tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70500842024-03-06T21:42:28.809-07:00Bamboo RiverFlowing and Changing to Seize the MomentLithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-76762602682655700552014-10-20T23:04:00.000-06:002014-10-21T01:19:01.837-06:00A Definition<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>One year ago: </b>no yoga for months. Last class in 2013 kicked my butt. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>One month ago: </b>started learning the Ashtanga intermediate series on asana days </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>One week ago:</b> started independent drop-backs and standing with one leg behind the head.</span><br />
<br />
Bheemashakti yoga is such a different approach to movement. I expect I'll keep changing how I describe it as I learn more and experience it for myself, and also as the methods and the faculty and teachers evolve. The first few months I tried to explain to some coworkers what it was, the confused explanation came out as: "It's like strength training. We do sets and reps based on yoga asanas." No interest.<br />
<br />
Bheemashakti categorizes the asanas into 7 categories or "dimensions". There are basic exercises for every category to increase flexibility and strength together using repetitive movements and a certain kind of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM_NPQT1Jb8&list=UU6I0PT4Z4yDAhgPOPOCpGqg&index=11" target="_blank">breathing</a>. After one has a firm physical foundation, the student transitions into asana practice and has an infinite variety of asana-specific exercises to choose from. <br />
<br />
The all-levels class is a totally different format from any yoga class. All-levels classes focus on the leg dimension. Those totally new to physical practice do "pre-foundational" versions on the floor; others do "foundational" ones on a barre. You can see Jonathan do them <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ibkPnFi0uA&list=UU6I0PT4Z4yDAhgPOPOCpGqg" target="_blank">here</a>. Sometimes the faculty will throw in some sun salutations or a dose of the Ashtanga primary series, but oftentimes it is a purely Dimensional practice.<br />
<br />
What draws me to this method is that it takes each student from where they are to a stronger, more flexible place in an efficient manner. It is infinitely adaptable in this way: I started as flexible and as strong as limp
spaghetti; well, maybe slightly stale spaghetti. I was challenged but
not flattened by my first class; I am still challenged in the all-levels
classes even though I am also in all of the advanced classes.<br />
<br />
It is also completely transparent. A student can easily look around the room and see how one goes from "simple stretching" on the floor to standing splits because everyone is doing a version of the exercise tailored to their strength and bendy-ness. <br />
<br />
As the curriculum currently cycles through all seven dimensions every week, no facet of one's practice is left behind.<br />
<br />
Jonathan's teaching is compassionate and thoroughly educated; there is a continuity of a teacher's care to inform my practice in a way that I have never had. Each week I go to a new level.<br />
<br />
I want to tell the sun and the moon and the world about this method. I want to tell everyone about how I was so weak and stiff in some places, weak and floppy in others and now my body is once more the finely tuned instrument it was when I was a martial artist. One
does NOT have to stew on a plateau for months or years before
seeing progress in the physical practice. One can move forwards and grow with CORRECT practice. <br />
<br />
I am so grateful. <br />
<br />
(Deep TV voice-over) Bheemashakti yoga: cultivate your yoga practice and watch it flower! <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">References: </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1. Bheemashakti: <a href="http://bheemashakti.org/bheemashakti-yoga-system/approach/">http://bheemashakti.org/bheemashakti-yoga-system/approach/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2. Kapalabati Breathing: <a href="http://bheemashakti.org/videos/what-is-bheemashakti-yoga-and-kapalabati-breathing/">http://bheemashakti.org/videos/what-is-bheemashakti-yoga-and-kapalabati-breathing/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">3. Kriya:<a href="http://bheemashakti.org/videos/bheemashakti-yoga-and-kriya/" target="_blank"> http://bheemashakti.org/videos/bheemashakti-yoga-and-kriya/</a></span>Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-19246109228993494842014-10-17T23:07:00.002-06:002015-11-13T23:54:05.143-07:00Jump Backs!<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yoga Log: Jump Backs!</span></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>One year ago : </b>Doing no yoga or exercise. Last yoga class was early 2013 and kicked my butt.</span> <br>
<br>
There is a series of movements in yoga named "the Sun Salutation". Actually, there are several series, and different yoga teachers would put their own flavor on it and really confuse the heck out me with it. Over that last year, the Bheemashakti classes have become more of a mix of dimensional and asana practice, and we've been doing the Ashtanga yoga version of the sun salutations, named Surya Namaskara A and B.<br>
<br>
Thankfully, they are the same poses every time. A is: you stand; you reach up; you bend forward and touch your toes-ish; you rise up a bit to half-bent; bend again; get into a push-up position; lower down near the floor; arch your front body up; lower your head and stick your hips/bottom up; get up to the top of your mat and touch toes again; rise up to standing again. The trick is how to transition from one pose to another. See a pro do it: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia2RW2muN7k" target="_blank">Kino</a>. <br>
<br>
One transition is from touching your toes to the push-up/plank pose. Some people get there by stepping one foot out back there, then the other, then full leg extension to plank. I started there years ago. On better days I could stick one leg all the way back to plank, then the other. If one is stronger, you can do a cute hop back to plank. If you are awesome, you can lift from touching your toes to a handstand and lower down into plank.<br>
<br>
Years ago, I tried to hop, and got a few centimeters back if I could get off the ground at all. Mostly not off the ground at all. Lovely yogis and yoginis on their their first days can jump back. It requires some arm strength, core strength, and leg strength. I had little arm, no core, and some leg strength. Therefore, have been glued to the ground, doing my step back to plank dutifully.<br>
<br>
A few days ago, I was feeling pretty good. I have been practicing the Bheemashakti yoga method for about 11 months now. I decided to try to hop back. And...I hopped all the way back! And again! I did it for the whole class! No one noticed, but I was thrilled.<br>
<br>
(Deep, cheesy tv voice-over) A little progress, every day: the Bheemashakti way.<div><br></div><div>This post was written and published oct 2014. Edited to remove typos.<br>
<br>
<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">References: </span></b><br>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1. Bheemashakti website: </span><a href="http://bheemashakti.org/bheemashakti-yoga-system/approach/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://bheemashakti.org/bheemashakti-yoga-system/approach/</span></a><br>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2. Bheemashakti video on Handstand dimension exercises on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abuLIU3nnl8&list=UU6I0PT4Z4yDAhgPOPOCpGqg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abuLIU3nnl8&list=UU6I0PT4Z4yDAhgPOPOCpGqg</a></span><br>
<br></div>Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-14353936765080857762014-10-06T12:29:00.000-06:002014-10-17T23:07:15.889-06:00Yoga Log: Fun at Chi Kwan Tae Kwon DoYesterday, at my father's <a href="http://www.chikwantkd.com/" target="_blank">martial arts school</a>, I did a run through of basic leg exercises as we had done daily in the yoga teacher training, and also some leg expansion. The preschooler jumped up on me during a lot of it; good thing it was a flexible day!<br />
<br />
Log:<br />
1. Warm up arm swings<br />
2. Leg<br />
- pre-foundational 1 leg out, 3 sets<br />
- pre-foundational 2 legs out, 2 sets<br />
- foundational on the wall, side, 3 sets <br />
- foundational on the wall, front, 3 sets<br />
- balancing, 3 sets<br />
- side splits relaxing 3 sets<br />
- side splits with kriya 3 sets<br />
- front splits 1 set<br />
<br />
Out of time. That took about 1.5 hrs, going relatively slowly since I hadn't been practicing as regularly. I had a great time doing the sets, though, because I felt very flexible and strong. My <span style="font-size: small;">balancing leg sets (the exercise looks somewhere between <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="watch-title " dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Beach Yoga Demo Durvasasana with Kino"><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Durvasasana" target="_blank">Durvasasana</a> and </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="watch-title " dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Beach Yoga Demo Durvasasana with Kino"><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Utthita+Hasta+Padangusthasana" target="_blank">Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana</a>) were much improved, with me able to balance with one foot above my head, supported by both hands. Maybe soon that leg will start to go behind my shoulder!</span></span></span><br />
<h4>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">References:</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ibkPnFi0uA&list=UU6I0PT4Z4yDAhgPOPOCpGqg" target="_blank">Bheemashakti yoga: </a>A video with a demo of the leg exercises at the end.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.chikwantkd.com/" target="_blank">Chi Kwan Tae Kwon Do:</a> the martial arts school site</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note this was written in August 2014; published October 2014. </span><br />
<br />Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-92123119840531989262014-10-06T12:25:00.000-06:002014-10-06T12:25:03.421-06:00Simple Living: Mason Jars<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Mason jars are a fun part of my life right now. We used to have tumblers in several sizes, several shapes, and they were generally annoying in their diversity. They never lined up properly, and we were really only using the largest sizes. They've been replaced with 8 oz and 16 oz Mason jars, and I am completely smug every time they line up in neat ranks on the shelf. I am also smug when I line them up full of quick <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/06/pickled-sugar-snap-peas/" target="_blank">pickles</a> in the refrigerator, or when I fill one up with my daily <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/08/cold-brewed-iced-coffee/" target="_blank">coffee</a>, put the lid on, and toss it in my purse. I estimate that I've substituted them for a whole row of travel coffee cups, small plastic containers for refrigerator pickles, ramekins for individual-sized desserts, and travel soup/lunch containers.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
This afternoon, I saw these beautiful, hand-blown, delicate glass <a href="https://food52.com/provisions/products/1388-handblown-lightweight-tumblers-set-of-6" target="_blank">tumblers</a>. I admired them: I love blue; I love hand-blown glass; I wouldn't trade my jars for those for the world. I am done with buying daily glassware and occasion glassware, and the fact that I NEVER have to buy them again was marvelously freeing.</div>
Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-43143863867736307092014-09-05T14:49:00.002-06:002014-09-05T15:12:36.042-06:00Laghu Vajrasana<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M4Pts1pyIEBKUHeOPGVxxAZBJSsjPVS7f7HjMLJXJhKWMi0Zx3RF8H4StCo2oE-M3JKw3Bx7vvwh5SXG6zvFVyHGuhR2T3nc1ZRBIOWHi2Ccyfb7bmAHcVAn2hWV2BiG1MEhHw/s1600/lagu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M4Pts1pyIEBKUHeOPGVxxAZBJSsjPVS7f7HjMLJXJhKWMi0Zx3RF8H4StCo2oE-M3JKw3Bx7vvwh5SXG6zvFVyHGuhR2T3nc1ZRBIOWHi2Ccyfb7bmAHcVAn2hWV2BiG1MEhHw/s1600/lagu.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
September personal challenge: Laghu Vajrasana<br />
<br />
Here's a picture of a pose I love, but don't practice very often. Called laghu vajrasana, start from kneeling, grab your leg somewhere from ankle to back of knee, and lean back. In <a href="http://bheemashakti.org/bheemashakti-yoga-system/approach/" target="_blank">Bheemashakti</a>, we go slowly in and out of the pose; we do not stay for the standard 5 breaths.<br />
<br />
I love it because in this variation it is a deep backbend. Since the Bheemashakti version is dynamic, I try to go back and forth very slowly, developing strength and control. <br />
<br />
When I first started doing this exercise this spring, I started with 7 reps, and felt very sore at the lateral sides of my thighs for two weeks. I gradually increased to sets of 10 reps, doing one to 3 sets. To do that many, I would go back until my head was 4-6 inches away from the ground. I stopped doing this exercise in May: I was working heavily and doing the yoga teacher training. <br />
<br />
My current goal for September is to do as many reps of this pose as the day of the month: one on Sept 1st, two on the 2nd, etc. I plan to go all the way to brushing my head on the floor. If I have the time and energy, I will also do the foundational <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-ZeWNTfqh0&list=UU6I0PT4Z4yDAhgPOPOCpGqg" target="_blank">backbend</a> exercises we were doing daily during teacher training as these will help my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixcT2dbfy1s&index=17&list=UU6I0PT4Z4yDAhgPOPOCpGqg" target="_blank">dropbacks</a>. I might also work towards brushing my head on my feet instead of on the floor for a deeper backbend. Wish me luck!<br />
<br />
<br />Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-47211515746671666942013-10-25T23:04:00.000-06:002013-10-25T23:04:05.912-06:00The End of Year...In OctoberNormally people reflect on the year just past in the months of November, December, or January. This October, though, we rapidly approach our family's first year away from Albuquerque, the city in which we truly became a family, not just a couple, but by undergoing the metamorphosis that transformed us into people within a web of community. Part of that, of course, involved the birth and rearing of two children. Another piece included six years of professional development as a pediatrician and physician for me, and also personal development as a homesteader. Sunny underwent graduate school, wrote a lot of grants and did research, and also became a father. We made countless friends. By investing heavily in time spent in our community, we became familiar and friendly enough that local businesses, fellow farmers' markets attendees, and local geeks all knew part of our family by name and chatted with us convivially.<br />
<br />
Then we moved away.<br />
<br />
I still feel all the missing and broken connections. My older child still asks when we are going to move home. He misses when we had friends over at least three times weekly, by accident. Albuquerque farmers' markets are in parks; you can shop and then stay while the kids roam, making and forging alliances for the day, to be remade next week. Without that, we've spent a lot more time indoors. Mom and Dad are commuting; we spend more than twice the time in the car than we used to. We've lost our garden.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KoAXlgV65JTlinKScf_TzAaxMpMuR97Wg5MOtfhimYhf1Trnkt3oIBe1UPFmURY3pmMnCVFhIU_f6WOZLrL4W7Dq870QI5koTR2Qz3CUxIk41k2584zUv1PQOxKPAlYSDcGiWQ/s1600/2013+minh+pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KoAXlgV65JTlinKScf_TzAaxMpMuR97Wg5MOtfhimYhf1Trnkt3oIBe1UPFmURY3pmMnCVFhIU_f6WOZLrL4W7Dq870QI5koTR2Qz3CUxIk41k2584zUv1PQOxKPAlYSDcGiWQ/s320/2013+minh+pumpkin.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minh with Pumpkin at Trader Joe's</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I used to read Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Vegetable Miracle every
spring in preparation for starting my garden, but without a garden or
dirt I could plant in, I dispiritedly let that personal tradition go. I tried vermicomposting, but was so frustrated with what little the worms could handle that I gave up on it and left it to the kids. In
the summer, I stopped a local CSA subscription, irritated with a whiny
newsletter and prices that were much higher than local organic produce
at the farmers' market, and found myself buying everything, even a
pumpkin for carving, at Trader Joe's. We started a small laying flock this summer; I've regarded them as a smelly nuisance even though it was my idea. When our station wagon died, we even replaced it with an SUV. <br />
<br />
I decided a few weeks ago to take back the conversations I was developing for my children and my family. Art, sustainable family lifestyle, local food and business relationships, and time together as a family without cars or media devices. Even though San Diego has made it harder, those projects are still worth doing; for my personal happiness, for the children's interest and education, and for sustainability in the larger world. <br />
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Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-83850486104200480362012-08-17T14:54:00.000-06:002012-08-17T15:00:21.552-06:00August 17, 2012: Friday SummaryMain Project: <br />
1. Pattern: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/childs-octopus-mittens">Child’s Octopus Mittens</a><br />
2. Yarn: two kinds of homespun from South Australia bought by DH on a business trip.<br />
Audiobooks: <br />
1. <a href="http://www.audible.com/pd?asin=B002V0TEQ8">Wild Magic</a><br />
2. <a href="http://www.audible.com/pd?asin=B002V8KWS4">Wolf Speaker</a><br />
3. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.audible.com/pd?asin=B002V8DGYG">Star Beast</a><br />
Skill Goals: Learn stranded knitting:<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Isle_%28technique%29">Wikipedia</a><br />
Learn to carry two yarns on two hands<br />
Remember how to knit via “English” technique<br />
Learn how to choose color dominance<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">References:<br /> 1. Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting http://www.amazon.com/Alice-Starmores-Knitting-Crochet-Tatting/dp/0486472183<br /> 2. 200 Fair Isle Motifs: A Knitter's Directory http://www.amazon.com/200-Fair-Isle-Motifs-Directory/dp/1596684372<br /> 3. 60 Quick Knits: 20 Hats*20 Scarves*20 Mittens in Cascade 220 http://www.amazon.com/60-Quick-Knits-Scarves-Mittens/dp/1933027975</span>Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-89327523071495523862011-04-15T23:58:00.016-06:002011-04-16T00:12:25.738-06:00Recipes and Patterns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5214/5384314065_e57fd354b8_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5214/5384314065_e57fd354b8_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knitted <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aubergine-2">Eggplant</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Oddly enough for someone who uses a food recipe so rarely, I love knitting from patterns. There’s something very satisfying to knowing fairly specifically the end result of a knitting project, selecting the yarn, enjoying the clever construction and beautiful yarn, and getting the predicted product at the end. Patterns are definitely not for everyone, though. Today at my LYS, some spoke disdainfully of following patterns, as if they jailed the intellect. “I never follow a pattern.” “I just treat a pattern as a suggestion.” Are pattern-lovers mental sheep, or automata executing the steps of someone else’s intellectual property? Now there’s a fun idea for an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amigurumi">amigurumi</a>.<br />
<br />
As someone embarking on her second year of knitting, I look back on last year and see the specific lesson that each pattern taught me: the baby hat taught me knitting in the round, the <a href="http://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com/2008/12/girasole.html">Girasole</a> (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/girasole">Ravelry</a>) taught me lace and how to read my knitting, <a href="http://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com/2010/04/home-with-cables.html">Dryad</a> (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dryad-3">Ravelry</a>) taught me cables, and I continue to learn from each pattern. I’ve also observed what pattern formats I like and dislike. Additionally, I’ve found that designing knitwear is a great small business, and discovered different venues of advertising patterns. I’ve even learned the value of swatching!<br />
<br />
Looking ahead, I find that I’m starting to want to enter the world of designing. While I would love to be one of those designers whose every pattern is worth sighing over, my goals are more utilitarian. Firstly, now that I have a supportive LYS, I would like to be able to sell some knits. Being acutely aware of intellectual property law and custom, I’ve been looking at the fine print at the end of my favorite patterns and finding that selling products made from the patterns are generally frowned upon, even from patterns that I paid for. Therefore, I’m planning on writing my own patterns so that I have completely guilt-free baby sweaters, toys, shawls, and mitts to sell for more yarn money. Secondly, I love to teach, and have always loved to teach, and a lot of patterns have nixed that too. Finally, as any other crafter does, I love to create, and I would love to see how other crafters take a pattern of mine and treat it the way I do a recipe: take it as a suggestion and creatively re-interpret it in unexpected and beautiful ways.Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-39539546036722368202008-12-11T15:44:00.003-07:002008-12-11T22:24:45.334-07:00Cookie Melt-DownYou win some, you lose some, they say. I've continued to attempt to bake despite the fact that my thermometer and my food scale hasn't come yet, this being a hindrance because measuring flour by volume makes for wildly inaccurate proportions. <br /><br />This week, the blueberry muffins and the pizza have been successes, though I'm still working on the pizza. It's coming out as a thin-crust pizza, and I like slightly more bread-like crust. What failed were the <a href="http://coconutlime.blogspot.com/2008/12/pomegranate-chocolate-chunk-cookies.html">pomegranate and chocolate chunk cookies</a>. The idea is fabulous, and in the oven the pomegranate's seeds turn nut-like in consistency while continuing to add a tartness to the buttery, sweet cookie. The recipe doesn't specify the type of flour, and being the geek I am, I now have bleached and unbleached all-purpose flour, bread flour, and pastry flour, these all having different proportions of starch and protein and having different characteristics. Now scientist and baker Shirley Corrhier has a book called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cookwise-Revealed-Shirley-O-Corriher/dp/0688102298/">Cookwise</a>, which applies food science to recipes. So I looked over her chart of how to adjust cookie recipes to get the kind of cookie you want: tender, chewy, puffed, flat, etc. There was a lot of ways to do this, but I decided to used pastry flour to get puffy cookies.<br /><br />Of course, life intervenes, and the baby cried for food just as I was getting the pizza out of the oven to add toppings. I gave Sunny some quick instructions for finishing the pizza, and told him to turn down the oven before making drop cookies from the cookie dough I'd finished. The recipe is a whole stick of butter and a whole cup of sugar, and just enough flour to keep it from becoming candy. I don't know what happened next, but when I came out, the cookies were a series of melted disks on the baking sheet. They'd flattened out and spread out until the whole sheet was one very thin cookie. <br /><br />Well, Sunny scraped the cookie off of the wax paper and we've been eating the very yummy chunks of chocolate and pomegranate butter cookie. I'm debating whether I should try all-purpose flour next or bread flour, but at this point I'm feeling the urge to try my hand at Japanese cuisine again, so I've shelved my baking supplies until the thermometer and the scale get here.Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-12222763506020905312008-12-05T21:56:00.004-07:002008-12-06T00:48:17.828-07:00From Cooking to BakingI view cooking as a process that provides delight both gustatory and creative while additionally nurturing and sustaining my self and my family. In very little time, I can whip up a meal borrowing Italian, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Californian elements. I don't even have to pre-plan much; I just keep a running list of what staples I need at each of my favorite food stores and stock up when the baby allows me to go there. Then, I just create at whim. However, this week I've embarked upon a journey into that unknown and reportedly fussy land called baking, where doing things ad hoc can result in disaster. <br /><br />As a chemistry major, I was one of those people who knew what to meticulously measure and what I could just slop into the reagent and save some time. While the journey to the end product was fascinating, I didn't worry too much about getting every detail perfect. As you can imagine, I considered myself a "qualitative" person as opposed to a "quantitative" person. I did really terribly in analytical chemistry, the flavor of chemistry where one tries to perfectly measure things. <br /><br />Now that I'm trying to teach myself how to bake, I find myself reaching back for some of those quantitative lab skills. I haven't yet broken out a lab notebook to diagram out a bread-making experiment, but I'm tempted to, given that I've forgotten about steps that take an hour or more, delaying dinner (pizza) by an unacceptable amount of time. It's a strange mental shift away from my slap-dash cooking, but it's refresh ing. I'm buying a scale and a thermometer, and with increased accuracy of measurement and execution, I'll be able to make breads that are consistent; once that is achieved, I can then move on to refining the bread to suit my personal taste and circumstances. <br /><br />Yesterday, I tried to replicate the amazing muffins at The Standard Diner, actually a swank joint here in Albuquerque. Now, I despise blueberry muffins for their heavy texture and cake-mix taste with sour berry remnants. These were amazing and converted me with their small size, actual muffin texture with holes larger than a cake's, a crunchy and sweet top, and fresh blueberry taste. I used the recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bread-Bible-Rose-Levy-Beranbaum/dp/0393057941">The Bread Bible</a> by Rose Levy Beranbaum, which took about twenty minutes to assemble. <br /><br />This week I learned why the "room temperature butter" is supposed to be at room temperature: if you pull it out of the fridge, it's too hard and resists the incorporation of other elements. Elementary? Yes, but I had to experience it before I could believe it could resist the wiles of a stand mixer. Yesterday, I pondered the instruction "fold". Why not just mix? So I did. The muffins were yummy, but they rose oddly, and the texture was uneven. Alton Brow's baking book suggests that an uneven crumb is due to overmixing causing more gluten formation, making the walls of the air pockets too strong. But why are the air pockets uneven? I'll have to try the muffins again, and I'll fold this time.<br /><br />Today I started a pizza dough and a baguette dough. For more flavor and longer shelf life, I'll let them rise overnight. Both are further recipes from The Bread Bible. Pictures of rising dough to come!Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-83057789330556668702008-09-01T11:20:00.005-06:002008-09-01T20:37:53.136-06:00Pediatric Book Review: Raising Baby GreenRaising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care by Alan Greene (Author), Jeanette Pavini (Contributor), Theresa Foy DiGeronimo (Contributor)<br />ISBN 10: 078799622X<br /><br />I'm reviewing this book first because I very much didn't like the book. Now, Sunny and I try to live as eco-friendly as possible, with new adaptations when we think of them. We're planning on breastfeeding, using cloth diapers, and plenty of hand-me-downs with the baby. So I considered this book as a possible repository of new ideas.<br /><br />What I found was that a) this book did not give good, thoroughly researched information on the topics I expected like breastfeeding and cloth diapers and b) the author generically just states over and over to use "organic" products. Regarding the first, in order to be persuasive, the book should have a plethora of facts and some well-chosen hard data. Many of the sites advocating cloth diapers have clearly outlined how much cloth diapers cost, including estimates for power, water, detergent, and labor vs 3 years of disposable diapers. It is very persuasive to tell a new mom that she will save at least $1000 on cloth diapers, and more if she choses to wash the diapers at home instead of using a diaper service, and detail out why instead of magically presenting the final numbers. But such accounting was not in evidence in this book. <br /><br />Secondly, I have a big problem with the indiscriminate use of the word "organic". The author is apparently fine with the use of organic formula as an alternative to breastfeeding. The primary problem with formula is not how it's grown, it's that it is artificial and inadequate nutritionally and immunologically. In other areas he recommends organic baby wipes, organic this and that. The problem with the word "organic" is that it doesn't always mean what a consumer might think it means. Organic farms don't necessarily use zero pesticides, they just have to use approved ones from a list. Nor are organically produced disposable products the best for the environment. I'm planning on using cloth baby wipes and water for my baby's rear end. What do "organic" disposable baby wipes contain? <br /><br />So, I rate this book a 2/5 for "nice try. Good idea and poor execution". There's better information out on the internet, don't just take this book's word for it.Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-84814315320114454092008-08-30T20:16:00.002-06:002008-08-30T21:50:30.468-06:00Pediatric Book ReviewsWhat can I say...I'm big. At 37 weeks pregnant, I'm nearly full term (38-42 weeks), and I'm big. As far as I can tell, it's all baby and breasts, though, so I'm hoping that walking will become much easier once that baby drops into the world. <br /><br />In preparation for the baby, many moms will start reading "baby books", a category of nonfiction whose discussions range from how to shop for the baby on a budget to how to parent to how to breastfeed. With one of my fellow residents, who's due the same time I am, I'm developing a curriculum for new parent-residents to complete at home, which means I get to read the books and get credit towards completion of residency at the same time. To track my current forays into the wilds of baby books, I'll be posting brief notes on each book.Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-48952420390286516732008-06-25T23:36:00.003-06:002008-12-06T00:51:56.191-07:00A Week in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia 4<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/2611681163_7d6abf2b8b.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/2611681163_7d6abf2b8b.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Found in Old Town Alexandria's <a href="http://www.bistrotlafayette.com/">Bistrot Lafayette </a>, the seafood was all fresh, not frozen, and excellently handled in a Chardonay and garlic sauce that left every bit well seasoned and tender. I ate the accompanying creme brulees, one lemon and one espresso, too quickly to take a snapshot of them.Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-71250621254588724162008-06-25T23:33:00.002-06:002008-12-06T00:53:39.596-07:00A Week in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia 3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/2612516092_717fba8111.jpg?v=0"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/2612516092_717fba8111.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="Wayne and a Metro mural drummer" /></a><br /><br /><br />Happily, I got a chance to meet up with a medical school friend, Wayne, who is also a drummer. He's many kinds of geek, and while we may share some of them, like computer geek, here he demonstrates one I can't claim: band geek.Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-17521398174013337232008-06-25T23:30:00.002-06:002008-12-06T00:54:27.290-07:00A Week in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3199/2612515966_bb07586a57.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3199/2612515966_bb07586a57.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="Ethiopian entrees on injera" /></a><br /><br />My second, and equally satisfying, experience with Ethiopian food. The entrees ordered come on injera, a pancake-like sourdough flatbread, with more injera for one to pick up food and eat with. Here I have five vegetarian dishes around beef that was exquisitely caramelized without being too sweet. Too bad that I can't have coffee anymore; Ethiopian coffee appeared to be just as exquisite. <br /> <br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_cuisine">Wikipedia on Ethiopian Cuisine</a>Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-88038646754270563472008-06-25T20:41:00.006-06:002008-12-06T00:56:21.649-07:00A Week in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/2611680951_3b5825f2fb.jpg?v=0"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/2611680951_3b5825f2fb.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="Jerusalem Artichoke Flowers"/></a><br />Sunny's been away from Albuquerque for work quite a bit this summer, and I've had a hard time keeping the blues away. Since he's working in <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=arlington&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=image">Arlington</a> for a bit, I decided to come out and visit him and my extended family in <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=fairfax+va&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=title">Fairfax</a>, VA, despite the fact that my vacation got moved to a week in which he was gone to Missouri for a conference for a few days. Arg. Thus far, we've been to Fairfax, Arlington, and I'm discovering old town <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=alexandria&btnG=Search">Alexandria</a> after having done my obligatory visit to the <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=fairfax+va&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=title">National Mall</a>. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/2612516160_519f6272e9.jpg?v=0"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 100px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/2612516160_519f6272e9.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="Palace From Mula, Venice" /></a> Unfortunately, being six months pregnant has really cut into my stamina, and I've been getting lightheaded if I walk too far, and I haven't been able to see as much as I wanted. Still, I had a most amazing seafood pasta today, and I've been able to see an old friend from medical school, as well as spend a lot of time with my favorite <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monet">Monets</a>.Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-1885206209106101212008-04-30T15:57:00.006-06:002008-04-30T17:01:34.100-06:00Experimental Treat: Basa Fillets and Sticky RiceA few weekends ago, as I recovered from switching between nights and days, I felt up to cooking and decided to try something new to me but very old to Viet Nam: sticky rice and steamed fish. <br /><br />I love "glutinous" rice and have loved it since childhood. It's stickier than jasmine rice due to a higher amount of amylopectin, not gluten, and it's prepared in any number of ways, both savory and sweet. I've had it dyed red (wedding colors) with plums, white topped with peanuts and sugar, the famous "mango and sticky rice" way of Thai restaurants, and as a portable pocket stuffed with mushrooms, green onions, and select meat. However, it has always failed me when I've tried to make it. Traditionally, it's soaked for hours and then steamed. I've tried shortcuts with rice cookers and saucepans, to no avail. It always comes out burned at the bottom, soggy at the middle, and too hard and uncooked on top. EW. Perfect sticky rice, in my mind, should be firm but not hard, clear, and well hydrated. The solution was to finally use the wok that Sunny'd gotten me last fall, along with accompanying bamboo steamer, line them with banana leaves, and steam. Perfecto! Sticky rice for a side to the main course, and then mango and sticky rice for dessert.<br /><br />To top it off, I ran across a fish I hadn't heard of at the organic market I shop at. "Basa from Vietnam" was the title. A quick wikipedia search showed that it's a catfish analogue that Mississippi Delta farmers are offended by because it's taken up quite a percentage of the domestic catfish market, so the lobbied to have it labeled as "basa" instead. They've got a point. I'm not really convinced that there are significant numbers of aquafarms in Vietnam that would hold up to US inspections. However, I slapped the fillet on a banana leaf, drizzled it with sesame oil and some ginger, and steamed it, and it came out perfectly. Yum.<br /><br />References:<br /><br />1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/0684800012/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209596255&sr=8-1">On Food and Cooking</a>, the ultimate food science reference<br />2. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basa">Wikipedia on Basa</a>Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-68330867183610111162008-02-04T22:08:00.000-07:002008-02-04T22:14:58.415-07:00First Prenatal VisitOur first prenatal visit today went as expected for me. Sunny's never been to one, so I made sure that he got to see my cervix. I think that both of us are reassured that our doctor will listen to us and communicate well; the great news is that since she is a family practice doctor, our relationship doesn't have to end once the baby's born. <br /><br />Now, I thought that we were about a month pregnant since we started coming up positive the first week of January. Normally pregnancy dating goes by the date on which you started your last period, but since I stopped birth control just a few days before that, I figured that it would take a while before I would ovulate. However, my uterus apparently feels about two months' pregnant, so we'll see what next week's ultrasound shows!Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-80049445522271072332008-01-27T13:52:00.001-07:002008-12-06T00:57:31.729-07:00The Mommy DietAfter discussing it for quite a while, Sunny and I stopped birth control on December 1st. A month later we're pregnant, which alleviated quite a few worries. Now we're trying to figure out how to optimize my health while the prototype human being develops inside of me. Now I've always been short on exercise, and I love food, so making healthy choices in terms of that is high on our priority list. The babies in the Newborn ICU whose mothers had raging, uncontrolled diabetes haunt me. An infant of such a mother can have just about ANY defect, and that's not going to be my baby.<br /><br />Research on nutrition and diet has always been unsatisfying because it is impossible to completely control someone's diet. You can't really make two hundred people eat exactly the same diet for years in order to truly study the effects of a diet. Add the insurance liability of studying pregnant women, and the end result is that I view a lot of the dietary advice for expectant mothers with skepticism. For instance, the March of Dimes <a href="http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/159_823.asp">website</a> suggests that 12 ounces a week of fish that may have mercury is safe. How do they know that! I love salmon both as sushi and as gravlax, and now I'm avoiding both. I have blatantly ignored any advice about soft cheese containing a dangerous amount of bacteria. I figure that as long as it is made from pasteurized milk, and it's made from a reputable dairy, I can handle it. I am unhappily avoiding raw oysters, but cooked clams are still on my radar!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3201/2611654087_9c242f598f.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3201/2611654087_9c242f598f.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="A Perfect Soy Mocha" /></a><br /><br />The food restriction that really breaks my heart is the restriction against coffee. I love coffee. I associate it with good moments from my childhood and great moments from college. Have you ever had <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_coffee">Vietnamese-style coffee</a>? It's drip brewed slowly to extract all of the essence of the ground beans, and an inch of sweetened, condensed milk adds creamy lipids and wonderful sweetness. It's better than a daydream and sweeter than cutting class. Now to hear that caffeine can make for smaller babies and have possible, subtle psychological and neurological effects on the baby is scary. But it's a possible, and I love coffee. An occupational concern is also that I use coffee deliberately to perk me up at the end of a long night on call. Otherwise I run the risk of making bad decisions or one of those desperate let-me-sleep-damnit decisions. My current solution is to switch to hot chocolate, which is a bit too sweet, and avoid caffeine except for those situations where I really need it. Not a satisfying solution, but I don't have enough evidence to give it up entirely, or to keep drinking it blithely.<br /><br />Other Mommy diet resources:<UL><br /><li><a href="http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/agesandstages/pregnancy/whenyrpregnant/">Food Standards Agency in the UK</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp001.cfm">American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology patient handout</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/eating_pregnancy.html">Kid's Health patient handout</a></li><br /></ul>Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-10427671885249160832008-01-07T01:19:00.000-07:002008-01-07T01:29:46.546-07:00Being Whole: Certifications I Aim to Acquire<U>Ones I Have Achieved:</U><br />Bachelor of Art<br />Bachelor of Science<br />Medical Doctor<br />Kukkikwon certified 4th Degree Black Belt<br />Wife<br /><br /><u>Ones to Achieve: </u><br />Registered Massage Therapist<br />Ph.D.<br />Professor<br />Associate degree in Culinary Arts<br />Registered Yoga Teacher<br />Author<br />MotherLithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-85057073359411540682007-12-19T02:10:00.000-07:002007-12-25T15:22:36.954-07:00Being Whole: TeapotsI have just purchased an item that I've been eying for years: an iron teapot! I love Asian tea, and all the accoutrements that come with it, from fancy porcelain teapots to whimsical, handmade ceramics to intricate trays designed for Chinese-style tea consumption to the fabulous, hand-tied teas I adore. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHizVnSyVU4eLnO7lM1mGsQ9Kq6bVvMPfCePfPrDT0lZNOdQYFdFn6iTYS3hD1Nw3Sexh0665uuPapQIQgN2mgVQy7xvFgoxU_D-7AwanRik8X1xZIbEy6mdRY92oNpic5J-8gFA/s1600-h/DSC00622.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHizVnSyVU4eLnO7lM1mGsQ9Kq6bVvMPfCePfPrDT0lZNOdQYFdFn6iTYS3hD1Nw3Sexh0665uuPapQIQgN2mgVQy7xvFgoxU_D-7AwanRik8X1xZIbEy6mdRY92oNpic5J-8gFA/s320/DSC00622.JPG" border="0" alt="Blue Iron Teapot"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148037976439667506" /></a><br /><br />Iron teapots are lovely and functional, which is more than I can say for the ceramic teapots I love as well. Artisan ceramic teapots are often handmade, and they are very thin. In order to use them, I boil a whole pot of water, with the teapot and teacups submerged in the water to ensure that the whole piece is warmed evenly. Any bit of uneven temperature means that part of the ceramic expands and part doesn't. You have no idea how many teapots I broke in my youth doing that, but with my iron teapot, I can just dump in hot water and enjoy tea. Still, the iron conducts heat well, so I purchased an iron trivet anticipating just that.Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-42852802097963970202007-10-16T02:29:00.000-06:002007-10-16T02:40:37.842-06:00Pediatric Check-Up: NICU or Neonatal/Newborn ICUI'm currently doing night shifts in our baby intensive care unit, and though I hate being separated from Sunny at night, I am enjoying the experience. What do I like about this sub-specialty that Sunny's nicknamed "xeno-medicine"?<br /><br />Firstly, I really enjoy doing procedures. In English, a procedure is a course of action or series of steps. In medicine, a procedure is usually a series of steps involving some kind of invasion into the body, whether that be a spinal tap, a knee joint aspiration, or in my case, umbilical catheter placement. I'm getting super-good at placing tiny tubes into babies' belly buttons, and I like it because a) no pain for the baby is involved, and I'm saving them from needlesticks b) it provides a good, reliable way to give nutrition and to get lab data. One of the things I really like about our residency program is that there are few fellows here. Fellows are doctors in training for a sub-specialty, and they often need experience with procedures. Even though our <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NICU">NICU</a> has fellows, though, residents often get first dibs on procedures, with fellows supervising. I'm getting pretty good at this one, and soon I hope to become an expert at another common procedure here: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intubation">intubation</a>, or inserting a flexible, plastic tube to assure a good airway for breathing.<br /><br />Other reasons to come!Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-8769451904821463092007-10-14T22:40:00.001-06:002008-12-06T01:00:11.213-07:00About Albuquerque LifeI often get asked about Albuquerque: "Why did you move to Albuquerque? Do you like living there? What's in New Mexico anyway?". Considering that my relatives thought that I was moving to Mexico, it's not unexpected that most people are curious about Albuquerque itself.<br /><br />I truly enjoy living in New Mexico. I contrast it to Nevada, where I lived most of my life. Northern Nevada is similar to New Mexico in that it has a great, high-altitude desert climate with most days sunny and bright. There is an amazing amount of outdoors hiking, climbing, skiing, fishing, and more to do, though personally I think that New Mexico's outdoor attractions are more interesting. In a prior post I mentioned that Sunny and I had gone sledding at White Sands, and we are planning on going to <a href="http://www.nps.gov/cave/">Carlsbad Caverns</a> soon. Both states are predominantly rural states with a few population centers. Both of them look like endless stretches of sagebrush and highway as one drives through them. Yet they are very different to live in. <br /><br />What I think is fascinating about New Mexico is that it has its own distinct culture as a state, and Nevada definitely lacks that. It starts with food. New Mexico has its own cuisine based on local products, especially chile, blue corn, and cheese. Next, art abounds; people here have a much more natural philosophy about art, that art can be produced by anyone, and many people create some form of art without hesitation or worry that they are pretentiously claiming to be "an artist". I am the proud owner of several pieces from a local part-time potter and hope to own more. The Native reservations are still very much alive and producing new techniques based on their traditional pottery, stonework, metal smithing, and weaving. Architecturally, many buildings, including my house, are built to appear similar to ancient Pueblo dwellings; I can actually look around in a suburb and know that I'm in Albuquerque and not, say, some random place in California or Connecticut. Finally, as a modern touch, New Mexico has a great density of scientific work and atomic history, such that Sunny is very excited to be working on his Ph. D. here and is in no way compromised by our location.<br /><br />More specifically, I really love our part of Albuquerque. Sunny and I are all about living in a "live-walk" community where human-powered traffic predominates and neighbors actually socialize with each other. We live in University Heights AKA Nob Hill, and we can easily commute to school and work and grocery shopping by bike. A cluster of small businesses and great restaurants featuring Greek, Italian, sushi, other Japanese, Korean, Irish pub, and Vietnamese food lives on Central Avenue, three blocks north of our home. Plus, I have little problem finding most of my cooking ingredients as there are multiple Asian markets near by. Furthermore, There are a lot of young families as well as established families here. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenspace">Greenspace</a> abounds, with four parks and public tennis courts within walking distance. Finally, a library and a well reviewed elementary is 3 blocks south of us. We've been to several house parties on our block, and will probably host one next summer. If you're interested in moving here, leave a note with any questions!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2305/1574061919_79b81f8d74.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2305/1574061919_79b81f8d74.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="UNM Children's Hospital (Wing)" /></a>Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-39078081005921343812007-10-07T23:30:00.000-06:002007-10-14T13:56:30.859-06:00Blog Moving...PossiblySince deciding to blog more often, I've been posting the last 10 months of blogs on my <a href="http://tld.poeticpublishing.com/">website</a>. For my latest exploits, visit me there! <br /><br />Addendum: However, the software that enables my blog on my website has been becoming buggier (it broke just after I wrote the above), and I don't want to spend time doing the upkeep, so the blog may migrate back here depending on my level of laziness.<br /><br />Addendum #2: Blog has migrated!Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7050084.post-25647009790097432002007-10-07T18:37:00.000-06:002007-10-09T13:17:24.369-06:00White Sands National Monument and Trinity Test Site<p> <a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2290/1525154383_410c0532e8.jpg?v=0" class="media" title="blog:brief_check_in:dsc00524r.jpg"><img src="http://tld.poeticpublishing.com/_media/blog:brief_check_in:dsc00524r.jpg?w=200&h=&cache=cache" class="media" title="Sunny at White Sands National Monument" alt="Sunny at White Sands National Monument" width="150" /></a><a href="http://tld.poeticpublishing.com/_detail/blog:brief_check_in:dsc00523r.jpg?id=blog%3Abrief_check_in%3Awhite_sands_first&cache=cache" class="media" title="blog:brief_check_in:dsc00523r.jpg"><img src="http://tld.poeticpublishing.com/_media/blog:brief_check_in:dsc00523r.jpg?w=200&h=&cache=cache" class="media" title="Truc-Ha at White Sands National Monument" alt="Truc-Ha at White Sands National Monument" width="150" /></a> <br /><a href="http://tld.poeticpublishing.com/_detail/blog:brief_check_in:white_sands_us.jpg?id=blog%3Abrief_check_in%3Awhite_sands_first&cache=cache" class="media" title="blog:brief_check_in:white_sands_us.jpg"><img src="http://tld.poeticpublishing.com/_media/blog:brief_check_in:white_sands_us.jpg?w=355&h=&cache=cache" class="media" title="Truc-Ha and Sunny at White Sands National Monument" alt="Truc-Ha and Sunny at White Sands National Monument" width="355" /></a> </p><br /><p> This weekend, Sunny and I took a day trip around southern New Mexico. We started by heading to the Trinity Test Site, the site of the first nuclear device explosion in the world. It was pretty anticlimactic. The whole of the original crater has since been filled in by dirt, so none of the fused sand is visible except for some pieces in a display case. There are also some historic photographs, including an aerial view of the site that includes a view of the site of the 108-ton TNT explosion they used as a calibration so that they could measure to force of the atomic detonation. These pictures were interesting, though only a brief nod was given to how devastating the force of an atomic explosion is on life and non-living structures. The picture of the sign is at the gate to ground zero. I thought the distances were interesting given that the flash was seen from Albuquerque, and windows were broken in Alamogordo during the explosion. <br /><br /><a href="http://tld.poeticpublishing.com/_detail/blog:brief_check_in:trinitytestsite.jpg?id=blog%3Abrief_check_in%3Awhite_sands_first&cache=cache" class="media" title="blog:brief_check_in:trinitytestsite.jpg"><img src="http://tld.poeticpublishing.com/_media/blog:brief_check_in:trinitytestsite.jpg?w=300&h=&cache=cache" class="mediaright" title="Distances from the Trinity Test Site" alt="Distances from the Trinity Test Site" align="center" width="300" /></a> </p> <p> Then, we went to the White Sands National Monument and sledded on the gypsum sand dunes until we were tired, and hiked a bit. Sledding in October! Hiking in bare feet (not us, though I was tempted)! On our way back we looped through Las Cruces and drove by the future home of the nation's first spaceport. Since I'm starting a food section to my blogging efforts, I'll have to mention that La Cocina, a restaurant in the town of Truth or Consequences and one that was well reviewed in a Frommer's travel guide, was awful. Billed as New Mexican, their enchiladas and chile rellenos were awful, my prime rib was unevenly done, the Blue Moon (on tap!) lacked an orange slice, and their “authentic” New Mexican chile wasn't even hot. </p> <ul><li class="level1"><div class="li"> Trinity Site web page: <a href="http://www.wsmr.army.mil/pao/TrinitySite/trinst.htm" class="urlextern" title="http://www.wsmr.army.mil/pao/TrinitySite/trinst.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.wsmr.army.mil/pao/TrinitySite/trinst.htm</a></div> </li><li class="level1"><div class="li"> Trinity test on Wikipedia: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_site" class="urlextern" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_site" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_site</a></div> </li><li class="level1"><div class="li"> White Sands National Monument: <a href="http://www.nps.gov/whsa/" class="urlextern" title="http://www.nps.gov/whsa/" rel="nofollow">http://www.nps.gov/whsa/</a></div> </li><li class="level1"><div class="li"> Don't eat the food: <a href="http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=3912" class="urlextern" title="http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=3912" rel="nofollow">http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=3912</a> </div> </li></ul> <span> </span>Lithesomewizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16570125358671662501noreply@blogger.com0