People Are Strange

A Whole New Year

2009-01-06T16:04:00.002-05:00

So many other bloggers are doing (and have done) year end retrospectives and here I am, about to do the same. I've been posting on this blog since October 2003. A little more than five years ago I started blogging partly because all of the cool kids were doing it and partly because I needed a space to vent about the things that went bump in the night in my head.

Five years later and I find myself winding down. Oh, don't worry, I still have plenty to say about things but I'm also a little bit tired of writing from behind the veil. I use a pseudonym here to protect my friends and family from the prying eyes but also to give myself the ability to use a different voice than I use in my own life. Also, I have friends and relations from across the political, social, spiritual and geographic map so I like to keep some of those peeps a little separate from one another.

This blog has given me the opportunity to express my innermost snark as well as my budding interest in local foods and cooking. I've also pissed off a few people and made some cry. I've even developed a bit of a stalker following from a previous job. (Waves to the ever evil Catbert!) So what happened? Well, now that I'm *gasp* 37, I've found other places to vent my spleen. I blog elsewhere about all things political. I have a Facebook page under my real name. At my age and with my health issues, I don't have a whole lot left to fear. What's the worst that could happen? Since I get paid to blog at work... I'm pretty sure that's not a problem. My best friend might find out what I'm saying about her? Her name is GreenTuna and she's the one who got me into this thing in the first place. (Go read her blog -- she's way better than I am.)

And so, dear internet.... it's time for me to turn out the lights and move on to something new. If you'd like to follow me on my new, public blog, drop me an email or leave me a note in the comments with a method for contacting you. I'll leave the blog up for a few weeks but by the end of the month, it will be gone and I'll be doing other things.

Thanks for the five years. Thanks for reading. Now go forth, do good and talk amongst yourselves in the comments.

Obama Poster

2008-12-09T12:59:00.000-05:00

My friend and fellow Old Townite Eric Weston has done a series of posters of the President-Elect. Eric owns Blue Hippo Studios and is selling the posters at local bookstore Everybody Reads also in Lansing. The perfect holiday gift for the political friend who has everything!

The image used here is the property of Eric Weston and Blue Hippo Studios and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the owner.

Hamburgiving

2008-11-26T18:24:00.000-05:00

As family legends go, our family's Thanksgiving story is pretty simple. One Thanksgiving Eve (or maybe the Day - this was 30+ years ago), a neighbor arrived to tell us that a local family was in need of food for the holidays. My parents packed up our Thanksgiving Dinner and we ended up having hamburgers instead. The peanut gallery (my brother and I) didn't complain much because we actually liked burgers better. Three decades later, we're still grilling burgers in the snow.

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to help a local family pull together their Thanksgiving dinner and it was kind of fun to shop for all of the traditional Thanksgiving food items. I bought potatoes and pumpkin pie, whipped cream and frozen peas, rolls and cranberry sauce and so much more. Every year my church adopts a bunch of local families for the holiday and buys the turkeys. I signed up for a single mom and her two kids. Turns out, she's a returning Iraq war veteran and a widow. Her boyfriend and father to her children was killed in the line and this is their first Thanksgiving without him. She told me all about how he loved to cook the turkey and how she wasn't quite sure how to do it on her own but that it was most important to her that she establish family traditions for her girls.

Tomorrow, they'll eat turkey and pumpkin pie. Tomorrow, I'll eat hamburgers and potato salad. Two families. Two traditions. One holiday.

What Once Was Lost...

2008-11-17T18:48:00.000-05:00

There are many things in my life that are lost, some forever, others only on a temporary or seasonal basis. This morning, for example, you would have found me deep in the oddly shaped opening under the stairs to the cupola on the top of my very old house that serves as my closet. I had pushed aside all of the winter coats, cold weather pants and skirts and my hanging shoe rack in an attempt to find my winter boots and some mittens because Mother Nature didn't get the memo about how much I loved 60 degrees in November. I shifted the clothes with my right arm and climbed into the opening (how very "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe"), using my left arm to seek out boot and mitten-like objects. (Did I mention that there is no light in the closet and that I was holding one of those mini-book lights clenched in my teeth?)

So I overbalanced or maybe I under-balanced but the next thing I knew, I was doing the twist and flopped sort of onto the corner of my bed and then fell off my bed onto the floor and a conveniently soft pile of clean laundry. I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that not only did I save the mini-book light but I found a pair of boots and one mitten. Alas, I may have lost that mitten for all time.

Most days, I find that I lose my sense of humor at least once and my temper at least twice. Fortunately, I have my friends to help me find my way back to funny and I have to admit that I managed to crack a few people up today with gems like this and this.

Months and years ago, I managed to fall out of touch with two of my cousins. Both were off doing the collegiate thing and then the graduate school thing and I was living in the Swamp and then there was a divorce and a death and then I moved back to the Mitten and well I just hadn't done a whole lot to find them and then it occurred to me to use my powers of Facebook stalkering and find these women because heaven knows that you can't be twenty-something and not be on Facebook and lo and behold, what once was lost is now found. In fact, I'd better scoot because I have a phone date with one of my cousins in about two minutes!

Wonder Chefs, Activate!

2008-11-07T21:25:00.000-05:00

So my friend MonkeyMama invited me over for dinner and she thought she might serve salmon and then I was at Trader Joe's this afternoon and bought some stuff and by the time I got there, we decided to make some kind of soupy stew with our collective pantries. A littel Google-fu later and we'd come up with a completely unorthodox version of cioppino that was insanely delicious. We served it with toasted bread topped with goat cheese.

Cioppino a la Mensch & MonkeyMama
2 salmon filets
1 bag frozen calamari rings (or 1 pound squid, cut into rings)
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes (in juice)
4 cups chicken stock
3 T olive oil
3 small leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 cup red wine
1T fennel seed
1 T thyme (dry or fresh)
1 T kosher salt
1 t crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)

In a large, heavy bottomed pan, saute the leeks, garlic, onion and celery in olive oil until the onion becomes translucent. Meanwhile, in a spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle, grind up the spices and add to the vegetable mixture. Add the diced tomato and juice and cook down about 5 minutes over medium high heat. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add the salmon filets and simmer/poach about 7 minutes. Add the red wine. Two minutes before serving, add the calamari rings. Serve with lots of crusty bread (toasted with goat cheese).

Serves 4 adults, 2 toddlers, 1 old dog with leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

We followed it up with dark chocolate covered dried blueberries and cherries for dessert. I'm in a food coma now.

After so many, many weeks eating dinner at 8... 9... 10... out of a paper sack or a styrofoam box, I was so happy to chop and stir and scoop and simply create something that was so much better than the sum of the parts. It felt so good to be creative again and even better to eat such a good dinner in the company of good friends.

My Excuse Note

2008-11-04T14:46:00.000-05:00

So I've been AWOL for a while. There's this little thing called an election going on and I've been up to my eyeballs dialing for my organization. So let me leave you with this for today.

Things Overheard

2008-10-12T15:48:00.000-05:00

Today I helped teach a class on diversity. Part of the process was for this very diverse group of people to discuss their own prejudices. It was revealing and shocking that some of our society's most marginalized folks have their own strong feelings about groups and institutions that might surprise you. An Auschwitz survivor talked about her own disgust for obese people that stems from years of want and hunger and her own fear of dwindling health care resources. Another talked about her anger at organized religion and the church's role in marginalizing women, people of color and other discriminated-against group.

I mention this because the strength of emotion and the power of the collective passion overwhelmed me. Perhaps it's my own self absorption that made me think that most people either like me or are neutral. I'm sure there are a good number of people out there in the world that I've offended by act, word or deed. Maybe it's because I tend to like or dislike people based on their own acts, words or deeds. I don't wholesale hate any group of people even though uber-conservative, anti-choice, anti-gay Bible bangers types tend to inhabit that part of my psyche reserved for bee stings, menstrual cramps and rotting garbage. (Painful, annoying, stinky but I don't HATE the bee for stinging me.)

And yet... there are clearly people out there in the world who hate me simply because I am a woman. Or beacuse I'm white. Or because I'm a pro-choice, pro-gay progressive, liberal, voting woman. Or maybe because I'm fat. Or they hate you because you are African-American, you drive a Prius, you drive a Hummer, you talk on your cell phone while driving... whatever.

So today as I gather with some good friends for a celebratory dinner, I am going to try and put away the revelations of today and just be with the people in my life who love me. Tomorrow, I'm going to try and do something about the part of the world that I can change and figure out how to deal with the knowledge that hate is more powerful than I ever imagined.

Just a Little Something from Last Night

2008-10-03T16:41:00.002-05:00

So... watch anything interesting last night? DaddyMensch was appalled at how often I yelled at the TV in frustration, annoyance and sheer disbelief at THAT WOMAN. This post was thieved from GreenTuna.

When in the Course

2008-09-25T10:48:00.000-05:00

Last night, I sat in a rocking chair, reading a book about how to knit socks. Well, I wasn't actually reading but rather marveling at how hard it looks to make socks. Of course, I've never quite gotten beyond how to knit. I mean, I can do the knit stitch but I can't purl. I know, I know - it's just the reverse or whatever but my brain can't seem to wrap around the complexity. I'm spatial challenged.

The amount of effort that someone puts into knitting a sock, something that goes on your feet, is astounding. There's so much consideration into making a well fitting, attractive, comfortable foot covering and I know that I certainly never put much thought into them. My friends would even point out that I wear socks so infrequently, even in cold weather, that my sock wardrobe must consist of three pairs of athletic socks and a few stray black socks to wear under boots.

If something so simple as a sock requires so much effort, what about when you need to do more than just cover up some toes? What if an entire person needs to be sheltered from the elements, from the cold, from the rough, hard earth? How do you knit something that will keep them warm and dry and safe and secure? How much effort, skill and time will that take?

As I sat pondering these things last night, I realized that I can't knit this alone. I need someone to purl. And someone else to turn the heel. And another someone to figuring out the measurements. To create something so vast, so important and yet unseen, we need the help of many hands and hearts and prayers.

A month ago, a dear friend knit me a prayer shawl. It looks like a regular shawl, it's burgundy and warm and rich and beautiful. But what makes it special is that it was created by someone who loves me and as she worked on it, she prayed for me and my health and well being. When I'm tired or sick or just having a tough day, I wrap myself in my shawl knowing that I am surrounded by the love of friends and a higher power that will sustain me. I only hope that my efforts will help someone else feel the same way.

It Must be Fall...

2008-09-22T12:36:00.000-05:00

Whenever the nights grow colder, I find myself drawn to my kitchen with an overwhelming need to make hearty roasts and comforting soups. Never mind that it's sunny and 75 today in the Mitten, my internal seasonal clock tells me that I should be eating on root vegetables and hunks of braised protein.

Last night, I answered the call of nature (as it were) and decided to clean out most of the veggies from the last two CSA orders and to see if I could make a dent in the frozen hunk o' meat section of my freezer. Thanks to a few quick tips from Epicurious and my boyfriend, Google, I ended up with two delicious and satisfying recipes that I'll be eating all week. All of the veggies came from Titus Farms, the chicken stock was homemade using CSA veggies and Otto's chickens and the beef roast was purchased at the Meridian Farmer's Market from a local vendor with a Scottish name that I can't remember or dig up right now. Non-local ingredients include olive oil (Spain), pepper (India) and balsamic vinegar (Trader Joe's).

CSA Veggie Soup
2T butter + 2T olive oil
1 leek, chopped
3 small onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 medium carrots, 1/2" dice
3T tomato paste
6 assorted tomatoes, diced
2# assorted potatoes, 1" dice
3 quarts homemade chicken stock
1 large bunch kale and spinach (I had some of each), chopped
Salt, pepper & dried thyme

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium meat. Add the leeks and onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic, carrots, tomato paste and tomatoes to the pot and stir well. Saute for about 5 minutes or until the tomatoes start breaking down. Add salt, pepper and dried thyme (fresh is good too). (I used about 1t pepper, 2t salt and 2t thyme.) Add the chicken stock (broth is fine but do not use bullion - ew!). Toss in the potatoes and bring up to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 - 25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. About 5 minutes before the end of cooking, add the kale, spinach or other greens. (Note: You could easily add chicken or even some chicken/turkey sausage to this dish. I'd saute some bone-in chicken thighs with the onions and leeks and then let them simmer in the soup until cooked through, pull them out and shred the meat back into the pot.)

Overnight (or All Day) Freezer Pot Roast
2 - 3# beef roast, frozen
1/2 quart homemade chicken stock
2 medium onions, quartered
6 medium carrots, 1/2" dice
3 stalks celery, 1" pieces
6 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3T tomato paste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. In a dutch oven (or other heavy bottom pan with a tight fitting lid), combine all of the ingredients. (You can add more or less of just about anything.) Make sure that the tomato paste and the vinegar combine welll with the chicken stock or other braising liquid. (You can use beer, wine, vegetable or beef broth, water or some combination or all of the above depending on what you have in the cupboard/fridge.) Cover tightly and cook overnight, at least 7 hours. Check with a meat thermometer to make sure the meat reaches a minimum of 160 degrees internally.

The coolest part about the pot roast is that you can throw a hunk of frozen meat into a pot and have dinner ready when you get home. My oven runs a bit cool so it was probably at 185 degrees and I let the meat go for 9.5 hours. It was delicious for lunch today!

Eat Local Challenge: Day 7

2008-09-21T15:23:00.000-05:00

By the last day of the Eat Local Challenge (Friday), I was actually getting excited again about eating locally and seasonally. It probably doesn't hurt that I generally work alone in my office and I can bring an entire bag of groceries with me and prepare meals without interruption. Also, did I mention that I hate mornings? I haven't been at my office before 9am in months.

To celebrate our relative success on the Challenge, several friends and acquaintances decided to meet for dinner at a local sushi place. (We debated about "local" sushi, but we live in Michigan. No lake trout sashimi for me, thank you very much.)

Breakfast

Scrambled Eggs - Otto's Chickens (Lansing, MI)
Pork Sausage - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)
Milk - Moo-ville (Nashville, MI)

Lunch

Cottage Cheese - Quality Dairy (Lansing, MI)
Peach - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)
Apple - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)
Cucumber, Tomato, Mint & Feta Salad - Titus Farms CSA (cukes, tomatoes), the Monkey Parent's backyard (mint) & Marco Polo on the cheese

Dinner

Sushi & Sashimi Bento - SanSu (East Lansing, MI)

My friend Amy and I split the Avocado boat as an appetizer and the entire table (6 people) shared a couple of orders of edamame. It was an interesting mix of folks with varying degrees of sushi enjoyment ranging from the "I'm having chicken!" to "more eel please!". We talked about food - a lot, work - a little and politics - just enough. Some of the group had been to some place with the word "gizzards" in it the night before and were suffering from a grease hangover. Thank goodness for the healing properties of miso soup!

Eat Local Challenge: Day 6

2008-09-21T15:17:00.000-05:00

Funny how life seems to get in the way of the Eat Local Challenge. What I've discovered is that I'm really good about eating locally for breakfast and lunch. Toast, eggs, locally made granola, milk - those things are simple, fast and easy to put together into something healthy. It's dinner that's the hardest so basically, if I cook it, it's going to be local but otherwise I'm declaring "Marco Polo". Yeah, I know it's a cop-out but it's the best I can do.

Oh, and did I mention how awesome Sawyer's is? Go there. Now.

Breakfast

Granola - East Lansing Food Co-Op (East Lansing, MI)
Milk - Moo-ville Milk (Nashville, MI)
Yogurt - Meijer (Grand Rapids, MI)

Lunch

Ham & Cheese Omelet, Mini-Pancakes- Sawyer's Gourmet Pancake House (Lansing, MI)

Dinner

Steak, baked potato, green beans - Texas Roadhouse

Eat Local Challenge: Day 5

2008-09-21T15:11:00.000-05:00

Once you settle into a routine with the Eat Local Challenge, it's hard to break out. I find myself eating the same thing day in and day out. I'm going to work on being more creative on my recipes and doing much more meal planning instead of standing at the farmer's market and wondering what I can create from a leek, a patty pan squash and some goat cheese.

Breakfast

Toast - Roma Bakery & Deli (Lansing, MI)
Yogurt - Meijer (Grand Rapids, MI)
Peach - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)

Lunch

Toast - Roma Bakery & Deli (Lansing, MI)
Goat Cheese - Zingerman's (Ann Arbor, MI)
Apple - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)
Sparkling Water - Faygo (Detroit, MI)

Dinner

Leftover Potato, Sausage & Kale Soup (homemade)
Goldfish crackers

Wednesday was a really long day. I didn't eat lunch at work until almost 3pm and then the rest of the day went insane from there. Let's just say that having leftover soup was a really good idea but that at 10pm, it didn't set all that well.

Eat Local Challenge: Day 4

2008-09-21T15:02:00.001-05:00

Ok, so I'm a bit tardy on my Eat Local Challenge updates. You're getting them all in one day because, well, it's Sunday and I'm home and I have the time. Yes, internet, I have an attitude today mitigated only by the incredible deals I found in the clearance section at Pier 1 this afternoon.

So let me tell you about this amazing restaurant that's just a few blocks from my house: Sawyer's Gourmet Pancake House. All of their food (except citrus, spices and a few noted items) are locally sourced, grown and purchased. Best breakfast in town, hands down. Also, they were so nice to us when we arrived with the twin monkeys and didn't seem aghast at the disaster we left in our wake. Maybe that 30% tip was a good idea after all...

Breakfast

Toast - Roma Bakery & Deli (Lansing, MI)
Apple Butter - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)
Yogurt - Meijer (Grand Rapids, MI)

Lunch

French Toast,Sausage &Potato Croquettes - Sawyer's Gourmet Pancake House (Lansing, MI)

Dinner

Sauteed pork chops with rice, salad*

* I babysat the Nephew and SIL made delicious dinner for me as a thank you. I did not inquire about the provenance of the food because, well, that would be rude. Let's just say that it was wonderful and move on...

Eat Local Challenge: Day 3

2008-09-16T14:10:00.000-05:00

So I live in this really old house in Lansing's Old Town neighborhood. Like many parts of urban cities, Old Town has undergone some gentrification (expensive lofts, boutique shops) but perhaps the economic downturn is what's keeping my part of the Mitten a little edgy. My house happens to be one of the oldest structures in Old Town and when the remnants of Hurricane Ike dumped two days of rain, rain and more rain with a side of wind, the house stood strong. Except for the little cupola that's perched on top of the flat roof of my very old house. The cupola that moves during high winds and dumps rainwater directly into my attic and then leaks through my plaster ceiling onto my restored wooden floors. Two five gallon buckets of water later, the roof is fixed, so I spent most of yesterday working from home and waiting for the roofers to come and fix the very cute cupola on the roof of my very old house in the middle of the Mitten.

The Eat Local Challenge is going so well, that even MommyMensch and DaddyMensch are trying to eat locally. Mom's now all fired up about going to the City Market and trying better quality foods from local providers.

Breakfast

Toast - Roma Bakery & Deli (Lansing, MI)
Apple Butter - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)
Yogurt - Meijer (Grand Rapids, MI)

Lunch

Bread - Zingerman's Deli (Ann Arbor, MI)
Shaved Ham - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)
Lettuce, Tomato - Cinzori Farms (Ceresco, MI)
Plum & Apple Salad - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)
Sparkling Water - Faygo (Detroit, MI)

Dinner

Meatloaf*
Mashed Potatoes - Hickory Corners Nursery & Gardens (Lansing, MI)
Green Beans - Titus Farms CSA (Leslie, MI)

* The Mensch parents invited me over for dinner, so I'm assuming that the ground beef came from Meijer. In any event, dinner was amazing and I ate way too much. I can only hope that there's some leftover so that I can have a cold meatloaf sandwich on white bread with mayo at some point very soon.

Eat Local Challenge: Day 2

2008-09-15T12:50:00.000-05:00

Yesterday went better than expected since I had to go out of town for most of the day. I had a chance to introduce a friend to some wonderful local foods on our way from the middle of the Mitten to ScottishU. (Never mind that we were pummeled by the remnants of Ike all the way north. We survived. We are, after all, sorority girls.)

Breakfast

Toast - Roma Bakery & Deli (Lansing, MI)
Apple Butter - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)

Lunch

Chicken Salad Wrap* - Uncle John's Cider Mill (St. John's, MI)
Cider Slushie - Uncle John's Cider Mill (St. John's, MI)
Pumpkin Donuts - Uncle John's Cider Mill (St. John's MI)

Dinner

Potato, Sausage & Kale Soup (homemade, see recipe below)
Paesano Bread, Zingerman's Deli (Ann Arbor, MI)
Faygo Sparkling Water (Detroit, MI)

Potato, Sausage & Kale Soup
1# sweet Italian sausage, crumbled (AppleSchram Orchard)
1# potatoes, cut into 1" cubes (Titus Farms CSA)
1 large onion, finely diced (Cinzori Farms)
1 clove garlic, minced (Cinzori Farms)
1 large bunch kale, cut into 1/4" wide ribbons (Titus Farms CSA)
2 quarts homemade chicken stock (Otto's Chicken made previously)
1/2 cup heavy cream, half and half or whole milk (Mooville Milk)
salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste

Serves 4.

In a heavy bottomed pan (I used my Le Crueset Dutch Oven), brown the sausage for about 3 minutes over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and sautee for about 2 minutes. Add the kale (it will fill the pan) and 1 cup of the chicken stock. Turn the heat down to medium and cover. Steam for about 2 minutes. Add the remainer of the stock and the potatoes. (I leave the potato skin on for flavor and a more rustic presentation.) Simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat or until the potatoes are tender. Add the cream about 3 minute before serving. (You can omit this step or use fat free half and half to reduce the calories but it does add a certain fabulousness to the soup.)

* The wrap wasn't entirely local but did contain chicken from a local purveyor and cherries from the farm's own trees.

Eat Local Challenge: Day 1

2008-09-13T13:23:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of the Lansing Area Localvores 2nd Annual Eat Local Challenge. Unfortunately, I missed out on the kick-off breakfast at Gone Wired Cafe due to a babysitting emergency at the Casa de Monkeys. Four and a half hours with one year old twins who have raging ear infections, a geriatric dog and a daddy with some form of the plague. All I can say is, thank God for Goldfish crackers and Infant Tylenol.

Every day of the Challenge, I'll report on what I ate, recipes and all of my non-local transgressions. If you have suggestions or food ideas, leave me a comment on the post! My official "Marco Polo" exemptions are: Caffeinated Drinks (Coke, Tea), Spices, Oils and Citrus.

Breakfast

Toast - Roma Bakery & Deli (Lansing, MI)
Apple Butter - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)

Lunch

Potatoes - Titus Farms CSA (Leslie, MI)
Butter - Hoschtetler Farms (Charlotte, MI)
Parsley, Rosemary & Leeks - Titus Farms CSA
Ham - AppleSchram Orchard (Charlotte, MI)
Sparkling Water - Faygo (Detroit, MI)

Dinner

I'm going out with the girls. Marco Polo!

Dusting off the Blog

2008-09-10T17:38:00.000-05:00

I could fill several posts with all of the things that I've been doing other than blogging but the gist of it is that while I was off traveling to places southern, raising money for the progressive agenda and spending too much time on Facebook, MommyMensch has had two rounds of heart surgeries and I've had some crappy health news as well.

Mom's recovering nicely, albeit more slowly than I would like. Somehow I'd never really thought that she could be old because that would make me middle aged and then I saw her when she came home from the Cleveland Clinic and it hit me like a ton of bricks. My parents are in their early 60s and I'm about to turn 37. Heart surgery (or "procedures" as DaddyMensch calls them in order to make himself less scared about losing the love of his life) is a big assed deal, even more so when you are over 50. Here's hoping that the second "procedure" did the trick and that Mom's done with surgery.

Lungardium Shrinkiosa

A few months ago, I complained to my stupid lupus doctor (she's not stupid, the disease is) that I was having some shortness of breath. One pulmonary function test, two chest x-rays and three doctor appointments later, it turns out that I have an extremely rare disease called Shrinking Lung Disease or, as GreenTuna and the Boy have nicknamed it... Lungardium Shrinkiosa. (You have to say it in a very "Harry Potter" sort of voice while imagining that you are flicking your wand around. Channel Hermione Granger.) I could bore you with the medical details but I won't. I'm fighting it with the help of my loving family, a supportive network of friends and a medical team that's looking to publish a paper about me because God knows that I can't have some normal disease. No, I have to have some rare complication of an already rare disease that's made worse by an even more uncommon genetic disorder. Let's all take a moment to thank whatever diety you choose that I never managed to reproduce and have left that up to BrotherMensch and his lovely wife.

Administrivia

What else have I been up to? Well, I went to Dallas (for work) and San Antonio (for sorority girl things). I've been to the cottage (once) and all around the state raising money for the peeps. I've been hanging out with friends and family, especially these people. (The author is the chief wrangler of two of the cutest monkeys ever and by monkeys I mean twins, the boy twin being the godson of the Boy and I.)

I've been enjoying the bounty of the summer through a CSA, specifically the marvelous folks at Titus Farms here in the middle of the Mitten. Starting this Saturday, I'm going to be participating in the 2nd Annual Eat Local Challenge and I'm going to do my best to blog all about here on this site. Yes, there actually might be content for a change.

Stay tuned. It's going to be a busy fall.

Catching Up

2008-06-15T13:12:00.000-05:00

Well hey there, little blog. It's been quite the month of nothingness here. Sorry about that. I owe the blogosphere the winners of the East Lansing Art Festival Scavenger Hunt, half a dozen Unconscious Mutterings and a few Friday Feasts. Alas, none of those things are going to happen today.

Instead, I'm going to summarize what it is that's keeping me away from this part of the 'tubes:

One contract for consulting
Two trips are pending
Three days til I'm traveling
Four grant deadlines approaching
Five loads of laundering
Six friends a-calling
Seven hours of fundraising
Eight CSA veggies need cooking
Nine Word Twist games a-playing
Ten board members whining
Eleven voice mails waiting
Twelve bills need paying

I'm in Texas twice in the next four weeks, so I'll try and post from the road. There is a light at the end of this tunnel of work, so I'm hoping that July and August will be filled with posts.

Unconscious Mutterings: Art Festival Edition

2008-05-19T09:45:00.000-05:00

The Art Festival has come and gone and soon we'll get to see the results of the Scavenger Hunt. Until then... I shall mutter a bit and see what's what.

Concentration :: Game
Relocated :: Moved
Clot :: Blood
Joints :: Knees
Satellite :: TV
Money back :: Guarantee
Kittens :: Mittens
Shady :: Grove
Drain :: Clog
Stroke :: Victim

Hmmm... nothing profound.

2008 East Lansing Art Festival Scavenger Hunt

2008-05-12T15:52:00.001-05:00

The 3rd Annual East Lansing Art Festival & MSU Craft Fair Scavenger Hunt Official List is now complete and ready for your review. This weekend is the Art Festival and to make sure that everyone has a marvelous time, we have a little scavenger hunt for you and yours to participate in . All you need is a digital camera and good sense of humor. Using this list as a guide, take pictures and submit them via email for judging. The winning photos will be posted here for your entertainment pleasure.

Saturday & Sunday
May 17 & 18, 2008
East Lansing Art Festival & MSU Craft Fair
3rd Annual Scavenger Hunt

Painting of a Michigan landmark.
Kid on a leash. Bonus points for one parent/guardian with two or more kids on leashes.
Twins dressed identically, even if they're not identical. Bonus points if they're over 10 years old. Extra double points if they're over 20 years old.
Photograph of a photograph OR photograph of a person taking a picture into a mirror.
Yard Statuary doing something (i.e., gnome drinking beer, raccoon with a watering can, frogs reading books, etc.)
Art or craft made out of bottle caps, bonus points if they are from Michigan beverages (i.e. Faygo, Bell's)
Balloon animals. Bonus points if it's a weasel.
Stained glass, tiled ceramics or other representation of an animal. Bonus points if it's a weasel.
Tackiest art that was somehow meant to promote Spartan, Wolverine (or other Big Ten university) pride
Open Category: Calico
Fiber art or craft made from rabbit fur ( i.e. angora).
Bonus points if it's a rabbit.
Tie dyed child/infant clothing.
Best crying/screaming kid. Bonus points if they have no front teeth, or ice-cream stained clothing.
Painting, Picture, or Sculpture of a weasel (at least two feet long).
Depiction of a teddy bear or other cuddly thing that is actually made of something sharp, jagged, or otherwise dangerous
Gold lame - bonus points if trimmed with fur.
Animals dressed in grass skirts - bonus if the animal is alive.
Football, basketball, soccer ball, tennis ball or baseball painted as art. Bonus points if bejeweled
Food vendor menu with food items missspellled (comma's & appostrophys' dont count)

The Official Scavenger Hunt Rules & Important Information

Anyone can participate. Bring your friends, family and random strangers.
Art Festival is both Saturday and Sunday (May 17 & 18, 2008). You can go any time, either day.
To submit your photos for "judging", email them in JPG or TIF format to me by Wednesday, May 21, 2008. If you don't have my email, drop me a note in the comments.
The judges may (or may not) be sober, serious (bwah!) art critics. All judging is silly and meant to be in good fun.
If you'd like to "scavenge" with a group, meet up at NOON on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at the corner of MAC & Albert. RSVP by the 15th.

Feast, Mutter, Feast

2008-05-03T15:44:00.000-05:00

In today's edition of "Catching Up On The Blog"...

Friday Feast (Last Week)
Appetizer
Name something you would categorize as weird.

Sandra Lee Nominated for Emmy

Soup
What color was the last piece of food you ate?

My waffles were light brown with darker brown spots. Yummy!

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone?

It depends. Right now, I'm enjoying it a full 10. Later, it might be a 6.

Main Course
Fill in the blank: I will _________ vote for ___________ in _______.

I will vote for the Democratic nominee in the Presidential Elections.

Dessert
Describe your sleeping habits.

Stand up. Sit down. Fight! Fight! Fight!

Unconscious Mutterings

Thug :: Villain
Slurp :: Soup
Alley :: Cat
Sweater vest :: Geek Chic
Targeted :: Political Race
Snazzy :: Jazz Hands
Oy! :: Veh!
Jury duty :: Excused!
Low fat :: Yogurt
Responsibility :: Duty

Friday Feast (This Week)
Appetizer
What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child?

Soup
Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it?

Gee... a DOG maybe? And her name will be Madeline.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?

4.2

Main Course
What kind of music do you listen to while you drive?

Whatever is on NPR between stories.

Dessert
When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it?

At least two years ago... at IKEA ... and it's still in the package. I use my cell to figure out the time.

In the Kitchen

2008-04-20T06:52:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted much about cooking or the Eat Local movement because, well, I haven't done much of anything on the culinary front that isn't take-out, drive thru or made in my toaster oven. Between work, my other consulting gigs, volunteer stuff and having a social life, I'm rarely home for dinner.

Part of my plan for the second quarter of 2008 is to cook more, eat out less and use up what's in my pantry and freezer. Several friends and I are going together on a CSA starting in June plus I have friends with a prolific garden and we have some really great farmer's markets here in the middle of the Mitten so I need to clean out what's on reserve so that I can start fresh in June.

Friday night, I had the girls over for dinner and the ritual viewing of "What Not to Wear". There were six of us plus three littles, so I made the usual homemade mac & cheese and big green salad. I had some extra time so we also threw together my riff on GreenTuna's fabulously delicious sun-dried tomato dip.

Here are a few recipes so I can maintain my "cred" as a decent cook.

Mensch's Mac & Cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 T dried mustard
1 t nutmeg, freshly grated
1 t pepper
1# box dried elbow macaroni
1# shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 - 1 1/2 C skim milk

In a heavy bottom pan over low heat, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir together to create a roux. Cook for a few minutes to remove the floury taste. Off the heat, add 1/2 cup of milk and incorporate. Return to the heat for a minute and then repeat with another 1/2 cup of milk. Add the dried mustard, freshly grated nutmeg and pepper. Stir. The mixture should coat the back of your spoon but not be thick. If it thickens, add more milk - up to an additional 1/2 cup.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta.

While the pasta cooks, slowly add the cheese to the sauce in 1 cup increments (a large handfull). If the sauce thickens too much, add a bit more milk. (Make sure to keep the heat on low and keep stirring!) Once the cheese is incorporated, the pasta should be done. Drain and combine. Serves 4 - 6.

SIL's Tarragon Vinaigrette
2T extra virgin olive oil
2T white wine vinegar
1 t honey
1T fresh tarragon, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely minced
2 pinches kosher salt
1 pinch fresh black pepper

Use a jar or container that you can shake vigorously. (I use a retired breast milk container from my SIL. I know, I know... but it holds 6 ounces and is perfect for what I need.) Chop the shallot and tarragon first and add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the honey and olive oil and shake for at least 30 seconds to dissolve the honey. Taste for seasoning. Sometimes... I have to add more honey, others I need more vinegar.

GreenTuna's Sun-Dried Tomato Dip a la Mensch
1 8 ounce brick of cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 T fresh black pepper
1/2 - 1 T Tabasco sauce

If your sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, simply add all of the ingredients to a food processor and process for about 3 - 4 minutes total. If your sun-dried tomatoes are not packed in oil (mine aren't), I microwave them with about 1/4 C chicken broth for 30 seconds or until soft and then add to the food processor along with the other ingredients. I like this dip a little spicy so I ended up adding more Tabasco but start out with just 10 - 15 drops and go from there. Serve with little toasts or crudite.

Unconscious Mutterings

2008-04-20T06:47:00.000-05:00

Questioning :: Authority
Immunity :: Drug
Online dating :: 19 first dates
Calcium :: Milk
Dressing :: Salad
Bucket :: Water
Stain :: Stick
Advanced :: Placement
Dramatic :: Reading
Self-medication :: Um, duh?

What an odd combination of words this week. For #1, all I can think of is Cartman's "respect my authority" rant. #3 refers to a certain period of my life where I did the whole eHarmony.com thing and #10 is the story of my life with stupid lupus. Of course I self medicate. After 10 friggin' years, I know far more than 95% of rheumatologists about this disease and since the other 5% only do research... Yeesh.

Friday Feast, a Day Late

2008-04-19T19:20:00.000-05:00

Appetizer
Name a color you find soothing.

In 2003, when the movie "Something's Gotta Give" came out, I was entranced. Not so much by the movie (which was cute) but rather by the set design. Even Architectural Digest found it worth of a spread. I think it's the juxtaposition of the white walls, dark floors and natural wall colors that I find soothing. I really like a pale green with dark wood and white trim.

Soup
Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.

Fast. (Me) Furious. (Dad)

Salad
What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?

(That's a cashmere goat, in case you were wondering.)

Main Course
Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?

If he can come back from the dead, the least I can do is wait outside overnight to hear him sing my personal theme song.

Dessert
What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?

E