Travel Hell

I'm back from Belize, but before I continue with travel accounts and photos, let me say a not so brief word about the Ass that is American Airlines.

David and I ended up being two of those poor bastards stranded by the closure of DFW due to a rainstorm. Our itinerary was as follows:

12/29
12pm Leave hotel via taxi and go to tiny airport in San Pedro to take tiny plane.
1pm Tiny plane ride to Belize City
1-5 pm Wait for plane (scheduled 4:15) to Dallas Fort Worth
5-9 pm Fly to Dallas, circle Dallas for 1.5 hours, miss flight to Austin which was cancelled anyway
9-10:30pm Immigration, Customs, and a huge ass line to be told that we couldn't be rescheduled until 9:45 the next morning, and that they wouldn't pay for a hotel, but they could book one.
11:30pm Arrive at hotel (David went to sleep, I did a load of laundry and then dreamt that I couldn't sleep all night, woke up at 5:30am on...

12/30
6:30am Taxi back to DFW
6:45-10:15 Waited in a huge fucking line to check our bags back in, because the morons who booked us on the flight the night before didn't un-check our bags. Don't ask.
10:15-12:30 Waited for our flight to Austin (scheduled for 9:45) to leave - it was grounded because the flight crew was delayed
1:15pm-2:30 Waited at the luggage carousel in Austin for our bags to arrive. They sent about 5 down at at time.
3:00 Got home, collapsed.

I figured we spent about 8 hours standing in lines over the last day and a half. American Airlines sucks beyond the telling of it. They were understaffed, under prepared, and largely unhelpful. I overheard a few employees talking, and they were pretty much as disgruntled as the passengers. I tell you, they are not at the top of my list of companies to work for, own stock in, or ever frequent again, if at all possible. I could add my complaint to the hundreds or thousands lodged in the last month, but the ineptitude and lack of accountability seems to be epidemic throughout the company, and as my studies in leadership over the past year have shown, probably starts at the top.

The frustration level of the crowds waiting in endless lines was palpable, even when I wasn't consumed by my own. AA didn't make announcements or give much personal attention to the people waiting, but security guards walked up and down, presumably for crowd control.

Honestly, it's hard to write anything witty or even biting about this experience, it was so exhausting and irritating. I'm just thankful that David and I are home safe, and so is our luggage.

Next time, I'm renting a car in Dallas and driving the fuck home.

Blogging on Boxing Day in Belize (with pictures!)

Yes, I am officially an Internet Weenie. I'm sitting in another (sweltering) internet cafe, blogging away. But this time, dear readers, you get pictures as well!

Turns out our hotel has wireless, but it's bloody slow. Bloody slow is the best way to describe most services on this island. Things do not happen at New York City kind of speed. I know, we're on vacation, but waiting 1.5 hours for your damn food when your starving starts to bug. I'll say no more.

Just kidding.

Here we have a picture of the species Davidus Quimbius in his native habitat. As you can see by his protruding eye sockets, he is naturally adapted to his environs.

David has been having a nice time diving, though the morons who run his diving company "forgot" to pick him up yesterday morning. Such is the disadvantage of not staying at a tidy, American-run dive resort. The advantages are making more of a contribution to the island's economy, being able to eat a variety of food, and not having our passports confiscated at the door. Less convenience, but also less Big Brother.

David took a picture of me snorkeling but I refuse to publish it, or allow all those stupid ones and zeros to remain in existence. Not. Pretty. Also, I suck at snorkeling, and the water continues to be murky. I've found my niche in wandering into town, buying stuff for people (yes, you), and falling asleep in hammocks while reading. Not a bad way to spend a week. We're doing an all day snorkeling/sailing thing on Thursday, our last full day here, so that should be fun, if I remember to take Dramamine and we don't go too fast.
All the pictures in this lot are underwater, but stay tuned, I'm planning a photo-journalistic expose for tomorrow.

Yes, that's a shark.

Having a million cable channels in our hotel room has not proved to be helpful in keeping me outside, but what is vacation for if not slacking? I'm just slacking on my slacking, is all.

We've had a couple good meals. Lobster is prevalent and good, though expensive. My mom asked what the food was like at Capricorn, so I'll try to remember. Let's see, abject boating terror, two shots of tequila.. I think I had fish of some kind. We had a spicy but soupy ceviche that was pretty nice. There's sort of pseudo-Mexican food here, but none of it has been that great so far. Honestly, I totally can't remember what I had for dinner, other than it was fish-based and tasty. We had rum-soaked chocolate cake with a candle in it for dessert - the waitstaff sang to me and had to hold a hurricane lamp around the candle so the wind wouldn't blow it out for me. Then the terror filled ride back. Did I mention I'm not a boat person?

This is a cool sponge of some kind.

I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday and staying warm and malaria-free, like us.

Love,
Michelann

More from Belize

So I had a pretty good birthday here in Belize. I shopped and blogged in the morning, then met David back at the hotel, had lunch and did some snorkeling. Visibility isn't so hot by the shore, so I'm going to sign up for a half day trip one of the mornings David is diving.

We took a water taxi to a place called (fittingly) Capricorn for dinner. It was really good, but I'd read that the water taxi ride at night was the best part. "Best part" is apparently a synonym for "Utterly Terrifying". I have never been on a boat that small, going that fast. Apparently, I was not cut out for piracy. The restaurant was good, though, though the prices here are not low. Two shots of tequila was not enough to dull the abject terror of the ride home, but I made it in one piece, dinner still intact.

It's very hot today, and I seem to have packed exactly the wrong clothes. In Honduras, I didn't do much walking, mostly lounging and swimming, so several swimsuits and wraps were plenty. Here, I have to walk a mile into town, and I have one pair of ratty cutoff jeans to do that in, so today I'm shopping for shorts that cost less than $50.

David forgot his hat at home, so I got him a nice one, but he was distressed by the fact that it has a pirate on it. Apparently the pirate skull and crossbones is the emblem for Belize tourist crap, it's very hard to avoid. So he will just have to suck it up and deal with the pirate.

I hope everyone has a great Christmas, I'll be posting again shortly thereafter.

Love,
M

Birthday in Belize

Howdy folks,
I'm writing from a handy (and cheap) Internet cafe in San Pedro, Belize. We, and our luggage, got here safely yesterday, though not quite at the same time. The puddle jumper plane from Belize City to San Pedro was tiny, I couldn't decide whether to be exhilarated or terrified. Bit of each, I guess.

Our hotel is fairly modest, but there's a wharf, a hammock, and free rum punch. Can\'t ask much more than that. This trip is different from the one to Honduras; there we were isolated in our resort and our every need was pretty much covered. Here, we have to find restaurants and such, fend off charming Rastafarian beggars, and resist the temptations of street vendors. I found a souvenir store with some nice stuff on the cheap though, along with a yoga studio and this here Internet cafe. David is off diving at the moment, but should have his afternoons and evenings free. I think I'm going to take a snorkel tour, maybe tomorrow, and then settle in to some serious lounging.

San Pedro is a strange mix of upscale little establishments, overpriced tourist restaurants, and abject poverty. Everyone is friendly though, and nobody seems to be on a timetable. Letting go of the hectic pace of my last several months is a challenge for me, but I think I'm up to it. The water isn't as clear as Honduras from the shore, and there's more litter, so I think boat snorkeling is probably the plan.

I hope you all have an excellent Christmas, I'm sure, Internet junkie that I am, I'll be writing again soon. Feliz Navidad!

Michelann

Ode to Ebay

In general, I am not a huge Ebay user, but I have been known to dabble. I bought a bunch of saris from India which I used to drape the ceiling of my bedroom at my old apartment. I get my favorite perfume for about half of what it costs new (Annick Goutal Vanille). And recently, against all odds, I found my favorite jeans. Again.

A couple years ago Old Navy created Perfection in Jeans. Ultra Low Rise Flare Stretch Short Jeans. They only made them for a short time, and while I bought two pairs, I wore them into the ground within a year. Being short and round, it is difficult to find jeans that fit properly. Low rise on most people is up to my sternum. Let's not even talk about the travesty that is "slightly below the waist". It's not. So while Ultra Low Rise would make me look like a skanky ho if I was five foot 10 inches, at my diminutive height, it's just right.

These jeans just fit. Snug on the hips, loose on the legs, soft, comfortable, and they look really good. After pair #2 died, I set up an auto search on Ebay for the jeans in the hopes of locating another pair. After buying 3 pairs that were too high in the waist, too big, too long, I hit the jackpot and found another pair. That pair was laid to rest about two months ago.

Today the universe smiled upon me and I won another auction for Ultra Low Rise Flare Stretch Short Jeans. If the baby Jesus is truly smiling upon me, these will be the real deal, and by Christmas I will have one more precious pair of my most favoritest jeans ever.

It could happen...

I love my boyfriend dearly. Among his many excellent qualities, is his ability to say "maybe" in more ways than I previously thought possible. He has no problem saying no, but an absolute yes is a rare occurrence at best, and so I am left to decipher probabilities from the varied flavors of maybe that he uses to indicate level of preference (or lack thereof).

Me: "Can we go out to dinner tonight?"
Him: "I'll think about it."

Me: "Would you do the dishes for me?"
Him: "It could happen."

Me: "Do you want to see a movie today?"
Him: "Mmmm."

"Mmmmm" has many meanings, which can sometimes be decrypted through pitch and timber. A low-pitched "mmm" means, "It is highly unlikely," or "I really would prefer not to." A medium pitched "mmmm" could mean, "Ooh, that sounds nice," or perhaps, "I could really care less one way or the other."

Recently I suggested that perhaps I should get a Magic 8 Ball custom made to display all the possible responses to my yes-no questions.

Will David take me out to dinner tonight?
"It could happen."

Will we go to the movies tomorrow?
"I'll think about it."

Will David help me vacuum the house?
"Mmmmm."

Why Comic Sans is the Devil

So here's the thing. Even though I claim to not be a designer, and am trying to move my career in a more project management direction, I've been realizing that I still have a designer's sensibility when it comes to visuals. The idea of not having an image editing program on my computer is like having my fingers amputated. And even if I can learn to deal with not being able to touch up every photo to my satisfaction, what is truly intolerable is being limited to standard Windows fonts.

At best, these fonts are tolerable. Arial doesn't suck too bad, Courier is great when you want your papers to take up ten pages instead of seven. But the font to be avoided at all costs is Comic Sans. This is Microsoft's version of a "novelty font" and it burns my eyeballs from the inside, it's so fucking ugly. Lately, I've discovered it's also the darling of the academic world. Any teacher who wants to spice up their documents with something beyond the standard Times New Roman uses Comic Sans. Any time I get documents in Comic Sans, I reformat them into something far less offensive, like Verdana. Were I to receive documentation in PDF format, I would probably re-type the whole thing, just to avoid having to look at the carnage Comic Sans makes of perfectly decent text.

While some of the designers I work with far outstrip me in attention to visual detail, on the scale of normal people, I am an anal control freak.

You can sleep when you're dead.

Coffee is the Devil, and it hates me.

A co-worker enticed me to try his special combination of eggnog and fresh coffee. It's heavenly. But coffee makes me feel like my eyeballs are being vibrated out of my skull, and that's the fun part. The less fun part is the irritability, stomach discomfort, and insomnia. Because that's what I need, more stress!

Synergize Your Potentialities

What's more fun than reading Stephen Covey all weekend, I ask you? Why, it's reading Stephen Covey and watching his little brainwashing videos that goes with his brainwashing book. Movies about golden retrievers and six-year-olds playing soccer. I swear, I saw "SUBMIT" flash across my screen at least once.

I have inherited a deep, deep distrust of jargon. And Covey is just chock-full of fun jargon, far-fetched metaphor, and highly unsubstantiated wisdom-nuggets. And charts. Lots and lots of charts.

It's not that I don't like anecdotal books - one of the first books I read for this program was largely anecdotal, but the author did not claim to hold the keys to the universe. He was very up front about the fact that his book was based almost entirely on his experience and observation. This made it much easier for me to put my characteristic dubiousness aside and really hear what the guy had to say.

Covey makes no such distinction. If he believes it, and he can draw a parallel between his belief and a scientific truth, then the reader is supposed to consider it just as irrefutable. His books are very prescriptive: if you perform task A, B will be the result. If B is not the result, than you didn't perform task A correctly. This bugs the crap out of me. Organizational behavior, interpersonal relationships, and self-examination are not fucking stereo instructions. They are messy, difficult, and sometimes impossible tasks that we choose (or not) to slog through during our lives, without knowing if there will be a big earthly or cosmic carrot at the end of the stick. There are no guarantees that if you follow dogma created by someone who is not you, that you will get the same results.

He also casts himself as the hero, the loving guru teaching his flock how they have erred, in almost all his real-world examples. I would find him much more credible if he actually demonstrated the humility he prescribes to his followers.

So I've spent the majority of the weekend reading The 8th Habit, and consequently feeling really annoyed. This is not an uncommon occurrence for me during study weekends, so don't be alarmed. But annoyed is also not a fun way to spend your weekend. I'm going to be REALLY glad when I'm done with this book.

Only in Austin, Vol. 1

When I first moved to Austin in 1996, I was struck by how friendly and talkative people were. In the store, on the street, people would make eye contact with me, say hello, or make conversation. After living in San Francisco for seven years, I automatically assumed they wanted my money.

Eventually, I learned that Southerners are just nice that way. It took getting used to, but now it's one of my favorite things about living here.

But Austinites are a little bit different than your genteel, polite Southerner. The first afternoon I spent in Austin was when my ex and I came out to investigate UT for graduate school. We made our way to his friend's house in Hyde Park, where we had made arrangements to stay, where me met his girlfriend. She was very friendly and talkative, and described to us how eccentric Austinites were - how they would tell strangers random, often somewhat disturbing stories with no provocation. She then proceeded to tell us how her next door apartment neighbor had recently stolen her dog, because she thought the dog had eaten her chickens. In the middle of the city. In an apartment building.

Case in point.

I'm so used to talking to strangers now I barely notice it anymore, but once in a while I have one of those "Only in Austin" conversations.

I went to the post office this morning to ship a large and somewhat fragile container, and decided to wait in line to see a postal worker for advice on what services to use, rather than use the handy computerized DIY system.

The postal worker was very friendly, and I commented on how it was going to get very busy soon at the post office. He replied, "That's what I have Valium for." Amused, I replied, "I'm a prefer Xanex, myself." I think at that moment he felt some kinship with me, and so he told me about how he had really painful urinary stones, and often took Vicoden for them. He also told me about his recent surgery for said stones, and that he was having them with such frequency that his doctor was recommeding further tests, as he has difficulty passing them. This was all by way of telling me how his narcotic pain perscription makes him so loopy that if, for instance, I was rude to him, he would probably say something like, "Stop being such a bitch!" His supervisor has to move him away from the front desk when he's high on Vicodin.

I'm not complaining, I'd rather have a postal worker with low filters, than a repressed one, because we all know how badly that can go. But I think that if a survey was conducted on American cities regarding verbal filtering, Austin would probably be at the bottom of the list.

This is actually an advantage for me, because on the scale of normal people, I have a tendency to over-share, myself. But in Austin, I'm a paragon of restraint.

Make your own seal. Pretty sweet.

The end of my week is taking too long. I feel sandwiched by time, unable to tolerate the discomfort of now, and when it's not uncomfortable, unable to not fixate on how it will be again soon. How's that for a convoluted sentence? Roughly translated, I'm feeling twitchy.

I recently re-read my earliest entries, and one of them was about what I wimp I've become about cold. That trend continues. You can never have enough snuggly scarves and warm socks, when it gets down into the brutal mid-50s here in Texas.

On a less self-indulgent note, I want to say a few words about my family's dog, Zack, who died last week after a short battle with what turned out to be prostate cancer.

Zack was a beautiful dog, tall and lanky with long shiny black fur, and huge, deep, golden eyes. He loved attention, and would bat at you with his foot or nose if you took a break from petting or scratching him for longer than a few seconds. He was a master of inserting himself into tight spaces, using his nose as a boring tool. He was father to eleven gorgeous puppies with his mate Amber. My brother Shaun rescued him as a puppy from squalid conditions, and Steve, our family vet, didn't expect him to survive, let alone grow big enough to mate with Amber. We sure showed him.

Zack was a retriever through and through, and in the absence of freshly killed birds and small mammals to retrieve, he would pick up whatever was lying on the table, counter, or floor. Not to eat or destroy, but just to carry around softly, and offer lovingly to whomever he though would appreciate it the most. I was gifted with many damp washrags in this fashion. He would often carry around multiple items, so one Chirstmas we decided to see how many pieces of wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows we could get him to accept. It was a lot.

Zack is survived by his human parents, Nancy and Dave, human siblings Shaun and Michelann, his canine mate Amber, daughter Ladybug, and niece Bee. He will be missed by all of us.

Happy trails, Zack. May you never run out of soft things to carry around.

Public Service Announcement

David Sedaris is funny as fuck. Here are some links to free versions of some of his best stories, read by the man himself. Most of them are from This American Life, so some of them are later in the program. He can turn mouse-mutilation, feline lukemia, and drug addiction into comic gold.

Fatty Suit
Nuit of the Living Dead
Still Life - Performance Art gone horribly wrong
Papa was not a Rolling Stone - what happens when you force your children to play instruments
The Youth in Asia - This is about pets, not Asia, fyi.

Stuff of the Week

I dressed up like a fairy last night for Tracy and Donald's party. I have enough costume shit in my various closets to construct several fairy costumes without ever having to leave the house. Maybe I shouldn't be admitting this.

I don't know if I can say I'm especially pumped about anything right now. Perhaps I'm just a bit grumpy. Ooh, I am excited about the spell check feature in Firefox 2.0 though. It gives you a little dotted red line under anything you type that looks funky, and if you right click on said word, it gives you the correct spelling. For notoriously shitty spellers, such as myself, this is a godsend.

I am over my dubiousness about my current class, Leadership and Team Development. The professor has won me over, and I think it's going to be a valuable experience. Even though I have to read Stephen Covey. Do you think it's not a coincidence that the guy who plays Locke on Lost looks like him? Seriously. Think about it. Of course, I think the end of season 5 of Buffy is based on the Fisher King myth. So I can pretty much find an allegory in a bag of potato chips, given enough time and caffeine.

I was introduced to the concept of allegory/analogy in the seventh or eighth grade. I was introduced to Jung in the 11th. I didn't understand either for crap for a long time, but I get it pretty well now. In my critical thinking class, we were told to beware of analogies when looking for data for research - they can be misleading. I believe this, I think analogies that are familliar and simple can keep you from looking at a problem objectively, the way a buzzword or cliche can do the same. Because it sounds familliar, it seems true. In fact, I think analogies can be used to hoodwink people into accepting stuff that's pretty unfounded, and herein lies my difficulty with Covey. I think analogy can be used very effectively to clarify a difficult concept, but I don't think it should be used to justify or codify it.

I'll write more about this when I've clarified my own thoughts around it. For now, imagine my distrust of oversimplified analogies is like being locked in a phone booth without a quarter when you have to pee really bad.
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p.s. I know this entry is repeating like three times, blogger is pissing me off.

Current Addictions

My New Hair Color
Note the black streaks:


Mad props to my hair guy, Christian at Orbit.

IMovie on my MacBook
My first ever movie. Simon is chasing a laser pointer, sort of. His elderly dog eyesight is not so great. I learned how to do this at my ProCare mac lesson today. Sweet.

Justin Timberlake
Yes, I have a not-so-secret addiction to hip hop and pop music. JT collaborates with Timberland on his latest CD and it is fierce. I love the way he layers sounds, and the guy really can sing (he also plays actual piano, who knew?). If you're not completely averse to music of the now, check it out.

Wikipedia
I know this isn't breaking news, but I love Wikipedia. Searches run this week:
Enki - Sumerian Deity (I was reading a Sci-Fi book that talks about him)
Pope John Paul II - This was for some info for my final Ethics paper.
North Korea - Tired of only understanding half of what's going on there, I did a bit of reading up.

Tiff's Treats
A local gem, this company makes ungodly good cookies fresh daily and delivers them to your office with milk. Warm. Gooey. I sent some to David's office this week when he and his peeps were working around the clock. Who needs sleep when you have sugar, chocolate, butter and milk?

Like a Laser Beam

That's how focused I am.

Laser-beam focused on doing anything, and I mean anything, but my homework. Do you know what it takes for me to break down and clean my office? Setting time aside? Drinking a lot of espresso? Not being able to see the floor? No. What it takes is my inability to sit down and work on the four, count them, four deliverables I have due on Weds, the last night of my Ethics class.

So now I can see the floor and the surface of the guest bed for the first time in months. I may even get really crazy with it and vacuum. Or, I could do my homework. Except I haven't scrubbed the kitchen, done the dishes, exercised, showered, or washed the dog yet. And all of those things, things I could put off indefinitely on a normal day (except the shower part) sound amazingly enticing when I need to do my homework.

I have mastered the fine art of procrastination.

The colliding of worlds

As I am a gigantic dork, I love it when the different fantasy worlds I like to visit make reference to each other. I'm a big fan of two unintelligible eggs named Weebl and Bob. In their latest adventure, they reference Strongbad, of whom I am also a big fan. This is almost as cool as when, in the very last episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, they mentioned Trogdor the Burninator.

I told you I was a dork.

Latest Obsessions

My new MacBook
I love it so. My now former iBook crashed yesterday. Blue Screen of Death - couldn't even get it to start up from the emergency cdrom. Yet the fine people at the Apple Store not only saved all my data, but transferred it in place to my new computer, applications and all. So not only did I not lose the paper I spent all weekend writing (and all my other crap), but I didn't lose another day to reconfiguring my new computer. This is a beautiful thing. The new computer is lighter, has better resolution, better sound, a freaking fast processor, and other things I'm still discovering like this handy built in camera. Observe:

Pretty swank, eh?

Rodney Yee Yoga DVDs
David and I have been doing workouts from this set of DVDs every other day. They're great - a good balance between clear instruction and working your ass out. You can get them at drugstore.com for pretty cheap.

Stila Makeup
Notice my creamy complexion? My flawless visage? No that's not photoshop (okay, maybe a little), it's all my fab Stila makeup. I've been diggin on their eye shadows, lip glosses (not sticky!), blushes, and pressed powder. Plus, they encourage you to buy items free of packaging and stick them in handy, magnetized pallettes, reducing waste. They have some nice perfumes too, if you like that sort of thing.

Bad Buddhist Radio
This is a great podcast that provides a clear, if somewhat irate, introduction to the four noble truths and the eightfold path of Buddhism. Those are kind of a combination of the constitution and the ten commandments, but for Buddhists. Ryu Cope does an introduction to each concept, strips off all the additional mystical crap, and explains what these guidelines really mean. Interestingly enough, they really align with my own values, and also come in handy for discussions and writing in my ethics class. A great place to start if you're interested in the basics of Buddhism.

New Time Wasters
Joe Mathlete Explains Today's Marmaduke
Gaping Void
Zuma - or The Game Responsible for my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Ultimate Pie Theft - PacMan, but with Pie
Perez Hilton - I can't decide whether I should love of hate this guy, he's sooo snarky, but his blog is extremely addictive.

Austin Food Bytes - Remember the Alamo

Drafthouse, that is. And this is really an arts review masquerading as a food review. So let me cover the food first, and get it out of the way. The Downtown Alamo Drafthouse has a menu that consists of mostly burgers, pizzas and sides, in addition to a wide variety of beer and wine. The quality ranges from acceptable to decent. No, that's not much range. The chicken sandwiches are good, the fries, not so much. The pizzas are okay, and the occasional specials can be quite nice. The spinach quesadilla is actually quite good and filling, I recommend it. For dessert, you can't go wrong with Amy's Cookies and Cream ice cream covered in chocolate sauce.

What I really want to plug is one of the ongoing signature events at the Alamo Downtown, The Sinus Show. Formerly known as Mr. Sinus Theater, The Sinus Show is loosely based on the Mystery Science Theater model - play bad movies and make fun of them. The three founders, Germ, Owen, and John do this live, almost every weekend. The Sinus Show concept has morphed somewhat over time - they rarely show obscure B-movies anymore, having found their especial niche in iconic 80s flicks. And what a special niche it is. You will never see Footloose, Pretty in Pink, Point Break, Red Dawn, Speed, Showgirls, Xanadu, and a slew of other former blockbusters in the same way again. The Sinus boys have instituted several of their very own traditions, including a drinking game - yelling a response at the screen when a character does or says something repetitive, and "stop the movie" - a point halfway through the movie where they stop rolling and perform a skit based on the film itself and whatever theme has emerged in the commentary. You've never truly seen The Terminator, until you've seen the penultimate scene re-enacted as a ballet to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.

Mr. Sinus is reviving my favorite piece in its repertoire, Dirty Dancing, in November. If you're a Sinus fan already, and you've never seen it, you must. If you've never been to a Sinus Show, this is the perfect opportunity to see the Sinus boys at their most obscure, sophomoric, intellectual, political and hysterical. Be warned, the Sinus Show can be raunchy, and the language risque, so you might want to see it for yourself before you bring your parents for a family night. Another Sinus tip - if they're premiering a new movie, wait for late in the run to see it, as they've usually ironed out the kinks by then. When it's a revival of a show they've done before, any night is a safe bet.


Mr. Sinus on Myspace
Mr. Sinus Website
The Alamo Drafthouse

Austin Food Bytes - Artz Ribs

Several people have asked me if they can write BBQ reviews. Pretty much anyone is more qualified to write one than I am. I'm a Californian (I have yet to find any good BBQ restaurants in California, believe me, I've tried), and a hack when it comes to cooking BBQ myself. BBQ seems to hold an almost religious status in the minds of aficionados. The preparation is fiercely debated - marinade or rub? Coal or wood? Sauce or no sauce? The intricacy of this ritual, and the fervor with which it is discussed is something I cannot hope to be more than witness to. But, I know what I like, and I like Artz Ribs.

Artz is the perfect Austin joint. They have live music most of the week, usually folk-country influenced. It's homey and comfortable, and has a back porch and a small bar in addition to a sizeable restaurant with big, red and white checked tablecloths. There's also a banquet/party facility in the back. The sides are nothing to write home about - beans, potato salad, sliced bread, onions and pickles. However, you can request a largish garden salad as a substitute for your sides, which I often do.

Artz specialty is the meat. Well-seasoned, smoky, and moist, it's all good, no matter what you order. My favorites are the smoked chicken and the country-style ribs. The country-style ribs are kind of a cross between pork chops and spare ribs - heavily seasoned, rich, and extremely meaty, you can order two or three - I've never been able to make it through more than two. The chicken is smoky and moist, and makes for a great lighter option. The sauce is tangy, not too sweet or heavy. I have a vague recollection that the desserts are good, but it's been so long since I was still hungry enough to try them after my meal, I'm not a reliable source.

Artz is located on South Lamar near Kirby Lane. For menu, hours, and info on catering and events, visit http://www.artzribhouse.com/.

I marvel at my own cleverness. A lot.

These are my sarcastic and ever so witty responses to one of those "get to know your friendz!!!" emails that seem to show up at least once a month. I had more fun with this one. Please admire my rapier wit, or not.

------------------------------------------------------------

Read through the comments below about your friend and then make sure you
read the instructions at the bottom (which are not in any way redundant at all in any way). Have fun! (I will !! :))

1. What time is it?

8:25 am

2. What's your full name?

Heather Michelann Oster
3. What are you most afraid of?

Cockroaches and highly unethical people. Unethical cockroaches are the worst.

4. What is the most recent movie that you've seen in a theater?

Xanadu (Mr. Sinus). It was dreamy. Just ask David.

5. Place of birth?

Santa Barbara, CA

6. Favorite New Food?

Not Sure About The New Part. Dim sum, sushi, shortbread, pecan pralines, chicory café au lait, salmon, anything my brother cooks.

7. What's your natural hair color?

Dark ash blonde

8. Ever been to Alaska?

No

9. Ever been toilet papering rolling?

Yes, I worked in a factory rolling toilet paper until my tragic toilet paper rolling accident. Now I have to use paper towels to wipe my ass. Oh wait, did you mean something else?

10. Love someone so much it made you cry?

Yes. Especially when he locks me in the closet without dinner. Kidding.

11. Been in a car accident?

Yes. They suck. Except the part after where I got a hot new car. Neck pain, not so much.

12. Favorite day of the week?

Saturday

13. Favorite Restaurant?

NOLA, Commander's Palace, Fonda San Miguel, Hudson's on the Bend, my parents' house.

14. Favorite Flower?

Lavender

15. Favorite sport to watch?

Golf. Shut up.

16. Favorite Drink?

Top-shelf tequila on ice.

17. Favorite ice cream?

Amy's ginger snap, Chubby Hubby

18. Disney or Warner Bros.?

Bugs is way cooler than Mickey, and everyone hates Goofy.

19. Favorite fast food restaurant?

Taco Deli

20. What color is your bedroom carpet?

Light beige. Except where Simon threw up on it.

22. Before this one, from whom did you get your last email?

Emily. She's funny.

23. What do you do most often when you are bored?

Nap, web surf, read, whine.

24. Bedtime?

11 with my friend Lunesta, 12 without. Try IMing me about a half hour after I've taken it. That gets interesting.

25. Who will respond to this e-mail the quickest?

David. Kidding.

26. Who is the person you sent this to that is least likely to respond?

That would be David.

27. Who is the person that you are most curious to see their
responses?

Let's see if Emily can raise the sarcasm bar.

28. FAVORITE TV SHOW ?

THE ALL CAPS SHOW!!! Also, Buffy, Angel, Queer Eye, anything home-improvement from the BBC, Chappelle Show.

29. What are you currently reading?

Ethical leadership books for school

30. Ford or Chevy?

Ew.

31. What are you listening to right now?

Air conditioners and chatter.

33. What are your favorite colors?

Purple, dark red, pink.

34. How many tattoos do you have?

three

35. How many pets do you have?

One Simon. Species and gender negotiable.

36. Which came first the chicken or the egg??

Which came first?? Morons, or multiple punctuation marks!!???

37. What would you like to accomplish before you die?

To cure the world of bad punctuation. Kidding. To live courageously and compassionately and help others do the same.

38. How many people are you sending this e-mail to?

Not many. Not everyone appreciates my sparkling wit.

39. DO YOU HAVE A DREAM.

SOMETIMES I DREAM OF A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE IS SHOUTING IN MY HEAD!!!

40. Favorite all time movie.

Sense and Sensibility, LOTR, Cabaret, Some Like it Hot, lots more

RETURN DIRECTIONS: Now, here's what you're supposed to do... and
please do not spoil the fun (why would I want to do that?). Hit forward, delete my answers, and type in your answers. Then send this to a whole bunch of people you know INCLUDING the person who sent it to you (I'm glad they're clear about that – I wouldn't want to forget.) The theory is that you will learn many little known facts about those who know you. (that's a great theory!) Remember to send it back to the person that sent it to you.(Thanks, I almost forgot.)

My additional questions:

How many of these things have you filled out in the last five years?
At least 5, but then I love talking about myself.

What's up with the Alaska question?
I don't know. What is up with that?

Does your blood pressure go up when you read bad grammar and punctuation?
Do I even need to answer that?

Should I ever send you one of these ever again?
I'm a whore for attention, so bring it on!

Latest Addictions

chili-Spiced Dried Mango
Utterly addictive. Dried mangos coated in cayenne and salt. Oh. My. God. I got mine at Trader Joe's when we were in California last weekend. This weekend will be dedicated to finding it somewhere in Austin so that I can be supplied with it for the rest of my life.

DSW Shoes
I know, this is old news. But I've recently re-discovered shoe shopping and they have a great selection. I got really comfortable, ultra-cute shoes for Shaun's wedding, and now I can't stay away from the place. My feet are currently living in a zone somewhere in between being able to tolerate the torture devices most people consider cute shoes, and all-Dansko, all the time. So DSW provides me with lots of different brands to try. While I may not be getting the turquoise alligator stiletto pointy-toed shoes my friends enjoy, I did find a nice pair of gold sandals that aren't too bad.

The Ginger People
This company makes all things ginger, and I love me some ginger. The ginger chews are slightly milder versions of the Vietnamese candy. They have hard candies too, which are great. The new "ginger soother" drink packs a punch, but is relatively mild compared to most soft drinks, and is flavored with honey, which tastes great. I just tried the ginger-snaps for the first time and they are heavenly. You can get a lot of the stuff at Whole Foods, but some is only available on the website.

Bi Bim Bap
I've known about this dish for a long time, but I managed to eat it twice this week and enjoyed it both times. Next time you go to a Korean eatery, try it out. It's like the Bun of Korean food - if they can do it right, you know you've found a good place. Rice topped with several kinds of veggies, meat, and a fried egg. The perfect meal, it's heavy on the veg and light on the meat, but satisfying and filling.

Downloading TV on ITunes
I've been mostly happy with my choice to go tv-free a couple years ago, but I miss a few of my favorite shows. While Netflix fills the void somewhat, that takes planning and thought. On ITunes, for the fantastically absurd, yet not inconceivable price of $1.99, I can watch an episode of Buffy, Queer Eye, and a growing library of other great shows. It's such a small price, but I am sure it's going to add up very quickly, and when compared to the amortized cost of cable or video rental, it's a serious fucking racket. Call me a sucker. I dare you.

Taking a breath

I've just finished my second semester of graduate school. Woo! Now I get my first break - four whole weeks of just full time work, at least until the teacher decides to give us pre-class homework.

Shaun and Kris's wedding was fun, and very them. The food was great, I danced my ass off, and everyone seemed to have a good time. It was a quick trip for me and David, and I had to do my final presentation for Strategy class 24 hours after we got back.

I have no idea what to do with my evenings now! I guess all the things I did when I was avoiding my homework, but without the guilt. Where's the fun in that?

Good time to catch up with friends, do some pleasure reading, maybe get some extra exercise in. The sky is the limit. For four weeks. But at least we get a good long break between fall and spring semesters as well.

Jump Back

I have to give a shout out to the Sinus Boys. Most Austinites know about The Sinus Show, formerly known as Mr. Sinus Theater. It's a movie, with three witty, erudite men making clever commentary on the dialogue, production values, and whatever else strikes their collective fancy.

It's also absurd, vulgar, stupid, and hysterically funny at times. David and I saw Footloose tonight, a la Sinus. Jesus, was it funny. It's a stupid movie, but not as painfully bad as many of those they've lampooned, yet it affords ample opportunities for the Boys to rock the comedy, hard. I heartily recommend you make the time to check it out.

Mad Updating

It's been a while since I've posted. Things have been nuts. Nuts in the way you can't post on your blog. I'm doing really well with my boyfriend, friends and family. So do the math. Yeah, can't post about any of it. Yet.

David and I are going to Santa Barbara for Shaun's wedding in a few weeks, that will be fun. We also booked at trip to Belize for xmas, which I'm very excited about. I'm going to try to learn to swim better, and possibly dive by then. We'll see.

I just started my Leading Strategy class at school, the first class was great. Whew.

I've been writing, and writing, and writing, but since everything we write is about work, again, can't post it. Even on my school blog. Dammit.

Anyway, burn some green candles for me. I have a lot of love in my life, for which I'm very grateful, but I could use a bit of help on the prosperity and success side right now.

Austin Food Bytes - Down Home Cooking at Sambet's

Last week was the Web Team's annual Crawfish Boil, chefed by our own Brent Babin and Leon Fainbuch. Brent is a true Cajun cook, so we all look forward to the Crawfish Boil with great anticipation. Spicy boiled crawfish, corn, potatoes, mushrooms and eggs appear in abundance, becoming progressively spicier as the afternoon goes on.The only problem is it's only once a year! So for those of you that missed out, or are craving fiery foods in the interim, here's another haunt of the International Food Club.

Recently, International Food club ventured to another venue - Sambet's Cajun Store on Spicewood Springs. Sambet's carries all manner of Louisiana favorites, from the hottest sauce you'll ever taste, to chicory coffee and beigniet mix.

The store is rustic, and has long wooden tables for eat-in patrons. The menu includes bayou favorites like crawfish etouffee, jambalaya, boudin, red beans and rice, and poboys. I had the lunch special, I chose a boudin sandwich with crawfish etouffee. Both were delicious, the boudin sausage (a sausage filled with pork and spiced rice) was excellent, the etouffe was peppery and flavorful. They also serve iced tea the traditional southern way, nice and sweet.

Sambet's didn't take credit cards until recently, so if that's scared you off a quick lunch near NI, be sure to give them another try. Just be sure to bring a big appetite!

Sambet's Cajun Store
8650 Spicewood Springs Rd
Austin, TX 78759-4322
(512) 258-6410

Austin Food Bytes - Fast and Easy

Whether it's a picnic, potluck, or barbecue, everyone needs a few simple, reliable, tasty recipes they can whip up on short notice. This is my specialty.

I come from a family of increasingly rabid foodies. My mother is in cooking school and is an amazing pastry chef. My brother cooked at an expensive resort and been a personal chef in Hollywood. He once spent four hours making a mole sauce. Can you imagine? My dad makes amazing roasts and breads from scratch. I consider myself a good cook, but I cannot compete when it comes to innovative, detailed, elaborate dishes. What I do excel at is fast, simple, easy and tasty ones.

Some families hoard their best recipes, refusing to share them with anyone not related by blood; even then you might have to sign an affidavit promising never to reveal their arcane secrets. My family has no such reservations. We freely exchange recipes, tips, and techniques. Some people call their mothers for advice on how to deal with the kids, I call mine to ask the right amount of time to blanch asparagus. Some people call their fathers for financial advice, I call mine to find out the best technique for roasting sweet potatoes (I actually called him from the grocery store last weekend).

In the tradition of my family, I share with you some of my most successful recopies for flavor, speed and ease of preparation. If you have a recipe you would like to share, email michelann.oster@ni.com

Thai Cucumber Salad

1 large hothouse cucumber (these are the big ones that come shrink-wrapped)
1/3 C boiling water
1/3 C sugar
1/3 C unseasoned rice vinegar
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tsp Vietnamese sircha sauce (this is available in most grocery stores in the Asian section, it's a big plastic bottle with a rooster on it)
1/2 tsp salt

Slice cucumbers thinly and place in large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine sugar, boiling water, garlic, salt and hot sauce. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add rice vinegar.

Pour over cucumbers, toss, and refrigerate for an hour to one day in advance. Serve chilled.
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No-cook Pasta Sauce - this is a great recipe if you have a tomato and herb garden

4-6 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped coarsely
1 large shallot, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 C olive oil
2 large sprigs of fresh basil (about 10 leaves), chopped
1 sprig of fresh oregano, chopped
1 C crumbled goat cheese, feta or ricotta salata
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb pasta

Combine all ingredients except pasta, whisk well, and let sit. Cook pasta according to directions for al dente, drain and toss with sauce. Serve.

Austin Food Bytes - Now That's Italian!

There's a new player in town for authentic Italian food: Mandola's Italian Market. Located where Guadalupe and Lamar intersect, just past 45th, it looks like a cute corner store from the outside, but inside it's a whole other story.

Mandola's is a market and restaurant. The walls are stuffed with imported goodies, including extra-virgin olive oil, wine, pasta, meats and cheeses. Ensconced within are several small dining areas, a gelaterie, bakery, and espresso bar.

I got to sample a few menu items last Saturday and they were all delicious. I had the Tuscan Tomato Salad - ripe cherry tomatoes topped with basil, olives, and ricotta salata - sort of a tangy cousin of feta. It was light and lovely, and left room to sample several other dishes. I also tried the Aranchini - rice croquettes filled with prosciutto, peas, mushrooms and mozzarella. They were unusual, rich and delicious - crispy on the outside, soft but complexly flavored on the inside. The Cannelloni was also lovely, as was the Italian Cream Cake and Chocolate Torte (it helps to have several friends with you when trying an new restaurant). My only regret was not having the capacity to try more dishes. I guess that means I'll have to go back!

MANDOLA'S ITALIAN MARKET
Open 7 days a week, 6:30am to 10pm
4700 W. Guadalupe #12
419-9700
Austin 78751

Austin Food Bytes - Ice Cream 101

Today I'm going to focus on a worldwide favorite, ice cream. There are actually many different kinds of ice cream, made in various ways. There are actually grades of ice cream as well. Ice creams like Hagen Daaz and Ben and Jerry's is known as "super-premium" ice cream - this means it's very dense, has very little air whipped in and lots of butterfat; it packs the most taste (and calories) per bite. Lighter weight ice creams like Bryers and Blue Bell are known as "premium" ice creams, they have a fair amount of air whipped into them, making them lighter in texture. I prefer premium ice cream when it is used as an addition to a dish, like fruit cobbler or pie. Gelato is Italian-style ice cream, it's also quite dense, but is made with more milk and less cream. It's also processed differently, creating a distinctive texture and faster melting time.

As I'm sure you already know, there are multiple places to procure said treats in Austin. Amy's Ice Creams is a perennial favorite - they have rotating flavors and fun stuff to have smashed into your scoop. If you want a particularly decadent treat, ask for a black and white shake made with Mexican Vanilla and hot fudge. Don't say I didn't warn you, it's rich, tasty and addictive.

A great source for local gelato is Teo. The proprietor studied the art of making the confection in Florence, Italy and stocks a variety of traditional and more creative flavors. They also have lovely espresso drinks. Another local spot is La Dolce Vita - they also serve a variety of desserts, liqueurs and coffee.

It's my blog, and I'll bitch if I want to

I spent my weekend of relaxation getting progressively sicker, culminating in bronchitis, asthma and the requisite trip to the emergency room for meds. I was a grumpy, touchy, whiny pain in the ass all weekend, and my sense of bruised entitlement did not wear off until Monday morning. School starts up again tomorrow night. I'm not enthused about the curriculum so far, we'll see how engaging the professor is.

The best thing ever for a crappy cold is Pho Ga. It's Pho, but with chicken. Heavenly.

but of course

So I take two days off from work to celebrate and rejuvenate after finishing my first semester of school, and guess what? I've got a cold. So it's back to the couch for me.

Austin Food Bytes - Keep it Simple With Salmon

As the temperature rises, I find myself craving lighter fare. Gone are the cold evenings when meat and potatoes are what I desire, the impending hot months make me think of fresher, lighter meals, especially in the evenings. One of my favorite weekend dinners is salmon.

Salmon is a fattier fish with a distinctive, delicate, rich flavor. It pairs will with citrus, herbs, even salsas. I have two ways I like to prepare it that are fast, easy and fool-proof. My favorite salmon can be purchased at Central Market – it's organic, farm-raised Atlantic salmon from Scotland. It usually runs about $13.99 per pound, mid-range for fillets (steaks are cheaper). These recipes have several elements that can be changed substituted or adapted to your tastes. The only constants are the methods of preparation and the cooking times.

Seared Salmon
Scant 1 lb. salmon fillet, skin and bones removed, cut into 2 pieces.
Salt and pepper
Oil for searing

Marinade:*
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 orange, 3 limes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk together olive oil, juice, cilantro, and onion. Salt and pepper to taste. Reserve 1/4 cup for dressing. You may run it through the blender if you want a smooth sauce. Let fish sit in the remainder of marinade for about 30 minutes (alternatively, you can also buy pre-marinated fillets at some stores). Remove the fish from the marinade, salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1-2 Tbs. of oil in frying pan until very hot. Sear salmon pieces on both sides, about a minute each. Place in baking dish and bake for 6-8 minutes. Six minutes will result in fish that is rare in the middle, eight minutes will be cooked through. I prefer my salmon medium-rare.

Serve salmon with reserved marinade, salsa, or sauce of choice.

*You may substitute any type of oil in the marinade, any fresh herb, and any combination of juice. If you use citrus, do not allow the fish to sit for too long, as it will be cooked by the acids.

Baked Salmon
Scant 1 lb. salmon fillet, skin and bones removed, cut into 2 pieces.
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 1/2 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbs. milk
2 Tbs. curry powder*
1 Tbs. butter, cut into pieces
Salt and pepper
Lemon wedges

Preheat the oven to 425°. Combine breadcrumbs with 1 Tbs. curry powder and spread on a dinner plate. Whisk together the milk, mayo, and 1 Tbs. of the curry powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Soak the salmon in the milk mixture, then transfer to the plate and roll in breadcrumbs until coated on all sides. Place in baking dish. Dot with butter. Bake salmon for 13 minutes for medium-rare, 15 minutes for cooked through. Serve with lemon wedges.

*You may use any spice mix in place of the curry powder. Also, Central Market offers different types of crusts in lieu of normal breadcrumbs, including pepita (pumpkin seed), pecan, and macadamia nut crusts. All are mixed with Panko, a Japanese style-breadcrumb and highly spiced. The nut crusts are oily, so you probably don't need the butter if you use them.

Everyone Must Watch

Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner (in three parts)

part 1
part 2
part 3


Interestingly enough, there is no coverage of this in the mainstream press. What a huge surprise.

Austin Food Bytes
Beat the Heat with Smoothies

There are certain kinds of regional foods that simply can not be replicated in other geographical areas. Try as I might, I have never found serviceable barbecue in California. Creole cooking never tastes the same when it's not prepared in the vicinity of a Louisiana swamp. Bagels that are not from the east cost share only the name and shape with their lesser cousins from elsewhere. And since I'm from California originally, I can safely say that most people wouldn't know a good smoothie if it was dumped in their laps.

That being said, you have a few options, even in a land as far removed from the west coast as Texas, when you want an authentic, tasty and healthy smoothie. A few places in town make serviceable to good smoothies. People's Pharmacy makes a good smoothie. The Castle Hill Fitness Cafe has smoothies with all sorts of healthful additives like bee pollen and herbs, and they're not bad either. Jamba Juice is a chain that was started in San Louis Obispo, about a hundred miles north of my hometown. They have great smoothies, but be sure to check out the ingredients. If they put sorbet in your smoothie, it pushes the sugar content way up. There are several local locations. My favorite Jamba Juice smoothie is the "Bright-Eyed Blueberry". I get it with a protein boost, and I have them add mango. In the 16 oz size, this yummy concoction totals under 300 calories, but provides you with about 3 servings of fruit. What a deal!

I make my own smoothies at home. I suspect that every Californian has their own smoothie recipe, my friend from the Bay Area makes one that I love, but can't replicate. Here is my favorite recipe:

1/4 cup frozen grapes (red or green) - if you buy grapes regularly, just freeze them when they start to go soft. They add body and sweetness to the smoothie without the texture of banana, which some people dislike
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup frozen cherries
Vanilla Silk soy milk
mango juice

Dump all the fruit in your blender. Fill with soy milk to about 5/6ths of the top of the fruit, top off with mango juice. I also like to add Dannon Vanilla Immunity Boost - if you use that, add it first, then proceed with the rest of the liquids. Blend until smooth.

Smoothie tricks:
Once your smoothie has gotten somewhat blended, it will become stiff, and can create air space in the blender. Avoid this by using the pulse button, or turning the blender off and pushing it down from the sides with a spatula.

Austin Food Bytes
Un petite peu de Paris (A little bit of Paris)

Last week the CDG International Food Club ventured out to a new restaurant - new to us, anyway. Capitol Brasserie is downtown on Colorado street, below 4th. We went early in the week, before noon, and there was ample street parking.

Capitol Brasserie is light and airy, with several seating areas adding intimacy to the large restaurant. Our waiter was very attentive, when I was disappointed that traditional "citron presse" was not on the menu, he even went so far as to make me lemonade! We were well stocked with excellent fresh bread and butter, so much so it was a struggle not to overindulge before our meals arrived. The selection of dishes is modest and mostly limited to traditional country French cuisine. There are also daily specials.

I ordered the Croque Monsieur, a toasted ham and cheese sandwich with bechamel (white) sauce. It was quite rich, and very tasty, and was served with a lovely side salad. I also sampled the Mussels au Saffron - mussels cooked in a white wine and saffron broth. It was highly flavorful, the broth was a bit denser than I'm used to, and was wonderful when sopped up with the bread served at the table.

I think several of us were leery of traveling so far afield from NI for lunch, especially braving downtown traffic and split checks. I would urge the faint of heart to give it a try - parking was a breeze, and our waiter split our checks up individually and processed them in record time. Next time, we'll stay for dessert!

whoosh!

That's the sound of my life whizzing by. Bless me blogger, it's been several weeks since my last entry. Work is busy and school is kicking my ass, but I really like it.

My new class, Critical Thinking, which is really almost halfway over, is pretty great. I really like the professor, he's very teachery, in mostly good ways. He makes a genuine effort to practice what he preaches, takes feedback with good grace, and has a sense of humor about himself. His background is interesting and varied. Most importantly, he shows some humility about his perspective, which is telling. I become more and more suspect of people who don't seem to have any humility. The workload is heavy. Some of the class seems to be more intimidated than others, but I think everyone will leave the class feeling like they got something good out of it. I know I will.

Learning about critical thinking and applying it on a daily basis is pretty powerful stuff. By taking a fresh look at how I make my decisions is often enlightening and sometimes humbling. It's added a great deal to my sense of influence at work. It seems to me that a great deal of the ineffectiveness we often grip about when we're "in the trenches" is self-limiting and self-fulfilling. We may have very good reasons to keep our heads down at times, but it is important to re-evaluate them regularly. You may find out that the storm passed a long time ago, or what looked like a hurricane was really just a light breeze.

4/7 Editor's note: Do not blog an hour after taking your Lunesta. Really. Just don't.

Mercury's Law

Things never go as you plan them. You could say that's a good thing. Or not. My week and a half of rest (re: plans for no assignments hanging over my head, vacation and some heavy drinking) turned out to be a figment of my imagination. Our new teacher gave us four assignments, counting the reading. I was grumpy at first, but if he delivers the goods, i.e. the knowlege, then I'm down. At the very least he seems very accountable for his role and that seems like a good to me.

Vacation at the lake was lovely until Sunday morning when I came down with the stomach flu and started *deleted*. Props to David for straightening the lake cabin up, packing the car and getting me home in less than an hour. The remainder of my weekend was spent in a feverish, achey haze. This thing has dragged on for several days now, but I'm on the mend. Just need a few more of those refreshing three hour naps. No heavy drinking will be ensuing. Just some light tea sipping perhaps. And lots, lots more writing for school. Peace, out.

If you'd like to read lots, lots more blathering...

I just posted my final paper to my Ethics blog. Enjoy.

Winding down for a brief period

This Weds. is my last class of my first 3 units of grad school (#2). I've wrapped up my paper, have a little more reading to do, and one more class to attend.

I have to say, the most interesting part of the class has been my classmates. I've enjoyed some of the reading, not enjoyed some of it, but the discussions are by far the most rewarding part. Our teacher has been dropping dire hints about the difficulty of the next class, but I really like the books, so I'm cautiously optimistic.

Next week is spring break, so I don't have to study, write or read for class (I think) until two weeks from Weds. David and I are taking a little weekend out of town for a belated two year anniversary on Friday. I'm really looking forward to the break. I need some renewal.

Work has been stressful, but I know better than to post stuff about that (thank you, dooce). If you're interested, call me.

someone took my soapbox

http://www.bigfatfacts.com/

They've pretty much got it covered.

Tuewednesthur

Pronounced: Too-wed-ness-thur

The middle of the week when in grad school; a 72-hour day that begins at 12am Tuesday morning and ends at midnight on Thursday. Characterized by sleep-deprivation, slurred speech and an inability to determine what time or day it is. The detrimental effects of Tuewednesthur can be combatted with protien bars, green tea, and catnaps.

Austin Food Bytes – Get out of your lunchtime rut and try something new!

Bombay Bistro

10710 Research Blvd. #126
(512) 342-2290
Lunch: Monday-Friday, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Dinner: Sunday-Thursday, 5:30-10:00 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 5:30-10:30 p.m.

There’s a new game in town for Indian food, and it's just a hop – not even a skip or a jump – from NI. It's called Bombay Bistro, and it's in the HEB shopping center at Braker and 183. It's been open for three months, and it's already jam-packed during peak hours. For that reason, I suggest you try your luck before 11:30 a.m. or after 12:45 p.m. Because of the high demand and recent opening, service is still not completely off the ground, but the management is highly attentive and willing to do anything they can to make your meal more enjoyable.

I forayed out with two colleagues after reading a review in the Austin Chronicle two weeks ago. The review covers a great many items on the dinner menu that I have not yet tried. We had the opportunity to try Bombay Bistro's excellent lunch buffet. The dishes are all in individual chafing dishes, which makes for an elegant display. Your journey along the generous and meandering buffet also takes you past a window into their spotless kitchen, from which items are constantly replenished. One of the highlights of our meal was the Papadam with Chutneys. Papadam is a large, crunchy chip made from lentil flour, and chutneys are relishes – in this case a sweet, dark red, tamarind-based relish that was lovely, and a spicy chili and turmeric chutney that was unusual and highly flavorful. The chutneys are also good for dipping pakoras, assorted vegetables fried in a tasty, spicy batter flavored with cumin. The Chicken Tikka was one of the best I've had – tender pieces of chicken in a tomato-coconut milk curry, infused with cardamom and other spices. While you're there, be sure to sample their excellent Nan, a flavorful, grilled Indian flatbread. The buffet also featured a small dessert table displaying Kheer (Indian rice pudding) and fresh fruit.

Bombay Bistro is a welcome addition to the North Austin area. If you're in the mood for something tasty and authentic, be sure to give it a try.

I love lists. Doesn't everyone love lists? I don't know, but I do. I've been updating my Listmania! lists on Amazon.com. If you like the sci-fi/fantasy, check out this one.

Austin Food Bytes - Laissez les Bon Temps Roulez!

Finding a bit of the Big Easy in Austin is no mean feat. Often imitated but never duplicated, New Orleans has always been home to some of the most distinctive culture, music, and food in the United States. I've searched long and hard to find you some recommendations for places to get a little (or big) taste of NOLA right here in Austin. As Mardi Gras approaches, keep an eye out for special items around town as well.

Evangeline Café
8106 Brodie Lane
Austin, TX 78745
(512) 282-2586
Monday-Thursday, 11:00 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Friday, 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. (On Fridays, music starts at 10:00 p.m. when the kitchen closes.)
Saturday 11:00 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

Evangeline Café is a funky little South Austin joint, often filled to capacity with neighborhood locals. Eclectic swampy bayou decor and live music creates Cajun country ambience, but the food is what brings people back. The fried oyster po-boy is delicious – be sure to get it with Evangeline Sauce. Dressed with lettuce and tomato on a soft French roll, the oysters are perfectly crispy and warm, and the portions are generous. If you're not in the mood for fried food, try the grilled shrimp plate – spicy and extremely flavorful shrimp are served with dirty rice, a roll, and a side salad. The desserts are legendary, but unfortunately I was too full from dinner to try them. Next time, I'm leaving room for the bread pudding, which looked wonderful.

Crescent City Beignets
1211 West 6th Street #100
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 472-9622
Sunday-Thursday, 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Friday-Saturday, 7:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.

Crescent City Beignets is a franchise with a local branch on bustling West 6th Street. Ample parking is a plus. The decor is simple café-style with black and white pictures of old New Orleans. The service can be a little inconsistent, but I like the food and I especially recommend the café au lait with an order of beignets. (Beignets, for the uninitiated, are fluffy pillows of fried dough, doused in powdered sugar. They are especially good with rich and creamy café au lait or hot chocolate.) Crescent City also has an excellent salad, the Sensation Salad with grilled chicken. The dressing is lovely, and it's served with four decadent hush puppies. The cafe usually also has a couple entree item choices – gumbos, étouffées, and beans and rice that can be purchased in large or small portions.
Note: I found out from several of my readers that the Austin branch closed before xmas :(

DIY
If you'd rather create your own New Orleans experience, local stores carry several Louisiana staples. Central Market stocks beignet mix and coffee from the famous Café du Monde in the French Quarter. To make your own café au lait, brew your coffee quite strong, and mix it with a combination of hot milk and half-and-half. This time of year, Central Market and Sweetish Hill both carry King Cakes – ring-shaped cakes covered with purple, green, and gold sugar. Sometimes the cakes are filled with custard, but they always include a little plastic baby, which you insert at the bottom of the cake. A Mardi Gras tradition, whoever gets the piece with the baby has to buy the King Cake next year. Most grocery stores carry Zatarain's mixes and spices. For an authentic shrimp boil, purchase fresh shrimp with the shells on and boil in water spiced with Zatarain's Shrimp and Crab Boil.

The latest

School started. Kicked. My. Ass.

Actually it's not that bad, but tell my anxiety that. I'm feeling more confident as I just finished my first major assignment, but talk to me at 11pm tomorrow night when I get home from round 2. There's also this infernal thing called APA formatting that was designed specifically to drive me insane. I'm currently printing out a 35 page manual on how to use the software that's supposed to do it for me. Also insomnia not helping. Still, I think it may be a good experience in the end. I like my classmates, I think it will be a good group to work with.

Shaun is in Brazil and has started his own blog. You must check it out. The boy is funny.

Austin Food Bytes - Coffee, Part Deux: Southside

Austin Food Bytes
Coffee, Part Deux: Southside

In the dead of winter, when it’s dark and cold, uh, or warm and sunny outside, I find I especially need that extra jolt of caffeine to keep going. There are some great cafes south of the lake that help me keep on keepin’ on.

Jo’s Hot Coffee
300 S. Congress
444-3800
Austin 78704
Hours: Monday, 7am-6pm; Tuesday-Friday, 7am-9pm; Saturday, 7am-10pm; Sunday, 7am-9pm

Jo’s is more than a coffee house. It’s a community center. And it’s actually not a house, it’s a stand with covered seating. Jo’s offers a range of coffee and tea beverages, and also beer. They’ve got a good menu of sandwiches and other nibbles. It’s a great place to have a cup and people watch the shoppers on South Congress Ave. They also offer outdoor movies on Thursdays during the warm months.

Green Muse Cafe
519 W Oltorf St
Austin, TX 78704-5447
(512) 912-7789

Green Muse Café is hard to spot if you don’t know where it is. Between the pawn shop and the gas station on Oltorf, just east of the South First intersection, you might recognize it by the mural on the wall. Once found, it is not easily forgotten. Green Muse has great coffee and tea, and an excellent selection of panini, salads and home made baked goods. They have a beautiful patio in the back that features occasional live music and performance. I especially recommend the Eshta! Middle Eastern Dance show, second Fridays at 7:30 during the warm months.

Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse
1501 S 1st St
Austin, TX 78705
(512)416-1601
Mon-Fri 7am-12am; Sat-Sun 9am-12am

Bouldin Creek is a fun little spot. They have a big back deck, and varied seating inside. They specialize in vegetarian fare, I highly recommend the “El Tipico” breakfast with scrambled tofu. The baked oatmeal is also awesome. If you’re not in the mood for coffee, the ginger lemonade is really tasty and refreshing. Bouldin Creek occasionally features art shows, and you’ll often see jewelry vendors on the weekends.