Monday, February 27, 2012
San Juan Capistrano 2
Sunday, February 26, 2012
San Juan Capistrano 1
I took a whirlwind 72 hour tour of southern California - from LA to San Diego and back. A smattering of photos will be the next few blog entries.
The Mission San Juan Capistrano is the only existing mission in Orange County, CA. You may know the song When The Swallows Come Back to Capistrano. Yes, the very same place.
A pair of bird of paradise flowers. I can see where they got their name.
The Mission San Juan Capistrano is the only existing mission in Orange County, CA. You may know the song When The Swallows Come Back to Capistrano. Yes, the very same place.
A pair of bird of paradise flowers. I can see where they got their name.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Allergen free travel
This is my first trip since solidifying my gluten, dairy and soy intolerances. The first battle was air travel. I brought an egg sandwich, a chilled grilled cheese and a pb&j, each wrapped in wax paper. I also brought a quart size bag with some chips, and some 100 calorie packs of almonds. Thankfully they all sailed straight through security tied in their own shopping bag.
Once on the road I realized I had forgotten my sunglasses and my hat back on the east coast. My fair complexion could not accept this with beach time in the plans. A trip to Target meant I could also grab some almond milk.
This left only dinner to figure out. I noticed a restaurant called Souplantation in my travels, did a little googling and decided to give it a shot.
While not cost effective (almost $12 for the meal) it was allergen safe. There was a sign touting fruit next to the dessert but it only had tiny apples and uninviting pineapple. I'm hoping tomorrow is more successful, but for today I'll take not getting "poisoned". :)
Once on the road I realized I had forgotten my sunglasses and my hat back on the east coast. My fair complexion could not accept this with beach time in the plans. A trip to Target meant I could also grab some almond milk.
This left only dinner to figure out. I noticed a restaurant called Souplantation in my travels, did a little googling and decided to give it a shot.
While not cost effective (almost $12 for the meal) it was allergen safe. There was a sign touting fruit next to the dessert but it only had tiny apples and uninviting pineapple. I'm hoping tomorrow is more successful, but for today I'll take not getting "poisoned". :)
Location:Orange County, CA
Friday, February 3, 2012
Customer service
I recently had a party to attend, and very little time to spare. I bought two books at Porter Square Books and they offered to wrap them for me!
Great customer service, and a wonderful place to visit. And even better, a local business!
Great customer service, and a wonderful place to visit. And even better, a local business!
Location:Cambridge, MA
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Good times never seemed so good...
The highlight of my evening was listening to the older ladies sing along to Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" during our water aerobics class.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Thankful for NPR
I've been struggling lately, wrestling with issues of race, identity, prejudice and disenfranchisement. I was contemplating an entry diverting from my positive message to address the distress I've been feeling about the way Asian people are treated in western cultures. The rough draft in my head was angry, frustrated, and without hope. And then I listened to NPR.
The Takeaway on WNYC is reviewing their top shows of the year. In an interview with local NYC DJ Jay Smooth they discussed considering our relationship with race as something needing constant maintainace, like brushing our teeth, not as an absolute, like whether or not you have tonsils. This is incredibly liberating. I think some of my trepidations around correcting people's racist statements about Asian people has come from knowing that I make errors, too. I have had no trouble stopping students from using "gay" or "retarded" as slurs, responding immediately "we don't use that word that way here". Reframing the response to race-based statements to "that statement sounds prejudiced" or "people can find that statement offensive" takes the shame and blame from the situation. The "model minority" myth makes it complicated to address these issue. When someone says something derogatory about another group its easier to say "we don't talk about people that way." When someone is lauding the math skills of a person because they are of one race its couched in a positive statement - how do you tell people not to talk positively about a group? I'm feeling more empowered, which makes me hope I can empower my students, and create some positive change in the world. Thank you Celeste, John, Jay and NPR!
The Takeaway on WNYC is reviewing their top shows of the year. In an interview with local NYC DJ Jay Smooth they discussed considering our relationship with race as something needing constant maintainace, like brushing our teeth, not as an absolute, like whether or not you have tonsils. This is incredibly liberating. I think some of my trepidations around correcting people's racist statements about Asian people has come from knowing that I make errors, too. I have had no trouble stopping students from using "gay" or "retarded" as slurs, responding immediately "we don't use that word that way here". Reframing the response to race-based statements to "that statement sounds prejudiced" or "people can find that statement offensive" takes the shame and blame from the situation. The "model minority" myth makes it complicated to address these issue. When someone says something derogatory about another group its easier to say "we don't talk about people that way." When someone is lauding the math skills of a person because they are of one race its couched in a positive statement - how do you tell people not to talk positively about a group? I'm feeling more empowered, which makes me hope I can empower my students, and create some positive change in the world. Thank you Celeste, John, Jay and NPR!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Accidental Glutening
Transitioning to a gluten free (gf) diet has been good so far. There are so many choices and products, I'm glad to be doing this now and not 10 years ago when things were so well labeled.
Today I accidentally glutened myself. The security office at work helped me out, and I wanted to make them some brownies to thank them. Old habits die hard, and I tasted the batter. Two hours later and my legs are led and I'm getting snoozy. A very important lesson learned.
Today I accidentally glutened myself. The security office at work helped me out, and I wanted to make them some brownies to thank them. Old habits die hard, and I tasted the batter. Two hours later and my legs are led and I'm getting snoozy. A very important lesson learned.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Gluten free and loving life
I've mentioned a few times that I have been sick with mysterious symptoms since May 2010 (a year and a half). I consulted a nutritionist and she put me on a 900 calorie diet (imagine living on the equivalent of 9 100 calorie yogurts a day). And yet I couldn't drop any weight. My partner was worried about my nutrition, so we decided to try a juicing diet we saw in http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/ .
I will admit I didn't follow the reboot to the letter. I juiced two meals a day and ate one. Two days in I started to feel great - and none of the warned side effects. Then I had a sandwich and it all fell apart. The bread! It was the bread! I've been gluten free for about two weeks and haven't felt better in years. I'm slowly losing weight but more importantly I feel good and feel like myself. I have requested an appointment with a gastroenterologist to confirm, but life is good!
I will admit I didn't follow the reboot to the letter. I juiced two meals a day and ate one. Two days in I started to feel great - and none of the warned side effects. Then I had a sandwich and it all fell apart. The bread! It was the bread! I've been gluten free for about two weeks and haven't felt better in years. I'm slowly losing weight but more importantly I feel good and feel like myself. I have requested an appointment with a gastroenterologist to confirm, but life is good!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
This weekend my partner and I went to a wedding for a friend we have known for six years, for a couple who has been together for five. It was wonderful to be able to share in their day, to see the two of them so happy. It was wonderful to get to spend the weekend with my partner, too. The weather was lovely, the drive was easy, and the company was great.
Congratulations T&K!
Congratulations T&K!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Poem for July 4th
I Like Americans
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
I like Americans.
You may say what you will, they are the nicest people in the world.
They sleep with their windows open.
Their bathtubs are never dry.
They are not grown up yet.
They still believe in Santa Claus.
They are terribly in earnest. But they laugh at everything…
I like Americans.
They give the matches free…
I like Americans. They are the only men in the world, the sight of whom in their shirt-sleeves is not rumpled, embryonic and agonizing…
I like Americans. They carry such pretty umbrellas. The Avenue de l’Opera on a rainy day is just an avenue on a rainy day. But Fifth Avenue on a rainy day is an old-fashioned garden under a shower…
They are always rocking the boat.
I like Americans. They either shoot the whole nickel, or give up the bones.
You may say what you will, they are the nicest people in the world.
Found in Caroline Kennedy's book, read aloud here by Stephen Colbert and Caroline Kennedy
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
I like Americans.
You may say what you will, they are the nicest people in the world.
They sleep with their windows open.
Their bathtubs are never dry.
They are not grown up yet.
They still believe in Santa Claus.
They are terribly in earnest. But they laugh at everything…
I like Americans.
They give the matches free…
I like Americans. They are the only men in the world, the sight of whom in their shirt-sleeves is not rumpled, embryonic and agonizing…
I like Americans. They carry such pretty umbrellas. The Avenue de l’Opera on a rainy day is just an avenue on a rainy day. But Fifth Avenue on a rainy day is an old-fashioned garden under a shower…
They are always rocking the boat.
I like Americans. They either shoot the whole nickel, or give up the bones.
You may say what you will, they are the nicest people in the world.
Found in Caroline Kennedy's book, read aloud here by Stephen Colbert and Caroline Kennedy
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