26 December 05
Resolving
I’ve never much been one for New Year’s resolutions. They seem ineffective for most people and I don’t know why I’d be any different. Last week as I was pondering the solstice, though, I did come up with some things I’d like to do differently before the next one. These aren’t the normal “lose weight read more exercise regularly get fully prepared for disaster” variety, all of which would certainly be a good idea, but things like “Sing on the bike more. Learn spencerian. See the flammulated owl.”
May you sing on your bikes more or whatever your equivalent is! And may the flammulated owl look at you with its deep black eyes and speak to you of peace in the still places of the forest.
20 December 05
“When UC Davis Vice Chancellor Celeste Rose resigned under pressure last summer, the university gave her a new job with a new title, a $20,000 a year raise—and very little responsibility. In fact, Rose, 55, isn’t required to do any work at all.
As part of a secret legal settlement negotiated to avoid a potentially embarrassing [racial and gender discrimination] lawsuit, UC Davis promised to keep Rose on the payroll as the “senior adviser to the chancellor” for two years at an annual salary of $205,000, plus all the benefits of a senior manager, including health care, severance pay and a growing pension.”
—San Francisco Chronicle, 12/19/05
“This administration has been completely open with Congress, we reported to Congress about this surveillance twelve times.”
—George W. Bush, 12/19/05
“As one of the recipients of [Paul Takushi’s] unofficial newsletter [about books of interest to the UC Davis community], I am taking this opportunity to share with you a concern we have with the lead article that was provided in the most recent issue. The lead article contained some commentary about the University of California structure, referencing compensation of top administrators and fee increases for students that have been in the Northern California press in recent weeks. This message is intended to clarify that the communication does not represent the view of the UC Davis Bookstore, or that of the University. In the future, there will be some editorial review for this publication before it is sent out…”
—Jason Lorgan, Book Department Manager, University of California, Davis, 12/19/05
“You and I wouldn’t be here without corruption … corruption is why we win.”
—Tim Blake Nelson’s character, Danny Dalton, in Syriana (released December 2005)
19 December 05
Geranium Photography
Geraniums aren’t my favorite plants, but here’s a way to put them to good use when you run out of film.
16 December 05
Potlucks Versus Cocktail Parties
I haven’t been to a cocktail party since I lived in Spain, which was a very long time ago. I don’t know anyone who throws cocktail parties, nor would I want to. Jut the idea of it gives me hives, people posturing about how much they make and own and stupidies like this. It’s bad enough at the Marxist Cash Bar at MLA, but at least the posturing is backed up by a reasonable amount of measurable (well, maybe not) intelligence, and the conversations certainly are interesting.
I’ve just gotten home from the office holiday party potluck. The food was excellent but even more excellent was the wine. We have a number of vets and peripherals who know wine and share it generously.
I arrived home, as I said. Awaiting me was an invitation to a cocktail party from my British university in Pacific Palisades, of all places. This is about 2-1/2 hours from here.
The only thing that will take me to Monterey toward the end of January is a good bird, so I’ll wait to RSVP…
14 December 05
Poundage
What with reducing my Santa Barbara bike commute from nine miles, the last three of it up a mountain, to three minutes, combined with the enforced inactivity of my achilles rupture, I’ve put on some weight over the past five years. Just how much weight was made searingly obvious when I went to the doctor two weeks ago for my finger tendon and they made me get on the scale.
I joined Weight Watchers the following day. I’ve never done anything like this before. So far so good. I’m enjoying rethinking what we cook, how we eat, specifically what I have grown to consider an adequate portion size.
Stay tuned…
8 December 05
Citrus Cheat-Sheet
It’s tangerine/mandarine/clementine time, and this means a lot of hassle for the checkers at the Davis Food Coop. They sell five different kinds, three of which are organic.
Our checker tonight had five small orange citrus fruits on top of his cash register. “Satsuma,” he said to us, when we plonked our five or so onto the belt.
Tomorrow I’m getting ten pounds of these things from someone who has them growing in her yard…
30 November 05
Made Up Recipe
Steam or bake equal numbers of beets and yams. Peel and cube.
Chop large handfuls of basil, tarragon, and parsely; add to bowl with vegetables.
Make a garlic vinaigrette by crushing one clove, mixing it in with a teaspoon of dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons tablespoons (or more) of extra virgin olive oil, and salt or tamari to taste.
Toss.
28 November 05
Ouch
While changing the 5-gallon water bottle at work today I somehow dropped it onto my hand. I thought it was just going to turn into a spectacular bruise but I suspect, now, I’ve done something to one of the ligaments or tendons between my fore- and middle fingers. I’m off to the doctor in the morning.
So this post will be brief. I can’t even indulge in some pen magic with the shipment of Clairefontaine paper that arrived today…
14 November 05
Tired but Home
I got back from the East Coast today. I’m tired. And I got to see Mars below a nearly-full moon before I collapse into bed…
9 November 05
Radio Ratings
We’ve both been participating in radio ratings testing for the past week. We listen to very little radio outside of baseball season… but it’s been fun to document just what snippets we do listen to in the car on the way from A to B. There was an interesting piece on the local independent station last night covering the elections.
What’s been almost staggering is that we’ve received numerous reminders in writing and by phone to complete the survey and mail it in, including a total of $4 in “incentives,” spread out over the course of a few days, to get us to do this.
I’m off to Maine tomorrow, leaving the cats in the care of Numenius. Blogging on my part may be sporadic for a few days…