January, 2013 Archives

It’s no secret I like to say “underpants”. It’s probably at this point, also not a secret that I love vintage cars. These amazing pics are cutting boards..and a calendar from some genius in Germany. Ich leibe Unterhosen.

From Autowasche Kalender


 

A gum boy


An Artists Basement

After my {failed} cookies I decided to take a step back and return to my roots, get my cooking mojo back. So I pulled out the family heirloom Romertopf clay pot cooker straight from “West Germany” that my own Gramma Lu baked plenty a meal in before handing over to my dad who continued to keep up the tradition of both cooking chicken in..then giving it to another family member for Christmas. (see last entry..I’m really not kidding)

So..it’s hard to fail at this. Put a chicken in a pot with some potatoes, some carrots, some mushrooms, some onions, some water and some spices, put it in the oven and come back in a couple of hours. Dinner.


Getting back on the horse.

I got a cookbook for Christmas. One that I remember on the shelves as a kid. It’s the same one. That happens in my family. Christmas is when you start getting stuff from around the house that other people don’t want any more. It’s ok. I’m thrilled. I so happen to like old stuff from around the house. But this gift coincided with my realization that I miss cooking. A lot. So I got busy.

Turns out that lady on the cover reading some bible passage is a vegan. So I gave Orange Molasses Cookies a shot. “Good flavor – soft” was exactly what I wanted.

Here they are..good flavor and soft indeed. UNTIL they cooled off then they turned hard as rocks. I mean seriously hard as rocks. So I put them in a jar to look at them on the counter at least, maybe believe the illusion that I haven’t totally forgotten how to bake. And I left them there for 1 week. And would you believe..they are soft with good flavor now? Is this one of the talents? Patience?

 

What are the 10 talents?

This isn’t mine. But it could be.  I’ve won some trophies, some awards and I have no idea where they are in the midst of my accumulation of lifetime..STUFF. I don’t even really remember what I won and when..or for what. I’ve taken some pretty good photos of pretty cool places, but most people haven’t seen them. Hell I haven’t even looked at a lot of them. I’m more concerned about what is next than what I did. To a fault. I often forget to reflect and appreciate what I’ve done. Also I literally forget pretty quickly what I’ve achieved and then decide that I haven’t achieved anything and I’m a total failure, loser, poser. Certainly not anything worth commemorating, or telling anyone about, or showing on a shelf or my wall. Which is probably a shame. For me mostly. You all have your own life memories to reflect on, you don’t necessarily need to see mine. (And truthfully I also get uncomfortable speaking of my successes, feeling like I’m trying to prove I’m better than you. Which I’m not.)

But this box, sitting in the garage, above the ladder, next to the broom, 18″ from the spare gas can, is filled with achievements, yet it’s marked pretty boldly in big red letters that it’s “unwanted”. It struck me as particularly complicated. This box. And the process by which it ended up here in the garage. I only hope it doesn’t get totally forgotten, or thrown away, before it’s realized that it’s actually not so much about whether or not you want those relics to show your achievements, but that the achievements were completed in the first place.

Unwanted Trophies

My 12 year old brother is more organized and practices a better work/life balance than me.

Been sicker than a dog (no wait..Halle has been fine) for the last 2 + weeks. Finally getting my legs back under me. Hello 2013. Anyway..I have stuff to share..but most involve thinking and editing.. and well Dad sent me these really well done PSA’s for domestic violence in India (& Nepal I presume) from The Nepali Times and they are pretty awesome, and I can just copy and paste. Enjoy.

Here are some more..

Ring, ring

Electricity

The postcard

The ball

Ring The Bell