at the US EPA before heading to the Garden State, focusing on hazardous-waste cleanup and enforcement, and knows the Agency’s culture and jargon inside out.

Time outlines Eric Shinseki, Obama's pick for Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

After his December 7th nomination as President-elect Barack Obama's Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Retired Army Gen. Eric Shinseki became living proof that one President's trash can be another President's treasure. The decorated veteran is most remembered for his controversial role as Army Chief of Staff in the Bush Administration. His testimony in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee regarding the need for several hundred thousand troops in Iraq was challenged and dismissed as "wildly off the mark" by the Department of Defense. Spoiler alert: Shinseki ended up being right, but his public dissent of the Administration's estimate irreparably strained his relationship with his superiors. He unceremoniously retired in June 2003.

There are a few more:

Hillary Clinton, for Secretary of State. Watch that closely this week.

Eric Holder, Attorney General, putting the veteran Washington lawyer is in place to become the first African-American to head the Justice Department.

Lawrence H. Summers, former chief economist at the World Bank and the president of Harvard University from 2001 to 2006 Treasury Secretary.

She's Back!

2009-01-04T18:31:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I haven't been swept away by a Tsunami or plague, or recession. Just on the road with spotty connections and new focuses and so I left MomBlog for a minute.

Sorry to those who missed me.

And yes, it is official, we are undergoing something called a recession. According to Wikipedia, that means a reduction of a country's gross domestic product (GDP) for at least two quarters. So that's like, what, half a year?

There are many stories around, but we can't help but notice the mortgage industry, that falsely bolstered a sense of wealth throughout the kingdom.
The Wall Street Journal runs a story about a little blue shack's sale that illustrates the delusion, predation and false hope that ran through this period called "my house is worth something."

Little town, big dreams.

"Four decades ago, when she bought the West Hopi Street house for $3,500, Avondale was a small town built around cotton farms. From 2000 to 2005, the heart of the housing boom, it doubled in size to 70,000 residents.

Today, one in nine Avondale houses is in foreclosure or close to it.

Her lender, Integrity, was one of a flurry of small mortgage firms that sprang up nationwide during the boom, using loans from big banks to generate mortgages to resell to larger financial institutions. Whereas traditional mortgage lenders profit by collecting borrowers' monthly payments, Integrity made its money on fees and commissions.

The company was owned by Barry Rybicki, 37, a former loan officer who started it in 2003. Of the boom years, he says: "If you had a pulse, you were getting a loan."

When an Integrity telemarketer called Ms. Halterman in 2006, she was cash-strapped, owing $36,605 on a home-equity loan. The firm helped her get a $75,500 credit line from another lender.

Ms. Halterman used it to pay off her pickup, among other things. But soon she was struggling again.

In early 2007, she asked Integrity for help, Mr. Rybicki's records show. This time, Integrity itself provided a $103,000, 30-year mortgage. It had an adjustable rate that started at 9.25% and was capped at 15.25%, according to loan documents.

It was one of 197 loans Integrity originated last year, totaling almost $47 million.

For a $350 fee, an appraiser hired by Integrity, Michael T. Asher, valued the house at $132,000. Mr. Asher says although he didn't personally believe the house was worth that much, he followed standard procedures and found like-sized homes nearby that had sold in that price range in 2006."

Yeah right. "Integrity."
We all have heard similar tales.
So the banks lent money, not really supported by value.
Now we all feel something crunchy.

Let's hope that we can dance away from this, with the grace of a four-year-old.
Innocent. Hopeful. Alighting on dreams that do exist, just not in fashion right now.

Print Media Advertising Dollars....Who Is Still In The Game

2008-12-15T18:30:00.000-08:00

Ok, this is getting harder (ahem) to ignore. The NYTimes online site is accepting advertising dollars from Russian wife services and hard pharma. As in products you take orally to obtain/retain pleasure. I think I am talking to guys here.
That means that the only source of reliable income are pervy things?
Well that's not totally true. There are still Tiffany ads. But it's the "free shipping" that scares me. Who springs for a swanky rock, lured by the promise of FedEx on the house. Makes no sense.
Who has money left? I know about houses, cars, travel being dying dreams. We finally have to be happy with what we have. Which is good.
But ad dollars? Where are they coming from?
No new phones coming out? DSL service I can't resist? Nothing.
Total retrench mode.
At least my Russian wife will make me feel better. After I take that pill.

What To Give, part 2

2008-12-04T21:10:00.000-08:00

There have been so many stories in the media, how to give, how to save.
And many find themselves in a novel setting. Not Dickens. But not like before. We all are revisiting what our values are.
How does that relate to gifting?
I think that anyone who has found their way to this blog is already smart, sensitive.
I feel like I preach to the choir, can I hear a shout?!
But let's just review the basics.
Holidays....warmth, happy.
Media......buy!
I just posted on my Madcap Logic blog priorities for holiday gifting. Really basic stuff but a gentle reminder.....what/who do we care about?
Colorful plastic items that dominate under-tree real estate or.......real deal stuff?
Just think about extending your own values to your family. It matters.
Don't get sucked into media frenzy. Turn off your TV.
Ideas for gifting abound.
Check out New American Dream...they have it right.
Treehugger, go green, keep green.
You get the idea. Go forth and multiply.
Again, any other ideas, post in comments.
It matters. Big time!

What to Give?

2008-11-29T19:53:00.000-08:00

So we enter the giving phase.

Around here, we are kind of stuck.
We don't want to go to one of these
dangerous big stores. Designed to extract bucks from our wallets. But we want to gift our loved ones.
What to do?
Keeping a sharp eye out and about.....

Boing Boing has a list of groovy giftings, thanks Cory.
Add Madcap Logic to the list, but really.....good to go.

Big new thaing...Etsy.
People make. People get.
So cool to support real people making real things selling in real time. No creepy oversized shopping carts wielded down enormous long halls of stuff. Real is real.
People create. People buy.

Cards.
We here haven't done cards in years. Old school. The Internets eliminates the need for stamps, street addresses, etc. You can design your own. Cool sites:

Paper
Green is good. We are always looking for interesting newspaper throughout the year, says color/happy. Get your hands on foreign press, stock market, comics, any broadsheet or tabloid-size pages.
Wrap with visuals/color. Match with ribbons/bows.
Don't buy. Dig through existing collections.
You know you have a box somewhere with stuff.....bows, flowers, ribbons, pictures. Dig it out right about now. K?
Let's check in this week.
I want to hear ideas. Tips. Solutions.

Turkey Trot

2008-11-24T19:03:00.000-08:00

Hi all, you have yourselves a nice family spell.
Thanksgiving has really evolved into a school holiday/chance to spend time with family, elders (before they pass) take family photos, connect the cousins, eat lots of food-kind of time. That's cool.
Most of us know that it is a sanctioned pig-out, we don't always do this to our systems.
We indulge, we eat, we burp. Maybe walk around the block to work it off. Maybe hit the gym a little harder afterwards. All cool.
Lotsa food.
Just thought I would explore the origins of "the bird".
Our photo here indicates a bunch of these ground-living birds, looking astute and colorful.
We all like to think that our holiday centerpiece, the bird, resembles those of our ancestors, the Pilgrims.
However, the bird has a history older than we realize.
And the menu.... forget about it.
Kathleen Curtin, Food Historian at Plymouth Plantation shares this info.
"Surprisingly, the following foods, all considered staples of the modern Thanksgiving meal, didn't appear on the Pilgrims's first feast table:
Ham: There is no evidence that the colonists had butchered a pig by this time, though they had brought pigs with them from England.
Sweet Potatoes/Potatoes: These were not common.
Corn on the Cob: Corn was kept dried out at this time of year.
Cranberry Sauce: The colonists had cranberries but no sugar at this time.
Pumpkin Pie: It's not a recipe that exists at this point, though the pilgrims had recipes for stewed pumpkin.
Chicken/Eggs: We know that the colonists brought hens with them from England, but it's unknown how many they had left at this point or whether the hens were still laying.
Milk: No cows had been aboard the Mayflower, though it's possible that the colonists used goat milk to make cheese."
Who knew?
And for the bird, I share a photo of a large, unassuming warehouse in Longmont, CO, that bears the sign, Butterball. It has come to that.
Bon appetite.

A Note To Product Designers

2008-11-21T10:45:00.000-08:00

This is something that has been on people's minds lately.
It has to do with font size, and designing products for usability, function.....not just cool n groovy.
Today, in the shower, I reached for shampoo, and since I normally wear glasses.....But not in the shower......I grabbed what is suspect was conditioner.
There are tons of bottles collecting in our showers, I don't know every product, I bought some, others have bought some, and I don't really even care a whole lot. I just want a clean scalp, step 1, then I want to condition my hair, step 2.
So today I think, and again, not sure because I couldn't read the label, I started with something goopy, and not frothy, and that was probably conditioner. I followed with something frothy, and not goopy, so I am pretty sure I reversed the order of business.
But another way I know, is because my hair looks awful. And stiff. And dry.

So why do fonts have to be read with an electron microscope? According to Lighthouse International, approximately 19 million persons age 18 and over report having trouble seeing, and wear glasses.
So when all these people are not wearing their glasses, they can't read labels, unless the font is large and clear.

Like when they are showering. They can't read grooming product labels.
Like when they finish swimming. Sunblock.
Like when they just wake up. Prescription medication.

Actually, Deborah Adler did redesign prescription labels, for this very purpose. As her master's thesis at the School for Visual Arts, she changed how this important information is shown. The doctor's name is no longer at the top. Now the name of the medication, and the dosage is large, bold, at the top.
Design saves lives. Now what about my hair?

Calculate the Calories

2008-11-17T07:52:00.000-08:00

Finally, an online tool to help calculate the calories burned (burnt?) by various activities.
Health Status, an online health assessment site that uses algorithms from the Healthier People project of the Carter Center of Emory University, gives us numbers.
Lots of numbers.
I put in my weight and calculated the number of calories I would burn by spending a half hour of chopping wood (161), dancing ballet (157), raking leaves (105), and running at 8mph (358).
Pretty cool, I like that the activity options include talking on the telephone (28), driving (56), sex (112) and playing croquet (67).
A very handy tool as we enter the food season. Good to know where to get a good workout, or not. As if we hadn't a clue.

Big thanks to Josh Mc Culloch for a great shot, via Flickr.

Organic Food, Where To Spend, Or Not

2008-11-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

We are all getting the message that organic food is a good choice. But we also know that organic food costs more, sometimes lots more. So now that we are all watching our pennies, lets review where to spend on organic, and where it doesn't matter as much.

It Matters
Apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries.
The USDA's own lab testing showed that even after washing, some foods carry much higher levels of pesticide residue than others. According to Consumer Reports, the "dirty dozen", as these fruits and veggies are known as, should be organic. Their conventional counterparts are high in pesticides. Worth the roughly 50 percent more you will pay in grocery stores, but as always, look for the source. Find your farmers.
Meat, poultry, eggs and dairy.
Just don't want those hormones and antibiotics in your systems.
Baby Food, always protect the little people, their developing systems are vulnerable.

It Matters Less
Although organic bananas taste better, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a D.C.-based research and advocacy organization, finds little residue on the conventional versions. Ditto, avocados, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, kiwi, mango, onions, papaya, pinapples and sweet peas. These can be much cheaper in conventional form, one way to save bucks if you don't have serious health issues.
Bread, oils, potato chips, pasta, cereals and other packaged foods.
Limited health value in organic form, processing washes away nutrients.

Don't Bother
Seafood, wild or farmed can be labeled organic despite the presence of contaminants like mercury and PCBs. Look to the valuable Seafood Watch that the Monterey Bay Aquarium puts out for advice on specific choices.
Cosmetics. Unless the product is primarily agricultural, like aloe vera gel, it's not worth the extra cost. Also, the USDA lets shampoos and body lotions to carry an organic label even when the main ingrediant is water. Check the EWG safety ratings for these products.

Thanks to Veri kleiner Winkel for a great photo.

Michael Crichton...it's complicated.

2008-11-13T18:25:00.000-08:00

On complexity theory.... applies on many levels, in many fields.

"If you have a teenager, or if you invest in the stock market, you know very well that a complex system cannot be controlled, it can only be managed. Because responses cannot be predicted, the system can only be observed and responded to. The system may resist attempts to change its state. It may show resiliency. Or fragility. Or both.

An important feature of complex systems is that we don’t know how they work. We don’t understand them except in a general way; we simply interact with them. Whenever we think we understand them, we learn we don’t. Sometimes spectacularly."

Michael Crichton......1942-2008

More Good News

2008-11-10T09:40:00.000-08:00

Don't you love good news? I do, and last week was one of the best weeks in many people's lives.
Hope. Change. Possibility.
One enormous reason to be happy, renewed support for art and the arts, which means many things but it is all good.
Wikipedia tells us:
The arts is a broad subdivision of culture, composed of many expressive disciplines. In modern usage, it is a term broader than "art", which usually means the visual arts, (comprising fine art, decorative art, and crafts). The arts encompasses visual arts, performing arts, language arts, and the culinary arts. Many artistic disciplines involve aspects of the various arts, so the definitions of these terms overlap to some degree though comparing the articles art school and Columbia University School of the Arts may prove instructive for those struggling with the distinction.
There you have it, the arts, many things to many people. Many happy people this week. According to the Americans for the Arts Action Fund, the results of a historic Nov. 4 - namely the election of Barack Obama and appointment of key members of Congress - will usher in an era of greater support for the arts in America.
Finally an administration that sees the arts as, not that fussy stuff you dress up and go to, but an essential part of a society.

A statement issued last week, by AAAF, President and CEO Robert L. Lynch:
"Yesterday’s election results also expanded the base of support for the arts in Congress, which will help move arts and arts education initiatives through the legislative process. Initiatives that will fuel innovation and creativity are key to our economic recovery and global competitiveness. A new report issued last month by The Conference Board, ‘Ready to Innovate,’ touts the importance of arts education in building the 21st century workforce. The arts are good for business, good for the economy, and good for the spirit."
My spirit soars already.
Apologies for the Wiki-centric post, its all I had.

Motivation....Get Moving

2008-11-06T20:33:00.000-08:00

Does it seem a little harder to keep our fitness routine these days? Seasons shift. Schedules shift. Commitments compete for our time. And now, cooler temperatures and fewer sunlit hours send us inward, cocooning, hovering near the soup pot (or the leftover Halloween candy). What happened to our fitness vows and how can we rekindle them? Here are some answers from the pros.

Do it for You: the Energy - Relaxation Loop

Studies have shown that the best reason to exercise is to feel good. According Dr William Stone, Chair and Professor of Exercise & Wellness at Arizona State University, the long-term exerciser’s strategies and rationale for exercising are non-existent; they’re on autopilot. The “faithful” maintain a fit lifestyle, not for weight management or appearance, but because they simply like to feel and be well.

“The number one reason to stick to a fit lifestyle is fitness itself,” says Stone. “For the feeling of wellness that comes part and parcel with getting to the mat, or gym, or hiking or whatever.”

What are some of these feelings?

A general sense of well being, more pep and energy, greater alertness, yet simultaneously, a more relaxed state and better sleep quality. Exercise triggers this loop. “You have to continue to be physically active in order to achieve these feelings,” says Stone. “If you are an exerciser, you know that that feeling can go away if you stop.” So fitness can almost be addictive. Indeed, some people do carry it too far, until it interferes with their job, their family, their life. But a healthy approach is to make your fitness routine a priority, automatic—kind of like exercising to live and not the reverse.

Keep that Feeling

You can ensure that you maintain your program, whether it's yoga, weights, Pilates, dance, anything:

• Dress For Success

Get some clothes that you really like. Have them cleaned, packed and keep them either by the door, or in the car. Have your water bottle filled, iPod charged.

• Mix it Up

According to Julie Emmerman, Psy.D., a Boulder-based psychotherapist specializing in athletes and also a former pro mountain biker, same is lame.

“If we do anything for too long without change, we will get bored.” Everyone has options. “I combine solitary aerobic activity with gym workouts that are more social,” she says. Also, try to adapt to shifting situations. “I accept that weather and schedules will require more flexibility. I try to structure workouts with people in the darker months because I know that will keep me going.”

• Find a Friend

For fun, for support. If you know someone with a similar schedule, similar interests, similar aerobic level, keep it social. Call or email the night before.

“Even if I don’t work out with someone,” says Emmerman, “just having a rapport with others at the gym who are half expecting to see me will encourage me to get there.”

• Avoid Work-Out Saboteurs

Stone warns against hooking up with saboteurs. “There are people that might say, “let’s go eat instead.” Steer clear.

• Don’t Catastrophise

Big word, bigger idea. You missed a session; it’s not the end of the world. According to Stone, “the long term adherent might say, ‘ok, I’ve sprained my ankle, and I need to take ten days off, but based on past experience, I know I am an active person, and I will get back when this is resolved.'" Injuries, illness, visiting relatives, business trips; stuff comes up. Just jump back into your routine as soon as possible.

• Grade School Approach

A simple way to set and keep fitness goals is the SMART system. Dr. Charlie Brown, Ph.D., sports psychologist, fps-Performance director and an American College of Sports Medicine expert, reminds us how it works: “Lots of sports psychologists know that setting smart (SMART) goals is critical for success and confidence,” says Brown. “Your confidence comes from how well you have achieved your goals.”

S – Set specific goals for yourself.

M – Make sure they are Measurable.

A – Be Action oriented, in terms of what you are and aren’t going to do.

R – Ensure goals are Reasonable, yet still challenging.

T – Implement Time oriented goals. “Say for the next two weeks, I am going to do that,” s ays Brown. “Then re-evaluate.”

Another big element is part of your SMART planning: Think It, Ink It. “Put it down,” says Brown. “Research shows us that if you commit to a goal, and actually write it down, your probability of completing that goal is much greater.” It also makes life planning easier when your fitness time is blocked out in your calendar or Blackberry.

“Goals affect your energy and the choices you make,” says Brown. “We know that if you are really close to achieving your specific goals, you actually tend to dig a little deeper to make sure you get there.”

Keeping fit is its own reward, inside and out. “I tally up all the reasons I want to exercise,” says Emmerman. “What it does for me internally is more important than what it does for me physically.”

Because it‘s There

Enjoy your workouts, simply because you can. “I remind myself that it is a privilege to have a body that works,” says Emmerman. “I want to do what I can to keep enjoying it.”

Did Everyone See the Puppies?

2008-11-05T19:23:00.000-08:00

Throughout one of the craziest weeks in memory, someone had the kindness to post this PuppyCam.
Blessings.

Let The Sugar Flow

2008-10-31T16:12:00.000-07:00

OK, today is Halloween, which is all fun and stuff but it marks the official start of Candy Season.

Lets look:

Hallow2een....bag o'sugar! Lot's O Crap enters many households, and lets think about how that advances our intentions of family, fun, fitness. Or not.
Just saying.

November...Thanksgiving...chocolate turkeys (in addition to tons of other stuff). Stuff it.
December...Christmas.. Candy Canes, does anyone ever eat these things? In addition to tons of other stuff that comes our way. It is expected, we face overabundance, we overeat, we over-consume, that's the deal. Let's just know what we are facing. again, or not.
January.....it looks like a chill month, maybe we all do cleanse stuff.
February.....Uh Oh, heads up. Valentine's Day. Even if we don't have a honey bun, buy pink stuff to move money around.
March.....17th, green! Luck o' the Irish and all that, in your Target isle. No one really is sure what the connection is between St Patrick's day and green stuff, bagels, beer and cheer but we do it. year after year. cheers.
April....Easter! what's that, colorful eggs? cool.
Can we just end the plastic, foil-wrapped sense o' celebration. It really is a Hallmark situation and we can all just have fun without the packaged representation of holidays, festivities, life.
Just saying.
please weigh in.

Art Smart

2008-10-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

One thing we should not ignore, as the election draws near, is where the candidates rank the arts. Recognizing the importance of art in education is becoming increasingly important. Research tells us that children exposed early, and often to the arts fare better in tests, careers and life. But as our nation's economy reels, will we see funds for art programs shelved?
Good thing Americans for the Arts Action Fund, a bipartisan arts advocacy group, is asking. In their ArtsVote report, they found that while Republican Sen. John McCain issued a brief statement, vaguely saying "arts education can play a role in nurturing the creativity of expression" the Obama statement was long and strong.
In addition to a history of voting for the arts throughout his political career, he stated, "To remain competitive in the global economy, America needs to reinvigorate the kind of creativity and innovation that has made this country great. To do so, we must nourish our children’s creative skills. In addition to giving our children the science and math skills they need to compete in the new global context, we should also encourage the ability to think creatively that comes from a meaningful arts education."
He gets it. A meaningful arts education.
Neuroscientists get it. Training in the arts improves cognition.
Teachers get it. Students who participate in the arts have higher test scores and lower drop-out rates.
Corporate leaders get it. Terry Semel, past chairman of Warner Bros., said, "Art is central to a civilized society. Kids who create don't destroy."
Thinker/writer, Daniel Pink notes that we are at the end of a binary-only thinking era. Students who can think imaginatively, creatively, or "outside the box" will become the most attractive workers for global corporations. Arts education prepares young minds for non-linear thinking.
As the oft-quoted Elizabeth Murfee writes in her 1995, Making a Case for Culture, "Drawing helps writing. Song and poetry make facts memorable. Drama makes history more vivid and real. Creative movement makes processes understandable."
Socially, arts have proven to be an effective outreach tool to engage youth. Self esteem, cooperation, resilience improves when students have been exposed to the arts.
And lastly, what of the joy and wonder the arts offer the mind and spirit? Arts play a key role in the education of a child.

Squeeze Em

2008-10-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

Around here we try to keep colds at bay early and often. The usual supplies, Kleenex, disinfectant soap are already stockpiled.
But we love our juice!
We buy bags of oranges and grapefruit, whatever is priced well. Our trusty electric juicer sits out on the counter, locked and loaded at all times. We have a Braun, super simple, super strong but there are lots of models out there. Look for the fewest parts possible to make clean-up a snap.
This one appliance is invaluable for instant, fresh Vitamin C in a glass. Mix and match. Try a glass of "blood" oranges, with a tad of pink grapefruit. Or naval orange/Texas Rio Star grapefruit. It all works.
And sometimes we squeeze a few lemons into a glass, add ginger and honey for my Dad's famous Decoction. He turns eighty-seven tomorrow so obviously the stuff works!

Weaker Week

2008-10-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

Gads, must every Friday feel like the world "out there" is getting worse? Two weeks ago, things seemed to hit new lows but as we edge into the cold and darkness of Fall, we fall further.

Recession's going global.
Tent cities are growing.
Madonna's getting divorced.
Turns out we have been given placebos by our doctors.
Those Somali pirates still hold the Ukraine crew hostage.

So to take the edge off, I give you a fun toy to play with
The Idee Multicolor Search Lab
Deceptively addictive. Harmless. Arty.
Enjoy.

Lets Play......Caption This

2008-10-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

OK, let's take a break from recipes and get out of the kitchen. It's time to play

Caption This

From today's New York Times,
headline reads
Greenspan Concedes Error in Regulatory View

Credit
Doug Mills/The New York Times

Fall Foods, Hokkaido Squash Jam

2008-10-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, jam! I discovered this exotic yummy substance last year. My family enjoyed several Tupperware vats of it before burning out.
The Hokkaido squash, also known as Red Kuri, is a bright crimson plant from the Cucurbitaceae family. Really high in Vitamins A, B, C, D and E, amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, starch, natural sugars and carotene. Storage actually increases the vitamin and sugar content.
The flavor and texture reminds people of chestnut puree (yum!). In fact, its French name, Potimarron is a blend of the words potiron (pumpkin) and marron (chestnut). Try this jam to extend the Fall Harvest.

1 one-pound Hokkaido Squash
1/2 cups sugar or honey
2 tbsp. Powdered Vanilla
10 oz. Chopped fruit, either fresh apples or pears, or dried (soaked 24 hours) such as raisins, apricots, etc.

Halve the squash and bake, flat side down on oiled cookie pan in oven set at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until a knife pierces the flesh easily. When done, let cool, then scoop seeds out, remove flesh from skin and place in a pot over a very low heat with sweetener, diced fruit and vanilla.

Mash up mixture with back of wooden spoon and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Scoop jam into jars* and add a cinnamon stick or three.

Enjoy over the next few weeks as a spread on buttered grainy toast, stirred into yogurt or just baby (comfort) food.

*Join me later this week as we explore the world of Tupperware, and other forms of food storage.

Fall Foods, Red Lentil Curry with Coconut

2008-10-21T09:16:00.001-07:00

So many people asked for this recipe after I made it for a pot luck, it is cozy and easy. Good for you too.

Red Lentils

1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
several tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
a head of garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 (2 1/2-inch) fresh jalapeño or serrano chile, finely chopped, include seeds for added fire
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils (10 oz)
1 (13- to 14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 lb carrots, diced
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro sprigs

Cook onion in oil in a 3 1/2- to 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until soft.
Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, and chile and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Stir in broth, lentils, and coconut milk, then simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in carrots and simmer, covered, until lentils and carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and serve over basmati rice with cilantro sprigs scattered on top.

Fall Foods, Brussels Sprouts with Carrots

2008-10-20T17:16:00.000-07:00

As evenings are getting cooler, we are enjoying cozy foods. I made this dish last night and it was a hit, people dug in heartily for seconds. That's how I know.

Brussels Sprouts/Carrots

1 large chopped shallot
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 lb carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
1 lb Brussels sprouts, stemmed, halved lengthwise
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon vinegar (any kind, I used red wine)

Saute the shallot in 2 of the 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet, stirring occasionally until soft.
Add the veggies and a dose of salt and pepper, cook, stirring occasionally until they start to brown.
Add broth, lower heat and cover, for about ten minutes.
Add vinegar, more salt and pepper to taste, and last bit 'o butter.

Yum. Rich and hearty. Bon appetite.

Focus on Fall

2008-10-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

Sad but true, with the shift towards Autumn, the days are shorter, the nights are colder. But this is part of that circle of life that they sang about in The Lion King.

Brigitte Mars, herbalist, author and raw chef gives some tips for ushering in the new season.

Q. Brigitte, what does Autumn mean to you?

A. Autumn is a season that begins a more feminine cycle of nature. It is a time of darkness, as we approach the stillness of winter.

Q. What does this mean on a practical level?

A. It’s a time to get our lives in order, to complete old business, give back anything borrowed, collect anything we might have lent out,. We need our tools back. Our focus turns inward, we are with our homes, our minds, our bodies. It’s preparing for a time of reading, meditation, writing, time to experience the dark corners of nature and ourselves.

Q. How do we ready our physical selves?

A. In Asian medicine, this time corresponds to metal elements, lungs, large intestines, skin. It is a time to practice deep breathing, takes walks and air ourselves out to prevent colds and lung infections.

Q. What should we eat?

A. Foods to enjoy are heavier, winter squash, pumpkin, Hokkaido squash, carrots, dark orange vegetables, all high in beta carotene which helps the mucus membranes resist infection. It is also a good time to eat more roots, turnips, rutabaga, burdock, beets, to bring warmth and get rooted. Don’t forget leafy greens like kale and chard, spinach which help the body to utilize oxygen. It is a time of planning for winter meals, preserve now the abundance of fall harvest. Dehydrate pears and apples. In Asian cuisine, one tastes many pungent offerings now, ginger, rosemary, garlic, onions, and cayenne. It warms the insides. Also, bring in more seeds and nuts to the diet.

I'll be posting recipes this week, feel free to share any of your own.

Wigged Out

2008-10-13T18:32:00.000-07:00

I wasn't blessed with a girl. I got two boys and we didn't "keep trying" for a girl.
We all know families with half a dozen of one gender of offspring. Maybe they kept trying.
And yes, they are full of love, perhaps a tad imbalanced, there might be an overwhelmed parent somewhere in the household.
For me, two kids was enough.
I was born with two hands. One each for holding, feeding, disciplining, caressing, changing diapers. Each child got one hand. Made sense to us.
But as a former dancer, boy did I want a girl. If I had a girl, we could dance, and dress up, and play and stuff. Didn't happen.
Until now. I've got a niece! And she is too cute and turning three and I get to play with her and spoil her and read to her and we are good friends.
She seems to be safely transitioning out of an alarming Clara (Nutcracker girl) phase. It seemed long and obsessive. She would sharply correct anyone who addressed her by the name on her birth certificate. "I am Clara!"
And her parents had to act out the other roles, primarily the part where the younger brother, Fritz, breaks her new toy in Act I. To the sad music. Granted, she did just get a new brother, and maybe she was "working stuff out" but maintaining that role for four months, that's a major fraction one's life if they are two-and-a-half. We were kind of worried.
But not anymore. Now, she is Ariel. The Little Mermaid, Ariel. And we sing the song......aaah, ah ah aaaah, and her far away look probably means something other than new sibling stealing toys. Good.
Now for her third birthday, she wants long orange/red hair. Like Ariel. Wavy. Long.
In the world of dance, we would bring in an artiste to create the look in mind, a costumer, a designer, you work together, discuss, play the music, money changes hands, and opening night is fabulous.
But here and now, we simply have the Internet and FedX. One could Google costumes and details and get all sorts of options. All fire retardant, some sleazy. But she wants to be Ariel. And it's my job to deliver. View the option.
I am truly challenged.
Comments welcome.

Madness!

2008-10-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Crazy days!

~The home page of The New York Times site simply updates the the graph throughout the day. They know what we want. "Show me the money!"

~Hundreds of absentee ballots were sent out in upstate NY misspelling the Democratic presidential candidate's last name, an unfortunate mistake, one hopes. One little letter, one big bad!

~A Japanese tavern now employs two Macaques monkeys to serve drinks and hot towels to customers. The owner, Mr. Otsuka " admits they’re better than his real son at the job."

~Crazy days! Gotta keep laughing, so I give you this.

Insolvency......The Ice Breaker

2008-10-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

Insolvency, the inability to pay one's debts, is the new black. We never used to talk about these things, especially with our aging parents, but things seem to have changed. Mass fear, confusion,we are all in this together. I found myself on the phone with my eighty-four-year-old Dad, talking about money.

"Are you guys ok?"
"Your Mother are I are going to be fine."
Sage elder has seen this before.
"Is this like last time?" I ask.
"You mean the Depression? Hard to say. I was only nine, but I had a friend, his dad jumped out the window."
"Wow, no one is jumping yet, maybe things aren't as bad."
"We'll see, kiddo. For now, we're not sure where to put our money."
The proverbial mattress doesn't seem like a bad bet these days.
I also heard gold, but we hear lots of things.
The good news (Pollyanna complex?) through this whole mess is that look who's talking, about money. And look again, I just got a funny email from Dad. About money.
Enjoy.

The New Stock Market Terms

CEO Chief Embezzlement Officer.

CFO Corporate Fraud Officer.

BULL MARKET A random market movement causing an investor to
mistake himself for a financial genius.

BEAR MARKET A 6 to 18 month period when the kids get no
allowance, the wife gets no jewelry, and the husband gets no sex.

VALUE INVESTING The art of buying low and selling lower.

P/E RATIO The percentage of investors wetting their
pants as the market keeps crashing.

BROKER What my broker has made me.

STANDARD & POOR Your life in a nutshell.

STOCK ANALYST The Idiot who just downgraded your stock.

STOCK SPLIT When your ex-wife and her lawyer split your assets
equally between themselves.

FINANCIAL PLANNER A guy whose phone has been disconnected.

MARKET CORRECTION The day after you buy stocks.

CASH FLOW The movement your money makes as it
disappears down the toilet.

YAHOO What you yell after selling it to some poor sucker
for $240 per share.

WINDOWS What you jump out of when you're the sucker who
bought Yahoo
@ $240 per share.

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR Past year investor who's now locked up in a
nuthouse.

PROFIT An archaic word no longer in use.

Obama....Perfect

2008-10-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

Michelle swept through town today, rallying college students, people, anyone who hasn't yet registered, (this Monday is the final deadline), and urged relatives, friends, dorm mates, sorority sisters, grandmas, (Sarah Silverman uses grandchild love as currency, yay!) to register, to confirm that one is registered to vote, voting location, mail option, let's set it up right this time.
Michelle was resplendent in a crimson jacket that sung in harmony with her backdrop, a scree of mountains, a US flag, CU Italianate structures, blue sky above flecked with white clouds, a visual reminder that perfect is what we are working for.
"It's a perfect day, it's a perfect setting, it's a perfect crowd, in a perfect month, in a perfect year to elect a perfect president, Barack Obama," she said near the start of her 25-minute speech. "I know in my heart, as I watched this man over the last year and a half, I know in my soul that he will be an extraordinary president."
The near 10,000 crowd ate it up.
They also were stirred by her reminder that working people are hardy souls. Muscle and mind, we are in for a calling to arms, not the kind on the Fitness Channel on TV. This is the real thing.
"Let's start working, because we're going to need you," Michelle Obama said. "We're going to need your prayers, we're going to need your work, we're going to need to you to pray, we're going to need you to work and then after you've worked, pray a little more. And then, after you finished praying, then keep working."
Tired yet?
She also reminded the audience of the humble origins of herself and her mate.
Who knew that Barack and Michelle were still paying off college loans until recently?
"When you don't have the money to pay for your college, you take out these loans, and you come out so mired in debt, As Barack and I did... We just paid off our student loans ... and that's only because Barack wrote two best-selling books."
Yes, we have heard about these, let's all buy a copy.
And support the guy. OK? I can do perfect. Can you?

Coping With Financial Stress.......Stay Calm

2008-09-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

Scary week, no? Financial swings the likes of which we haven't seen since.....horse and buggy days? Everyone around me is uncertain, confused, anxious. And what of the children? Certainly they are picking up on our stresses of paying bills, filling fridges, if not through direct conversation, or listening in on our end of phone calls, then certainly from the tone in our voices. Shopping for school supplies was never fun but now it is painful.
"Who needs all those crayons?!"
"What's wrong with last year's backpack?"
"Ten dollars for the Disney Princess six-piece stationary set?"
I am neither an economist nor a psychic, I don't know what will happen. But I am a Mom. I feel it is our job, as responsible beings to set a tone for the family. We are all feeling fear these days, but we should try to keep our financial anxiety in check. Lets just try to maintain a sense of calm and grace during this crazy time.
Breathe, Stay Active
Fear can effect our body with a "fight or flight" response, flooding us with adrenaline. Get up, move, run, walk, kick a ball, punch a punching bag, work it off. If you sit still, you will feel panic. And breathe. Again. long, slow, throughout the day. Let the shoulders go.
Couples Coping
Money is a huge stress-out subject in relationships, even in the best of times. Try to set some ground rules during these crazy days. Don't talk about money before bed. Or in bed. Support each other, acknowledge the fear. Focus on what you do have. Lovely children. Friends and family. A functioning body. Each other.
The Kids
Don't lie to your children, they always seem to know anyway. But don't overwhelm them either. A child can't comprehend the FDIC, bank consolidation or jumbo loans. I can barely. Simply sit them down and talk about how the money world is really complicated right now, and scary (certainly they have heard stuff from friends) but reassure them that you will all be OK.
And you will. Turn off the TV. Eat simple, homemade meals together, at home. Talk about other things. Certainly the financial world isn't the only thing going on right now. Just, possibly, the scariest.

Favorite Meals

2008-09-28T10:46:00.001-07:00

It was summer, 2008. The farm dinner movement had just gotten some momentum and across the country, groups like Dinners At The Farm and Plate and Pitchfork brought fine dining to the source. Here in Colorado, the Johnny Appleseed of farm dinners, Jim Denevan swept through in his converted bus and brought together fine chefs, farms, wine, people in magnificent settings.
We made it up to Paonia for the fruit infused dinner, peach country up in them thar hills. Guest chefs Mark Fischer of Restaurant Six89 in Carbondale and the crew of Aspen's The Little Nell had a gorgeous extended table set up by Zephyros Farm's pond, but the skies had other plans. A mad dash brought the setting for one hundred-plus diners into the greenhouse, creating an intimate affair. Highlights.....Grappa-soaked peaches with goat cheese and honey, fried squash blossoms filled with lavender ricotta, lots of fresh local wine. Endless conversation with hardy adventurists from far and wide, all huddled around candles by hay bales and potting supplies. All appreciating the freshest possible delights set before us. Truly special.
A good night's sleep at a local inn topped off a perfect evening. The drive back the next morning through majestic McCLure Pass, took us through the mountain towns of Redstone ("Ruby of the Rockies") where turn-of-the-century craftsmen-era Swiss style cottages are still in use.
More modest Hotchkiss, Somerset and Marble (guess what they quarry here?) bring you right down to Carbondale, where some ill-planned construction added an additional hour to the journey back to Boulder.
But what fortune awaited us upon learning that the traveling band of gourmands were setting up another dinner at our local Munson's Farm. And the famed Frasca crew were on hand to bring their magic into the field. We were there!
A glass of wine and a tour of the farm started the evening. Jim Munson welcomed guests, then his sons Bob and Mike took over with explanations of crop rotation, irrigation, heirloom seeds, all kinds of things that are the daily concern of these noble, hardy souls. Our weekly visits to local Farmer's Markets can't reveal the true grit, real and figurative, that goes into churning out consistent, clean food that makes its way to candle-lit tables everywhere.
A late afternoon sun assured the crowd that storms were not to mar this event. The Munsons had taken out several rows of corn to lay a long, elegant table amidst towering stalks. Enthusiastic staff raced up and down the sides to rest large bowls of colorful fare, served family style. Frasca owner/sommelier, Bobby Stuckey kept glasses filled, conversation going, smiles lingering. A beautiful pasta with shards of summer squash and herbs anchored the meal but for me, this was the night I discovered Buratta. Huge pillows of this rich, buttery-tasting mozzarella-type cheese were set on plates amidst multi-colored heirloom tomatoes, basil, olive oil. No knife needed. A spoon pierced the thin skin releasing an ooze of fresh ricottoa-like cream to be absorbed by blocks of fresh bread. And dotted with basil bits. And tomatoes. And pass that plate back over here please. And again. Thanks!

The Dolphin's Curse

2008-09-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

One of the things we have been talking about lately is the captive dolphin industry. The photo here shows what looks like a pair of happy smiling dolphins, frolicking and cuddling a human. Guess what. They aren't happy. They are cursed with a mouth that curls up at the sides and resembles a human's mouth when the human is happy and smiles. But the dolphins are not happy at all.
They were probably herded and selected and separated from their loved ones, in a brutal, confusing capture. They were most likely shipped to a penned setting, possibly polluted with chemicals and their own excrement. Their keen sonar system disoriented by strange machinery humming through the water. They were starved into submission. Tricks. Play. Be gentle.
The multi-billion dollar captive dolphin industry, along with the annual dolphin slaughter in southern Japan is the focus of the upcoming film, The Killing Cove, that the Oceanic Preservation Society has been working on for the last four years.
Look for it in early 2009.
And please don't spend hundreds of dollars to "swim with dolphins" in some hot concrete pen. Or go watch a show and buy dolphin-embossed souvenirs in a fit of compassion and love. PBS sheds some light on these corporate cetacean mills.
But the facts below about these brilliant, advanced creatures are chilling.

A study in 1985 revealed that of 32 killer whales examined after dying in aquariums around the world, half had died of bacterial infections, and one quarter of pneumonia. 53% of those dolphins who survive the violent capture die within 90 days.The average life span of a dolphin in the wild is 45 years; yet half of all captured dolphins die within their first two years of captivity. The survivors last an average of only 5 years in captivity. Every seven years, half of all dolphins in captivity die from capture shock, pneumonia, intestinal disease, ulcers, chlorine poisoning, and other stress-related illnesses.

To the captive dolphin industry, these facts are accepted as routine operating expenses. In many tanks the water is full of chemicals as well as bacteria, causing many health problems in dolphins including blindness. When a baby dolphin is born in captivity, the news is usually kept secret until the calf shows signs of survival. Although marine mammals do breed in captivity, the birth rate is not nearly as successful as the one in the wild, with high infant mortality rates.

Wild dolphins can swim 40 to 100 miles per day - in pools they go around in circles. Many marine parks subject their mammals to hunger so they will perform for their food. Jumping through hoops, tailwalking and playing ball are trained behaviors that do not occur in the wild. Dolphins are predators of fish and spend up to half of their time in the wild hunting for food. Supplying dead fish results in less exercise and lack of mental stimulation, thus causing boredom. When trapped together, males often become agitated and domineering. This creates pecking orders (unknown in the wild) and unprovoked attacks on each other and the trainers. In the ocean, although fights are not unknown, the wild dolphins have a chance to escape. Confined animals who abuse themselves (banging their heads against the walls) are creating stimuli which their environment cannot supply. Dolphins in captivity tend to develop stereotypical behaviors (swimming in repetitive circle pattern, with eyes closed and in silence) because of boredom and confinement .This is equivalent to the swaying and pacing of primates, lions, tigers and bears confined in cages.

Enough With the Palin Impaling

2008-09-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

So I have given the Palin beat over to someone far more skilled at it than I.
Famous too.
Please follow Wasilla blogger, Sherry Whitstine, who chronicles the governor’s career with "an astringent eye", according to the New York Times.
I had to thank her.
She responded earlier today:
"Please feel free to link to any of the blog sites or audio files, parody songs 'gotta laugh or you'll cry about Sarah Palin'. Use any of the information on www.syrin.vox.com or www.palininvestigated.blogspot.com and always check these Alaskan News sources www.voiceofthetimes.net and www.andrewhalcro.com. "

So we will, Sherry, thanks.
Internet Election, rock on!

About the photo, The Anchorage Daily News hosts a "Palin and Me" link that offers citizen journalists the exposure only J School students dream of.
Actually, this is a glimpse into the life of a very interactive politician. She seems to be everywhere, from Girl Scout meetings to Vet memorial celebrations, to whale kill ceremonies. And people in Anchorage seem to love her.

I love Cindy's look in this shot. What happened to her arm?

Kind of Funny, Kind of Sad

2008-09-15T20:10:00.001-07:00

We are selling a lifestyle here, not a printer.
Clean, happy life. Connected. To a wireless printer (if the IT guy set it up right) but are we connected in real life?
This is dad and daughter, she is clearly too young to be a girlfriend. They are hanging out. Super edited clean house, white on white on white on.....who let him in with the shoes! Oh, ok, they are his inside kicks. And he owns the place. No prob.
So we can assume this is dad's house, maybe the parents are divorced, mom lives elsewhere in a hovel with stained carpets and no wireless printers. Or, mom is simply out of the photograph, in the kitchen preparing a nutritious meal for the clean team.
How are these two people relating to each other? Are they? She is smiling, maybe at some witty Facebook comment, he is smiling, but his eyes are not on her. He is online too. A golf crony just made a jab at his handicap. Or the hottie from last weekend just suggested something fun but furtive.
They just happen to be in the same room. Like at Starbucks. Maybe they don't even know each other. Yeah, that's it. They are related but don't know each other.

More Wine?

2008-09-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

More servitude, this time from the skies.
Exhibit B:
An unnamed airline wants us to know that at 35,000 feet, cordiality still rules. Scary, no? All those females with keys to the kingdom.
Relax. I will serve you. Food, wine, smile. Your friend there, she's ok, but she only gets a drink. You, on the other hand, get spinal support, drip-free red wine and my constant attention.
So Happy.

And Now For Some Fun

2008-09-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

OK, I need to get off the pony political for a minute. Time for some innocent fun.
We are looking at ads, costly ads that are designed to affect our thinking and spending, and sometimes they are downright ridiculous.

Exhibit A: Swanky hotel chain, running a series of crazy print ads. We see exotic, colorful people cavorting in surreal pleasure palaces, being served (always being served!) odd things. What is on this plate? Beautifully arranged nail extensions?
What is that guy next to her? Her date. An amused stranger?
And to his left. Exotic up-do or handbag on head?
And speaking of hair, the waitress just performed in Act II of Giselle?

A Call To Arms (Legs and Brains Too)

2008-09-14T18:26:00.000-07:00

OK, enough already with the Palin stuff. I just got an email from a friend in Chicago, active-O supporter, traveling to key states on weekends to canvass (the systematic initiation of direct contact with a target group of individuals commonly used during political campaigns). She also brought this up as a call to arms, and movement. Many of us are now preaching to our own choirs and this is when action matters most.
"Time is critical, and your help is needed. Given money? Attended events? Circulated e-mails? That’s all great, but how about traveling to a key battleground state and canvassing for the campaign?!"
If you are working towards an Obama victory/presidency, you are probably hooked into this site but if not, go. Join an organized virtual community working towards a common goal. The ultimate Internet Election. Yay!

Come Vote. It Really Matters This Time!

2008-09-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

Americans have this cool thing going on where they can all collectively choose their leader, as opposed to those other countries that don't. Like the Congo or Myanmar, where leaders (dictators) hold power not won by collective agreement, they just rule from on high and that's the deal, don't argue.
Or Syria and Cuba where there is simply one party governing things, no elections, no November refreshment. Nada.
We here in the US have a gift. Our forefathers and foremothers fought for this right, the comfort of knowing that your participation in the selection process of leadership contributes to the group. We now must take part in this essential process. We register. We vote.
Questions?
Here Ya Go.
No worries, its easy, 1-2-3 snap. Take care of it. Please.

Aw Come On....Tell Me How You Skin 'Em!

2008-09-12T20:04:00.000-07:00

Scary!

Hockey Mom, Sports Mom

2008-09-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

As the nation heard Sarah Palin's self definition last week, "the only difference between a Hockey Mom and a pit bull is a touch of lipstick" (she had lip liner on as well, define "a touch") a few of us sports chauffeurs wonder what unique qualities we bring to the table.
Amy Finnerty and Annabel Levy astutely sort through the fine points in Forbes, closing with a jab at the baseball Mom.
"Unlike in soccer, where the mothers are free to show up looking as if they just rolled out of bed (often their actual state), in Little League Baseball, looks count. The baseball mom doesn't so much choose a team or coach as a coach chooses her, it is said. He usually prefers the boss' kid, his son's best friend or ... the one with the hottest mom. And by the end of an eventful season, if dad isn't equally committed, she tends to have her divorce lawyer on speed dial."
(A-Rod culture?)
Each sports kingdom brings its inherent personality, which washes through the arena, court, locker room, starting with the heroes, on down to the coaches, players, and of course reflected in the supportive Moms on the sidelines.
Over the years, my boys have played tennis, soccer, baseball, basketball and Ultimate Frisbee. So I have been many kinds of Moms. Hip and flippant. When we cheered our soccer team on those chilly Fall mornings, we were keenly conscious of anyone tripping or grabbing our little heroes. We made our gentle noise.
Hockey and football on the other hand seem far more vicious and violent. They thrive on the blood. I seem to remember something about an enraged parent and a sharp hockey skate blade. And jail time.
Around here, we know some kids that play Rugby and Lacross. They are often bruised.
I, on the other hand, raised wusses. I carried arnica in my bag, along with The New Yorker. From my folding chair on the sideline, I never raised a racquet, we occasionally questioned a ref's call. But a civilized discussion sorted everything out.
So what's with the tough? Maybe it has to do with sports requiring helmets, the danger, the violence is heightened. Pulses race. Veins stick out of screaming spectators' necks. Not so with the leonine Frisbee player, loping and lunging to catch the lobbed disc. The greatest danger with that sport is grass stains.
According to Vicki Poretta, creator of The Mom's Guide to Sports, there are lots of differences between sports for the mom. "Volleyball is indoors, in a gym, not very complicated," say Poretta. Tennis? diplomatic. Golf, you just drop and go. Parents don't stay and watch. There are no stands, sidelines. Swimming, you sit indoors in a cozy warm arena, knitting. Stressful? Only when your child's goggles fill with water.
Now softball and baseball, those tend to last long. Many late afternoons are spent sitting in chilling rain, no chance of getting a home-cooked meal into the little sluggers. And what about the car? Trashed from spilled take-out food, mud, smelly uniforms? And don't even talk about cranky losers. "Would you mind not kicking the seat?!"
Also, imagine the organization skills of any sport Mom, as she plans drop-offs, pick-ups, sometimes at various locations. Practices, home games, away games, sometimes out of town, travel plans. Fridges full, fridge door papered with schedules. Cooler in car filled with snacks, liquids.
So any sports mom really has the patience of a saint, the brains of an air traffic controller, and any one of us, with a bit of coaching could be qualified to throw on a dash of lipstick (and liner) and run for office.
Join us next week when Ballet Moms take on the Senate.

State of the Art of Dining

2008-09-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

Today's busy bees can't be bothered relating to other humans in the flesh, what with crazy schedules and all. Why not just call it a day, retire to your nearest cozy restaurant, order some yummies and get back to everyone virtually. No need to make small talk, go through the split-the-check dance, or even set a time. Just get out and dine, but phone it in.

WASP

2008-09-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

This is making the rounds. I have received several emails today urging me to add to an insta-blog, Women Against Sarah Palin. With the click of a button, voices can now rise up, not solo but in resounding chorus. Any woman with an internet connection can, and should make her voice heard if she is not comfortable with, is insulted by, or shudders in fear of this looming puppet.
I share with you:

Friends, compatriots, fellow-lamenters,

We are writing to you because of the fury and dread we have felt since the announcement of Sarah Palin as the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Republican Party. We believe that this terrible decision has surpassed mere partisanship, and that it is a dangerous farce on the part of a pandering and rudderless Presidential candidate that has a real possibility of becoming fact.

Perhaps like us, as American women, you share the fear of what Ms. Palin and her professed beliefs and proven record could lead to for ourselves and for our present or future daughters. To date, she is against sex education, birth control, the pro-choice platform, environmental protection, alternative energy development, freedom of speech (as mayor she wanted to ban books and attempted to fire the librarian who stood against her), gun control, the separation of church and state, and polar bears. To say nothing of her complete lack of real preparation to become the second-most-powerful person on the planet.

We want to clarify that we are not against Sarah Palin as a woman, a mother, or, for that matter, a parent of a pregnant teenager, but solely as a rash, incompetent, and all together devastating choice for Vice President. Ms. Palin's political views are in every way a slap in the face to the accomplishments that our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers so fiercely fought for, and that we've so demonstrably benefited from.

First and foremost, Ms. Palin does not represent us. She does not demonstrate or uphold our interests as American women. It is presumed that the inclusion of a woman on the Republican ticket could win over women voters. We want to disagree, publicly.

Therefore, we invite you to reply here with a short, succinct message about why you, as a woman living in this country, do not support this candidate as second-in-command for our nation.

Please include your name (last initial is fine), age, and place of residence.

We will post your responses on a blog called "Women Against Sarah Palin," which we intend to publicize as widely as possible. Please send us your reply at your earliest conveniencethe greater the volume of responses we receive, the stronger our message will be.

Thank you for your time and action.

VIVA!

Sincerely,

Quinn Latimer and Lyra Kilston
New York, NY
womensaynopalin@gmail.com

**PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY! If you send this to 20 women in the next hour, you could be blessed with a country that takes your concerns seriously. Stranger things have happened.

Internet Election

2008-09-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

So I just received an email letter (e-letter?) from a friend, about the upcoming election. I suppose we will see and send many in the next few months but I felt compelled to post this.
I hear that this is the Internet Election, we can now post, link, upload a variety of information. This is good, and I assure my readers that I will certainly apply editing skills to avoid overload, but when something touches my heart, I must share it with you:

Dear friends and acquaintances,
I grew up on the dark stories told by my parents, Holocaust survivors. Watching the Republican convention on TV, I became physically ill because this is what Fascism looks like in its early stages. The venom, the lies and half-truths, the mockery, the nationalistic fervor, the demagoguery, and the utter lack of empathy for most of humankind chilled me to the bone. Couple this with the fact that the Republican Party strategists are not allowing journalists access to Palin (just heard this on CNN) and are effectively demonizing the media that veer from right-wing ideology, and we can see clearly where our democracy is heading.

We can, of course, shrug and say this is hopeless situation, or we can resort to magical thinking that all will turn out for the best if we simply send Obama good thoughts and vote for him. Let us instead act. In the two months remaining let us do EVERYTHING to elect the Obama and Biden and (for those of us living in Colorado) Mark Udall--who is being relentlessly attacked by the oil industry--and Jared Polis. For our children and grandchildren, let us do everything and then some. If it is comfortable to send $25 to the Obama campaign this week, please send $50. If you are well-to-do, please be extraordinarily generous in your giving; give so it makes a dent. Go to https://donate.barackobam.com/wecan. If you don't have discretionary money, think of something else to do, and keep on doing things until election day. My friend, Wayne (a physician) plans to go to nursing homes to inform patients that under a McCain/Palin administration, Medicare (which really works!) is threatened. My Sudanese daughter Rose is volunteering in Mark Udall's office even though she is not yet a citizen. My husband and I, both introverts, are canvassing for the Democratic Party.

In addition to working for the Obama/Biden ticket, if you like this letter, please send it on to others--those already committed, those on the fence, and those in the McCain camp.

Thank you with all my heart,
name withheld

Password Please

2008-09-05T18:54:00.001-07:00

Doncha hate when you forget (or misfile) your password to some site and you try to enter and you can't but they offer a "forgot password?" button and you hit that button that assures you that all is forgiven and no problem, a new temporary password will be sent to your email and you wait.....and wait.......and wait.......and where is the damn email from them?
I am currently waiting for:
Plaxo
American Airlines
and a few others I don't want to divulge....
I am still waiting.
Please send me new temp passwords because the ones I have entered don't work and I can't access my info and I just need to get in there and didn't this all start with September 11 in the first place?
Anyone else?

Cleans Up Nice

2008-09-03T11:54:00.000-07:00

I know, Barak, families are off limits. The media should indeed spare the innocent offspring of candidates. No scrutiny. No judging. No labels.
But what about the fiction that is being concocted before our eyes, as Levi Johnston morphs from hot-blooded hockey teen to first family pawn. What is going on here?
"Just play nice and get married, kids."
"You can still get into good schools, we will take care of that for you."
"Put this ring on before the cameras arrive."
"Better get on a plane and meet Momma's new boss."

For most of the other unwanted pregnancies in this country, the outcome will not look so bright. No marriage. No sparkly ring. No makeover and White House trip. No school. No career. No cute Juno (odd coincidence, Alaska's capitol and hit film) type ending. No support. No nanny. No forgiveness.
And many teenage girls do indeed find themselves pregnant. According to The Guttmacher Institute, almost 750,000 teenage women aged 15–19 a year in this country.
For some reason, teen pregnancy rates are much higher in the United States than in many other developed countries--twice as high as in England and Wales or Canada, and nine times as high as in the Netherlands or Japan.
We cannot assume all teen pregnancies are unintended.
Some girls get pregnant to make their partners happy. Some girls carry the mistaken belief that the babies will give them love and nurturance. And some want to get pregnant because they see other girls in their social circles getting increased attention and what seems to them increased material benefit by being mothers.
But we can help those who don't want to get married or raise a child in poverty. They certainly need more help than we are offering.
According to the CDC, efforts to decrease unintended pregnancy include finding better forms of contraception, and increasing contraceptive use and adherence.
We should be able to at least talk to our children about these things. Sex is depicted so often in advertising and entertainment, yet consequences rarely.
A pregnancy changes lives, and not always for the best.
That said, blessings on the new family.

Profound "Noise"

2008-08-31T15:32:00.000-07:00

Earlier, I cited the NYTimes call for citizen journalism as Gustav comes bearing down onto the Gulf Coast. And no doubt, the editors in New York are hoping for "money shots" of wild winds, flooded streets, stray cats, that sort of thing. Right now, what they are getting are full-on real accounts of life in fear. Read below as Sloane Gillam LaCasse sifts through her own set of noise (Fema? National Weather Service? Local news? neighbors?) and wonders how to "pack as though you are never coming back."
Touching. Scary. Real.
Brace for more.
Blessings to you, Sloane, and all your neighbors.

August 31st,
2008
1:46 pm
I am paralyzed by Gustav. Just like Gustav over Haiti, I have stalled. I don’t normally spook easily but I can’t deny that I feel skittish and frustrated. News articles about evacuation recommend clearing the fridge in order to avoid sticky, rotting messes later. One piece of advice from a reader on the local news website reads: “Pack as though you are never coming back.” Another person posts a piece of advice recommending taking all family vehicles instead of just one. I’m confused and unsure how to proceed, so instead I compulsively check my email and look for new tracks on the storm prediction map. It is too far away to begin packing but it is coming up too quickly for me to put it out of my mind. As a result, I am wandering around the apartment in circles, working on tasks much less pressing than packing insurance paperwork and memorabilia.
Pack as though you are never coming back. Easier said than done. I have twice in my life packed a year’s worth of belongings into two suitcases and one carry-on, so it seems like I should be better at this. Maybe since I was underage during both of those instances, they don’t count. I didn’t have wedding photos then, or couches, or dishes, or bookshelves. And I wasn’t distracted by images of mold creeping over all items left behind, or water trickling through wind-damaged walls or windows. People who have done this before post advice about leaving family photos permanently in the plastic travel tubs normally reserved for evacuation only. I think that this is no way to live, but I see their point, as more than two months of hurricane season remain. I am reminded of those dinner party questions where you have to pick the three things you would take if you were headed to a deserted island. I think that I will never enjoy that game again.
For about twelve hours, I thought that we would not evacuate. I understood those folks who stayed last time. I have a liquor cabinet full of yummy leftovers and plenty of things to do; this is no time for a forced exodus. With wine in the cupboard and lots of interesting bits in the pantry with which to craft new meals, it would be fun! I would pull out my sewing machine! I would write letters! I would finish my wedding album! No I wouldn’t, said my wise, younger-but-smarter-than-me across the street neighbor-friend. She reminded me of my fondness for air conditioning and running water. She also gently reminded me that the neighbors who stay are the ones with guns and generators, and that Chip and I were not those folks. Plus, we do whatever she tells us to do in this strange land, and she told us to evacuate, so that is the plan, barring any good weather news in the next 24 hours.
Pack as though we will never come back. How? We have already done this. We reduced the size of our living space by sixty percent when we moved down here. We are a lean operating machine, at least by American family standards. I keep thinking of random, completely unrelated tasks and items (I need more cat litter! I should wash my handwashables! I will bring my drycleaning with me and do it in evacuation land…maybe I will even have my shoes repaired…hmmm) and then an hour has gone by and Gustav has crept a bit closer on the National Weather Service back-of-the-airplane-seat progress map.
A couple of weeks ago my manager told us a tale at lunch about the ghost who lived with her family in their last home. No one in the office was disconcerted (or unconvinced) by the story, or by the possibility of its truth. One employee called out “No way!” which at first I took as disbelief, but really it turned out that he was thinking more along the lines of, “Oh I didn’t know that happened to you, because something like that has happened to me, too.”
The ghost and Gustav are just two examples of how life here is like life nowhere else. Spirits and raging storms are accepted by folks here as a part of the daily rhythms, and in a manner so calm so as to not permit any disbelief. I avoided going to bed until late last night, because when I am awake, the storm moves more slowly. Eventually, though, I had to go to sleep, and now that I am up again it is time for me to suspend my disbelief and get moving.
Sloane Gillam LaCasse
August 28, 2008
— Posted by Sloane Gillam LaCasse

Puppies!

2008-08-31T12:36:00.000-07:00

On another note, these puppies need a home. Too cute!
Dog-rescuer, Sheila Dixon works hard to find homes for any dogs that come her way. She currently has three left of these nine-week-old, Aussie/Border Collie blue-eyed babes.
Just saying.

Citizen Journalism

2008-08-31T09:20:00.001-07:00

Many people followed the Democratic National Convention through their usual trusted sources of news, but increasingly important are the other eyes and ears. Technology now offers devices for the everyman and woman to create content and upload, on their own. And forward-thinking media now embraces that.
Witness C-Span's Convention Hub, hosting blogs, like mine and countless others, Twitter highlights, relevant YouTube footage, Qik video streams from one's phone, all created by the people, for the people. (Sound familiar?)
News consumers have shown that they want facts, fast, often, and image (and other) quality might not be a top priority. People check their bookmarked blogs, news sites as often as they check their email.
Even the biggies are getting in the act.
Today's New York Times asks for footage, images, commentary from New Orleans as the city prepares for yet another hurricane. Traditional media, perhaps feeling pinched financially simply can't put reporters at every site of breaking news. Airfare, hotels, meals, it ain't cheap to send a seasoned journalist across the globe to capture the story.
By recognizing the ability of witnesses to share their experiences, we, the news consumers, get a lot more noise, but we get more information as well.
Early. Often.

Invesco Messco

2008-08-29T10:31:00.001-07:00

We were ready!
We had our credentials. We had a ride down to Invesco. What we didn't have was sufficient patience to endure the line. Lines. Many lines, spirals, serpentine, converging. As far as the eye could see.
I actually felt fear, large cranky groups of people, grumbling. "Where's the end of the line?"
"I've been here an hour and a half, no way are you cutting!"
"See those guys there, they just jumped right in line."
What we failed to have done was the research, the entrance at Federal Boulevard was, naturally, the most crowded, given it was the main access from inflowing highways. On the other hand, shuttles from downtown were letting people off on the South East side, later reports were of smoother flows.
But the complete lack of information was frustrating. Cel phones weren't working, ditto texts, Twitters, any form of contact with friends inside the stadium were blocked.
And who was in charge? No volunteers, no cops, complete self governance which was telling in itself. One man barked orders to docile followers, others whined, shared their personal tales of hardship without provocation. The rumor was three hours of wait time.
My companions had nice shoes and many years of dignified lifestyles, we weren't having fun. We made the call, let's go eat and try again later. It was only 4:45, Obama didn't come on until 8. Seemed like a good plan.
Our driver, Tim, was game. He calmly maneuvered through byzantine alternate routes, randomly blocked passages, many U turns as were directed, redirected.
Reminded me of the theme of confusion that I had encountered all week.
"All I know is that no one knows."
So we had a lovely Pizza in LoDo, a trendy area outside Denver, watched TV, Al Gore, Stevie Wonder, then headed back to try again. No lines. But no way to get close to the entrances either. At 7:30, we had at least a mile of hightailing it if we wanted to catch Obama live.
Well, we ended up listening to Obama's galvanizing acceptance speech on the car radio as we headed home. Disappointed? yes. This was history, within earshot, eyeshot (I know, that's not a word) and despite our highly coveted passes ( a kidney?!) we got to hear it like many Americans, on a scratchy AM radio station. And that is just fine because what we heard was what everyone else heard. We are in for one exciting election!

No Way To Treat A Lady

2008-08-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

I just got sent this from a friend, seems like some Cops in Denver are feeling a little heat. I have only experienced sweet, concerned for the public's-safety kind of guys but I also don't get close to those confrontational nests. Easy, everyone. Remember what we learned in kindergarten, no pushing, no name calling. We can all be here together.

In The Air, Change!

2008-08-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

Joe Biden: "We don't have to accept a situation we cannot bear. We have the power to change it."
The collective sense in Denver these days is mounting hope, and the usual media ploys of distracting readership with "glossy" issues is fading.
We see people getting their news now from each other, Twitter, Blogs, proven sites that adhere to integrity. Gone are the days of shuffling out one's driveway in a bathrobe to grab the local morning paper, blindly, obediently reading it over coffee. People now sit in their cubicles following the world (sorry boss, you need to know that), they balance laptops in bed at night and read a multitude of voices, and reactions. People now process the information on their own time, from who they come to trust, and even share their reactions, and develop conversations in Comments section, and this is why people are feeling hope. They finally feel like they are contributing to the dialog, the process, and certainly the outcome of the election.
So exciting.
Note the speeches, the "we" in all this. Not the "I promise" which, sometimes turns out to be a lie. Participatory citizenship. This is new, exciting, and it seems to engage everyone I have spoken to. Change for sure. Cindy McCain's half-sister is going for it. We all are.

Who Will Buy?

2008-08-26T22:59:00.000-07:00

Ten bucks gets you a Hillary Laughing Pen, (mouth really moves) from this biker, huckster, aging hipster.
Do people travel to Denver in costume or am I just riding a different bus?

DNC, another war room

2008-08-26T21:41:00.000-07:00

My journo friend, Amy Brouillette, is posting over at New West, and last night when we saw those Darth Vader-looking troops upping their pace from stroll to trot past us on Fifteenth Street, she took off. Me, I am not a "bullet chaser"....that heroic breed of journalist, writer or shooter, that needs to get as close as possible to the action. The best stuff always comes from that proximity, but when I see flashing lights and swarms of choppers overhead, as I did last night around 7 pm, I just said "meet me back in this alley."
I wasn't even sure if she heard me, she was racing fearlessly along, darting between cars, lens lifted to capture the moment which she certainly did. The whole protester thing ended within a half hour, evidently there was chanting/provoking, cops contained the group. There was some pepper spray, rubber bullets (Ow!), a little stampede action, nothing major. I heard that around a hundred people were detained at the "freedom cages" for a while. Bravo Amy.

DNC, the war room

2008-08-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

Denver seems to be hosting more members of the Fourth Estate, than any other estate. Or State.
Everyone is running around on assignment, fulfilling promises to get the story. But as the mercury climbed today, people melted.
View the war room of some camera crew outside the hopping Starz Green Room.

DNC.....sanctuary

2008-08-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

So Denver was hot today, more crowded, more confused, yet I did get my laminate act together. A little research on events, a little homework to RSVP helps. I guess it takes some effort to sift through the thousands of offerings of all kinds and make a plan. It probably also helps to leave Denver each evening to feed your cat and check your email at your own desk. Or maybe that's just me.
Today, I also connected with fellow blogger, Sara Avant Stover, who invited me into the paradise known as Arianna's Oasis. Oooooooooh.
Different vibe here, man. Welcome, would you like a massage? How bout a smoothie? Not the sugary, fakey fruity kind but little cups of real. Or home-made chocolates? Or a copy of Arianna's book, Fearless, which was on my list of must reads? Or go and stretch over there. We all know LuluMom loves her stretch. Or just a quiet place to sit and catch a wireless signal or not. And music is softly playing. And someone offers you a gorgeous, clean, veggie nibble. And you feel so good.
And the whole point is that we are running around crazy, getting our stuff done, focusing, being good at what we do, and we forget. There is a being inside that needs a little love and care.
And maybe after we get a bit, what happens? We pass it on. We excuse the crowds and fumes and mess because we have reconnected with the good place. Our own.
Thanks, Arianna.

DNC, update

2008-08-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

So the orange lady sang, and everyone gets to go....get some rest or party hearty..... depending. There are tons of parties, live music, happenings. But some people actually worked today.
There are also a lot of gals in high heels who had to traipse around Denver, (overheard, "John, wait up, I have lady shoes on") maneuvering through stalled cars and randomly expanding secure perimeters. Those pesky demonstrators. Yes they are flexing their democratic muscles but do they have to delay all events?
Everyone looks tired. Even the rickshaw guys, who are pocketing hundreds of US bucks a day pedaling swells through the sweltering streets, need breaks.

Alert, Code Pink

2008-08-26T00:33:00.000-07:00

In response to the Bush government's ridiculous, fear mongering color coding alert system, Code Pink creates awareness through its name, its game and gathering many like minded women and men. Through awareness and empowerment, this grass-roots group seeks change through education.
We wish them well.

Denver Art

2008-08-26T00:24:00.000-07:00

What is that, lovely? Illegal? Both? Here we find in plain view, 15th Street actually, several taggers doing their thing alongside trucks pumping "Rock The Vote" and "Guitar Hero"...wait, is GH a platform or just a pastime?
Anyway, the message being presented is "we are young, arty, cool, and very well located."
Why can't I paint like that?

Denver, Oh So Funny

2008-08-26T00:04:00.000-07:00

Like I said, major police presence, but still fun and somewhat relaxed. But what is that Blue Bear back there?

DNC, So Green

2008-08-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

Earth-friendly and Ready

Denver is looking good! All clean, green, shiny and, despite some scuffles downtown tonight, very friendly. Key events have been scheduled throughout the day, many open to the public/media but previous arrangements seem essential. Then sometimes not. Policies seem to vary.
One refreshing oasis in the overwhelming heat/overload today was The Starz Green Room, over on the Auraria Campus, an enlightened film center at all times, and a hotbed of ideas during these convention-hosting times. Film screenings, open discussions by "informed, involved and involving panelists" makes this a must-get-in.

Getting Around
The best way to maneuver Denver's random, one-way this street, blocked for security that street system is to nab a free bike. The brilliant folks at Bikes Belong Coalition have set up a free bike plan throughout downtown for the week. Did I say free? Forget walking, taxi or rickshaw. Just go in to one of the seven eager stations with your ID and credit card, and within minutes you are rolling out on a brand new cruiser, with a helmet and bike lock in the cute pouch on your (ask for a bell) handlebars. So fun. So green (idling SUV's guys!) So easy. Done playing? Drop the bike at any station. Need to roll? Go grab another. I like it!

DNC....It's a Circus!

2008-08-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

So patience, my friends.....I got frozen out of "The Big Tent" today.....credential nightmare there, as it is around town. Hundreds of bloggers, along with major media personnel were allotted access to the plush, air-conditioned, free beer, rub shoulders with others tent, sponsored by Digg, Goggle, and lots of other household words. But, not LuluMom. No laminate, no in.
But I'm not bitter, at least not now that I've found the MySpace Cafe, with outlets, and wireless, to upload images from around town.
So all the world seems to have descended upon this funny cow town to see, be seen, and of course get this groovy Obama guy into office as our 44th President.
And through words, costume, banner, truck, bike, people have a lot to say. That's democracy for ya. Anyway, the cops seem pretty chill, people are polite and wonderful, all well.
More later as I upload todays images, and tell you about a wonderful film.

Off To Denver

2008-08-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

Ready, steady, off I go to tackle timely, real news, real time, real tech..... I will be posting from Denver this week. My first political convention.
So much, so much going on! What to see? Follow? Attend?
Let me know what you want covered.
Meantime:
I will follow my nose for news and blog what's fun, important, or merely shiny.
Look for bits and bites, as I send y'all a Rocky Mountain Hi.

On Kindness.......

2008-08-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -- Maya Angelou

Who do we touch in our lives? How do others feel having passed through our space, for a moment or more? Do we even realize the power simple acts of kindness can have on the world around us? The shared smile with a stranger. That gesture of grace towards the harried mom, the confused traveler, the bored deli slave or toll taker. It all matters.

We might speak of compassion, but what does that actually mean?

I recently heard the Dalai Lama speak in Aspen, as part of a Tibetian Cultural Festival. I am not religious, nor even a follower of Buddhist teachings, yet this funny little man put it so right as he spoke.
First, with great reverence, he was greeted into a spacious tent, large, airy, festooned with flags that children had created for the occasion. He then unlaced his shoes and settled, cross-legged into an oversized cozy chair. A translator sat at his side but was rarely needed for the next several hours as His Holiness spoke at random of things great and small.
Questions had been collected from audience members and a few were posed. One woman asked, "Why do I feel compassion for my dog, yet I can't stand my family?"

So, yet again, one reviews semantics. What is this compassion thing we speak of? Is it pity? Sympathy? Condolence? The whole concept can veer into a negative realm. We might see ourselves responding in less than healthy ways. Do we give our dollars and time to ease our guilt of having "more" than someone else? Do we exhaust ourselves in a selfless mode, only to feel dried up and spent? Giving, giving. All in the name of "compassion"?
The Dalai Lama drew our attention to the key concept of respect, because that is really what it all boils down to. Respect in the sense of caring, of regarding others as living, feeling beings with similar thoughts and concerns. Respect in the sense of sharing the grace that one feels, knowing we all are here together.

And, most importantly..... this all sprouts from one's self. Look after yourself. Not the cute puppy, not that raspy neighbor lady that always needs a favor, not that troubled cousin or friend or meter maid, but the self. This is the origin of all the care and share in the first place. Feed it.

Susan Smalley, founder of the Mindful Awareness Research Center, reminds us of the need to nourish ourselves, first and foremost.
"Becoming aware of how you treat yourself is key to seeing how you relate to others."

His Holiness also reminded us of the appropriate hierarchy of care. It starts with the self, always. It has to.
Get good with that, then our next level of tending goes towards our family. Common proverb: "Blood is thicker than water."
Then from there, the care flows outward to the community. Schools, neighbors, friends....that's where you go next.
And from there, the world.
Like that.
Occasionally situations arise, beyond our control.....you are committed to volunteer at the local shelter and your child comes down with a fever. You must drive an elderly parent to an appointment yet you feel lousy. This happens. And of course one does what one must. But in a perfect world, it is not selfish to regard the self as the first in line.
Only from there can the love spread. And without love, we perish.

More Please
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

Time To Reset Family Sleep Schedule

2008-08-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

I know, it has been fun. Summertime and the schedules get easy. Without the morning school bell to wake up for, our bedtimes have become somewhat relaxed. Our wake times too. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it's now time to start back onto a sensible bedtime plan. And don't shoot the messenger, the National Sleep Foundation urges parents to start resetting our children's sleep clocks a few weeks before school starts. Like around now.

“Although it's tempting to sleep as late as possible during the remaining days of summer, it's not necessarily the best strategy for starting the school year off right,” says Richard L. Gelula, NSF’s chief executive officer. “In fact, a lack of sleep seriously affects academic performance, mood and a teenager’s ability to drive safely."

Here are several tips to adjust gradually to the fall schedule:

Start pushing bedtime/wake time 15 minutes earlier each day. Start a few weeks before school starts.
Enjoy the last days of summer in the mornings, with activities outdoors in the sun. Don't emphasize TV as a summer perk.
Be consistent, even on weekends. This will ease the transition to morning alertness.
Push dinnertime to an earlier hour. Avoid caffeine/ sugars close to bedtime.
Remember, an ideal sleep environment: cool, dark, quiet, comfy.
No electronics bleeping, buzzing, whirring.
Set a good example as a parent.

Believe it or not, children and teens actually need more sleep than adults. Let's help them form good bedtime habits.

Other resources:
Sleep For Kids
National Sleep Foundation

Exercise....Stretching

2008-08-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

Stretching…Longer is Stronger

Cats do it, dancers too. We all stretch out our bodies, and by doing so, we tune up our muscles and relax our brain. Even as babies, we instinctively know what muscle groups are asking for a gentle tug. But we might not know how important stretching is for our body.
According to wellness expert, Scott Cole, stretching is a key element of body maintenance.
“As we age, we lose elasticity in the joints,” says Cole. “The cartilage tends to diminish rather than replenish and our muscle mass tends to decrease and will definitely become tighter if we don't stretch. “
Whether we are elite athletes, ditch diggers, office dwellers or housewives, we all need to keep our flexibility and range of motion to avoid future problems.
Posture is maintained, injuries are prevented, one can participate in movement activities well into the golden years by keeping a fluid body.

“I have witnessed many healthy people over sixty exhibit a quite youthful appearance through the gentle practices of yoga and TaiChi,” says Cole. Indeed, many fitness programs, and certainly yoga, incorporate stretching into the plan, but even on our own, we should stretch. Often.

Upon rising in the morning, we should ease open our backs and hips, loosening any areas of tension before we fly through the day.
If we sit at a computer, we should take a once-an-hour break, relaxing shoulders, neck, hands (and eyes.) Every sport uses specific muscle groups, gently ease those guys into action. It is best to stretch when the body is warm, pliant.

Stretching Basics

Stretching Should Feel Good
Always. The “no pain, no gain” school of fitness went out with pink spandex. If done correctly, stretching feels yummy. Slow, fluid, conscious.

Don’t Bounce
The muscles protect themselves, when the fibers overstretch or bounce into discomfort, the nerve says, “contract to protect.” This is involuntary, like when you touch something hot, but a contracted muscle is tighter than in its relaxed state, and will not stretch with ease.

Breathe Into Your Stretch
Deep, relaxed, rhythmic breathing oxygenates the body. Never hold your breath during a stretch. According to Cole, “blocked breath=blocked energy” so relax and let it flow.

Focus on the Muscles
Feel the muscle or muscles being stretched. Go to the point where you feel mild tension, relax and gently hold the position for 10-15 seconds. According to stretching-guru, Bob Anderson, author of Stretching, “be in control.” With time, you will simply stretch because it feels good, not to achieve flexibility. “Learn to find and control the right amount of tension in each stretch,” says Anderson.

Mind Your Position
Relax all the muscles when stretching, not just the areas of focus.
“Make sure you're not creating blockages in other areas,” says Cole. “For example, many people lift their shoulders and hunch their necks when they try to stretch their hamstrings.”
Check in with your face, are you grimacing? Relax everything, jaws, hands, mind.

Don’t Compare Yourself With Others
Pay no mind to Gumby girl over there. Even if you are tight or inflexible, you still should stretch, be patient. With time, your range improves if you stretch regularly. Even so, some people will never touch their toes, everyone is different.

Every Day Is Different
Some days we are tighter, some days we are looser, based on a range of variables. Regardless, try to stretch every day, just adjust accordingly. Anderson reminds us to find a stretch tension that feels good.

Stretch Your Tight Side First
Anderson writes that people tend to spend more time on their first arm, or leg or area that they stretch. And guess which side people stretch first? The easier side, of course. To remedy that, he suggests starting with the less flexible side. “This will help out even your overall flexibility,” he says.

Another Reason to Drink Water
Your muscles stretch more easily when they are well hydrated. Keep that in mind on those tighter days.

Find Your Place
Ideally, you want to stretch on a firm, but not hard surface, like a rug or mat. Don’t stretch jammed against furniture, trash bins, piles of books, twisting to accommodate. If the body is not comfortable, you won’t fully relax. Avoid drafty spots, cats like shafts of sunlight for warmth.

Good Stretches For Everyone, Any Time

“The best lower back move I know is from Chinese QiGong,” says Cole. “It is called Bending Bear, and it involves rounding forward, letting go of all tension, then slowly rolling up to vertical one vertebrae at a time.” This is also done with one’s back against a wall for stability. Always bend your knees to lessen strain.
Muscles often compensate for others. “Usually when someone has a tight lower back, it also means that their hamstrings are tight, “says Cole.

When sitting in the car at a red light, lift both shoulders with a nice, slow inhale, lower before the light turns green.
Push your chair back from the computer, interlace fingers, turn palms away from body, straighten elbows and push palms forward for 10-20 seconds. Do this with hands overhead too. Delightful.
As Anderson says,
“Don’t stretch to be flexible, stretch to feel good.”

Wellness expert, Scott Cole, is the creator of the Discover Tai Chi, Get Fit America for Kids and Millennium Stretch DVD series'. He has presented stretching lectures and workshops in over thirty countries and has appeared on The View, Live with Regis and Kelly, CNN, The Early Show, and has been in over 500 publications worldwide. For more on Scott, visit www.scottcole.com.

Stretching, available at http://www.shelterpub.com/

Beat The Heat-Boulder, Colorado

2008-08-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

Here in the Rockies, the intense heat makes life veer towards simplicity, and fun.
What are they wearing on the avenues of Boulder, Colorado.....actually, the bike paths? Tubes! Bigger is better. The gas station on Broadway and Canyon sells them for ten bucks, you go out back to fill them with the air machine....be forewarned, there's a wait on weekends. But chill, cause you will. Just wait.
Trek upstream a few blocks, not far and jump into bracing cold snow melt, water that was just ice not long ago. Shoot down one of the only urban creeks known in the country, floating past parks and grassy glades, amongst frisky Labs and splashing toddlers. But carry little, wear less. Our lass on the left must have lost her flip flops, shoes are necessary to maneuver through boulders and chutes.
Yah!

"One World, One Dream"

2008-08-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

A lovely, vague motto for the Olympic Summer Games starting this week in Beijing. "One world, one dream" but for the outside world, many questions remain.
Will there be sufficient security for the athletes and spectators in this tinderbox of contentious issues. Will the air be clean enough for the athletes to safely breathe? The US team has quietly distributed Nasa-developed anti-pollution masks to its athletes. The British hockey squad also plans to wear red contact lenses to see through the haze.
Will Beijing remain true to previous promises of unrestricted Internet for foreign reporters and guests? Will NBC have access to Tianamen Square for live feeds? At all hours? Will Internet hungry visitors to China need to download the free bypass software offered by partners of The Global Internet Freedom Consortium?
Will doping dominate the headlines, yet again? Or violent protests? Or biological threats?
Will visitors find the lack of personal privacy annoying? A disconcerting tidbit from the US State Department's Fact Sheet on Beijing during the Olympics, "All hotel rooms and offices are considered to be subject to on-site or remote technical monitoring at all times. Hotel rooms, residences and offices may be accessed at any time without the occupant’s consent or knowledge."
But one of the most perplexing questions for me is, what are we looking at in this hauntingly gorgeous shot by Victor Fraile in today's NYTimes?
Is this an exotic Butoh dancer? A preview of the opening ceremony costuming theme? Or is this, as I suspect, the new smart accessory in Beijing, a smog scarf?

Bollywood Dancing!

2008-08-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

My latest fun thing, Bollywood Dance class, every Tuesday night. So wacky, great music. I am saving up enough money to fly to Bombay to audition. I want to dance like these gals!

Sneaky, Snarky!

2008-07-31T15:30:00.000-07:00

I just got an email alert, claiming to list chic hotels for under $175 a night. Now I have been around the block (planet Earth) a few times so I wondered where I might find such screaming deals. I mean, this isn't youth hostel pricing, but I don't do that anymore. So $175 for nice is nice, right? And since I am sweating through a week-long spell of over ninety degree days, I could use a break. So where is this list of chic inns for a song?
Sure enough, right in scam city.
I must warn you, this MSNBC site is one slow loading sucker, what with all the ads. Yet a little patience brings up a list of hotels like The Bowery, in NYC that starts at $425, rising steeply from there, The Fasano in Rio, $500, Hotel Screen, Kyoto, starting at $435 a night. That isn't $175, not even near it. What gives?
Oh look, here is La Purificadora, a converted water purification plant, how chic, two hours outside Mexico City. $175 a night.
I think I'll make myself another iced coffee.

Water, Water, Everywhere

2008-07-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

Around here, we watch our footprint, carbon that is. So one of the things we have stopped buying is the fancy H2O. Filtered tap water is what we drink. But those pretty bottles, and the great ads, almost criminal in their deception. Greenwashing, it's called.

But do you ever stop to think about the irony and energy it takes to transport water? Some brilliant blogger, Pablo, did. (Thanks Pablo) He calculated the energy cost to get a liter of Fiji Water from the remote Pacific to your fridge. It isn't pretty. The distance from Fiji to San Francisco is 8,700km or over 5,400 miles, which interestingly enough, is the same distance as Italy is to Florida ("would you like another bottle of Pellegrino?"). That's a long haul for a little drink of water.
Do the math. Pablo did.

Iced Coffee

2008-07-30T16:19:00.000-07:00

Ooooooh, so hot today. A torrid, evil wind blows, robbing us of energy and shine.
Answer:
Iced Coffee!
Not just any iced coffee, the iced coffee with coffee ice cubes that someone had the foresight to create yesterday. And the cooled simple syrup that beats Splenda by a mile. And further research tells us that in New Orleans, they don't even heat the coffee. Just combine cool water and ground coffee and let it soak (in the fridge if your house is hot) for a spell. Overnight is good. Then strain it.
The New York Times ran an article with the recipe, and links to devices for sale. You can probably get your hands on a used mayonnaise jar and something to filter it and save $35 but these fancy devices might be worth the price for a steady supply of great iced coffee.

Eat Less, Exercise More

2008-07-30T06:28:00.001-07:00

It looks like we need to exercise at least an hour a day, according to a recently released study.
We also need to keep our intake of calories to 1200-1500 daily. That is if we want to fit into our tight jeans.
I know, boring!
But maybe not, if we watch what we chow down on.
Let's look at some of our favorite foods.

Each ounce of potato chips or cheese puffs is roughly 160 calories, and that can add up if you sit with the entire bag. Try portion control, fill a small bowl with lighter, leaner snacks. Low-fat popcorn. Fruit. Carrot and celery sticks.

A 20 ounce T-bone steak can weigh in at 1,540 calories, but many lean options share the grill. Look for the words "loin" and "round" as in pork tenderloin. Skinless chicken, fish. And again, portion control, The Food Guide Pyramid recommends 5 to 7 ounces from the meat group each day, which can be eaten as two 3-ounce servings or as one larger portion. A cooked, trimmed 3-ounce serving of meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards.

A small half-cup portion of typical potato salad has 180 calories, the mayo will get ya. But try a German-style potato salad, using mustard, balsamic vinegar, chives and a little olive oil for flavor.

A daiquiri floors you with 300-800 calories. Wine cooler anyone?

Lighten up, keep it lean, stick with it. Results will reward you.

The Latest Thing, Fish Pedicures

2008-07-29T15:54:00.000-07:00

Not sure if this idea will make a splash nationwide, but a salon near D.C. is offering bowls of fish to nibble the callouses off toes.
"This is a good treatment for everyone who likes to have nice feet," the unfortunately named John Ho, salon manager said.
Evidently, the fish, garra rufa, also known as doctor fish eat the softened callouses, a practice known in Turkey and Asia. The treatment, which involves sharing a bowl of water with about 100 fish, costs $50 for a half hour, tip not included.

Solution to "Something's In The Air"

2008-07-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

Yes, commercial products seem to be toxic. Why not go back to grandma's basics to run a clean, happy home? Here are a few simple recipes from Women and the Environment, a group that's been working to clean up our planet's act for thirteen years.

All-Purpose Cleaner
suggested uses: hard surfaces like countertops and kitchen floors, windows and mirrors

2 cups white distilled vinegar
2 cups water
20-30 or more drops of essential oil (optional)

Tip: Warming in microwave until barely hot will boost cleaning power for tough jobs. Only microwave in a glass container.

Creamy Soft Scrub
suggested uses: Use this creamy soft scrub on kitchen counters, stoves, bathroom sinks, etc.

2 cups baking soda
½ cup liquid castile soap*
4 teaspoons vegetable glycerin (acts as a preservative)
5 drops antibacterial essential oil such as lavender, tea tree, rosemary or any scent you prefer (optional)

Mix together and store in a sealed glass jar, shelf life of 2 years.

Tips: For exceptionally tough jobs spray with vinegar first—full strength or diluted, scented—let sit and follow with scrub.

Dry soft scrubs can be made with baking soda or salt (or combination of both) with 10-15 drops essential oil to scent.

Laundry Detergent

1 cup soap flakes
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup Borax

Soap flakes can be made by grating your favorite pure vegetable soap with a cheese grater. Mix ingredients together and store in a glass container. Use 1 tablespoon per load (2 for heavily soiled laundry), wash in warm or cold water.

This standard recipe can be adjusted for soft water by using 1 cup soap flakes, 1/4 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax. For hard water, use 1 cup soap flakes, 1 cup washing soda, and 1 cup borax.

Note: Borax should not be ingested.

Tips: Add 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to rinse as a fabric softener. For a whitener, use hydrogen peroxide rather than bleach. Soak your dingy white clothes for 30 minutes in the washer with 1/2 cup 20% peroxide. Launder as usual.

Share any tips/recipes you have found.

Something's In The Air

2008-07-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

You know how those strong household cleansers kind of hurt your nose and sinuses after you do a good scrub? Well, it seems that all is not well in the clean machine.
A University of Washington study of top-selling laundry products and air fresheners found the products emitted dozens of different chemicals. All six products tested gave off at least one chemical regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws, but none of those chemicals was listed on the product labels.
The researcher, Anne Steinemann, a UW professor of civil and environmental engineering and public affairs, chose not to disclose the names of the common products, but the results were alarming.
"I was surprised by both the number and the potential toxicity of the chemicals that were found," Steinemann said. Chemicals included acetone, the active ingredient in paint thinner and nail-polish remover; limonene, a molecule with a citrus scent; as well as acetaldehyde, chloromethane and 1,4-dioxane.
Yikes!

Hangin At The "Shack"

2008-07-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

Not too shabby, the local yum yum bar in Montauk, The Gig Shack. Hangout of hungry surfers, sandy families from the beach slurping locally made gelato, cool sounds from faraway places to the south throb the arty space, and a solid WIFI connection for Miss Blogger here.
Faves include:

The Lamborgini, three tender lamb sliders on a cheesy bun.
Fresh fish taco, this is Montauk, fresh means fresh!
Chilled tomato soup, ginger and sesame aftertaste
Empanada con chorizo sausage y manchego, hoy!
Lobster Roll on Brioche ("bling burger").

That Explains The Sleeping Teen Syndrome

2008-07-16T07:56:00.000-07:00

Yet another aha!

According to recently published research by the American Medical Association, studies show that kids' activity level drops after age nine. Seriously drops from, on average three hours a day to about a half hour (on weekends).

According to the NYTimes, "The findings, which measured everything from moderate walking to vigorous athletic pursuits, show clearly that even the most energetic young children experience a precipitous drop in physical activity as they reach puberty."

I guess they just can't help it.

Bibs

2008-07-16T07:38:00.000-07:00

OK, we outgrow many things, bibs being one of them.......except when we eat lobster! What's up with that ritual? When else, when dining out, are we asked to don an item? OK, maybe if you are a man and you show up at some fancy restaurant or country club and they have some stockpile of ties and jackets for poor slobs like you who didn't know about the dining room's dress code......but bibs? Brings to mind the 1920's and spat and top hatted swells would need some sort of protection from their oysters Rockefeller so they wouldn't slop on their finery. They probably had some fine cotton number tied around their neck by the help. But disposable bibs? In this day and age? Granted, it is a messy (yet fun!) affair, cracking and sucking and dipping in drippy melted butter, yum! But what are we protecting? Our message sweatshirts? Do people in Maine wear them? They eat lot's of lobster there.
And do we even care that we look like overgrown kids?

Let's Watch a Movie

2008-07-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I was just raging (yes, Moms are allowed to rage) about spending too much time indoors, but sometimes we need to watch movies. With the family. Rent a DVD that the whole gang can enjoy together, or go for the full screen experience as a group. Not only is this fun but it expands the range of common topics for discussion. Hollywood is hip to this, witness the increase of films designed to entertain on many levels.
Apart from the highly recommended things that are buzzed about, (I am looking at you, WALL-E)) many movies open and close at the multiplex, faster than you can say "where did I put my cellphone." They end up on video rental shelves, along with the other hundreds of multi- million dollar follies, often unknown but to a savvy few. I offer a random selection.
Feel free to comment with any additions.

Stardust
I don't even remember this gem hitting the theaters last year. A weepy, whimsical mix of The Princess Bride, Pirates of the Caribbean, and other witchy fun things. Go rent it. PG rating.
The Fall
This R-rated recent release was filmed in dozens of countries, the sets and costumes are outrageous and surreal. Nine-year-old, Romanian-born actress Catinca Untar steals the show, look for her on Oscar night.

Go Outside And Play!

2008-07-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

We are spending an awful lot of time in front of screens these days.

"Family Entertainment" Game Sales Grow By 110%
Computer and video game software sales reached $9.5 billion in 2007, 28% over the previous year, and set a new record according to
final data compiled by the NPD Group and announced today by the
Entertainment Software Association (ESA).

Maybe too much, ya think?
Just saying.

Then there is the UTNR Reader article that asks, "Is The Internets Rotting Our Brain?".
Let's all just get out and breathe a little fresh air, while we still can. OK?

Always Selling Something II

2008-07-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

What do you suppose they are selling here? Ample truck space? A sturdy friendly moving crew? Their clever sense of perspective?

Always Selling Something

2008-07-08T09:54:00.001-07:00

So New Yawk, selling stuff. Dig these "Greek Warriors" on Segways on Columbus Circle. It seems that we should know about a new yogurt, so some marketing people come up with the chariots/costumes idea. The warriors were actually handing out cups of yogurt samples and spoons, but the heat and confusion seemed to turn people off. I mean, New York is an "eat while you walk" kind of town but the yogurt seemed to have few takers, mostly gawkers. Those helmets and chest pieces were constructed of plastic. Like the kind you get dixie cups in.

That's Funny!

2008-07-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

It's fun zipping around the East Coast, refreshingly jangling, disfunctional, silly, weird, overwhelming, underserving....an unrelenting assault on the senses. The heat brings out the essenses of trash piles, rotting food trash stings the olfactory system. Especially in the hyper-hip Meat Packing District (did the gays come up with that?) of Manhattan. Sitting crook to hook are the chic design doers and the slab o'meat systems. Already trampled by the lookeyloos, yet still no signs of abatement on the construction horizon. Shitty/chic sharing stares. Sleek black fleets idle outside galleries, shops, on streets still cobbled, threatening to hobble the brave colts in vertiginous designer shoes.

Summer Fun

2008-07-07T13:01:00.001-07:00

My boy, Nico and his friend, Mikey caught a fish today. A big fish. After days of no luck, Nico spotted and speared a 58-pound striped bass off of Montauk, NY.
He looks happy.

On Friendship

2008-06-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

We sometimes need another human as we go through life, for sharing experiences, for expressing our innards, for the rich feeling of compassion, for fun. And these people that pass through our lives, be it for an afternoon, or a lifetime, are possibly closer than any relative, simply because they have the safety of distance. Not bound by blood ties, nor ring, nor duty, they are simply there for you. Remember to nurture friendship.

"Do not protect yourself by a fence, but rather by your friends."
Czech Proverb