Thursday, April 28, 2011
Friday, April 09, 2010
Friday, July 17, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
phone frills
pictures. from my phone. for you.
view from my window
my street
subway
fire island
post lunch
rockaway
subway tunnel
sister hannah
wallpaper
webster hall
a bike and a president
lafe
subway gangster lafe
Monday, February 23, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Monday, January 05, 2009
good eats & good views, part I
hello people. over the past month, too much political play has filled this web log. so, tonight i begin my newest venture: an experiment in both the culinary arts and the visual ones. a disclaimer: i am no chef and no skilled critic of television or movies. but, just the same, i guess that is what this whole web 2.0 thing is all about: a bunch of amateurs giving their unwanted opinions. and also people trying to use as many colons as possible. for example: i have already used four colons.
i was thinking, what if the end of the world came along, and the only place i had to turn was my local, organic-only, high-end grocery store? what would i do if i didn't know how to make delicious food from organic and locally-grown products? so, to turn a new leaf (this is NOT a new years resolution, which i hate) i decided to go grocery shopping on saturday and then cook my food for the entire week. i spent $70, and i'm hope it lasts me until next saturday, or even beyond. the only rules i have for this week are these: (fifth colon) first, the use of recipes is strictly disallowed, although i am allowed a lifeline per day (or week, i haven't yet decided), but I'm not allowed to write anything down on such telephone calls; second, actually, i only have one rule, and I already wrote it.
so, my first experiment? well that actually happened on Saturday night, but I made it again tonight. I will tell you what it was. I named my creation, "Popeye's Special." As you all know, Popeye was a cartoon strip character (who later made his way into cartoons and even movies) who was both a sailor man and a connoisseur of spinach. So, naturally, this salad is made a spinach, a basic ingredient of any delicious salad. i also carmelized (or candied--i don't know the correct verb for what I did) a handful of cashews that I bought at Whole Foods. Second, I boiled an egg. Third, I sliced an entire apple into thin slices. I placed the above ingredients in a bowl with the spinach. I shook it all together. Then, i got some mozzarella cheese, which obviously pairs well with spinach, and sprinkled it over the green goodness. Lastly, i dusted my concoction with Chillmark's Original Toasted Sesame Dressing. I'd imagine this dressing wouldn't be that hard to make, although I bought it from Whole Foods. The ingredients are: (6th colon) Canola Oil, Lemon Juice, Soy Sauce, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Water, and Xanthan Gum (I have no idea what Xantham Gum is). Anyway, the result was a delicious, fresh, crispy bowl of vegetarian delight.
To compliment my salad, i poured a cup or two of soy milk in the blender, added a whole bannanna, a tray of ice, and a spoon or two of sugar. I then blended it all together for a frothy cup of dreamy soy creamy beverage. i heated two pieces of bread, buttered them, and my meal was complete.
So there it is, the first half of my first entry of good eats & good views.
As I sat down to consume this deliciousness, I turned on Paranoid Park. If you haven't yet discovered the IFC channel on your local cable network, you must quickly. The movie is directed and written by Gus Van Sant (director of Good Will Hunting and the new movie, Milk). It's a good, short viewing perfect to compliment a small, scrumptious meal. The movie is an hour and a half and tells the story of a 16-17 year old Portland kid who gets mixed up in some bad happenings at a local skate park. the highlight of the movie is two fold: first, the portrayal of the way kids speak and act is pretty spot on; second, the sequences of skating are some of the most beautiful things that i've seen for a while. oh, also, the editing is pretty wild. so, if you like good movies, go see this one. or don't. whatever. i'm going to the kitchen now to cook a chicken concoction over night in the slow cooker.
now, just realize that i used 7 colons in this web log post, and i'm about to use 8: be amazed.
i was thinking, what if the end of the world came along, and the only place i had to turn was my local, organic-only, high-end grocery store? what would i do if i didn't know how to make delicious food from organic and locally-grown products? so, to turn a new leaf (this is NOT a new years resolution, which i hate) i decided to go grocery shopping on saturday and then cook my food for the entire week. i spent $70, and i'm hope it lasts me until next saturday, or even beyond. the only rules i have for this week are these: (fifth colon) first, the use of recipes is strictly disallowed, although i am allowed a lifeline per day (or week, i haven't yet decided), but I'm not allowed to write anything down on such telephone calls; second, actually, i only have one rule, and I already wrote it.
so, my first experiment? well that actually happened on Saturday night, but I made it again tonight. I will tell you what it was. I named my creation, "Popeye's Special." As you all know, Popeye was a cartoon strip character (who later made his way into cartoons and even movies) who was both a sailor man and a connoisseur of spinach. So, naturally, this salad is made a spinach, a basic ingredient of any delicious salad. i also carmelized (or candied--i don't know the correct verb for what I did) a handful of cashews that I bought at Whole Foods. Second, I boiled an egg. Third, I sliced an entire apple into thin slices. I placed the above ingredients in a bowl with the spinach. I shook it all together. Then, i got some mozzarella cheese, which obviously pairs well with spinach, and sprinkled it over the green goodness. Lastly, i dusted my concoction with Chillmark's Original Toasted Sesame Dressing. I'd imagine this dressing wouldn't be that hard to make, although I bought it from Whole Foods. The ingredients are: (6th colon) Canola Oil, Lemon Juice, Soy Sauce, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Water, and Xanthan Gum (I have no idea what Xantham Gum is). Anyway, the result was a delicious, fresh, crispy bowl of vegetarian delight.
To compliment my salad, i poured a cup or two of soy milk in the blender, added a whole bannanna, a tray of ice, and a spoon or two of sugar. I then blended it all together for a frothy cup of dreamy soy creamy beverage. i heated two pieces of bread, buttered them, and my meal was complete.
So there it is, the first half of my first entry of good eats & good views.
As I sat down to consume this deliciousness, I turned on Paranoid Park. If you haven't yet discovered the IFC channel on your local cable network, you must quickly. The movie is directed and written by Gus Van Sant (director of Good Will Hunting and the new movie, Milk). It's a good, short viewing perfect to compliment a small, scrumptious meal. The movie is an hour and a half and tells the story of a 16-17 year old Portland kid who gets mixed up in some bad happenings at a local skate park. the highlight of the movie is two fold: first, the portrayal of the way kids speak and act is pretty spot on; second, the sequences of skating are some of the most beautiful things that i've seen for a while. oh, also, the editing is pretty wild. so, if you like good movies, go see this one. or don't. whatever. i'm going to the kitchen now to cook a chicken concoction over night in the slow cooker.
now, just realize that i used 7 colons in this web log post, and i'm about to use 8: be amazed.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
a confederacy of novels
please find for me a better starting paragraph for any novel than the following:
"A green hunting cap squeezed the top of the fleshy balloon of a head. The green earflaps, full of large ears and uncut hair and the fine bristles that grew in the ears themselves, stuck out on either side like turn signals indicating two directions at once. Full, pursed lips protruded beneath the bushy black moustache and, at their corners, sank into little folds filled with disapproval and potato chips crumbs. In the shadow under the green visor of the cap Ignatius J. Reilly's supercilious blue and yellow eyes looked down upon the other people waiting under the clock at the D.H. Homes department store, studying the crowd of people for signs of bad taste in dress. Several of the outfits, Ignatius noticed, were new enough and expensive enough to be properly considered offenses against taste and decency. Possession of anything new or expensive only reflected a person's lack of theology and geometry; it could even cast doubts upon one soul."
now, please, as quickly as possible, go and find this book and read it.
"A green hunting cap squeezed the top of the fleshy balloon of a head. The green earflaps, full of large ears and uncut hair and the fine bristles that grew in the ears themselves, stuck out on either side like turn signals indicating two directions at once. Full, pursed lips protruded beneath the bushy black moustache and, at their corners, sank into little folds filled with disapproval and potato chips crumbs. In the shadow under the green visor of the cap Ignatius J. Reilly's supercilious blue and yellow eyes looked down upon the other people waiting under the clock at the D.H. Homes department store, studying the crowd of people for signs of bad taste in dress. Several of the outfits, Ignatius noticed, were new enough and expensive enough to be properly considered offenses against taste and decency. Possession of anything new or expensive only reflected a person's lack of theology and geometry; it could even cast doubts upon one soul."
now, please, as quickly as possible, go and find this book and read it.
Friday, December 12, 2008
puffington host
found this video on the huffington post. a little national airtime for BYU and YAs.
If they don't get Wicked, I say it's no big loss. it does seem like the gay ex-mormon is being pretty spiteful, though. but hey, who am i to judge?
If they don't get Wicked, I say it's no big loss. it does seem like the gay ex-mormon is being pretty spiteful, though. but hey, who am i to judge?
Monday, December 08, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Dustin Lance Black
anyone see the new movie "Milk" yet? dustin lance black wrote it. turns out he is mormon. who knew? he was the only mormon writer on the first two seasons of 'big love,' which is one of the greatest tv shows of our time.
this interview is a pretty interesting listen. it is a pretty good take on mormonism, prop 8, and writing for film and screen. please listen to it now. it's essential for understanding this issue, imho.
this interview is a pretty interesting listen. it is a pretty good take on mormonism, prop 8, and writing for film and screen. please listen to it now. it's essential for understanding this issue, imho.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
is that you, mitt?
where was this this mitt during the republican primary? this op-ed shows a mitt romney that knows what he is doing. nothing like the blubbering, pandering mitt that showed up for the republican primaries. while i still don't like most everything about his policies or the way he presents himself, this idea is good.
oh and btw, peter and emily are getting married in like three days. wild.
oh and btw, peter and emily are getting married in like three days. wild.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Monday, November 03, 2008
gotv in pa
consider this my postcard from pittsburgh, pa. ima drive a van tomorrow getting people out to vote in oakland, pittsburgh. i predict a 5% win in pennslylvania, and a 6% spread nationally. electoral votes will top 320 for obama. what do you say?
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
the mac attack
looks like i'm an uncle again. way to go libby and the deej. very proud.
i stole these pics from paul and amy's blog. i will drive to pittsburgh this weekend to see the newest addition. also i will stay until election day so i can help mr. obama with getting out the vote activities. anyone interested in joining me? although, dj did say if i volunteered for barack, I wasn't welcome to stay at his house....so, i guess if you come with me we can split a hotel room...
i stole these pics from paul and amy's blog. i will drive to pittsburgh this weekend to see the newest addition. also i will stay until election day so i can help mr. obama with getting out the vote activities. anyone interested in joining me? although, dj did say if i volunteered for barack, I wasn't welcome to stay at his house....so, i guess if you come with me we can split a hotel room...
Monday, October 27, 2008
in loving memory
my tears dry slowly due to the passing of the second season of mad men.
pete campbell: you are almost likable!
don draper: you have emotions!
betty: i love you!
peggy: you are absolved!
joan: don't marry the rapist!
so until july, i will wait patiently and hopefully to find out what pete eventually did with the gun.
pete campbell: you are almost likable!
don draper: you have emotions!
betty: i love you!
peggy: you are absolved!
joan: don't marry the rapist!
so until july, i will wait patiently and hopefully to find out what pete eventually did with the gun.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
homophobic?
watch this video that was forwarded on to me by pablo escobar. today another friend sent it along to me.
i have a few things i would like to say. first, i consider this video, and the main guy depicted in it, extremely homophobic. second, i think it is naive to think that young students should not be taught about homosexuality. obviously you don't have to explain to the kids the technicalities of gay sex; however, explaining that sometimes two men or two women can find happiness together...? what's wrong with that.
an example. i taught second grade. i had to teach about homosexuality for two different reasons. first, two different students approached me to tell me their moms were lesbians. they wanted to keep it a secret because they felt they would be mocked. i sat the kids down with prepared lessons about homosexuality. i did explain that sometimes two women or two men found that they could fall in love with each other and even be happier that way. i don't see anything wrong with that. i also said that if your parents were like that, then there is nothing wrong with you. i also said that it was wrong to make fun of anyone who happens to be gay.
second, my students regularly employed homophobic slurs: gay, fag, lesbo, etc, etc. sometimes the terms were even applied to me (except for the lesbo one). at that point, you must sit down with the students and tell them why it is wrong to use those kinds of slurs. its not like you're telling the kids about something they don't know when you talk about homosexuality. they are all aware. being able to talk about it in a respectful way that protects the feelings and beliefs of all involved is a mark of a good teacher.
this video, then, i feel is extremely hurtful. if just for the fact that we can work to change some of these attitudes, i hope prop 8 does not pass in california. what is wrong with legalizing gay marriage and thereby removing some of the stigma gays experience? no one is saying that teachers have to teach it is 'moral.' however, they are saying teachers must teach it is legal. drinking is legal, but mormons still believe it is immoral. teachers in the public school system definitely teach that, when you are of age, there is nothing wrong with drinking in moderation. however, we are still able to believe however we want. why are we so threatened by the fact that gay marriage will be taught as legally acceptable in school? do we really believe our children's attitudes are shaped that strongly by our teachers? surely we can teach them what we feel is right at home, and they can be exposed to different ideas at school. how is that any different than what we believe currently about premarital sex, the word of wisdom, etc.?
in ten years, when we look back at this video, i really think most of us will be appalled at the prejudiced attitudes taken by many of its views. what do you think?
lastly, one other thing that is bothering me is the media that is coming out of protectmarriage.com, the website run by a coalition of christian churches. the mormons are one of the chief contributors to this site. i'm afraid it takes quite a partisan look at gay marriage and its advertising borders on fear mongering and misinformation. what do you think? do you agree? disagree?
oh, and one other thing. tomorrow is peter's birthday. we are getting together for a debate watching party, so i'm not sure we will be live blogging. but maybe. stay tuned....
i have a few things i would like to say. first, i consider this video, and the main guy depicted in it, extremely homophobic. second, i think it is naive to think that young students should not be taught about homosexuality. obviously you don't have to explain to the kids the technicalities of gay sex; however, explaining that sometimes two men or two women can find happiness together...? what's wrong with that.
an example. i taught second grade. i had to teach about homosexuality for two different reasons. first, two different students approached me to tell me their moms were lesbians. they wanted to keep it a secret because they felt they would be mocked. i sat the kids down with prepared lessons about homosexuality. i did explain that sometimes two women or two men found that they could fall in love with each other and even be happier that way. i don't see anything wrong with that. i also said that if your parents were like that, then there is nothing wrong with you. i also said that it was wrong to make fun of anyone who happens to be gay.
second, my students regularly employed homophobic slurs: gay, fag, lesbo, etc, etc. sometimes the terms were even applied to me (except for the lesbo one). at that point, you must sit down with the students and tell them why it is wrong to use those kinds of slurs. its not like you're telling the kids about something they don't know when you talk about homosexuality. they are all aware. being able to talk about it in a respectful way that protects the feelings and beliefs of all involved is a mark of a good teacher.
this video, then, i feel is extremely hurtful. if just for the fact that we can work to change some of these attitudes, i hope prop 8 does not pass in california. what is wrong with legalizing gay marriage and thereby removing some of the stigma gays experience? no one is saying that teachers have to teach it is 'moral.' however, they are saying teachers must teach it is legal. drinking is legal, but mormons still believe it is immoral. teachers in the public school system definitely teach that, when you are of age, there is nothing wrong with drinking in moderation. however, we are still able to believe however we want. why are we so threatened by the fact that gay marriage will be taught as legally acceptable in school? do we really believe our children's attitudes are shaped that strongly by our teachers? surely we can teach them what we feel is right at home, and they can be exposed to different ideas at school. how is that any different than what we believe currently about premarital sex, the word of wisdom, etc.?
in ten years, when we look back at this video, i really think most of us will be appalled at the prejudiced attitudes taken by many of its views. what do you think?
lastly, one other thing that is bothering me is the media that is coming out of protectmarriage.com, the website run by a coalition of christian churches. the mormons are one of the chief contributors to this site. i'm afraid it takes quite a partisan look at gay marriage and its advertising borders on fear mongering and misinformation. what do you think? do you agree? disagree?
oh, and one other thing. tomorrow is peter's birthday. we are getting together for a debate watching party, so i'm not sure we will be live blogging. but maybe. stay tuned....
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
nashville nastiness
here it is: the live blog thread for tonight. 9:00 PM eastern time. please come. feel free to post thoughts, reactions, etc.
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