On Friday evening, our class was focused on forming laminated doughs. Laminated dough sounds just like what it is: layers in the dough. The two examples we were given in class were danishes (which are apparently called danishes everywhere except Denmark) and croissants. Both require the liberal use of flour (to prevent sticking), and copious amounts of butter ( to allow the dough to form layers between which are smears of fat - the butter - that prevented them from sticking and forming a single mass and loaf).
When we were signing up for groups, Kat and I started Group 3, as groups one and two already had five people each. Others signed up for groups 4 and 5, meaning that Kat and I were our own group. We had all the tasks to complete regardless of how the labor was supposed to be divided within each of the other groups. We ended up being the last group to use the large stand mixer, which sits on the floor rather than on the countertop, to form the initial dough for the danishes. We cut up and combined our four pounds of butter, then mixed in flour to help prevent sticking. When the class went into the classroom, (there's a classroom "half" and a kitchen "half") to discuss the croissants, I poked my head in, but we were still working on our danish dough. After the other groups came back into the kitchen, I consulted Kat, and we decided that we'd forego the croissants and just make the danishes.
Chef Lee Blackmore, the instructor, used our danish dough to demonstrate a couple of methods because we were ready with the danish dough earlier than other groups since they were working on the croissants as well. Our dough finally went into the freezer after its second "turn," and we cleaned up. We were done cleaning pretty early, even though we also helped to clean the whole kitchen at the end of class and not just our own workspace. Liz's group finished later, and we left together, since we're carpooling. First, we dropped off Somia (I'm not sure if that's the way it's spelled, but that's how it sounds, like Sonya but with an "m" instead of "n"), then returning to Liz & Chris's place, where Kat and I'd left our car for the evening.
Our class will finish turning our doughs on Monday. Then we'll rest them, shape and proof them, and finally bake them into danishes and croissants. I learned later on Friday night that two of the other groups who attempted the croissant dough failed and so there are only two groups who actually have croissant doughs to bake come Monday. Kat and I are thinking about what fillings to use in our danishes. We were considering a fruit jam (like apricot) with cream cheese. Or, I suggested, we could use a savory cheese, like a bleu. Kat suggested ricotta. I do like the idea of making different flavors of danishes, both sweet and savory, using the same dough. We will need to decide by class on Monday, in case we need to bring filling ingredients with us. Of course, any other students who decide to join our group will also be limited to danishes.
I hope that at some point in the future, I'll have the opportunity to make laminated dough again to form other pastries (I'd originally wanted to make croissants, but alas, we ran out of time this occurrence).
Something I learned was that the class actually finishes the day after Peter and I take our first flight on our way to Kosrae. There will apparently be a final for the class, in which each team of students will be assigned a recipe to complete, and then will be graded on the success of their execution. I'm actually a little sorry to miss the final exam, but I'm sure I'll be well-occupied.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Benzene Poisoning
I'll start by giving the link to the video I just watched:
http://www.upworthy.com/ever-heard-of-benzene-poisoning-me-neither-but-samsung-and-apple-have-1112?g=2&c=ufb3
In China, as well as elsewhere, I'm pretty sure, consumer electronics are produced in factories in which young people (think: teenagers, very young adults) work 12+ hours per day for very little pay. One of the occupational hazards is benzene poisoning, which appears to happen with great frequency. Though the government denies the workers' claims, the one thing that these young people have in common is their workplace. Not where they're from, not their genetics (although one might argue that asians are, racially, somehow more susceptible to benzene poisoning) are common. The fact appears to be that in order to escape poverty, many young people are leaving the countryside to live to factory towns, not unlike the United States in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. There, they find what work they can, and that often leads to abuse by corporations without a sense of responsibility to its workers. Companies like Apple and Samsung apparently contract with these manufacturers to produce consumer electronics at the lowest price possible, which, unfortunately, often involves the use of industrial chemicals and solvents like benzene, which, when used without proper ventilation, attacks the human body and causes illness (in this case, cancer/leukemia).
Apple Computer, Inc.
1-800-SAMSUNG (1-800-726-7864)
Mon - Fri: 8am - Midnight (EST)
Sat - Sun: 9am - 11pm (EST)
http://www.upworthy.com/ever-heard-of-benzene-poisoning-me-neither-but-samsung-and-apple-have-1112?g=2&c=ufb3
In China, as well as elsewhere, I'm pretty sure, consumer electronics are produced in factories in which young people (think: teenagers, very young adults) work 12+ hours per day for very little pay. One of the occupational hazards is benzene poisoning, which appears to happen with great frequency. Though the government denies the workers' claims, the one thing that these young people have in common is their workplace. Not where they're from, not their genetics (although one might argue that asians are, racially, somehow more susceptible to benzene poisoning) are common. The fact appears to be that in order to escape poverty, many young people are leaving the countryside to live to factory towns, not unlike the United States in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. There, they find what work they can, and that often leads to abuse by corporations without a sense of responsibility to its workers. Companies like Apple and Samsung apparently contract with these manufacturers to produce consumer electronics at the lowest price possible, which, unfortunately, often involves the use of industrial chemicals and solvents like benzene, which, when used without proper ventilation, attacks the human body and causes illness (in this case, cancer/leukemia).
Apple Computer, Inc.
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014
1-800-SAMSUNG (1-800-726-7864)
Mon - Fri: 8am - Midnight (EST)
Sat - Sun: 9am - 11pm (EST)
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
"Cowspiracy"
This is a shameless and somewhat urgent plug for the movie "Cowspiracy."
I am plugging this film because it's a totally worthwhile, thought-provoking, insightful movie that will inspire its audience to see the direction in which the human population must move if it is to avert the worst of climate change.
(WARNING)
I'm getting on my soapbox now:
What humanity needs to do, in order to prevent the worst of environmental destruction which will eventually lead to its own demise, is to evolve into a species that consumes zero animal products. Zero. That includes dairy: milk, cheese, eggs, butter, buttermilk, yogurt. And, by extension, leather. Everything. It won't come easily to many, myself included, but with the current rate of Amazonian and other rainforests' destruction for the sake of animal agriculture, it is incumbent upon our generation to lead our species into the next step in evolution. We've left the caves and spears behind. It's time to take another step forward...
I know this may be more difficult than expected, because there are certain foods for which I currently know of no substitutes. The number one "insubstitutable" for me is eggs. I continue to lean on ova (unfertilized) as a source of protein (and as leavening in some baked goods). I know it is possible to bake without the use of eggs or milk (like ginger snaps - see below). I've known people who've tried to live as vegans and have returned to ovo-lacto vegetarianism because it is, and I freely admit this, more difficult, in our society, centered as it is on an omnivorous diet, to consume the necessary nutrients required not merely to survive, but to thrive.
The film is currently on a nationwide tour, and I encourage everyone to look up the schedule and go to watch the movie when it comes through one's local venue. The showing last night was a one-off affair: they'll be off to other cities in the coming days.
Next week, it looks like "Cowspiracy" will be showing in Salt Lake City, Portland, Seattle, Albuquerque, Vancouver, and Denver. Other cities will follow. The filmmakers have already been contracted to create a version of the movie (without the graphic scenes of animal slaughter) for (hopefully public) schools to use in primary education, since it is of utmost importance to teach children, while they are young, that it is not only possible, but necessary to put aside the ingrained food "pyramid" (or even the food "circle" that has become popular of late).
When asked how they felt after having transformed their diet from an omnivore to that of a vegan, co-directors Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn reported that they felt absolutely great. In fact, Keegan Kuhn (who appears in the film) stated that the biggest difference came when he gave up milk products. He could feel his energy level rise after giving up animal-based fats.
In the movie, another point was brought out: in a discussion Kuhn had with a physician, who was vegan himself, about the health benefits (or rather, the lack of evidence to the contrary) of being on a wholly vegetarian diet, the doctor replied that he has seen, in his practice, healthy vegan women having healthy vegan pregnancies, giving birth to healthy babies, whom are raised into healthy vegan children and grow up into healthy vegan adults...
So it looks more and more like I'll be moving us (that is, K and myself, and, I'm hoping, Peter) to an all-vegetable diet. As someone who is a conservationist as well as an aspiring environmentalist (they point out the half-assed environmentalism of anyone who claims to be an environmentalist and still consumes animal products), I will, of course, use up my remaining stock of what I have in terms of animal products (mostly in the form of cheese and eggs, though I will likely keep the eggs in my diet a while longer while I find a reasonable substitute), because, just as I still have an entire sack of sweet rice in my pantry, which I hope to use up in the coming months (for it lasts a L-O-N-G time in dry storage!), I plan to use up what I have, and then buy no more.
Actually, I think rice (brown/black/red) may make a return to my diet. It won't occupy the huge proportion of my diet that it previously had, though. While I was an architecture (and therefore, hungry, if not starving) student, in the mid-1990's, I ate rice, seasoned with sesame oil and mirin and wrapped in nori, for lunch most days. I was living on a mostly vegetarian diet for most of my twenties (making exceptions for balsamic-roasted rabbit, which I prepared at home, and fresh crabcakes that were prepared at my local grocery store), and shall now, in my forties, return to the earlier wisdom of veganism.
I shall make use of my (admittedly limited, but constantly growing) dietary and nutritional knowledge and feel confident that I can raise K healthily (without deprivation). I am ready to progress my diet, and I will share my journey through this blog. I will continue to write, as I am wont to do, about other topics as they come into my mind and occupy me. But, as I am sure any reader is aware, food has always occupied a relatively large part of my consciousness. Now, it can serve, I hope, as a resource for others who wish to make the journey as well, or at least explore it secondhand...
(stepping down from soapbox now and putting on my baker/chef hat):
Ginger Snaps
(recipe adapted from one given me by Masada Disenhouse, a colleague and friend from SD350.org)
I am plugging this film because it's a totally worthwhile, thought-provoking, insightful movie that will inspire its audience to see the direction in which the human population must move if it is to avert the worst of climate change.
(WARNING)
I'm getting on my soapbox now:
What humanity needs to do, in order to prevent the worst of environmental destruction which will eventually lead to its own demise, is to evolve into a species that consumes zero animal products. Zero. That includes dairy: milk, cheese, eggs, butter, buttermilk, yogurt. And, by extension, leather. Everything. It won't come easily to many, myself included, but with the current rate of Amazonian and other rainforests' destruction for the sake of animal agriculture, it is incumbent upon our generation to lead our species into the next step in evolution. We've left the caves and spears behind. It's time to take another step forward...
I know this may be more difficult than expected, because there are certain foods for which I currently know of no substitutes. The number one "insubstitutable" for me is eggs. I continue to lean on ova (unfertilized) as a source of protein (and as leavening in some baked goods). I know it is possible to bake without the use of eggs or milk (like ginger snaps - see below). I've known people who've tried to live as vegans and have returned to ovo-lacto vegetarianism because it is, and I freely admit this, more difficult, in our society, centered as it is on an omnivorous diet, to consume the necessary nutrients required not merely to survive, but to thrive.
The film is currently on a nationwide tour, and I encourage everyone to look up the schedule and go to watch the movie when it comes through one's local venue. The showing last night was a one-off affair: they'll be off to other cities in the coming days.
Next week, it looks like "Cowspiracy" will be showing in Salt Lake City, Portland, Seattle, Albuquerque, Vancouver, and Denver. Other cities will follow. The filmmakers have already been contracted to create a version of the movie (without the graphic scenes of animal slaughter) for (hopefully public) schools to use in primary education, since it is of utmost importance to teach children, while they are young, that it is not only possible, but necessary to put aside the ingrained food "pyramid" (or even the food "circle" that has become popular of late).
When asked how they felt after having transformed their diet from an omnivore to that of a vegan, co-directors Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn reported that they felt absolutely great. In fact, Keegan Kuhn (who appears in the film) stated that the biggest difference came when he gave up milk products. He could feel his energy level rise after giving up animal-based fats.
In the movie, another point was brought out: in a discussion Kuhn had with a physician, who was vegan himself, about the health benefits (or rather, the lack of evidence to the contrary) of being on a wholly vegetarian diet, the doctor replied that he has seen, in his practice, healthy vegan women having healthy vegan pregnancies, giving birth to healthy babies, whom are raised into healthy vegan children and grow up into healthy vegan adults...
So it looks more and more like I'll be moving us (that is, K and myself, and, I'm hoping, Peter) to an all-vegetable diet. As someone who is a conservationist as well as an aspiring environmentalist (they point out the half-assed environmentalism of anyone who claims to be an environmentalist and still consumes animal products), I will, of course, use up my remaining stock of what I have in terms of animal products (mostly in the form of cheese and eggs, though I will likely keep the eggs in my diet a while longer while I find a reasonable substitute), because, just as I still have an entire sack of sweet rice in my pantry, which I hope to use up in the coming months (for it lasts a L-O-N-G time in dry storage!), I plan to use up what I have, and then buy no more.
Actually, I think rice (brown/black/red) may make a return to my diet. It won't occupy the huge proportion of my diet that it previously had, though. While I was an architecture (and therefore, hungry, if not starving) student, in the mid-1990's, I ate rice, seasoned with sesame oil and mirin and wrapped in nori, for lunch most days. I was living on a mostly vegetarian diet for most of my twenties (making exceptions for balsamic-roasted rabbit, which I prepared at home, and fresh crabcakes that were prepared at my local grocery store), and shall now, in my forties, return to the earlier wisdom of veganism.
I shall make use of my (admittedly limited, but constantly growing) dietary and nutritional knowledge and feel confident that I can raise K healthily (without deprivation). I am ready to progress my diet, and I will share my journey through this blog. I will continue to write, as I am wont to do, about other topics as they come into my mind and occupy me. But, as I am sure any reader is aware, food has always occupied a relatively large part of my consciousness. Now, it can serve, I hope, as a resource for others who wish to make the journey as well, or at least explore it secondhand...
(stepping down from soapbox now and putting on my baker/chef hat):
Ginger Snaps
(recipe adapted from one given me by Masada Disenhouse, a colleague and friend from SD350.org)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup vegetable shortening (like Crisco)
- 1 cup sugar (turbinado is best, though regular brown, which contains molasses, or white granulated, though more extensively processed, are acceptable)
- 3/4 cup molasses (blackstrap, unsulphored, or other are acceptable)
- 2.5-3 cups wheat flour (use the lower amount for whole wheat, the higher amount for A-P; I'm going to try this recipe with coconut and/or almond flour to cut carbs while increasing fibre and protein - I'll write about this experiment in a future post)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1-1.5 tablespoons dried ginger
- 2 teaspoons cloves
Directions:
Preheat
oven to 375 degrees.
Cream
shortening, sugar and molasses in mixing bowl. In a separate bowl,
combine flour, baking soda and spices. With a stand mixer on low speed,
slowly add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Once combined,
increase mixing speed until cookie batter is smooth. Remember to scrape the bowl after the addition of dry ingredients!
Scoop
out batter (it'll be very dense), form into ball and roll in granulated
sugar, if using. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Place baking sheets in center of oven.
While baking, the cookies
will not spread much, so you can place them close to
each other, leaving a clearance of about 1/2" (as opposed to most butter-based cookies, which need about twice that space for spreading). Continue scooping, forming and rolling cookies until baking sheet is full. You can fit upwards of 24-30 snaps on an 12"x16"sheet. When rolling these, K likes to make "ginger buttons" which, when baked, measure about 3/8" in diameter, and she can fit upwards of 32 on a sheet!
Bake
for 8 to 10 minutes. I typically bake them at times closer to the 8-minute mark because I like them soft. The cookies will harden as they cool. Recipe makes
about 4 dozen (one tablespoon-sized) cookies, but like I said, Kat likes the ginger buttons, and so we end up with several dozen.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
10 July 2014: Blaming the Victim
President Obama has been, essentially, called a non-inclusive Liberal idealogue by Repugnicans (that's my preferred term for the political party of the United States that claims to be the sole holder of "family" -and therefore acceptable- "values"). They claim that he is telling Congress: "My way or the highway" (as heard on NPR this morning). I went online, of course, to look for the definition of the word "idealogue," because I'd heard it used in a political context before, and wanted to verify its defninition. The one I found on Dictionary.com is:
Idealogue
I*de"a*logue\, n. [Idea + logue, as in theologue: cf. F.id['e]ologue.] One given to fanciful ideas or theories; a theorist; a spectator. [R.] --Mrs. Browning
I know I likely am an idealogue with respect to the environment, though I recognize that, as an idealogue, I am, therefore, a hypocrite, because although I understand the high social and environmental costs of some of my actions, I go through with them, anyway, for personal reasons. I do, however, try to minimize my carbon footprint (see earlier post), and conserve resources where I can. I know it's a drop in the proverbial bucket, but I'd like to think that those drops add up.
Idealogue
I*de"a*logue\, n. [Idea + logue, as in theologue: cf. F.id['e]ologue.] One given to fanciful ideas or theories; a theorist; a spectator. [R.] --Mrs. Browning
Following a link to another page, I found this on Answers.com:
A person who zealously advocates a particular idea, concept, theory or ideology.
Perhaps President Obama is an idealogue with respect to certain topics. However, his actions prove him to be anything except an idealogue in terms of health care and the environment. He has, with the aid of a Democrat-majority legislature, a health-care bill that was the Repugnicans' proposal during Bill Clinton's presidency. Obama has also taken the road of getting done what can be done, taking, proverbially, the ham sandwich in lieu of the whole hog. He has given in tremendously to the BEP (defined below).
The Repugnicans are what used to be the Grand Old Party, but has become, in recent years, the Block Everything Party. Vocal Repugnicans exhibit their religious zealotry with each bill they introduce. For example, State Senator Richard Ross, from Massachusetts (of all places!), introduced a bill that takes away a woman's freedom of free association if she files for divorce, giving her would-be ex-husband the power to decide whether she may copulate with someone else, even though theirs is already a failed relationship. This kind of preaching by Repugnicans makes that party less and less popular among the general public, which is surprising if, indeed, half the voting public is made up of Repugnicans themselves. Perhaps they are ashamed but will not speak openly against their own leaders. Well, they ought to be ashamed. But voting is private for the protection of everyone, which includes those who agree with my point of view as well as those who disagree, so I'll continue to support their right to continue to do so, as long as their attitudes are well-informed. However, it appears that most American (public) opinions are formed without vital information.
I know I likely am an idealogue with respect to the environment, though I recognize that, as an idealogue, I am, therefore, a hypocrite, because although I understand the high social and environmental costs of some of my actions, I go through with them, anyway, for personal reasons. I do, however, try to minimize my carbon footprint (see earlier post), and conserve resources where I can. I know it's a drop in the proverbial bucket, but I'd like to think that those drops add up.
Do not take me for a Bleeding Heart Democrat. I believe in the private ownership of firearms, but I also believe in the permitting of weapons and background checks, and would support legislation requiring the public registration of all firearm owners. I believe in maintaining a small government, which is why I know there is no logical place for the government to insert itself into private, personal, often heart-wrenching healthcare decisions made by women. I just don't understand how religious zealots (and are not all religionists zealots?) can justify the insertion (this word is used with full knowledge) of government into private decisions when they also claim to value the preservation of freedom. Whose freedom are they protecting? The patriarchy, apparently.
Hearing about the clear violation of the Constitution in the recent Hobby Lobby SCOTUS decision makes my blood boil, as it ought to for more than half of the U.S. population. Polarization within the government, there is, but neither of the two recognized major political parties within the U.S. government is "liberal" in the true sense of the word. Democrats have shifted their center towards Conservatism. This is opposed to Conservationism, which is, as a personal and public value, something everyone with a working brain can and should advocate. Democrats are trying to claim religious (specifically, christian) ground in order to claim that they have an acceptable (read: legitimate) source of morals.
If we were not such a country of physically, emotionally, and socially comfortable, selfish people who care more for self-aggrandizement than the health of the general public, we'd enact laws that tax people according to their abuse of public goods. People who insist on increasing the human population beyond the scientifically-defined population stabilization rate ought to pay for that privilege. Yes, it is a privilege, not a right. Your privilege ends where it steps on my rights not to have to support a burgeoning population.
I do not mean this as a classist argument: many people in the upper economic tiers of this country are not genetically superior to the rest of the population. There are so many factors that feed into economic success (or failure) in our society that genetics are, for all intents and purposes, meaningless. Women who live in poverty (or very near poverty) and choose to conceive and bear children (and I understand this may disproportionately affect racial/ethnic minorities) ought to call on their partners (or, if not partners, at least the men who impregnated them) to pay, at least economically, their fair share for the upkeep of their progeny.
At the same time, we ought to raise the status of responsible parenthood, because it is a tough job. Anyone (read: genetically defined woman) can conceive and bear a child. Not everybody can and would be a responsible parent. Parenthood ought to be limited to those who can and want to take on that responsibility. Yes, it's demanding. I know this because, even though I only have the experience of raising a single child, I understand that there are issues raised, with any number of children, which are irrelevant to the childless. Children are a social investment of the most precious kind. We ought to value them as such, and treat them as such, as well. The way children (expressed through the salaries of public schoolteachers) are treated, one would think that they were not an investment, but rather just a drain on social resources. A minority are, and will continue to be, until their dying day (I'll get on that topic in another post), but many, indeed, a majority, grow up to take, if not essential, at least valued jobs and roles in our society.
The Repugnicans keep blaming President Obama for the failures of his immediate predecessor. It is time for them to own up to their own role (for many have been in office long enough to have seen the previous Repugnican-majority legislation) in the ripping of the social fabric and do their best to mend it and move society forward.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
9 July 2014: 7:58a
I gave the OK for the auto body shop (Black Mountain Collision) to start work yesterday. I ended up walking home, since I live not far from the shop (not quite a mile). I walked first to Miramar Cash & Carry to buy some yogurt, and was pretty wet with sweat by the time I walked in the door at home. I received a call from them yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon. The fellow on the phone said that it's possible that it can be done this week, though it's more likely to go into next week, which is a shorter time frame than if I'd used "Honda-certified parts and service." The cost difference is significant, as well: $1800 v. $3000. Since I'm already on a fairly tight budget, the reduced expense helps a lot.
Peter will be going on a business trip tomorrow (Thursday) morning, to San Jose, return Friday evening, then will be flying to London on Saturday evening for a long week (Saturday to the following Sunday). It'll be very helpful to borrow his car, because although it's a two-seater (Mazda MX-5, the new name for the Miata, which I always thought was a very cute little car), it'll accommodate K and myself, for attending class on Friday night (since Liz is in NYC this week). Peter will take a taxi to my place on Friday night, and I'll meet him in bed after coming home from class. That gives me some breathing space for getting my car repaired properly. Luckily, the headlight itself was undamaged, so that expense was deleted, though other expenses came in to fill in the gap, of course. The rack-and-pinion needs to be fixed/adjusted so that the wheels are straight when the steering wheel is in its centered position.
BTW, we started sourdough starters in class last week, as I think I mentioned in the last post. I no longer have a starter at home because it died at some point during the last several months since we stopped making a lot of (actually, any) bread at home. Sourdough starters are really only practical when one makes bread regularly and frequently, and we're no longer in that mode, having adopted a low-carbohydrate diet for the most part. That was the big joke: here I am, following a modified "paleo" diet, one of whose tenets is avoiding processed (or really any) carbohydrates (mostly in the form of flour, but includes store-bought rice, oats, etc), and yet, I'm taking a cooking class, most of whose products will be carbohydrate-heavy. Oh, well. I still enjoy learning how to make things, even if I'm not enjoying them to a great extent myself. I know K is enjoying the class, as well.
Fortunately, I'll be able to attend most, if not all, the class meetings because I don't plan on going anywhere until August, when Peter and I will go on our (dive) vacation to Kosrae. I looked up the FSM (Federated States of Micronesia) after having a laugh from what Peter told me: there is a "Bank of FSM" which we both find somewhat hilarious: Bank of the Flying Spaghetti Monster! Beautiful. Will need to take a picture of that, if we come across it, during our travels.
Peter will be going on a business trip tomorrow (Thursday) morning, to San Jose, return Friday evening, then will be flying to London on Saturday evening for a long week (Saturday to the following Sunday). It'll be very helpful to borrow his car, because although it's a two-seater (Mazda MX-5, the new name for the Miata, which I always thought was a very cute little car), it'll accommodate K and myself, for attending class on Friday night (since Liz is in NYC this week). Peter will take a taxi to my place on Friday night, and I'll meet him in bed after coming home from class. That gives me some breathing space for getting my car repaired properly. Luckily, the headlight itself was undamaged, so that expense was deleted, though other expenses came in to fill in the gap, of course. The rack-and-pinion needs to be fixed/adjusted so that the wheels are straight when the steering wheel is in its centered position.
BTW, we started sourdough starters in class last week, as I think I mentioned in the last post. I no longer have a starter at home because it died at some point during the last several months since we stopped making a lot of (actually, any) bread at home. Sourdough starters are really only practical when one makes bread regularly and frequently, and we're no longer in that mode, having adopted a low-carbohydrate diet for the most part. That was the big joke: here I am, following a modified "paleo" diet, one of whose tenets is avoiding processed (or really any) carbohydrates (mostly in the form of flour, but includes store-bought rice, oats, etc), and yet, I'm taking a cooking class, most of whose products will be carbohydrate-heavy. Oh, well. I still enjoy learning how to make things, even if I'm not enjoying them to a great extent myself. I know K is enjoying the class, as well.
Fortunately, I'll be able to attend most, if not all, the class meetings because I don't plan on going anywhere until August, when Peter and I will go on our (dive) vacation to Kosrae. I looked up the FSM (Federated States of Micronesia) after having a laugh from what Peter told me: there is a "Bank of FSM" which we both find somewhat hilarious: Bank of the Flying Spaghetti Monster! Beautiful. Will need to take a picture of that, if we come across it, during our travels.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
A Costly Incident Just Prior to Independence Day
On Thursday, I'd gotten a massage, which felt really great, and then came home to have Kat raring to go to play games at Cafe Cabaret (on Adams Avenue in North Park). So I threw my clothes back on, and we went to games. Met a few new people through playing my first game of Munchkin (I'm still not completely sure of everything that is going on in the game, though I did a good job of preventing other players from defeating the monsters they encountered when they "kicked down the door." It was fun.
Unfortunately, when we left, it was dark (as it eventually becomes when it gets late enough in the evening), and though I checked my mirror, a car came up just as I was pulling out of my parking space, causing the front left side of my car to sustain damage. The damage is along the passenger side (obviously) of the other driver's car, a 1998 Honda Accord. I checked with Kat to make sure she was all right, and then got out to check that the other driver, who was alone in her car, was all right. We both apologized, as we had not seen each other around the corner of the block (understandable, I think).
We swapped insurance and registration information, and I drove home, being very careful and mindful of the steering wheel's off-center turn. [Peter later told me that he thinks there's been damage to the rack-and-pinion, that I'll need to make sure that the teeth are unbroken on either piece] We made it home, more slowly than usual. [if a state trooper had spied us, they might have thought I was driving slowly because I was drunk and didn't want to get into an accident.] When we got home, I took out my camera and snapped a few pictures of the damage. I phoned my insurance company to report the accident. The woman who took my claim was pleasant, and let me know that I will receive a phone call from the adjuster on Monday. I will have physical therapy on Monday morning, and plan to take the car to a local auto repair shop to get an estimate of the repair. I still plan to attend class that afternoon/evening with Liz and Kat. I'm hoping to maintain as many regular activities as possible at this point.
I'm feeling quite poor right now. I'd just bought a new bicycle (a hybrid bike from Specialized, for $700+), along with a bicycle carrying rack for my car (it mounts onto the spare tire on the back of the car, and I'm anxious to try it out soon, with all three of our bikes, if possible), as it was the cheaper option of that or getting a trailer-hitch bike rack, which may not extend far enough to miss the spare tire.
Next month, things will improve. I won't receive my disability payment until mid-month, but I think I can push off my bills until after then to avoid paying any late fees, if at all possible.
I'm glad that Kat & I (especially I) will have the distraction of games this evening and tonight. I managed to arrange getting lifts both going to and coming home form the event (from two different people whom I know from San Diego Boardgames Group). So at least for now, I can put off my worries until Monday, when I'll go to get the car examined and a diagnosis made.
On another note, I noticed, during the parade on Friday morning, that everyone shouted "Happy Fourth of July! Happy Fourth of July!" and wondered: Whatever happened to "Independence Day"?
Unfortunately, when we left, it was dark (as it eventually becomes when it gets late enough in the evening), and though I checked my mirror, a car came up just as I was pulling out of my parking space, causing the front left side of my car to sustain damage. The damage is along the passenger side (obviously) of the other driver's car, a 1998 Honda Accord. I checked with Kat to make sure she was all right, and then got out to check that the other driver, who was alone in her car, was all right. We both apologized, as we had not seen each other around the corner of the block (understandable, I think).
We swapped insurance and registration information, and I drove home, being very careful and mindful of the steering wheel's off-center turn. [Peter later told me that he thinks there's been damage to the rack-and-pinion, that I'll need to make sure that the teeth are unbroken on either piece] We made it home, more slowly than usual. [if a state trooper had spied us, they might have thought I was driving slowly because I was drunk and didn't want to get into an accident.] When we got home, I took out my camera and snapped a few pictures of the damage. I phoned my insurance company to report the accident. The woman who took my claim was pleasant, and let me know that I will receive a phone call from the adjuster on Monday. I will have physical therapy on Monday morning, and plan to take the car to a local auto repair shop to get an estimate of the repair. I still plan to attend class that afternoon/evening with Liz and Kat. I'm hoping to maintain as many regular activities as possible at this point.
I'm feeling quite poor right now. I'd just bought a new bicycle (a hybrid bike from Specialized, for $700+), along with a bicycle carrying rack for my car (it mounts onto the spare tire on the back of the car, and I'm anxious to try it out soon, with all three of our bikes, if possible), as it was the cheaper option of that or getting a trailer-hitch bike rack, which may not extend far enough to miss the spare tire.
Next month, things will improve. I won't receive my disability payment until mid-month, but I think I can push off my bills until after then to avoid paying any late fees, if at all possible.
I'm glad that Kat & I (especially I) will have the distraction of games this evening and tonight. I managed to arrange getting lifts both going to and coming home form the event (from two different people whom I know from San Diego Boardgames Group). So at least for now, I can put off my worries until Monday, when I'll go to get the car examined and a diagnosis made.
On another note, I noticed, during the parade on Friday morning, that everyone shouted "Happy Fourth of July! Happy Fourth of July!" and wondered: Whatever happened to "Independence Day"?
Thursday, July 3, 2014
My First Braided Challah
This Monday evening, we made three recipes in class, all using yeast: focaccia, challah, and a sourdough starter. Kat, Liz, and I were in three separate groups. Liz's group made the recipe that did not use any artificial color, whereas the other three groups did. I can understand the commercial reason why Lee, the instructor, had used artificial coloring (and even flavoring) in the breads he sold: people have developed expectations based on the overuse of artificial flavors (a lot of sweeteners included) and color (FD&C) in commercially-available products, so his bakery catered to those expectations. I think that in my own baking, however, I will leave the artificial color out and just live with a paler interior to my bread:
Challah (for one or two loaves)
1 oz. freeze-dried or instant yeast
1 oz. salt
2.5 oz. sugar (white granulated)
2.5 oz. shortening (we used Crisco) - I might try using unsalted butter in lieu of shortening at home
2.5 oz. powdered milk
3.5 lb. bread flour
1 qt. 110 deg. F water
3 oz. whole eggs (about two large)
1/4 t eggshade food color
1/2 t butter flavor
Scale dry ingredients and place in mixer. Stir to combine. Add water, eggs, food color, and mix until it "windowpanes," meaning that if you take a small amount of dough and stretch it between four fingers (one at each corner), the dough should be able to form a sheet instead of snapping and breaking. This means that the gluten in the dough has been developed enough to form a more toothsome bread. It is a good idea to stop the mixer occasionally and scoop up the dry bits from the bottom of the mixer bowl to help the dough incorporate into a cohesive whole. The original recipe says this stage is approximately 12 minutes long, but our dough took more like 20 minutes of mixing before it windowpaned. Add shortening, and continue to mix the dough until the shortening is completely incorporated. Remove the dough hook, and allow the dough to rise until it doubles in size (we skipped this step because we were running out of class time, and, amazingly, our loaves still worked!). Punch down the dough, divide into four equal strands, and braid the loaf, occasionally adding either flour or water, depending on whether the dough is too sticky or too dry. Make an egg wash with one egg and about a tablespoon of water, and brush onto the top of the dough, being careful not to allow the egg wash to drip down the side of the loaf. Sprinkle seeds on top, and bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven for about 20 minutes or until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on its bottom.
Focaccia (one full sheet)
1.4 oz. dry yeast
2 c. warm water
14.5 oz. bread flour
0.5 oz. bread flour (important to keep this amount separate from above)
0.66 c. extra virgin olive oil
4.6 c. cold water
3# 2 oz. flour
1.5 oz. salt
Whisk together yeast and warm water. Stir in 14.5 oz. flour. Cover and let rise until doubled in size (the recipe calls it 45 minutes; in the proofing oven, it was faster).
Fitting the mixer with the dough hook, combine sponge, oil, and water. Mix at low- to low-medium speed until smooth (this may take a while, but take the time).
Oil and sprinkle corn meal onto baking pan. Spread 1# 14 oz. of dough onto each sheet pan, and dock the dough (essentially, poke it with your fingertips to form lots of small impressions). Pour extra virgin olive oil over the dough. It will pool in the dimples you made with your fingers. That is fine. Top with any desired toppings, like caramelized onion, poppy/sesame seeds, cheese, etc.). Bake in preheated 375 deg F oven for about 20 minutes. To test the focaccia for doneness, take it out of the oven and invert it onto a cooling rack. The bottom should be baked through and slightly browned. If it is not finished, put the focaccia, on the cooling rack, back into the oven and bake for another several minutes to finish baking the dough. Remove from oven and invert onto another cooling rack (it will be right-side up again) to cool enough to enjoy fresh.
Sourdough Starter
0.5 oz. dry yeast (about 4 t.)
1 oz. warm water
1 oz. granulated sugar
8 oz. bread flour
Mix all ingredients together and place in a large container, covering (without touching)with two layers of cheesecloth so that the "mother" can rest and breathe. Place in an out-of-the-way location until you either take it out to feed (every two to three days) or use in a recipe.
I'll post a recipe for a sourdough bread next week, since we do not have class this Friday, as this is the United States and that date is a national holiday.
Challah (for one or two loaves)
1 oz. freeze-dried or instant yeast
1 oz. salt
2.5 oz. sugar (white granulated)
2.5 oz. shortening (we used Crisco) - I might try using unsalted butter in lieu of shortening at home
2.5 oz. powdered milk
3.5 lb. bread flour
1 qt. 110 deg. F water
3 oz. whole eggs (about two large)
1/4 t eggshade food color
1/2 t butter flavor
Scale dry ingredients and place in mixer. Stir to combine. Add water, eggs, food color, and mix until it "windowpanes," meaning that if you take a small amount of dough and stretch it between four fingers (one at each corner), the dough should be able to form a sheet instead of snapping and breaking. This means that the gluten in the dough has been developed enough to form a more toothsome bread. It is a good idea to stop the mixer occasionally and scoop up the dry bits from the bottom of the mixer bowl to help the dough incorporate into a cohesive whole. The original recipe says this stage is approximately 12 minutes long, but our dough took more like 20 minutes of mixing before it windowpaned. Add shortening, and continue to mix the dough until the shortening is completely incorporated. Remove the dough hook, and allow the dough to rise until it doubles in size (we skipped this step because we were running out of class time, and, amazingly, our loaves still worked!). Punch down the dough, divide into four equal strands, and braid the loaf, occasionally adding either flour or water, depending on whether the dough is too sticky or too dry. Make an egg wash with one egg and about a tablespoon of water, and brush onto the top of the dough, being careful not to allow the egg wash to drip down the side of the loaf. Sprinkle seeds on top, and bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven for about 20 minutes or until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on its bottom.
Focaccia (one full sheet)
1.4 oz. dry yeast
2 c. warm water
14.5 oz. bread flour
0.5 oz. bread flour (important to keep this amount separate from above)
0.66 c. extra virgin olive oil
4.6 c. cold water
3# 2 oz. flour
1.5 oz. salt
Whisk together yeast and warm water. Stir in 14.5 oz. flour. Cover and let rise until doubled in size (the recipe calls it 45 minutes; in the proofing oven, it was faster).
Fitting the mixer with the dough hook, combine sponge, oil, and water. Mix at low- to low-medium speed until smooth (this may take a while, but take the time).
Oil and sprinkle corn meal onto baking pan. Spread 1# 14 oz. of dough onto each sheet pan, and dock the dough (essentially, poke it with your fingertips to form lots of small impressions). Pour extra virgin olive oil over the dough. It will pool in the dimples you made with your fingers. That is fine. Top with any desired toppings, like caramelized onion, poppy/sesame seeds, cheese, etc.). Bake in preheated 375 deg F oven for about 20 minutes. To test the focaccia for doneness, take it out of the oven and invert it onto a cooling rack. The bottom should be baked through and slightly browned. If it is not finished, put the focaccia, on the cooling rack, back into the oven and bake for another several minutes to finish baking the dough. Remove from oven and invert onto another cooling rack (it will be right-side up again) to cool enough to enjoy fresh.
Sourdough Starter
0.5 oz. dry yeast (about 4 t.)
1 oz. warm water
1 oz. granulated sugar
8 oz. bread flour
Mix all ingredients together and place in a large container, covering (without touching)with two layers of cheesecloth so that the "mother" can rest and breathe. Place in an out-of-the-way location until you either take it out to feed (every two to three days) or use in a recipe.
I'll post a recipe for a sourdough bread next week, since we do not have class this Friday, as this is the United States and that date is a national holiday.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
My Carbon Footprint
This morning, in a fit of conscientiousness, I calculated my carbon footprint. I've calculated it before, using the calculator on the UC Berkeley, when I was in my first Environmental Studies class at UCSD. My carbon footprint has gone up, somewhat significantly, because I've since flown a few times this year, to San Francisco, to Barcelona and London (a circle trip), and Roatan. My footprint was, for the previous year, something far below the average for the industrialized world, but appears to have moved up into the average for industrial nations, though still far below the average for the United States.
The calculator I used this morning is located here:
http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx
The calculator at Berkeley is here:
http://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/carboncalculator
I have not gone back to recalculate my former footprint (though I suppose I could dig and look for records in my class notes), but considering I had made only (should I really phrase it "only"?) a single transoceanic flight in each of the previous few years, I don't think it's all that terrible for my lifetime thus far (though I realize that many people in the United States do not have the means to travel extensively).
Well, it's time for me to go back to bed and finish sleeping.
The calculator I used this morning is located here:
http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx
The calculator at Berkeley is here:
http://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/carboncalculator
I have not gone back to recalculate my former footprint (though I suppose I could dig and look for records in my class notes), but considering I had made only (should I really phrase it "only"?) a single transoceanic flight in each of the previous few years, I don't think it's all that terrible for my lifetime thus far (though I realize that many people in the United States do not have the means to travel extensively).
Well, it's time for me to go back to bed and finish sleeping.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Community Choice Energy
This morning, I attended a meeting with three San Diego groups: SanDiego350, Sierra Club San Diego, Friends of San Diego Clean Energy, and the San Diego Chapter of the California Solar Energy Industries Association. In attendance were about a hundred people. The morning was opened by a short welcome from San Diego 350.org's Bob Braaton, who essentially "witnessed" to us his epiphany when he came face to face with a hummingbird in his back yard.
Todd Gloria told us how he took his temporary mayoral role (after Bob Filner's scandalous vacating of the position) to push forward an environmental agenda, including hiring Nicole Capretz and charging her with putting together a Climate Action Plan for the City of San Diego. It was high time such an action was taken, and the audience demonstrated its approval. There were four other speakers, I believe, though their names escape me at this moment. The last speaker was a woman, Shawn Marshall, who is one of the founders of Marin Clean Energy. She used to hold a government position, and in that position, she helped move Marin County forward in its adoption of clean, renewable energy providers. It was heartening.
Before the start of the morning session, I ate several blueberries and a strawberry. I also drank two cups of coffee, which kept me going, as the tea I'd been drinking with breakfast was red tea and therefore caffeine-free. Between the fruit and yogurt that I'd eaten for breakfast and the coffee, I was pretty good all morning. I still need to try a recipe for coffee with butter, though. Yes, it sounds strange, but the person who published the recipe swears by it, as it keeps her energy level steady all morning and into the afternoon. I'm not sure if I'd want to skip lunch, but if it allowed her to postpone lunch to get things done during her morning, all the more power to her, I say.
Of course, at the end of the morning, folks helped put things away. Some people (including myself) were given packages of food to take home. I was given about a half dozen assorted bagels: whole wheat, plain, sesame, cranberry, and asiago cheese. I brought the box home and put them on the kitchen counter for K to eat, as I'm still avoiding excessive carbohydrate consumption.
I walked to Park Boulevard and waited for a few minutes for the bus. I then decided to walk to the nearest bus stop where the 20 bus goes, which was the one after City College on Eleventh Avenue.
On the ride home, I dozed several times, waking when we'd reached Fashion Valley, and again when we'd reached Kearny Mesa Transit Center. I closed my eyes and rested them until we had reached the northeast corner of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (near the Carroll Canyon Road exit from the 15). I managed to keep my eyes open until I got off the bus and walked the rest of the way home.
I made myself a frittata with shiitakes, a handful of fresh basil, and Danish feta cheese. No additional seasonings were needed, as the feta made the frittata plenty salty and the basil provided a nice counterbalance to it. Since then, I've been trying to think of things to bake (though we're really full-up on cookies right now). I was thinking banana bread, since we have a bunch and a half and they're all perfectly ripe now, and are starting to become too ripe to eat. Perfect baking bananas. Since we already have the banana cookies we'd made last Sunday, K doesn't want to make more cookies. What else can one make with ripe bananas?
I just found (another) recipe for banana bread, but this one is "paleo," meaning no wheat, but rather coconut flour, almond flour, and almond butter (though I think we'll substitute peanut butter this time).
Any ideas out there for banana recipes besides bread and Foster?
Todd Gloria told us how he took his temporary mayoral role (after Bob Filner's scandalous vacating of the position) to push forward an environmental agenda, including hiring Nicole Capretz and charging her with putting together a Climate Action Plan for the City of San Diego. It was high time such an action was taken, and the audience demonstrated its approval. There were four other speakers, I believe, though their names escape me at this moment. The last speaker was a woman, Shawn Marshall, who is one of the founders of Marin Clean Energy. She used to hold a government position, and in that position, she helped move Marin County forward in its adoption of clean, renewable energy providers. It was heartening.
Before the start of the morning session, I ate several blueberries and a strawberry. I also drank two cups of coffee, which kept me going, as the tea I'd been drinking with breakfast was red tea and therefore caffeine-free. Between the fruit and yogurt that I'd eaten for breakfast and the coffee, I was pretty good all morning. I still need to try a recipe for coffee with butter, though. Yes, it sounds strange, but the person who published the recipe swears by it, as it keeps her energy level steady all morning and into the afternoon. I'm not sure if I'd want to skip lunch, but if it allowed her to postpone lunch to get things done during her morning, all the more power to her, I say.
Of course, at the end of the morning, folks helped put things away. Some people (including myself) were given packages of food to take home. I was given about a half dozen assorted bagels: whole wheat, plain, sesame, cranberry, and asiago cheese. I brought the box home and put them on the kitchen counter for K to eat, as I'm still avoiding excessive carbohydrate consumption.
I walked to Park Boulevard and waited for a few minutes for the bus. I then decided to walk to the nearest bus stop where the 20 bus goes, which was the one after City College on Eleventh Avenue.
On the ride home, I dozed several times, waking when we'd reached Fashion Valley, and again when we'd reached Kearny Mesa Transit Center. I closed my eyes and rested them until we had reached the northeast corner of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (near the Carroll Canyon Road exit from the 15). I managed to keep my eyes open until I got off the bus and walked the rest of the way home.
I made myself a frittata with shiitakes, a handful of fresh basil, and Danish feta cheese. No additional seasonings were needed, as the feta made the frittata plenty salty and the basil provided a nice counterbalance to it. Since then, I've been trying to think of things to bake (though we're really full-up on cookies right now). I was thinking banana bread, since we have a bunch and a half and they're all perfectly ripe now, and are starting to become too ripe to eat. Perfect baking bananas. Since we already have the banana cookies we'd made last Sunday, K doesn't want to make more cookies. What else can one make with ripe bananas?
I just found (another) recipe for banana bread, but this one is "paleo," meaning no wheat, but rather coconut flour, almond flour, and almond butter (though I think we'll substitute peanut butter this time).
Any ideas out there for banana recipes besides bread and Foster?
Friday, June 20, 2014
Oatmeal Cookies with Golden Raisins and Cranberries
Ingredients:
1/2 c. light brown sugar
.25 lb. unsalted butter, softened (important that it's at room temperature)
1 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
2 t. vanilla extract
1 jumbo (or 2 large) egg
1.25 c. whole wheat flour
.25 c. golden raisins, chopped roughly
.25 c. cranberries, chopped roughly
1.5 c. rolled oats (not the quick-cook variety
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat butter on high speed in a stand mixer until fluffy (I didn't think butter would ever look "fluffy," but it actually lightens in color and does gain volume!). Add sugar and mix on medium-high speed, scraping the bowl a couple of times to make sure everything combines. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating well after each addition.
Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add in three sections to wet ingredients, scraping the bowl between.
Add raisins and cranberries, and mix well. Stir in rolled oats. Some of the oats may not completely incorporate, but the baked oats taste good as a crunchy snack, anyway.
Scoop by tablespoonfuls onto silicone-lined baking sheet. The batter will be stiff enough to make pretty "tall" cookies.
Bake for about 14 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for one minute before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Makes about two and a half dozen cookies.
1/2 c. light brown sugar
.25 lb. unsalted butter, softened (important that it's at room temperature)
1 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
2 t. vanilla extract
1 jumbo (or 2 large) egg
1.25 c. whole wheat flour
.25 c. golden raisins, chopped roughly
.25 c. cranberries, chopped roughly
1.5 c. rolled oats (not the quick-cook variety
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat butter on high speed in a stand mixer until fluffy (I didn't think butter would ever look "fluffy," but it actually lightens in color and does gain volume!). Add sugar and mix on medium-high speed, scraping the bowl a couple of times to make sure everything combines. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating well after each addition.
Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add in three sections to wet ingredients, scraping the bowl between.
Add raisins and cranberries, and mix well. Stir in rolled oats. Some of the oats may not completely incorporate, but the baked oats taste good as a crunchy snack, anyway.
Scoop by tablespoonfuls onto silicone-lined baking sheet. The batter will be stiff enough to make pretty "tall" cookies.
Bake for about 14 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for one minute before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Makes about two and a half dozen cookies.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies with Browned Butter and Mascarpone
Experiment
du jour:
1/2
lb. browned butter
about
1/2-3/4 c. brown sugar
8 oz.
mascarpone cheese at room temperature
about
2 tsp almond extract
about
2 tsp vanilla extract
1
jumbo egg
2 tsp
baking powder
1 tsp
salt
2 1/4
c. whole wheat flour
3/4
c. walnuts, chopped finely
about
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Beat
butter, mascarpone, and sugar. Add egg while continuing to run the
mixer. With mixer still running at low-to medium speed, add extracts
and salt and mix until all the wet ingredients are cooled and
well-incorporated. Add flour, 3/4 c. at a time, scraping after each
addition, adding the baking powder with the last 3/4 cup addition.
Turn
off mixer and remove bowl. Add nuts and chips, and stir
thoroughly.
Drop
by rounded teaspoonfuls on silicone-lined baking sheet, leaving about
two inch spaces between.
Bake
in preheated 375ยบ F. oven for
about 11-13 minutes, until cookies start to brown on top (they will
sizzle as they bake).
Remove
from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for one minute before
cooling completely on rack.
The USPS Needs a Good Kick in the Pants
No kidding, I can hear you say aloud, reading the title. Well, as it turns out, PayPal will NOT refund my money through its Buyers' Protection Program because the USPS failed to update the status of my package that I'd mailed on 5 May (that's LAST month) after it'd accepted it for delivery. I suppose most people don't bother checking on outgoing packages, and most of them arrive unmolested. However, when a package has money riding on it, you bet I'm going to certify its mailing, and the PO had better NOT LOSE TRACK OF IT. The customer rep on the phone at PayPal said that there was nothing he, personally, could do, as the information needed is from the PO, and the PO appears to be playing f*cking games:
Thank you for contacting the United States Postal Service.
You have reached the office of the Consumer Advocate. Our normal business hours are: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. If you have contacted us during normal business hours, we will respond to your inquiry as quickly as possible. However, if you have contacted us outside of normal business hours or on a Federal observed holiday, we will respond on the following business day.
As an alternative, you may contact our Customer Care Center at 1-800-ASK-USPS (800-275-8777). The Customer Care Center hours of operation are: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m. EST and Saturdays, 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. EST
And this after I'd written back that I need some kind of resolution:
In order to better serve you, your recently submitted inquiry was forwarded to an office that is better suited to address your needs. It is being investigated and you can expect a reply within 2 to 4 business days
And this:
Thank you for contacting the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General Hotline. The OIG Hotline was established to provide stakeholders, US Postal Service employees, and the American public with a confidential means of reporting incidences of suspicious activity to the OIG concerning fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct within the US Postal Service.
While we can't guarantee we can recover lost money or items, your information can help alert Investigators to problem areas and possibly prevent others from being victimized. Your concern has been received and documented in our database. If additional information is necessary, someone will contact you.
-----Original Message-----
From: Nancy Yuen [mailto:nancyuen@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2014 9:26 PM
To: Hotline Mailbox
Subject: delivery status update
I need delivery confirmation for the following package:
9514800024804125000115
I require confirmation of delivery because I am awaiting a refund for that returned package. Since the USPS had accepted the package from me for delivery, I will hold USPS responsible for the refund should I not receive it from the vendor, who denies having received it.
So I'm phoning the Rancho Bernardo office this morning to see what kind of answer I can get out of these federally-paid weasels.
What was the phrase Melissa Ethridge used?
"...survival is easy but satisfaction is rough..."
Indeed, rough to obtain, even in the age of almost instantaneous information retrieval and the lightning-speed of the Internet.
So the best I can get is satisfaction at helping the PO better its ways so as to prevent other victims of its horrendous treatment of certified postal packages? I'm waiting for the Rancho Bernardo office to open in a couple hours now (actually, less than that now)...
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
The Beginning of a Great Adventure
I love that song by Lou Reed. In fact, I enjoy that entire album, named for the city in which I lived the summer it was introduced into my life, which was 1991. That was the summer I interned at the Insurance Services Office, located in World Trade Center 5, after my second year of college. I was dating the older brother of one of my housemates, and we were (almost?) the quintessential New Yorkers: liberal, young, and happy. Though we were both on budgets, we were good at finding great free events/activities to take up while I was there. No, we were not living anything like the "Friends" depicted on television, but we were happy. We were a nice Jewish boy from Wisconsin and a young Chinese-American woman (we insisted on calling ourselves women - or wimmin, or womyn - in those days at Wellesley) from Bergen County, New Jersey.
I received a letter recently from a friend I'd met while I lived in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Ann commented that my life, since having moved to San Diego, appears to have been quite full and interesting in fulfilling ways. I looked back at my life while I lived in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, and realized that at that point, my life was quite circumscribed by my physical circumstances. I was a stay-at-home mom to a young child (Kat aged from 6 to 8 then), and my life was centered on improving my mental and, to a lesser extent, physical abilities after having been pretty well-battered as the result of a rush-hour automobile collision involving my economy 4-door sedan and a tractor trailer. I remember just being thankful (to nobody in particular, but nonetheless, relieved) that Kat was not in the car with me, for though her car seat was securely fastened to the center of the rear seat, she would nonetheless have suffered injuries from flying broken glass and psychological trauma, for she probably would not have lost consciousness, as I had.
While I recovered slowly, I started to play Bridge as a means of improving my short-term memory skills while enjoying social interaction. Most (actually, all) of the other members of the Williamsport Bridge Club were retirees who had their Tuesday afternoons free. Actually, just about all of my days were free, as I had no job -or even job prospects- at this point. I helped set out the snacks and coffee each Tuesday afternoon, and enjoyed the weekly lessons before a few hours of play. All the players were friendly, even if they gave intense competition during the game. There would be breaks when we chatted about our families and lives. I enjoyed those afternoons. After I left the Keystone State for the sunny Southwest (first stopping in Albuquerque for the summer, then finally landing in San Diego), I kept in touch with Ann, one of my occasional partners in playing (her husband, Frank, does not play Bridge, or at least doesn't to the extent that Ann plays). More often than not, the instructor, whose name escapes me now, was usually my partner, as I was one of the few people there who was not joined by their spouse or another regular partner.
When I moved to Albuquerque, and then, later, San Diego, I played Bridge as a means of joining an established community which was friendly and open to new players. There appeared to be very little ego in the room, just fun being had by all who were learning or re-learning after a hiatus that may have lasted years. Not that Bridge cannot be stressful, but playing it is enjoyable for me, though I have not played in many, many months now (essentially since taking up SCUBA diving, three years ago).
I was reminded of how much I enjoy games during our recent trip on the Horizon, over Memorial Day weekend, when we went to Santa Catalina Island and San Clemente. I played a few games of Mexican Train (dominoes) with a couple of older women and enjoyed taking my turns, chatting, and playing, even if I didn't win. The other players commented on my sportsmanship, and I replied that as often as I find myself losing, it helps to enjoy the play as much as I do. Winning is a plus, no longer a focus. The games seem to have become much more of a journey for me than a means to an end.
Anyway, all of this was brought to mind when I received a letter from Ann, informing me that she's been in physical therapy because she'd fallen a couple times due to strength imbalance in her legs. I think Ann's in her early- to mid-80's now, just about 40 years older than I am. I recently took some stock of my general health, and while I am, by may respects, healthy, I'm not near as fit as I'd like to be.
As a reminder to myself, I want to get back into running intervals again, especially now that my hip is feeling much better after the little bit of rest and physical therapy it did receive over the past three weeks. I ran once last week, and I may go again this afternoon/evening, depending on how the schedule works out with my going to the gym and getting to the equipment I like before it becomes too crowded with the after-work crowd. It also depends on when Kat gets home, of course.
The reason I wanted to write this entry in the first place was to introduce the fact that Kat and I will be taking Professional Bakeshop Skills together through San Diego Continuing Education, which will be very, very cool. She actually attended the first class this week with Liz because I was still recovering from food poisoning that I acquired Sunday afternoon at the SCUBA show. Next week, I will attend Monday afternoon/evening's class, and Kat will be on her field trip with her Girl Scout troop to NorCal. The following week, we'll finally be able to attend a class together. There'll be optional Friday classes as well, and I'm fairly sure we'll try to make it to a lot of those sessions, too. I'm tres excited to take a class with her, especially in a topic that we both love and can bring into our home life, as well as something that can go beyond our home life, eventually, depending on how things go...
I received a letter recently from a friend I'd met while I lived in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Ann commented that my life, since having moved to San Diego, appears to have been quite full and interesting in fulfilling ways. I looked back at my life while I lived in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, and realized that at that point, my life was quite circumscribed by my physical circumstances. I was a stay-at-home mom to a young child (Kat aged from 6 to 8 then), and my life was centered on improving my mental and, to a lesser extent, physical abilities after having been pretty well-battered as the result of a rush-hour automobile collision involving my economy 4-door sedan and a tractor trailer. I remember just being thankful (to nobody in particular, but nonetheless, relieved) that Kat was not in the car with me, for though her car seat was securely fastened to the center of the rear seat, she would nonetheless have suffered injuries from flying broken glass and psychological trauma, for she probably would not have lost consciousness, as I had.
While I recovered slowly, I started to play Bridge as a means of improving my short-term memory skills while enjoying social interaction. Most (actually, all) of the other members of the Williamsport Bridge Club were retirees who had their Tuesday afternoons free. Actually, just about all of my days were free, as I had no job -or even job prospects- at this point. I helped set out the snacks and coffee each Tuesday afternoon, and enjoyed the weekly lessons before a few hours of play. All the players were friendly, even if they gave intense competition during the game. There would be breaks when we chatted about our families and lives. I enjoyed those afternoons. After I left the Keystone State for the sunny Southwest (first stopping in Albuquerque for the summer, then finally landing in San Diego), I kept in touch with Ann, one of my occasional partners in playing (her husband, Frank, does not play Bridge, or at least doesn't to the extent that Ann plays). More often than not, the instructor, whose name escapes me now, was usually my partner, as I was one of the few people there who was not joined by their spouse or another regular partner.
When I moved to Albuquerque, and then, later, San Diego, I played Bridge as a means of joining an established community which was friendly and open to new players. There appeared to be very little ego in the room, just fun being had by all who were learning or re-learning after a hiatus that may have lasted years. Not that Bridge cannot be stressful, but playing it is enjoyable for me, though I have not played in many, many months now (essentially since taking up SCUBA diving, three years ago).
I was reminded of how much I enjoy games during our recent trip on the Horizon, over Memorial Day weekend, when we went to Santa Catalina Island and San Clemente. I played a few games of Mexican Train (dominoes) with a couple of older women and enjoyed taking my turns, chatting, and playing, even if I didn't win. The other players commented on my sportsmanship, and I replied that as often as I find myself losing, it helps to enjoy the play as much as I do. Winning is a plus, no longer a focus. The games seem to have become much more of a journey for me than a means to an end.
Anyway, all of this was brought to mind when I received a letter from Ann, informing me that she's been in physical therapy because she'd fallen a couple times due to strength imbalance in her legs. I think Ann's in her early- to mid-80's now, just about 40 years older than I am. I recently took some stock of my general health, and while I am, by may respects, healthy, I'm not near as fit as I'd like to be.
As a reminder to myself, I want to get back into running intervals again, especially now that my hip is feeling much better after the little bit of rest and physical therapy it did receive over the past three weeks. I ran once last week, and I may go again this afternoon/evening, depending on how the schedule works out with my going to the gym and getting to the equipment I like before it becomes too crowded with the after-work crowd. It also depends on when Kat gets home, of course.
The reason I wanted to write this entry in the first place was to introduce the fact that Kat and I will be taking Professional Bakeshop Skills together through San Diego Continuing Education, which will be very, very cool. She actually attended the first class this week with Liz because I was still recovering from food poisoning that I acquired Sunday afternoon at the SCUBA show. Next week, I will attend Monday afternoon/evening's class, and Kat will be on her field trip with her Girl Scout troop to NorCal. The following week, we'll finally be able to attend a class together. There'll be optional Friday classes as well, and I'm fairly sure we'll try to make it to a lot of those sessions, too. I'm tres excited to take a class with her, especially in a topic that we both love and can bring into our home life, as well as something that can go beyond our home life, eventually, depending on how things go...
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Last Day of Pastries and Desserts Class
Yesterday was the last meeting of Pastries & Desserts. On Monday, the summer term begins and I will explore Advanced Bakeshop Skills, which is described as learning baking theory and practicing production techniques. Could come in handy. I'd asked Jake which class I ought to take to learn how to make puff pastry and ladyfingers, and he said, "Advanced Bakeshop Skills." He also recommended taking it at the West City campus, because the kitchen there is superior to the one at the Educational Cultural Complex, where I'd taken Pastries & Desserts with him.
We made baklava (with prepared phyllo dough from a box, of course; similarly, we'd used store-bought ladyfingers last week for tiramisu) for our final class meeting. Fortunately, the two women I'd liked most from the class, Sonya and Sarah, were friends and actually asked me for my phone number. I exchanged phone numbers with them. They both live in Golden Hill, east of Downtown (San Diego). When the baklava that I'd prepared with another young woman, whose name I've forgotten now, came out of the oven, it looked really nice and well-baked.
Yikes! In a spate of clearing files from the camera's memory card, I deleted the photos I'd taken of our lovely baklava! Oh, well; I suppose that just means I'll have to make another one sometime...
We made baklava (with prepared phyllo dough from a box, of course; similarly, we'd used store-bought ladyfingers last week for tiramisu) for our final class meeting. Fortunately, the two women I'd liked most from the class, Sonya and Sarah, were friends and actually asked me for my phone number. I exchanged phone numbers with them. They both live in Golden Hill, east of Downtown (San Diego). When the baklava that I'd prepared with another young woman, whose name I've forgotten now, came out of the oven, it looked really nice and well-baked.
Yikes! In a spate of clearing files from the camera's memory card, I deleted the photos I'd taken of our lovely baklava! Oh, well; I suppose that just means I'll have to make another one sometime...
Election Day, June 2014
Tuesday, I
awoke at my usual time, about 4:30 am, and realized that I should not
be going back to sleep, for I was due at the polling station at 5:45
in order to set up the touchscreen voting machine and to meet the
other workers at my precinct. The Precinct Inspector was a
pleasant Vietnamese woman named Grace, the Assistant Precinct
Inspector was a woman whose name escaped my mind the moment after she
introduced herself to me, who was also a Vietnamese immigrant; there
were two men, one who was about my age or a little older, who had a
son in high school, and a retired man who very proudly informed me
that he had a son who attended Columbia University for undergraduate
and either medical school or law school.
This older
man's name was Augusto (or something like that), and he exhibited all
the pride that comes from a lack of self-knowledge, especially as one
ages and loses mental capacities that once may have been quite
superior (though being a doctor from South America would not have
been a high recommendation to me for his practice). It was sad
and frustrating at the same. He had taken it upon himself to
assume the job of looking up voters' addresses and names in the
street index, which was arranged alphabetically by street name, then
in numerical order of the address. Seemed quite simple enough
to me, and I figured that it was not his eyesight that limited his
ability to look up names and addresses quickly, but rather the
molasses flow of his mind.
As the day
waxed, few voters turned up with long draughts between. We sat
and most of us chatted with one another, about family, mostly. I
learned how Grace's family had slowly immigrated, each entering group
gaining citizenship and, in turn, sponsoring additional family
members to join them. I think I was in the same entering generation
of immigrants as her niece, who is my age. Grace told me how, as
immigrants, her generation, as parents, had focused their energy on
teaching their children English, and not their native tongue, thus
producing a generation (mine) that feels the loss of the
intergenerational connection that language provides in families of
immigrants.
When I asked if
Augusto would allow Tim, who sat next to him, to take the job of
looking up street addresses, his reaction was defensive and rather
pitiful in its expression of pride. He said that if I wanted him to
leave and go home, he could do that (I was sooo tempted!). He
refused to take into consideration the fact that voters were waiting,
thankfully patiently, for him to look up their addresses after having
it reiterated for him a number of times not less than two. At the
end of the evening, he was in a hurry to leave, and would not lend a
hand in counting and totaling the ballots. I turned my attention to
the touchscreen voting machine and limited it to the task of having
the machine tabulate the number of votes cast (zero) and the
respective number of votes each candidate received (zero, of course).
Augusto left before the ballots were all counted. The last thing he
did do was to go outside and pick up the yellow “Vote Here”
signs from the street entrance to the building. After he left, Tim
tried to make due with the required signatures on various documents,
though without the fifth signature, I'm not sure id the ballots cast
at our voting station were actually counted. I don't know enough
about the electoral process in California to be able to tell whether
voting was a waste of the time of all of those voters in our precinct
because of one angry aged man whose pride meant more to him than any
social benefit he may have provided by “serving” as a poll
worker. In my not-so-humble opinion, he should not receive his
stipend (although it's not much, under $100) because he essentially
reneged on his duties.
As I left the
parking lot of the church where the voting materials drop-off took
place, Grace called to me and invited me to have lunch or dinner with
her (and the Assistant Precinct Inspector) sometime. Indeed, that
would be nice. Might even invite Tim, who was not unpleasant at all,
either, to work with.
I told Peter
when I saw him later that I hope never to become belligerent in old
age. If my faculties begin to wane, I just hope to do it gracefully
and not pin my ego on my intellectual prowess, which can only go
down. He agreed that that would be a damn shame.
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