Back home, 3 days into penicillin for the strep throat that began flaring as we travelled on Thursday (hence the lack of posting). I felt it hit, so got to the doc for the antibiotics right away Friday and STILL spent 2 days in bed with a 39 degree fever. Now that the outside temperature is about that high, I can't tell the difference between me and not me and I think I'm diffusing. At least I'm dizzy.
Always good to keep me distracted, my buddy Steve's alter-ego cat blog made me spit-take. Check out the post entitled "Some of my Retarded Cousins" by Puddy.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Thursday, July 27, 2006
One last day by The Bay
Wednesday was our last full day, as we fly out mid-afternoon tomorrow. Today we decided to stay in the city, but I wanted to get to The Other Side and make sure I could at least claim that I'd dipped my toes in the Pacific (as technically, when I was in Vancouver, I only got to the strait).
I've often heard it said if you want to see the real city, ride a bus. Yep. Sadly, very true. We took the Muni out to the Great Highway and saw a few sad (but harmless) examples of real life here. Like the ever-present homeless panhandling, it does dampen the glamour some and make you think. In contrast, we were shortly out to Cliff House, another glitzy and somewhat tacky tourist destination, albeit one where the food is quite good. One of my intentions was to see the Giant Camera, a large, room-sized camera obscura that, when operating, reflects a rotating panorama of the coast. Sadly, we had to take a miss on that. The gift shop proprietors described that as a separate concession, and one whose operator "keeps his own schedule" which seems to be a mystery to anyone else. Ah, well. Brunch was quite good and Cliff House serves the table not with bread, but with fresh, warm popovers. Our waitress was quite generous when I asked for more. Adam quite enjoyed the french toast, and I had what must be a California creation - crab and avocado omelette. Yummy.
After brunch we wandered the beach, I DID get my toes, and my Crocs, into the Pacific and managed to avoid getting stuck with the floating jellyfish remains littering the surf. A good few miles of urban hiking took us to, and through, Golden Gate Park to the DeYoung museum. This was one of my citypass destinations, one which I might have passed up except for the current exhibit of the Quilts of Gee's Bend. As a quilter, this is a really neat exhibit. The quilts are very true to the nature of quilting - made out of desperate necessity - but also a testament to a human craving for art. Many of these quilters may never have seen a painting, much less a gallery in their lives, and grew up in newspaper-lined shacks on river mudflats in rural Alabama. Their quilts, rustic and 'unschooled' though they appear, have some fantastic appeal.
We only took a brief look at the rest of the gallery, as it was getting a bit annoying that Adam was constantly told to carry his camera pack in hand rather than on his shoulder or back, and it was a bit of a drag. We left from there, skipped the tea garden which appeared crowded beyond my comfort and charged an admission - it wasn't clear if that included tea or not. From there, a hike to the south edge of the park got us on another Muni ride to the Exploratorium. This is a hands-on arts-meets-science centre, again very kid-focused and rather kid-full today, though much of the exhibits were still fascinating for geeks like us. We sadly had less than an hour, but because it was my last CityPass destination, Adam joined me and we made the best of what we could. While many of the exhibits were things we found familiar, in principle, they were very nicely executed and installed.
After a ride home to freshen up, we took the recommendation of both a tour book and the hotel concierge and walked to Sam's Grill for dinner. As a last dinner in the city - this was a darned good choice. We found it because I took Adam at his word when he said steak would be nice and went looking for steak. Turns out there are very few "steak house" restaurants in San Francisco, but many "seafood grill" places include a piece of beef or two on their menu. This one did it justice. Adam's New York Strip was at least 1.5" thick and perfectly done, and my shellfish sautee was the best I can recall having. The waiters only added to the meal. All dressed in slightly shabby tuxes, they seemed to be the sort of world-weary men who were not gangsters. They were the sort of men who were head butlers in a gangster's household, who maybe "took care of" a thing or two for the boss if needed. And judging by the food, the chef was obviously used to cooking for "the family" too. As Adam put it, it's the kind of place where the food had to be good or someone was gettin' hurt. Luckily no one had to get hurt.
So, here we are back at the Triton, packing up and trying to cool off the rest of yesterday's sunburn. I expect the next entry will be back in Waterloo, as we'll be on the run most of tomorrow.
I've often heard it said if you want to see the real city, ride a bus. Yep. Sadly, very true. We took the Muni out to the Great Highway and saw a few sad (but harmless) examples of real life here. Like the ever-present homeless panhandling, it does dampen the glamour some and make you think. In contrast, we were shortly out to Cliff House, another glitzy and somewhat tacky tourist destination, albeit one where the food is quite good. One of my intentions was to see the Giant Camera, a large, room-sized camera obscura that, when operating, reflects a rotating panorama of the coast. Sadly, we had to take a miss on that. The gift shop proprietors described that as a separate concession, and one whose operator "keeps his own schedule" which seems to be a mystery to anyone else. Ah, well. Brunch was quite good and Cliff House serves the table not with bread, but with fresh, warm popovers. Our waitress was quite generous when I asked for more. Adam quite enjoyed the french toast, and I had what must be a California creation - crab and avocado omelette. Yummy.
After brunch we wandered the beach, I DID get my toes, and my Crocs, into the Pacific and managed to avoid getting stuck with the floating jellyfish remains littering the surf. A good few miles of urban hiking took us to, and through, Golden Gate Park to the DeYoung museum. This was one of my citypass destinations, one which I might have passed up except for the current exhibit of the Quilts of Gee's Bend. As a quilter, this is a really neat exhibit. The quilts are very true to the nature of quilting - made out of desperate necessity - but also a testament to a human craving for art. Many of these quilters may never have seen a painting, much less a gallery in their lives, and grew up in newspaper-lined shacks on river mudflats in rural Alabama. Their quilts, rustic and 'unschooled' though they appear, have some fantastic appeal.
We only took a brief look at the rest of the gallery, as it was getting a bit annoying that Adam was constantly told to carry his camera pack in hand rather than on his shoulder or back, and it was a bit of a drag. We left from there, skipped the tea garden which appeared crowded beyond my comfort and charged an admission - it wasn't clear if that included tea or not. From there, a hike to the south edge of the park got us on another Muni ride to the Exploratorium. This is a hands-on arts-meets-science centre, again very kid-focused and rather kid-full today, though much of the exhibits were still fascinating for geeks like us. We sadly had less than an hour, but because it was my last CityPass destination, Adam joined me and we made the best of what we could. While many of the exhibits were things we found familiar, in principle, they were very nicely executed and installed.
After a ride home to freshen up, we took the recommendation of both a tour book and the hotel concierge and walked to Sam's Grill for dinner. As a last dinner in the city - this was a darned good choice. We found it because I took Adam at his word when he said steak would be nice and went looking for steak. Turns out there are very few "steak house" restaurants in San Francisco, but many "seafood grill" places include a piece of beef or two on their menu. This one did it justice. Adam's New York Strip was at least 1.5" thick and perfectly done, and my shellfish sautee was the best I can recall having. The waiters only added to the meal. All dressed in slightly shabby tuxes, they seemed to be the sort of world-weary men who were not gangsters. They were the sort of men who were head butlers in a gangster's household, who maybe "took care of" a thing or two for the boss if needed. And judging by the food, the chef was obviously used to cooking for "the family" too. As Adam put it, it's the kind of place where the food had to be good or someone was gettin' hurt. Luckily no one had to get hurt.
So, here we are back at the Triton, packing up and trying to cool off the rest of yesterday's sunburn. I expect the next entry will be back in Waterloo, as we'll be on the run most of tomorrow.
Tuesday around the Bay, and over the Bridge
It was actually around noon Tuesday before we got to the bike rental depot. Out of interest in trying something new, we rented a tandem hybrid bike. It is something worth trying, but perhaps San Francisco was not the place for an experiment. If there's ever a next time, I think I prefer to be solely controlling the vehicle I'm powering. Adam had the front as I figured his frustration if not steering would be more severe than mine. It was a little disorienting as I couldn't see what was in front and we had to learn to call out moves to each other. You have to peddle in sync or both coast, there's no disengage between the front and back.
We took an easy meander along the waterfront part of the trail, and detoured a bit at the marina to see the Wave Organ, an art installation now built into the shoreline. Pipes extending into the Bay play "music" as the waves and tide roll in and out. The pier it is built into is constructed of material recovered from the cemeteries that were removed from the city years ago. There are no graves in San Francisco, and out on that lonely point one could fancy that the souls of those dug up might be haunting the rubble of their monuments along with the lonely breezes and seashore noise.
From there we decided we should get a move on if we were to get over the bridge much less around any part of the Bay perimeter. In the end, we didn't get too far. The ride over the Bridge was quite taxing on the strange and unfamiliar wheels, dodging pedestrians and motoring through the high winds almost 300 feet over the water. The views over the bay were spectacular, though. We made it over, me with what turned out to be a 2nd degree sunburn as the helmet didn't shade as much of my neck as my hat did, and my scant base tan was not up to it. At the end of the vertigo-inducing span, we concluded that we weren't going to get too much farther than Sausalito, but at least it was all downhill from there. We stopped at the Gaylord India restaurant and had an exceptional Tandoori lunch in an open dining room overlooking the Bay, and then walked the bike the rest of the way into town. Sausalito was a little bit slower paced than The City, though still quite busy by mid-afternoon.
Meandering up and down the main strip was a strange contrast of art galleries priced beyond reach and tourist kitsch of the sort that just gets re-printed with a different city name in every port. Other than some fun salt-water taffy we picked up as I'd finished the rest of my emergency sugar rations, we were empty-handed (except for the bike) waiting for our ferry back. The ferry ride was fun. Mainly because I didn't have to pedal it, but the views of Sausalito and Tiburon climbing their mountains, the Golden Gate, and the Bay Bridge were really fun as the fog rolled in. We wound up back at the Ferry port, having missed getting on the over-crowded earlier ferry that went back to Fisherman's Wharf. So we finished the day with an extra 20 minutes of riding to get the bike back to a drop-off. One more long hike home was interruped by a stop at Walgreens for Solarcaine. We got home just at the end of the hotel Cookie Hour, and Adam was just ready to crash so I took myself out for a quick, light dinner, and then did the same.
We took an easy meander along the waterfront part of the trail, and detoured a bit at the marina to see the Wave Organ, an art installation now built into the shoreline. Pipes extending into the Bay play "music" as the waves and tide roll in and out. The pier it is built into is constructed of material recovered from the cemeteries that were removed from the city years ago. There are no graves in San Francisco, and out on that lonely point one could fancy that the souls of those dug up might be haunting the rubble of their monuments along with the lonely breezes and seashore noise.
From there we decided we should get a move on if we were to get over the bridge much less around any part of the Bay perimeter. In the end, we didn't get too far. The ride over the Bridge was quite taxing on the strange and unfamiliar wheels, dodging pedestrians and motoring through the high winds almost 300 feet over the water. The views over the bay were spectacular, though. We made it over, me with what turned out to be a 2nd degree sunburn as the helmet didn't shade as much of my neck as my hat did, and my scant base tan was not up to it. At the end of the vertigo-inducing span, we concluded that we weren't going to get too much farther than Sausalito, but at least it was all downhill from there. We stopped at the Gaylord India restaurant and had an exceptional Tandoori lunch in an open dining room overlooking the Bay, and then walked the bike the rest of the way into town. Sausalito was a little bit slower paced than The City, though still quite busy by mid-afternoon.
Meandering up and down the main strip was a strange contrast of art galleries priced beyond reach and tourist kitsch of the sort that just gets re-printed with a different city name in every port. Other than some fun salt-water taffy we picked up as I'd finished the rest of my emergency sugar rations, we were empty-handed (except for the bike) waiting for our ferry back. The ferry ride was fun. Mainly because I didn't have to pedal it, but the views of Sausalito and Tiburon climbing their mountains, the Golden Gate, and the Bay Bridge were really fun as the fog rolled in. We wound up back at the Ferry port, having missed getting on the over-crowded earlier ferry that went back to Fisherman's Wharf. So we finished the day with an extra 20 minutes of riding to get the bike back to a drop-off. One more long hike home was interruped by a stop at Walgreens for Solarcaine. We got home just at the end of the hotel Cookie Hour, and Adam was just ready to crash so I took myself out for a quick, light dinner, and then did the same.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
"Anything else you get is a priviledge"
Prisoner rule #5 at Alcatraz Island read something like "You are entitled to food. clothing, shelter, and medical care. Anything else you get is a priviledge".
Yesterday began with my aforementioned summer haircut, and then a meander down to Fisherman's Wharf (including a few pretty steep inclines!) to take in some of the more touristy sites on what we hoped (hah!) would be a less touristy day. Well, it could have been worse. We went to the Aquarium of the Bay, which though it cannot hold a candle to the Monterey facility, has the very fun feature of acrylic tunnels through the bottoms of the 700,000+ gallon tanks. Not too often you see the bottom-side of a fish swimming overhead.
I think we were both a little kidded-out by the time we got out though, between other families that seemed to have 6 of them and a summer camp tour of 50 or so. In an abstract sense, I want places like that to be filled with curious children discovering the ecosystems of our planet. Personally I just wish all kids were like the smaller Hu two - quiet, polite and articulate while being immensely curious, social little people. I've seen way too many ill-behaved pre-adolescents screaming, slamming off walls, or people, and sitting or walking on the explanatory placards this week. Its a sad reality that much of the art and science of such facilities is wasted on the majority of visitors.
At the end of the aquarium walk we encountered a touch pool where I got to touch a few rays and skates and starfish (they had that at Monterey but I missed much of it). One ray was determined to escape the small rock pool and was actually "flapping" up the wall in front of me. I really couldn't figure if that was a normal behaviour that it might attempt to flop overland if "trapped", or if that was a stressed-out animal exhibiting something neurotic. Sadly, the teenagers managing the area were just trying to keep up with the hordes of kids and some simlilarly ignorant adults and couldn't really attend to the animals.
We had a leisurely and for me tipsy late lunch/early dinner at a mercifully quiet Pier 39 restaurant (had a coupon for a free bottle of wine) and then meandered our way to the boarding pass lineup for the night cruise to Alcatraz.
Alcatraz was stark, beautiful, sad, eerie, noisy, smelly, spooky and fascinating all at once. There was so much more history there in addition to what most of the public knows of a few high-profile inmates. It operated for a relatively brief time as a notorious prison, but the history of human settlement goes back to the 1850's and is still evolving in a strange and unique way today.
We got to go through the cellhouse audio tour, narrated by guards and inmates, telling stories of the 29 years of the federal prison. It was a little disappointing that much of the island is closed off this time of year, but that is due to the bird rookeries now present through much of the place. It may need to be renamed Seagull Island, as the Western Gulls obviously own it now!
I picked up a couple of souvenier "Rocks from the Rock" - excavation rubble from the restoration effort being sold to tourists. I acknowledge I've fallen for a gimmick, but the background of this one is in keeping with things I support. Selling the rubble funds the archaeology and restoration effort, prevents tourists from trying to chip off a piece for themselves, AND has the neat side effect of removing a disposal problem the parks service might have. Traditionally rubble and garbage was just tossed in the Bay, but that is obviously no longer acceptable.
We were there at twilight and had the eerie experience of being in and around the cellhouse as the fog blew in. Seeing it billowing through doors and openings, one can half imagine how hopeless a place this must have been for inmates. At the top of the island outside the cell house, we were walled in by the fog. It creates a strange vertigo, you can see no horizon, no clear line between sea and air, nothing. In contrast, historic reports say the families and children who lived here (families of guards and wardens) found it an idyllic little enclave. Gardens were abundant and today, 60+ years since being abandoned to grow wild, tons of exotic species are flourishing among ruins and birds.
Our cruise home was short and uneventful, and another hearty hike got us back to the Triton. Today we're off to bike across the Golden Gate and see what we can see of the northern towns.
Yesterday began with my aforementioned summer haircut, and then a meander down to Fisherman's Wharf (including a few pretty steep inclines!) to take in some of the more touristy sites on what we hoped (hah!) would be a less touristy day. Well, it could have been worse. We went to the Aquarium of the Bay, which though it cannot hold a candle to the Monterey facility, has the very fun feature of acrylic tunnels through the bottoms of the 700,000+ gallon tanks. Not too often you see the bottom-side of a fish swimming overhead.
I think we were both a little kidded-out by the time we got out though, between other families that seemed to have 6 of them and a summer camp tour of 50 or so. In an abstract sense, I want places like that to be filled with curious children discovering the ecosystems of our planet. Personally I just wish all kids were like the smaller Hu two - quiet, polite and articulate while being immensely curious, social little people. I've seen way too many ill-behaved pre-adolescents screaming, slamming off walls, or people, and sitting or walking on the explanatory placards this week. Its a sad reality that much of the art and science of such facilities is wasted on the majority of visitors.
At the end of the aquarium walk we encountered a touch pool where I got to touch a few rays and skates and starfish (they had that at Monterey but I missed much of it). One ray was determined to escape the small rock pool and was actually "flapping" up the wall in front of me. I really couldn't figure if that was a normal behaviour that it might attempt to flop overland if "trapped", or if that was a stressed-out animal exhibiting something neurotic. Sadly, the teenagers managing the area were just trying to keep up with the hordes of kids and some simlilarly ignorant adults and couldn't really attend to the animals.
We had a leisurely and for me tipsy late lunch/early dinner at a mercifully quiet Pier 39 restaurant (had a coupon for a free bottle of wine) and then meandered our way to the boarding pass lineup for the night cruise to Alcatraz.
Alcatraz was stark, beautiful, sad, eerie, noisy, smelly, spooky and fascinating all at once. There was so much more history there in addition to what most of the public knows of a few high-profile inmates. It operated for a relatively brief time as a notorious prison, but the history of human settlement goes back to the 1850's and is still evolving in a strange and unique way today.
We got to go through the cellhouse audio tour, narrated by guards and inmates, telling stories of the 29 years of the federal prison. It was a little disappointing that much of the island is closed off this time of year, but that is due to the bird rookeries now present through much of the place. It may need to be renamed Seagull Island, as the Western Gulls obviously own it now!
I picked up a couple of souvenier "Rocks from the Rock" - excavation rubble from the restoration effort being sold to tourists. I acknowledge I've fallen for a gimmick, but the background of this one is in keeping with things I support. Selling the rubble funds the archaeology and restoration effort, prevents tourists from trying to chip off a piece for themselves, AND has the neat side effect of removing a disposal problem the parks service might have. Traditionally rubble and garbage was just tossed in the Bay, but that is obviously no longer acceptable.
We were there at twilight and had the eerie experience of being in and around the cellhouse as the fog blew in. Seeing it billowing through doors and openings, one can half imagine how hopeless a place this must have been for inmates. At the top of the island outside the cell house, we were walled in by the fog. It creates a strange vertigo, you can see no horizon, no clear line between sea and air, nothing. In contrast, historic reports say the families and children who lived here (families of guards and wardens) found it an idyllic little enclave. Gardens were abundant and today, 60+ years since being abandoned to grow wild, tons of exotic species are flourishing among ruins and birds.
Our cruise home was short and uneventful, and another hearty hike got us back to the Triton. Today we're off to bike across the Golden Gate and see what we can see of the northern towns.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Monday Rush Hour
Rush hour is more interesting when I'm not the one rushing. Just popped outside the hotel with my complimentary morning coffee to see if Elevation Salon could fit me in for a haircut. I'm heading back at 10.
So the last few days have been un-blogged due to sheer activity. Friday took some wandering down at the Wharf, Ghirardelli square, and a Bay Cruise I got with my Citypass. I must admit, the cruise was the highlight. I love being out on the water and SF Bay is interesting water.
I found much of the rest of the area way too touristy. Even Ghirardelli square, partially under construction so I couldn't follow the historical tour, seemed overrun with generic handicrafts and cookie-cutter buskers. The walk along the Fisherman's Wharf did lead to a laugh when I encountered the Bush Man, though. I saw him before he got me, and got a smile and a wink for my vigilance, followed by a laugh when he leapt out and scared the crowd behind me.
Saturday was a marathon trip to San Jose and then Monterey with the Hu crew. Even though we were late and it was a long drive in traffic, I'm so thrilled I got to see even part of that aquarium. There's something hypnotic, and humbling, about seeing creatures so alien yet still sharing this blue sphere with us. Monterey Bay alone is so vast, the mind boggles at what is out there beyond the bay limits.
Sunday, due to sunburns and sore feet, we had a lazier, indoor day. The "attraction" for the day was the SFMOMA, something that lived up to many stereotypes of "modern art" (think, blank white canvas titled "Angst of the Demon Hypertext.com" or such) but did show some interesting exhibits. In all, the most enjoyable were the early classics (Matisse, Magritte, Kahlo, O'Keefe), a very striking post-war Japanese photography gallery, and the museum's own collection of current works. I'm afraid I could have skipped the Matthew Barney that everyone seems to think is the prime attraction.
Today began with a haircut in a fancy local salon - fun, the jury is out on the results but it's neater and cooler for now. We're about to be off to the Fisherman's Wharf area, but to see the Aquarium, and then tonight is our Alcatraz cruise.
So the last few days have been un-blogged due to sheer activity. Friday took some wandering down at the Wharf, Ghirardelli square, and a Bay Cruise I got with my Citypass. I must admit, the cruise was the highlight. I love being out on the water and SF Bay is interesting water.
I found much of the rest of the area way too touristy. Even Ghirardelli square, partially under construction so I couldn't follow the historical tour, seemed overrun with generic handicrafts and cookie-cutter buskers. The walk along the Fisherman's Wharf did lead to a laugh when I encountered the Bush Man, though. I saw him before he got me, and got a smile and a wink for my vigilance, followed by a laugh when he leapt out and scared the crowd behind me.
Saturday was a marathon trip to San Jose and then Monterey with the Hu crew. Even though we were late and it was a long drive in traffic, I'm so thrilled I got to see even part of that aquarium. There's something hypnotic, and humbling, about seeing creatures so alien yet still sharing this blue sphere with us. Monterey Bay alone is so vast, the mind boggles at what is out there beyond the bay limits.
Sunday, due to sunburns and sore feet, we had a lazier, indoor day. The "attraction" for the day was the SFMOMA, something that lived up to many stereotypes of "modern art" (think, blank white canvas titled "Angst of the Demon Hypertext.com" or such) but did show some interesting exhibits. In all, the most enjoyable were the early classics (Matisse, Magritte, Kahlo, O'Keefe), a very striking post-war Japanese photography gallery, and the museum's own collection of current works. I'm afraid I could have skipped the Matthew Barney that everyone seems to think is the prime attraction.
Today began with a haircut in a fancy local salon - fun, the jury is out on the results but it's neater and cooler for now. We're about to be off to the Fisherman's Wharf area, but to see the Aquarium, and then tonight is our Alcatraz cruise.
Friday, July 21, 2006
A balmy Thursday by the Bay
Today involved much walking. Beginning with a hurried search for breakfast on the way to Adam's class, the result of that was not spectacular, but adequate. I wandered back up and down streets and alleys, and eventually to an open-air art-mart in Union Square. Largely paitings, and largely well out of my budget, this art fair also showed some of the striking contrasts of the city - art shoppers juxtaposed against the aimless, homeless lurkers in the shady corners.
After a stop back at the hotel to pick up the pocket map I forgot, I wandered vaguely towards one of my CityPass destinations. In between here and there, though, turned out to be THE shopping district, complete with a Macy's, Nordstrom, Nieman Marcus, and Tiffany's. After stopping into Macy's long enough to spot at $368 made in Korea t-shirt, I realized they were probably scanning my credit cards remotely and charging me for breathing their air, so I stuck to the sidewalks after that.
I eventually arrived at the California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium, in its "temporary" but still impressive two-storey industrial warehouse home - the permanent facility in Golden Gate Park is under development. This aquaria-focussed tour still included much of terrestrial and airborne California ecology, and more than a few impressive fish, amphibian, and reptile displays. Their oldest fish is an Australian Lungfish about a year older than my Dad, and several of their animals have reached their 50's.
My wanderings took me on a MUNI bus to the Ferry Terminal, where I thought to use my CityPass on the Embarcadero Streetcar line - only to discover that today was a Save the Air day -MUNI was free for all, and consequently VERY crowded with lots of folk who might otherwise have been on foot. Many trolleys went by without stopping. I eventually did catch one, and wound up at Fisherman's Wharf. I stopped at Pier 39 long enough to pick up a coupon book that went with my CityPass then run from the rest of the insane hordes of tourists.
A late lunch happened at one of the walk-through seafood booths serving crab cakes, and then I stopped by the Boudin bakery and Museum - the History of San Francisco as related to Sourdough! Did you know that this bakery company was saved from extinction in the 1906 quake and fire when the proprietess had the presence of mind to run from the collapsing bakery having dumped the "mother dough" into a bucket to take with her? The "mother dough" is the yeast culture completely unique to San Francisco that has been kept going since the 1840s and lends a distinct flair to the many breads from Boudin.
After picking up an authentic Sourdough loaf, a local goat cheese and equally local artichoke/olive spread for a picnic dinner, I waited almost an hour at the cable-car turnaround for my chance to ride one of the San Francisco cable cars, now part of the MUNI. The wait was long due to the "free ride" day (usually a $5 fare, compared to the $1.50 for the bus), but still somewhat entertaining as I watched the cable cars come in, and the ritual of the turn-around was performed. The operators must get out and manually trip the turn release, then push the car around to head back the way it came. There are two operators on each car, one at the front and one at the back, and at each stop and onload/offload they communicate via a pair of bells, the rear operator ringing the "all clear" before the driver will engage the car again. Quite an impressive choreography, and a fun way to navigate the extreme hills.
After trying a local Merlot at the end of wine hour at the hotel, I caught Adam in the lobby. We had our picnic dinner in our room, and then wandered out to do a little bit of shopping for gifts for the younger of the Hu clan we will see Saturday. Now it's back in the room, Adam is studying for his exam, and I'm here on the blog. Tired but awake, I have more plans for tomorrow than I have hours, but I'm looking forward to it.
After a stop back at the hotel to pick up the pocket map I forgot, I wandered vaguely towards one of my CityPass destinations. In between here and there, though, turned out to be THE shopping district, complete with a Macy's, Nordstrom, Nieman Marcus, and Tiffany's. After stopping into Macy's long enough to spot at $368 made in Korea t-shirt, I realized they were probably scanning my credit cards remotely and charging me for breathing their air, so I stuck to the sidewalks after that.
I eventually arrived at the California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium, in its "temporary" but still impressive two-storey industrial warehouse home - the permanent facility in Golden Gate Park is under development. This aquaria-focussed tour still included much of terrestrial and airborne California ecology, and more than a few impressive fish, amphibian, and reptile displays. Their oldest fish is an Australian Lungfish about a year older than my Dad, and several of their animals have reached their 50's.
My wanderings took me on a MUNI bus to the Ferry Terminal, where I thought to use my CityPass on the Embarcadero Streetcar line - only to discover that today was a Save the Air day -MUNI was free for all, and consequently VERY crowded with lots of folk who might otherwise have been on foot. Many trolleys went by without stopping. I eventually did catch one, and wound up at Fisherman's Wharf. I stopped at Pier 39 long enough to pick up a coupon book that went with my CityPass then run from the rest of the insane hordes of tourists.
A late lunch happened at one of the walk-through seafood booths serving crab cakes, and then I stopped by the Boudin bakery and Museum - the History of San Francisco as related to Sourdough! Did you know that this bakery company was saved from extinction in the 1906 quake and fire when the proprietess had the presence of mind to run from the collapsing bakery having dumped the "mother dough" into a bucket to take with her? The "mother dough" is the yeast culture completely unique to San Francisco that has been kept going since the 1840s and lends a distinct flair to the many breads from Boudin.
After picking up an authentic Sourdough loaf, a local goat cheese and equally local artichoke/olive spread for a picnic dinner, I waited almost an hour at the cable-car turnaround for my chance to ride one of the San Francisco cable cars, now part of the MUNI. The wait was long due to the "free ride" day (usually a $5 fare, compared to the $1.50 for the bus), but still somewhat entertaining as I watched the cable cars come in, and the ritual of the turn-around was performed. The operators must get out and manually trip the turn release, then push the car around to head back the way it came. There are two operators on each car, one at the front and one at the back, and at each stop and onload/offload they communicate via a pair of bells, the rear operator ringing the "all clear" before the driver will engage the car again. Quite an impressive choreography, and a fun way to navigate the extreme hills.
After trying a local Merlot at the end of wine hour at the hotel, I caught Adam in the lobby. We had our picnic dinner in our room, and then wandered out to do a little bit of shopping for gifts for the younger of the Hu clan we will see Saturday. Now it's back in the room, Adam is studying for his exam, and I'm here on the blog. Tired but awake, I have more plans for tomorrow than I have hours, but I'm looking forward to it.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Made it out west
Can't seem to load any photos over the PDA's wireless, so I've switched over to borrowing Adam's laptop.
If you want the GOOD photos, anyway - head off and check Adam's gallery, he's been updating it daily. You don't need my cel phone snaps.
After a long but not too horrid day of travel, I landed at SFO around 2:45, and by 4:30 had negotiated the baggage claim, air train, BART, and a few blocks of the city to make it to Hotel Triton .
Our room is tiny but cute, the walls are a harlequin pattern in pale blue and butter yellow. I wandered back down to the lobby thinking to meet Adam when he got in from his course, and stumbled upon the nightly Wine Hour and Astrology readings. Our astrologer of the day seemed to be already fully booked but I had a glass of a nice California red I can't remember the name of.
Next it was off to The Stinking Rose for a garlic-laden dinner - I was starving, Adam wasn't really, but we were both quite full after that. So we went for a walk. UP. Up a hill, then another hill, then some stairs on other hills. We made it up to telegraph hill and paid the small fare for the elevator up Coit Tower. From there, you have 360 degree views over the city, quite stunning. The mountains behind the east bay cities to the east, and the Golden Gate and beyond it the Pacific to the west. We watched the sun drop over the Marin County hills.
So far the whole place is very eye-catching, just walking around and not even paying attention to any "tourist" stuff (except, I guess, the Coit Tower ride). The architecture is stunning. We snuck down some stairs and alleys, and found tiny, gorgeous gardens in front of square, blocky, West Coast row houses that appears ready to slip down a hill any moment. Back into the commercial part of the city, it was amusing to see some of the late-night-life on the prowl. Some alleyways turn entirely into restaurants or pubs.
Off to find breakfast, and wander the sights while Adam's in class. More later.
If you want the GOOD photos, anyway - head off and check Adam's gallery, he's been updating it daily. You don't need my cel phone snaps.
After a long but not too horrid day of travel, I landed at SFO around 2:45, and by 4:30 had negotiated the baggage claim, air train, BART, and a few blocks of the city to make it to Hotel Triton .
Our room is tiny but cute, the walls are a harlequin pattern in pale blue and butter yellow. I wandered back down to the lobby thinking to meet Adam when he got in from his course, and stumbled upon the nightly Wine Hour and Astrology readings. Our astrologer of the day seemed to be already fully booked but I had a glass of a nice California red I can't remember the name of.
Next it was off to The Stinking Rose for a garlic-laden dinner - I was starving, Adam wasn't really, but we were both quite full after that. So we went for a walk. UP. Up a hill, then another hill, then some stairs on other hills. We made it up to telegraph hill and paid the small fare for the elevator up Coit Tower. From there, you have 360 degree views over the city, quite stunning. The mountains behind the east bay cities to the east, and the Golden Gate and beyond it the Pacific to the west. We watched the sun drop over the Marin County hills.
So far the whole place is very eye-catching, just walking around and not even paying attention to any "tourist" stuff (except, I guess, the Coit Tower ride). The architecture is stunning. We snuck down some stairs and alleys, and found tiny, gorgeous gardens in front of square, blocky, West Coast row houses that appears ready to slip down a hill any moment. Back into the commercial part of the city, it was amusing to see some of the late-night-life on the prowl. Some alleyways turn entirely into restaurants or pubs.
Off to find breakfast, and wander the sights while Adam's in class. More later.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Five to Ten Servings a Day, the Easy Way
So if you didn't already know, one of my favourite things in the world for a couple years now is Smoothies. The gyms started opening Smoothie Bars (which are unfortunately never open when I'm there) and now there's one or two that have popped up on my route to work. But, with a good blender you can save money, and usually sugar additives, and do it yourself.
Smoothies, like pizza, are to me a design concept rather than a rigid recipe. There are key elements to the framework, but unlimited possibilites for endlessly varied, and yummy, meals on the go.
Here's my favourite general framework:
The Ontario Summer Market Special smoothie:
A Northern Tropical Smoothie
* Coconut prep: I love real, fresh coconut but it's a pain. If you want to do it, drain the coconut water into an ice cube tray and freeze. Bust open and cut up the coconut flesh into french-fry sized pieces, and freeze these. Throw one coconut ice cube and a few of the strips of coconut into the blender with the ice cubes and crush.
If you're not into the whole live coconut project, some ethnic and organic food stores carry canned coconut milk. Get the plain, unseasoned kind, and pour the can out into an ice cube tray and freeze. If you don't like the small chewy bits of coconut in a drink, JUST use the frozen canned coconut milk, as it's quite dense and creamy compared to the stuff you get out of fresh coconut.
Smoothies, like pizza, are to me a design concept rather than a rigid recipe. There are key elements to the framework, but unlimited possibilites for endlessly varied, and yummy, meals on the go.
Here's my favourite general framework:
- 4-5 ice cubes, processed on "pulse" setting until crushed up, in the blender
- 1/2 cup to a cup of milk OR yogurt OR soy milk, or if you just want light, crisp, and fruity, fruit juice, ice water or more ice.
- 1 cup or more of semi-frozen fruit chunks.
- Semi-frozen means take the hard-frozen fruit from the freezer and nuke it for 30 seconds to a minute. I was told this by a cranky appliance repair man when I had to take two blenders in for service within only a couple weeks of purchase. Apparently a frozen strawberry could destroy a jet engine and blenders don't have a chance, so part-thaw them first. Bananas can be added fresh and some fruits like raspberries blend easily when fully frozen because they break up.
- Or use all fresh fruit - it'll not be quite as icy-cold but still good. I use frozen for the convenience of not having to chop up and clean up every time I want a smoothie
- 1-2 tablespoons of frozen juice concentrate, in place of a fruit you don't have handy or so you can add water instead of juice and still have a richer taste.
- Any powdered supplements you want - whey or soy protein to balance carbs, or fibre supplements, or I sometimes use powdered whole-grain rolled oats.
- Sweetener to taste, optionally.
- A few drops of a flavour extract like vanilla or almond adds a nice body. Also optional.
- Put in Blender
- Blend
- Crush ice
- Add milk/yogurt/soymilk/water/juice and powders - blend to slushy with ice
- Add fruit, a bit at a time, blending until smooth.
The Ontario Summer Market Special smoothie:
- 4-5 ice cubes, crushed.
- Add 1/2 cup of unflavoured or vanilla yogurt and blend
- 2 tbsp frozen apple juice concentrate, unsweetened - blend
- Optional: 1/2 scoop of protein powder, fibre supplement, or powdered oats - blend
- Add semi-frozen fruit:
- 1/3 cup peaches
- 1/3 cup strawberries and/or raspberries
- 1/3 cup melon chunks
- 1 tsp honey, or to taste, optional
A Northern Tropical Smoothie
- 4-5 ice cubes, crushed
- 2 tbsp unsweetened orange juice concentrate - blend
- 2 tbsp coconut milk* OR 1/2 tsp coconut flavour extract - blend
- Optional supplements: protein and/or fibre and/or oat powder - blend
- Fruit chunks:
- 1 small or 1/2 large banana, fresh or frozen
- 2/3 c. frozen pineapple chunks
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coconut* or dried, unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 to 2/3 c. of plain or vanilla soy milk
- optional sweetener to taste - sugar, brown sugar or Splenda
* Coconut prep: I love real, fresh coconut but it's a pain. If you want to do it, drain the coconut water into an ice cube tray and freeze. Bust open and cut up the coconut flesh into french-fry sized pieces, and freeze these. Throw one coconut ice cube and a few of the strips of coconut into the blender with the ice cubes and crush.
If you're not into the whole live coconut project, some ethnic and organic food stores carry canned coconut milk. Get the plain, unseasoned kind, and pour the can out into an ice cube tray and freeze. If you don't like the small chewy bits of coconut in a drink, JUST use the frozen canned coconut milk, as it's quite dense and creamy compared to the stuff you get out of fresh coconut.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Something I learned this week....
Prepackaged burritos can be heated in a wide-slice toaster.
However, if it is a frozen burrito, let it thaw first or you have a crispy toasted outside and icy bean-slush in the centre.
Another warning: Make sure the tortilla is intact. The cleaning staff at work probably don't like exploded burrito guts in the toaster.
However, if it is a frozen burrito, let it thaw first or you have a crispy toasted outside and icy bean-slush in the centre.
Another warning: Make sure the tortilla is intact. The cleaning staff at work probably don't like exploded burrito guts in the toaster.
Friday, June 09, 2006
California, Here I Come...
Still more than a month away, but this should be fun.
Here is the hotel, Hotel Triton, Adam's company travel agent found for us in San Francisco.
They have a wine tasting hour with massage chairs and Tarot readings every evening, fresh baked cookies twice a day, and "celebrity" rooms designed by Jerry Garcia, Carlos Santana, Woody Harrelson and more.
Sure beats the Holiday Inn Express.
Here is the hotel, Hotel Triton, Adam's company travel agent found for us in San Francisco.
They have a wine tasting hour with massage chairs and Tarot readings every evening, fresh baked cookies twice a day, and "celebrity" rooms designed by Jerry Garcia, Carlos Santana, Woody Harrelson and more.
Sure beats the Holiday Inn Express.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair...
News update on me:
Work: status quo.
Home: very nice. Has more art now thanks to generous Benjamin siblings allowing us a turn with Sassy's time-share masterpiece. Still needs a sofa.
Personal projects: pursuing a car-free week in honour of Commuter Challenge.
Menus: nothing of note lately. Tried a mock-pot-pie tonight with some leftover chicken and a Pillsbury pressure-dough tube, it was soupy.
Mundane achievements: survived 35th birthday. Am I middle aged yet?
Fun: Off to San Francisco for a week in July . Milwaukee, too, but that's work and not nearly so choice a destination.
Sooner fun: Sissy, Hubby and the Bump coming to visit Saturday, if plans don't change. (The Bump being the now two-years-and-some Owen).
At the moment: off to wash me head and get some sleep.
Work: status quo.
Home: very nice. Has more art now thanks to generous Benjamin siblings allowing us a turn with Sassy's time-share masterpiece. Still needs a sofa.
Personal projects: pursuing a car-free week in honour of Commuter Challenge.
Menus: nothing of note lately. Tried a mock-pot-pie tonight with some leftover chicken and a Pillsbury pressure-dough tube, it was soupy.
Mundane achievements: survived 35th birthday. Am I middle aged yet?
Fun: Off to San Francisco for a week in July . Milwaukee, too, but that's work and not nearly so choice a destination.
Sooner fun: Sissy, Hubby and the Bump coming to visit Saturday, if plans don't change. (The Bump being the now two-years-and-some Owen).
At the moment: off to wash me head and get some sleep.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Maybe not the greatest menu...
Double-salt licorice and pepperettes for lunch... hmm.
One of those days when we're scavenging the desk drawers for food.
One of those days when we're scavenging the desk drawers for food.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Nostalgic Guelph Moments....
Trying to isolate myself from chatter and focus on my job today, I pulled out my iPod and started dialling down my artists list.
Came across this one I'd recently ripped and forgotten about: Black Cabbage .
Read the record review from that link. I can't describe them any better, musically.
Black Cabbage is one of very, very few bands I repeatedly and deliberately sought out at live shows. Hillside Fest, the Trasheteria, or the Albion, they were THE act to see in Guelph in the years post-scholarship-undergrad but pre-pancreatic disaster (umm.. mid=90's for those who don't mark time by my personal benchmarks). A Black Cabbage show was always a frantic, thrashing crowd, which you know in most circumstances I hate, but there was something about the chemistry that happened around this band that made it the most friendly mosh pit I've ever heard of.
Unfortunately, but possibly not unexpectedly, the creative maelstrom of some 8 talented folks was not sustainable and as far as I know, these individuals all went their own ways in the late 90's. But if you're a fan of genuine Canadian Eclectic Indie music, it might be worth the effort to dig up their catalogue.
Headphones on! Back to the grind.
Came across this one I'd recently ripped and forgotten about: Black Cabbage .
Read the record review from that link. I can't describe them any better, musically.
Black Cabbage is one of very, very few bands I repeatedly and deliberately sought out at live shows. Hillside Fest, the Trasheteria, or the Albion, they were THE act to see in Guelph in the years post-scholarship-undergrad but pre-pancreatic disaster (umm.. mid=90's for those who don't mark time by my personal benchmarks). A Black Cabbage show was always a frantic, thrashing crowd, which you know in most circumstances I hate, but there was something about the chemistry that happened around this band that made it the most friendly mosh pit I've ever heard of.
Unfortunately, but possibly not unexpectedly, the creative maelstrom of some 8 talented folks was not sustainable and as far as I know, these individuals all went their own ways in the late 90's. But if you're a fan of genuine Canadian Eclectic Indie music, it might be worth the effort to dig up their catalogue.
Headphones on! Back to the grind.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Why I'm pretty uninspired lately...
Because THIS ---->
Is what I see all day.
I can't compete with my wonderful live-in photographer's immense talent, so I've decided I won't even try, I'll just see what I can come up with from my camera phone. But I'm not even getting far with that. Work is not very inspiring at all. And that's all I get all day.
Is what I see all day.
I can't compete with my wonderful live-in photographer's immense talent, so I've decided I won't even try, I'll just see what I can come up with from my camera phone. But I'm not even getting far with that. Work is not very inspiring at all. And that's all I get all day.
Monday, April 17, 2006
If you are calling for Mrs. Benjamin, please hang up....
Some recent and extremely disruptive calls from TD Canada Trust lately have prompted me to wonder... how do telemarketers get on at cocktail parties?
Other guest: "Nice to meet you, Sid. What is it you do for work?"
Telemarketer: "Oh, I phone people when they're eating, playing with their kids, or trying to take a dump, in order to harangue them to buy unnecessary products and services they never thought they'd need..."
Other guest: (sidesteps rapidly to go find a slaughterhouse worker to chat with...)
I actually repeated the sentence: "I am not interested in any additional credit cards" 4 times for the TD Visa slob who called, and I think I snapped at that point - I've been quite rude (even for me!) to the next couple. HOPEFULLY after the last one, when I finally remembered to explicitly request that they remove me from their call lists, they'll stop. It's that much more annoying that they keep calling as I am completely removing my business from TD after their screwed-up handling of my investments over the last few years.
Also sick of telemarketers? Check out the-cma.org, under Consumer information, and register for the Do Not Contact service. It's no guarantee, but marketers who are at least responsible enough to cross-check their DB with the CMA Do Not Contact list should be removing your name if you're registered. It's better than nothing. Also remember to ask all parties from whom you request information - including magazine subscriptions and charities - to NOT share your address. Most of those are concerned enough with your business that they will respect your request.
Failing that, screen calls. Anyone who calls our house for Mr. Botari or Mrs. Benjamin deserves a hangup, as they obviously don't know who they're calling.
Other guest: "Nice to meet you, Sid. What is it you do for work?"
Telemarketer: "Oh, I phone people when they're eating, playing with their kids, or trying to take a dump, in order to harangue them to buy unnecessary products and services they never thought they'd need..."
Other guest: (sidesteps rapidly to go find a slaughterhouse worker to chat with...)
I actually repeated the sentence: "I am not interested in any additional credit cards" 4 times for the TD Visa slob who called, and I think I snapped at that point - I've been quite rude (even for me!) to the next couple. HOPEFULLY after the last one, when I finally remembered to explicitly request that they remove me from their call lists, they'll stop. It's that much more annoying that they keep calling as I am completely removing my business from TD after their screwed-up handling of my investments over the last few years.
Also sick of telemarketers? Check out the-cma.org, under Consumer information, and register for the Do Not Contact service. It's no guarantee, but marketers who are at least responsible enough to cross-check their DB with the CMA Do Not Contact list should be removing your name if you're registered. It's better than nothing. Also remember to ask all parties from whom you request information - including magazine subscriptions and charities - to NOT share your address. Most of those are concerned enough with your business that they will respect your request.
Failing that, screen calls. Anyone who calls our house for Mr. Botari or Mrs. Benjamin deserves a hangup, as they obviously don't know who they're calling.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Helo, MoMo... hee hee!
(Photos.blogger.com seems to not be loading right now - no pic today!)
Ok, so I'm hardly competing with the real enthusiasts, but in between cleaning up the old place and setting up the new, I've had a couple hours of geeking out this weekend, figuring out how to hack... er, 'customize' my new Motorola RAZR v3 BLK.
Thanks to MotoModders, MotoX, and poetic_folly's Motoguide, I've dug up what it takes to update my phone software, fix a resulting bug, load a new skin and re-flash. If you look at those sites above, you'll of course find there's so much more and I'm hardly among the elite, but hey, I'm proud of myself, having done nothing more geeky than change my Windows wallpaper in a couple years. Maybe I'll get into seem editing after a little more study.
Ok, so I'm hardly competing with the real enthusiasts, but in between cleaning up the old place and setting up the new, I've had a couple hours of geeking out this weekend, figuring out how to hack... er, 'customize' my new Motorola RAZR v3 BLK.
Thanks to MotoModders, MotoX, and poetic_folly's Motoguide, I've dug up what it takes to update my phone software, fix a resulting bug, load a new skin and re-flash. If you look at those sites above, you'll of course find there's so much more and I'm hardly among the elite, but hey, I'm proud of myself, having done nothing more geeky than change my Windows wallpaper in a couple years. Maybe I'll get into seem editing after a little more study.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Ooops....
Well, it was bound to happen at some point. Our first observed incident of cat vs. gravity occurred today when I popped home for lunch.
I heard a soft scuffling and saw one foot and a tail swing down below the loft railing, and before I could get there, Maui went FLUMPPPPH onto the seat of the futon.
Luckily, he was more surprised than hurt or upset. I'm not sure what he was doing, or if Sprout! pushed him. Blue was on the ground floor with me, so it wasn't her.
Also luckily, I had removed hard or pointy things from the end of the couch under the railing. I think this is some impetus to get more junk out from under the loft rail. If they're going to do that, landing on the futon cushion is fine, but if they miss that, I want them to hit carpet or floor, not say, a pile of lamps or a dissassembled shelf on which they will impale themselves.
I'm guessing if Maui did this while performing stunts on the railing, he's bright enough to not try again soon, but if it was an escape attempt from a more aggressive cat, it might not be the last.
Look out below!
I heard a soft scuffling and saw one foot and a tail swing down below the loft railing, and before I could get there, Maui went FLUMPPPPH onto the seat of the futon.
Luckily, he was more surprised than hurt or upset. I'm not sure what he was doing, or if Sprout! pushed him. Blue was on the ground floor with me, so it wasn't her.
Also luckily, I had removed hard or pointy things from the end of the couch under the railing. I think this is some impetus to get more junk out from under the loft rail. If they're going to do that, landing on the futon cushion is fine, but if they miss that, I want them to hit carpet or floor, not say, a pile of lamps or a dissassembled shelf on which they will impale themselves.
I'm guessing if Maui did this while performing stunts on the railing, he's bright enough to not try again soon, but if it was an escape attempt from a more aggressive cat, it might not be the last.
Look out below!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Wow, do we have too much stuff.
Hi to all - since I got pounced as soon as I showed up back online today, thought I'd fire of a quick "yes we survived the move" update.
Or, we're surviving - there's still some moving happening, argh.
The time to move our junk was waaaaayyy underestimated Monday, and as such we kept two really strong guys very busy until after dark. And at 4 pm we had to call off the loading and get to the new place, as we were supposed to be moving IN from 1-4.
But, we made it. Our condo looks like a junk warehouse for the moment, with paths excavated through the boxes. The cats keep getting lost but I think they're all still in here. Maui and Blue are still trying to figure out the deal with the stairs. They're going up and down them OK but every time they notice they're up and we're down, or vice versa, they seem to be very upset about the height difference. Or something. Who knows what's going on in those fuzzy little brains.
Back to continue unpacking the kitchen, then I'm meeing a fellow local FreeCycler to pick up a table we no longer need (and left at the old place).
Or, we're surviving - there's still some moving happening, argh.
The time to move our junk was waaaaayyy underestimated Monday, and as such we kept two really strong guys very busy until after dark. And at 4 pm we had to call off the loading and get to the new place, as we were supposed to be moving IN from 1-4.
But, we made it. Our condo looks like a junk warehouse for the moment, with paths excavated through the boxes. The cats keep getting lost but I think they're all still in here. Maui and Blue are still trying to figure out the deal with the stairs. They're going up and down them OK but every time they notice they're up and we're down, or vice versa, they seem to be very upset about the height difference. Or something. Who knows what's going on in those fuzzy little brains.
Back to continue unpacking the kitchen, then I'm meeing a fellow local FreeCycler to pick up a table we no longer need (and left at the old place).
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Living less vs. Living better
Amongst the boxes and bags and piles here lately, I've been contemplating the ironic conflict I feel between a wish to "live simply", and all the various wants and wishes I have to add things to my life. To be fair to myself, I generally want to alter, not add - for example, the 40 yr. old sofabed has gone to a new home with a needy FreeCycler, with the eventually plan being to buy a nice new sofa. I didn't want *another* sofa, I wanted a *better* sofa.
This one's maybe harder. I have a longstanding habit of buying packs and bags. I have a few now, including a very expensive one from Cirque du Soleil. So, what do I want now?
One of these:
And this:
Yeah, more Cirque goodies. Again, to be fair - the PVC knock-off designer bag I succumbed to last spring is starting to disintigrate and doesn't stay on my shoulder. And I damaged one of my older ones somehow.
And, we have a decent vacuum cleaner, old-fashioned solid canister type with bags, and Mom offered to get me a lightweight Swiffer vac, but I want a :
"Living more simply" means a $430 robotic vacuum? Nope, I must be a failure.
Well, maybe not. I recently read a pagan Almanac article that reiterated for me something I had already hashed out - "living more simply", or "living lightly" as this article called it, if you consider it to be techno-phobic, dress-out-of-a-dumpster, poor grooming movement, is just plain not a sustainable lifestyle choice. And that's not what modern simple living advocates really are going for.
Consider the phrase should be "Living Consciously".
Yes, bust the clutter. If you don't know why you have something - why do you still have it? Walk when driving would save you only 5 minutes. No, you don't need 35 pairs of jeans (or 4 vacuums!). But buy some fresh damn socks and if you need shoes to go with just one particular outfit, well, yeah, you do. And maybe two of some household tools can tackle a job in a way that saves you dragging heavy equipment up and down narrow stairs or putting a hole in your plaster.
It's not even, necessarily, about living as *cheaply* as possible (though that is a need for some - great!), though it is about not exceeding your means, financially and karmically.
What it's about is being CONSCIOUS of what consumerism does to you, and for you, and understanding your buying decisions and the drive behind them. The power of them, too, really. Understanding the reasons why you need/want these things. Also understanding what is your need/want is not necessarily someone else's. Others are free to define what they NEED.
Living consciously (simply, lightly) can't be about depriving yourself of nice comfy furniture, a couple fashion handbags if their use would really satisfy you, or a convenience when yeah, you could do it the hard way. If it is, I'm sorry, but then it is a doomed movement. Living consciously should be about developing your awareness of quality, sustainability, direction, and action in choices about how you live. Learn what the different choices are and how they work, and what the better one is - FOR YOU - rather than just blindly accepting what's on sale under the blue-light special.
This one's maybe harder. I have a longstanding habit of buying packs and bags. I have a few now, including a very expensive one from Cirque du Soleil. So, what do I want now?
One of these:
And this:
Yeah, more Cirque goodies. Again, to be fair - the PVC knock-off designer bag I succumbed to last spring is starting to disintigrate and doesn't stay on my shoulder. And I damaged one of my older ones somehow.
And, we have a decent vacuum cleaner, old-fashioned solid canister type with bags, and Mom offered to get me a lightweight Swiffer vac, but I want a :
"Living more simply" means a $430 robotic vacuum? Nope, I must be a failure.
Well, maybe not. I recently read a pagan Almanac article that reiterated for me something I had already hashed out - "living more simply", or "living lightly" as this article called it, if you consider it to be techno-phobic, dress-out-of-a-dumpster, poor grooming movement, is just plain not a sustainable lifestyle choice. And that's not what modern simple living advocates really are going for.
Consider the phrase should be "Living Consciously".
Yes, bust the clutter. If you don't know why you have something - why do you still have it? Walk when driving would save you only 5 minutes. No, you don't need 35 pairs of jeans (or 4 vacuums!). But buy some fresh damn socks and if you need shoes to go with just one particular outfit, well, yeah, you do. And maybe two of some household tools can tackle a job in a way that saves you dragging heavy equipment up and down narrow stairs or putting a hole in your plaster.
It's not even, necessarily, about living as *cheaply* as possible (though that is a need for some - great!), though it is about not exceeding your means, financially and karmically.
What it's about is being CONSCIOUS of what consumerism does to you, and for you, and understanding your buying decisions and the drive behind them. The power of them, too, really. Understanding the reasons why you need/want these things. Also understanding what is your need/want is not necessarily someone else's. Others are free to define what they NEED.
Living consciously (simply, lightly) can't be about depriving yourself of nice comfy furniture, a couple fashion handbags if their use would really satisfy you, or a convenience when yeah, you could do it the hard way. If it is, I'm sorry, but then it is a doomed movement. Living consciously should be about developing your awareness of quality, sustainability, direction, and action in choices about how you live. Learn what the different choices are and how they work, and what the better one is - FOR YOU - rather than just blindly accepting what's on sale under the blue-light special.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Another score for penicillin ( I hope! )
Well, this is the longest that I've been this sick from strep, but I think we got it now. Fever was gone this morning, back to my usual 36 -plus-a-smidge kind of temps. The sore throat has been fading with some repeated help from Chloraseptic and a bit more OTC pain stuff - it comes back a bit less each time. I've eaten a whole can of soup with REAL stuff in it, some watery oatmeal, and some toddler apple-snack things. Beats barely being able to swallow water and the pain stuff being ineffective as the inflammation was so deep it was a physical barrier.
I was actually up for trying some mild, soft Indian food tonight, but am still not quite presentable enough to go out, and the take-out option wasn't happening tonight. Sweetie popped out with friends without me - I'm jealous, but we will do that another time. Our local Mom'n'Pop Indian restaurant is an absolute gem and does a couple of mild paneer dishes I really like.
Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be back in the packing-and-moving routine. TONIGHT I'm actually trying to be a good student - I'm long overdue to finish this one last assignment and I'm actually getting into the research. It will be completely Googled, which might cost me a point or two over "academic" library attendance - but sheesh, the topic is videoconferencing benefits to business, it's hardly Human Genome research - anyone in industry would use the 'net too.
I was actually up for trying some mild, soft Indian food tonight, but am still not quite presentable enough to go out, and the take-out option wasn't happening tonight. Sweetie popped out with friends without me - I'm jealous, but we will do that another time. Our local Mom'n'Pop Indian restaurant is an absolute gem and does a couple of mild paneer dishes I really like.
Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be back in the packing-and-moving routine. TONIGHT I'm actually trying to be a good student - I'm long overdue to finish this one last assignment and I'm actually getting into the research. It will be completely Googled, which might cost me a point or two over "academic" library attendance - but sheesh, the topic is videoconferencing benefits to business, it's hardly Human Genome research - anyone in industry would use the 'net too.
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