Author: gr4c5

I write. I read. I cook. I run. That's me, in a nutshell.

So You Say

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mouthI like this word of mouth advertising; this Pass-It-On recommending. BubbleGum wrote a blog about giving up his “fourth spot” on MySoCalledSpace. What he meant was, “tell me the name of some unsigned band that I could showcase on my page.” The cool(er) thing is that once a band is chosen and is on his Space, that group stays there for a month. Not only that but a blog is written about them. Talk about advertising, recommending, and all that jazz! BubbleGum’s site gets hundreds and hundreds of hits a day and because HE said so, people are going to check out his January pick for unsigned music. Over a hundred people had commented on the blog. That’s over a hundred more people checking out this band’s sound. Brilliant. I say take advantage of It Boy’s status and popularity and send him the name of your favorite unsigned band or performer! Just in case you were wondering, I want to send him Rebecca’s name. She could use another hundred people checking out her sound. Seriously.

I found another Pass-It-On link on someone else’s blog. I’m a sucker for the friend of a friend recommendation. I looked and I looked. Everything was beautiful and IwantIwant worthy. I ooohed and ahhhed and occasionally said, “well, my birthday is coming up…” But, in the end I couldn’t make my brain follow my heart so I didn’t open my wallet.

But, keep those recommendations coming. I definitely like the “I know someone you could talk to” feel of life. I like the handshake of communication. The wedding was like that, too – if I didn’t know them before the shindig, I didn’t want them cooking, singing, officiating, baking, arranging flowers, anything. The tent guy was the only I didn’t know and he came recommended by my sister. That word of mouth, this-guy-is-good thing again.

American Association Society

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cACS

My Middle street received two nonprofit pleas yesterday. Only one was addressed to me, so that is the one I will write about…and it wasn’t actually a plea, per se.

I donated to the American Cancer Society during the last days of 2006. So, it was more of a thank you. If you have been reading me from before you will know what the C word means to me. I have nightmares about it, personal conversations with it. In the form of inky black smoke that curls around the organs, cancer invades limb and life and love. That chimney sweep commercial used to send shivers down my spine for that exact reason- black smoke puffing out from the actors as if the disease had overflowed their bodies into the air. Dead men talking.

The interesting thing about ACS is that they included a little blurb about leaving a lasting legacy: I can order a free copy of Dear Loved Ones and learn how to die. In my will I can include the statement, “I give, devise, and bequeath to the American Cancer Society. Inc., Tax ID —, for its general purposes all…of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate…” What an interesting concept, to include a charity in a will. I’m already an organ donor, but there’s a way to do more.

Special recognition:
The American Heart Association asked for a donation yesterday. They sent along the RedACA Dress sticker and for the first time, ever I’m paying attention to what it means, even though it wasn’t addressed to me. On February 2nd (my birthday- how appropriate!) I should wear red to show my support and help raise awareness about women and cardiovascular disease.  Right on.

MS Walk

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 MS

A good friend is doing a walk for multiple sclerosis. I *think* this is her second year doing this six mile walk. Last year she asked me donate, and I think I did…I know it took me a while to get the check to her. One of the first things they tell you in fund-raising is that your friends and family will be the last to donate. Well, not this year. I got my act together and went the internet way. No check is in the mail from me!

The MS Society uses the walk(s) as their biggest means of fundraising. In addition, the walk fosters education, support, advocacy and research (like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, American Cancer Association…you get the picture).

To learn more about multiple sclerosis, go here.

To help my friend, Sarah, go here (with thanks).

Witch Evil

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evilI am way tired of the tractable. I write something, anything. You instantly think it’s about you, you, you. You always think it’s about you. Always. Why? Really, why, why, why? Is your ego just T H A T big? I can’t take it anymore. Really. I am stepping on imaginary toes. It makes me afraid to write honestly because everything is an imprecation on you…or so you think. I can spit them if you want. All day, anyday you want.
Please. Do me a favor. Step back. Or better yet, step off. Seriously. If it’s about you, I’ll tell you. Just ask.

Revolving Reads

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bookI haven’t posted a book review in quite some time. Honestly, it’s because I haven’t finished a book since the bread cookbook. I’m reading four books at a time right now.

  • The Blue and the Gray : the story of the Civil War as told by participants / Edited by Henry Steele Commager .
  • Collected Fictions / Jorge Luis Borges; translated by Andrew Hurley.
  • Breathing Trouble, and other stories / Frederick Busch.
  • At War as Children / Kit Reed.

At War is a grade school book. I supposed I could sit with just that one and bang it out in a day, but I’d rather not. It’s a buffer between the heavier books. Breathing Trouble is a short book, only 190 pages, but I linger with it for the same reason. Blue and Gray and Borges’s book are heavier in the sense that they describe things that grab at my heart; that clutch my imagination in vise grip ways. I read them carefully, letting my brain chew through the words, digesting  the images slowly. In order to stay on track and finish both of these books on time I need to read between 20-30 pages a day. Today, being MLK Day, I hope he won’t mind if I honor him through reading the day away.

Shaving Time Off the 60

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Time

Again, I didn’t want to lie around in corpse poses for an hour so, today’s yoga was a modified 60 minute Lee routine (Om Yoga Today, 2004). Modified because I didn’t want to practice calming breaths, alternating nostrils. I wanted to sit quietly for a few minutes, and then get to work, as they say. I didn’t want to spend too long in the poses that are foreign to my figure. Let’s face it, I’m not ready for hanging out in Warrior iii (balance issues), four limb (upper body strength issues), or wheel (back issues) for very long. I need to become reacquainted with flexibility, strength and confidence before I mingle too long with those poses.
I did enjoy the sequences of the warriors: power -> swan -> forward bend (into flat back) -> jump back to four limbs -> upward dog -> down dog -> warrior i -> warrior iii -> warrior i -> warrior ii -> side angle -> triangle -> warrior ii (etc etc). It was a smooth, flowing sequence that I can imagine looking very beautiful once I “master” iii and jumping back into perfect position for the next pose. I feel like I am constantly adjusting my feet and hands between poses. Squirmy.

Last night I did inversions again for 30 minutes and had the best and worst time. Best because I was balancing better. Worst because, just when I found my teeter totter center, something external would send me toppling. First, it was the phone. Then, it was the cat, crying at the door. But, I’m getting better at avoiding grubby footprints on the wall. That’s always a good thing.

Today’s practice involved a dabbling of inversions, too: forearm stand, headstand, shoulder stand & plow. Plow is probably my pet. I could stay there for hours. I love the stretch, I love the laziness of the posture. I only question the feet..or the toes. Flat on the floor or curled? Of course, Lee’s stick figures don’t even have feet. I’ll have to consult the bible.

Christmas Isn’t Over

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RebeccaPreface: Last night I got a chance to give my friend her Christmas gift. A mandolin ornament for her tree…for next year. She was so gracious she said, “I’ll hang it up in my room now, because it’s perfect.” She always knows the right things to say to make me feel welcome. Welcome.
The gift she gave to me was her voice. Live for almost an hour and a recording for all eternity. I treasure both.

Live
I didn’t get a chance to write down the setlist. Even though I was careful to carry my Keys, Cellphone & Wallet (thank you very much), I forgot the pen and paper. No napkins to note on either. So, from memory:

  • Miss You
  • Rain
  • Better Day
  • Gin (dedicated to the Spencer clan)
  • You’re on Your Way Down
  • Wishing Well
  • Home (Cowboy Christmas)
  • For the Taking
  • Heaven Sent

I think that’s everything. I know that I didn’t put any of this in the right order – except Heaven Sent. It’s the only song Rebecca plays on mandolin. she was without her keyboard so no Uninvited Guest (I told her I’m ready to hear it), and no Breathe.
Kyle Spark played with her and I have to say this again, I love, love, love that bass! It’s a great addition to already amazing songs. And. And. And, when Kyle sings with Rebecca…magic. My favorite “duo” song is For the Taking. They just sound awesome together.
Even though the show was short I’m glad Rebecca & Kyle made the effort to come into town. I could listen to them sing for hours. Special thanks to A, S, & J for coming to the show (especially J after only getting four hours of sleep the night before. You freakin’ rock, boyfriend!)

CD
I haven’t listened to the cd all the way through yet. We did pop it into the car stereo for the 5 minute drive home and I can tell I’m going to love it. It’s a live show with Kyle! Yay! I couldn’t ask for a better Christmas gift. When she has copies for sale, all my friends better look out because I plan on buying you all one! That’s really an empty “threat” because I know you will love it.

Carpenter’s Boat Shop

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Sometimes I think I walk through parts of my life with my eyes closed. I really didn’t consider all that the Carpenter’s Boat Shop does until the loss of Ruth. I guess it’s fair to say I take for granted that which has been in my life forever. Forever and a day. A constant presence is never questioned. Such is the case with the Carpenter’s Boat Shop in Pemaquid, Maine. I’ve known “the Boat Shop” every minute of my existence whether I was aware of it or not. Skiffs on the beach came from there. People from the island went there. An exchange as subtle as clouds in the sky. Taken as truth and never thought more about.

Imagine a life on the rocks, for whatever reason. Hopes dashed. Dreams in ruins. Desperate for a break. Hungry for a fresh start. Not knowing where to turn. The Carpenter’s Boat shop is that safe haven. No. Harbor. They use the metaphor of a harbor on their website. That’s a better way to describe what they do. The Boat Shop is a place where someone can go for guidance, security and redemption on many, many levels. Physically. Mentally. Spiritually. Especially the spiritual. In the process of healing, they teach a trade: woodworking. Boats, furniture. Repair on all levels.

Carpenters

Amnesty International

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Amnesty

What are we up to? Four? I think Amnesty International is the fourth nonprofit to contact me. Like Sierra Club they gave me a pretty decal and offered me a subscription to their magazine. Free stuff to make me feel like I owe them something. Like Sierra Club they started their plea with a drastic introduction, “I regret to inform you…” I have to groan when someone approaches me with the negative. “I have bad news,” “I have disturbing news, ” I regret to inform you,” like they are in dire need of telling me and me only. Like I’m responsible or worse, I’m the only one who can help them. It feels me with a sense of obligation I don’t want or need. Don’t get me wrong. I think their cause is admirable. They advocate for human rights around the world; they are the voice and hope of prisoners of conscience. They are the strong-arm for the underdog, so to speak.
They are also against the death penalty.
I don’t know how to feel about that. I’m on the fence with this one. Ever see Dead Man Walking? You know what I mean.
Of course they asked me for money, instead I signed a card. It’s the least and most I could do.

Sinking Sanity

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earthquakeWhen does someone go from being All There to Losing It? What are the signs? Is there anything to be done? Alone on Saturday night I watched a biography on Marilyn Monroe. In the beginning all I felt was sadness for her, the actress. It was awful that every role she took typecast her as the dumb blond. She wanted to break out of stupid; she wanted to be taken seriously. The figures on her figure kept her just the bombshell actress. Then I felt sadness for her, the person. No one noticed her downward spiral as something cerebral; they all saw it as something celebrity. Acting up. Acting out. When she died it was an apparent “accidental” suicide. Accidental or intentional, when is suicide something to shrug off? Couldn’t anyone help her? Didn’t anyone see the signs?

I rant about this because I see this happening to someone in my makeshift community. She started out simply nice. Now, she’s simply nutty. Physically, mentally. Life is shifting around her and she’s starting to lose her balance. I see people turning their heads away to her weirdness, turning their backs on her sinking sanity until finally, they shut her out completely. Will she make the papers with her suicide? I’m scared it will be that way. The life will shift just enough, sanity will sink just enough. She’ll lose her grip completely, then lose her life. Here’s what troubles me. I remember simply nice before simply nutty. Do I see the signs?

Drum Save

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drumsI was thinking last night was going to suck. Even before I got to the Gerbil Cage, I knew I wasn’t going to have any fun. What is it about the first ten minutes of a run that has me sucking air and swearing? I’ve never liked the first ten minutes. Ever.
Here’s what saved me – drums. I listen for those moments that thrill me, distract me. Here are three such moments: two heavy beats in ‘I Don’t Trust Myself’ (John Mayer). Right before “I will break my way into your garden…” Steve Jordan does a staccato two hit. Never before and never since. I always look for it. Right after “Stomped on the floor just for fun” in ‘Old Apartment’ (Barenaked Ladies) Tyler Stewart “stomps” on his drums, again with those two beats I look for. Never again and never since. The third drum moment I love is harder to find. It’s not on the original recording, but it’s a sirsy moment in “Please Let Me Be”~ my all-time favorite guilty pleasure song. I can’t even begin to describe the drum moment there. It was a conversation between bass and drum that only happened twice. I think someone said it was a hit on the four, or something like that. The only time you could hear it was at a show and I would look for it, and anticipate it every single time. Never before and never since.
Anyway, back to the run. Those three songs came on and distracted me enough to get through the harder parts of being a gerbil. If it weren’t for them, I don’t know what I would have done.

As an aside, “Paint It Black” by the Rolling Stones has the exact tempo I need for a 10 minute mile. Excellent drum distraction, too!

Go, James, Go!

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James BluntI contemplated adding this to my MSF blog, but decided against it. Mr. “Beautiful Blunt” (as they are calling him) deserves his own shout out. From the Warner Music Group:

“Perhaps Blunt’s proudest accomplishment, however, has been his work throughout the year raising funds for Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the international medical humanitarian organization.  As of this writing, Blunt has raised an extraordinary $205,000 for DWB/MSF, whose life-saving work he first encountered while stationed with the British army in Kosovo, where he served as a reconnaissance officer with the NATO peacekeeping force.  One of his most powerful songs, “No Bravery,” was written in response to the genocide he had witnessed while in Kosovo.

The “Back To Bedlam World Tour” allowed Blunt the unique opportunity to both increase awareness and generate much-needed monies for Doctors Without Borders/MSF.  Beginning with this past spring’s headline tour, a personal, one-on-one aftershow meet-and-greet with James was auctioned after each and every show – one recent auction earned $8600 in a single night.  In November, Blunt played a sold-out DWB/MSF benefit concert at Los Angeles’ House of Blues, a high point of a seven-week, 35-city itinerary.”

To read the full article, go here.

Mr. Blunt also received five, count ’em, five Grammy nominations for his album Back to Bedlam. I’d like to thank my sister for getting me into Mr. Beautiful. Even though he’s a little whiney, I like his message. Back to good.

 ~ps~ For another melancholy type of guy, check out Gary Jules. I’m addicted to Mad World, thanks to Gears of War.

Breads

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Clayton, Bernard. Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads.New York: Simon & Schuster, 1987.

I wish I baked more. When I was a teenager my mother taught me how to make a white bread with a cup of mashed potatoes that was amazing. It was the most perfect carb I could create. Grilled cheese sandwiches were heaven with this bread. I always pictured my adult wholesome self, kneading and sifting on a Sunday morning, flour dust rising in clouds around me. I don’t know what happened to that “from scratch girl” but, Clayton’s book makes me want to jump in the car, rush to the baking aisle and buy dry yeast. In bulk. This 748 mammoth of a cookbook is cover to cover baking knowledge. There are no glossy photos to fill space. Even the illustrations are small and unobtrusive. It’s all about the bread. And Bread there is. From rye bread to crackers and everything in between. My favorite chapters were, “baking for dogs” (p 715), “little breads” (p 517), and “vegetable breads” (p 409). But, I can’t forget my other favorites like potato, croissant and cheese. Of course Clayton goes over equipment, technique, ingredients, and what went wrong should something go wrong, but he also includes storing, freezing, and there’s even a chapter on homemade ovens.

I would even go so far as to say this book demonstrates culture. In addition to all the different recipes Clayton gives a little history on the more unique ones, “…In Portugal, the bread is served warm or cold with a famous dish of peas and eggs, and a potato- sausage soup” (p 183). Now I want to go out and find that recipe for the soup!

BookLust Twist: One of the reasons why I love reading Book Lust and More Book Lust is quotes like this, “For me the best part of baking bread is theupper-arm exercise involved with kneading, and the times that you can curl up on the couch with a good book while the dough is rising.” Pearl goes on to say, “I’ve used Bernard Clayton’s bread books since the first one was published in 1973, and have never found a bad recipe” (More Book Lust p72).

You Didn’t

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FreakWe are blurring out senses. We are losing our grip on the details. We chew without tasting. We look without seeing. Patterns rule our lives without even trying. How many times have we been on autopilot? Haven’t we started to drive to work on a day off? I’ve been wearing two different colored contacts and no one has noticed. One honey brown and one clear. Decidedly different orbs. Definitely noticeable. I expected my office-mate to notice. We sit across from each other everyday. Definitely, she’s the type to point these things out. Nothing. After three days my boss, right in the middle of telling me something very important, stopped and apparently lost his train of thought. I thought it was my eyes. I waited for him to say something, say anything. I stared back. He’s commented on my eyeliner before. He’s called me out on less than professional sweats, Simmons across the butt. I waited for the eye comment. It didn’t come. He didn’t notice. He really did lose his train of thought.

So, there I was worried about violet eyes and being freaky. Instead I’m in the blur.

Africa News Cookbook

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Africa News Service, Inc. The African News Cookbook: African Cooking for Western Kitchens. New York: Penguin, 1986.African cookbook

Another BookLust pick. There is something magical about this book. Maybe it’s from the introduction, “Cooking by the book is not the African way” (p.xiii). It’s romantic to learn the ingredients, forget the recipe and go with the heart; that’s what this book seems to be telling me.
On a serious side it’s crammed with interesting facts usually not associated with a cookbook. For starters there is a list of African nations and their capitals. Because this cookbook focuses on a geographical location there are maps. Because it focuses on a culture there are stories about African Women and food, and even how to eat with joy.
Probably my favorite aspect of this cookbook is the recognition of the origin of each recipe. From Malawi comes Masamba; from Algeria comes Dess b’l-besla. I think of Aubrey from Malawi who would write letters on onion paper and dream of traveling to Algeria.

BookLust Twist: From More Book Lust under the category of, “Africa: A Reader’s Itinerary” (p.2)