Four posts in one

One
Just flipping through my roommate’s copy of Affluenza. Chapter 5 has a section on time famine, which talks about how we thought technology would free us up and give us more leisure time, but instead, our world is getting increasingly complex and we are working even more. Instead of working 14 to 22 hours per week by the year 2000, as was estimated by a US Senate subcommittee in 1965, we’ve become swamped. As I pondered this in light of my current crazy schedule (working a 9-5, Monday to Friday job while attending university and stupidly volunteering to be on a conference committee), I realized that I could only think of one day in months that I had actually been on time for work. I average 8-12 minutes of lateness every day, a little less once the snow is gone and I ride my bike. Thankfully my boss just shrugs at my unconscious and clearly desperate attempt to find some balance in my life.

Two
An Angus-Reid poll was released a couple of days ago that found that Canadians in general believe that global warming is happening. More, apparently, is to be released in the coming weeks. To quote Pee Wee Herman, “everybody I know has a big but…” I’m guessing that the “big but” in this case will be that, ya, we believe it’s happening, but we don’t actually want to change anything about the way we live in order to make a difference. Maybe switch to compact fluorescents. Maybe.

Three
On the topic of making a difference, for some reason I really dig the latest Sierra Club campaign. Pretty much, I’m doing everything on the list, plus some. But I feel like I could convince people to do some of this stuff.

Four
Or maybe not. Overheard in the hospital gift shop yesterday (where I was buying a stamp, thankyouverymuch), a conversation about Beanie Babies. “Isn’t is amazing? Only $6. It’s incredible to think they can make them that cheap and ship them all the way over here and still only charge $6. Wow.” I said, “How much is a stamp?” Yep, I did nothing. Perhaps it was the memory of the last impromptu information session I conducted at work that made me hesitate (Random person at the opening of the new 911 call centre: “it smells so new!”. Me: “that’s the carpet offgassing.” My boss: head shake, snicker. Random person: blank stare, moving away.) or perhaps it’s the head cold. Or perhaps I’m just overwhelmed by the fact that my home province has the lowest levels of belief in global warming and, from what I can tell, fairly low levels of concern about the environment in general. So what to do? Dust off the ol’ soapbox? Bury head in the loamy prairie soil? Read cartoons? Read cartoons it is…

tagged

Mama D tagged me with a music meme, so here we go. Figured it would be a good way to let y'all know that I'm alive and kicking (though that isn't on the list).

Seven songs I'm really into right now, hey? Well that's kind of hard because all my evenings have been spent transcribing interviews, which means no music playing. But I do listen to CBC at work sometimes and while I'm not a huge fan of Freestyle, they have been playing some great music. So here are seven songs, some of which I'm going to get into once I have a life again. In no particular order...

1. Grace Kelly by Mika
2. Judy by Hunter Valentine (CD to be released April 3)
3. Intervention by Arcade Fire
4. Lived in Bars by Cat Power (maybe I just like her hair)
5. Dani California by Red Hot Chili Peppers (Hearing this about 10 times a day when my co-worker Tanya is in because she likes to listen to the rawk station. Will likely be sick of it by the time I have a life again.)
6. This River is Wild by the Killers (Sam's Town has been my staple on the 12 minute walk to and from work for months now. Liking this song best at the moment.)
7. Every single song by The Police (Thank you Karen for Message in a Box... getting myself primed for May 28th!)

And now, who to tag?
Elliot (of course, my main music man)
Melissa (wife of Elliot, who may actually have musical taste of her own. Shocking!)
Tracy ('cause I'm always interested)

crawling out from under my rock

Just noticed that MinusCar Project linked to me, so I thought I'd better post something. Been suffering with a miserable cold for over a week and have not been able to clear my head long enough to formulate a single thought. So how about a question instead?

I own a car, though I haven't driven it since November, when inspired by a local environmental contest, I voided my license. I have since found out that my car has some serious problems. Heater core has gone (heat in pretty important where I live), rear struts need to be replaced, breaks are on their way out... Probably looking at $3000+ to fix it. Given that it is a 1991 Golf and that I only paid $2600 for it, this doesn't seem like a reasonable option. So the question is, what are my options? What can I do with an old car besides sell it "as is"? Suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

nothing to say

Basically, I'm so swamped with school that I have nothing else on my mind. And I have a cold. So, I'll just leave it at that for now. Don't expect any inspiring posts until mid-April, but will put something up once in a while so you know I'm still around.

holy, monday

I'm swamped with work, I've got a cold, and the switch to daylight savings time has totally thrown me off. But rather than complain, may I direct you to the new link on my "Other Bloggers" list. My dearest friend, along with 10 other crafty women she's met online, have started a new blog called Sew Green. Check it out!

I've been a walker all my life, not specifically for environmental or health reasons, but because I lived close to school or work. It was only on the coldest days that we were ever driven to school as kids. And even when I've had a car, my vehicle spent much of it's time parked in a garage.

I continue to make the daily trek to and from work. Days and weeks, but rarely months, go by without incident. And then, there will be a near miss. I'm guessing that the drivers just are not paying attention, and it is only through luck, my quick reaction and the fact that I was paying attention that I haven't been hit.

In the steel-toed days of my youth, I would try to kick their car while flipping them the bird. I figued the visual, coupled with a dented quarter panel would make them look out for pedestrians a bit more. I only even actually connected twice, and I have no idea if I did any damage, though I hope I did. This was almost 20 years ago, before I'd ever heard the words "road rage". Now, I take a calmer approach, though the anger is still inside.

Today I heard something on the news that shocked and horrified me. A man out for a morning run in Winnipeg, a city that I've spent half my life in and still visit regularly, was purposely run down. I listened to another jogger on the radio this afternoon. This is how she described what happened:

She was out for a run with a group at 6am. They were running facing traffic when a car coming towards them accelerated and drove at them. They jumped out of the way and kept jogging, thinking it was another asshole like the one who had swerved at them the previous morning. This time, though, the driver turned around and drove at them again. And again. And again. Another car witnessed the fourth attempt and pulled over. He offered his cell phone and the joggers called the police. They continued with their run but didn't get very far before they came upon a pool of blood. They stopped. They couldn't see anyone. They speculated that an animal had been hit. When they saw another person coming towards them, they went to warn him that there was some crazy person driving around. As they approached him, they realized that he was bleeding from a bad head wound. The man, the jogger who had been hit, was in bad shape. The police arrived, and he was taken to hospital where he remains.

In all the times I've nearly been smacked, I never assumed it was on purpose. I can't imagine what could bring someone to do such a thing. Was (s)he high? Does (s)he have a mental illness? The car was stolen, so was this just for kicks? To alleviate boredom or get friends to think you're bad and cool? I can't fathom it. My walk home today was somber. My heart goes out to this man and his family, whose lives have been so terribly affected.

kitties and puppy (who now has a good home)

quickie

Took an impromptu break from blogging, work and life last week when I got hit with some virus that I picked up at the staff appreciation lunch. 100+ people off sick with it, but honestly, knowing that I wasn't alone in my misery did not help one bit.

Now I'm feeling better (though still tired), and was planning to do a proper post, but yoga is cancelled so I'm just going to run home. Have a foster pug from Funds for Furry Friends and I'm guessing that he'd like to go outside. He's supposed to be going to his new home soon, but I've taken some pictures and will post them on the weekend. He's so darned cute, but puppies are chaos and I'll be glad when he's gone. Give me a dog over a puppy any day. At least this little guy is house broken!

Ta.

breaking the fast

Buy Nothing January lasted until today, when it came to a crashing halt, much like a freight train skipping the tracks and slamming into the side of a mountain.

Okay, it wasn't that bad. Not as bad as it could have been, certainly.

Got tickets to The Police concert in Vancouver on May 28th. (Un)fortunately, not the premium seats at $225 a pop, but still decent seats. This will be a serious bonding experience with my bestest friend of 25 years and it is the fulfillment of the only teen girl fantasy I've hung on to. Gave up on marrying Chip Balch ages ago.

Not feeling bad about racking up the ol' credit card. Sting is well known for being a do-gooder, so...

"A portion of the proceeds from this tour will be donated to WaterAid, an international NGO founded in 1981 and dedicated to reducing poverty by improving access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene education. Working in 17 of the world's poorest countries, WaterAid and its partners have already helped over 10 million people gain access to water and sanitation and is committed to helping to reduce by half the proportion of people living without these basic necessities of life by 2015. "

I will have to fly to Vancouver to catch this show as there's just no sustainable transportation way to get there and back in three days (the amount of time I can weasle out of work), so will be looking into ways to offset my flight.

And I will be continuing not buying anything, because I've just barely started feeling like my finances are a-okay and I've gone and broken the bank.

teenage fantasy

Looking back, the 80s were so embarrassing, which makes me thankful for two things. First, after a disastrous perm in junior high, I vowed never to get another one and was therefore unable to achieve the incredible heights that defined 80s hair. Okay, ya, I sported an asymmetrical bob, but that's another story. Besides, they're back in right now.

Second, while I indulged in listening to my share of terrible music, the band that I loved in the way that only teenage girls can was The Police. And they have not only held up, they've announced a reunion tour.

I am so there!

Seriously giddy like you wouldn't believe. A plan is in place. Karen, myself, and our significant others will all try to get tickets. The best seats are the ones we use, the others get sold. As Karen said, she feels like she's in grade 8 again, except with money. And no parents telling us we can't take the bus into Winnipeg (since we were too young to drive) to see a concert at the Arena on our own. Hurray! Though looking back, mom, I can see why you said no.

Convocation in on May 26th. The Police play in Vancouver on May 28th. Anyone planning to get me a grad gift (no pressure), let me just say that the best gift of all will be celebrating like it's 1983, and I'm not afraid to break the bank to do it. Please address all donations to the charitable foundation I'll be setting up. Details to follow. :]

knock knock ginger

Current favorite song is Love Renee by Knock Knock Ginger. Also really appreciate that they have provided four of their songs in full, rather than as little teasers. Link and enjoy!

And speaking of enjoyment, my friend Kai suggested on the phone last night (after I told her how crazy my next two months are going to be) that I do one nice thing for myself every week. Have been thinking about this, and I can't come up with anything. Trying to be frugal, so buying treats won't work. A long hot bath sounds delish, except my skin is uber dry as it is and that only makes it worse. Ideas, anyone?

smart cookie

Resolutions – Final Report

1. Stop driving. Done and done.

2. Clean out the cupboards. Still working on this one. Food wise, I can check this off. Product wise… well, lets just say I still own four deodorants, and I’m not that smelly. Will continue using stuff up before I buy new stuff.

3. Have no fun. I actually had more fun than I was planning on. Besides Rocky Horror Show and the Funkraiser, I caught three films (Children of Men, Last King of Scotland, Pan’s Labyrinth) in the theatre and a couple of short plays at Stoppard Fest. Not the greatest for the bank account (except that I got treated a couple of times, and one was a cheapie matinee). Probably should have done more work on the ol’ thesis, but the panic should set in any day now and then I’ll really start cooking on it.

4. Buy Nothing. This went really well. Better than I expected, actually. Did not cave, except on the aforementioned junk food. Bought no goods. I did pay soccer and yoga fees, but I’m not counting that as stuff. And I bought two bus tickets into the big city to visit the love of my life, but since I’ve taken my car off the road, it’s either buy bus tickets or be sad and lonely. And nothing was created (in terms of pollution) that wasn’t being created anyway. That bus was running with or without me. The only new item to come into my possession was a fair trade t-shirt that my mother-in-law equivalent gave me as a gift. So how’s that for not too bad?!? Going to keep going with this buying nothing thing for as long as I can.

And now, in that fine bloggie tradition, I tag Melissa. Well, not really. She's already decided on her own to have a Buy Nothing February. I happen to know that she likes to shop, though in her defence, I also know that she is a serious thrifter. She's a little scared about the whole thing, but I promise, it doesn't hurt, and your bank account will thank you. The planet might too, though the planet is a little pre-occupied right now.

my weekend

Spent most of the weekend sitting in the dark, surrounded by strangers. In three evenings and two days, we managed to catch three movies and two plays. The plays were not my cup of tea… two shorties as part of Stoppard Fest. Stoppard is not the problem. Both these were written for tv, so they were choppy and hard to stage. The acting in the second play was pretty poor as well, and neither of them were helped by the rattling sound the heat vent was making. Given the choice between heat and silence, I’d pick heat, and with a more absorbing performance, I probably wouldn’t have found it so distracting.

The three films were all variations on a theme. Saw Children of Men on Friday, and Last King of Scotland and Pan’s Labyrinth on Sunday. All very grim, all set in societies that were falling apart, all featuring terrible atrocities against minority groups. And there are many other interesting parallels. Children featured one scene with Picasso’s Guernica hanging prominently on the wall, while Pan’s was set during the Spanish Civil War. Two similar looking redheads, namely Julianne Moore and Gillian Anderson, had small but critical roles. James McEvoy, the Scotish doctor in Last, played a faun in a previous film, while Pan’s (of course) features a faun. All of them had action centered around a pregnant women in peril. And all of them made me want to know more.

In my opinion, Last was the weakest. Forest Whitaker deserves the accolades he is receiving, most definitely. He was amazing, as was James McEvoy. But I found some of the plot details a little hard to swallow. I didn’t understand the connection between the two men, and I found the doctors motivations for his irresponsible actions, make that his practically suicidal actions, to be inadequate. And though the movie was far less graphic than it could have been, given the atrocities committed by Amin, I though the other two films had a steadier hand when it came to the level violence. Not that I watched those bits. Eyes quickly shut on many occasions. Thank goodness for O’s shoulder and my scarf.

Pan’s Labyrinth… hmmm. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll simply say that I would highly recommend that everyone see it. And I’m very glad that I didn’t read anything about it before I went. I had no expectations, except that I’ve liked del Torro’s previous films and thought I’d probably like this one too. But it apparently isn’t for everyone. As the credits rolled, the young woman behind us said, and I quote, “That was the longest piece of junk I’ve ever sat through.” She then went on to complain about having to read the subtitles. Which makes me wonder what she thought she was getting into.

update #3

Things are back on track since I remembered the stash of leftover Christmas baking. Still munching away, but not buying any treats. I've been avoiding stores and magazines. I find that I "need" much less when I'm not constantly being told what to buy. I don't have television, which helps. I do have a tv and dvd player, but no chanels.

Watched "The Island" on Sunday, borrowed from my sister. Couldn't help but notice the tons of product placement. There was so much of it and it was so blatant. Because the movie is set in the future. I kept thinking, ya, right, you wish Nokia. Think you'll be around in 2019? Remember Atari?

Product placement is very much on my mind these days as I am slogging away at an undergrad thesis on the commericalization of breast cancer. Reading everything, including marketing magazines. As if I wasn't jaded enough, now I know why those Ford ads are aimed at women in their mid-30s, such as myself. I thought I knew a lot about this stuff already, but this project has been an eye-opener. Want to be jaded too? Check out Think Before You Pink.

Positive side effect: all this jadedness has put me in the right frame of mind for not buying anything. Negative side effect: I feel grumpy.

saturday night...

...was so good that it deserves two posts. Mama D did one. I'm doing the other.

Ya. So. We all went out dancing. To really great music. Easy enough to do in a bigger center, but seriously tough here in Brandon. Unless you want country mixed with AC/DC mixed with the latest dance hit. Which generally speaking, I do not. Thank goodness for Marquis Project and their awesome Funkraiser. Music provided by DJ Hunnicutt and Mama Cutsworth.

And when I say we all went dancing, I actually mean, we all went out and some of us danced. Mama D's husband and my sister's husband chose to stay in their seats. But my darling O, after a 13 year hiatus from the dance floor, got up there and boogied. He asked me for a critique afterwards, and all I have to say is this... I know when you are dancing silly, you don't need to explain! Being a drummer, he of course has rhythm. Thankfully, he also has style! So I don't have to try and look like I'm dancing with someone else. :]

And speaking of style... and getting back to Mama D... she is a devil on the dance floor. That girl seriously has all the moves. I was humbled and inspired. Maybe she'll invite me over to practice in her living room before the next party.

My Sunday was spent in my jammies, watching movies, ordering pizza and feeling totally flat. I used up all my energy reserves the night before. And to echo Mama D, it was totally worth it.

update #2

This not buying stuff is harder than it seemed at first. I haven’t bought anything but food since January first, but some of the food I’m buying has been pretty unnecessary. Like chips. And M&Ms. That stupid things like this should be my downfall kinda bummed me out, so I gave myself a talking to and now (I’m trying) I have stopped making purchases out of vending machines.

So on the health side, and the eco side of things, I’m not doing as well as I’d like. Overachiever that I am.

On the money side, however, things are brighter. Have $246 in the bank, and it is only two days until payday. Have set myself a goal of having $500 in the bank by the end of February and cutting my Visa bill in half. Totally do-able, as long as Buy Nothing January extends into Buy Nothing February. I’d really like a little breathing room. In case my furnace goes, like poor Mama D’s.

Elliott linked to an article about a woman who is living on $12,000 per year. I’ve been trying to feel inspired by her, but I honestly don’t quite believe the story could be true. It is so far beyond my ability that it seems impossible. I did note that she had to give up school in order to live on so little, which I’m not willing to do.

I lived below the poverty line for a number of years, from 1989 to 1992. Then I mooched off my mom for a year (while recovering from illness, so not really mooching). Then I was below the poverty line from 1995 to 1997 while I was in college. I ended up in all kinds of precarious living situations during those times, and while I obviously survived, it was so stressful. I remember running into the mother of an ex-boyfriend and when she asked how I was doing, being nearly in tears as I told her I had nothing to eat and no money. The next morning I woke up to a litre of vegetarian chilli and a block of cheese hanging on my doorknob. It got me through the week and her absolute kindness still makes me want to weep.

No voluntary simplicity then. Forced simplicity. Voluntary simplicity is for those who have money.

I would now count myself as someone who has money. Despite being broke and complaining about it. I have the option to choose simplicity. I have the luxury to choose not to buy anything. Which, it turns out, is harder than it seems.

monday

Uh... ya... I know it is not Monday, though I have been a little out of it lately. Just letting you know that until school is done, I'm going to be a Monday blogger. Have half an hour to kill between work and yoga, and what better way to do so.

Will be updating Blue Greenie once a week or so, but just as I have the time.

So, until Monday, here's a nifty website to check out.

resolutions.... fading...

School is sucking the resolve out of my resolutions. But Nothing January is generally going alright, but where I'm falling down is the area of non-essential food items. Which is also killing my second resolution to not eat so damned many sweets.

I've developed the habit of snacking on chewy things as I write essays. And drinking lots of coffee. Over the past week, I've spend many hours in front of the computer working on my thesis proposal. And much of that time has been spent drinking Tim Horton's coffee (don't even like the stuff, besides all the ethical issues) and snacking on wine gums, pretzels, and chips. Today I packed healthy finger food (grapes and rice crisps) but they didn't do the trick. Have been snacking on my finger nails and trying to resist the vending machine all afternoon.

Taking a supper break now, which will take the edge off my appetite, but being hungry or not isn't really the point. I honestly think I work better if I'm doing something mindless. Keep my brain focused on the project, while my hand reaches for a bag, jaw busily munching...

Or is that just an excuse?

Ten more weeks of this...

update

This not buying stuff is great! My bills are paid and I actually have money in the bank. Not a lot, mind you, but I'm not in overdraft either.

I survived two temptations over the weekend. The first was a fair trade t-shirt situation. I received a JustShirt for Christmas but it didn't fit. The lovely person who gave it to me offered four shirts in the right size to chose from. I really like two of them. Briefly thought about buying a second one, but somehow resisted. Went with the style she originally chose for me and (mostly) put the other one out of my mind.

The second temptation was on a trip to the mall to return a gift my sister received for Christmas. In my state of heightened awareness, I was easily able to turn up my nose at all the mall had to offer... until I walked through the food court. All that junky badness! What evil person put the popcorn place and the pretzel place right across from one another, so that no matter which way I turned my head, I saw something that I suddenly craved?!? But they were no match for my iron will. Gift returned, I hopped back on the bus having bought nothing.

"There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less." -G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)

Our whole society is set up to buy, buy, buy, and to not be a consumer takes a great deal of unlearning. I'm unlearning to want more and learning to desire less. And as much as being broke prompted me to put a moratorium on spending, it's not really about the money.

green christmas

The weather outside was actually pretty good. Except for the 30cm of snow. We definitely had a white Christmas. But inside, around the tree, things were actually pretty green. Wrapping, giving and receiving.

O and I spent Christmas proper in Brandon with my family. Had a good day eating way too much and sitting around the tree. Fave gifts? O gave me a book I’ve been coveting since we went to the modernist architecture show at the WAG. My mom gave me the loveliest, softest sweater. And a blender. But the topper this year was from my sister…. Introducing Marg Gottfried. At least that’s the name on the bottom, along with the date January 1971. Marg and I are practically the same age.
New Year’s weekend was spent in Winnipeg with O’s family. Dinner with his dad had to be postponed when his dad woke up sick on Saturday morning. New Year’s Eve was spent at his brother and sister-in-law’s house, celebrating with their mom. Again, a relaxing, no-stress evening spent enjoying each other’s company, eating amazing food (mostly prepared by O’s mom) and exchanging presents. Fave gifts this evening were a gorgeous necklace from O’s mom and a great fair trade t-shirt in the most wonderful lawn green that looked awesome on me… except that it didn’t fit. Dang! Bigger size is now in my possession.

This was also the year of the gift card. And once my Buy Nothing January is over, I look forward to browsing around McNally Robinson and MEC. Since I will be buying food, I get to spend the Organza gift card right away.

On the giving side, I had a pretty crafty Christmas. Especially considering how busy school got in December. Sent relish to the Bugs, and dried herbs from my garden to Karen (T - now that you've seen the festive packages of herbs, you'll understand why you didn't get any!). Made mittens for Deb, bag for O’s sister-in-law, and a “winsome cap” for his niece. Actually have a picture of the cap, but you’ll have to be satisfied with the Martha link since I’m not comfortable posting pics of other people’s kids. It turned out really well, if I do say so myself, and the aforementioned niece seemed pretty excited about it. Which is gratifying because there is way more a stake emotionally when you make something, rather than buy it.

For O, I got him (ahem… us) tickets to Rocky Horror at MTC. Going tonight. Still trying to decide what to wear. Boa? Fishnets? Red lipstick? Or am I more of a Janet? Actually, the truth is, I've only seen the movie once, at my sister's place, and no one did the time warp there, so I'm a little unprepared for what I'm getting myself into. Should be fun!

I hereby resolve to…

This year’s resolution isn’t exactly about being green. It’s about a serious lack of green. Or since I’m in Canada… purple, red, blue, beige and green. In other words, I’m broke. Have been teetering on the cusp of financial despair since I went back to school six years ago, but up until this December, I’ve been managing to stay in the black. Last month I went into overdraft for the first time. Only by $30 or so, but it really stressed me out. My credit card is maxed, my student loan has been used up. Drastic measures need to be taken. It just so happens that those measures are also good environmental choices.

Measure #1:
Stop driving. When my insurance came due at the end of November, I let it lapse. I’ve been car-free in the past, so this hadn’t been too much of an adjustment. It has, however, been a huge savings. No insurance, no repairs, no gas. Hurray!

Measure #2:
Clean out the cupboards. I’ve hardly grocery shopped at all since the beginning of December, instead living off all the stuff that’s been sitting around in my kitchen. This has meant a lot of rice and bean dishes, but I like to cook and I’m creative, so it’s okay. Will feel really dumb if there is a major storm and I’m stuck without supplies, but otherwise, this has saved me about $100 so far, based on previous monthly food expenditures. Taking the same approach with my bathroom. Using up lotion, shampoo and deodorant that I already have rather than being wooed by sales or pretty packaging into buying new stuff.

Measure #3:
Have no fun for 30 days. I’m not going to eat out or go out except for a few select events this month. Rocky Horror on the 6th. Marquis Funkraiser on the 20th. But I have a ton of schoolwork to get done, so I’m going to focus on that rather than, you know, having any fun.

Measure #4:
Inspired by an article about these folks (linked on the Worsted Witch’s blog), and of course, Adbusters’ Buy Nothing Day, my New Year’s resolution is to buy nothing that isn’t essential for the month of January. I’ll start with January. See how it goes after that. I’m going to use a fairly strict definition of essential. Food (including cat food… for the cats… things haven’t gotten that desperate yet), meds and feminine hygiene supplies. That’s it. A good friend sent me the link to this. My cards are tucked inside and staying that way.

Will be updating this blog once a week to let you know how it’s going. Whether I’ve cracked under the desire for a new do-dad, or if I’m managing to stay off the wagon. Or is it on the wagon? I’m never sure but you know what I mean.

lack of enthusiasm

So it turns out that I had the winning entry in the Eco Idol contest. Wasn't much of a contest because only 6 people entered. Of the six, I think I had definitely taken the biggest step, though my partner thinks he should have won based on his clearly superior photo. It's the watermelon, in case you couldn't guess.

In other news, Green Drinks Brandon has folded due to lack of interest. Or not interest, perhaps, but attendance.

The common problem that Eco Idol and Green Drinks shared is that while people may say that they think your idea is great and have every intention of participating, that intention didn't turn into action. Same went for the Earth Day celebrations way back in the spring. Attendance was dismal.

You know when the folks that are most interented in environmental stuff don't get involved that you are in trouble. But why aren't they getting involved? I've thought about it a lot and have no answers. Any ideas for improving future participation would be welcomed.

new year's eve

Two years ago, O and I got storm stayed at his dad's on New Year's Eve. I woke up the next morning sick as a dog. Head pounding, coughing, fever. O's dad made me fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and I lay under a pile of blankets until 3:00 in the afternoon, when buses started running and we made our way home. Took forever to get back to O's apartment, and the trip was made longer when, in my delirium, I got off at the wrong stop and had to trudge and extra two blocks in knee deep snow.

This year... another storm. All would have been well except at 7:30 this morning, I poked myself in the eye in my sleep. This might seem like a freak accident, but because I sleep with my eyes half open, it actually happens fairly often. Usually, I get a bit of blanket or pillow in the eye, but today it was a finger, nail straight in. Total killer. By 9am, it wasn't any better, so we trudged through knee deep snow to the bus, and headed to to walk-in clinic. Which was closed due to the weather. A long wait for the bus home, more trudging.

Mid-afternoon now. Eye is somewhat better, but I'm sure I've scratched it. O has just come in from shovelling, full of stories of neighbors who let the snow get the best of their tempers. An altercation with a huge bobcat driver in the back lane that I totally missed. Car has been dug out, dinner is on. Off we go to feast and celebrate the beginning of the new year.

last post before christmas

I'm sitting here with my belly totally stuffed (too many treats at the office) and my wallet empty. 'Tis the season! Probably there will be lots of moaning over the next couple of weeks. Ooooooh.... why did I eat so much? Why did I spend so much?

Funny thing this year is that like most other Canadians, I talked about how I was cutting back. And then didn't. I mean, I did cut back on the number of people that I exchanged gifts with, and I bought fewer gifts, and I made a bunch of them. But I ended up not cutting back on my spending. I bought a few expensive things (not all of them gifts, I admit!) that I hadn't intended to, and as usual I waited until way too late to mail packages and could no longer send them by the cheaper ground mail. Considering that I plan for Christmas all year long, there is no excuse for it.

So, my New Year's resolution is a double diet. At least for January. As of January 2nd, I resolve to not eat cookies, dips, chips, almond bark or any other treats that come my way. I also resolve to not buy anything.

Was inspired by this article which was linked on The Worsted Witch's site. I'll try it for one month, basically following their rules, except I'm going to try not to buy anything except food and two bus tickets to Winnipeg. Since it is only for 30 days, I won't be in need of any new/used clothing, bedding, toilet brushes, etc. Come February... well, we'll see how January goes. In any case, this is more in response to my tight budget than for any environmental or voluntary simplicity reasons. Though those are good too. Just need to give my wallet a rest.

Hope you all have a happy and peaceful holiday!

i hate everybody

ya. you heard me. want to make an issue of it? that's right... i even hate you. just thought i'd get in a quick post while i'm waiting for my sushi pick-up and tell you that.

but tomorrow, at 11am, i will love everybody. love! love! love!

stress does funny things to people. even after a calming yoga class, i'm still feeling very grouchy and mean. pourquoi? exam. tomorrow. 9am.

but tomorrow, at 11am, i will be done all my coursework on my undergrad degree. done! done! done!

and, while perhaps not stress-free, i'll at least be a lot less stressed. o is very much looking forward to 11am tomorrow. and quite frankly, so am i.

so no comments until then, please. can't guarantee you won't get a snarky one back. ;]

not just another day

It started out typically enough. Woke up at 6am, hit snooze a dozen times, made coffee, sat in front of my SAD light for half an hour, ate breakfast, listened to CBC, went to the bathroom and threw up.

Okay, that last one was a lie.

But that's what I felt like doing. I was so giddy this morning I was making myself sick. Have been nauseous and unable to eat all day. And no, I don't have the flu and I'm not pregnant.

Here is the truth...

Woke up at 6am, hit snooze three times, made coffee, sat in front of my SAD light for half an hour, ate breakfast, listened to CBC, got dressed and walked in -33 weather to my last class. If that doesn't seem like a big deal, let me say it again.... my last class. At BU. Ever. Six years after attending my first class there, I have finally attended the last one. Okay, still have a thesis to complete (er... start... ahem) and I write an exam next Tuesday. But never again will I sit in a darkened lecture theatre listening to a prof bla-bla-blah. At least not on this little campus.

Seems like a big deal. I want to celebrate. Instead, going to yoga, then home to make dinner and study. All these will be done with a huge grin on my face. So happy. Sooooo happy!

the plural of mouse is mice

Elliot isn't the only one with a mouse problem. Though, in reality, mine is more of a cat problem. On Saturday, I picked up what I thought was a dead mouse in order to put a stop to the insane cat fight that was going on in the kitchen. Turned out the cats were so busy fighting each other for the wee rodent that neither of them actually killed it. The poor thing was petrified, and suddenly, I found that I had inadvertantly rescued it from certain (eventual) death. I let it recover and dry off for an hour in a granola bar box, at which point my dear friend Craig showed up. Thank goodness for farm boys! He a) confirmed that it was not a deer mouse and therefore I didn't need to worry about Hanta virus, b) said that it might live if I put it outside, and most importantly c) said he'd take care of it. In my mind, that darling mouse is living happily ever after in the unmowed grass by the dumpster. And needless to say, I bought Craig a coffee.

Today, I received this email from my dad (and for those of you who don't know my dad, this is a pretty typical email):

Hi Catherine and Colin,
Just a few words to let you know ,I' m still basking in sunny California, 23 CEL today and sunny ,no wind,wish you were here, I need a visit, you are too far away.
Going to Honolulu Jan 26th for 2 weeks from Victoria ,three days in Victoria before then. Keeping busy killing gophers with Cianide pills in their hole in the ground and a little water, and poof ,gone, also dancing and golfing.
Love Dad

So, my question is (and mom, if you're reading, perhaps you can offer some insight), how can I possibly be related to this man?!? It's the last sentence that particularly confounds me. And repulses me. It's a mystery. Unless my mom has something she needs to tell me about the mailman? Mom?

fat is a state of mind

Two disclaimers:
1) I am in no way complaining or even implying that I am fat. I am smack-dab in the middle of the healthy weight range according to the BMI, and I am fully aware of that.
2) I know that there is a medical definition of fat, and that it isn't just related to how you feel about yourself.

That said, 10 weeks into school, I feel fat. I sit all day at a computer, and spend much of my evenings sitting at a desk. I'm working extra hours to make up the time that I've taken off to sit in a classroom. I usually walk to work, but now I'm driving three days a week because I can't make it from the university to the hospital in 10 minutes. My diet is terrible because I have so little spare time to shop and cook. And so, I feel sluggish and flabby and unhappy with my body.

It's horrible.

But I'm not looking for sympathy. I know everyone feels like this sometimes. I also know that, how I'm feeling aside, I've got it pretty good. I've always been a size medium, even if right now I'm not a happy medium (haha) .

Trying to take some action to get myself out of this funk. Have signed up for yoga on Monday evenings with my sis. Have actually been to the gym a couple of times lately, though my bunion is holding me back a bit (yes, bunion.... more on that another time). And heading home to make chili to go with the corn muffins I whipped up yesterday. And maybe lift weights, we'll see. That's basically all I can do except hang in there for 3 more weeks. Once this semester is over, my time should be a bit more flexible and I'll be able to take care of myself better.

Until then.... I want my mommy. And guess what? She's taking me out for dinner on Thursday. Not that going out for dinner will help with the feeling fat issue. I'll probably order fries or pizza or something. But at least I'll feel taken care of.

Andre Ethier - Part 2

O. convinced me on Wednesday that I should buy the new Andre Ethier CD. What's the worst that could happen? he asked. Let's see... I could be supremely disappointed. That would take the shine off his first CD, which has brought me so much foot tappin' joy. I often avoid buying anything else out of fear of disappointment, be it books or music, if I'm really into one thing a person has done. So what about Secondathallum? Does it live up to the first? Sadly, not quite.

Good stuff first. The production on this album is great. The overall sound is quite different. Same rollickin', let's-hop-a-boxcar feel as the first, but big. Horns, organ, piano... Bold, lush and baudy. Ethier clearly styles himself after other singers who can't sing. I'm not sure if it's because I also can't sing, but I'm drawn to voices like his. Except for Cohen. Never been a big fan of his monotone style. In any case, really dig Ethier's delivery. Love the swagger, love the growls, love the bittersweet high notes.

So far, you are thinking, it sounds pretty great. What's the problem? For me, the big problem on this album is the songwriting. I don't really know anything about Ethier, but I'm speculating that he's had some relationship issues between the first and this one. It is all about love, which is fine, but I found myself getting a little bored. Not that love is boring, but he seems to have limited things to say about it. Also found his overuse of the phrase "little girl" quite irritating. Same with the honey/honey bee thing. Unlike the first CD, there are some really weak songs on this one. Despite the Stooges reference, Now I Want to Be Your Dad is one of them. And though I love Nick Cave, In With the Prim just doesn't do it for me. The last song sends the album out with a whimper. And any song that starts with the aforementioned "little girl" has been getting the skip.

Don't rush out and buy it. If I ever get an MP3 player, I'll be downloading about four songs, then it's bye-bye.

three years less a day

Tomorrow is the 3rd anniversary of the date that went something like this:

I had an appointment in the morning with my handsome and wonderful dentist, Dr. Dulat. After getting scraped and cleaned and having four caps applied, I went to pick up O at his apartment. We hadn't seen each other for five years, and that last meeting, after a free performance his band did in Old Market Square, was awkward and brief. Much like the other sporatic meetings we had had over the years since we called our two-year relationship quits back in 1991.

I was pretty nervous and excited when I rang his doorbell. So much so that I actually rang his neighbor's doorbell by mistake. We then headed out for lunch at Niko's. It was non-stop blah blah blah. A lot of catching up to do. Lunch was done, but we weren't. It was a glorious November day, so he walked with me to the Village, where I had to go to buy a tin toy robot for my brother-in-law's birthday. Then we walked back to the car. We still weren't done, so we went for coffee at Bar Italia. Many hours passed and it became dinner time. We went to Sushi Train at the Forks. And finally, when it couldn't be put off any longer, I dropped him off at home. We kissed in his doorway, I got into my little blue car and hit the highway.

One the drive back to Brandon, my floor mat got caught under the accelerator pedal. I leaned down to yank it back into place and crunched over the wheel, I was in the perfect position to see a shooting star blaze across the sky. I took that as a good sign.

Tomorrow, it will be the same. Dr. Dulat in the morning. Then lunch. Then a walk through the village. Then coffee. Then sushi. Then a kiss to start our next year. And then I will get into my little blue car and drive back to Brandon.

Green Drinks

sigh...

Just checked my email. Logged out and got bounced to the Sympatico/MSN site. Here are Tuesday's Features:

Global warming will harm economy (parts of the Stern report are available here)
10 gadgets your wife will love (basically, high-end techno gadgets you, the husband, can get away with buying)

And spending all that money on gadgets will be good for the economy, which will help prevent the economic devastation that could be caused by global warming, right? Right? I'm sure that's what the report said...

top of my chart

Latest musical obsession is Andre Ethier's first CD. All I can say is that it is a good thing my dear roommie isn't home much, because she'd be getting mighty sick of hearing the same songs over and over. While making dinner and cleaning the kitchen last night, I literally kept hitting play everytime the disk ended. Hooked, I tell ya.

The songs are a lot like Bob Dylan (with a hint of Nick Cave a la Murder Ballads), if Bob lived during the Depression and performed drunk on wooden stages in small town bars. Quite old timey and raw. Actually reminds me a bit of Leadbelly. Fave tunes at the moment are Little Saddy and Sinners.

Supposedly he has a MySpace site, but haven't been able to get it to upload, so you can try checking it out. Also, he's a painter (not really my thing) and singer in the now defunct Deadly Snakes. And he has a new CD out too, but I'm currently digging the first one so much that I haven't bothered to find out what the second one is like.

Run out and buy this now. Or stay home and download it now. Except for T - a certain husband of hers might just be getting a copy for Hanukkah. :]

two fabulous chances to prove your eco worth!

First one is from my own little city (sorry, locals participants only). Called Eco Idol, which is fine, but the judges are the Idols. I don't have tv, and I've never seen any of the Idol shows, but I was under the impression that its the contestants that are vying for the title of Idol. Am I wrong?

In any case, it is a fun little contest where you submit a picture of the green thing you do and just maybe win one of the prizes. A weekend for two at a local hotel (no gas spent to get away somewhere exotic... very eco) or green cleaning supplies. I'm going for the runner up prizes. Lord knows my house needs cleaning.

So far the entries have been a little dull. Trying to think of ways to jazz it up a bit. Suggestions welcome!

Second is something everyone can participate in... the Slate Green Challenge. Sign up, take the quiz, find out ways to lower your carbon emissions, and make the pledge to do so. The whole thing does have some problems. Like assuming that everyone owns a car and dishwasher, or that said car is powered by fossil fuel. And for us Canucks, everything has to be converted to Imperial from metric.

But overall a good (and fun) exercise in assessing one's environmental impact.

good news and bad news

The good (?) news:
Canada's Conservative government announced their proposed Clean Air Act last week, which, along with a bunch of other stuff, aims to reduce greenhouse gases by 45 to 65% from 2003 levels by 2050.

The bad news:
The World Wildlife Fund just released a report predicting that we will have exhausted the Earth's resources by 2050.

beautiful

Elliot posted last week about beauty and linked to the Dove "evolution" commercial. Even though I don't use Dove products and I know in my cynical little heart that commercials like these are just another advertising ploy, I felt quite moved watching it.

Beauty is something it took me years to get a handle on. I was an oblivioius child, concentrating entirely on doing stuff, rather than on what other people looked like. Or at least that's how I remember it. When I entered junior high and was confronted with my apparently unappealing looks, I was sideswiped. I had no idea how ugly I was until people started telling me. What a blow.

I was not even close to coming to terms with my appearance when, at age 23, I was diagnosed with Grave's disease. I was also unlucky enough to be one of the 10% of people who get the associated eye problems, though not to the severe extent that afflicts some.

After two years of explaining to strangers why my eyes looked "weird", something changed. I turned 25 and slowly, without trying, I stopped caring what other people thought of my appearance. (Not that I don't still find it annoying when I get asked.)

I can't explain it fully, but several factors helped. First, I stopped buying magazines. Second, I didn't have a television and have actually spent most of my adult life without one. Point being that I'm not constantly comparing myself to some idea of beauty that I can never achieve.

Third, I came to really appreciate the meaningful relationships I had with my bestest friends and sought their guidance. I still want to look good, of course. But for me.

Fourth, I grew up. Funny about that.

Fifth, I went back to school. I was a mediocre student all my life, but mainly because I didn't try. Now that I cared about what I was learning and started getting excellent marks, I felt better about myself. I got this big ol' brain... surely that's more important than being pretty?

Sixth, I had to deal with my mom having breast cancer. Watching her go through the slash and burn that we currently call treatment made me reconsider the order of importance of things in my life. Looks were way down the list.

And finally, I got rid of a huge monkey off my back (y'all know who I'm talking about). He was seriously dragging me down and purposely trying to wreck my confidence. It sort of worked. But not long after he was out of my life, I realized what an idjit he was. And what an idjit I had been to stay with him. Have a goofy amount of confidence now. Possibly unwarranted. :]

And while I may feel good about myself, and I don't stress about what strangers think of me, there has been some fallout from being nicknamed Uglor, and having my appearance be the thing I was so severely judged on. I don't like having my picture taken (I never turn out to be as lovely as my internal picture) or being singled out for anything. I still maintain high walls, so it's hard to get to know new people, and I often don't want to share my feelings.

On the plus side, I'm independent, self-sufficient, have a strong sense of self. I think I'm a bit protected from consumer culture because I'm so aware of its harmful effects.

In any case, I can't change the past.

I know I'm not pretty or cute. 150 years ago, I would have been called a handsome woman. I think those who love me would say I'm beautiful, and the rest are not opinions that I count. And even though I reached this place without the help of a Dove commercial, and I know exactly what they're up to, I'm still glad that they started their Real Beauty campain.

headaches

I have a major headache today. A combination of too much screen time (all day at work, all evening doing school stuff, basically for the past two weeks) and the constant drilling and banging happening on the other side of my wall. Have no idea what they are doing, but hope it stops soon. Was cataloguing a book on noise in the workplace yesterday, and there was a picture of someone with their hands over their ears. Caption read, "Noise can cause stress and anxiety." Showed my boss. She laughed. She shares the same wall.

Also finding the Brandon election to be a bit of a headache. And an embarassement. We made national news because it is such a joke. One mayoral candidate has been convicted of fraud, two currently have charges pending (assault for one; assult & break and entry for the other). Of the three remaining, one made a complete ass of herself during the debate last night. Oh ya, and the one with the b&e charge said she'd pray to God for guidance if elected. Normally, I wouldn't concern myself with these antics, but I'm really afraid that the guy convicted of fraud could win. And man, I don't want that to happen. Can't stand the guy. You know that character on the Simpsons who always cries, "But what about the children?" Well, that's basically his approach to everything. I don't think I could stand four years of his hysterics.

Final headache is my Green Brandon blog, which I have decided to shut down. Not just move this time. eBrandon sucks. The guy running it has to preview everything before it goes up, so there is always a big lag time. Half the time you have to email him to remind him. He seldom replies, and the last problem I've been having hasn't been fixed. So in order to keep you all as my friends, please look to the left and note the blue greenie link under the blogs heading. That's where I'm going to be writing enviro stuff. This blog will stay personal. Will make a note on Green Brandon that I've moved.

couch for sale

further to my previous post

Was reading today on the Health Canada website that as of November 16, 2006, all cosmetic and personal care products sold in Canada must contain the list of ingredients on the label.

This is good news for several reasons. First, people like my co-worker who reacts to aloe vera, will have an easier time avoiding ingredients that cause them problems. Second, cosmetic companies may have to start defending what is in their products and maybe, hopefully ensuring that their products are not harmful. And third, for slightly paranoid folks like myself, I can look for key ingredients (such a parabens, PEG, propylene glycol, etc. etc.) that have been linked to cancer or other health problems... AND THEN AVOID THEM.

Hurray!

put on a little make-up, make-up

So here's the thing...

Doing my thesis on the corporatization of breast cancer (that's the short description of the project and trust me, you are going to get sick of hearing me talk about it) and therefore have been reading a ton of articles. One of the main points that keeps coming up is how the focus of corporate campaigns is on finding a cure, rather than on prevention. And the suggested conclusions are that (a) corporations don't want to prevent breast cancer (or cancer, period) because too much money can be made from treating it, and (b) companies use lots of chemicals that have been linked to cancer and don't want to be held accountable.

Case in point is the cosmetics industry. They are chock full of potentially cancer-causing agents such as parabens, phthalates, and thousands of other unregulated chemicals. That's right... unregulated. The cosmetic industry does have standards, but they do not need to list what ingredients are in their products, and the vast majority of chemicals used have not been tested. The cosmetic industry defends itself by saying that these chemicals are used in such small quantities that they are not harmful. However, no studies have been done on long-term use or cumulative effects.

So...

Because I'm growing out of being a freaky girl and into being a crazy old lady (currently in the transition stage), I've stopped wearing make-up. It's not a hard and fast rule, but I no longer apply powder, blush and lipstick every morning. I think I'll still be inclined to use lipstick on occassion, and to use the rest of it when I'm dressing up. I have good skin, so I'm lucky. And it has been even better since I stopped using these products about a month ago. I know I never wore much anyway. Maybe you're shocked to learn that I wore any at all. Those of you who see me in person can judge for yourselves, and be honest, could you tell that I wasn't wearing make-up the last time you saw me? Didja even notice??

And now, some websites for further education, if you are so inclined:

CBC Marketplace - Cosmetics and the Cancer Connection
Breast Cancer Action - Cosmetics Companies and Breast Cancer
Environmental Working Group - Skin Deep (just click "No Thanks" to get into the site)
Environmental Health Association of NS -Guide to Less Toxic Producs (permanently linked on the left)

One last thing...
Do hair metal bands, drag queens and Elizabeth Taylor know about this?

bliss

Had a fantastic weekend at the lake with O. Caught a glimpse of the life that I would like to have. But probably won't ever quite have. No clocks, no news, no schedule, no stress. Plenty of food (Thanksgiving dinner courtesy of my amazing mama). Good company. Hockey Night in Canada. Coyote, deer, bison, owl. Coffee. Campfire. Discussions ranging from the trivial (do mice hibernate?) to the profound (where do we go from here?).

Finished reading The Lover (again). Did not do any school work.

Dreamed.

bits and pieces

O and I are heading to Johnson Cabins at Clear Lake for the long weekend. Very much looking forward to getting away, even though I have to do work while I'm there. At least "Geophysics" will be accompanied by glass of wine and a roaring fire.

My new bed (the Organic Eco-Rest) arrived today and hallelujah is all I have to say. It has been a year since I decided I was going to buy one, and more than three months since it was ordered. I'm sure it was worth the wait. Won't get to try it out until Monday, so I've blocked off the cat door to my bedroom and shut the door. Don't want it covered in fur before I even get to lay down on it!

And finally, I learned something new today. Lady bugs, those oh so cute and beneficial insects, overwinter in dry sheltered places, all huddled together. Apparently, though who knows how they know, they snuggle down deeper when the winter is going to a cold one. They do a kind of group hug thing, and the ones in the middle move to the outside once they warm up, so everyone stays nice and cozy. So now you know too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

summer reading list - update

Way back in April, I posted my summer reading list. How'd I do? Read some of 'em. And a bunch of others. Here's what I accomplished along with very short reviews.

Read (from the list):
Charming Billy by Alice McDermott
Read it if you have the time. Won the somethingerother prize. Enjoyed it, but didn't love it.
Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhague
Read it, read it, read it! Got off to a slowish start, but by the fifth chapter, I couldn't put it down.
Oh, Play That Thing by Roddy Doyle
Don't bother. Very disappointing. Crackling prose, as usual, but a plot that would put General Hospital to shame. I mean, how many things can happen to one person?!? Sheesh.

Read (not from the list):
Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen by Anna Lappe and Terry Bryant
Read it, read it, read it! Straightforward and sage (haha) advice about that most important subject – food. Plus lots of yummy recipes. Also check out their website.
Reviving Ophelia by Mary Bray Pipher
Read it if you have daughters or were ever a girl. Some scary stuff about growing up female in these media saturated times, but for me, it was better than going to a therapist. And cheaper. Worked out a lot of issues left over from my terrible teens while pondering the author's words of wisdom.
Madame Zee by Pearl Luke
Read it if you have nothing better to do. Interesting story based on the real-life mistress of a Canadian cult leader, but not super writing and the ending was a bit unsatisfying.
Out: A Novel by Natsuo Kirino
Don't bother. Loved this book, got totally sucked in to the grim and gritty tale of four Japanese women who work the night shift in a box lunch factory. One murders her husband, and the other three help her dispose of the body. Then things get crazy. A novel about alienation and the low status of women in Japanese society. But the last chapter was so terrible that I was literally shrieking. How can ten pages totally ruin an entire novel? Read it only if you want to find out.
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
Read it if you have the time. Not generally big of faux biographies (though this is the second one I read this summer), but so little is known of Dinah, the biblical daughter of Jacob (ya, the guy who wore the amazing, technicolour.... ), that I found myself really enjoying “her” story.

comfort food

Feeling a little down lately. Not sure why. The days getting shorter? Lack of sleep? School? Whatever the reason, I feel like going home, getting in my jammies, making something yummy and curling up with a cat and a book. Unfortunately, the book is "Geophysics".

On the bright side, this is the something yummy that I'm planning to make:

Mushroom Risotto
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 pounds fresh cremini or white mushrooms
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 to 6 cups mushroom broth
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
3 cups Arborio rice
2 cups dry red wine
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

In a small bowl soak porcini in boiling water 30 minutes. Pour soaking liquid through a fine sieve lined with a dampened paper towel or coffee filter into a bowl and reserve. Wash porcini under cold water to remove any grit and pat dry. Chop porcini fine.

Chop fine 1/4 pound cremini or white mushrooms (about 1 1/2 cups) and reserve. Depending on size, halve and/or quarter remaining 1 1/4 pounds cremini or white mushrooms and in a large heavy skillet cook in 4 tablespoons butter with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring, until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and reserve mushrooms in skillet. (They will be reheated just before serving.)

In a large saucepan heat broth and keep at a bare simmer.

In a 5- to 6-quart heavy saucepan add reserved finely chopped cremini or white mushrooms, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, onion, rosemary, sage, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until onion is softened. Stir in rice and cook, stirring, until coated well with fat, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup wine and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Add remaining cup wine and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed.

Add 1 cup simmering broth and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Continue cooking and adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, 20 to 25 minutes.
Note: About halfway through cooking, add reserved porcini soaking liquid and chopped porcini, stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed, and continue cooking and adding broth in same manner.

During last few minutes of cooking, reheat reserved cremini or white mushrooms in skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until hot, and stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Stir grated Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste into risotto.

Serve risotto immediately, topped with cremini or white mushrooms and garnished with Parmesan curls and rosemary. Serves 6.

good cup, bad cup

Ahhhh. Love a clever pun.

The subject, however, is kind of serious. Especially for those of us (ie. moi) who take our coffee seriously. Was reading this report, put out by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, on the amount of fat and calories in specialty coffee. Quite horrifying.

Fortunately for me, I don't have to change my habits. I always order a large latte with skim milk, no sugar. And no whip cream, sprinkles, etc.

Can probably thank Bruce for that. It's weird how often I can think of things to thank him for. Maybe because adversity has made me a much stronger person. And a kinder, more forgiving person too, I think.

But back to the coffee. Years ago, in the impressionable days of my youth, artschoolcool Bruce made me many, many cups of coffee. Cafe au lait done the real French way. Probably taught to him by his real French mother. Coffee press, scalded milk. Then he got a espresso machine and we moved on to lattes. Many, many lattes. Good, real European-style lattes, not the dessert coffee that so many places sell.

I never developed a taste for sweet coffee (though near the end of our relationship, Bruce insisted on putting large spoons of sugar in my cup... won't go into the psychology of that just now) but I did develop a taste for fresh, slightly bitter, piping hot java.

More recently, I also developed a taste for fair trade, organic coffee. Things at age 19 that never occurred to me I should consider. Now that's all I drink at home. Having coffee out is a bit trickier. Starbucks is North America's largest purchaser of fair trade coffee (according to them) but if you buy a coffee at Starbucks, it probably isn't fair trade unless you ask for it. Here in Brandon, even asking for it isn't necessarily enough. They sell the beans, but don't expect them to brew up a pot just because you want some. The Organic Consumers Association is urging action to challenge Starbucks to live up to their propaganda. I just don't bother going to Starbucks, period.

Milk? Well that's another post entirely. But there is some scary info on the OCA site if you're interested.

grrrr, and, uh... yay!

My sweet little former foster dog, Hansel, is coming back. The stoopid family that adopted him has now returned him. Crazy people. I don't think they actually realized what having a dog was all about. They said they didn't want to keep him because they felt bad because they had to keep him in his crate all the time. Why did they have to do that, you ask? Well, because he had an accident, so they had to keep him in there during the day. That's right... AN accident. And then they had to keep him in the crate at night because their daughter wanted to sleep with him and they were afraid he would bite her if she moved around in her sleep. *sigh* Sometimes people just drive me batty.

But the good news is that Hansel is coming back. Gentle, adorable, easy-going Hansel will be my temporary dog again. Very excited to be picking him up on Monday and I don't mind at all if no one wants to adopt him for a while.

i heart rufus

Rufus after he positively destroyed the cheap plastic blind

(that came with my house).

Outside

In

Who can feel angry in light of such bliss?

Last week, I had the same conversation twice in one day. The first was with my friend Jacq* about a mutual friend of ours, Cindy. Cindy, now that her life is complete (ie husband and child), no longer needs us, and we have been dumped.

The second conversation was with Tia about her friend Callie. Callie is easily distracted by a new man or whatever else is going on in her life, and Tia decided that she'd had enough of being filler, so she dumped Callie. It was a bit trickier situation, as they do occasionally work together, but Tia handled it with her usual grace. What really struck me was when Tia said that she felt sadder about Pluto losing its status as a planet than about losing her friendship with Callie.

I've been reclassifying friends for about a year now (let's just say... if you're reading this, you're not one of them). I haven't dumped anyone, but I've had to start thinking about them differently because the relationship we once had has changed into something that no longer is very meaningful. Until this conversation with Tia, I've been thinking of it as a continuum -- that is, a line with true friends on one extreme and true enemies on the other, and most people falling somewhere in between, depending on how close they are to one or the other. I've been mentally moving a few people further away from the true friend point.

But I like the planet analogy better.

Has Pluto changed, really? No. Its still out there doing its thing. What has changed is how we think about it, the amount of attention we give it. Do we hate Pluto or wish it harm? Of course not. It has simply been downgraded from true planet to dwarf planet. Much like a few people in my life have been down graded from friend to someone I used to be friends with, to acquaintance.

I felt a little weird when I started talking to Tia about this months ago. But she, being a true friend, knew exactly what I meant. We have ways in our culture to mourn death and dump lovers. There are social rules (and rules of law) for how we are to behave when we get dumped. But we lack a way to move on from friendships. Things are awkward, get messy. Unless the friend does something truly heinous, we try to spare feelings, to back away slowly, to leave them with their dignity intact. And we feel guilty for doing so. This is our friend, after all. The best we can hope for is to mutually drift apart.

But I want to move on. Not to be cold, but these dwarf planets are taking up too much time and effort. Time I will never get back, spent on something that does not nourish me. Effort that I'd rather spend on the people I love, who show that they also love me and want me to be part of their little galaxy. Who think of me as Mars, perhaps. Certainly not as Uranus.

*To protect the privacy of the real people I was talking to and about, names have been changed to the names of other people's pets.

the other one

Cleo's roommate, Rufus. Crazy cat. He likes to hide at the bottom of the stairs and jump out at you. Can ya tell?

can you believe...

...that it took me this long to post pictures of my cat?!? Picture quality isn't exactly crisp. Turns out my digital camera doesn't do extreme close-ups very well. But not complaining!

Sweet Cleo

sweet 36

I've been meaning to post about my birthday for, oh, about a month now, but I've been waiting until I had pictures available. It was really damned good this year, thanks to all the amazing people in my life who are so thoughtful and make me feel so loved.

The whole thing started in May, when I was bumming around with my sister. I pointed out a pair of amber earrings that I liked and she promptly bought them for me. Practical person that she is, she noted that she wouldn't remember which ones they were by July, and I might as well enjoy them now.

Then in June when I received a package from my favourite bugs. Technically my Christmas present, but random gifts are more exciting anyway. It contained a fabulous drawing by the big bug of an orange cat named Cosmo, who happens to look a lot like Rufus. And this apron. There are people who wear aprons and those who don't. I happen to be an apron person. And a slipper person, but that's another story. Anyway, love this gift. Using it constantly and always wishing that my dear friend was hangin' in the kitchen with me.

A little closer to the actual date, another package arrived. This one from Karen, filled with six jars of jam and jelly that she made herself. Peach (long gone), jalapeno (gone), strawberry orange (going), blueberry, raspberry and rosemary mint. She also sent a book that I've been wanting to read, but that wasn't available at the public library. Tearing through it. Will post a review when I'm done, but I can tell you now, I think you should read it.
The Thursday before the big day, I invited my friend Kana over with her husband and told her to invite anyone else she would like. Her husband was only in town for a week, so the easiest way for everyone to see him was to have a gathering. Little did I know that it would turn into a party complete with cake, ice cream and gifts for moi. Bliss. The gifts were super thoughtful, too. An invitation to dinner. Liquid kelp for my trees. A recycled rubber tire door mat. Kitchen goodies like French grey sea salt and pomegranate tea. And a good time was had by all, of course.
The weekend of was spent at Asessippi Provincial Park, on the third annual girls camping weekend. This time in a yurt. My birthday consisted of seven hours on the beach, gourmet camp food, and lots of drinks and good conversation around the campfire until 3am. Oh ya, and s'mores.

That meant missing a weekend with O. but we made up for it on August long. I always like to guess what he'll get me, and so far I've never been right. This year's tries were a dutch hoe and wind chimes. Actually got my favourite movie on DVD and a CD that I've been longing for by a band that no longer is. Includes the song I love to sing while riding my bike. Thanks, darlin'! Smoochies!

Just when I thought it was over...

Received a lovely pottery bowl from O.'s mom and yesterday I got something in the mail from Whitehorse. How's that for making it last. Let's see... May, June... five months. I used to just call it the 12 Days of Catherine. Must rethink that.

And no birthday would be complete without resolutions. This year, I have three:
1) Drink more water. (So far, not going well.)
2) Quit eating so much junk food!!! (I got into some very bad habits during school last year, but having some success with this one, except for the cake, pie and apple crisp I've eaten this week.)
3) Stop wasting so much time at work. (Um.... ya.)

i need more time

All you crafty types, check these out.

northern gothic

Ah do declare... this summer has been a steamer. So hot and dry that today, at 22C, it feels positively chilly. I managed to resist turning on the central air for the entire season. Same as last year, but then last year was the summer that never was. This summer was the kind of heat and humidity and sunshine that causes one to reach for a mint julep and Flannery O'Connor. Which is exactly how I've coped.

Oh, Flannery. Her writing blows me away. Was boring O. in the kitchen last weekend reading passages from a book of her short stories. I find her like Roddy Doyle in that her descriptions are so vivid that you don't just imagine what things look like... you smell them, feel them, taste them. She doesn't aim for your head, though she is whipsmart. She doesn't play on your heartstrings, though she is a sensitive and emotional writer. She goes straight for the gut. I carry her stories around with me for days, feeling the ache where she hit and a tightness in the throat from trying to pretend it didn't hurt. Which is why I generally try not to read to much of her writing at once. Bad for my temperment, though I love them. Especially bad when it is 38 degrees outside and hotter in.

Mint juleps have the opposite effect (perhaps that's why they go so well with Flannery), leaving me light, refreshed, giggly. Early this spring it became clear that I was going to have a bountiful mint crop, so I announced my intention to learn to make mint juleps. My friend Danette showed up for dinner one night with a bottle of Jack (bourbon doesn't come in small bottles and we didn't want to make the investment unless we liked them) and a recipe. Her first sip was too harsh, but once the ice melted a bit and the drink mellowed, she enjoyed it. I liked it from the first, and have since passed along the joys of juleps to O. We've been drinking them often (though not in great quatities), have used up the Jack and bought a bottle of Wild Turkey. Here's the recipe we've been using:

4 oz. bourbon (two doubles)
4-6 fresh mint leaves
sugar
ice

Tear the mint leave into large pieces. Combine with the sugar and crush the sugar and mint together to release the flavour. Add the bourbon and stir until the sugar has disolved. Serve over ice, while reclining in a chair under the shade of a grand tree.

customer service rant

Just so y'all don't think I do nothing but complain, I'll start this post with a funny story.

Back when I was Book Store Girl, I helped an older gentleman whose first language was not English. The details of our interaction are lost to me, but I do recall that he had an excellent experience. Was I extra charming that day? Did we simply connect in that way that strangers sometimes do? Dunno. All I know is that he sent a note of gratitude to my boss. The whole incident is foggy, but the wording of his note is burned forever in my mind, because I was razzed for weeks after. He wrote:

Miss Catherine gave me a very good service.

Ahhhh. Great. Thanks, sir. My cheeks will stop burning eventually.

Now for my (fairly mild) rant...

Remember a few weeks ago when I posted about the great clothes I picked up at Closet Chick? While I was there, I asked the owner about selling clothes on consignment. She buys outright, it turns out, and said I should phone back in August to set up an appointment. So last week I called and left a message. No reply. Monday I called again. No reply. Tonight I am phoning for the third and final time. This is what I plan to say:

Hi Lorraine. Catherine calling again. I've left two messages in the last week about setting up an appointment to sell some clothes and I haven't heard back from you. I'd like to express my disappointment at this shoddy treatment. I was really impressed by your shop, enough to tell other people about it, but I am now going around telling people about the fact that you haven't returned my calls. If you aren't buying or don't want to buy from me, I'd appreciate it if you took the time to let me know. I'm not simply trying to make money off you, I've spent money in your shop and I would like to continue to do so, but I won't support businesses that treat me poorly. If you would like to phone and apologize or offer an explanation, you may reach me at...

How's that sound?

I worked for 14 years in various retail and food service jobs. Long enough to have a healthy appreciation for the crap that clerks have to put up with. I'm quick to compliment when I get good service, both to the person and to their boss. But I also have certian expectations and I'm not afraid to complain. Constructively. Not going to freak out and yell or anything.

Being ignored is almost worse than being treated badly. Feeling very irked.

sunday

Hansel was found wandering about four blocks from my house by a woman who has five beagles. She took him to her vet, the vet tracked me down, and Hansel was back by 6:00. Which was good, because my mom was on the verge. I wasn't too worried, just hoping he hadn't been hurt. He was absolutely fine, which was a relief.

The bed... well... still feeling grumpy about that. It's like when someone holds something out to you and just when you are about to take it, they snatch it away. Will be about a month before I wake up, roll over and don't feel completely stiff and sore. Not the end of the world, I know.

The rest of the weekend has been fine. O. and I are being lazy today. Doing laundry, picking apples at my mom's, lounging on the couch, drinking coffee. Crazy big storm on Friday night. We watched it rolling in for hours and when it finally hit, it was with force. Everything was thouroughly whipped and battered. Trees are down around the city, but my wee babies managed to ride it out. My garden looks hung over... the tomatoes are begging for an asprin and another beer. The corn wants to go out for a greasy breakfast. The herbs are sleeping it off.

stoopid friday

Woke up this morning and my first thought was, "I'll never sleep on this mattress again."

HA!

My new bed was delivered today, but guess what? The box spring has a solid wood frame and would not fit up the stairs. Whole bed sent back. Contacted the store. For and extra $100 I can get a split box spring. Which is what I'm going to do. Hey... $2000, $2100.... what's the dif. I want a damned good bed and I'm willing to pay for it. But I refuse to sleep in the living room in order to have one.

By the way, I'm totally freaked out about spending that kind of money. Way outside of my usual budget, except that the work I did as a research assistant last winter paid me in one lump sum, so for once I had the dough to make a big purchase. Hate buying on credit, though sometimes I cave.

Work day was okay. Lots to do. Spent the majority of the afternoon typing book pockets and spine labels while listening to CBC.

Then my mom called about the bed. *sigh*

Then my mom called about Hansel. Martians abducted him while the furniture guys were trying to force my bed up the stairwell. He was locked in the kitchen with the cats. When my poor mom went to let him out, only the cats were there. All three doors were still shut. She checked everywhere... cupboards, fridge... back yard, basement, around the block. But no dog. It's the weirdest thing.

Even weirder is that he didn't come running when she put food in his bowl and shook it. That dog is a complete pig. I frequently catch him licking the container that the cat food is stored in.

All in all... a mediocre day gone bad.

doggie to protect me - update

The reason I haven't been posting since things calmed down socially is that I have a new reason to rush home from work every day. Meet Hansel. No, he isn't my dog. I'm fostering him for Funds for Furry Friends, a local no-kill animal rescue.

Hansel is a lovely boy, but it turns out he is useless as a guard dog. He doesn't bark and he wags at every person who walks by. So much for getting a dog to help me cope with the stress of our local crime wave.

No matter.

It's nice having him around. The cats don't seem to mind. I feel like I'm doing something good, and he has a good (temporary) home.