Like a lot of people, I make resolutions at New Years for what I’d like to accomplish in the year ahead. But, this year, along with my list of To-Do’s (still to come), I’ve put together a list of frequent former resolutions that I will NOT be aiming for this year.
1. Long Distance Travel – In the last few years I’ve done a lot of travelling all over the U.S. but this year I’m going to give myself a break from the expense and headache of travel. When I have time free and am feeling wanderlust, I plan to check out cities right here in New England, or close enough for a day trip.
2. Writing Programs / Classes – Grub Street and The Artists Way have been great for me in the last few years, but in 2010 I’m just going to concentrate on writing on my own. There comes a point when working in a group is more of a distraction than an aid.
3. Getting Published – This one has been on my list, even if it didn’t get formally written down, every year as long as I’ve been making resolutions. This year I’m not going to feel guilty about it, though. I’m working on a novel this year and that’s it. No short fiction, no freelance work, just a book draft and no guilt.
4. Blogging – There are just too many other priorities I place above this blog. When I have time and something interesting to post I will, but it’s just a recipe for failure to pretend I’m going to make any sacrifices to post here on a regular basis. Sorry. (I’ll still read my friends’ blogs though)
5. Getting a New Job – Ideally next week my dream position at my company would open up and I’d jump on it, but if that doesn’t happen I’m not going to give myself any grief. I have a good job that I do well and these days that’s pretty lucky. Someday the next opportunity will appear, but until then I’m not going to worry myself out of a good position, just to take something I don’t like as much.
6. Saving X amount of money – This year I’m not going to set an amount of money I want to save up. In prior years I’ve set a specific goal, and then saving just starts to feel like another expense. Instead, this year I plan to cut back on expenses and change my spending habits. I already know where the waste in my budget is – food and travel. If I cut back on those my savings will increase.
7. Losing X pounds – Instead I plan to grow 2 inches. (just kidding) Weight loss resolutions never work for me, so I’m not going to bother this year. I’m in a healthy weight range and I feel good. If I lose some weight, great, if I don’t, I’m not going to feel bad about that.
8. Remembering birthdays – This one almost did go on my resolutions list again. I had a big plan for buying a bunch of birthday cards now, addressing them all, and just mailing them out when the birthdays approach but you know what? Screw it. I’m lousy at remembering birthdays and I’m just going to accept that. I don’t want to drop $100 on cards I’ll probably forget to mail anyway.
9. Large purchase – This year I will not buy a car, pet, or house. Maybe next year.
10. Finish a first draft of a novel – because I did that last year. Some resolutions do come true!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Post Nano Wrap Up
It’s now December 16th which means half a month ago I finished writing my novel. I’ve wanted to catch up on blogging during these two weeks, but I’ve just today recovered enough to put any kind of coherent entry together. During November I was suffering from a condition I call “writing-stupidity” for which the only known cure is TV and movies (and cupcakes, I guess).
What is writing-stupidity? It’s basically when so much time and concentration has gone into a writing project that the brain’s thoughts have been squeezed out of it like toothpaste. The first words to go are names, then adjectives (which is almost a benefit), then verbs (which is not), until before you know it you’re asking your sweetie if he wants to eat a “ummm… you know?… that food that goes in the toaster… with squares and the sugar sauce?” for dinner. (When it gets really bad I cut the word pizza into my arm Memento-style so I won’t starve when I’m away from home.)
But all that’s behind me now. The sweet, beautiful English language is back in my brain, and I can summon the words I need at will! Like, cantankerous! Or crinoline! Or persnickety! Or prestidigitation!
On second thought I hate all those words, but I have lots more to choose from!
Now that my brain is back, I can take a clear-eyed look at what I actually wrote in November. For the first time in the four years I’ve been participating in Nanowrimo, this year I sat down and re-read what I had written. Folks, it was surprisingly not terrible.
It’s true that the timeline makes no sense whatsoever, the science is sketchy at best, minor characters change gender with a frequency Mrs. Doubtfire would envy, and one side character is surprised over and over again to learn that hookworms can cure his asthma, but if you overlook those small problems, the book is not garbage. Not garbage is a big jump up from my prior Novelling attempts. (And before you get all optimistic and ask me how I know the other books were garbage if I never read them, let me assure you that I know. I know the way a mother gerbil knows which of her children to raise and which to eat. Those books were losers.)
The best part of having a draft that’s not garbage is that I now have something to edit. Now the purely creative side of me that’s been slaving away for the past month can go take a nap while the internal editor gets to work. The purely creative part has been LAZY all these years, so the internal editor’s never had a novel to work on before. She’s psyched.
To be honest, the next step will involve a little more writing, but now I’ll have the big picture to show me what needs to be written and how it fits into the wider whole. My goal for December is to have an outline of the book with a list of scenes I still need to write. I also want to do some reorganizing to make sure that the dramatic action falls in the right places. That means no hard core writing until I have the outline straightened out. Hooray for a few more weeks of tv!
What is writing-stupidity? It’s basically when so much time and concentration has gone into a writing project that the brain’s thoughts have been squeezed out of it like toothpaste. The first words to go are names, then adjectives (which is almost a benefit), then verbs (which is not), until before you know it you’re asking your sweetie if he wants to eat a “ummm… you know?… that food that goes in the toaster… with squares and the sugar sauce?” for dinner. (When it gets really bad I cut the word pizza into my arm Memento-style so I won’t starve when I’m away from home.)
But all that’s behind me now. The sweet, beautiful English language is back in my brain, and I can summon the words I need at will! Like, cantankerous! Or crinoline! Or persnickety! Or prestidigitation!
On second thought I hate all those words, but I have lots more to choose from!
Now that my brain is back, I can take a clear-eyed look at what I actually wrote in November. For the first time in the four years I’ve been participating in Nanowrimo, this year I sat down and re-read what I had written. Folks, it was surprisingly not terrible.
It’s true that the timeline makes no sense whatsoever, the science is sketchy at best, minor characters change gender with a frequency Mrs. Doubtfire would envy, and one side character is surprised over and over again to learn that hookworms can cure his asthma, but if you overlook those small problems, the book is not garbage. Not garbage is a big jump up from my prior Novelling attempts. (And before you get all optimistic and ask me how I know the other books were garbage if I never read them, let me assure you that I know. I know the way a mother gerbil knows which of her children to raise and which to eat. Those books were losers.)
The best part of having a draft that’s not garbage is that I now have something to edit. Now the purely creative side of me that’s been slaving away for the past month can go take a nap while the internal editor gets to work. The purely creative part has been LAZY all these years, so the internal editor’s never had a novel to work on before. She’s psyched.
To be honest, the next step will involve a little more writing, but now I’ll have the big picture to show me what needs to be written and how it fits into the wider whole. My goal for December is to have an outline of the book with a list of scenes I still need to write. I also want to do some reorganizing to make sure that the dramatic action falls in the right places. That means no hard core writing until I have the outline straightened out. Hooray for a few more weeks of tv!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Day 1 of NaNoWriMo 09
So far so good. Today was the first day of NaNoWriMo and I racked up 3,510 words. I’m a little over a day ahead of schedule. With one weekend trip and unknown Thanksgiving plans ahead, getting as far ahead on word count as I can right now is going to be key.
In case you’re wondering, I’ve decided on a tiered system of backups to make sure I don’t lose this book if the new hard drive fails. I’m writing my novel on Word and saving it in a file on my desktop. Once it’s saved there, I upload it into Scrivener and put it into a file by chapter (not for backup purposes, but to make it easier to edit later). Then, I email the file to myself from my yahoo account into my google account. And, I’ll also be putting the entire desktop word document file onto my backup hard drive once a week. Flying by the seat of my pants was fun while it lasted, but for the foreseeable future I am going to be one of those nutso-super-backed-up people. (I draw the line at printing anything out, though.)
One question that’s been hard for me to answer -- Am I rewriting the immortality book? Yes and no. I decided to use some advice from Carolyn See’s book to create a better version of my novel. Basically, I made one list of everything I love to read, and another list of everything I hate to read. Now, I’m adding all the things on my love list to my novel and dropping the topics I hate. This is actually harder than you’d think. Those hateful things have a way of making themselves sound necessary. Such as children, victims, and descriptions of houses. blah.
One thing I realized when I was making my lists was that I was a lot more excited about the first chapters I wrote a year ago, even though they had less literary merit than the latest ones, because those chapters centered on the elements I'm excited to read about. There was mystery, intrigue, excitement, and a lot less brooding. It’s just so much fun to write about the handsomest man and woman in the world alone on an island with a bunch of deranged mutants and a mad scientist. I mean, come on! I’d love to believe that farther into the process I can edit it into a smart commentary on interpersonal relationships in the modern world or something, but for sanity’s sake I think I owe it to myself to just write the pulpy first draft that I want it to be. (And also apparently write the phrase “gave the appearance of” twelve times on every page, because I am completely o.o.c.)
Anyway, I won’t be posting much on the blog in the coming weeks (why start now, right?). I don’t want to waste my writing energies on posts that aren’t required by my employer or the NaNoWriMo rulebook. So have a nice early November and I’ll talk to you around Black Friday.
In case you’re wondering, I’ve decided on a tiered system of backups to make sure I don’t lose this book if the new hard drive fails. I’m writing my novel on Word and saving it in a file on my desktop. Once it’s saved there, I upload it into Scrivener and put it into a file by chapter (not for backup purposes, but to make it easier to edit later). Then, I email the file to myself from my yahoo account into my google account. And, I’ll also be putting the entire desktop word document file onto my backup hard drive once a week. Flying by the seat of my pants was fun while it lasted, but for the foreseeable future I am going to be one of those nutso-super-backed-up people. (I draw the line at printing anything out, though.)
One question that’s been hard for me to answer -- Am I rewriting the immortality book? Yes and no. I decided to use some advice from Carolyn See’s book to create a better version of my novel. Basically, I made one list of everything I love to read, and another list of everything I hate to read. Now, I’m adding all the things on my love list to my novel and dropping the topics I hate. This is actually harder than you’d think. Those hateful things have a way of making themselves sound necessary. Such as children, victims, and descriptions of houses. blah.
One thing I realized when I was making my lists was that I was a lot more excited about the first chapters I wrote a year ago, even though they had less literary merit than the latest ones, because those chapters centered on the elements I'm excited to read about. There was mystery, intrigue, excitement, and a lot less brooding. It’s just so much fun to write about the handsomest man and woman in the world alone on an island with a bunch of deranged mutants and a mad scientist. I mean, come on! I’d love to believe that farther into the process I can edit it into a smart commentary on interpersonal relationships in the modern world or something, but for sanity’s sake I think I owe it to myself to just write the pulpy first draft that I want it to be. (And also apparently write the phrase “gave the appearance of” twelve times on every page, because I am completely o.o.c.)
Anyway, I won’t be posting much on the blog in the coming weeks (why start now, right?). I don’t want to waste my writing energies on posts that aren’t required by my employer or the NaNoWriMo rulebook. So have a nice early November and I’ll talk to you around Black Friday.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Nanowrimo goals change
One week until Nanowrimo and everything has changed. Remember that part of my last post about how if my computer crashed I would lose everything? Well that happened. And in the middle of my first back-up! Thursday night I took my laptop to the Genius Bar and they confirmed that not only was the hard drive dead, but nothing had been transferred to the back up hard drive before it died.
Sigh.
So after hours of soul searching I’ve decided to devote Nanowrimo this year to writing a rough draft of the story I’ve been working on for the last 13 months. I’m afraid that if I spend the next month thinking about a different story, I’ll lose all the ideas I have for the immortality book, and won’t ever come back to it. I’ve just done too much work to let that happen.
Is it crazy to sign up for a month of compulsively working on a project I’m already burnt out on? Am I completely nuts to think a draft written in a month will be anywhere near satisfying after I spent a year carefully crafting the lost work I did on this book? And, am I putting myself at serious risk of failing Nanowrimo by taking this on? Probably, probably, and certainly, but at least it’ll be a good challenge.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Countdown to Nanowrimo
Just 11 days left until November, and the official start of Nanowrimo. Last year I fudged the rules by working on a novel I already had in progress, and aiming for just 30,000 words by month end. This year I am only too happy to set my W.I.P. aside and focus on something completely different for a month.
A quick update on the Work in Progress: I’ve been working on my immortality book for 13 months now, and am seeing the characters and plot lines coming together. The shape of the book has changed a lot, and what I used to envision as the first half or third of the book is now more than enough to cover the entire novel. The climax is still the same – boy becomes immortal! – but I’ve done a lot of work on characterization and world building, so I have a better idea now of what the tone of the book should be.
I’ve also been doing a lot of research. No one would mistake me for a scientist, but I certainly have a better grasp on the basic principles of genome mapping, dna manipulation, and where “aging” happens. All science and no play makes Kayleigh’s project a dull book, so in addition to banging my head into every information wall I can find, I’ve also done a lot of fun reading, including Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, some recent issues of Tin House, and Carolyn See’s Making a Literary Life. Now I’m finally reading Frankenstein, which falls somewhere between research and fun reading.
A quick update on the Work in Progress: I’ve been working on my immortality book for 13 months now, and am seeing the characters and plot lines coming together. The shape of the book has changed a lot, and what I used to envision as the first half or third of the book is now more than enough to cover the entire novel. The climax is still the same – boy becomes immortal! – but I’ve done a lot of work on characterization and world building, so I have a better idea now of what the tone of the book should be.
I’ve also been doing a lot of research. No one would mistake me for a scientist, but I certainly have a better grasp on the basic principles of genome mapping, dna manipulation, and where “aging” happens. All science and no play makes Kayleigh’s project a dull book, so in addition to banging my head into every information wall I can find, I’ve also done a lot of fun reading, including Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, some recent issues of Tin House, and Carolyn See’s Making a Literary Life. Now I’m finally reading Frankenstein, which falls somewhere between research and fun reading.
Despite the progress, I’ve been feeling pretty burned out lately. All my documents and notes have become unwieldy, and going back through the early chapters when my characters had completely different names and backgrounds is utterly demoralizing. I must’ve written 20 “first chapters” and none of them are going to be the real one. I think it’ll be good to have a month off to regain some perspective, and also some time when I’m not reading about the free radicals that are building up in my cells, busting up my mitochondria and making me look old (not pleasant).
So, as November 1 and a sweet vacation from sci-fi approach, I’m gearing up for a month when the only thing that matters is word count, and nobody gets that glazed look in their eyes when I start chatting about telomerase (because I will not be discussing telomerase, of course). I will be a lean, mean, word typing machine and by November 30 I will have a complete story – beginning, middle and end!
Here are a few of the preparations I’ve made in advance of Nanowrimo:
1. First, I downloaded Scrivener to organize my book. Scrivener is a great little program that’s very intuitive. It organizes chapters, notes, and even source documents, and makes rearranging novel section or getting word counts effortless. During Nanowrimo, they’re offering a free trial subscription that goes now through December, and then 50% off the cost of the application to nano winners. After that, I
2. Bought a backup hard drive. Finally. What made the decision for me was seeing my old novels neatly organized in Scrivener and realizing I would lose ALL OF IT if my computer crashed. Luckily I found a great deal on MacMall for the one I’ve had my heart set on. Thus secured, I
3. Reread No Plot, No Problem. A great pep talk and excellent refresher on the nanowrimo rules. Now all that’s left is
4. Stocking up on easy-to-prepare foods and candies. I’m also going to need a sizable chunk of money for ordering Pizzas and Chinese food. Yes my diet will suffer, but there's no gain without pain right? But wait, I'd also love to
5. Get some more nanowrimo buddies. If you’re reading this and by some miracle your name is not Julia or Ryan, you can get in on the novel writing action at nanowrimo.org. My user name is Kayleigh and I’d love to have some more people to race to the finish line. See you there!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Science Fact
Today’s a big day for me. A book I’ve had my eye on for a few months is finally coming out in paperback; Microcosm: E. Coli and the New Science of Life. In truth, I have a “to read” pile two feet high, so I shouldn’t be buying any more books for a while, but I’m sure I’ll scoop it up in the next two weeks.
As I’ve probably mentioned here before, I’ve been reading a lot of science lately. My current writing project is a science-fiction novel, and I’m trying to keep it as realistic as possible. It’s set in the very near future and addresses issues of genetic engineering and artificial intelligence. While I don’t necessarily expect everything in my book to come true, it’s important to me that anything in the book could happen, so it won’t require too much suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader.
Now, my educational background is not very heavy on science. I can remember high school biology nearly bringing me to tears with concepts like Eukaryotic cells and the Kreb Cycle. And the curriculum at my college (COM) was so light on the sciences that it was affectionately known around the University as the “College of Optional Math”. (At the time I was feeling smug for being clever enough to choose a major light on memorization, but now I wish I’d challenged myself more when my brain cells were young and absorbent.)
So, all this is to say that I require a certain level of accessibility in science texts. When the greek symbols and tiny letters show up, my eyes cross and the book (or magazine) goes back on the shelf. At the same time, I’m skeptical of the popular-science self-help genre that spends the first 30 pages relating hard science about the brain and body, but then throws it all out the window in the rest of the book explaining how we can meditate or concentrate away what ails us. (Michael Paul Mason’s “Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath” includes an excellent take-down of this phenomenon in Malcom Gladwell’s books) The search for an informative science book can be daunting given these limits, the short shelf-life of “current” science, and especially with the average bookstore’s protracted science section (the downtown Boston Borders' alphabetized science section is the worst - astronomy mixed in with evolution, mixed in with chemistry, mixed in with archeology)
But, in spite of the challenges, I’ve been lucky to discover a few sources that consistently inspire and inform. Here are four off the top of my head:
WNYC’s Radiolab - while I think they focus a little too much on style over substance, Radiolab does a great job of raising interesting questions and pointing listeners in the direction of experts in a variety of scientific fields. They use innovative sound manipulation and music to make science fun and welcoming to the general audience.
Carl Zimmer - (as mentioned above) is prolific and terrific. Check out his site: http://www.carlzimmer.com/ . It’s worth viewing for the collection of science-themed tattoos, alone. While Zimmer’s articles can sometimes be a little dense for someone (me) not familiar with whatever topic he’s discussing, they’re worth taking an extra swig of coffee and applying yourself. They’re written with a playful excitement that makes formerly boring subjects interesting, and you never for a moment doubt that every word is backed up with cold hard facts and a deep understanding of the forces at work.
Michael Paul Mason – as far as I know he only has one book out, but it’s a gem. “Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath” explains the brain through the stories of people who’ve experienced its limitations. This book is equal parts informative and emotionally intense.
Ray Kurzweil - you didn’t think I’d leave him out, did you? I read the entire “Age of Spiritual Machines” with my jaw on the floor. What Kurzweil lacks in beautiful sentences he more than makes up for in audacity. By the end of the book you’ll not only believe your body will be replaced by a machine, you might even be looking forward to it! (ok, maybe not, but you might accept it at least)
(Pointedly absent from my list: Matt Ridley, Douglas Hofstadter, Oliver Sacks. Enough said.)
Of course I'm always looking for more "True Science" to read, so if you know of a good book on DNA, genetics, or neurology then please clue me in! I still have a long way to go on this novel, and haven't discovered a way to create immortality, yet.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Date Night at Myers & Chang
Who knows where my food obsessions come from? I get a craving and I must have that food Weekly! Daily! Hourly! Until I’ve had enough. This week it’s the food Joann Chang makes.
It started on Saturday with Flour in the Fort Point area. Greg and I were downtown for the Tall Ships. Our original plan was to find a nice seafood or Italian place to walk in to, but when we reached the waterfront we discovered 2 million people ahead of us in line.
Luckily, we’re savvy locals and I knew that Flour – the studio 54 of downtown lunch spots that I'd never had the time to visit during the workweek -- was around … here …. somewhere…
Success! The inviting café was open, fully stocked, and empty on a weekend afternoon! Our lunch – hearty, inventive sandwiches with chunky kitchen-sink style cookies for dessert – was so delicious it instantly sparked my foodie synapses firing. Not even halfway through my sandwiches I was already figuring out when I could come back. And, of course, when I could get to Myers and Chang.
How did I make it through Sunday? Who knows! But here we are at Monday night, and I’ve got my M&C leftovers
In the boxes :
- Red curry cauliflower
- Lemony Shrimp dumplings*
- Thai ginger chicken salad
- Tofu steak w/ buckwheat noodles
- Brown rice
- Green tea*
- Bittersweet coffee cake, Vietnamese coffee sauce*
- Lemon-ginger mousse coupe, homemade fortune cookie*
*ok, these ones are in my belly.
We feasted like emperors! Myers & Chang offers date night Sunday – Tuesday. $40/ couple, with 5 or so different combinations of foods around a theme. (We chose “healthy date”) The food was heavenly. I couldn’t stop closing my eyes while I was eating – drifting off into the flavors. Every ingredient’s flavor came through. Each dish had its own architecture of tastes. lemony, gingery, noodley, thingsI'veneverhadbefore-y... I can’t remember the last time I’ve enjoyed a meal this much. Believe the hype - this restaurant is wonderful.
After dinner we walked back to the bus, and passed Flour on the way. We stopped in to pick a few more snacks for the fridge -- more of those amazing chocolate-oatmeal-pecan cookies, and a few other treats. Hopefully these stores will get us through the rest of the week. I hear Myers & Chang does dim sum on the weekends.
It started on Saturday with Flour in the Fort Point area. Greg and I were downtown for the Tall Ships. Our original plan was to find a nice seafood or Italian place to walk in to, but when we reached the waterfront we discovered 2 million people ahead of us in line.
Luckily, we’re savvy locals and I knew that Flour – the studio 54 of downtown lunch spots that I'd never had the time to visit during the workweek -- was around … here …. somewhere…
Success! The inviting café was open, fully stocked, and empty on a weekend afternoon! Our lunch – hearty, inventive sandwiches with chunky kitchen-sink style cookies for dessert – was so delicious it instantly sparked my foodie synapses firing. Not even halfway through my sandwiches I was already figuring out when I could come back. And, of course, when I could get to Myers and Chang.
How did I make it through Sunday? Who knows! But here we are at Monday night, and I’ve got my M&C leftovers
In the boxes :
- Red curry cauliflower
- Lemony Shrimp dumplings*
- Thai ginger chicken salad
- Tofu steak w/ buckwheat noodles
- Brown rice
- Green tea*
- Bittersweet coffee cake, Vietnamese coffee sauce*
- Lemon-ginger mousse coupe, homemade fortune cookie*
*ok, these ones are in my belly.
We feasted like emperors! Myers & Chang offers date night Sunday – Tuesday. $40/ couple, with 5 or so different combinations of foods around a theme. (We chose “healthy date”) The food was heavenly. I couldn’t stop closing my eyes while I was eating – drifting off into the flavors. Every ingredient’s flavor came through. Each dish had its own architecture of tastes. lemony, gingery, noodley, thingsI'veneverhadbefore-y... I can’t remember the last time I’ve enjoyed a meal this much. Believe the hype - this restaurant is wonderful.
After dinner we walked back to the bus, and passed Flour on the way. We stopped in to pick a few more snacks for the fridge -- more of those amazing chocolate-oatmeal-pecan cookies, and a few other treats. Hopefully these stores will get us through the rest of the week. I hear Myers & Chang does dim sum on the weekends.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Change to Comments
Apparently I offended someone with my post on tax-day freebies. Sorry Anonymous!
I decided to remove the post, which means the comment went with it. Also, I've decided to enable comment moderation, so know that if you comment about free cinnabon giveaways your comment will not be approved. Wouldn't want to offend my anonymous reader!
I decided to remove the post, which means the comment went with it. Also, I've decided to enable comment moderation, so know that if you comment about free cinnabon giveaways your comment will not be approved. Wouldn't want to offend my anonymous reader!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Recommendation: Brattle Realty
Have I told you lately that I love my landlord?
Yesterday Greg and I came home to find a note on our door that service had been done in the apartment during the day. Apparently our shower head was spraying water onto the wall and it was leaking into the apartment below ours. (I had noticed it was getting a bit erratic) The management company came to check it out, and when they found the source of the problem they replaced it with a brand spanking new shower head. And it’s a good one! I’m continually impressed by the speed with which they respond to complaints and the high quality of the workmanship and fixtures they use. It’s especially impressive considering the number of properties they oversee.
If you are thinking of renting around Arlington, consider a property managed by Brattle Realty. They are the Boston area’s best.
Yesterday Greg and I came home to find a note on our door that service had been done in the apartment during the day. Apparently our shower head was spraying water onto the wall and it was leaking into the apartment below ours. (I had noticed it was getting a bit erratic) The management company came to check it out, and when they found the source of the problem they replaced it with a brand spanking new shower head. And it’s a good one! I’m continually impressed by the speed with which they respond to complaints and the high quality of the workmanship and fixtures they use. It’s especially impressive considering the number of properties they oversee.
If you are thinking of renting around Arlington, consider a property managed by Brattle Realty. They are the Boston area’s best.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Weekend Reading: Second Nature by Michael Pollan
It’s been a while since I’ve posted my weekend reading. This weekend in honor of the official start of Spring I’m reading Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education by Michael Pollan. This is one of Pollan’s older books; he’s since gone on to Best-Sellerdom with The Botany of Desire, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and now In Defense of Food. Second Nature seems to be more about gardening, whereas the other books are more about the food industry, and the ethics of agriculture.
First of all, Pollan is a tremendously gifted, engaging writer. If he were writing phone books, then phone books would be one of my favorite genres. He’s one of those writers who takes a subject that seems boring or one sided, and he just researches the hell out of it and then gives it back to you like an expose so you walk away thinking wow, this is obviously the single most important issue today and I need to do something about it. (Michael Lewis is another).
I can honestly say The Omnivore’s Dilemma changed my life, and if you haven’t read it yet, you should go do so right now (I’ll even lend you my copy). But with Second Nature I’m just looking for a little food porn. I want to read about bunnies and deer, and the first lettuces of spring. And so far that is exactly what I’m getting.
Happy reading!
First of all, Pollan is a tremendously gifted, engaging writer. If he were writing phone books, then phone books would be one of my favorite genres. He’s one of those writers who takes a subject that seems boring or one sided, and he just researches the hell out of it and then gives it back to you like an expose so you walk away thinking wow, this is obviously the single most important issue today and I need to do something about it. (Michael Lewis is another).
I can honestly say The Omnivore’s Dilemma changed my life, and if you haven’t read it yet, you should go do so right now (I’ll even lend you my copy). But with Second Nature I’m just looking for a little food porn. I want to read about bunnies and deer, and the first lettuces of spring. And so far that is exactly what I’m getting.
Happy reading!
Great Boston Dentist
This week I had my semi-annual dentist checkup/cleaning, this time with a new dentist. My old dentist, who I loved, moved away from the Boston area last year, and I wasn’t happy with the other dentists I saw at that office (no horror stories, so I won’t name names). I’ve been on the lookout for a new dentist ever since, and was intrigued a few months back when The Missus posted a recommendation for Dr. Geoffrey Davis
After my first visit, I’m over the moon! I’ve had some bad experiences with Boston area dentists in the past, but Dr. Davis and his staff made me feel comfortable and confident in their abilities. The location couldn’t be more convenient, the office was clean and welcoming, and everyone there was personable and able to answer my questions.
I was especially impressed with their reaction to one issue I’d been worried about for a while. When I was younger I had braces to straighten my teeth, but I’ve noticed over the years my lower teeth are pushing forward and starting to crowd together. My old dentist assured me that it’s normal for teeth to move forward as people age, and she offered to give me the name of an orthodontist if I wanted to have a retainer made to stop it from getting worse. But, I was concerned about the cost and going to the trouble of making a series of appointments with an orthodontist. When I brought up the issue with Dr. Davis he was able to quote me a price for the retainer right then and there. I said I did want to go ahead with having one made, and he was able to make the mold for me at the same appointment, and send the mold to the company that makes the retainers. I really appreciated that he was knowledgeable and proactive about my concern. Now I just have to wait 2 weeks for the retainer to come in.
I’m happy to check “Get New Dentist” off my 2009 Resolutions, and would definitely recommend Dr. Davis to anyone else out there looking to switch.
After my first visit, I’m over the moon! I’ve had some bad experiences with Boston area dentists in the past, but Dr. Davis and his staff made me feel comfortable and confident in their abilities. The location couldn’t be more convenient, the office was clean and welcoming, and everyone there was personable and able to answer my questions.
I was especially impressed with their reaction to one issue I’d been worried about for a while. When I was younger I had braces to straighten my teeth, but I’ve noticed over the years my lower teeth are pushing forward and starting to crowd together. My old dentist assured me that it’s normal for teeth to move forward as people age, and she offered to give me the name of an orthodontist if I wanted to have a retainer made to stop it from getting worse. But, I was concerned about the cost and going to the trouble of making a series of appointments with an orthodontist. When I brought up the issue with Dr. Davis he was able to quote me a price for the retainer right then and there. I said I did want to go ahead with having one made, and he was able to make the mold for me at the same appointment, and send the mold to the company that makes the retainers. I really appreciated that he was knowledgeable and proactive about my concern. Now I just have to wait 2 weeks for the retainer to come in.
I’m happy to check “Get New Dentist” off my 2009 Resolutions, and would definitely recommend Dr. Davis to anyone else out there looking to switch.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
It’s Official – Christmas Season over in DTX
Here’s one more for anyone counting “Signs of Spring” in Boston. Today on my way to work I saw workers taking down the Christmas Wreaths from the old Filene’s building.
What, you didn’t notice they were still up? Those wreaths were looking as tired as the construction pit of doom on the other side of the wall.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
10 Great Book Series
Happy St. Patty’s Day, everyone! (and Evacuation Day to Bostonians). We’re one holiday closer to Spring!
This March 17th finds me engrossed in the Night Watch series of books – a great series that’s gotten me thinking about my favorite series of winters past. Without much ado, here are 10 of my faves:
10. His Dark Materials (3) by Philip Pullman. I wasn’t crazy about the plot of these books -- in fact at many points I lost interest in what it was the characters were running to or from – but the elements Pullman got right made the whole series worth reading.
9. The Twilight Series (4) by Stephenie Meyer. I didn’t think this series would be for me, since it’s billed as romance, but after I saw the film I couldn’t wait to read the books. Admittedly, the first few are a little slow, but in the end all my questions were answered and then some. What I love about these books is that they’re not above admitting that yes, living forever and having superhuman abilities would be pretty freaking awesome.
8. Harry Potter (7) by J. K. Rowling. Reading the Harry Potter books, at times I wished I could push Harry out of the way and just explore the world the books were set in, without Harry, Ron or Hermione. In every book there were new inventive characters and locations, completely absurd yet completely believable. The world is so vivid 100 more books could be set there without Mr. Potter needing to make an appearance.
7. The Foundation Books (7) by Isaac Asimov. One of my first forays into sci-fi reading, these books have a special place in my heart. It’s hard to believe the original book - Foundation - is 50 years old!
6. Frankenstein’s Children (?) by Richard Pierce. I loved these books in 8th grade. About a young girl who will do anything to bring her boyfriend back from the dead.
5. The Vampire Chronicles (?) by Anne Rice.
4. The Fell Books by M. E. Kerr. Another of my 8th grade favorites. Part Dickens, part Salinger. What public school kid doesn’t love reading about a mysterious private school?
3. Peanut Butter and Jilly (?) books by Dorothy Haas. These came in my book-orders when I was a kid. They’re about two best friends with coordinating nick names. In my favorite book in the series they have a Halloween party with foods that feel like body parts (spaghetti for brains, grapes for eyes, etc.)
2. Coffeehouse mysteries (7) by Cleo Coyle. These one-sitting cozies include recipes for fancy coffee drinks.
1. The Night Watch Series (4) by Sergei Lukyanenko.
What are you favorite book series? Feel free to leave them in the comments, or post to your blog.
This March 17th finds me engrossed in the Night Watch series of books – a great series that’s gotten me thinking about my favorite series of winters past. Without much ado, here are 10 of my faves:
10. His Dark Materials (3) by Philip Pullman. I wasn’t crazy about the plot of these books -- in fact at many points I lost interest in what it was the characters were running to or from – but the elements Pullman got right made the whole series worth reading.
9. The Twilight Series (4) by Stephenie Meyer. I didn’t think this series would be for me, since it’s billed as romance, but after I saw the film I couldn’t wait to read the books. Admittedly, the first few are a little slow, but in the end all my questions were answered and then some. What I love about these books is that they’re not above admitting that yes, living forever and having superhuman abilities would be pretty freaking awesome.
8. Harry Potter (7) by J. K. Rowling. Reading the Harry Potter books, at times I wished I could push Harry out of the way and just explore the world the books were set in, without Harry, Ron or Hermione. In every book there were new inventive characters and locations, completely absurd yet completely believable. The world is so vivid 100 more books could be set there without Mr. Potter needing to make an appearance.
7. The Foundation Books (7) by Isaac Asimov. One of my first forays into sci-fi reading, these books have a special place in my heart. It’s hard to believe the original book - Foundation - is 50 years old!
6. Frankenstein’s Children (?) by Richard Pierce. I loved these books in 8th grade. About a young girl who will do anything to bring her boyfriend back from the dead.
5. The Vampire Chronicles (?) by Anne Rice.
4. The Fell Books by M. E. Kerr. Another of my 8th grade favorites. Part Dickens, part Salinger. What public school kid doesn’t love reading about a mysterious private school?
3. Peanut Butter and Jilly (?) books by Dorothy Haas. These came in my book-orders when I was a kid. They’re about two best friends with coordinating nick names. In my favorite book in the series they have a Halloween party with foods that feel like body parts (spaghetti for brains, grapes for eyes, etc.)
2. Coffeehouse mysteries (7) by Cleo Coyle. These one-sitting cozies include recipes for fancy coffee drinks.
1. The Night Watch Series (4) by Sergei Lukyanenko.
What are you favorite book series? Feel free to leave them in the comments, or post to your blog.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Review: Starbucks Breakfast sandwich
Just because I'm taking a break from coffee, doesn't mean I'm taking a break from Starbucks. I pass one on my way to work everyday, and it's the most convenient place for me to grab breakfast when I haven't had time to make anything for myself. Even though they're often characterized as overpriced, in the financial district there aren't many alternatives that are cheaper, and the Starbucks option usually has fewer additives. I'm a big fan of Starbucks for a number of reasons, but that's the subject for another post.
Usually, I get the "perfect oatmeal" with nuts. It's made from a sugar free instant oatmeal mix, and the containers Starbucks uses do a good job of steaping the oatmeal, without leaving it too runny or too dry. I consider this a so-so breakfast for healthy eating. It doesn't have sugar and does contain protein and fiber, but instant oatmeal is more processed than whole oats, and I don't feel as full as I long as I would with other breakfasts.
This morning, knowing I'd have a lot to get done at work, I wanted more protein. I decided to try one of the new breakfast sandwiches. They smell terrible, I have to admit, but I did like the sandwich overall. I had egg and turkey bacon on english muffin (the english muffin seemed to be whole grain, but I havent' been able to verify). It was head and shoulders above Dunkin Donuts breakfast sandwiches, in taste, value and nutrition. I wouldn't say it's better than home made eggs and bacon, but in a pinch I would absolutely get this again.
Usually, I get the "perfect oatmeal" with nuts. It's made from a sugar free instant oatmeal mix, and the containers Starbucks uses do a good job of steaping the oatmeal, without leaving it too runny or too dry. I consider this a so-so breakfast for healthy eating. It doesn't have sugar and does contain protein and fiber, but instant oatmeal is more processed than whole oats, and I don't feel as full as I long as I would with other breakfasts.
This morning, knowing I'd have a lot to get done at work, I wanted more protein. I decided to try one of the new breakfast sandwiches. They smell terrible, I have to admit, but I did like the sandwich overall. I had egg and turkey bacon on english muffin (the english muffin seemed to be whole grain, but I havent' been able to verify). It was head and shoulders above Dunkin Donuts breakfast sandwiches, in taste, value and nutrition. I wouldn't say it's better than home made eggs and bacon, but in a pinch I would absolutely get this again.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Review: Shecky's Girls Night Out / Pops Restaurant
Tonight Alicia and I hit the South End for a girl's night out.
We started with an early dinner at Pops Restaurant. Pops had terrific truffle fries and perfectly done brussels sprouts with garlic, so it pains me to say I just can't get behind this restaurant. The service was weird -- from the cold bread they delivered to us by bringing out a special towel covered basket and taking one piece out for each of our plates before returning the whole basket to the kitchen (why was it cold? why bring a whole basket full of bread and just give us one slice each? why serve the butter in that weird little candle snuffer?), to the lack of salt and pepper on the table, to the odd man at the front who asked me "and how was everything?" when I left the bathroom. Then the food. While my sides were delicious, my burger was disgustingly undercooked. I asked for medium and what I got was a cold, wet mess. Wet chunks of raw meat fell out of it when I cut it in half to better manage (one thing they've got going is big portions). but overall, yech. I'm happy with a burger anywhere from medium-rare to well done, but this was rare rare. Except on the outside. Well done on the outside, raw on the inside. That is nobody's ideal burger. The menu also had some very odd choices -- Kobe meatloaf? and what is french feta? Sorry, but for the south end in a lousy economy, this place is not cutting it.
After dinner we headed to "Shecky's Girls Night Out". I'm going to give this a thumbs up. The vendors were mostly jewelry or unusual Renaissance Fair princess clothing, but my ticket came with a free bag of goodies, and 5 free drinks tickets. Not bad for a Tuesday night in the cold black heart of winter.
First, the drinks: At the front there was a miller light or coors light booth (whichever has a new line of fruit flavored beers). I've tried these citrus beers before and they're not my thing so I skipped it. Next up was Bacardi with their silver soda pop tasting drinks. Alicia had, I think Raspberry, and I had a pomegranate one. It was good, pretty much like those alcoholic frescas always taste. Next up was mixed drinks -- I started with the grossest drink I've ever had (besides the fruity miller light), a midori margarita. midori, sour mix, lime and tequila. yech. I told Alicia it tasted like a margarita served in a dirty glass. And finally, after the three bears I found my goldilocks -- a pink grapefruit flavored drink. It was refreshing and light and delicious, so I had two. booyah.
Now, the goody bags. According to the website, the good bags were supposedly worth $100. If that's true I'd say it's probably $25 retail value + $75 surprise factor because there's no telling how they came up with this random assortment of stuff. In total I had:
We started with an early dinner at Pops Restaurant. Pops had terrific truffle fries and perfectly done brussels sprouts with garlic, so it pains me to say I just can't get behind this restaurant. The service was weird -- from the cold bread they delivered to us by bringing out a special towel covered basket and taking one piece out for each of our plates before returning the whole basket to the kitchen (why was it cold? why bring a whole basket full of bread and just give us one slice each? why serve the butter in that weird little candle snuffer?), to the lack of salt and pepper on the table, to the odd man at the front who asked me "and how was everything?" when I left the bathroom. Then the food. While my sides were delicious, my burger was disgustingly undercooked. I asked for medium and what I got was a cold, wet mess. Wet chunks of raw meat fell out of it when I cut it in half to better manage (one thing they've got going is big portions). but overall, yech. I'm happy with a burger anywhere from medium-rare to well done, but this was rare rare. Except on the outside. Well done on the outside, raw on the inside. That is nobody's ideal burger. The menu also had some very odd choices -- Kobe meatloaf? and what is french feta? Sorry, but for the south end in a lousy economy, this place is not cutting it.
After dinner we headed to "Shecky's Girls Night Out". I'm going to give this a thumbs up. The vendors were mostly jewelry or unusual Renaissance Fair princess clothing, but my ticket came with a free bag of goodies, and 5 free drinks tickets. Not bad for a Tuesday night in the cold black heart of winter.
First, the drinks: At the front there was a miller light or coors light booth (whichever has a new line of fruit flavored beers). I've tried these citrus beers before and they're not my thing so I skipped it. Next up was Bacardi with their silver soda pop tasting drinks. Alicia had, I think Raspberry, and I had a pomegranate one. It was good, pretty much like those alcoholic frescas always taste. Next up was mixed drinks -- I started with the grossest drink I've ever had (besides the fruity miller light), a midori margarita. midori, sour mix, lime and tequila. yech. I told Alicia it tasted like a margarita served in a dirty glass. And finally, after the three bears I found my goldilocks -- a pink grapefruit flavored drink. It was refreshing and light and delicious, so I had two. booyah.
Now, the goody bags. According to the website, the good bags were supposedly worth $100. If that's true I'd say it's probably $25 retail value + $75 surprise factor because there's no telling how they came up with this random assortment of stuff. In total I had:
- 1 box splenda mocha flavored coffee sweeteners
- 1 huge full size hair spray
- 1 nail polish remover pen
- 1 entire tube of toothpaste
- 4 goody ponytail holders
- 1 full size Nexxus anti-frizz hair spray
- 1 sample size dial body wash
- 1 sample size black shoe polish
- 1 coupon for bogo entree at Blu restaurant
- 2 OB tampon packs
- 1 smudgees eye makeup remover
- and my favorite -- 1 full size bottle of Carrot body spray
- also 1 embarrassing bag with MIDORI in huge print on the front
Monday, March 2, 2009
The most delicious snack you've never tried
The blizzard this weekend was perfect for staying indoors and with movies and snacks. One of the movies we caught was "First Daughter" starring Katie Holmes. It was passable, but I'm glad I watched it because it tuned me into a delicious snack Katie and her crush enjoy at a movie theater -- popcorn with m&m's mixed in.
Seriously, you have got to try this. It tastes a little like kettle corn, or the special chocolate chunk popcorn from Dale and Thomas.
You want this.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Signs of Life, in the Dead of Winter
Even in the coldest weeks of the year, nature persists. If you're an optimist like me, you can take it as a sign that old Groundhog was wrong, and Spring is on the way early.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Scrapbooking
This weekend I caught up on my scrapbooking -- finishing up my first book with two pages of photos from August, and starting a new book with Christmas 2008. This week I'll catch up with our trip to New York last month, and Valentines photos.
Knitting!
Last week I finished up my first full scarf. It was very easy, using a Knifty Knitter loom and the fluffiest non-wool yarn I could find. I'm a very imprecise crafter. I don't like to measure or count stitches, and I don't want to spend a lot of time reading about how to do something before I get started. I like to jump right in and experiment. So loom knitting works well for me. Here are a few shots of the finished product.
Next up -- a matching hat.
Next up -- a matching hat.
Jiggity Jog
Have you ever noticed that some days have themes that keep popping up from seemingly unrelated sources?
Today, two blogs I read regularly and that are linked in the column at the right -- May December and Mennonno sapiens both titled their posts "Home again, home again, Jiggity Jig". Elsewhere, Julia recently posted her notes from a Boskone panel on Fairy Tales. And, more locally, I just ate half a bag of mini cadbury eggs and am feeling a little like a pig.
So, giving in with the theme of the day, here's a little mother goose:
To market, to market, to buy a fat pig.
Home again, home again, jiggety jig.
To market, to market, to buy a fat hog,
Home again, home again, jiggety jog.
To market, to market, to buy a plum bun,
Home again, home again, market is done.
Today, two blogs I read regularly and that are linked in the column at the right -- May December and Mennonno sapiens both titled their posts "Home again, home again, Jiggity Jig". Elsewhere, Julia recently posted her notes from a Boskone panel on Fairy Tales. And, more locally, I just ate half a bag of mini cadbury eggs and am feeling a little like a pig.
So, giving in with the theme of the day, here's a little mother goose:
To market, to market, to buy a fat pig.
Home again, home again, jiggety jig.
To market, to market, to buy a fat hog,
Home again, home again, jiggety jog.
To market, to market, to buy a plum bun,
Home again, home again, market is done.
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