Monday, March 31, 2008

Test Your Happiness

Test Your Happiness

I scored "Satisfied":

"People who score in this range like their lives and feel that things are going well. Of course your life is not perfect, but you feel that things are mostly good. Furthermore, just because you are satisfied does not mean you are complacent. In fact, growth and challenge might be part of the reason you are satisfied. For most people in this high-scoring range, life is enjoyable, and the major domains of life are going well - work or school, family, friends, leisure, and personal development. You can draw motivation from those areas of your life that you are dissatisfied with."

I call major B.S. BBC must be getting some money or something for running this story.

What I want to know is why happiness can't be this easy.

Spencer Day at the Hotel Cafe

Last night Spencer Day debuted at the Hotel Cafe. For some reason I thought the Hotel Cafe was in downtown, but I was wrong; it's in Hollywood.

Even living in LA, Hollywood still feels like a strange, foreign city to me, full of nightclubs, bars, and tourist attractions. But I digress.

Spencer found me on MySpace a couple months ago and sent me a nice note. Most of the musician "friend" requests are fairly impersonal, but I felt that Mr. Day looked at my profile and (correctly) judged that I might be interested in his music, then sent a note to say so. Classy.

His original songs are full of witty lyrics, great syncopation and wonderful piano playing. His genre is somewhere in that weird realm of lounge/jazz/pop standard flavor of music, similar to Michael Buble but more original. I definitely will be going to Mr. Day's shows in LA in the future.

Here's how not to hit on a girl: Approach her from behind and touch her arm with a cold beer she doesn't want during the last song of the gig she's clearly interested in watching, then proceed to talk to her while she's (unsuccessfully) ignoring you. Bonus jerk points for being dirty, smelling like you've had a pack too many smokes, and telling the girl you live upstairs.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Lazy Carnitas Recipe

Sorry I've been slacking on the blogging. . . .I've been incredibly busy at work and incredibly fatigued at home, leaving me little time to do stuff like bare my soul (and recipes!) on the web.

I received a free subscription to Bon Appetit from Amazon a few months ago, so when those come in the mail I glance through them for recipes that sound interesting enough for me to actually make them, tear those out, and throw the rest of the magazine away. Somewhere in there I end up reading most of the magazine. It's not bad, but I still think I prefer Food & Wine.

Anyway, I saw this Carnitas recipe in there and gave it a shot. It turned out pretty good, but the recipe doesn't mention you need to top the slow cooker with water before you start cooking. Otherwise I think that could lead to disastrous results. I also think I would up the seasonings as I thought the carnitas turned out a bit plain (then again, I only had a teaspoon of oregano and I substituted basil)

~2 lbs pork (I used boneless country-style ribs because then I wouldn't have to cut anything up)
2 TB salt
2 TB ground black pepper
2 TB dried oregano
1/2 onion, cut into four pieces

Throw all of that in the slow cooker, top with water, plug the thing in, and go to work. Six (or eight, or ten) hours later, you're ready to eat. Take the pork pieces out and put them on a cutting board; they should be tender enough for you to separate them with a wooden spoon so you don't have to use your fingers. Serve with warmed corn tortillas, salsa, guacamole, and refried beans.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Call Me Irresponsible

I went out and bought another copy of Michael Buble's CD, Call Me Irresponsible. I had a copy when it was first released but it was in my ex-boyfriend's car when we broke up and it got misplaced. When I asked him about it he said he looked and couldn't find it. So that leaves two conclusions:

1) He lied.
2) I took it from his car, put it with my CDs, and forgot that I did so.

While option 2 is plausible, I looked through all my CDs before I bugged the guy about it (Unless I had a secret stash of them that I forgot about). I suppose it's also plausible that something else besides options 1 or 2 happened, but given his moral flexibility, I'm inclined to believe option 1 more than anything. I'm biased, I'll admit it.

At any rate, I wasn't without the music (it was on my iPod), just the CD. And since I'm closer to Lawful Good than Neutral Good, I needed a hard copy of my own and Border's Bookstores sent me just the 30% off coupon to get it with. (Even so, no wonder CD sales have declined! You'd be crazy to spend $25 for a CD!)

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Cool!

Five Ways Generation Y May Reinvent IT

Depending on how you look at it, I could be considered a Generation X or a Generation Y, although I'm closer to Generation Y than X. I fall on the Generation Y side of the cusp.

It's rare to find an article that talks about my generation, the group of people I belong to when you look at my age and what's going on with my life, in a positive light.

The idea that I'm part of something pivotal and culturally changing (for the better) is self-empowering.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Arthur C. Clarke Dies

Arthur C. Clarke, 90, Science Fiction Writer, Dies

I remember reading "2001: A Space Odyssey", as well as "2010" and part of "2060" (I think I stopped when Jupiter ended up being a huge diamond in the center of the gassy soup that makes up the atmosphere - at least that's where my recollection of his writing ends)

I think science fiction (especially good science fiction) is in some ways more important than other genres of literature/entertainment. It's a medium that allows us to explore what might be (especially technology, but also society in general), for better or for worse.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

New Blog Link

I normally don't post new additions to my sidebar, but one of my dear friends from high school just moved to New York City and started a blog: utahgirlinnyc. So go check it out.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Friday, March 14, 2008

Great

And I just bought my new iPod at Costco.

Now I have no reason to hang out at the best place to meet single men. Maybe next paycheck I'll get the Nike+ for my new Nano. That's reason enough to go to the Apple store, right? On the other hand, the guy at my running store is delicious eye candy, and I know he's willing to sell me a Nike+. He's probably married. Or has three girlfriends.

Reality check: Do I really want to meet someone new? I thought I was on this "I'm trying to be single and loving it" kick.

Social Policy Molded On Morality?

Spitzer's True Folly

I think this article makes a good point.

While we're on the subject, why not legalize prostitution? You can regulate it (more money for us), it's good for the prostitutes, and it's good for the clients.

For all the moralists out there, just because something is legal doesn't mean you have to do it. You can *choose* to participate, but you don't *have* to.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Something Profound

I need new running shoes. I suspected I needed new shoes earlier this week but last night definitely decided that was the cause of the leg pain I've been dealing with for the past week. Especially when I woke up this morning and my legs definitely didn't want me walking anywhere. I never really liked the shoes I was running in but really noticed last night that my feet were slipping around in them. I'm definitely going to yoga next week.

Wandering around the Runner's World website, I found something profound that I could (maybe) apply to Life in general. I'm all about that.

"There are plenty of great books and training programs out there, but the truth of being a runner comes in finding out for yourself, by yourself, who you are as a runner. It also means understanding that the runner you were yesterday is not the runner you are today. And most of us can barely imagine the runner we'll be tomorrow."

Where am I running to? I honestly don't know, and that's kind of scary. I haven't yet gotten to the point where I can reflect on my life when I'm running. If I focus on anything else besides staying relaxed, telling myself how easy it is to run for 23 consecutive minutes, I slow down and want to stop.

In Life, you can't stop. I guess you can, but then you definitely won't be going anywhere and when you wake up days, months, years later you'll be kicking yourself. Sometimes I want to stop in Life; I definitely think I've lost my focus and whatever post-college momentum I might have had. I'm afraid of trying new things even though I thrive on new experiences.

I can't run back . . . I can't say, "Sorry, I left my sense of indomitability back on that steep hill at Year 22 and my crushed, demoralized heart at Year 24. Is there a shuttle I can take to go back and retrieve those?"

Maybe I can hope that I'll drop my severe insecurity at Year 25 and pick up a sense of peace by Year 30. Hopefully I can find some Self-Respect somewhere in there.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Hug

I need one.

Huggy

Game Playing Boredom

Disclaimer: The "men" I refer to in here is a subset of the male population. "Men" can be defined as "potential suitors". I actually think men in general are not bad people. My experience dictates that potential suitors are distasteful.

I'm tired of chasing what (or is it who?) I want - wait, do I even want that? (or him?) Slow down, take a couple deep breaths, back away from the scene and run the other way.

I'm definitely tired of being chased. Everything just sounds so canned, flat, predictable and typical. Everyone seems so boring, a washed-out clone of the fellow who came before him. Someone please say something original and interesting for once! I don't care how attractive you say you think I am - let me know that you really see me!

I just want a close friend. Someone I could hang out with on the weekends, maybe go to a movie or a museum every once in a while, someone to cuddle with on the couch when we're both feeling lonely. I don't think I could really do well in a "relationship" right now, but it would be nice to have a friend. A real friend who didn't play games or string me along.

Maybe the fellow strings me along because he's bored with me. Huh. There's an idea. I need to stop thinking about him. "I'm busy this week." "I'm busy this week." "I'm busy this week." I haven't told myself that phrase often enough to actually use it when I need to. I see the problem but can't quite implement the solution. Yet.

"I'm too busy taking care of myself that I have no time to devote to being convenient for you."

I just want to weep. Since when did men become so selfish and mean? Since when did I get forced into playing the game?

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Dinner Tonight - Salmon Patties

I found a recipe that used stuff I had at home so I wouldn't have to go shopping for food tonight. Loosely follows Rachel Ray's Salmon Cakes Salad.

2 6-oz cans of boneless, skinless salmon
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
3-4 TB chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper (was a happy accident - I put about this much in and they turned out great)

Combine all. Make patties (I ended up with 7 small palm-sized patties. Heat up a frying pan, add a bit of oil, cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. I didn't trust that the centers were cooked through so I put them in an oven at 350 for 10 minutes.

I ate these with steamed frozen vegetables, and will probably repeat this meal for lunch tomorrow.

New Morning Routine

I added something to my morning routine today that I think will require a little extra coordination and some practice.

I tend to drink a lot of tea as my caffeine source, but sometimes I just have to have a cup of coffee. Especially since my exposure to using sweetened condensed milk as creamer.

To treat myself (Don't I treat myself enough?) I bought a small coffeemaker and a coffee grinder. The grinder has an automatic shut-off feature, but I didn't let the coffee grind to that point and it turned out to be finer than I expected. The recommended amount of coffee turned out to be a little too much (for both the grinder and the coffeemaker), so maybe I just like weaker coffee. It's a work in progress.

If I have coffee everyday for a month I'll have paid for the coffeemaker and the grinder with what I probably would have spent at Starbucks. I like that idea. Their drinks are too sugary for me anyway.

Now the trick is to incorporate making coffee into my morning routine so it becomes automatic and I don't have to focus on what I have to do so I can be out the door that much quicker. I just want to have that coffee in my thermos when I'm ready to leave the apartment.

Monday, March 03, 2008

Taking Charge

I realize that my sappy emotional crap is probably bringing everyone down. It's a catch-22 I face when I write about it. It's part of what I'm observing in my life right now, and I feel I should document that somehow. Plus, the bits of feedback I get on those posts *do* help in a positive and constructive way.

On the other hand, the sappy emotional crap is the same sappy emotional crap (for the most part) that everyone faces, and no one wants to relive or be reminded of it.

I will be OK. This is temporary and I'm going to find healthy ways of dealing with it. Hopefully I'll come out a better, stronger, healthier, more compassionate person at the end.

I made a goal yesterday. I decided I wasn't going to check the crazy ex's blog anymore after yesterday. I wanted to check it when I was on MySpace tonight but I refrained. Soon I'll forget that he even writes (until he pulls the next psycho stunt). I honestly hope that I never hear from him again.

As for the guy I'm crushing on, I'm going to be busy for the next three weeks. I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, but I know that it will mean that folding my laundry and doing dishes will be more important than spending time with him. He probably won't come around, but I like him and I truly believe at his core that he is a good person. Maybe he's just too immature or selfish right now to realize what his behavior is doing to me (and it's not all his fault - I've let him behave the way he does and not have the self-respect to call him on it).

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Taiwan - February 3

Today there was a Japanese taiko drum demonstration at the grocery store near my grandmother's. It's similar to the group that was in the Japanese car commercial. It was very cool to see live and they attracted a huge audience.
I also tried sun cakes for the first time - they're a perfect accompaniment with tea. They're a rich, flaky pastry with a slightly sweet, honey filling. Sun cakes are Taichung's specialty pastry and you can't get them anywhere else. Or maybe you can, but it's kind of cool to try food in it's place of origin. If you're not careful when you eat them, you will get flaky pastry everywhere!Tonight I went to play badminton with my cousin and his friends. Afterward we went out to eat fried food and drink ginger milk tea. Fried food is bad for you in any country, but I've never seen a place where you get to pick out the food you want to eat like in the prepared food stalls in the markets. I think I was very fortunate that my cousin invited me to do a lot of stuff with him and his wife. I probably could have gone touristing on my own, and left my parents to hang out at my grandmother's house, but it would have been very rude and my cousin was astute enough to know I needed to spend time away from them and hang out with people closer to my own age every once in a while.
One of my favorite dishes from the food stalls here is sweet potato fries dusted with a pickled plum powder. I can't find it here, so I have to beg my mom to look for it in Taiwan before she comes back or find a way to make my own pickled plum powder.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Movie Review - The Other Boleyn Girl

In a word: disappointing.
In two: bad source.
In three: underutilized actors flailing.

When the best two performances are of Catherine of Aragon (Ana Torrent) and Lady Elizabeth Howard (Kristin Scott Thomas) in a movie about King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, something is gravely wrong.

(Spoilers lurk below!)

Eric Bana, Natalie Portman, and Scarlett Johansson do well with the material they're given, unfortunately it's not very good material! Eric Bana and Natalie Portman both display complex, rich characters for the film's shallowness and simplicity. The film relies on dialog for exposition, rather than "showing the audience" the situations and events described. It would have been interesting to see the scene where Anne chases after the stag the rest of the hunting party gave up on, and Henry falling from his horse. It would have been interesting to see Anne in France. It would have been interesting to see more scenes of Anne and Henry together after he rapes her.

For the most part, the film glosses over the political and religious decisions that were so influential to England's future, summing them up to a couple scenes of Eric Bana brooding and Natalie Portman saying, "everything is going to work out." The film also ignores Anne's contribution to English politics and society (she was supposedly a fashion icon).

I found Scarlett Johansson's character uninteresting, for the most part. You never really figure out what happens to her husband (he dies, btw) and she spends the entire movie doing everything that everyone else tells her to do while wishing she was living a quiet life in the countryside. Definitely not fascinating, and not interesting enough to base a whole book or movie on her. A more literal (i.e. historical, i.e. factual) interpretation of her life would have been far more interesting. Apparently she was somewhat of a hussy, being mistress to both the kings of France and England, and got herself sent home from France in disgrace for being such a trollop.

I knew the film was going to be bad, but I had no idea how flimsy the script was. Normally capable, the leads all struggled to hold my attention. I found nothing to really like about anyone save for Catherine of Aragon and Lady Elizabeth Howard, who both displayed character depth and pointed out for the other characters that, "dude, this dick measuring contest is stupid."