G+ Migration Blog

Things are still very bad for my father. He is only able to function with pain medication, which he takes enough of to take the edge off the pain, but not enough to reduce the pain because it makes him fuzzy-headed and if he isn't going to be able to do anything except drool on himself, what's the point. With the pain meds he is able to move around a tiny bit, but only with assistance from a walker or cane or something, even though he keeps trying without.  I just want to curl up in a dark corner, somewhere, and I am not even the one with problems. Can I tell you how soul-sucking it his to hear your father involuntarily whimper in pain? Can I tell you that I am angry, and bitter, and frustrated? Yeah, I know. I need to get my own act together so I can get out of here. It's not like I'm going to be able to do anything else that's helpful.   #lifenotbeingfairsucks

I hope I'm not sharing a handy flowchart from an evil, unvetted source. https://medium.com/the-nib/should-you-vaccinate-your-child-7810fd781903 https://medium.com/the-nib/should-you-vaccinate-your-child-7810fd781903

So, the other day I mentioned making a pumpkin, pear, celeriac, blue cheese soup. This would be that weird soup thingy, which tastes good. It came out a pale golden yellow color. Mostly, it tastes like a milder, sweeter celery root soup, with a very mild pumpkin/squash flavor. You get an aroma, more than a flavor of blue cheese. Cut up and roasted pumpkin in oven first.* Scooped out flesh, mashed with potato masher and some buttermilk. Sauteed 1 lg spanish onion and two minced garlic cloves in olive oil - softened, not browned - in big soup pot. Added 1 cup of white wine. Added big celery root that was cut into 1/2" or smaller cubes, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 4 cups chicken broth. Brought to a boil, then active simmer for 15 min. Added 2 cups water, more simmering. Added 2 cut up pears, 3/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp marjoram, 1/8 tsp white pepper, more simmering. When everything was pretty soft, turned off heat, got out immersion blender. Blendered until smooth, back on low heat. Added 1 cup ...

Well, presumably to no one's surprise, I tried to see the comet, again. It's not completely clear, but there are frequent breaks in the cloud cover and it's moving fast, so you can get quick looks through. Regretfully, while I got a great look at the Pleiades, I did not manage to sight Lovejoy. I did frostbite my fingers, but I guess that's a risk when you are trying to use binoculars outside in zero degrees minus windchill while checking a star chart. They're still red and swollen, but they've stopped hurting, now. #forscience  #Iguess

Fun times. The first one is a little long-winded, but basically addresses the whole senior researcher at CDC says vaccines are bad nonsense, as well as the more damaging it gives autism to african american boys.  The second one is mentioned in the first and in a shorter, less objective tone addresses flaws in some major media reporting (NYTimes, CBS). http://www.snopes.com/medical/disease/cdcwhistleblower.asp http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2015/01/29/false-balance-about-vaccines/ http://www.snopes.com/medical/disease/cdcwhistleblower.asp

Have I ever mentioned how much I love the Schubert quartet in The Avengers ?

This is kinda cool. http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/01/20/new-canadian-passports-dark-and-incredible-secrets-revealed-but-youre-going-to-need-a-black-light/ http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/01/20/new-canadian-passports-dark-and-incredible-secrets-revealed-but-youre-going-to-need-a-black-light

I need fuzzy. http://www.buzzfeed.com/kaelintully/you-can-practically-feel-the-fluff#.xvjMqvjQb http://www.buzzfeed.com/kaelintully/you-can-practically-feel-the-fluff#.xvjMqvjQb

Dad is back from injection. It was horribly painful and he is in horrible pain and this frascking sucks. #hashtagsfullofcursing

It seems it has become necessary to separately identify classic or traditional hamburgers versus hipster hamburgers. Assuming for some strange reason.you just want an all beef pattie on a "regular" bun like form of bread.

Some days I am torn between AUUUUGGGHHHH!!!! and depressed resignation [see: Oatmeal, Blerch].

Originally shared by someone who lives in Alberta. They might have something. Originally shared by CNET Be ready for your winter commute to work in this AT-AT driver costume. http://cnet.co/1ByDNLz

Ow, ow, headache, ow.

Winter has arrived. Originally shared by Région de Québec Fans de la populaire série Game of Thrones, vous pourrez admirer une réplique en glace du célèbre trône de fer sur le site du palais de Bonhomme Carnaval. À voir dès le 30 janvier. #GOTS4CarnavalQc http://goo.gl/0BPQoO #CarnavaldeQuébec #quebecregion  #canada #gameofthrones

Ion, yep, msg still bothers me. I can eat a little of it, but my current headache would, indeed, suggest that I need to be careful with that. Sigh. Edit: Srsly. TG I don't get migraines. Augh.

the filtration, it is tight My dad is getting an injection into his spine tomorrow. We hope things will go well. We hope this will help.  #fsckcancer #andeverythingthatgoesalongwithit

That's nice. Our weather for tomorrow just got changed to ice pellets. I do not recall having so many forecasts for ice pellets in any of the places I have lived growing up.

Well, that was special. I just discovered that Google decided at some point to put everything you ever saved in maps or anywhere else into Drive and decided that the default settings should be public share unless you go in individually and change it. In spite of NONE of these things having ever been set to be shared publicly and very specifically having been set to NOT be publicly shared. So much hate.

It's Data Privacy Day?

I may be missing something, but it sounds like a) this is a good way to make money for Fairfax, and b) people are choosing to interpret a law so they can make that money. Separately, I can't believe they only had to pay $2mil to settle the wrongful death suit in a prior case. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2015/01/27/fairfax-swat-team-raids-high-stakes-great-falls-poker-game-seizes-cash-terrifies-players/?tid=pm_local_pop http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2015/01/27/fairfax-swat-team-raids-high-stakes-great-falls-poker-game-seizes-cash-terrifies-players/?tid=pm_local_pop

Boy, am I glad I am not in school now. Plus, I can see a lot of intelligent, educated, motivated parents trying to help their kids, looking at this stuff, and going, what the what? http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/23/parent-to-obama-let-me-tell-you-about-the-common-core-test-malia-and-sasha-dont-have-to-take-but-eva-does/?tid=hybrid_alt1_strip_2 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/23/parent-to-obama-let-me-tell-you-about-the-common-core-test-malia-and-sasha-dont-have-to-take-but-eva-does/?tid=hybrid_alt1_strip_2

Well, I'll never listen to that the same way again. It seems Leonard Cohen's Dance Me to the End of Love was inspired by the Holocaust and people going to the gas chambers.

Thought of you guys tonight while folding sheets. Especially the fitted one.

It would seem today is the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Aside from the link on the Google homepage, it has been on the radio and the television. BBC seems to have carried live coverage of a major commemoration at Auschwitz, itself. What I heard was coverage on NPR when I was driving. They had a gentleman originally from Hungary who was 14 when he was sent there. His whole family died there. He only survived partly because he convinced them to put him into a work detail that separated him from his family but got him transferred to Dachau. I don't know why, none of this happened to me, but I find these stories terribly upsetting to listen to. Very important to document, but very upsetting.

One upside of it getting particularly cold again is that our neighbor's house has stopped calving glaciers into the driveway. You get all the crack boom smash sound effects, too, along with the you should probably avoid them pieces of ice. #icedamn

While the headline on this amused me, it contained some useful info that might be worth passing on, especially if you've never seen someone with measles. Suspect Measles and Act Fast! Before use of the measles vaccine in the United States, measles caused death and disability. In the decade before the measles vaccination program began, an estimated 3-4 million people in the United States were infected each year, of whom 400-500 died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and another 4000 developed chronic disability from measles encephalitis. ... By 2000, owing to sustained high 2-dose measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine coverage in children, measles was declared eliminated from this country. Elimination does not mean gone forever ; it means that the disease is no longer transmitted year-round in the United States.  ... clinical presentation of measles . The measles prodrome starts 3-4 days before the rash. The prodrome is characterized by a high fever that can run 105º F or higher and by the ...

Personal snow descriptors list: Styrofoam snow: probably falls under the heading of what's officially called grauppel, but it's the stuff that looks like pieces of expanded polystyrene foam, or well, the beads of expanded polystyrene it's made from. Postcard snow: The glittery, sparkly, flat appearing snow crystals that look like the iridescent colorless glitter used as snow on Christmas cards. Fluffy snow: Your basic large cluster flurries, falling in moderate to dense amounts. Moderate moisture, neither the super dry, nor the super wet snow. Easiest for catching on tongue, a la Charlie Brown Christmas special. Dandruff snow: Small flurries, falling in light to moderate amounts, not particularly dense. #20wordsforsnow

Face-punchable comments seen elsewhere: "No, I mean actual astronauts. Not some scientists hitching a ride to the science lab in the sky. A Real, fly a spacecraft, astronaut." So much stupid.

Heh. http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/canada/british-columbia/beaver-blocks-traffic-in-west-vancouver-1.2931891 http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/canada/british-columbia/beaver-blocks-traffic-in-west-vancouver-1.2931891

I have been craving meat a lot lately, I don't know why. I suppose I should get some.

Ok, honestly? Who has chervil anymore? I'm gonna slap the next recipe that shows up with this as an ingredient, I swear. #whinywhinyprincess

Argh. My little bluetooth headset went walkabout. Since that means time to get a new one, anybody got any opinions on the subject? Tell me what to buy, people!

Not surprising, really. http://mashable.com/2015/01/25/maternity-leave-policy-united-states/ http://mashable.com/2015/01/25/maternity-leave-policy-united-states

Things I wish you could get paid to do as your job: http://mashable.com/2013/12/17/lego-rivendell/ http://mashable.com/2013/12/17/lego-rivendell

Things people don't know are probably common, but don't expect from the government, especially not when it's something they are required to do. "HHS scales back release of HealthCare.gov data amid privacy concerns. On Friday, amid a public “outcry over privacy,” the Obama Administration “reversed itself” and scaled “back the release of consumers’ personal information” from HealthCare.gov “to private companies with a commercial interest in the data,” the AP (1/24, Gillum, Alonso-Zaldivar) reported. The move came after an AP report last week revealed that “the website was quietly sending consumers’ personal data to private companies that specialize in advertising and analyzing Internet data for performance and marketing.”"

Some quotes are bragging. Some are just facts. Interesting points about the people that live in the sub-arctic and arctic, which seems to be a surprise to some people. That people live there, I mean. http://leadersandlegacies.com/2015/01/26/we-have-been-able-to-thrive-in-an-environment-in-which-most-people-would-die-within-an-hour-sheila-watts/

Sad - Ernie Banks died. http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82620559/ http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82620559

Not a great photo, but dinner tonight was sea bass, which is hidden under the tasty things with which I cooked it. I made almost a paste out of mixed minced up olives (castelvetrano, kalamata, & picholine), capers, roasted pimento (made this summer), and roasted, slightly fermented garlic (home made). Placed the fish into heated basil olive oil (made from basil blossoms from this summer), covered it with the paste, then covered that with diced tomatoes and added the juice from the tomatoes, some rough diced artichoke hearts, and some haricots. Let it simmer and braise and then ate!

Watched he episode of Galavant on tonight. ROFL. I must watch the rest of them; this is funny!

I had a thought after reading some things some of you have pointed out, along with the usual brew of random media. My hypothesis about the anti-vaxxers is this: They hated being made to get shots at the doctor, so they are now rebelling against their own parents by not vaccinating their own children. Maybe not brilliantly put, but there are other social behaviors that have come up as collective or generational push-back, just because no one can "make them" anymore. Yes, they try to give rationalizations, but it seems as if it was one of those things just waiting, subconsciously, for an "I told you so!" moment. See, all those horrible things you did to me as a kid, well, now I can prove you were wrong! Anyway, it's as rational as any of their behaviors seem to me in this particular.

Hey, cookery folk, Opinions Requested. Please elaborate in comments, too. Preferentially, thicken garlic soup with:

Things that will never not shock me: Olivier's Othello . I know he was supposed to be amazing, but I just cannot not find this performance fairly ridiculous. And that's without the blackface, which, wow, just, wow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCJjrx7MH0o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCJjrx7MH0o

Every time I learn Toby Stephens is Maggie Smith's son I'm surprised.

The East Coast storm will not affect our area. Ok. So it's a different pernicious weather system that has left everything coated in a thin sheet of ice, then? #meteorologydontgetnolove

Just in case you thought the nut-jobs were only in the US, there are idiots sending around stuff claiming that the shootings in Ottawa, at the War Memorial and in Parliament, were staged just so the government could deprive Canadians of their rights. Unbelievable.

So, yeah, I am not charitably inclined towards the anti-vaccination movement. I was looking around for research articles and factual info, and came across several things that were interesting and/or well-written. Like the attached pamphlet from the UK. What I did not know is that Roald Dahl lost his daughter to measles. Following which he wrote what I would describe as a passionate statement encouraging vaccination, which was not available when his daughter died. It is included on the second page of the linked pamphlet. http://www.encephalitis.info/images/iPdf/Resources/FactSheets/fs043MeaslesMumps.pdf http://www.encephalitis.info/images/iPdf/Resources/FactSheets/fs043MeaslesMumps.pdf

It turns out telling your mom to grow up and get it together does not go well, no matter how delicately put.

I have seemingly lost ever more tolerance for people "interpreting" what I've said. No. I said exactly what I intended to say. There are no hidden meanings, no sly intimations, no veiled requests for unspecified information, related or otherwise, no hints, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean, eh? I just #@*! said what I meant/asked exactly what I desired to know. Would it kill you to take my statements at face value? Would it kill you to just freaking answer the question that was, in fact, asked? AUGH! I am perfectly capable of making it very clear when I intend an innuendo, and if I have not provided some detail you desire, perhaps you should just ASK, because clearly I am not with you on your train of thought. Gods and elder ones, people, communication IS NOT THIS HARD. wanders off muttering ...

How did I not know about this? http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanya_and_Sonia_and_Masha_and_Spike

ION, today's food adventure was Trinidad/Tobago cuisine. It seems to have many cultural influences, including Indian and some Asian, which are recognizable. I will have to go back and try a few other things to see what I think. The food is very filling, so it's hard to taste a lot of things at once.

** locked ** Update: Mom probably had food poisoning, but is also still dealing with after-effects of the flu (which I am still pissed they did not treat but nevermind). She is supposed to follow up about the flu sequelae, for which they gave her some meds. She probably will eventually, but she is doing the demonstrable not handling of stress thing, again. Although, she stopped and apologized to me in the middle of a particularly bad outburst, which is a first. She may be finally relinquishing her involvement with my uncle. It would help if she were. Dad is in terrible pain. He did get an MRI, don't know what it said, still. He cannot get an appointment with the one specific doctor who did the procedure that was critical in fixing things last year. He has been given a referral to a different doctor with a different group who is seeing him tomorrow. We have no idea if she does the same things, different things, etc. They have had him on multiple meds and it has done very little. The...

Whee. http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/22/obama-declines-meet-netanyahu-during-march-visit-white-house http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/22/obama-declines-meet-netanyahu-during-march-visit-white-house

http://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2015/jan/22/-sp-roe-v-wade-42-years-womens-abortion-stories http://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2015/jan/22/-sp-roe-v-wade-42-years-womens-abortion-stories

I don't know what was really said, or how they said it, but whoever said whatever it was that got stuck in my mother's head as "you have to turn the router off regularly to rest it" is going to die slowly, cut into a thousand pieces.

I am amused by the fact that an SUV with the license plate "FOODSNOB" is parked directly in front of a donut shop.

What I find interesting about this is buried in the article. I'm familiar with some of the buy american provisions because when you have federal grant funding, you have to use american airlines to fly to other countries unless they don't go where you need to go. It's ok if you really are flying on a non-US airline if the ticket is being sold by a US carrier. Anyway, sometimes this ends up being kind of stupid (esp in the cost and value dept) but it's not nearly as complex as it sounds like it gets in more significant situations, like building bridges and ferry terminals. Ideas and their execution are not equivalent. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/19/buy-american-canadian-soil_n_6503042.html http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/19/buy-american-canadian-soil_n_6503042.html

Fun article titles - "Case of the Month: Genital Ulcer"

Not as new as the other interesting beverage I heard about, but this one helps fund potentially endangered animals. http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/sciencefair/2012/12/07/coffee-elephants-dung/1753385/

Does anyone have a life they're not using? I would like to explore options.

That's truly disturbing.  http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/01/the-worst-german-word-of-the-year/384493/ http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/01/the-worst-german-word-of-the-year/384493

I listen to NPR because they tell me about really interesting things. Like smoked whale testicle beer. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/01/finally-beer-made-from-endangered-whale-testicles/ #nottheonion   http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/01/finally-beer-made-from-endangered-whale-testicles

I discovered a local dairy producing what they called kaymak. I will eventually get some to try, but I'm betting it is more like clotted cream, since it is sold in small jars. Nonetheless, I shall continue eyeing it and hoping.

Thoughts prompted by other people posting. I like fermented foods, which often means pickled foods. But some pickled things I do not like, mostly pickled beets and always pickled fish. I mean, I have had the rare use of pickled beets that were not awful, but I have never been able to like pickled fish, which mostly means herring, 'cuz that is what the old people would try to feed me. I love most smoked and cured fish, but I will hurt you if you threaten me with pickled fish.

I am disappointed that this happened the way that it did, but not as surprised as I'd like to be that there were enough threats to cause concern. If the FBI was "aware" that suggests this was not just people threatening to withdraw their financial support, which was one angle on this that I have heard. As far as Duke being a Christian school, as in, officially affiliated with a religion, that's historical. Yes, it was established by Methodists. So was another of my alma maters, Northwestern. They both have so-called chapels which are, in fact, great, big old churches (Duke's is a cathedral by any other name). Duke has a Divinity School, which is officially ecumenical but is an official Methodist seminary; Northwestern until very recently had two seminaries. Duke has a cross in its logo, and its motto is Knowledge and Faith. Northwestern's logo is a seal (not the critter) with a quote from John in greek, and the motto, in latin, from Philipians. Neither is a re...

The temperature is supposed to go below zero tonight, and then above freezing by tomorrow evening. I think we get the point, and you can stop this, now.

I'm just going to have to figure out what I want. What is my motivation?

Offs. When I was a kid, it was called "parenting". You have to have a special name for it now ("free-range parenting")? To justify it? Your kids have to carry ID saying you know where they are so they aren't accosted by police, and then CPS can threaten to take the kids away, anyhow? Bugger off.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/maryland-couple-want-free-range-kids-but-not-all-do/2015/01/14/d406c0be-9c0f-11e4-bcfb-059ec7a93ddc_story.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/maryland-couple-want-free-range-kids-but-not-all-do/2015/01/14/d406c0be-9c0f-11e4-bcfb-059ec7a93ddc_story.html

Well, it looks like I don't have to drive people to the doctor. Dad's doctor's office called at 6:30 am to say his doctor was ill and would not be in, so they would have to cancel. Mom seems to have gotten a little better overnight and if she stays that way, may be able to drive herself. To an appointment at 5pm on a Friday. Kudos, I guess, for having people (NPs and PAs, I'm betting) seeing people at that time.

If mom doesn't get better, tomorrow I get to drive two different people to two different doctors. Let's hope she gets better.

Oh, and I also made a gingerbread cake with golden raisins in it.

Necessity cooking:  1) large sirloin of the organic grass fed variety; because mom took it out to defrost yesterday morning before disaster struck and she could not cook it. 2) pumpkin celeriac pear blue cheese soup; because pumpkin was beginning to soften. Longer explanations: 1) Mostly, that's pretty clear. Mom meant to make it for Dad, who felt like eating, but then Mom was incapacitated. It was already thawed, so I stuck it in some wine and spices overnight in the fridge. Cooked it and some baked potatoes tonight for Dad. 2) Someone had given me a pie pumpkin due to I like squash and I cook. We have cold storage in the basement, but sometimes have humidity issues so the pumpkin started to age a bit, therefore, it was eat it or watch it slowly shrivel and liquefy.  I like celeriac soup ever since I made it last winter. While looking for things to do with the pie pumpkin, came across soup recipes with various combinations of these four ingredients: pumpkin, celeriac, pear, and bl...

I am finding it so hard to watch/listen to the news. I just keep wanting to throttle people. On the upside, Connecticut may be falling into the ocean. I actually have no opinion on this and am being grossly inaccurate and sarcastic. Shake it, baby.  Respecting a person's religion, or lack thereof, does not mean treating it like a sacred cow. Respecting other people's beliefs does not make discussing or even challenging those beliefs untouchable. And no, "free speech" doesn't mean responsibility free, but that works in all directions, not just one. Showing a clip of a mother talking about how it was a waste of doctor's visits and crying children to get flu vaccines only shows how utterly useless you are as a news organization in relating the real meaning of reduced efficacy for the flu vaccine. Not even gonna waste the space to enumerate all the things wrong there.

These people are amazing. I wish I had half their focus. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/15/sports/el-capitans-dawn-wall-climbers-reach-top.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/15/sports/el-capitans-dawn-wall-climbers-reach-top.html?_r=0

Good morning. Yaaaawn. Weather report - we have temporarily recovered from our negativism, only to return to it by tomorrow night. Following which, either Saturday or Sunday we will briefly rise above freezing (quick! salt all the things!). Guess what they are predicting for next week? ICE PELLETS! Yeah, nope.com

Tonight's dinner, when I finally got to eat it. Flounder in a lemon caper sauce, otherwise known as piccata, along with some french green beans. I would probably use less lemon zest and more capers, next time, but it came out quite tasty. Saute one finely minced shallot and one finely minced garlic clove. Add 2/3 cup wine, I used a chardonnay, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Turn up heat and reduce. Add 2 tsp of capers* (previously rinsed and dried), 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, zest of 1 lemon*. I added about 1/2 tablespoon of butter at the end. Pour over fish. *I would use maybe half the zest and another tsp of capers, which would make it a whole tablespoon of them.  I used olive oil for sauteeing, but you can use a mix of olive oil and butter. You could also add more butter at the end than I did, if you like it butterier.

2015 is really workin' its mojo. Mom is now ill (again). We hope it is food poisoning of the less virulent and nasty variety. I am having SO MUCH FUN you guys.

Discovered a tasty new cheese called Onetik Chebris. It's made from sheep and goat milk. It had a neat kind of subtle fruity taste to it. To me it was kind of like cherries. Anyway, tasty.

Headlines most people are unlikely to read in their line of work - Fecal Transplants: Hope and Challenges Wonder if that'll work with Elgar?

Thank you all for the posts which are making me lol today. Maybe you didn't intend that, but they did, and it is much appreciated.

My friends' new rescue puppy (shared with permission).

Well, I tried to go out and take a look at the comet, in spite of it being zero minus whatever, since it's the first clear night without a full moon we've had. Probably looked through it, near it, maybe even at it, but no confident sighting. Then again, it's pretty light polluted around here. Still, I could see everything around its location that should have helped me locate it. Bummer. No Love(joy).

Fun things I did today: spend several hours making sure my dad was still breathing. Fortunately, he still is. Unfortunately, this little episode resulted in half a bag of my mom's stash of Hershey's kisses relocating to my behind. I may need better coping strategies. Or larger pants.

Gee, thanks. "What's important about the study is that it does say that if you have cancer - and I think this is something people who have cancer would like to hear - it's not something you should blame yourself for." http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30786970 http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30786970

Back to a single digit after that balmy 30 degrees, and we shall lose even that by tonight. Negative single digits, woo!

Um, 'kay. http://www.digitaljournal.com/a-and-e/entertainment/schitt-s-creek-premieres-on-cbc/article/423323 http://www.digitaljournal.com/a-and-e/entertainment/schitt-s-creek-premieres-on-cbc/article/423323

And I thought they looked deadly on the outside. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/12/contaminated-beer-at-funeral-kills-56-in-mozambique http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/12/contaminated-beer-at-funeral-kills-56-in-mozambique

Things I will have in my kitchen once I get my life back - this: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/09/spice-hunting-mahlab-mahleb-mahlepi.html http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/09/spice-hunting-mahlab-mahleb-mahlepi.html

For purposes of distracting myself, watched some news. Any particular reason why the US didn't send anybody higher than the ambassador to the Paris rally/march?

Today is a down day. I want to cry a lot. I haz sads for the reasons. #dad

Don wanna.

Adventures in cooking: Having been distracted, have just accumulated experiments until now. These include: 1. Chicken pipian verde (or mole verde, or mole pipian, etc.) 2. Scallop chowder 3. Peach salsa chicken Item 1: Flavor-wise, this worked out great. I used the smoked poblano salsa verde I had made this summer as a base, since it is essentially the same as the base for this mole, and added a minimum of other herbs and the toasted pepitas. The texture thing was a struggle, however. It turns out it is a bit challenging to turn toasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) into a creamy paste. Had I had a mortar and pestle, I would have resorted to that. Alas. Therefore, somewhat crunchy and, of course, the sauce eventually broke because the fat from the pumpkin seeds was not evenly distributed. Will have to study the pulverization aspects and try this again, sometime, as it is my second favorite Mexican mole. Item 2: It's a typical chowdah. I used a spanish onion, softened and sauteed f...

We got all the way up to 30 degrees . Woo-hoo! Where's my shorts!

locked post You may fire 2015, now. Dad had a relapse. I was hoping it wasn't, but it is. #thanks2015

In the category of pet peeves for which I may occasionally muster ire, would you people please clean the snow off the top of your car? I mean, 6" of snow makes it pretty obvious that there is snow on top of your car. Did you think the general whiteout conditions would conceal your personal whiteout? Or did you think you were only going to go someplace non-windy and the concept of airflow over a moving vehicle was too much for you? Because I'm pretty sure the concept of friction is too much for you, or you'd know that stuff was not staying on top of your car forever. #grumblesmurf

Finally getting around to writing a review of Into the Woods . Definite spoilers if you are unfamiliar with any of it so  don't talk to strangers don't take things from strangers don't eat strangers' houses never trust strangers never bargain with your shadow kissing frogs is mostly not worth it get a haircut (equally applicable to werewolves and Rapunzels) contrary to A Chorus Line, cosmetic surgery will not get you the job always get a pre-nup and make sure you read the small print free child care is never free people have real issues with reproduction Electra and Clytemnestra really started something and whatever you do, don't go into the woods. Hope that was enough spoiler space. The full musical is too long for conventional movie-making, thus some cutting is unsurprising. Partially, this is accomplished by having the music run under a scene without being sung in places. Other things are just plain old cut. This most heavily impacts the second half of the story....

Please don't let the heating on my car be broken, please don't let the heating on my car be broken.

I wonder what the French laws and statistics on gun ownership are. I have a bad feeling that if this happened here, the NRA (or a friend of) would be telling us that if all these people had only had guns, etc. Also, who thinks the fact this additional person went after a deli which is a kosher deli is coincidence? Probably not. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/armed-man-takes-hostage-paris-standoff-kosher-deli-article-1.2071401 http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/armed-man-takes-hostage-paris-standoff-kosher-deli-article-1.2071401

Well, they seem to have learned from the snowpocalypse in November and pre-emptively closed the Thruway (I-90) and a few other things last night. The snow dumping seems to be shifting around and such, but it also seems to be a normal sort of one, so maybe it will just be a normal pain in the neck, esp since they paid attention, this time. Wind is still vicious, so not just eating temperature, but contributing to drifting and whiteouts. It's a respectably sized system, extending to Cleveland. Sadly, we are losing our second digit and will be back to one very soon. The temperatures aren't typical, but otherwise, this is what you get when the Lakes haven't frozen. How'd you like that warm December now, huh? Huh?!  #blowblowthouwinterwind

I am linking this mostly because I love the quote attributed to former Senator Robert Byrd: ... pygmies who “stride like colossuses while marveling like Aesop’s fly, sitting on the axle of a chariot, ‘My, what a dust I do raise.’ ” I miss political figures who could turn a phrase. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-mitch-mcconnell-is-off-to-a-bitter-start/2015/01/07/0b8cd304-96a0-11e4-aabd-d0b93ff613d5_story.html?tid=hybrid_alt1_strip_1 http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-mitch-mcconnell-is-off-to-a-bitter-start/2015/01/07/0b8cd304-96a0-11e4-aabd-d0b93ff613d5_story.html?tid=hybrid_alt1_strip_1

We have a second digit! Of course, we also still have the vicious wind, which wipes out a good 10-15 degrees of temperature, and are now getting, you knew it was coming, snow. Yaaaayyy, yeah no. They claim it may foray into the 20s by Sunday, which will no doubt feel comfy. If it ever gets into the 30s again, I will probably feel like wearing shorts.

The digit abides. Indeed, they have been so bold as to suggest a second digit by its side later today, however briefly.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/01/06/375434388/a-pandas-first-snow-day-pile-on-the-cuteness http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/01/06/375434388/a-pandas-first-snow-day-pile-on-the-cuteness

We still have one digit. It has claimed that we did not, but no, I say! WE STILL HAVE ONE DIGIT. Yes, the shouting helps. Excuse me while I go curl up under my sheepie.

So, basically, this is just the world, now, I guess. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30710883 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30710883

I forgot to wish everyone a Happy Twelfth Night, and then I forgot to wish everyone a Happy Epiphany. So, Happy Day After Epiphany! Hope nobody got coal!

Oh, cookists. Have any of you ever heard of this? It sounds like a not bad thing worth trying? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_broth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_broth

We have one positive integer of temperature, and I am hanging onto it by my fingernails.

What the what? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/06/my-husbands-not-gay-petition-_n_6423386.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/06/my-husbands-not-gay-petition-_n_6423386.html

I don't know why I find this amusing. http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/meet-handsome-african-american-man-and-other-stock-images-jeb-bushs-website http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/meet-handsome-african-american-man-and-other-stock-images-jeb-bushs-website

Difficult ethical questions. How old do you have to be to decide for yourself that you're ok if you die? This is very difficult. We can absolutely keep people with Hodgkins alive, now. However, like many such things, they are not "normal" afterward, and there is a lot of potentially terrible suffering in the meanwhile. There's also a pretty good chance you will die a few decades later, earlier than otherwise, either from complications of treatment or from a second cancer (the two might overlap). When are you old enough to decide for yourself what you consider a quality life? Where I've worked, there are, indeed, separate and additional consent sections for research studies that may involve children over a certain age, but under 18. That is not treatment, however. When you are 17, what's the practical difference versus being 18 and being able to make your own decision? There is a legitimate reason for laws protecting society's interest in protecting childre...

I'm just curious. At what point does the public beat their politicians about the head and neck over not fighting a situation that results in our gas prices going up to $2.85/gal while the news is trumpeting they have fallen, yet again, nationally? You know whose gas is more expensive? Hawaii. Even Alaska is below $3/gal, now, and falling. I'd have said, "... and Canada, of course", except that the listed price of gas in Edmonton is the same as what we are paying. It's still more expensive everywhere else in Canada. Nevertheless, the idea that gas prices anywhere in Canada are the same or less than anywhere in the US, well, as Luke Skywalker might have said, "That's impossible!" P.S. If you ferret around, there's a few places with gas for $2.75-$2.78, but how much gas and time are you wasting finding it?

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/fda-reform-interoperabilty-telehealth-top-health-it-legislative-agenda-113927.html

We have achieved two whole digits (on the plus side)! May Om bless all of you in the mirror doubles.

Well, there's sun. You could freeze an egg on the pavement, but there's sun.

Lord Almighty, I feel the temperature falling Lower lower It's freezing through to my soul ...

Finally watched Dr. Who Christmas episode and ... I can't believe  anyone cares    if spoilers      but, ok,        just in case,  seriously? ... ... ... I'm sure that's not enough space but you've had plenty of warning by now ... ... ... I like Nick Frost. I even like the presumably unintentional multi-pun of making him Santa Claus/Father Christmas. I like casting a Troughton. I like casting a Strax. I even liked the acting from some of the people who will never be seen again on this show. Were there hints of ideas that might have worked somewhere else if someone else was running the show? Yes. Has this doctor figured out who or what he is yet? No. He's a kind of running non sequitur, as is the writing of/for him. You can't really build a new character, though, when the writers haven't quite shaken off the tropes of the previous characters. And Clara may be getting better, but she's still a great big missed opportunity and no more coherent a character t...

Today, I am a slug, a shell-less slug. #molluscmotivation

All those cross-country skiing and snowshoeing things scheduled this weekend? Yeah, it's still raining and there's no snow. There will be ice by tonight as it all freezes, but somehow I think that's not helping. It's really weird not to have snow this time of year. Maybe by next weekend.

Oo, hey, the temperature has gotten all the way up to freezing! #stillraining