Vegetable Pie II

I made another pie with vegetables. When my friend asked me to bake a pie for (what turned out to be) her fabulous summer dinner party, I was stoked. I searched for a recipe at gourmet.com with only one criterion: rhubarb. I've always wanted to use it, but never have. I found recipe that makes what they call a cake, but you bake it in a pie pan, so it still counted in my mind. Plus, the whipped cream called for whiskey, which was an awesome addition. I also altered the recipe to include real vanilla bean instead of just the extract. What a treat!

So, true to form, I'm asked to make dessert and I bring a vegetable dish!

Miracles of Science

Another ophthalmologist story.

I was there for a contact lens fitting (four months late), so I was testing them out on my way to work. When I got back on my bike, the world had suddenly changed. I felt like I was about 12 inches taller. Peripheral vision is amazing, but it was weird because it was as if I were floating or something and suddenly I could go faster and be more nimble.

Who needs a real road bike when you can see?

Eyeballs Roll, Bikes Rock

Today my ophthalmologist told me that since February my prescription has changed. So, just in case, I asked, "You mean it got worse, right?"

"No, actually, it got better. What have you been doing differently?"

The bike. It's the bike. I can't believe it! Yeah, maybe I've changed my diet or my work habits a bit since then, but the only real, significant change is the bike. I've read about eye exercises and other things you can do to improve vision, but like all exercise, it's hard for me to do it just for the sake of doing it (even with a goal in mind). However, if I work it into a utilitarian purpose, life will change. And that's what happened. I'm getting toned arms, toned legs, toned butt, toned core, and toned eyeballs... and all from my 9-mile R/T daily commute and weekend getaways. Are you convinced to start a 2-wheel commute yet?

Weekend Adventure Numbers

I could tell the stories, but it would take too long. Plus, what happened in the tent stays in the tent. So here you go:

• Travelers: 4
  
• Total Miles Traveled: ~40
• Roadkill we passed, ran over, or otherwise encountered: at least 20 including 3 robins, 3 rats, 10 squirrels, 2 raccoons, and several unrecognizable animals including one that might have been a frog
• Hours after our intended arrival time we actually arrived at our campsite: 3
• Wineries visited: 3
• Goat farms visited: 1
• Greenhouses used to wait out rain and hail storm: 1
• Round trip detour mileage due to navigational difficulty: ~3
• People our tent was intended to sleep: 2
• People our tent actually slept: 4
• Caterpillars found on my body in the night: 1.5
• Attempts at making fire: 4, including one successful attempt
  
• Attempts to use the neighbor's fire: 1 (successful)
• Number of pet birds brought by neighbors: 3
  
• Bottles of wine consumed during breakfast: half
• Caterpillar droppings on hair, clothing, and food: well, if we had known that's what that was from the start, the number might have been smaller, but since that was a late discovery, more than we can count
• Emails sent: 0
• Phone calls to "dad": 4

Countless good conversations, laughs, and good times. Can't wait to go again -- but I will be purchasing a new (to me) bike before then or significantly modifying mine. And panniers might also be a good idea. Carrying a wet tent in a backpack is not actually advisable.

Breaking the Cycle

I had questions about whether it was a good idea to ride my bike when it was expected to reach over 100 degrees today and I figured I'd regret it when I decided to take the train. I was correct. Not only did I forget my subway pass, which means I had to pay $4 cash for the round trip (obnoxious when you have over $40 in subway fare sitting idly in your purse), but it also took eons to get across town. Eons! One should not wuss out just because it's hot. That's why we have water. It just makes me angry not to exercise, so I guess I won't be doing that again.

Negligent

Yes, it's true. I've been negligent and for that I apologize.

However, I think that in some ways it's an improvement. The weather is nicer. It's easier to stay out later and be outside for longer periods, so I don't end up at home writing blog posts. So here's an update, in no particular order. I think I'll also post some things I started and never finished long ago.

1. I've been riding my bike a lot. I haven't taken the subway in 2 weeks. So all of my commuting, going out, etc. has all been done via bike or foot. I've even biked in the rain. Commute is about 4.5 miles each way, so I'm bulking up and spending an inordinate amount of money on food!

2. Because of number one, I'm thinking of investing in a lighter ride. I currently mount a Frankenstein of a mountain bike with way more gears than I need or will ever use. I'm thinking of going single speed or even fixed gear. Then I could have one of those sexy machines with no rear brake. That would be hot.

3. Also because of number one and the corresponding lack of subway time, I've significantly reduced my reading time. I'd like to get back into some books. From the end of August through about February I read something like 12 books. I haven't read a whole one since then, but I have read some magazines (like Outside and Fast Company).

4. Finished Spanish class in early May.

5. Spring concert with Grace Church Choral Society, which I should have announced here and didn't, was fabulous.

6. Other non-blogable personal and professional events.

Green Consumerism, Investing, Living, etc.

I think it's not just me. And I think it's not just the people I work and am friends with. I think that people all over the country and the world are starting (and continuing) to seriously reconsider some of the ways we choose to live. That's a good thing. However, like any mass movement, the mass-ive version is less attractive than the original idea -- it gets a little watered down.

Sometimes that's a good thing. Not everyone can wear haute couture (because we can't all look like 14 year old girly boys forever), but nearly everyone can wear prêt-à-porter. Likewise, not everyone is ready to commit to keeping a worm bin and going off the grid, but they can make changes like recycling, switching to CFL light bulbs, and turning off the water while they brush. When great masses of people take small steps, it's as or more powerful than when a few take some giant leaps.

All of this focus on the environment is welcome in my book, but it has its limitations. What is the environment if not the place where we (and many other forms of life) live? The thing that environmentalism, as it is typically defined, leaves out is the social system.

Environmental factors like carbon emission, chemical pollution, energy use, etc. are relatively easy to measure with the tools of science and therefore easier for us to attach numbers to and wrap our minds around. However, those factors don't exist in a vacuum. They exist in a very messy world of societies, states, emotions, and other human realities. Social issues like poverty, community unity, education, justice, labor rights, and diversity are not so easy to measure. Sure we can get data on these issues, but they're much messier and more interconnected. Plus, improvements might take a while to show up in the numbers. But this doesn't make them less important. Just because science/math can't test for them as individual variables doesn't mean that they don't exist.

That's why I like the concept of sustainability. It's not as limiting to "green" things as our typical definition of environment. But if we start using that word to replace just the scientifically measured side, we'll miss something.

If you're interested in other concepts of what we call environment, No Impact Man has some great posts about the philosophy behind what he calls "human health, happiness, and security." He also has some great things to say about bringing the environmental discussion home -- to air pollution on your street -- not just polar bears trying to find icebergs.

I clearly need to read more fiction.

Compost Craze

I keep hearing little peeps from friends and family who are saying things like "Hmm, I really don't see that grapefruit peel in the trash the same way anymore. I keep thinking that it would make excellent worm food. How many worms did you say you have? Do they multiply? Does it stink? How do you harvest it?"

Oh I encourage you! The worm bin makes you feel super wholesome... and if you want to feel a little less wholesome, think about it this way: worms are hermaphrodites and therefore have both sex organs -- they can do anyone! And from the looks of the baby worms we have, I think they do!

I'll find and post some more practical tips soon. I'm just happy that it's catching on without any direct attempts to convert people.

State of the Universe

This morning I walked down the street with a tangible sense of justice and fellowship and even patriotism. I woke up early and made myself farm fresh pastured eggs, toast with almond butter and red raspberry jam, a french press of coffee, and a tall glass of OJ with lots of pulp. It was pretty wholesome and fulfilling.

I'm sure it sounds entirely cheesy, but it really felt good. I walking down the street was smiling for no reason other than I just felt happy. I even laughed a little. This isn't entirely related to the fact that today was my first time using one of those fancy old machines with a curtain and a lever (they have paper ballots in MA), but also feeling a little more square with some personal issues as well.

Motives

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think so. There has been a recent dramatic shift in the way people think about food in this country. While, that's probably the case, there are definitely several different motives for these shifts and they all seem to relate to the amount of information available. Here are some that come to mind:

1. Environmental Impact of the process and delivery
2. Health/Nutritional value of the food
3. Food safety (E-Coli, mad cow, lead, pesticides, etc.)
4. Community support (in the form of local farms, co-ops, markets, etc.)
5. Variety of food (exotic, variety for nutrition)
6. Monetary cost (to consumer)
7. Support of economies in need (not always local)
8. National security (having an adequate supply of food lest the entire world embargo us)

Sometimes these values can be mutually exclusive (e.g. 4 and 7) but they don't always have to be. I just finished reading Movable Feasts by Sarah Murray. It is an interesting tale of several food items and how they are moved from their place of origin to our dinner plates.

It's clearly a book written by a talented travel writer. But she also takes the position that long-distance travel is a good thing for us and for the world -- mainly focusing on the variety and supporting economies in need arguments. However she attempts an environmental argument as well. Part of it is completely valid in my mind and we should all consider it as we have more information about where our food comes from and we're making decisions about which of that is aligned with our values. That argument is that it is sometimes more energy efficient to import food from elsewhere than it is to grow it closer to home (with heated greenhouses, for example).

Her other argument for the environmental benefit of shipping food long distance is that driving to the farmer's market uses more energy than shipping the food in a container ship (per capita). However, she leaves out that driving to the grocery store where you buy the container-ship-provided goods uses the same amount of energy (presumably) as the grocery store. So it falls short of convincing.

Where Michael Pollan's book Omnivore's Dilemma helped me to see that it's not just organic (which has its problems) that's good, but also local, Murray's book helped me see that it's not just local either.

Making decisions about the food we eat is extremely complex if we're trying to account for the different values laid out at the beginning of this post. However, the industry is learning that we want more transparency about sources and things are getting better. If you're concerned about the food you eat, maybe you will consider asking your grocer and/or favorite brands more about the sources of the food.

Mixer

Apparently, wine and sambvca and tequila and chicken fingers and shrimp and mini burgers don't mix. Today was greeted with a nauseating headache and a will to die. I made it to work curled up in a ball next to the door of the train and I received applause when I walked into the office. Yes, it was the day after the company holiday party. Free drinks are dangerous. So are cameras.

Pitta Kapha

My roommate has spent a considerable amount of time in Nepal and a considerable amount of time dreaming he is in India (he's traveled there too, but not as intensely as the Nepal time). That brings with it certain knowledge and interest. One, of course is Bollywood, which I will not get into now. The other is the Ayurveda.

There are three body types or Doshas in the Ayurveda: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Everyone is a combination of all three, but most people will have a pretty clear front runner. Many will also be in the middle of two, though that's not discussed in the websites I've visited tonight. It's in the book.

You can take a quiz here. I've looked at a few online and this one seems to be the most flexible and therefore most telling. It's kind of fun just for the novelty, but it's also really interesting to see the ancient wisdom and how that works. I thought about trying to change my diet and lifestyle to be more congruent with what I "should" be eating according to my body type, but haven't been able to change quite that much yet. Maybe that will be my next habit (or habit breaking).