Saturday, December 25, 2021

#86 - Visit a New National Park

While I wrote this item with the intention of exploring more U.S. national parks, I have certainly jumped at the chance to visit national parks in other countries, particularly the very beautiful Costa Rica--the most biodiverse country in the world. During our December trip, I took a trip to Manuel Antonio National Park with Chris Krone and then a second trip with my parents. 

Both trips were lovely, and we spent hours wandering the jungle and beach.


The capuchins in the park are so laid back and playful.






Mangroves are weird.


Squirrel monkeys


Land crabs, which only emerge during the day a handful of days per year. They were EVERYWHERE.


My favorite insect: The leaf cutter ants. I adore them.
They cut pieces of leaves from trees and then march them in a line, down the tree, making trails as they go, back to the hole where they live, so more ants can chew them up, spit them out, effectively farming and harvesting the mold they eat.


I have no idea how many flights of stairs we climbed that day. 20? 30?

And then we got to views like this:



And this:


When we came back down from the Cathedral Loop, we had a lovely time watching the capuchins at the beach.


On my second trip (with my parents), we got to see the capuchins frolicking in the mangroves, a whole family, including playful little ones. The capuchins at Manuel Antonio are pretty chill since they're used to people walking through their home every day. Also, visitors are not allowed to bring food into the park, so they don't look to people to feed them, which is important in keeping tourism in Costa Rica (and everywhere) eco-friendly, which is certainly a value on display in this beautiful country.



Chris & I had a fun time exploring the tide pools.
We saw an eel, fish, and many, many hermit crabs.


Just <3 




#48 = See a New Animal in the Wild

Costa Rica is the most biodiverse country on the planet, which is one of many reasons I love to visit. We saw capuchin monkeys, sloths, macaws, brown pelicans, white herons, caracaras, crocodiles, and many others I'd seen before. Here are a few that were new to me!

My favorite sighting started like this: 

"Hey, Chris, I think I just saw a fish jump."
"Where?"
"Oh, there's another one!"
"It must be running from a predator or something!"

...the next day...

"There's more jumping..."

...the next day...

"More jumping? Where are the binoculars?"

Turns out, the jumping beings were not fish but devil rays! For two weeks or so, nearly every day, we'd see the rays jumping, surfing, and splashing in the waves. While that made me much more anxious about surfing (though I think devil rays are related to manta rays, rather than sting rays, so I'm still not sure if they sting), I was fascinated by these playful beings. 

I couldn't quite catch the jumping on camera, and the videos I took of them splashing just aren't that great, so here's a link if you want to see them jump!

We also saw a ton of birds, which I logged on my Merlin app, but most were too quick to catch a photo.

Here are some of the many animals we spotted in Manuel Antonio National Park.


Some kind of eel

Hermit crabs

Land crabs. Apparently they are usually nocturnal but come out en masse to breed a few days each year, and we managed to be there during those days. They were EVERYWHERE in the forested areas of Manuel Antonio Beach.

Squirrel monkeys. A whole gang of these little creatures played in the trees around and above us on our way out of Manuel Antonio. They were very cute and jump huge distances between trees, like little flying squirrels.

Howler monkeys. It's quite easy to hear these monkeys but much tougher to spot them, as they spend their days lounging in the canopies. It was so cool to see several of them walking around the tree tops on this day.

#17 - Eat Vegetarian Every Monday (fail)

In an attempt to eat more sustainably, each year, I've been incorporating more
I love the fried tofu from Cozy Noodles
& am so stoked I finally found
a comparable recipe.
vegetarian
and plant-based (vegan) meals. I decided to do meat-free Mondays for 2021 (in addition to some stretches and vegan days). I gave myself 5 exceptions, not because it's too hard, but I wasn't sure if I'd forget or perhaps be somewhere where someone else is providing the food and there aren't vegetarian options. I stopped working on this one in November, when I finished my 12 items for the year, but that means I only missed 4 Mondays through November, which is pretty darn good, and I had a lot of vegetarian days during the rest of the week because I learned a ton of vegetarian recipes that I liked, and business has been slow, and vegetarian food is much less expensive than meat.

After doing 8 days vegetarian last year, it's been shockingly easy to eat vegetarian once per week this year. I have so many great recipes in my arsenal; I know how to improvise well with plant-based ingredients; and I know where to go to easily find new, great recipes. 

I've included pictures and descriptions of some of my fav veggie meals.

Exceptions

1 - 2/8/21

Spanish tortilla!
I was so stressed about "moving" back to Chicago to teach one day/week in person. I was hungry after staying up late packing and was not pleased with my veggie options for snacks. I decided to make an exception and have some turkey bacon late night.


2 - 7/19/21
Hearty veg soup

It was my dad's birthday, and he wanted to eat outside with a water view. We wound up at X, and while the view is great, they don't have great vegetarian options. I went with a buffalo chicken sandwich and was also pretty pleased that miss #2 was more than 5 months after miss #1 and in the second half of the year.

3 - 8/16/21

Blip #3 was also intentional, as I was renting a house and doing group meals with 11 other people, 6 of whom were children. I just went with the flow instead of trying to go buy my own meals for the day.

4 - 10/25/21

This one was my biggest oops without planning. I'd had a rough day and just wanted some pizza, but business had been slow, so I opted for a frozen pizza. When I got home, I realized I'd gotten a pepperoni pizza, and it was a Monday. So I could have found something else, but instead, I said, well, here goes day #4.

Portobello burger with
mozz, sauteed onions, & spinach

Thursday, December 9, 2021

#19 - Eat Vegan 12 Times

While I certainly have been eating more plant-based and vegetarian meals, I only managed to consciously eat vegan meals three times this year. Next year more!

1 - 2/15/21

2 - 5/6/21

3 - 5/17/21

#32 - Try 12 New Restaurants in Chicago

I was being a bit ambitious in attempting to try 12 new restaurants in Chicago during a pandemic, but I wanted to keep this one on my list to continue my support of the fantastic service industry in Chicago. Chicago's restaurants and bars not only employ tens of thousands of people, they're also, on average, damn good, better than the bars and restaurants of most cities. If you don't serve great food or have something special to offer, good luck competing in this market. It's stacked.

1 - North Buena Deli & Wine

3/20/21

I was looking for some delivery and craving a great sandwich. I thought I'd try North Buena out, and I was not disappointed. I had the Sicilian and will definitely be ordering again and looking forward to going in person.

2 - Figo Wine Bar

4/20/21

It finally warmed up enough to dive into some outdoor dining. Laura reserved a table for 4 of us at Figo Wine Bar on a Tuesday night (an exciting return of Two Bar Tuesdays). It felt so luxurious to split apps and bottles of wine with 3 of my very favorite people. We laughed, drank, ate, laughed, and then continued on to our second bar. 

I also can't wait to go back to Figo once indoor dining is safe again. What a cute little spot with a great wine selection and tasty food.

3 - Crushed Pizzeria

7/5/21

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I hate Chicago pizza. Deep dish is way too much. The first few bites are delicious, and then I don't want anymore, but that's all we've ordered because it's so much food, so I eat more, and then I feel like I've eaten several pounds of cheese and bread and I hate myself. The thin crust (a.k.a. pub style) is even worse. It's like cardboard topped with canned tomato paste, preshredded generic mozzarella, and then garbage toppings. It's tasteless grease. I hate it.

Luckily, some great woodfired, coolfired, and Detroit-style spots have opened up in Chicago. My favorite is Paulie Gee's, and they do squares (Detroit style), woodfired, and, newly, NY-style slices. Unfortunately, they're in Logan Square and do not deliver to my neighborhood, so it has to be a whole trip to go there. Then, wood/coal-fired pies just don't travel well (which I learned at Paulie Gee's, who refuses to do even take out woodfired pizza). 

So I've been searching high and low for some decent NY-style spots that will deliver to my place. On July 5, 2021, I FINALLY FOUND MY SPOT.

When I tried out Crushed, I ordered a salad and a simple Build-Your-Own pie: just mushrooms. The pizza was everything I was hoping for: crisp, chewy crust; that perfect bite to the cheese; delicious sauce; and just the right number of shrooms for great flavor. I had added on the garlic butter as a side assuming that if the pizza was mediocre (which it wasn't), I could dip it in buttery goodness, and wow, was I shocked. The garlic butter is mind blowingly good. Like, so so so garlicy and herby without being too greasy. It was great on the pizza crust, and then I used it in other ways: on my veggies, to fry eggs, every use perfect.

I'm so relieved to have a pizza delivery place that is satisfying!

4 - Immm Rice and Beyond

7/30/21

I walk by this place all the time, and on this day, tried to do takeout, but my phone said they were only taking orders by home, and I didn't have my wallet on me. But by the time I got home, I wanted Thai food badly, and this was one of the places still open at 9pm... and I could order online 😐

I had pad thai like a basic bitch and some coconut rice w/ mango (which is what I really wanted). The pad thai was fine. Like, fine. People must go there for other things. Because it was fine. The coconut rice was magical when combined with the mango. So I probably won't order delivery from this spot again, but I will give it another try and eat something more adventurous.

5 - Moxy Hotel

7/31/21, with Stephanie Souvenir

I was certainly drawn to this spot due to the name. Luckily, it also had tacos from 

Steph & I split a great dip trio and were recommended the carnitas tacos, which were great, and I can't wait to go back and hang/work in this spot.

#2 - Complete the 2021 Book Riot Reading Challenge

I only managed to get 4 of the 24 challenge items done (so far) this year, but I still really love working on this every year. It really gets me out of my reading comfort zone, and I love that Book Riot provides ideas for each of the categories. Can't wait for more next year!

__________________________________________________________________

1. Read a book you've been intimidated to read & 2. Read a nonfiction book about antiracism

Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi

4/27/21

I want to believe I was intimidated by this book due its length (515 pages + notes) but really, I think I was intimidated because I was concerned I'd learn about how ignorant I am to large swaths of U.S. history and the intricacies of racist ideas. Well, I was right. This book included 515 pages of things I should have learned in history class and instead was presented with a white-washed curriculum of American progress and exceptionalism, which just isn't accurate. Ironically, this book also showed that the uncomplicated, inaccurate version of history that I was presented with may also be why I hated history class. It was so boring. Kendi, on the other hand, tells stories and weaves ideas and narratives in a very compelling historical text. It made me want to read more, learn more, do better. 

I have one critique I feel compelled to share due to Kendi's own argument about how Barack Obama was a legal and policy scholar, not a history, race, and racism scholar, yet his supporters treated his ideas on race as expertise based on his identity. In the epilogue of this book and in his subsequent book How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi also speaks on topics on which he is clearly not an expert, namely gender identity, sexual orientation, and other aspects of identity. He rightly ties the freedom of and justice for all people of all identities to the freedom of all, as is required in antiracism work, but he sometimes speaks as if he is an expert in these others when he is not. Kendi is certainly an expert and a scholar on racism and racist ideas, currently and throughout history, and I learned so much from him in this book. I wish he would speak to the connection between racism and other forms of oppression, and then either do extensive research in these areas before writing on them or refer readers to the writing of other experts. This critique is focused on some pieces of the epilogue, which is such a small segment of the book, so the space I'm giving the criticism in this blog post may not be appropriate. It was just hard to leave on that note, especially after having first read How to Be an Antiracist, which dedicates entire chapters to identities on which Kendi is not an expert and often presents misleading, inaccurate, or sometimes harmful/hurtful narratives, much like the narratives Kendi worked so hard to counter and correct in his own work. 

That said, this is all a reminder to myself that I can do deep research, be an expert, and still have areas of ignorance, some of which I am aware of and some I am not. While intent does not equal impact, with the genuine intention of continual learning and growth, as it is clear Kendi has and I strive to share, the pursuit of justice can move forward.

3. Read a non-European novel in translation


The Disaster Tourist by Yun Ko-eun

9/17/21

This was a strange read. The idea for the story was fascinating, very compelling, but the writing was choppy, and the author took some really "easy" turns in the plot, removing some of the interest for both the story and the characters. I'd be really curious to hear what someone who read the story in the original translation and with knowledge of the culture thought about it.


22. Read a book set in the Midwest

Say Nice Things About Detroit by Scott Lasser

7/30/21

I picked up this book thinking it was nonfiction. Turns out it's fiction. It makes a good attempt at being loving toward a city I love, but it's also a bit... written by a straight, cis white man who isn't great at writing women or black people. So I see the love letter to the city, and also, it has a really limited, kinda dishonest view.

__________________________________________________________________________

Here's the rest of the list! I highly recommend the challenge!




  1. Read an LGBTQ+ history book
  2. Read a genre novel by an Indigenous, First Nations, or Native American author
  3. Read a fanfic
  4. Read a fat-positive romance
  5. Read a romance by a trans or nonbinary author
  6. Read a middle grade mystery
  7. Read an SFF anthology edited by a person of color
  8. Read a food memoir by an author of color
  9. Read a work of investigative nonfiction by an author of color
  10. Read a book with a cover you don’t like
  11. Read a realistic YA book not set in the U.S., UK, or Canada
  12. Read a memoir by a Latinx author
  13. Read an own voices book about disability
  14. Read an own voices YA book with a Black main character that isn’t about Black pain
  15. Read a book by/about a non-Western world leader
  16. Read a historical fiction with a POC or LGBTQ+ protagonist
  17. Read a book of nature poems
  18. Read a children’s book that centers a disabled character but not their disability

  19. Read a book that demystifies a common mental illness
  20. Read a book featuring a beloved pet where the pet doesn’t die

Friday, December 3, 2021

#12 - Practice Yoga 52 Times

1 - 2/12/21: I wanted to get this going, so I did a quick, 5-minute practice at home. At least I got started!

2 - 2/24/21: Another quick, at-home practice

3 - 2/28/21: Still quick, but hey, I'm still going!

4 - 3/9/21: Short, sweet, and becoming more regular!

5 - 4/18/21: Another short session, but feeling better and better.

6 - 4/21/21: Extending my practice!

7 - 4/25/21: Still short but more frequent!

8 - 5/12/21: Another shortie.

9 - 7/25/21: Resuming with a short practice!

10 - 8/3/21: May not make it to 52 this year, but at least I'm back doing this regularly!

11 - 8/25/21: Another shortie

12 - 9/12/21: Building it up!

13 - 9/17/21: Getting a little longer!

14 - 9/21/21: Even longer!

15 - 10/25/21: Short again. Haha.

#4 - Read 35 Books

1 - Under the Volcano by Malcome Lawrey

3/7/21

2 - In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
3/17/21, as part of Bingo Book Club

3/20/21

4 - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
4/7/21, for the second time, for class

5 - The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
4/19/21, for the second time, as part of Bingo Book Club

6 - Master Harold... And the Boys by Athol Fugard
4/21/21, for class

4/27/21

8 - Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
5/6/21, for class

9 - Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe 
6/6/21, for class

10 - Passage to India by E. M. Forrester
7/24/21, for class, for the second timepow

11 - Say Nice Things About Detroit by Scott Lasser
7/30/21

12 - The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
8/5/21

13 - Verity by Colleen Hoover
8/26/21

**14 - Circe by Madeleine Miller
9/13/21, first time reading it after 2 listens of the audiobook

15 - The Disaster Tourist by Yun Ko-eun
9/17/21

*16 - And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
10/3/21 for Bingo Book Club

**17 - Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
10/4/21, gifted to me by Kevin Robitaille

18 - Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
10/18/21

19 - My Beautiful Laundrette by Hanif Kureishi
10/19/21, for class

20 - Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid
11/20/21, for class

#8 - Walk 52 Times

 1 - 1/2/21, 40 minutes in Pittsfield Township

2 - 3/19/21, 30 minutes in Pittsfield Township

3 - 3/18/21, 5 minutes around the pond with my dad

4 - 3/29/21, 29 minutes in Pittsfield Township

5 - 4/9/21, 39 minutes in Pittsfield Township

6 - 4/17/21, 35 minutes in Pittsfield Township

7 - 4/24/21, 35 minutes in Pittsfield Township

8 - 4/27/21, 40 minutes in Pittsfield Township

9 - 5/10/21, 15 minutes to the store in Chicago

10 - 5/17/21, 47 minutes along the lake shore in Chicago

11 - 5/27/21, 16 minutes in Uptown

12 - 5/31/21, 47 minutes in Uptown

13 - 6/3/21, 42 minutes in Uptown

14 - 6/12/21, 110 minutes in Marbury State Park with Chris Krone & Jackie Schafer

15 - 6/14/21, 55 minutes in Pittsfield Township

16 - 6/26/21, 55 minutes in Uptown

17 - 6/28/21, 60 minutes in Uptown

18 - 7/5/21, 65 minutes in Uptown

19 - 7/17/21, 70 minutes in Pittsfield Township (Pokemon Go Fest 2021)

20 - 7/18/21, 81 minutes in Pittsfield Township (Pokemon Go Fest 2021)

21 - 7/20/21, 79 minutes in Pittsfield Township

22 - 7/30/21, 80 minutes in Uptown

23 - 8/4/21, some time around downtown and the Riverwalk with Nicole Green

24 - 8/5/21, 32 minutes in Uptown

25 - 8/8/21, with Grace in Bay Park

26 - 8/10/21, with Grace in Bay Park

27 - 8/15/21, with Corey Grassl and Christian Imboden in the Poconos

28 - 8/17/21, with Peggy Salsbury

29 - 8/18/21, 45 minutes in the Poconos

30 - 9/2/21, 30 minutes in Uptown/Rogers Park

31 - 9/9/21, 18 minutes in Uptown with Shaun Cooley

32 - 9/19/21, 32 minutes in Uptown

33 - 9/23/21, 16 minutes in Uptown

34 - 9/26/21, 34 minutes in Uptown

35 - 9/29/21, 90 minutes in Uptown

36 - 10/7/21, 30 minutes in Uptown

37 - 10/8/21, 32 minutes in Uptown

38 - 10/16/21, 30 minutes in downtown Chicago

39 - 11/3/21, 90 minutes in Lincoln Park because I ran out of gas and forgot my wallet at home

40 - 11/4/21, 110 minutes in the Morton Arboretum with Stephanie Souvenir

41 - 12/3/21, a very long time (3 hours or so?) in La Paz Waterfall Gardens with Jerry Krone & Kathy Krone

Sunday, November 14, 2021

#1 - Submit Another Piece of Writing for Publication

I submitted an article I've been working on for about six years to an academic journal. Last year, I submitted almost the exact same article to the exact same journal, so I thought I was done with it. Then, I received a quick rejection: because I'd neglected to notice the 7,000 word limit and submitted the article with 10,000+ words. Cutting those last 3,000 words to resubmit has been a chore. In doing so, I do think I've created a stronger piece, and I'm hopeful!


Saturday, October 23, 2021

#6 - Bike 100 Miles

 


While I was back in Michigan during the pandemic, I did a lot of biking. There are bike paths for miles and miles near my parents house, so many and well placed that one could go 10 miles or so and only cross one major road. It got me back in the habit of biking as a form of transportation when I went back to the city. The exercise is certainly nice, but it also allowed me to skip trains, buses, and ride shares, saving money and keeping me away from enclosed spaces with strangers.

I don't often take pictures while biking, but on my first bike ride back in Chicago, in May 2021, I did some exploring, finding myself on the peninsula that surrounds Montrose Harbor. I paused my ride to marvel at how pretty Chicago is and to enjoy that even after 12 years and living in 5 different neighborhoods, I still get to explore new places. In addition to what's pictured here, there are sand dunes, wooded paths, and a bird sanctuary, on on this tiny strip of land I'd always thought was just a concrete bit that wrapped around the harbor and protected the boats. 

Cheers to mundane habits that lead to adventures and more miles in 2021.

Friday, September 10, 2021

#45 - Help Someone With Their List of Goals

I didn't even realize that I was helping someone with their goals when I sat down around a campfire for s'mores. The idea of singing camp songs was poo poo'ed by some in the group, but it turns out three of the kids needed to lead a group in some songs for merit badges. I mean, camp songs, s'mores, and merit badges? Yes please.

We quickly realized how morbid many, many camp songs are. Lots of harm and death. Even eating family members. (Herman, I'm looking at you.) So fun... but also weird... which made it more fun.


Thursday, August 5, 2021

#24 - Make XO Sauce

I'd seen a video on Serious Eats about this sauce and made it a goal to make some to flavor-up plain meals. It has so many ingredients (15) and so many steps (7) and takes so much time (3 hours, 1 hour of which is actively working). Most of the ingredients I do not keep around regularly (e.g., dried scallops, dried shrimp, Jinhua ham, oyster sauce), so it was a pricy undertaking.

All of it was worth it. 

Damn is this an amazing condiment.

I tried it with poached fish, with rice and a fried egg, in fried rice (the best use I've tried so far), and a few other things. 

Next time I make it, I'll likely halve the amounts because I couldn't get through that much of it by myself (and my parents are allergic to scallops, so they couldn't help), but I will definitely make it again! What a fun way to add SO much flavor to some basic, economic meals!

Sunday, July 25, 2021

#3 - Read 3 More Books From the Top 100 of the 20th Century List

1- Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

4/7/21, for class, for the second time

I enjoyed the writing more the second time I read this but hated the racism even more.


2 - Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

5/6/21, for class

Maybe I didn't like / didn't get this because I haven't read Jane Eyre? How is one of the 100 best books of the century dependent on reading another book though?


3 - Passage to India by E. M. Forster

7/23/21, for class, for the second time


I read this for the first time after reading that Salman Rushie wrote Midnight's Children in response to this book. The first time I read it, I was like, okay, fine, some English dude's trip through India. The second time I read it, I was in a postcolonial literature course and realized how much colonial nonsense was in the book--mostly on purpose. In addition, there were deeper themes about the effects of colonialism and relationships. I actually liked this one more on my second read and look forward to reading Midnight's Children again to catch more nuance there.


Wednesday, June 2, 2021

#9 - Watch 3 Films That Have Won the Best Film, Actor, or Actress Academy Awards

 1 - Judy 

1/13/21

I enjoyed this film a lot more than I thought I would. Renee Zellweger was brilliant, yet the film itself wasn't just a vehicle to win her an Oscar. It was a lovely, thoughtful, touching film. I recommend it.

2 - The Iron Lady

2/25/21

I was expecting this film to be a Meryl vehicle and to be impressed by her undeniable abilities. I was not expecting to be affected by it. Yet, in the final scenes, I sobbed. It was a very different story than I expected, and I thought they did a fantastic job of presenting Margaret Thatcher as a whole human. Gorgeously acted.



3 - Nomadland

6/2/21

I thought a few other films deserved the Best Film win over Nomadland, but Frances MacDormand was incredible. She was her character and carried the wandering narrative with her. She made me think of all of the anonymous people I have seen in small towns on road trips throughout my life. While I adored Carrie Mulligan's performance in A Promising Young Woman, MacDormand deserved this Oscar.

Monday, May 31, 2021

#22 - Cook With 10 New-to-Me Ingredients

 1 - Barley Malt Syrup

The recipe I found for bagels called for barley malt syrup to get that nice texture on the outside of the bagel. Barley malt syrup is not easy to find in a regular Michigan grocery store. I looked in a few different places and then ended up ordering some online. It definitely seems to have made a difference, in the texture of the surface and in getting the everything seasoning to stick during and after the baking. 

You can read about the bagel-making experience here.

2 - Anchovies

I've never worked with any canned, whole fish, and for a long time, believed they were likely gross. After a lot of food and cooking reading and research, I've learned that's not at all the case. 

I needed one tin of anchovies to add to a recipe, and I cannot for the life of me remember what that recipe was, so I'll update this if I remember. 

As I had leftover anchovies, I decided to give an authentic Caesar salad a go. Using a Serious Eats recipe, I wound up with a fantastically flavorful Caesar dressing with lots of punch. I tossed the dressing with fresh, chopped Romaine. Then, I improvised with the croutons, tossing them with vegetable oil and garlic salt, and then topped it all with some Parmesan cheese. Even my dad liked it, and he claims he's never had a Caesar salad he liked before. Anchovies for the win!

3 - Rice Noodles

I tried out a shrimp pad thai from Jane Hornby's What to Cook & How to Cook It. My dad loved it. I thought it could use a little more pasty texture in the sauce, but the flavor was great. 

One issue was the rice noodles, even though I read the recipe multiple times and watched a Gordon Ramsey video on a simple stir fry with rice noodles the night before. I did as instructed and poured boiling water over the noodles, letting them soak. What I didn't do, was make sure they weren't stuck together. The noodles that were stuck together were definitely undercooked, and al dente pad thai isn't a thing. So, I learned! Even while doing the rest of the cooking, make sure to check on the noodles to be sure they're not sticking!

4 - Bok Choy

While I was making the pad thai, I found some bok choy in the veggie drawer, which was curious because I don't recall ever finding bok choy in my parents' house. My mom was planning to use it for another recipe, but she okayed me using it as a side for the pad thai. I quickly blanched it and then finished it in the wok with soy, sweet chili sauce, and cornstarch. It wasn't the most impressive thing I've ever made, but it was quite a tasty side for the pad thai. The acid was a nice balance to the richness of the pad thai. I will totally play with this veggie again.

5 - Rainbow Chard

I think I've cooked with chard before, but I'm still counting this, as different varietals can have different tastes and preparations. I did a simple saute and marinate with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Really delicious. 

6, 7, & 8 - Dried Scallops, Dried Shrimp, (Vegetarian) Oyster Sauce

I knocked off a whole bunch of new ingredients by making XO sauce. Ever since I saw a video about this luxurious sauce on Serious Eats, I wanted to give it a try. It was certainly a pricy and time-consuming sauce to make, but dang, this thing can elevate the most simple, inexpensive meals. It took me several hours to complete and many, many steps and ingredients--something I usually try to avoid--but I'll definitely make it again when I eat all this batch up. I tried it on just a plain piece of fish (barrimudi) poached in chicken stock. It felt so fa
ncy and delicious. I had no idea what else to use it with, and my old camp friend suggested white rice, XO sauce, & a fried egg and then just adding the sauce to fried rice. Both were wildly simple and so so so good, like I felt like I was eating something special. I am going to keep this sauce around to add to stir fries and fried rice, which are some favs of mine because I can just throw in any veggie I have around and wind up with a quick, fantastic entree.

Also, I used vegetarian oyster sauce instead of regular because I have a food intolerance to oysters (yes, it's true, and it's tragic), and I didn't want to risk wasting all of the ingredients needed for the sauce if I had a bad reaction to regular oyster sauce.

9 - Green Garlic

Green garlic looks a lot like green onions, so I gave it a taste when it first arrived in my Irv & Shelley Fresh Picks box for the week. It is kind of like a mild garlic, and I was able to use it in a variety of ways. First I used it just in a breakfast sandwich and later integrated it into a rainbow chard saute.

10 - Dover Sole

I picked up some frozen dover sole at Trader Joe's one day, and then it just sat in my freezer because I didn't know what to do with it. Then, this year, on Fridays, I have been eating pescatarian meals, and one Friday, the sole was the only fish I had. I looked up some recipes and tried two versions: one with brown butter and one with lemon pepper. The lemon pepper was fine, but the brown butter was excellent. It was so rich and tasted like buttery shellfish. I can't wait to make it again.

11 & 12 - Fava Beans & Pea Shoots

My Fresh Picks box came with fava beans and pea shoots, and I was like, um... What do I do with these? I looked up a recipe with pea shoots and found one that included really any blanched green veggie and poached eggs on top of a bed of greens and a vinaigrette. It was so damn good. I wish it were easier to get pea shoots because the rest was so easy and flexible, but the pea shoots had a perfect sweetness to add to the veggies, acid from the vinaigrette, and the creaminess of the eggs. Such a great, easy salad with layers of flavor.


Tuesday, May 25, 2021

#87 - Visit a New State Park

This was so easy and pleasant to do that I'm embarrassed I haven't explored Illinois's state parks sooner.

To pick a park, I went to the Illinois State Park website, clicked on the most northeast region, and then went alphabetically through the parks... and stopped at the first one because it looked pretty and was only a 45-minute drive. 

I taught an (in-person) class on a Monday morning and then jumped in my car to head up to Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, IL.

There was a chance of rain, but instead, Mother Nature gifted me a gorgeous 70-degree, sunny day in the park. On my drive in, I managed to sight a snowy egret standing in the river. Over the summer of 2020 in Michigan, I had very casually started bird watching, so I was pumped to enter a new bird in my app so quickly. 

After a quick stop in the Nature Center, I eagerly started with a walk along the river to look for more birds. There were a ton of small ones who were too quick for me to identify without binoculars, but then I saw a huge bird gliding over the other side of the river: a Great Blue Heron. I wished I had binoculars, as it landed on the other side, a good 50 meters or more away, so I could only just make out the size, shape, and color. So cool.

After walking one of the river trails, I walked to the beach, which seemed so calm in comparison to the often choppy Lake Michigan near my apartment.

The park is full of trails and bike paths, and I'm eager to take my bike up there once I get it tuned up a bit.

On my drive out, I spotted two huge (like 4-5 feet tall) brown and black birds wading through the shallows, but my bird app was no help in identifying them. 

I'm stoked to head back someday with my bike and some binoculars. It was such a quick, pleasant road trip, just 3 hours total away, and a nice afternoon escape from the city. 


Sunday, May 9, 2021

#11 - Meditate Every Day for 21 Days

In past years, I've done 7 days of meditation, then 14, then 21. Each time, I am grateful I took the time for this practice... and then I go back to intermittent practice. I'm still trying to figure out why.

This year, I noticed that a short period of meditation was often a welcome reset in the middle of my afternoon. However, I also noticed that meditation was extremely difficult when I was anxious. I've certainly been anxious more often in the last year+ than ever before in my life, so these anxious meditation sessions were also more often, even in that 21-day window. 

In most sessions, I would find a spot outside, in the sun if possible, and select either the daily or motivation options on Headspace. I built from 5 minutes to 20. On the best days, my busy mind would take a break to notice the wind on my skin, the birds chirping, how my body felt that day, my breath, the warmth of the sun. It felt like a nap without the nap hangover.

But on the days where I was anxious, I couldn't sit still. I'd often squirm, open my eyes, and think about how long it had been, wonder when it would be over. I sat through it each time, but it was really uncomfortable to sit with myself when experiencing anxiety.

I suppose these different reactions to the practice make sense. It also makes sense that the more often I meditate, the less often I experience anxiety. 

I've experienced severe depression on and off for over 20 years now. It's to the point that I can quickly recognize the symptoms and take action for a quick recovery. It might take a day or two, but I am pretty adept at managing my depression, even during tough times.

Anxiety is new. I am new to managing it.

I developed anxiety during my PhD program. The intensity of my studies were certainly a factor, as was the distance from my family, but really, I'm confident my anxiety developed from comorbidity with depression and the extreme financial stress I faced while in my program (stress that returned this year when I unexpectedly lost my job). When I entered my program, financially, I was enticed by the reduction in tuition due to my circumstances, the communication that there would be additional graduate assistantship opportunities (even though I didn't have one when entering), and the promise that there were ample opportunities for scholarships based on merit. I'm a great student and was coming from a professional position where I grew and was valued for 6 years. I was confident I could secure scholarships and an assistantship if I worked it the same way I worked at many things I cared about (including this list).

Then, after many rejections and lack of consideration, even for part-time on-campus jobs, I learned that the one graduate assistantship I was a good fit for was not going to be vacated soon, and when it was, there was intense competition for it because there was only one related to administrative higher ed, even though my program had a focus in higher ed. Because there was so much competition for it, they split it into a few positions, none of which provided the recipients with enough compensation--and I was not even considered.

Around the same time, I learned all of the scholarships went to the graduate assistants. The attitude seemed to be that to recruit and keep the best students, the program had to give as much funding to a few students, rather than spreading it around and losing the interest of their top recruits. 

Though I applied for every scholarship for which I met the criteria, I believe I got 2 merit scholarships, worth 2 credits each, during my 3.75 years there.

I worked in the campus recreation department for my first 2 years, and besides my coworkers who became friends, it was miserable. I felt undervalued daily and disrespected regularly. Once, the director asked me, "Do you think your staff even respects you?" This was about a staff of 8 lifeguard/swim instructors who made minimum wage (despite 2 pricy, time-consuming certifications) and spent 8 hours/day in Southern California summer sun. Honestly, the staff were great. Not "great despite the circumstances." Just great. They made my job easy because they were so competent and took their jobs seriously.

To leave that job, I had to take a part-time job as a private swim instructor, something I swore I would never do again. For that job, I taught in the Southern California summer afternoon sun for 5 hours, twice a week with no breaks.

I also picked up a part-time catering gig, which provided hourly pay, tips (sometimes), and meals (sometimes). It also provided me an excuse to not go out on the weekends, which I couldn't afford.

At the same time as these jobs, I was trying to find a foothold to teach. I learned of an unpaid teaching opportunity in a first-year leadership course. Along with that opportunity, a group of us met regularly to talk about our teaching practice. With these opportunities, my teaching degree, and 4+ years of experience teaching at the college level, I figured I'd prove myself and find a few courses to teach for pay.

But no. While those opportunities were sold as a way to get experience and exposure, they were really an opportunity for the department to have unpaid, qualified labor. I know some folx who ran that program could be reading this, but to anyone who relies on unpaid labor: experience is not pay. Exposure is not pay. Experience and exposure do not pay the bills.

I was asked to teach the same leadership course a second time and refused to do so without pay. They found a way to give me 2 credits (instead of actual pay).

Note: The 10-16 students in each section of the class were paying full tuition.

I also started "working" as a teaching assistant for some of my favorite professors. I did so only after they announced we could get 2 credits in return for our labor. Still no pay, so still no way to pay my bills or feed myself, but at least my student loans would be a tiny bit smaller when I graduated.

Then, I managed to find a part-time position at another campus. I loved that job. Then I hated it for a couple months due to some politics. And then once my supervisor and I found we were both victims of those politics, I had the best time. Of my many, many full- and part-time jobs, that's top 2.

In addition, I was ASKED to teach in one of their programs (FOR ADEQUATE PAY) and could even add additional classes once the first one went so well.

I also picked up a job where I occasionally worked team building events around the city. It paid decently and was not only low stress but actually fun.

While I worked 1-4 jobs at a time, I still could not make ends meet. Between the high cost of living in the city and fees not covered by student loans, I struggled to make ends meet. Add on top of that the pressure to attend conferences (meaning $600+ registration fees, hotels, travel, and conference attire) to remain relevant in the field caused me to accrue credit card debt on top of my student loan debt. (One conference, EVERY day, I waited to eat until I could find a social with free food because I couldn't afford the options at the site.)

So sometime during my 4 years there, I developed anxiety. Each time a notification from my bank app notification, my heart rate would increase, and I'd go somewhere private to see what the notification was. If it was an overdraft, I cried and wondered how I would eat until my next paycheck. 

I only lost weight due to stress and lack of eating until my final few months and at conferences, when I just didn't eat regularly. Most cheap options for food are high calorie but low in nutritious value, so I ate high calorie, high fat foods, rarely getting fresh fruits and vegetables. (I recognize that in many low-SES areas and food deserts, this is how individuals and families survive. My struggle was short-term compared to what so many people go through.)

Often, my amazing roommate would notice when I wasn't eating and would cook "extra" and offer it to me. I'm so grateful for him.

I also felt so ashamed and embarrassed. I watched my classmates/friends going out to eat, going on vacations, and working one job, not 4. They were doing PhD-level research, and I was slinging sliders for wealthy people in their homes. They were complaining about their last dental visit when I was without health insurance and hadn't seen a doctor, let alone a dentist, in years.

I started taking some of my less relevant/interesting courses less seriously, focusing on my research, finding a job, and spending time doing things and with people who made me feel loved and supported. I'm sure there were professors or classmates who thought I was being lazy, and I felt guilty, but I just didn't have the energy for everything.

I managed to be the first in my cohort to defend my dissertation. I felt others' envy, jealousy, and frustration that I was done and they were not, as if I were some kind of brilliant mind who go through the program with ease. I "joked" and told them I just couldn't afford to not finish. But I really couldn't. Yes, I am good at independent work and am secretly very organized, but in this reality, I needed to get done, so I could find a job and... eat, buy health insurance, and take a fucking break.

So I did not do a good job managing my anxiety at the time. I was overwhelmed and couldn't afford to seek help (again, no insurance).

I have learned that when I feel the symptoms I need to (1) rest, (2) eat, and (3), if at all possible, get some physical activity, even just a walk. It's also incredibly helpful for me to rest my brain, to do really mindless things alone, like watch The Hunger Games for the 254th time or play the Sims. If I can find the energy, a walk or a bike ride also helps.

I also feel guilty when I give myself that break and feel anxious about the work that is piling up while I am trying to get back into the right head space to do that work.

So meditation has been so so so good as a practice to maintain my mental health. It does not seem to work for me when I am not feeling healthy. My brain starts working overtime in those moments that are supposed to be quiet. I think this is why I can't seem to make meditation a daily practice, even though I see it as incredibly valuable.

I do plan to keep adding an increased version of this goal every year. It also doesn't seem to be damaging, so maybe I can keep at it and find a strategy that works for me. In the meantime, I'll stick to intermittent meditation and highly recommend Headspace for experienced and novice practitioners.

Monday, April 26, 2021

#10 - Watch 3 Movies From the AFI Top 100 List

1. Sunset Blvd

1/15/21

This film was interesting. I don't get why the AFI would put it in their Top 100. But like, worth a watch.

2. Citizen Kane

3/2/21

I did not get it. Basically just a journalist learning the life story of an old, rich, white man, which was a super basic, boring old, rich, white man trying to buy and possess so many, many things, including women and things that can't be bought, like a passion for one's work. And like... he owned the thing he supposedly yearned for after all that time? Boring.

3. Casablanca

4/25/21

I get why people like Casablanca. The story, the characters, and the setting are all compelling. The ending is so well done. So I liked it. I didn't love it. Maybe it's because I expected to see some beautiful scenery, knowing Casablanca is likely an incredibly beautiful city. But I'm glad I've now seen it, so that I have context for the so very, very many references from this film that I've heard throughout my life. 


Sunday, April 11, 2021

#25 - Make 3 New Breads

1 - Bagels
January 2021

I love bagels. So much. But they have always stuck in my mind as something impossible to make at home. I don't know where I got this idea. 

I saw a post from a friend of some bagels he had made. He's also a great cook, so I still assumed bagels were beyond my reach.

Then I came across a video on Serious Eats about how to make bagels. I knew I wouldn't be able to do it, but the video was only 4 minutes, so I gave it a watch. 

Um, y'all... bagels are kinda... easy. Great bagels are tough, but good bagels are within reach of anyone with a food processor and some basic cooking gear. 

I don't have a food processor, but for several months in 2020, I was staying with my parents, and they have one. 

The toughest part about making the bagels was finding barley malt syrup. It's just not an ingredient easy to find at regular grocery stores. I was able to find some online, and it definitely made a difference, both in giving a lovely thin crust and in getting toppings to stick. 

The second toughest part was getting the dough to be the right texture. The recipe I found said it should only take 90 seconds or so in a food processor to achieve the right texture, but I found I needed longer than that. Much longer. I never quite got the full stretchiness I wanted, but in both attempts, I gave up, and my bagels were decent.

The first day they were great. The second day, they started to do that shrivel things bagels do, but that makes sense, giving they had no preservatives. I am so stoked that I can make bagels at home. SO DELICOUS.

2 - Crusty White No-Knead White Bread

3/20/21

This was shockingly easy and turned out quite good. I should have let it rise a bit longer, but it had a delightful crust, and I can't wait to make it again. Here's the recipe via Serious Eats.


3 - Irish Soda Bread
3/20/21

Well, this was likely the easiest bread I've made and right up there with the best I've tried so far. Such a tasty side with butter! Again, much love to Serious Eats!




Fails:
2/15/21

For some reason, this foccacia did not work. At all. But it was still tasty.