Your assignment while I am away is to get your hands on a copy of Salman Rushdie's The Jaguar Smile and read it. You won't have any new RBlog updates to read, so use one of the best writers on the face of the planet to fill the void.
You should do this for a couple of reasons. Mainly, it's embarrassing how few of you can pick out Nicaragua on a map -- and you are a very well educated bunch. It also bothers me that so many people I've talked to seem to have a negative reaction to the concept of visiting Nicaragua. The country is associated with danger and calamity, but only because it was on the news a lot in the eighties. No one knows much in terms of specifics -- just that it was on TV for some bad reason and is therefore a dangerous place. This is that whole ugly American phenomenon we hear so much about in action. If we're going to assume that something is scary, shouldn't we at least know why?
If that reason doesn't motivate you, you should read The Jaguar Smile because Rushdie is a phenomenal writer. He blows my mind every time I pick up one of his books. This one is no exception. The Sandinistas invited Rushdie to visit Nicaragua in 1986. The Jaguar Smile is comprised of essays focusing on that experience, portraits of the Sandinista leaders, as well as Rushdie's reflections on the land and people of Nicaragua.
I'll bring back a bottle of Flor de Caña for the first one to finish the book (for real) and post some reasonably intelligent comments about it on RBlog.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Internet Explorer is bad
It's come to my attention that if you view this blog in Internet Explorer, it doesn't display correctly. In Explorer, you can't even see a lot of the links. So don't use Explorer.
Book review: The Method Actors
My friend Matt (you can find his picture in previous blog entries) kept telling me to read The Method Actors by Carl Shuker. He described it as a “Lost in Translation for the noir crowd.” I didn’t think I would like it and I put off reading it, but The Method Actors surprised me. I'd say it's a blend of postmodern chic, comedy, and mystery. There’s no Scarlet Johansen-esque character, which I thought unfortunate, but I guess it was written before the movie actually came out.
The Method Actors is made up of stories of different expats living in Tokyo, in an out-of-order way that I expected to be be frustrating. Once I got used to it, I wound up enjoying it so much that I'm considering re-reading it. The scenes involving psychedelic mushrooms were my favorite. You'd think that all the bits of esoterica would make it dense and difficult, but somehow it manages to entertain all the way through.
The Method Actors is made up of stories of different expats living in Tokyo, in an out-of-order way that I expected to be be frustrating. Once I got used to it, I wound up enjoying it so much that I'm considering re-reading it. The scenes involving psychedelic mushrooms were my favorite. You'd think that all the bits of esoterica would make it dense and difficult, but somehow it manages to entertain all the way through.
The Special Agents are watching
Yesterday, a Special Agent from the security office of a federal agency dropped by the office to see me. I was in a meeting, so he left his card with the receptionist. The same agent had left me a voicemail the previous morning. He needed to interview me about one of the authors I work with. This particular author is being considered for a position with the agency that requires a certain level of security clearance, thus the background check.
I hadn't returned the call immediately, because the whole thing was a little out of the ordinary and I wanted a chance to speak with the author to make sure it was okay for me to release his information. The author confirmed that I should speak freely, so when the receptionist presented me with the business card I quickly called the special agent back.
After about a half hour of phone tag, he caught me on the phone and said he was still in the area and would like to come in and speak with me. I told him we could meet and within five minutes he was waiting for me in the lobby. I had just enough time to grab some files and move the moldy coffee mugs off my desk.
The Special Agent was wearing a suit, as you might expect, but there were no dark glasses or ear piece. He was extremely considerate and professional. He showed me his ID badge, explained several federal laws regarding such investigations, and let me make copies of the waiver forms the author had signed. The majority of the questions he asked me were the sort of thing you'd expect from someone working on a character assessment of this nature. Nothing too surprising.
The disconcerting part was when he looked at me and said, "So, I understand that you're leaving the country soon." My upcoming trip had not been revealed in our conversation. My confusion must have been reflected in my expression, because he then let me know that he had also done a little research on me -- in order to facilitate his investigation. In fact, part of his research was reading this blog.
There's a lesson here, and the lesson is this: if you blog, don't forget that your blog is a public document. Don't assume that only your friends read it, or that the general public isn't interested in you, your opinions, or what you may choose to write about. More people have read my blog than I realize, and they're not just the general public. They're Special Agents of the federal government.
I hadn't returned the call immediately, because the whole thing was a little out of the ordinary and I wanted a chance to speak with the author to make sure it was okay for me to release his information. The author confirmed that I should speak freely, so when the receptionist presented me with the business card I quickly called the special agent back.
After about a half hour of phone tag, he caught me on the phone and said he was still in the area and would like to come in and speak with me. I told him we could meet and within five minutes he was waiting for me in the lobby. I had just enough time to grab some files and move the moldy coffee mugs off my desk.
The Special Agent was wearing a suit, as you might expect, but there were no dark glasses or ear piece. He was extremely considerate and professional. He showed me his ID badge, explained several federal laws regarding such investigations, and let me make copies of the waiver forms the author had signed. The majority of the questions he asked me were the sort of thing you'd expect from someone working on a character assessment of this nature. Nothing too surprising.
The disconcerting part was when he looked at me and said, "So, I understand that you're leaving the country soon." My upcoming trip had not been revealed in our conversation. My confusion must have been reflected in my expression, because he then let me know that he had also done a little research on me -- in order to facilitate his investigation. In fact, part of his research was reading this blog.
There's a lesson here, and the lesson is this: if you blog, don't forget that your blog is a public document. Don't assume that only your friends read it, or that the general public isn't interested in you, your opinions, or what you may choose to write about. More people have read my blog than I realize, and they're not just the general public. They're Special Agents of the federal government.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Call for submissions
I received this call for submissions a few days ago. Sounds like an interesting opportunity to get published...
Mexico, a Love Story: Women Write about the Mexican Experience -- Slated for Spring 2006
Mexico has long cast its spell over us, its neighbor—and alter ego—to the north. We share much more than a 1,950-mile-long border. We share a history, exalt its food, and honor its literary luminaries. We cross its borders in droves, heading for warm waters, shady zócalos, language classrooms, open-air mercados, cousins’ living rooms, and steep temples. Mexico is in our collective blood. The Mexican-American affair is a love story ripe for the telling.
Mexico, a Love Story will be more than a random collection of essays about the adventures of women who have traveled or lived in Mexico. It will be an anthology of personal narratives describing how Mexico has shaped lives or influenced decisions, how the country has affected each woman in life- or mind- altering ways. Writers with compelling true stories will have an opportunity to help shape this tapestry of journalism that will transcend the ordinary travelogue.
We are looking for essays by women that reveal some kind of love affair with the country, its people, its cities, its ancient and surviving civilizations, its stretches of open land and oceans, its food. Women have always had a special relationship to place—volumes have been written on that subject. It is the distinctly female nature of narratives in Mexico that will unite these stories. Experiences you may have had in Mexico—such as with love, death, identity, self-discovery, aspirations, and culture shock—may be universal, but in this anthology they must be conveyed with a focus on the way they inform women’s lives.
Send us your “love” stories on Mexico. We are looking for well-crafted personal essays about not just what happened to you there, but how Mexico shaped your worldview in some noteworthy way, how it seduced, impacted your senses, changed you—for the better or worse. We are looking for diverse and unique perspectives. We want strong, developed, first-person writing that goes beyond mass market journalism. We want a diverse mix of voices—humorous, unadorned, poetic, visceral—as well as a wide range of ages and races.
Some likely topics include:
• Heritage and identity
• Mother-daughter (or father-daughter) travel
• A moving experience of the country’s Catholicism (and/or ancient religions) or with its indigenous cultures
• Enriching romantic relationships or friendships
• Adventure stories from wild or rugged territory
• Being an expat
• Border patrol encounters
• Deepening experiences of Mexico’s art, archaeology, or history
• Personal involvement in the country’s political strife or struggles
• A below-the-surface experience of a festival or custom
Editor: Camille Cusumano is the editor of two other Seal Press anthologies: France, a Love Story and Italy, a Love Story, both of which offer examples of the types of essays we are seeking.
Publisher: Seal Press, an imprint of Avalon Publishing Group, publishes groundbreaking books by and for women in a variety of topics. Visit www.sealpress.com for more information.
Deadline: September 1, 2005
Length: 3,000–5,000 words
Format: Essays must be typed, double-spaced, and paginated. Please include your address, phone number, email address, and a short bio on the last page. Essays will not be returned.
Submitting: Send essay electronically as a Word or Rich Text Format file (with .doc or .rtf extension) to Camille Cusumano at ocaramia@earthlilnk.net. Put “Mexico, A Love Story” in the subject line. If email is not possible, mail the essay to 1270 D Storey Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94129.
Payment: $100 plus two books
Reply: Please allow until October 1 for a response. If you haven’t received a response by then, please assume your essay has not been selected. It is not possible to reply to every submission personally.
Mexico, a Love Story: Women Write about the Mexican Experience -- Slated for Spring 2006
Mexico has long cast its spell over us, its neighbor—and alter ego—to the north. We share much more than a 1,950-mile-long border. We share a history, exalt its food, and honor its literary luminaries. We cross its borders in droves, heading for warm waters, shady zócalos, language classrooms, open-air mercados, cousins’ living rooms, and steep temples. Mexico is in our collective blood. The Mexican-American affair is a love story ripe for the telling.
Mexico, a Love Story will be more than a random collection of essays about the adventures of women who have traveled or lived in Mexico. It will be an anthology of personal narratives describing how Mexico has shaped lives or influenced decisions, how the country has affected each woman in life- or mind- altering ways. Writers with compelling true stories will have an opportunity to help shape this tapestry of journalism that will transcend the ordinary travelogue.
We are looking for essays by women that reveal some kind of love affair with the country, its people, its cities, its ancient and surviving civilizations, its stretches of open land and oceans, its food. Women have always had a special relationship to place—volumes have been written on that subject. It is the distinctly female nature of narratives in Mexico that will unite these stories. Experiences you may have had in Mexico—such as with love, death, identity, self-discovery, aspirations, and culture shock—may be universal, but in this anthology they must be conveyed with a focus on the way they inform women’s lives.
Send us your “love” stories on Mexico. We are looking for well-crafted personal essays about not just what happened to you there, but how Mexico shaped your worldview in some noteworthy way, how it seduced, impacted your senses, changed you—for the better or worse. We are looking for diverse and unique perspectives. We want strong, developed, first-person writing that goes beyond mass market journalism. We want a diverse mix of voices—humorous, unadorned, poetic, visceral—as well as a wide range of ages and races.
Some likely topics include:
• Heritage and identity
• Mother-daughter (or father-daughter) travel
• A moving experience of the country’s Catholicism (and/or ancient religions) or with its indigenous cultures
• Enriching romantic relationships or friendships
• Adventure stories from wild or rugged territory
• Being an expat
• Border patrol encounters
• Deepening experiences of Mexico’s art, archaeology, or history
• Personal involvement in the country’s political strife or struggles
• A below-the-surface experience of a festival or custom
Editor: Camille Cusumano is the editor of two other Seal Press anthologies: France, a Love Story and Italy, a Love Story, both of which offer examples of the types of essays we are seeking.
Publisher: Seal Press, an imprint of Avalon Publishing Group, publishes groundbreaking books by and for women in a variety of topics. Visit www.sealpress.com for more information.
Deadline: September 1, 2005
Length: 3,000–5,000 words
Format: Essays must be typed, double-spaced, and paginated. Please include your address, phone number, email address, and a short bio on the last page. Essays will not be returned.
Submitting: Send essay electronically as a Word or Rich Text Format file (with .doc or .rtf extension) to Camille Cusumano at ocaramia@earthlilnk.net. Put “Mexico, A Love Story” in the subject line. If email is not possible, mail the essay to 1270 D Storey Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94129.
Payment: $100 plus two books
Reply: Please allow until October 1 for a response. If you haven’t received a response by then, please assume your essay has not been selected. It is not possible to reply to every submission personally.
Product review: Trader Joe's Indian Fare Pav Bhaji
I've been meaning to tell you about this one for awhile. TJ's Pav Bhaji was unexpectedly delightful. It's a blend of potatoes, tomatoes, and other diced vegetables. They're all stewed together and cooked down to a porridge-like consistency. I didn't think it would be that great, but I enjoyed it so much that I'm considering subsisting only on Pav Baji until I leave for Nicaragua. You'd think that all the veggies would make it low fat and healthy, perhaps even a strong choice for dieters, but somehow it manages to have a whopping 18 grams of fat per packet. Still, it tastes good enough that I don't care. At $1.99, this is the ideal pre-made dish to accompany the frozen naan that I blogged of last week.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Who knows about The Superficial?
I'm aware that some of you are dedicated readers of The Superficial. I started reading after finding links on both Fleshbot and Will's blog. If you don't read it, you should. It's better than Us Weekly. It's addictive and I'm hooked. However, there are a few things I'd like to know:
1) Who writes it? All the entries have a really strong, specific voice (young, male, hetero, sarcastic), but the Advertising Info and the About sections say things like, "We respect our readers' anonymity as much as we love our own and we highly encourage reader submissions..." Is there really a we? Does The Superficial have an actual staff? Or is it one young, sarcastic, hetero guy sitting alone on his couch in his boxers blogging?
I must admit I assumed the latter, which brings me to my second question.
2) If it is just a dude on his couch, does he have a day job? Or does he make enough money off the advertisements on The Superficial that he can just blog and promote the site full time? I mostly wonder because it's well done and I'm curious about the personality behind it. The detailed info provided about the site's traffic in the Advertising Info section is interesting, too. Especially this line, "Our content attracts over 100,000 visitors every day, from buzz-generating college students to studio executives."
Buzz-generating college students? Studio executives? Really?
One of you must know more about The Superficial. Do tell. I'm dying to know.
1) Who writes it? All the entries have a really strong, specific voice (young, male, hetero, sarcastic), but the Advertising Info and the About sections say things like, "We respect our readers' anonymity as much as we love our own and we highly encourage reader submissions..." Is there really a we? Does The Superficial have an actual staff? Or is it one young, sarcastic, hetero guy sitting alone on his couch in his boxers blogging?
I must admit I assumed the latter, which brings me to my second question.
2) If it is just a dude on his couch, does he have a day job? Or does he make enough money off the advertisements on The Superficial that he can just blog and promote the site full time? I mostly wonder because it's well done and I'm curious about the personality behind it. The detailed info provided about the site's traffic in the Advertising Info section is interesting, too. Especially this line, "Our content attracts over 100,000 visitors every day, from buzz-generating college students to studio executives."
Buzz-generating college students? Studio executives? Really?
One of you must know more about The Superficial. Do tell. I'm dying to know.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
A new look for RBlog
You've probably noticed that things here at RBlog are looking different. Maybe a bit simpler? Even more sophisticated? I decided that it was time for a makeover -- a new look for summer, if you will. I was never really down with that whole orange scheme. The only negative to my tinkering around, is that I accidentally lost the original hit counter mid-process. It was up to 900 hits, too! Not so bad for the first month of counting.
So, dedicated readers, what do you think? Any suggestions or requests?
So, dedicated readers, what do you think? Any suggestions or requests?
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Getting excited
Jeff and I have been so bogged down with things like malaria pills and sorting out who is bringing the toothpaste, that I haven't spent time simply considering about how awesome this trip is going to be once we actually hit the ground in Managua. I started looking through some of my photos from the last time I was in Central America. I realized that they're some of my favorite memories:
This is a photo of the Maya ruins in Tikal, Guatemala. It was so hot that day we could barely move. I was completely light headed from the heat and the smoke from field burning in the area. We had to walk quite distance on cement paths through the jungle to get to each site. There are so many ruins of this type in Tikal that they've only been able to restore a portion of them. We'd walk on the paths and see these huge mounds among the trees -- other pyramids that hadn't been uncovered yet. There was also a crew working on restoring the face of one of the pyramids. Every single one of those guys was wearing long, heavy work pants and most had on long-sleeved shirts as well. They were hauling stone up the face of the thing. I couldn't believe it. You can't really tell from the photos, but the pyramids are extremely steep. It was all I could do to climb up ten or fifteen steps without getting freaked out about the height.
I started talking to these girls when we passed them on their way home from school. We were on a little island off the coast of Belize. All the kids I encountered on that trip loved to have their photos taken. Some of them would ask me to take a picture of them, which was funny since obviously they'd never see it. I love this photo, despite the fact that looks like it should be a part of a cheesy brochure for a Caribbean cruise.
This is Stacy, my consistently calm and collected travel companion for that trip. Stacy is a lot braver than I am when it comes to just about anything. She was amazing to travel with. We decided to go check out this cave in the jungle in Eastern Belize. A guide took us a couple of miles down into the cave, swimming and wading through an underground river and doing a bit of bouldering in the dark. There was quite a bit of scampering around on hands and knees in the mud. You don't mind dirt at all when you can't see it. We had to be appropriately geared up for the excursion, thus the helmets.
What was in the cave, you ask? Well, there were bats, blind fish, spiders, a lot of pottery shards, some unbroken pots, and several dead bodies (or parts of them) that had been laying around in there for a couple thousand years. The most interesting bit was the full skeleton of a young woman who they think had been killed as a sacrifice. I have no idea why we were allowed to get so close to all this stuff. The only thing we couldn't do was touch any of it.
Looking through these old photos has helped me realize that as long as I can get Jeff to loosen up and enjoy himself, this trip is going to be fabulous. No matter what happens, the experiences will be new, the company good, and the country beautiful. I'm ready for whatever the travel gods bring me. As for Jeff... I found out that you can buy super cheap valium over the counter in Nicaragua. Maybe I'll have to get my hands on some and slip it in with his malaria tablets.
This is a photo of the Maya ruins in Tikal, Guatemala. It was so hot that day we could barely move. I was completely light headed from the heat and the smoke from field burning in the area. We had to walk quite distance on cement paths through the jungle to get to each site. There are so many ruins of this type in Tikal that they've only been able to restore a portion of them. We'd walk on the paths and see these huge mounds among the trees -- other pyramids that hadn't been uncovered yet. There was also a crew working on restoring the face of one of the pyramids. Every single one of those guys was wearing long, heavy work pants and most had on long-sleeved shirts as well. They were hauling stone up the face of the thing. I couldn't believe it. You can't really tell from the photos, but the pyramids are extremely steep. It was all I could do to climb up ten or fifteen steps without getting freaked out about the height.
I started talking to these girls when we passed them on their way home from school. We were on a little island off the coast of Belize. All the kids I encountered on that trip loved to have their photos taken. Some of them would ask me to take a picture of them, which was funny since obviously they'd never see it. I love this photo, despite the fact that looks like it should be a part of a cheesy brochure for a Caribbean cruise.
This is Stacy, my consistently calm and collected travel companion for that trip. Stacy is a lot braver than I am when it comes to just about anything. She was amazing to travel with. We decided to go check out this cave in the jungle in Eastern Belize. A guide took us a couple of miles down into the cave, swimming and wading through an underground river and doing a bit of bouldering in the dark. There was quite a bit of scampering around on hands and knees in the mud. You don't mind dirt at all when you can't see it. We had to be appropriately geared up for the excursion, thus the helmets.
What was in the cave, you ask? Well, there were bats, blind fish, spiders, a lot of pottery shards, some unbroken pots, and several dead bodies (or parts of them) that had been laying around in there for a couple thousand years. The most interesting bit was the full skeleton of a young woman who they think had been killed as a sacrifice. I have no idea why we were allowed to get so close to all this stuff. The only thing we couldn't do was touch any of it.
Looking through these old photos has helped me realize that as long as I can get Jeff to loosen up and enjoy himself, this trip is going to be fabulous. No matter what happens, the experiences will be new, the company good, and the country beautiful. I'm ready for whatever the travel gods bring me. As for Jeff... I found out that you can buy super cheap valium over the counter in Nicaragua. Maybe I'll have to get my hands on some and slip it in with his malaria tablets.
Shocking comment from Lohan
I have been completely scandalized by an Saturday Night Live ad I saw last night. For those of you who haven't heard, Lohan is hosting SNL this week (tonight, in fact). They had her do a little plug for the show, in which she's standing there on the stage, barely recognizable in all her anorexic glory. She says, "Hi, I'm Lindsay Lohan and I'll be hosting Saturday Night Live this week [or something like that]." And then, in a super perky, giggly way she adds, "Please watch -- I've been so excited about hosting that I haven't eaten in six months!"
My jaw dropped. Does NBC really think that teen eating disorders are funny?! I hope Tina Fey has the sense to do an intervention.
My jaw dropped. Does NBC really think that teen eating disorders are funny?! I hope Tina Fey has the sense to do an intervention.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Nadia's update on the Fit-lite
The new 24-Hour mini gym is now open in Noe Valley. Nadia has been doing a little investigative reporting. Here's what she has to say,
"I went yesterday, to check it out. The woman at the
entrance told me that since I have access to any club,
I'm allowed to go to a Fit-Lite too. The place
is small! Tiny! On the left, there are four bikes,
then some open space, and I think some ab roll things,
as well as exercise balls. On the right side are all
the weight machines (I didn't see any free
weights). I think she mentioned that they had lockers,
but possibly no showers (I can't remember). You're supposed to
start on the bike for about five to seven minutes and some
buzzer goes off, and you rotate to the next machine. I
hear that Curves is like this too. Anyways, I think
I'm going to take advantage of its location. The
hours are Monday through Friday 6am to 9pm, and Saturday 8am to
5pm (maybe?). No Sundays yet. Man, it's tiny!"
"I went yesterday, to check it out. The woman at the
entrance told me that since I have access to any club,
I'm allowed to go to a Fit-Lite too. The place
is small! Tiny! On the left, there are four bikes,
then some open space, and I think some ab roll things,
as well as exercise balls. On the right side are all
the weight machines (I didn't see any free
weights). I think she mentioned that they had lockers,
but possibly no showers (I can't remember). You're supposed to
start on the bike for about five to seven minutes and some
buzzer goes off, and you rotate to the next machine. I
hear that Curves is like this too. Anyways, I think
I'm going to take advantage of its location. The
hours are Monday through Friday 6am to 9pm, and Saturday 8am to
5pm (maybe?). No Sundays yet. Man, it's tiny!"
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
The fur makes me a little crazy
For the umpteenth time in my life, I am coming to terms with the fact that I am a total sci-fi geek. I'm somewhat closeted, which is easy because most people don't expect such a thing of me, but The Revenge of the Sith is really bringing all of my latent geek tendencies to a head.
You've got to see this wookiee picture from the movie. I'm anal about following copyright laws, so go to http://movieweb.com/movies/galleries.php?film=7&id=2108. Click on the fourth photo down in the column of photos on the far right hand side of your browser widow. Now just look at all of them! Tee hee hee. I can barely stand it. It looks like Chewbacca enters the plot as a character in this episode, too. How is that going to tie in? I wonder what the average wookiee lifespan is?
I desperately want to go see the movie this Saturday, but I refuse to deal with grown men in storm trooper costumes. It seems like they should have at least one clearly specified non-Star-Wars-junkie-only show during opening weekend. Then again, would I qualify?
Also, does anyone else find it slightly alarming that the spell-check tool on my laptop identifies "Chewbaca" as an incorrect spelling, but is fine with "Chewbacca." The double 'c' at the end is actually the correct spelling, but it's still weird. Last time I checked, the word wasn't in Webster's.
You've got to see this wookiee picture from the movie. I'm anal about following copyright laws, so go to http://movieweb.com/movies/galleries.php?film=7&id=2108. Click on the fourth photo down in the column of photos on the far right hand side of your browser widow. Now just look at all of them! Tee hee hee. I can barely stand it. It looks like Chewbacca enters the plot as a character in this episode, too. How is that going to tie in? I wonder what the average wookiee lifespan is?
I desperately want to go see the movie this Saturday, but I refuse to deal with grown men in storm trooper costumes. It seems like they should have at least one clearly specified non-Star-Wars-junkie-only show during opening weekend. Then again, would I qualify?
Also, does anyone else find it slightly alarming that the spell-check tool on my laptop identifies "Chewbaca" as an incorrect spelling, but is fine with "Chewbacca." The double 'c' at the end is actually the correct spelling, but it's still weird. Last time I checked, the word wasn't in Webster's.
In case you haven't read it yet
Here's a fairly fascinating look at Tony and Maureen Wheeler, the founders of Lonely Planet, from The New Yorker. I think it gives a good little snapshot of the evolution of travel guidebooks, as well as some of the philosophies and ethical questions that go into creating them. Reading the article made me appreciate how much time and energy we put into making Avalon books bias-free and how much everyone here strives to promote responsible travel.
Product review: Trader Joe's Tandoori Naan
These naan are kept in the freezer section. Don't get them confused with the ones in the bread section next to the pita bread. I think they might be new at TJ's; I only started seeing them last month. So far, they come in plain and garlic.
These frozen naan are a little bit labor intensive. You have to put them in a preheated oven straight from the freezer. Unfortunately, you can't cut corners by heating them in the microwave -- they turn into soggy blobs of goo. The oven work is worth it. While they're not exactly like the naan you get in an Indian restaurant, but they're pretty damn close. They're hot, a little crispy on the outside, and soft and doughy on the inside. They make a fabulous (and very cheap) meal when paired with any of the pre-prepared Indian packet meals also sold at TJ's. I highly recommend both the plain and garlic frozen naan. It's too bad that the oven prep makes them impossible to take to work for a cheap lunch option.
These frozen naan are a little bit labor intensive. You have to put them in a preheated oven straight from the freezer. Unfortunately, you can't cut corners by heating them in the microwave -- they turn into soggy blobs of goo. The oven work is worth it. While they're not exactly like the naan you get in an Indian restaurant, but they're pretty damn close. They're hot, a little crispy on the outside, and soft and doughy on the inside. They make a fabulous (and very cheap) meal when paired with any of the pre-prepared Indian packet meals also sold at TJ's. I highly recommend both the plain and garlic frozen naan. It's too bad that the oven prep makes them impossible to take to work for a cheap lunch option.
Disgusting and disappointing
Look at these photos that Will has posted on his website. Two formerly normal, girl-shaped celebrities are now distressingly thin. I've never known anyone to care that much about Nichole Ritchie, but Lindsey Lohan is the dream girl of every guy I know. Or at least she was until she started starving herself.
I don't understand how they make their bodies that way. Don't all stars have trainers? What trainer would let you do that to your body?! Ugh. I'm completely disturbed.
I don't understand how they make their bodies that way. Don't all stars have trainers? What trainer would let you do that to your body?! Ugh. I'm completely disturbed.
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Exciting new blog!
Josh Berman, one of my all-time favorite travel writers to work with, just launched a new blog about his upcoming trip around the world. He got married last winter. Now he and his wife, Sutay, are going to take on a nomadic existence for awhile. To me, it doesn't actually seem like a crazy new thing for Josh. He's always emailing from amazing places. But then I spend my days in Emeryville, so almost anywhere seems amazing. In truth, they really will be headed to a lot of exotic places. I know that they're starting off in India. India is the ultimate travel destination, to me. From what I hear, it breaks you or you love it.
Josh co-wrote Moon Handbooks Nicaragua with his Peace Corps buddy Randy Wood. Moon Handbooks Nicaragua is pretty much the bible for travelers headed down there; they did an amazing job writing it and I am so proud that we publish it. The guys are about to start work on a guide to moving to Nicaragua, called Living Abroad in Nicaragua. That is, they'll start it if I ever get the contract in the mail to them.
Josh and Randy have helped me out a ton in getting ready for my little trip. It will be awesome to get back from Nica and be able to follow Josh around the world through his blogging. Be sure to check out his bio.
Josh co-wrote Moon Handbooks Nicaragua with his Peace Corps buddy Randy Wood. Moon Handbooks Nicaragua is pretty much the bible for travelers headed down there; they did an amazing job writing it and I am so proud that we publish it. The guys are about to start work on a guide to moving to Nicaragua, called Living Abroad in Nicaragua. That is, they'll start it if I ever get the contract in the mail to them.
Josh and Randy have helped me out a ton in getting ready for my little trip. It will be awesome to get back from Nica and be able to follow Josh around the world through his blogging. Be sure to check out his bio.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Everyone else is blogging about Star Wars...
...I might as well jump on the bandwagon. I've heard a lot of people say that The Revenge of the Sith isn't supposed to be very good. We're all sick of George Lucas and his crappy commercial attempts to capitalize on the greatness of the first three films, blah blah blah.
After I saw the last one, I pretty much wrote off The Revenge of the Sith. In my opinion, the only good thing in the last movie was Hayden Christiansen and his only contribution to the film was to add some sweet eye candy. I wasn't even planning to see the coming film in the theater. Until I saw the trailer, that is.
I'm now under the impression that we get to see a lot more wookies in this movie. There are several action scenes with wookies, their fur blowing in the wind, in the ads. Every time I go to the neighborhood Walgreen's, I am mesmerized by the action figures that have been pre-released for the film -- they're all wookie warriors.
If they look anything like this, the movie will be worth my $10.
I bet they'll be way better.
After I saw the last one, I pretty much wrote off The Revenge of the Sith. In my opinion, the only good thing in the last movie was Hayden Christiansen and his only contribution to the film was to add some sweet eye candy. I wasn't even planning to see the coming film in the theater. Until I saw the trailer, that is.
I'm now under the impression that we get to see a lot more wookies in this movie. There are several action scenes with wookies, their fur blowing in the wind, in the ads. Every time I go to the neighborhood Walgreen's, I am mesmerized by the action figures that have been pre-released for the film -- they're all wookie warriors.
If they look anything like this, the movie will be worth my $10.
I bet they'll be way better.
Jeff, if you read this don't hyperventilate
Though I consider myself to be a strong feminist, I recently decided that if Jeff and I ever get married I will take his surname, legally changing my name to Rebecca Kathleen Browning Lupo, but not change my signature, ID, or checks immediately -- just keep going by Rebecca Browning. Then if we had kids or if something else happens that inspires me, I could change my day-to-day last name to Lupo if I wanted. It makes all the difference that Lupo is an awesome last name and that it sounds so good (it means "wolf" in Italian). I would never have considered taking any of my other boyfriends' names were we to marry.
I've already changed what I go by once, in order to achieve an end. I suspect that experience might have swayed my opinions on the surname issue a little. I didn't want to seem young, so I started going by Rebecca, instead of Becky. Though it's not extremely different, I had to learn to answer to it. I like that "Rebecca Browning" sounds literary and professional. Plus, I like that Rebecca is a biblical name. It's not the infusion of godliness I enjoy -- I prefer biblical names because they're classic and traditional. I also think that Rebecca can be kind of sexy connotations. However, if I ever became a Lupo I'd start going by Becky all the time again. I really like the sound of the name "Becky Lupo." I think that I'd really like Becky Lupo. She sounds fun and sporty, like a confident, successful, thirty-something woman to me.
In addition, as I get older I realize that any attachment I have to my current last name isn't based on a wish to honor my own family. My family connections are on my mom's side. Though I love my last name, I don't necessarily associate "Browning" with the my lineage or the majority family traditions.
I've already changed what I go by once, in order to achieve an end. I suspect that experience might have swayed my opinions on the surname issue a little. I didn't want to seem young, so I started going by Rebecca, instead of Becky. Though it's not extremely different, I had to learn to answer to it. I like that "Rebecca Browning" sounds literary and professional. Plus, I like that Rebecca is a biblical name. It's not the infusion of godliness I enjoy -- I prefer biblical names because they're classic and traditional. I also think that Rebecca can be kind of sexy connotations. However, if I ever became a Lupo I'd start going by Becky all the time again. I really like the sound of the name "Becky Lupo." I think that I'd really like Becky Lupo. She sounds fun and sporty, like a confident, successful, thirty-something woman to me.
In addition, as I get older I realize that any attachment I have to my current last name isn't based on a wish to honor my own family. My family connections are on my mom's side. Though I love my last name, I don't necessarily associate "Browning" with the my lineage or the majority family traditions.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Product review: Glisten, Weightless Spray Shine by MOP
There are few quicker ways to get a day off to a bad start than by committing the painful amount of time it takes to wash, style, and blow dry your hair, only to finish up and realize that somehow the product you chose made your hair look dirtier than when you started. If you're me, by the time you get done you are 1) late, 2) feeling gross, 3) pissed off about wasting money on an expensive product that made your hair look greasy, 4) remorseful over the 45 minutes* you took to style your hair when you could have just put it in a ponytail like every other day. Dirty hair in a ponytail looks better than styled hair with too much product.
That was exactly how my morning started when I first tried Glisten, Weightless Spray Shine by MOP. I've used some other products by MOP that I liked, especially their root volumizer. I was attracted to the promise of shine and weightlessness. To me weightless implies non-greasy. I was wrong. The stuff does have a fair amount of oil in it. Once I realized my mistake, I read the ingredients and discovered that it is actually lanolin and coconut oil.
After living with the stuff in my hair for a day, I realized that this particular product does have promise. It did make my hair really soft and shiny. The problem lies in the complete lack of directions about how to use it. The bottle reads, "Dispense in small amounts and add product to desired finish." How helpful is that?! Not very. Since the bottle is a spray bottle (picture non-aerosol hairspray), I incorrectly assumed that one should spray it directly onto one's hair before blow drying. Now I'm thinking that I should have actually sprayed in on my hands, and applied the stuff only to the ends of my hair after blow drying. It will make the ends look shiny and polished, and I'm pretty sure it will prevent fly-away frizziness.
By the way, MOP stands for Modern Organic Prodcuts.
*I have a lot of hair. It takes me a long time.
That was exactly how my morning started when I first tried Glisten, Weightless Spray Shine by MOP. I've used some other products by MOP that I liked, especially their root volumizer. I was attracted to the promise of shine and weightlessness. To me weightless implies non-greasy. I was wrong. The stuff does have a fair amount of oil in it. Once I realized my mistake, I read the ingredients and discovered that it is actually lanolin and coconut oil.
After living with the stuff in my hair for a day, I realized that this particular product does have promise. It did make my hair really soft and shiny. The problem lies in the complete lack of directions about how to use it. The bottle reads, "Dispense in small amounts and add product to desired finish." How helpful is that?! Not very. Since the bottle is a spray bottle (picture non-aerosol hairspray), I incorrectly assumed that one should spray it directly onto one's hair before blow drying. Now I'm thinking that I should have actually sprayed in on my hands, and applied the stuff only to the ends of my hair after blow drying. It will make the ends look shiny and polished, and I'm pretty sure it will prevent fly-away frizziness.
By the way, MOP stands for Modern Organic Prodcuts.
*I have a lot of hair. It takes me a long time.
This guy created Jambase
I stumbled upon his personal blog over the weekend. I feel like he should be friends with my friends. I also am starting to really wish that I had a digital camera.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Saturday, May 07, 2005
I'm learning to post photos
Bear with me...
For your viewing enjoyment, here I am with my beloved Matt Kaye, gettin' funky at his birthday last fall.
For your viewing enjoyment, here I am with my beloved Matt Kaye, gettin' funky at his birthday last fall.
Tetanus, hep A, and typhoid
I got my shots for the Nicaragua trip this week. There were only two, hepatitis A and tetanus boosters, but I'll also be taking an oral typhoid vaccine for the next week. One week before departure, I'll start taking chlorquine tablets for malaria. These are not the kind of malaria pills that make you crazy and give you nightmares, though that is Jeff's newest anxiety. I took chloroquine the last time I traveled in Central America with no ill effects.
As soon as my arms stop aching, I'll be feeling super immune and ready for backpacking adventure or global catastrophe, whichever comes first. They also gave me a bottle of cipro, in case of extreme bacterial infection. Cipro, as I'm sure you know, is the antibiotic they use to combat anthrax. I've now got an edge on the rest of you should we happen to have a major disaster or terrorist attack.
After I received these immunizations, I got to thinking that don't know a thing about these diseases, or their symptoms, so I did a little research. Here's what I don't have to worry about anymore:
Typhoid is an acute, life threatening fever caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. It's spread through contaminated food and water. If you have typhoid you'll usually experience a sustained fever as high as 104° F. You may also feel weak, have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite. In some cases, patients have a rash of flat, red spots. To treat typhoid, they give you antibiotics, though resistant strains are becoming a bigger and bigger problem. People rarely die from typhoid.
Hepatitis A causes no symptoms at all in many people, but even without symptoms they can still pass on the hepatitis virus to others. Symptoms can include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, yellowing of the skin and whites of eyes, darker yellow urine and pale poo, or itchy skin. There are many types of virus which can cause hepatitis. You become infected by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. It can be passed on if even a tiny amount of poo from a person with hepatitis A comes into contact with another person's mouth (yuck). Infection with hepatitis A is usually mild, but can cause severe inflammation of the liver, requiring hospitalization. If you get hepatitis A, you have to limit the amount of alcohol you drink and take precautions to ensure that you avoid infecting others with the virus until you have recovered.
Tetanus, also known as "lockjaw," is a bacterial disease that affects the nervous system. It's contracted through a cut or wound that becomes contaminated, and puncture wounds are especially susceptible to infection with tetanus. Tetanus causes severe muscle spasms within about a week, leading to "locking" of the jaw so you can't open your mouth or swallow. Tetanus is not transmitted from person to person, but the bacteria is present worldwide. My sources tell me that approximately 11% of cases of tetanus are fatal. Treatment involves several weeks in the hospital under intensive care.
Malaria is caused by protozoan of the genus Plasmodium and generally you get infected when you are bitten by an infected mosquito (which is why we're taking mosquito nets). You can also get it from a bad blood transfusion or sharing needles. There are four types of malaria that infect humans. They all cause a high fever, which comes and goes every couple days, or flu-like symptoms. People will also complain of headache, nausea, shaking, chills, sweating, and weakness. Malaria is treated with oral medications and a lot of liquids. Interestingly enough, you can get malaria even if you're taking preventative drugs like cholorquine.
Now those don't sound so bad, do they? I was expecting something a little more dramatic.
As soon as my arms stop aching, I'll be feeling super immune and ready for backpacking adventure or global catastrophe, whichever comes first. They also gave me a bottle of cipro, in case of extreme bacterial infection. Cipro, as I'm sure you know, is the antibiotic they use to combat anthrax. I've now got an edge on the rest of you should we happen to have a major disaster or terrorist attack.
After I received these immunizations, I got to thinking that don't know a thing about these diseases, or their symptoms, so I did a little research. Here's what I don't have to worry about anymore:
Typhoid is an acute, life threatening fever caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. It's spread through contaminated food and water. If you have typhoid you'll usually experience a sustained fever as high as 104° F. You may also feel weak, have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite. In some cases, patients have a rash of flat, red spots. To treat typhoid, they give you antibiotics, though resistant strains are becoming a bigger and bigger problem. People rarely die from typhoid.
Hepatitis A causes no symptoms at all in many people, but even without symptoms they can still pass on the hepatitis virus to others. Symptoms can include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, yellowing of the skin and whites of eyes, darker yellow urine and pale poo, or itchy skin. There are many types of virus which can cause hepatitis. You become infected by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. It can be passed on if even a tiny amount of poo from a person with hepatitis A comes into contact with another person's mouth (yuck). Infection with hepatitis A is usually mild, but can cause severe inflammation of the liver, requiring hospitalization. If you get hepatitis A, you have to limit the amount of alcohol you drink and take precautions to ensure that you avoid infecting others with the virus until you have recovered.
Tetanus, also known as "lockjaw," is a bacterial disease that affects the nervous system. It's contracted through a cut or wound that becomes contaminated, and puncture wounds are especially susceptible to infection with tetanus. Tetanus causes severe muscle spasms within about a week, leading to "locking" of the jaw so you can't open your mouth or swallow. Tetanus is not transmitted from person to person, but the bacteria is present worldwide. My sources tell me that approximately 11% of cases of tetanus are fatal. Treatment involves several weeks in the hospital under intensive care.
Malaria is caused by protozoan of the genus Plasmodium and generally you get infected when you are bitten by an infected mosquito (which is why we're taking mosquito nets). You can also get it from a bad blood transfusion or sharing needles. There are four types of malaria that infect humans. They all cause a high fever, which comes and goes every couple days, or flu-like symptoms. People will also complain of headache, nausea, shaking, chills, sweating, and weakness. Malaria is treated with oral medications and a lot of liquids. Interestingly enough, you can get malaria even if you're taking preventative drugs like cholorquine.
Now those don't sound so bad, do they? I was expecting something a little more dramatic.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Product Review: Trader Joe's Next to Godliness Liquid Laundry Detergent
This stuff sucks. It's organic, phosphate free, and boasts a built in soy-based fabric softener, which is great, but it doesn't actually clean anything, making the earth-friendly perks somewhat irrelevant. I even tried using twice the recommended amount with no success. Different water temperatures didn't help any either. The stains that this detergent had no impact on include blood, olive oil, red wine, coffee, enchilada sauce, cherry Nyquil, and poo.
Just kidding. I didn't really have any poo stains to test it on. I'm sure it wouldn't have gotten them out, though.
Just kidding. I didn't really have any poo stains to test it on. I'm sure it wouldn't have gotten them out, though.
They do make a nice couple
I was distraught as anyone when Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston split up, but I'm over it. I guess I had a lot of time to process during my convalescence.
Now, with rumors of second romantic African getaway circulating, I've found myself thinking that Brad and Angelina actually make a lot more sense together than Brad and Jen. I offer the following points, for your consideration:
1. All magazines and entertainment shows seem to agree that one of the big conflicts between Brad and Jen was that he wants kids and she doesn't. Angelina likes kids. She has a kid already -- a kid that he seems to be hanging out with a lot.
2. Brad and Angelina both devote a lot of time to global humanitarian organizations. She's a UN Ambassador, I think. He just finished a tour to promote AIDS awareness and economic reform in Africa and has been affiliated with groups like Family Health International in Ethiopia. I don't follow these things closely, but I haven't heard about Jennifer having a strong philanthropic streak.
3. Brad and Angelina look better together than Brad and Jen did. I'm by no means slamming Jennifer Anniston's looks. She's got a cute, girl-next-door kind of beauty and hair that's the envy of every woman I know. However, every aspect of Brad Pitt's physical appearance is so mind-bogglingly perfect that I almost wonder if he's supernatural. Seriously, have you ever taken a good look at one of his close-ups? I can't even think seriously about him in terms of being sexy or develop a star-struck crush, because there's something a little eerie and intimidating about how flawless he is. One might argue that Angelina Jolie is the female counterpart to that perfection. She has the same type of classic, jaw-dropping good looks -- though personally I think Brad's beauty is just a smidgen little more amazing. It could be argued either way.
If you look at pictures of Brad with each woman you can see that Angelina is more his match in terms of looks alone.
4. Angelina and Brad both have a freaky, psycho streak in their personalities, while Jen has always been extremely mainstream. Remember that Angelina made out with her brother in public and used to wear a vile of Billy Bob's blood around her neck? Brad used to be criticized for never bathing and has a penchant for choosing disturbing, edgy roles like his characters in Seven, Legends of the Fall, or Fight Club. Jen is still best known as Rachel, and people were shocked when she did The Good Girl, which really isn't that risky of a role, if you think about it.
Yes, there are many of reasons why Angelina and Brad seem to be a better match. I think we were deeply upset about the Jen/Brad split, because it was comforting to think that the most attractive man in the universe would be so devoted to the idea of marriage and family. Now I suspect that his interest in Momma Angelina is probably just a different way of expressing those values.
Now, with rumors of second romantic African getaway circulating, I've found myself thinking that Brad and Angelina actually make a lot more sense together than Brad and Jen. I offer the following points, for your consideration:
1. All magazines and entertainment shows seem to agree that one of the big conflicts between Brad and Jen was that he wants kids and she doesn't. Angelina likes kids. She has a kid already -- a kid that he seems to be hanging out with a lot.
2. Brad and Angelina both devote a lot of time to global humanitarian organizations. She's a UN Ambassador, I think. He just finished a tour to promote AIDS awareness and economic reform in Africa and has been affiliated with groups like Family Health International in Ethiopia. I don't follow these things closely, but I haven't heard about Jennifer having a strong philanthropic streak.
3. Brad and Angelina look better together than Brad and Jen did. I'm by no means slamming Jennifer Anniston's looks. She's got a cute, girl-next-door kind of beauty and hair that's the envy of every woman I know. However, every aspect of Brad Pitt's physical appearance is so mind-bogglingly perfect that I almost wonder if he's supernatural. Seriously, have you ever taken a good look at one of his close-ups? I can't even think seriously about him in terms of being sexy or develop a star-struck crush, because there's something a little eerie and intimidating about how flawless he is. One might argue that Angelina Jolie is the female counterpart to that perfection. She has the same type of classic, jaw-dropping good looks -- though personally I think Brad's beauty is just a smidgen little more amazing. It could be argued either way.
If you look at pictures of Brad with each woman you can see that Angelina is more his match in terms of looks alone.
4. Angelina and Brad both have a freaky, psycho streak in their personalities, while Jen has always been extremely mainstream. Remember that Angelina made out with her brother in public and used to wear a vile of Billy Bob's blood around her neck? Brad used to be criticized for never bathing and has a penchant for choosing disturbing, edgy roles like his characters in Seven, Legends of the Fall, or Fight Club. Jen is still best known as Rachel, and people were shocked when she did The Good Girl, which really isn't that risky of a role, if you think about it.
Yes, there are many of reasons why Angelina and Brad seem to be a better match. I think we were deeply upset about the Jen/Brad split, because it was comforting to think that the most attractive man in the universe would be so devoted to the idea of marriage and family. Now I suspect that his interest in Momma Angelina is probably just a different way of expressing those values.
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