Why? What Does it Mean?

This post does not answer either of the title questions. In fact you will get 30 minutes of interesting listening and zero answers from reading this. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I have been feeling overwhelmed at times as I listen to coverage of the devastation of Haiti. It stirs so many emotions and questions. I realize the self-centered arrogance of my saying I have a "bad day" because of frustrating vendors and phone conferences. How lucky am I that that is the extent of my bad day?!

When I cannot digest anymore NPR coverage, I have been catching up on my Radiolab (favorite podcast of all time) listening and discovered I had missed one of the shorts from April 2009. "In Silence" is a sermon/speech which co-host Robert Krulwich shared with his synagogue and with Radiolab listeners.

In this speech, Krulwich takes a look at the stories of both Abraham and Noah. He sets the stage, gives the biblical context, and then looks at the horrible conundrums faced by both of these men--one asked by God to sacrifice his own son, the other faced with watching the entire planet drown. For much of both of these bible stories, both men are silent, but what do these silences mean? Please click here when you have 26 minutes to listen to a masterful storyteller take on two stories which most of us take for granted.

It felt eerie how timely this podcast felt right now. How do we absorb the level of human suffering in Haiti? What can you choose to believe when presented with such devastation? There are no easy answers, but I felt that Krulwich looked at a very stark reality and came to a conclusion that I felt is both realistic and tentatively hopeful. I hope it brings you some peace and calm as well.

Breakfast Zen Once Again

Usually eggs are one of my favorite foods. Put a scrambled, hard-boiled, or over-medium egg in front of me and I say, "More please." Lately, I've grown tired of my usual work-day breakfasts. Fascinating dialogue:

Self, would you like eggs? hrrumph.
How about a smoothie? eh.
Frozen waffle? okay.

So, off to the freezer aisle. I purchased some Kashi waffles, branching out from my usual Van's. This proved to be a huge mistake. Soggy, bland, blah. Back to the freezer aisle with every intention of going back to my trusty Van's option. Then, I spot "A+ Cinnamon," "Sweet Potato," and "Pancake" all on one box. Clearly, that box executed a flawless swan dive into my cart. I had some trepidation as I lifted the box up to the cashier since my last foray into other brands had been such a disgrace.

This morning was day one of the pancake trial. Super tasty. I added butter and a little honey, but the flavor was quite nice sans any accouterments. These happen to be spelt, so not gluten free, but gluten-light. They also have 4 grams each of protein and fiber so they didn't leave me starved and grumpy by 9AM. De Wafelbakkers (yes that is the unfortunate brand name) has multiple different flavors and grains in both pancakes and waffles. Work mornings once again have a bit more pizazz. Thanks freezer aisle!

Eating my way into 2010

So far so good. You may (or may not, let's be honest) remember that I set three new year's guidelines in my last post. Don't worry, I won't make you actually go back and look; here they are:

1. Go six new places (breweries, countries, state parks, whatever)
   
2. Try 6 new things (DIY, software, cocktail)
   
3. Try 12 new recipes/ dishes (fairly self explanatory)

I am happy to report, that 2010 is starting off strong. By "strong" I of course mean that I am eating and drinking very well. Last week I finally had the joy of eating at Uchi. My Man Marc (hereinafter referred to as M3) and I sat at the sushi bar; watching the sushi chefs was fascinating. The care and detail that goes into each slice of the knife is pretty incredible. I am glad for the slow, precise work because those knives must be crazy sharp; they slice fish like it is butter. Everything we ate was delicious and I doubt I can pick a favorite. Oh wait, I'll try. Perhaps the biendo roll-- tempura tiger shrimp spring roll with spicy viet vin and frozen grape salsa. That's right, readers, frozen grape salsa!

Over the weekend I had the chance to go to Moonshine for brunch with M3 and his familia. Moonshine has been on my brunching wishlist for a while and I was in no way disappointed. There were two rooms dedicated to four tables containing a bounty of southern comfort brunch deliciousness. My perfect bite consisted of a little bit of basil pesto egg scramble, rosemary new potato, and green chile cheese grits. What is not to love? Well, perhaps the wait, but good company and coffee, so no complaints here.

Also over the weekend, I was in the mood to cook and I pulled out my Deborah Madison cookbook (thanks, sis). I was tempted to make saffron rice and coconut black beans because I love those recipes; however, my blog haunted me and I decided to try something new. I tackled Porcini and Tomato Ragout with Parmesan Polenta and was happy with the results (and the leftovers).

So I've made a start on numbers 1 and 3. Maybe my DIY project for #2 will be Mindy's Moonshine Inc. In retrospect, perhaps I should have set a few guidelines centered around exercise and activity...but the eating is so much fun.

Passport to Fun

Welcome to 2010 (two thousand ten or twenty ten depending on your ilk) and to a new decade! It feels like there is so much room for quality, resolution making. I usually avoid making official resolutions because they seem to be grandiose gestures with 1 month of follow through. However, yesterday I went for a lovely walk around Town Lake (Lady Bird -- again with the naming issue) and I decided to set down a few basic parameters. These are not as much resolutions as guidelines to push me out the door. It is a tad daunting to share these guidelines with you people since I know you are a bunch of nagging sticklers, but here goes:

1. Go six new places (breweries, countries, state parks, whatever)
   
2. Try 6 new things (DIY, software, cocktail)
   
3. Try 12 new recipes/ dishes (fairly self explanatory)
   

These don't have to be grand adventures, but that definitely counts as well. I can be a bit of a creature of habit. When I know there is something I like, I will return...restaurants, vacations, favorite recipes. But I love the feeling of *new,* so I am hoping to push against my habit-creature within. Examples from 2009 that could have made this list include: my trip to San Miguel de Allende, the inception of Mermindia, and my recipe find for delicious maple-syrup sweetened pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe.

For 2010, I would like to use my passport at least once. The numero dos section is pretty wide open and opportunities could arise in the arenas of crafting, professional development, musica, and beyond. Finally, I'm pretty tired of my dinner/lunch options; hence my desire to expand my cooking repertoire. Recommendations for easy and amazing dinners are always welcome.

Happy You Year! What grand plans do you have in store for You?