Monday, June 13, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Winston Churchill would shit
What the hell? It's been like the friggin Blitz around here.
That may be a slight exaggeration. But only a very slight one. The power was out for a few hours yesterday. Many hours yesterday. A few. Four. And the phone, cable, and internet didn't come back until this afternoon. Making the electricity pointless anyway. Not to mention the fiery bolts of lightening and teeth rattling thunder crashes.
Did you all have utility challenges? I find the storms we've endured completely unreasonable. I know you do too.
Big weekend, people. Bruins Game 5 tonight. We haven't done any hockey talk around here. But, as you know, I've been a huge hockey fan since approximately 2008, when we first got a fancy HD flat screen tv and I could see the puck for the first time ever. The game sprung to life, I tell you. Sprung to life. I have a pal who insists that even that's nothing compared to seeing a game in person. Can you imagine? Because I can't imagine.
What else? Belmont Stakes tomorrow. I know there's not a lot of interest when there's no Triple Crown contender, but I enjoy it. I'm looking hard at Monzon.
Look how pretty!
He's by Thunder Gulch out of a Mr. Prospector/Danzig granddaughter. That means he's built for the distance, people. Awesome.
Keep in mind, my analysis is all about choosing someone to root for. I don't actually do any betting and I'm not recommending you do either.
I don't think we have Friday Night Lights tonight. Just between you and I, I'll miss Coach and Mrs. Coach like crazy, not to mention Miss Julie Taylor who is making all kinds of wrong choices right now, but I could use a chance to catch my breath. It's such a busy time for me.
Could we maybe talk about books next time? I've got to get organized. I've also got a shoe situation that I could use some help with.
Challenges
That may be a slight exaggeration. But only a very slight one. The power was out for a few hours yesterday. Many hours yesterday. A few. Four. And the phone, cable, and internet didn't come back until this afternoon. Making the electricity pointless anyway. Not to mention the fiery bolts of lightening and teeth rattling thunder crashes.
Did you all have utility challenges? I find the storms we've endured completely unreasonable. I know you do too.
Big weekend, people. Bruins Game 5 tonight. We haven't done any hockey talk around here. But, as you know, I've been a huge hockey fan since approximately 2008, when we first got a fancy HD flat screen tv and I could see the puck for the first time ever. The game sprung to life, I tell you. Sprung to life. I have a pal who insists that even that's nothing compared to seeing a game in person. Can you imagine? Because I can't imagine.
What else? Belmont Stakes tomorrow. I know there's not a lot of interest when there's no Triple Crown contender, but I enjoy it. I'm looking hard at Monzon.
Look how pretty!
He's by Thunder Gulch out of a Mr. Prospector/Danzig granddaughter. That means he's built for the distance, people. Awesome.
Keep in mind, my analysis is all about choosing someone to root for. I don't actually do any betting and I'm not recommending you do either.
I don't think we have Friday Night Lights tonight. Just between you and I, I'll miss Coach and Mrs. Coach like crazy, not to mention Miss Julie Taylor who is making all kinds of wrong choices right now, but I could use a chance to catch my breath. It's such a busy time for me.
Could we maybe talk about books next time? I've got to get organized. I've also got a shoe situation that I could use some help with.
Challenges
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Where I complain about being thirsty-- seriously. This will be a great use of your time.
Oh my god. No matter how many times I say I'm soooo thirsty tonight, Mr. Blyleaf just will not get up and get me a drink. What the hell is that? It's like he didn't even mean it when he promised to love, honor, and cherish me.
If he promised to love, honor, and cherish me.
Do any of you all actually remember your wedding vows? I don't. Although I'm fairly certain I scanned them in advance to make sure no one had snuck any sexist bullshit in there. They hadn't. I do remember that the cake tasted like peanut butter. Peanut butter. I have no idea how that happened. What kind of weirdo hippies have a peanut butter wedding cake?
The point is, I just had to drag myself to the kitchen to get my own drink. And I did. Only to discover we're out if Polar Diet Lime Tonic Water-- my refreshing beverage of choice.
Any idea what "quinine" is and if and when it will kill me?
Never mind. Here-- look at adorable bunnies going over jumps like horses.
If he promised to love, honor, and cherish me.
Do any of you all actually remember your wedding vows? I don't. Although I'm fairly certain I scanned them in advance to make sure no one had snuck any sexist bullshit in there. They hadn't. I do remember that the cake tasted like peanut butter. Peanut butter. I have no idea how that happened. What kind of weirdo hippies have a peanut butter wedding cake?
The point is, I just had to drag myself to the kitchen to get my own drink. And I did. Only to discover we're out if Polar Diet Lime Tonic Water-- my refreshing beverage of choice.
Any idea what "quinine" is and if and when it will kill me?
Never mind. Here-- look at adorable bunnies going over jumps like horses.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
I Pitta the Fool
Sorry-- couldn't help it. Friday was my Ayurvedic consultation. Kind of awesome. It really lived up to my expectations. You should have a consultation, too. Get yourself in balance. Not that you're not already tooootally in balance.
If you're curious as to my dosha, hold on to your hat, I'm a Pitta!!! Isn't that wild? Not, pure Pitta, of course. Still, I never would have guessed. Apparently I've been suppressing my fire, which is why I didn't realize I'm a Pitta.
The elements associated with the dosha Pitta are fire and water. Pitta is, among other things, strong and ambitious and competitive and organized and intellectual. Where I think of myself as just sort of train wreck-y. Yeah, Pitta is also highly critical.
I could go on and on about what it means to be a woman with those characteristics-- the way they're not supported culturally and how, if you have those characteristics, you may be encouraged to subvert them in favor of traits that are more acceptably feminine. But you already know and, anyway, you can imagine everything I'd tell you.
The awesome thing about Ayurveda is it's really not about good or bad. It's a non-judgemental way to understand yourself. So it fits perfectly with yoga and, in my humble opinion, Svaroopa yoga in particular, which is utterly supportive and restorative.
I took away lots of suggestions from my consultation for restoring my authentic balance. A lot of the suggestions are diet-centered, as you'd expect from Ayurveda. But some of them are exercise and lifestyle, too.
Here's what my Ayurvedic consultant has written about diet as it relates to Ayurveda:
Ayurveda is not about being perfect, neurotic, picky… simply know the basic ideals and do the best you can. Ayurveda embraces food and nature, and encourages that you open your heart and mind to the food in front of you!
Balanced eating, from the Ayurvedic perspective has three basic considerations:
1.WHAT
2.WHEN
3.HOW
What you eat is ideally seasonal foods, emphasizing the foods that are most balancing for your constitution and utilizing all 6 tastes.
When you eat is ideally no more than three meals a day, eaten at equal intervals, with your mid-day meal being the largest and enjoyed around noon, when the sun is high in the sky.
How you eat is ideally not too fast nor too slow. Sit in a clean and pleasant environment, chew well, engage in a relaxed mood, enjoying the company of others and light conversation, if any. Avoid anger, television, working, standing, walking, driving or excessive laughing while eating.
So there I was, in a cafe in Austin Texas with my warm and toasty peanut butter and jelly, a few french fries and two lovely friends. I enjoyed it with some natural lemonade, knowing that the citrus would serve as a digestive. Then I washed it down with a little bit of hot tea… the hot water helps to cleanse the system of excess fats and hard-to-digest food particles.
Later I went for a nice long walk to build up my agni (digestive fire) once again and metabolism.
And the next day, it was back to slightly more “perfect” Ayurveda.
And really, if your appetite is there, and it is meal time, and your agni is strong, it is better to handle the WHEN over the WHAT. From the Ayurvedic perspective, if your digestive fire is balanced, you can eat anything and digest it well, the wisdom of your body will know how to absorb the nutrients and discard the rest. The day before I had peanut butter and french fries for lunch, I had walked 10 miles, taking a break from the car… so I knew my digestion was strong!
One of my teachers in Ayurveda school, Dr. Aparna Bapat, spoke of a poor family she befriended in India. They often subsisted on chillies and chapatis (flat bread), and occasionally some left-over vegetables… but they worked hard, enjoyed life, and their bodies knew how to appropriately metabolize the simple and seemingly “imperfect” food they ate.
Here’s to the “When” & the “How” of eating, and learning to sometimes let go of the “What”!
Doesn't that just feel right? Balance and acceptance. I mean, what a relief.
If you're curious as to my dosha, hold on to your hat, I'm a Pitta!!! Isn't that wild? Not, pure Pitta, of course. Still, I never would have guessed. Apparently I've been suppressing my fire, which is why I didn't realize I'm a Pitta.
The elements associated with the dosha Pitta are fire and water. Pitta is, among other things, strong and ambitious and competitive and organized and intellectual. Where I think of myself as just sort of train wreck-y. Yeah, Pitta is also highly critical.
I could go on and on about what it means to be a woman with those characteristics-- the way they're not supported culturally and how, if you have those characteristics, you may be encouraged to subvert them in favor of traits that are more acceptably feminine. But you already know and, anyway, you can imagine everything I'd tell you.
The awesome thing about Ayurveda is it's really not about good or bad. It's a non-judgemental way to understand yourself. So it fits perfectly with yoga and, in my humble opinion, Svaroopa yoga in particular, which is utterly supportive and restorative.
I took away lots of suggestions from my consultation for restoring my authentic balance. A lot of the suggestions are diet-centered, as you'd expect from Ayurveda. But some of them are exercise and lifestyle, too.
Here's what my Ayurvedic consultant has written about diet as it relates to Ayurveda:
Ayurveda is not about being perfect, neurotic, picky… simply know the basic ideals and do the best you can. Ayurveda embraces food and nature, and encourages that you open your heart and mind to the food in front of you!
Balanced eating, from the Ayurvedic perspective has three basic considerations:
1.WHAT
2.WHEN
3.HOW
What you eat is ideally seasonal foods, emphasizing the foods that are most balancing for your constitution and utilizing all 6 tastes.
When you eat is ideally no more than three meals a day, eaten at equal intervals, with your mid-day meal being the largest and enjoyed around noon, when the sun is high in the sky.
How you eat is ideally not too fast nor too slow. Sit in a clean and pleasant environment, chew well, engage in a relaxed mood, enjoying the company of others and light conversation, if any. Avoid anger, television, working, standing, walking, driving or excessive laughing while eating.
So there I was, in a cafe in Austin Texas with my warm and toasty peanut butter and jelly, a few french fries and two lovely friends. I enjoyed it with some natural lemonade, knowing that the citrus would serve as a digestive. Then I washed it down with a little bit of hot tea… the hot water helps to cleanse the system of excess fats and hard-to-digest food particles.
Later I went for a nice long walk to build up my agni (digestive fire) once again and metabolism.
And the next day, it was back to slightly more “perfect” Ayurveda.
And really, if your appetite is there, and it is meal time, and your agni is strong, it is better to handle the WHEN over the WHAT. From the Ayurvedic perspective, if your digestive fire is balanced, you can eat anything and digest it well, the wisdom of your body will know how to absorb the nutrients and discard the rest. The day before I had peanut butter and french fries for lunch, I had walked 10 miles, taking a break from the car… so I knew my digestion was strong!
One of my teachers in Ayurveda school, Dr. Aparna Bapat, spoke of a poor family she befriended in India. They often subsisted on chillies and chapatis (flat bread), and occasionally some left-over vegetables… but they worked hard, enjoyed life, and their bodies knew how to appropriately metabolize the simple and seemingly “imperfect” food they ate.
Here’s to the “When” & the “How” of eating, and learning to sometimes let go of the “What”!
Doesn't that just feel right? Balance and acceptance. I mean, what a relief.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
I do enjoy a cupcake
There have been some changes. Yesterday, while I was writing a post about Two Parts Sweet, it was being moved from tumblr to blogger. (FYI- that's where you are now.) I believe that is what's known in the industry as Awesome Timing. So let me post a new link. Obviously Two Parts Sweet is super cute no matter the platform. Still, I'm happy to have it in the neighborhood.
And now, here is a top five list of the cupcakes I'd like Wendy and Holly to bake, decorate lavishly, and deliver to me.
1. Earl Gray Tea with a light-as-air, very subtle, lemony frosting.
If this cupcake hasn't already been invented, then it's really about time. Can you imagine? It's like drinking tea-- only it's a cupcake!! You're welcome.
2. Lavender with rose water infused frosting.
Pink and purple. Could scare some people. Better make it a mini. Of course, if you're going to make it a mini, I'll need several.
3. Tiramisu dusted with cocoa powder in lieu of frosting-- obviously.
Is this too 80's? Shove it. Who asked you, anyway. It's not like I'm suggesting we give them spiral perms and dress them in tiny stonewashed denim jackets from Chess King.
4. Maple with maybe a vanilla frosting topped with a graham cracker crumble.
Because New England is the very best part of the country and we've got the maple syrup.
5. Ice cream cupcakes- half vanilla, half chocolate, with a layer of that crunchy chocolate stuff in the middle and iced a la traditional cupcakes.
Go ahead. Sigh and shake your head at the wonder of my dessert genius.
Alright, this is enough creative magic. I do what I can, but I've got to go hustle for the man now.
And now, here is a top five list of the cupcakes I'd like Wendy and Holly to bake, decorate lavishly, and deliver to me.
1. Earl Gray Tea with a light-as-air, very subtle, lemony frosting.
If this cupcake hasn't already been invented, then it's really about time. Can you imagine? It's like drinking tea-- only it's a cupcake!! You're welcome.
2. Lavender with rose water infused frosting.
Pink and purple. Could scare some people. Better make it a mini. Of course, if you're going to make it a mini, I'll need several.
3. Tiramisu dusted with cocoa powder in lieu of frosting-- obviously.
Is this too 80's? Shove it. Who asked you, anyway. It's not like I'm suggesting we give them spiral perms and dress them in tiny stonewashed denim jackets from Chess King.
4. Maple with maybe a vanilla frosting topped with a graham cracker crumble.
Because New England is the very best part of the country and we've got the maple syrup.
5. Ice cream cupcakes- half vanilla, half chocolate, with a layer of that crunchy chocolate stuff in the middle and iced a la traditional cupcakes.
Go ahead. Sigh and shake your head at the wonder of my dessert genius.
Alright, this is enough creative magic. I do what I can, but I've got to go hustle for the man now.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Two Parts Sweet
Go read my pal Wendy's brand new blog. It's very sweet and pretty and she doesn't ever say fuck. Her blog is one of those tumblr situations that encourages interaction. So, by all means, leave a comment while you're there. She loves that sort of thing-- further illustrating the ways in which we are different.
Memorializing my memorial day memories
This weekend was too big (wicked 'uge) for a recap. I spent a good part of it surveying my property on horseback, of course. Then I mostly watched tennis.
In between I lounged around with my peeps.
And made my kid paint the barn.
I'm kidding. I didn't even have to make her. She loooooves manual labor. And she's an awesome painter.
The loving manual labor part is true. Here she is helping Mr. Blyleaf build the new gate to the field.
She picked that outfit out all by herself, FYI. Fetching, no?
Did anyone watch the official national Memorial Day thing on PBS? Just about killed me when they brought the actors out to do the monologues. Jason Ritter (Mr. Cyr!!!) was touching in an adorable way-- he can't help it. Forest Whitaker was amaaaazing! And Dianne Wiest totally pushed me over the edge.
Gosh, I love soldiers.
Should I tell you about my book idea? Probably not. I don't think I'm ready.
As one might expect from an awesomely huge weekend, I did fifty gagillion other things, too, but I can't describe all of them because it's hard to make eating bagels and reading the paper and going to the bookstore interesting.
So, the end.
In between I lounged around with my peeps.
And made my kid paint the barn.
I'm kidding. I didn't even have to make her. She loooooves manual labor. And she's an awesome painter.
The loving manual labor part is true. Here she is helping Mr. Blyleaf build the new gate to the field.
She picked that outfit out all by herself, FYI. Fetching, no?
Did anyone watch the official national Memorial Day thing on PBS? Just about killed me when they brought the actors out to do the monologues. Jason Ritter (Mr. Cyr!!!) was touching in an adorable way-- he can't help it. Forest Whitaker was amaaaazing! And Dianne Wiest totally pushed me over the edge.
Gosh, I love soldiers.
Should I tell you about my book idea? Probably not. I don't think I'm ready.
As one might expect from an awesomely huge weekend, I did fifty gagillion other things, too, but I can't describe all of them because it's hard to make eating bagels and reading the paper and going to the bookstore interesting.
So, the end.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)