It's been since 2008 since I last updated here? Oops!
Um...I did read Michael Pollan's "The Botany of Desire" and it was good. I get weird looks about certain things I mention about it from time to time. Like trying to explain the whole apple and Prohibition thing. Oh well.
I'm currently trying, yet again, to slog through Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and it's going quite slow. It's just so dry and information heavy but I am picking up a few things this time.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Friday, December 5, 2008
Another book read.
Sometimes the library is really really good. I checked out the newly released book "A Promise to Ourselves" by Alex baldwin. Yes...the actor. It's about his experience in the divorce and family court arena of California. As when he speaks it rambles a bit but you can tell he really is trying to get a point across. Mainly it's that the whole court system screws over fathers. You'd be almost better off trying to find an interview of him discussing it but then they often just try to shut him down and shut him up, like when he was on The View. Those harpies wouldn't let him explain anything and it made me mad.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Finished it!
I finished reading "In Defense of Food: The Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan. As with "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" I strongly think that everyone should read it. Um...and in order will help A LOT.
There's a lot of info contained such few pages, like how we Americans consume some 300 MORE calories a day than in 1985 and that's all super refined carbs and fats and sugars and just junk. And just the quality of what food we do have available is down, significantly. As in we have "to eat three apples to get the same amount of iron as you would have gotten from a single 1940 apple" and that to me is just so wrong. Especially when you consider that only 20% of American children and 32% of adults consume the recommended 5 daily servings of fresh fruit and vegitables.
Brings, AGAIN, to light that I really really really need to move out so I can have a workable kitchen. Granted I can safely admit that I'll still slip and consume stuff I shouldn't but it'll be okay, once I can get better FOOD in me.
This is the link to Michael Pollan's website. Depending on what all is going on with me and what his visit to Bastyr entails (there's no info now but date) I may go see him October 30.
There's a lot of info contained such few pages, like how we Americans consume some 300 MORE calories a day than in 1985 and that's all super refined carbs and fats and sugars and just junk. And just the quality of what food we do have available is down, significantly. As in we have "to eat three apples to get the same amount of iron as you would have gotten from a single 1940 apple" and that to me is just so wrong. Especially when you consider that only 20% of American children and 32% of adults consume the recommended 5 daily servings of fresh fruit and vegitables.
Brings, AGAIN, to light that I really really really need to move out so I can have a workable kitchen. Granted I can safely admit that I'll still slip and consume stuff I shouldn't but it'll be okay, once I can get better FOOD in me.
This is the link to Michael Pollan's website. Depending on what all is going on with me and what his visit to Bastyr entails (there's no info now but date) I may go see him October 30.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Found it.
The Michael Pollan book that's been lurking in my apartment. Long story as to where it was but at least it was safe.
Note to self: Stop putting things in bags. Start tossing out the crap! Just watch and make sure it really is. Haha.
Note to self: Stop putting things in bags. Start tossing out the crap! Just watch and make sure it really is. Haha.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
*sigh*
I won't be posting here about the "fun" of the day here, that's what LJ is for, don't you know.
I am going to post about how I just cannot seem to find my copy of "In Defense of Food: The Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan. I couldn't stop coming across it while I was still trying to finish The Ominovre's Dilemma but now...not one sign of it, or the bag it was in. Grrr. So frustrated with myself. I even poked my head into the HalfPrice Books but they didn't have a copy I could find and they were real busy so I didn't ask for help. not that I should buy another copy.
Eventually I'll head home and look for it again.
I am going to post about how I just cannot seem to find my copy of "In Defense of Food: The Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan. I couldn't stop coming across it while I was still trying to finish The Ominovre's Dilemma but now...not one sign of it, or the bag it was in. Grrr. So frustrated with myself. I even poked my head into the HalfPrice Books but they didn't have a copy I could find and they were real busy so I didn't ask for help. not that I should buy another copy.
Eventually I'll head home and look for it again.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
I did it! I did it!
And it's only taken since JANUARY for me to finish reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" by Michael Pollan. I'm giving myself until the beginning of October to start and finish the next book, "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto".
My babbling at LiveJournal.
A few points or things I want to make or retell are below:
- While finishing reading at the air conditioned library I took an eye break, you know looking up from the page of words, and the magazine title in my direct line of sight was "The Art of Eating". Giggled as quietly as I could for a couple minutes on that.
- Quote of a quote regarding "catch and release" type fishing:
"...that's playing your food. You shouldn't play with your food."
- A good paragraph to help sum up the meat dilemma:
The industrialization - and brutalization - of animals in America is a relatively new, evitable, and local phenomenon: No other country raises and slaughters its food animals quite as intensively or as brutally as we do. No other people in history has lived at quite so great a remove from the animals they eat. Were the walls of our meat industry to become transparent, literally or even figuratively, we would not long continue to raise, kill, and eat animals the way we do. Tail docking and sow crates and beak clipping would disappear overnight, and the days of slaughtering four hundred head of cattle an hour would promptly come to an end - for who could stand the sight? Yes, meat would get more expensive. We'd probably eat a lot less of it, too, but maybe when we did eat animals we'd eat them with the consciousness, ceremony, and respect they deserve.
- I want to follow that by mentioning Polyface Farms, which I want to also look into myself. For starters they are a very self sufficient farm with quite good practices, should they really be as described by the author. Also, I think it's a very novel idea of an open air abattoir for the chickens. The cows and pigs, by law, have to go to commercial slaughterhouse. And those don't allow people onto the killing floors, for very good reasons.
- And continuing the murder theme Pollan mentioned a pig hunt/kill that is or was going on in Santa Cruz on some islands there overrun with "feral" pigs.
Lastly, I'm not wanting to become fully vegan anymore. Nope. I can in good conscious eat meat but I'm definitely thinking a helluva lot more about it. Just hammered home the idea I really need to make other changes in my life so I can cook and prepare my own food again and to give myself the permission to pay more for truly better foods.
My babbling at LiveJournal.
A few points or things I want to make or retell are below:
- While finishing reading at the air conditioned library I took an eye break, you know looking up from the page of words, and the magazine title in my direct line of sight was "The Art of Eating". Giggled as quietly as I could for a couple minutes on that.
- Quote of a quote regarding "catch and release" type fishing:
"...that's playing your food. You shouldn't play with your food."
- A good paragraph to help sum up the meat dilemma:
The industrialization - and brutalization - of animals in America is a relatively new, evitable, and local phenomenon: No other country raises and slaughters its food animals quite as intensively or as brutally as we do. No other people in history has lived at quite so great a remove from the animals they eat. Were the walls of our meat industry to become transparent, literally or even figuratively, we would not long continue to raise, kill, and eat animals the way we do. Tail docking and sow crates and beak clipping would disappear overnight, and the days of slaughtering four hundred head of cattle an hour would promptly come to an end - for who could stand the sight? Yes, meat would get more expensive. We'd probably eat a lot less of it, too, but maybe when we did eat animals we'd eat them with the consciousness, ceremony, and respect they deserve.
- I want to follow that by mentioning Polyface Farms, which I want to also look into myself. For starters they are a very self sufficient farm with quite good practices, should they really be as described by the author. Also, I think it's a very novel idea of an open air abattoir for the chickens. The cows and pigs, by law, have to go to commercial slaughterhouse. And those don't allow people onto the killing floors, for very good reasons.
- And continuing the murder theme Pollan mentioned a pig hunt/kill that is or was going on in Santa Cruz on some islands there overrun with "feral" pigs.
Lastly, I'm not wanting to become fully vegan anymore. Nope. I can in good conscious eat meat but I'm definitely thinking a helluva lot more about it. Just hammered home the idea I really need to make other changes in my life so I can cook and prepare my own food again and to give myself the permission to pay more for truly better foods.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Keep laughing.
It's now August and I STILL have yet to finish that book from Michael Pollan. My goal is to finish by end of the month. Honest.
Other than that I've just been working. Still not making enough per hour. I've have GOT to get up early tomorrow to stop and get bread on the way in. Peanut butter and jelly for the next while again.
I do feel better with out the high fructose corn syrup by the way. Too bad replacement beverages is so expensive. I think I've goofed up. Bad. Oh well...as long as nothing bounces I should be able to pull through.
Other than that I've just been working. Still not making enough per hour. I've have GOT to get up early tomorrow to stop and get bread on the way in. Peanut butter and jelly for the next while again.
I do feel better with out the high fructose corn syrup by the way. Too bad replacement beverages is so expensive. I think I've goofed up. Bad. Oh well...as long as nothing bounces I should be able to pull through.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Did it again.
Forgot to add stuff here, again. Still haven't finished reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma." Still. And now I'm stuck in the midst of another book. It's a book Martha Stewart put out shortly after her release from the pokey. I've left it at home and so can't remember the name of the thing. It's kinda about how to maybe start up your own business.
Been resisting Facebook but K at work wants me to get one and keeps bugging me to do it. Ugh. Dun wanna! Just might though.
Been resisting Facebook but K at work wants me to get one and keeps bugging me to do it. Ugh. Dun wanna! Just might though.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Ha!
I couldn't renew "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" by Michael Pollan at the library because someone had put a hold on it. Only got to almost 1/2 the way through. Ended up going to Barnes & Noble and buying the paperback. Haven't picked it up yet again either. I am so pathetic.
The car is still dead, in that it won't start. The deadbolt is still broken. I've got to get another check to the landlord today before I get to bed. Just a matter of writing it and dropping it in the bin.
Was supposed to rain today but I see clear blue just now. Shouldn't have slept so much but other than allergies going apeshit, and me without meds, I'm feeling pretty a-ok.
The car is still dead, in that it won't start. The deadbolt is still broken. I've got to get another check to the landlord today before I get to bed. Just a matter of writing it and dropping it in the bin.
Was supposed to rain today but I see clear blue just now. Shouldn't have slept so much but other than allergies going apeshit, and me without meds, I'm feeling pretty a-ok.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Oh yeah...the book
Still reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" by Michael Pollan and it's making me want to move to Europe to become a vegan on a self sufficent farm. Ugh.
Europe because they're pretty frown-ey on genetically altered foods.
Vegan because what goes on and into the animals at stockyards & slaughterhouses is just sick and disgusting!
Self sufficent farm because there's no trusting what other nasty crap people will do to food.
It's so gross and disgusting all that goes into our food. The more processed the worse it is not just for people eating it but the world we live in and all involved in the making etc of processed foods.
Of course I'm too lazy to do the good thing because I'm too lazy to do the farming myself, like/love to eat meat far too much, and I don't think anywhere in Europe would take me especially cuz I'm too lazy to even use proper English much less any of the other languages in Europe.
Only halfway through the book. I'm lucky to get through a chapter before I get sick and want to chuck it all away.
Europe because they're pretty frown-ey on genetically altered foods.
Vegan because what goes on and into the animals at stockyards & slaughterhouses is just sick and disgusting!
Self sufficent farm because there's no trusting what other nasty crap people will do to food.
It's so gross and disgusting all that goes into our food. The more processed the worse it is not just for people eating it but the world we live in and all involved in the making etc of processed foods.
Of course I'm too lazy to do the good thing because I'm too lazy to do the farming myself, like/love to eat meat far too much, and I don't think anywhere in Europe would take me especially cuz I'm too lazy to even use proper English much less any of the other languages in Europe.
Only halfway through the book. I'm lucky to get through a chapter before I get sick and want to chuck it all away.
uh...yeah
haven't posted, again, for a while.
starter out on car. no money to fix it. at least i gots a buspass.
starter out on car. no money to fix it. at least i gots a buspass.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Just picked up a new book.
I'm just starting to read "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" by Michael Pollan. From the library, had to put it on hold so must finish it as peeps are waiting for it.
Anyway, I'm still in the midst of the Introduction. Will post more about it when I read more. So far it's mostly talking about how the simple question: "What's for dinner?" is a big problem because as omnivores we can eat anything. It's also talked about how America really doesn't have a food culture as it's such a new country and all the bits that come from everywhere else is part of what has brought on America's National Eating Disorder along with the political/governmental interference. How things wouldn't be quite so bad if the gov't had just stayed out of it.
I'm babbling and this is just what I've gotten from the flyleaves & first 5+ pages of the Introduction.
Anyway, I'm still in the midst of the Introduction. Will post more about it when I read more. So far it's mostly talking about how the simple question: "What's for dinner?" is a big problem because as omnivores we can eat anything. It's also talked about how America really doesn't have a food culture as it's such a new country and all the bits that come from everywhere else is part of what has brought on America's National Eating Disorder along with the political/governmental interference. How things wouldn't be quite so bad if the gov't had just stayed out of it.
I'm babbling and this is just what I've gotten from the flyleaves & first 5+ pages of the Introduction.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Another few months later....
And yeah I've been back to Vivace. Just sucked it up and ordered the low foam. They didn't mind too much. I love their raw sugar shaker. Yum! But a big BOO HISS I-should-call-the-health-department as when I last went in I was going to get a pasty out of their case, they always look sooo good. Well...they had a nice Bavarian Creme donut with chocolate frosting on top. You know, the kind with a hole punched in the side where they piped in the filling, well as I was standing there looking at them a few fruitflies came out and started to do what looked like a mating dance across the top of the donut with a few more just lounging about in and out of the hole. Then I noticed more fruit & house type flies all over everything inside the case. I was about to puke & bolt right then. I even told the guy and he just leaned over, looked at them, and shrugged a tiny, "Ew?" Yuck! The worst thing is this was at lunch. The stuff'd been there since that morning, and when I walked by that night on the way to the bus it was all still there...for sale. GROSS! I've not been able to bring myself to go back in there at all. Part of the reason the flies were in there so prolifically is that the back of the case, that they staff accesses to get you your treats is all open. No protection at all. Wonder if I should pop my head in sometime the owner's there and mention it. Loudly so all customers can hear me. Don't get me wrong, I love their product, very good mochas etc, but the yuck factor is just too much for me.
Anyway, go over to my LiveJournal for the most recent stuff. Well...actually the more recent recent thoughts spewing outta my head is on Twitter.
Anyway, go over to my LiveJournal for the most recent stuff. Well...actually the more recent recent thoughts spewing outta my head is on Twitter.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Yes yes I know I know.
I really do need to remember this more.
Maybe if I had something warm to drink.
Funny thing about only being 56% is I've been thinking more and more about getting a "something" for at home. Not sure if just simple drip one cup at a time thing all the way up to an espresso machine with a frother. The Frother is manditory. ^_~ (found that from http://coffeeartandmore.blogspot.com)
Thing is the more I learn and experiment the more super picky I get. I loathe the next time I go into the Cafe Viviace by work and order my orange mocha. I don't want inches of foam. It's pretty to look at but I'd rather have beverage. And their shaker of raw sugar is always always jammed up. I need to find packets of the stuff to keep on hand. And I guess it makes me kind of like Nana as she prefers her Muscovado or Demerrara sugar in her Nescafe. Mom would get which ever she could find for when Nana visited. I'm too cheap to figure out which one I really do prefer so I'll just stick with what I can get easy and not too expensive, Sugar In The Raw. ^_^
It's so ccold and rainy I could go for a good cup of something warm but I've only got access to green tea and I'm not wanting it right now. And I'm too poor just now to get something good from Starbarf's or wherever. It's also just a little late to be drinking coffee or tea. And decaf is just wrong!
Reminds me I'm out of the Oregon Chai Vanilla Chai packets I keep at work. I had the last one this morning. Means I'll have to be extra careful about the lovely tea I've got there that I've been hoarding. Sucks I'll have to pay for decent milk/cream as they've change the creamer by the free coffee from those Mini-Moos to packets of death. Yes I hate hate hate powdered "creamer" or "lightener"! It's just so beyond wrong!
But I'll be good tonight and drink the last of my fourth bottle of water and that makes 2liters for the day. Blah.
Maybe if I had something warm to drink.
Funny thing about only being 56% is I've been thinking more and more about getting a "something" for at home. Not sure if just simple drip one cup at a time thing all the way up to an espresso machine with a frother. The Frother is manditory. ^_~ (found that from http://coffeeartandmore.blogspot.com)
Thing is the more I learn and experiment the more super picky I get. I loathe the next time I go into the Cafe Viviace by work and order my orange mocha. I don't want inches of foam. It's pretty to look at but I'd rather have beverage. And their shaker of raw sugar is always always jammed up. I need to find packets of the stuff to keep on hand. And I guess it makes me kind of like Nana as she prefers her Muscovado or Demerrara sugar in her Nescafe. Mom would get which ever she could find for when Nana visited. I'm too cheap to figure out which one I really do prefer so I'll just stick with what I can get easy and not too expensive, Sugar In The Raw. ^_^
It's so ccold and rainy I could go for a good cup of something warm but I've only got access to green tea and I'm not wanting it right now. And I'm too poor just now to get something good from Starbarf's or wherever. It's also just a little late to be drinking coffee or tea. And decaf is just wrong!
Reminds me I'm out of the Oregon Chai Vanilla Chai packets I keep at work. I had the last one this morning. Means I'll have to be extra careful about the lovely tea I've got there that I've been hoarding. Sucks I'll have to pay for decent milk/cream as they've change the creamer by the free coffee from those Mini-Moos to packets of death. Yes I hate hate hate powdered "creamer" or "lightener"! It's just so beyond wrong!
But I'll be good tonight and drink the last of my fourth bottle of water and that makes 2liters for the day. Blah.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
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