Wonderstruck!

The first book I picked up in my "books I want to read" whirlwind (what Algrebra?) was Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick. It is a young adult novel which contained two stories, one illustrated and one written, that become woven together later on. It was a lovely read. I love how unique this type of storytelling is, and the way the stories are told adds something to the experience. One of the characters is deaf so seeing her story rather than being told her story really brings the character to life. I loved the illustrations. It was the type of illustration I was always drawn to as a child, and I find comforting as an adult. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Yay!

Finals this week so I am not done yet. In fact, I still have quite a lot of work to do before next Friday. But, I am done with the reading! I love to read so I am not complaining that I had to read this semester. I just miss reading books that I choose. My winter break queue is a little unrealistic, but I can't wait to dive in. There hasn't been much string or books for the last few months, so I am looking forward to getting to make some me choices again. Of course, I also have a laundry list of things that I need to get done now that school isn't sucking up all my time, but hopefully I will get to read at least one of my collections or maybe finish a pair of socks. YAY! Ok, now that is out of my system, back to the homework. *sigh*

I got to meet Gail Carriger

Yay! TeslaCon was this weekend and one of the main draws for me was the opportunity to get a chance for an autograph from Gail Carriger author of the Parasol Protectorate (Soulless) series. I really loved the book Soulless and the series itself would probably be my favorite if it weren't for the unfortunate issues at the end of book 2.

One of the events at the Con was a reading with both Gail Carriger and George Mann. (I didn't know much about the later, but I had heard he had some work with Doctor Who so I was intrigued. He seems to write mystery/detective fiction himself so I picked up a book of short stories he was selling at the event and an autograph from him as well). They both read short stories/excerpts and answered questions during the panel. Ms. Carriger read from a short story that has not been published yet (and sadly we don't know if it will be) that was really wonderful. During the Q&A session she talked a little bit about how she can tell if her work appeals to her sci-fi fan base or her romance fan base because of their reactions to the ending of book 2. The sci-fi fans are used to tragedy and horrific cliffhangers while the romance fans tend to feel more betrayed by the book 2 issue. It put the books into perspective for me and the series in general, and so I plan to go back and re-read it with fresh eyes.

I think this panel was my favorite of the Con. The two of them had excellent things to say about the craft, about books in general, they really opened my eyes to some things, I heard really drool-worthy things about Carriger's next series, and I may have been introduced to a new author. Yay! The rest of the event was a bonus after that.

I also came to realize that tea may become a requirement for my happiness. About half way through the day I kept thinking, dammit if I could only have a cup of tea. Alexia Tarabotti knows what she's talking about.

There is more to come about what I have been working on the last few months as well as the Con in general but I need to do some homework.

In the interim - a video about an 1870s gown that I saw on Ms. Carriger's site:
http://www.indigomultimedia.com/portfolio/art-of-dressing

The wheels on the bus go round and round

It has been 4 years since I was in school. Thoughts from the week-and-a-half:

My lit teacher seems pretty awesome actually...Even though I only have her for an online course, but she lets her personality come through. I am hoping I can take an in class course with her at some point. And I am glad that I opted to go with this course in general. I think the class is going to help me develop the skills that I want it to and expand my horizons.

Math is a lot of busy work. I am glad that I opted to go with the algebra level I did. It puts me a little behind, but right now I think it was the right choice. We will see how it will translate next semester. But OMG the busy work...I spent about 6 hours doing my homework. I am not even kidding.

I am not sure about anthropology yet. This is the course that topic-wise I was the most excited about. And I still am to an extent. I opted not to go into anthropology because I don't think it will translate to the career path I want, but I still have a strong interest in this field of study. I am not sure how the actual class is going to go for me. From the first class, my learning style and the teacher's presentation style don't match. However, it is only the first week.

And just because I was curious:
I have 112 pages to read in Frankenstein (I am at page 93) and then I have 3 papers to write (in the first three weeks). I also need to watch a Disney film for one of those papers which I am hoping I will accomplish tomorrow.

For cultural anthropology I have read 67 pages and had two pages of reactionary responses to complete (in the first week). I also need to find and start reading a book on cultural anthropology for my final project.

For Algebra - 580 problems - 6 hours of work. Test on Thursday.

I am sort of proud of myself, but I am actually wondering how I am going to make this work without three day weekends every week. Never mind...I am not going to think about it. I will do this. There is no question.

American Players Theater

I had the privilege to attend two shows at the American Players Theater this summer: Taming of the Shrew and The Critic.

I really enjoy APT and I try to get to at least one show if I can. This year some friends, and I decided to coordinate and go to the Taming of the Shrew on opening night. There were some really amazing performances. I particularly loved Tracy Michelle Arnold who played Katherine. She was deliciously naughty and then deliciously lovely (and her last costume was breath-taking). Matt Schwader who also played Tranio was really really good. He did amazing things with both his performance and his body language to bring the character to life, and I was continually impressed by him. I found myself watching him and what he was doing whenever he was on stage. The performance as a whole was enjoyable though I found some of the costuming jarring.

For a birthday present, two of my friends conspired to take me to The Critic later in the season. i was told that this was one of the funniest performances they had done yet. Specifically that "it is slow but then it gets really funny and then you cannot believe how funny it is". One of my favorite actors was in this show (Darragh Kennan) so I was delighted to get to see him perform. There were some issues with the audio, so I had a hard time hearing some of the things that I really find humorous (the snarky asides and the sarcastic jabs). I also was introduced to Jim DeVita who I had never seen perform, and I thought he did an amazing job as Puff. I really loved some of the costume pieces in this...particularly Mr. Dangle's morning coat at the beginning and the Spanish Fleet costume towards the end.

One of the things that amazes me every season is the way in which they use their stage. The basic stage construction is standard and then they add a few items here and there for each of their rotating summer shows. The way in which they use this basic set and the way in which they enhance it every summer is stunning to me. I don't have that type of creative mind, so it is always such a delightful surprise with each show.

Simon the Sheep

A new project I am working on. If anyone wants to take pictures of Simon on your travels, let me know:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonthesheep/

Nostalgia

All of this talk of gaming and LARPs and role-playing reminded me that my first RPG experience was actually when I was pretty young. My older brother and his friend used to play red box D&D when they were in high school. I was actually in elementary school, and since my brother got stuck watching me a lot, I was around when they played. At one point in time they made me a character and every once in a while I got to role some dice. I had no idea what was going on in general; it was just fun to get to be a part of it. Apparently, I got a lucky die role that significantly advanced my character and that was the end of my game playing.

However, they decided instead to make up a little interactive scenario for me. Looking back I realize it was my first LARP. I was a little squire who was learning to sword-fight (I was given rules/commandments by the master) and then sent off into the woods to go on quests or return things to the dungeon. After my first one, they gave me a little red squire's tunic and I was so proud. I dashed about in my costume following clues. I remember one time I had solved everything and reached the location but couldn't find the dagger. It was above my head, and I just couldn't think to look for it. They had taken a wedge of old wood and spray-painted it copper and made a hilt out of duct tape. I loved those games when I was a kid and they are some of my fondest memories.

Years later I was going through my closet and I found my little squire's tunic. My mom told me the real reason they made it for me was because they couldn't see me in the woods and the bright red fabric made it easier for them to track my movements.

GenCon Wrap Up

Things got a little hectic at GenCon so the rest of my posts will have to be summarized in one. When last I left off, I was getting ready for my evening LARP on Thursday night. This one was based on the Spycraft RPG from Crafty Games and took place on a research facility in Antarctica. I walked into the room and was only the second female in the room so I was a little concerned that maybe I missed some directions. It worked okay though. I ended up playing a doctor sent by the Agency to assess the research being done at the facility. I was able to accomplish my main objective. The latter part moved a little slowly after that but I think that was more because not all of the GMs they were expecting showed. The story was interesting though.

On Friday, my LARPs didn't start until the afternoon so I spent the morning just relaxing. I went for a swim and took care of some things online and reviewed my character data for my first LARP that afternoon. This one was set in Paris in a vaguely Victorian+fantasy setting. I played a sorceress with a scientific bent who was invited to an evening party because her recent work had put her in the press a lot. This suited her interests because it meant having the opportunity to network with new potential clients. I ended up accomplishing my task but there were all sorts of subplots I completely missed out on.

Afterwards, I had a quick dinner and met my husband for dessert at Circle City Bar and Grille in the Marriott Hotel. They really make an effort to accommodate the geek clientele that descends upon the city with special menus and decorations. And the food is pretty good too. I only had dessert but I almost never order dessert in restaurants because the quality is only fair to middling most of the time. This was amazing however. It was a "butter cake" which had a flavor and texture somewhere between a sugar cookie and a pound cake with ice cream and some sort of creamy egg custard poured over it. So rich and so sinful and so good.

That evening I played in a Castle Falkenstein game based on the Courting Murder scenarios. This game focused more on figuring out the various plots and subplots and attempting to manipulate the situation to work out in one's characters favor. I failed miserably at this one. I enjoyed it, but I think this type of game may not be the best fit for me. At least without some sort of puzzle or task to throw in. It is interesting how one's alliances change when they find out you might be useful in a pinch. It was also a little weird because I had found I was willing to start being more brave and come out of my comfort zone a bit in the LARPs I had participated in until this one. It may have been that I actually new some of the other players which threw off my game a little bit. I am not sure. Interesting dynamics and I learned some things.

Saturday morning was the LARP I attempted to costume for. I borrowed a skirt and blouse from a friend (along with an unbelievably fabulous hat) and I made a vest to go with it so that I could be vaguely suitable for a steampunk LARP. This LARP was billed as being more "immersible" and I thought my modern dress would stand out more in this scenario.

When I started signing up for events after GenCon registration, I wasn't really sure where to begin. I don't know that much about LARPing or where I fit in the genre. Also, from some pre-Con advice I received, GenCon LARPs can be so widely variable from one group to the next so you can't always imagine just what exactly to expect. I ended up choosing this LARP for a very silly reason...the group hosting it dubbed themselves "The League of Unspeakable Adventure" and I thought that if the name was any indication they must be be fun. And they were. The set was indescribably cool...in fact I forgot a couple of times that walls weren't walls and almost knocked them over. The GMs were great. It took me a while to warm up into my character (which was really more me then the group I believe) but once I came up with an idea and went to the GMs for help, they were totally game. They went out of their way to help me with my idea and help make things work. And I don't think it was just me. I talked to some other people who played other LARPs they ran that weekend and even though the experiences were vastly different in terms of the way the story evolved they too sounded like the GMs really did their best to make the game fun and successful. They work with the Rise of Aester world. If this group comes back next year I will absolutely sign up for whatever they run. I need to start working on my steampunk costuming

After that, I changed and headed over to the exhibit hall to do my crawl through the vendors. There is a ton of stuff to see and hear. I heard the TARDIS music and was immediately drawn to it. It was interesting to see all the demos and games taking place. Gaming really exists on a multitude of levels and it is going in so many exciting new directions. I drooled over the model building stuff. I really loved dioramas as a kid. In fact in school whenever a diorama project came up, I was there. I built some really fun stuff in our basement when I was a kid. Nothing brilliant mind you but I really loved it. I think I would get into model building as an adult except it is really expensive and there isn't a good place for it. It was fun to stare at the displays though and imagine. I watched some board games. It is interesting that the games I thought I would love were not quite what I expected, and the games that seemed less then stellar grabbed my attention in the end. I really liked Fortune and Glory from Flying Frog Games. I also picked up a copy of the game Impossible Machine. It is a simple mechanic but I like the concept. And, Brothers Knudson are good at including visual aids in their game instructions.

Some of the artists I saw that I liked (including Echo of course):
Jared Blando - I really liked his cartography work.
Doug Kovacs - he had some really interesting Green Man based art work
Fallenlights - she had some really lovely pieces and I think some of my friends have some of her work because I have seen them before. I actually bought a little pin from her booth
John Stanko - I thought his work really had a life and vitality of his own. I was really moved by the emotions he was able to capture on the subjects faces.

I met up with my husband after my crawl and we went out for dinner at a sushi restaurant and then I headed off to play True Dungeon. This game was a last minute addition to my schedule. I enjoyed the experience immensely but I was also frustrated by this game. Knowing what to expect though I fully plan to play again in the future. The interactive puzzles were fun even with some set backs. The dragon ultimately ate my face.



This doesn't even cover all the other intangible GenCon impressions. Some of the costumes were so amazing. And, I really liked the feeling that people seemed like they were free to be themselves. I don't think I have ever been somewhere that people could just explore their weird geekiness in a non-judgemental way.

I definitely had a great time and I am already thinking about all the things I want to do next year.

Gen Con Day 1

I have arrived in Indianapolis for my first Gen Con. My husband has been going for many years and this was my first opportunity to get to go with him. Given my recent obsessions with LARPs, I think I was a little more ready to take the big leap.

The drive down was nice and productive; I got some knitting done. We arrived last night and went out to dinner at Buca di Beppo which was really good if a little overwhelming. It is family style Italian and there is an unbelievable quantity of food. I really enjoyed their garlic mashed potatoes and while everything was very tasty I think I enjoyed the red wine sangria the most...or at least that was the thing I was craving the most. By the time we were done with dinner it was too late to stop in and get my swag bag and the pool had closed do I just took a shower and went to bed.

Saturday morning, I played the ever popular "stand in line for an hour and a half" game. I think it was the most well-attended event of the Con if perhaps not the most loved. I did a quick browse through the exhibit hall and spotted a few things I liked and a few demos I want to try later on (I didn't have enough time today; There was a lot I missed but I get overstimulated pretty easy). I got to meet Echo and I did buy a few of her prints. Her work is so amazing. I was really shy though and a total fangirl but she was gracious. (It looks like she updated her website and I just realized that some of my favorite pieces of visual advertising have also been her pieces. Not surprised at all).



LARPs generally take place in Union Station which is such a gorgeous space to play in.

I participated in my first LARP this morning. It was loosely based upon the Girl Genius comic. I played a spark/heir. It was enjoyable in that they made some really interesting puzzles to play with. It was a little hectic for me so I am not sure if I was very much fun to play with. I had a lot of ground to cover in a short period of time, so I didn't succeed on some of my goals. All the puzzles were so distracting, and I wanted to fix them all. At one point we couldn't find the pieces to fix a puzzle so we started improvising and at one point there were 5 characters holding times onto the grid to complete the circuit. It was appropriate if you know anything about Sparks from the comic and the GM considered giving us the win except that it would have really rearranged the storyline. While looking for clues, I also overturned a chair and found a "You are a winner" sticker on the bottom. Sadly it was only a coincidence.



It finished earlier then expected so I had time to go for a swim and take a shower. I am going to wrap a few things online and then go grab some dinner. I rushed through my lunch because of timing constraints and I would like to take a more leisurely time of it with dinner. Then it is on to the next LARP of the evening.

Murder Mysteries

My general love (bordering on obsession) of the murder mystery genre has often been mentioned here in this journal. Recently I have been watching Murder She Wrote on Netflix while I knit. It is good background noise to keep my brain busy and I can tune it out when I need to concentrate.

When I was a kid I loved this show. My dad and I were both night owls and there was often Murder She Wrote reruns on TV. I grew up wanting to be like Jessica Fletcher when I was older. In fact I think she is the reason I once harbored desires to be a writer. The show isn't nearly as brilliant as I remember but nostalgia does excellent things for the palate.

I also have been enjoying the Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple. I don't really enjoy most versions of this but there is something sort of sassy and naughty but for the most part still respectable about her portrayal.

On the book front, I have been reading the Lady Julia Grey novels by Deanna Raybourn. I enjoyed the first two very much but I am less enthralled as I go through the series. I do have to say that this author knows how to write an opening page. I have some other general issues with her style and that may be what is making me loose interest. I will finish reading the current one and try her next before I make any decisions.

Dice Bag

Gen Con this week. I am super excited. So much I thought I would celebrate by making myself a new dice bag. Squee!



This idea came from a knitted project someone posted on Ravelry. I opted to sew something similar but I love her idea.

Things that make me go grrr!

A friend recently shared this article with me. I can't even begin to tell you exceedingly frustrated I am by this sort of thing. It is a perfect example of what is wrong with body image in our culture.

Everyday we are given conflicting viewpoints: you should be a size 0 and spend 24 hours a day in a gym to be valuable, but you also deserve the right to eat whatever you want without consequences. And don't worry about dieting. There is a quick-fix fool-proof no fail diet that will guarantee you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight. Only big fat losers are unsuccessful...and it goes on ad nauseum.

I am obese. And no not the whiny "I need to lose 5 vanity pounds" overweight but clinically obese. I have struggled with my weight since I was a kid and have been seeing nutritionists and counselors since that time. I take responsibility for my choices, and I do not blame anyone for the end result of those choices. I am, however, frustrated to no end by articles like the above that make people feel guilty for trying to make improvements in their overall health picture.

Yes, I agree that there are a lot of "hidden" factors in what makes foods go from healthy to not. However, this article with it's snide condescending tone completely misses the mark on what could have been an informative reading. Rather then scaring people by associating iced tea with obesity, I believe it would be far more helpful to show people how to look at their food choices and be aware that even when one thinks they are eating healthy, they may be missing some of the finer details.

I am not saying the writers aren't correct. Eating a cucumber = good. Eating a cucumber with mayo = less good. That doesn't mean that this is the reason someone is obese. People need to be aware of what they are eating. One of the reasons that weight loss regimens fail is because people become defeated. They work really hard and either show no progress or stall. How many people read that article in the midst of making new and healthy lifestyle choices and gave up because they felt that there was just no point; no matter what they, do they are wrong?

Yes, covering your granola with sugar and oil and chocolate and other goo increases calorie load. Not accounting for that change can mean that a person may go over their calorie requirements for the day and not burn off some of those extra calories. Those non-utilized calories may get stored in the body. But, that doesn't mean one shouldn't eat granola. It is high in fiber which is good for your colon and it is more filling because it takes more time for the body to digest. The addition of fresh/dried fruit allows for more nutrients and adding milk or soymilk will give one the extra protein to get through to the next meal. It is not a bad choice. You just have to read the labels on the box of granola to see what else you are getting. Not all granolas are made the same. And if you can't find one that meets your dietary needs, make your own. It is actually really easy and there are some great recipes. A lot of commercial brands add the extra fat/sweeteners to make it taste better because lets face it, fat and sugar taste good but that doesn't mean granola can't taste good without them.


Read labels I guess is what I want to say. And be honest with yourself. Calories are not inherently evil. And any nutritionist will tell you that your body needs some fat in order to maintain itself (though probably not in the quantities we consume it in this country). Yes, some health foods stop being healthy when you add other flavorings or change how they are processed. I don't think that means that people should stop eating dried fruit because there are more calories per volume then fresh fruit. (By the way who eats a cup of raisins...that is just icky. There is a reason they are sold in little boxes). Even with the higher sugar content...dried fruit is still better for you then fried potatoes.

There is no perfect wonder food that will give you all of your bodies daily nutrition requirements and not contribute to your calorie count for the day. Be smart about your nutrition. One of the things I am working on right now is trying to break down the barriers created by years of body image contradictions so that I can figure out what is causing me to eat the way I do. It is a hard process. This type of thing doesn't help.

Chicago

Our first honeymoon, aside from spending time with my spouse, was sort of disappointing due to a variety of factors. It will be a while before we will be able to afford the trip to Greece we would like to take; however, we decided to try a second attempt and take a long weekend in Chicago. We were heading there for a LARP over Memorial Day weekend and decided to combine the two.

While preparing itineraries for a conference that was being held in Chicago a year or so ago, I stumbled across a website for a museum. I have been wanting to visit the International Museum of Surgical Science since I came across it. This seemed like an ideal time because they had a special exhibit, similar to the more well-known "Body Works" exhibits displayed across the country, that incorporated preserved human tissue in among the regular information. I have to say it really enhanced the information and education the museum provided. While the quality of the preservation was not good as other examples, it was more closely tied to what I wanted from that type of exhibit...education. Anyway, there were a lot of great displays, and it was really rewarding to see things I encounter at work. I also really enjoyed the apothecary shop display they had and the cross-sections linked to the x-ray technology really enhanced the information. As an added bonus, the museum is housed in a historic house/mansion so there were some neat little nooks and crannies including a bathroom hidden in the wall.



Following the IMSS, we went to the Adler Planetarium. I have never been before. The building was beautiful and it was so great to be on the lake during a storm with all of those windows. My brain was a little overloaded at that point in time from my first museum trip so we were much more leisurely. I saw some beautiful old telescopes but most of our educational time involved watching some of their shows. There are some great interactive events for kids like remote control simulation with a "Mars Rover" and crater formation. I think this is definitely a place I would like to go to with my kids someday. We didn't make the aquarium, but I am looking forward to going back for that purpose.



Chicago is an interesting city. There are places of absolute beauty with amazing architecture and installments and in the same panorama you get some of the ugliest ill-kept landscapes I have seen. There is a lot of juxtaposition.

We got to do one of my favorite things on this trip...camping out in our hotel room, watching TV in bed. It was great to get some downtime during this trip to watch bad cable snuggled up in bed. It is such a decadent luxury.

Sunday afternoon we went to a friend's house to participate in a LARP. This is my third LARP experience. I have to say while I have long been a geek, it wasn't until I found a joy for LARPS that I really felt like a gamer-geek. Most of my fandoms don't have a community outlet (at least not collectively). LARPing however usually requires other people.

This LARP had a lot of elements. In fact there were a lot of good story lines and a number of ways in which the game could be altered based upon the choices the character made. This was both good and bad. I love storytelling which is what I think LARPs do better then RPGs and there were definitely a lot of stories. However, it was occasionally frustrating to try to accomplish my character's goals when they depended on others who decided they wanted to play a different game. The game was certainly not what I expected. I had a good time overall; I definitely learned some things about LARPs.

UW Service Day

In an effort to save funds and jobs, the prior administration instituted two academic years of mandatory furlough time. We are reaching the end of that period and the final mandatory day for some of the campus offices was May 17.

Some employees offered to donate their unpaid furlough time by assisting with projects in the community. There was a wide variety of services to participate in and I was honored to be a part of it. One of the great things about this was the questions I got when people saw my t-shirt. Given everything that has been going on politically in our state, it was nice to be part of a positive force.

March/April Updates and Other Things

Sorry for the generally lame blog titles. Given that I am approaching once a month posts this seems a fitting theme for my titles. And as this is an update, things may ramble and jump around a bit as I try to touch on all the things I wanted to share.

I have vaguely eluded to the fact that my work life has sort of sucked as of late. In general I like my job and my bosses. However, due to a series of unfortunate coincidences I have been doing the job of two people by myself since mid-December (though I am willing to argue almost 9 months but feel somewhat unkind in doing so). Anyway, while the over time has been awesome, the lack of personal time is making for a crabby and generally unhappy me. Projects have been accumulating around the house at an alarming rate and my ability to care about them has dropped progressively. I know this sounds angry and unpleasant and sort of defeatist but that is how I am feeling...defeated. It will improve I know and there is light at the end of this tunnel. It is just a slow process getting there.

To combat all of the general ickyness and malaise, I have been taking what spare time I can and pouring it into string. I finished the lovely leaves and fishies scarf. I am currently blocking it. I am very bad at blocking. There will be more pictures once it is blocked and the weather improves enough that I feel safe taking it outside.



I also started the Pretty as a Peacock shawl. I don't like lace in general. I just think it looks too fussy. Some of it can be beautiful but most of it just isn't my style. But this shawl is so indescribably beautiful. I know myself however and did not want to pay the expense of a project I would never finish. The deal was I had to finish the leaves/fishie scarf first before I was allowed to purchase the materials for and start the peacock shawl. Having accomplished the first task I decided I deserved the chance to play with the shawl. It is slow going and a bit more complex then I may be ready for but the silk I found is so perfect and the pattern is just lovely. I am excited. My goal is to have it done by halloween. wish me luck!



Above is my progress thus far. This was taken during one of my recent visits to Sow's Ear with two amazing ladies for a day full of tea and giggles and string and general awesomeness. The little sheep in the picture is Simon but there will be more about him during another post.


I have also been reading a great deal. Mostly just murder mysteries which I know some people consider fluff, but I have to say I don't really care. I grew up reading mysteries and have re-discovered my joy for them as an adult. And, I honestly feel that even though the writing is not always superb and the plot sometimes predictable, I have learned more from the time I have spent with mysteries then I ever did from the agonizingly painful process of the steady reading that comes from classical literature. Don't get me wrong, there is some truly brilliant classical literature out there (and really in any genre if you look hard enough), but so much of it is just depressing. My brain enjoys the plot dissection that comes with a good (or even a bad) murder mystery.

That said, I am not sure I liked the book "Virals" by Kathy Reichs. It was a foray into young adult fiction. The book was okay I guess. I think my disappointment is more that I come to expect something different from her then what this delivered. I sometimes wonder if I might have liked it better if she had used a different pen name.

I am still continuing my journey through young adult fiction. I did really enjoy the book "Revolution"...up to a point. At first I was uncertain where the author was taking me, and then as things developed I was really excited to take that journey with her. Things got a little weird towards the end though and I am not sure I was able to follow. I think I am interested enough in the authors style though to try some of her other novels.

Next up on my reading list: "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake". Honestly, I picked up the book because of the title alone. I am not sure where the the book is going to go but I am intrigued.

I had a lovely conversation about the books I loved as a child with my workout buddy last night. I cannot begin to tell you how much I love talking about books with other people. We talked about shared favorites and why we love them. We talk about the fear of re-reading books we loved as a child in case we no longer enjoyed them. And we talked about that amazing feeling when the book still touches your heart.

One of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, recently posted a blog regarding his friendship with the late Diana Wynne Jones (another amazing writer). Mr. Gaiman is pretty amazing in his own right and to hear him talk about his respect/admiration for her gave me a little more faith in humanity. One of that parts of the post that has stayed with me was a quote of hers: "Children are much more careful readers than adults," she'd say. "You don't have to repeat everything for children. You do with adults, because they aren't paying full attention." I certainly agree. I am consistently frustrated when I read a series how each book has to beat the reader over the head with the back story found in prior books. I am also a little worried that perhaps my distance from childhood is why I could not follow some of the other authors I have been reading lately. I am becoming too much of an adult. I find this very sad.

Today was a day for getting things done though. I cleaned out my desk (which took some doing), cleaned all the winter mud from the front foyer, got a haircut (I was rather shaggy, got some laundry done, and did a little reading. I wanted to knit a row or two of my shawl though and hopefully I can catch up with some friends after that.

Salt-Crusted Chicken

I have long been a fan of the Chocolate and Zucchini blog. I love her style of writing and her general outlook on the world. Her culinary tastes are different than mine, but I have appreciated and even occasionally enjoyed the new things food doors she has opened up for me.

When I saw it, I couldn't wait to try the recipe she shared for Salt-Crusted Chicken. I had a real struggle with the dough on this one. It does not want to stay together so mine did not come out nearly as beautiful as hers. The chicken however came out so moist and tender and flavorful. I am not sure I want to try the salt-crust again mostly because it was messy and felt a little wasteful, but I definitely a convert to salt-brining (I have never tried it before). I am tempted to try the bread-crusted chicken she posted a few weeks later simply because the dough is then usable.

I also recently played with a kitchen toy I hadn't take the time to try out yet. I know that Alton Brown has long been a promoter of this gadget. We got one for our wedding and I just never took the time to mess with it. I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for not trying it sooner. I placed it in some chicken breasts I was baking, set the temp I want, and let it go. The alarm went off and the chicken was PERFECT! I have had GOOD but never PERFECT! Totally in love with this concept and very angry at myself for my laziness at not trying it before.

What is happening in the frozen north...

I try to keep this blog about books and knitting and cooking and things that delight me...the busy nothings that make life so satisfying for me. However, sometimes the real world does intrude, and things need to be said.

Our current Governor here in Wisconsin has introduced a bill that among other things will destroy the right of state employees to collectively bargain. There has been a lot of media swirling about since thousands of people have converged upon the capitol to voice their concerns over what this bill means to our lives and livelihoods.

I have opted not to protest. Not because I don't think it is important and not because I am not outraged. But because it is far too emotional of a thing for me to be able to handle. I am a little ashamed of myself in some respects or not taking a more active role, but I am only coping with everything by keeping busy in the little nothings of my day-to-day life. I am staying informed though, and I have contacted my representatives and written letters. I have been boycotting the stores that are supporting this bill and the parties responsible.

The thing about all of this that people outside of the state (and even those who aren't affected by it within our borders) need to understand is that state workers aren't upset about the money. All of the things they are taking away our unions have already offered. State workers (or at least those in my union) haven't had raises in 6 years and even accepted a 3% pay cut in mandated furlough time two years ago in place of a raise in order to protect our jobs. Many of the people in my department have second jobs to help make ends meet or are currently going to school part-time because they know that financially our jobs are not long term solutions for them or their families. I myself have a second job currently and plan to go back to school this fall.

I don't look for employment elsewhere because I really care about what I do. I also haven't taken any personal days to protest because that would negatively impact the people I work for and their patients. I understand that the economy has left shortfalls in our budget and that is going to impact me. I understand the need to tightened our belts even when there isn't a lot of slack left to tighten. And most of the protesters are in agreement.

The thing we are really upset over is the loss of collective bargaining. The loss of the ability to have our unions fight on our behalf. I am someone who doesn't think that unions are automatically awesome. Like any organized bureaucracy there are downsides/flaws with having unions. However, overall what they do is protect workers and their rights and give the "little guy" a voice. While I have occasionally had some frustrations with my union's representation, I think that overall it is important that it is in place, and I think that the reason I didn't have to worry about my job 2 years ago was because the unions were able to negotiate a fair exchange with the state to help protect our jobs.

Taking away our collective bargaining rights completely changes the game for a lot of us. I am not very good at explaining it so I will let Rachel Maddow in her infinite wisdom do the talking.

And for some background reading on what is really going on:

A Primer on the Wisconsin budget process

and editorial from my old home town about what these protests really mean.

I am proud of the peacefulness and the strength of protesters in Wisconsin. I am still apprehensive about the future, but I hope that this energizes the base in November. I know that I won't forget.

Snow Day and other February Updates

So I am a little behind but better late than never I suppose. Work has been difficult as of late. It is manageable over all, and while I don't really want to go into it, i hit my breaking point in early February and opted to take a personal day before I made a stupid decision based on my mood.

It turned out to be a brilliant stroke of planning as we ended up getting blizzard conditions and the city shut down. I have lived in Wisconsin my whole life and have seen my share of winter storms, but this was a new experience for me. It wasn't really the snow that was the issue. We only had about 4-6 inches. It was the wind. I got caught out in it briefly coming home from bus stop. The force o the wind left me a little disoriented on a few times and I occasionally couldn't open my eyes because of all the debris it picked up. It only got worse from there. At one point I looked out the window at the howling wind and was a little unnerved by the scene outside. It was like something out of a sci-fi/fantasy movie.

The weather made for a perfect day to stay in my pajamas and get stuff done around the house. I got all my laundry done AND folded. This is almost unheard of for me. I got the kitchen cleaned and promptly made a mess again. I have been long to make this caramel-apple pie and had some apples to use up, so I decided to tackle it.

Essentially, you make the crust, the apple filling, and the caramel sauce all separately, assemble them together, and then bake it in the oven to meld them all together. I am utter rubbish at sauces so the caramel sauce didn't turn out quite as caramel-ly as I had hoped for texture wise but the flavor was there. It was a lot of fuss (and a lot of dirty dishes), but overall I think it turned out well if slightly too sweet.

Because my husband can't have apples, I also made a cake for him. Nothing special; just a quick mix. Of course, domestic bliss was short-lived when I burnt dinner while I was on the phone talking to my mother and ignoring the simmer that had turned into a boil.

I applied for school for this fall, got some knitting done, and even played some video games. It was exactly what I needed as far as days of go, and because I was so productive, I could spend Saturday with my friends drinking tea and knitting. I am only 2 repeats away from finishing the lace scarf. Hooray!

Later on in the month I came down with a nasty respiratory infection. Normally when I am sick, I hunker down with some tea and string and bad movies and fell sorry for myself. However, I was so sick and feeling so lousy the best I could manage was to prop up a book on my pillow and lay in bed. (This was probably a good thing because I was reading the Mortal Instruments series and couldn't put them down. I would have been completely non-functional until I had finished them, so while I hated being sick, I had a good reason to stay in bed reading). The URI knocked me completely low. I ended up needing an inhaler to help me breath for a bit.

And I love love loved the Mortal Instruments series. It was angsty or sure and occasionally annoying that nothing good ever seemed to happen for these characters until the end of the 3rd book. But I couldn't put them down. I am debating whether or not I want to read the 4th book which is coming out in April. They were so dark for so long and the 3rd book had such a satisfying ending I am afraid to jinx it.

Cake Party

One of my favorite places in the universe is the Sow's Ear. It is my knitting store of choice and my cafe of choice as well it comes down to it. It is full of string and tasty food and coffee smells. Even the most aggravating human beings I know don't rub my nerves when I am there. I can spend hours there knitting and petting string and enjoying their tasty sandwiches (My favorite is the Savory Sow with brie and roasted red peppers). The staff is awesome (one of the coffee guys even knows how to rock a bowler hat). It is such a happy place and in many ways feels like home for me. It is the sort of shop I would like to have if I ever owned a shop. I even like the way the string still smells like the shop even after I have had it home for a couple of days.

The other great thing this place has is knitters. There are some locals who just really enjoy the atmosphere but even many of them eventually can't resist the allure of string for too long. Knitters are a strange group. Maybe it is just that we all know that string is something that needs to be shared and so it overcomes any social awkwardness or misanthropic tendencies.

Anyway, I met some friends there and while we were happily enjoying all that the Sow's Ear has to offer I overheard someone at the next table talk about a cake party. The following exchange ensued:

Me: I am sorry for eavesdropping but I must know what is a cake party and why have I never heard of it before?
Lovely Woman Wearing the February Lady Sweater: Well it is a party where everyone brings cake and then you eat it.
Me: Wow...I definitely need to steal that idea.
LWWFLS: Be my guest.

So yesterday, two of the most awesome women I know descended upon my house, and we had a cake party. I made a jam cake with caramel icing that was completely full of fail and some lovely oreo cheesecakes that were unbelievably full of win. We ordered Chinese food, drank tea and wine, ate cake and snacks, and watched hours of chick flicks and played with string. It was one of the best days I have had in a long time, and needs to be repeated...with better cake options :)

Fondue!

We hosted for the second time our New Years Day party which involves food and games and such. I think it went well though I really over-cooked. We had ranch chicken wings, bbq pork, pita with 2 kinds of hummus, various cheeses, chips, etc. And there was fondue!

I found a recipe online for a traditional three-cheese fondue and I really liked the way it turned out. I was skeptical of how it would work because I am not a fan of swiss cheese or cheeses of that ilk. I bought some nice specialty cheeses from a local market and it turned out dangerously yummy. I also made a chocolate fondue that we flavored with cinnamon that was creamy and decadent and .... *drool*

Fondue is totally awesome!

I also had an amazing time at the LARP (called "Clerical Error) I went to the other day. I was worried at first given my lack of experience, but it ended up going well and the way the story unfolded was just plain awesome. They are running the game at Intercon K this year so I will refrain from going into more detail. I think LARPs are something I want to explore more of in the future.

Happy New Year!

I have yet to find a better way to say what I wish for everyone in the new year, and so I will once again rely upon the wisdom of the ever brilliant Neil Gaiman:

"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."