Today was one of those suddenly-again rare days. The sort where, despite being in the midst of a tornado of activity and things that must get done, there is a calm spot, a brief moment where there are no demands on your time. Sure there is laundry to do and some spring yard work that would be good to get done, but no demands. What to do? Go for a ride!
Wisconsin has some really beautiful countryside and Madison is fortunate to be in a dividing spot. To the north and west it is hilly and the roads are serpentine. To the south and east it is flat and wide open. Naturally I headed northwest!
I headed to the Wisconsin river, crossing on the free ferry at the tiny hamlet of Merrimac. Waiting for the ferry is generally fun because people get out of their cars and chat. It is not the fast way to anywhere, so no one is in a rush. After crossing, I turned east and went to an old favorite family picnic area: Durward's Glen. I explored on foot for about 20 minutes, checking out some areas I had not been to in years. And I made a new friend. She seemed like a local.
I took the long way home, enjoying the complete freedom. I really only used about three hours and about two and a half gallons of gas. That really is cheap stress relief!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Cheap Stress Relief
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Bonus With The Burger
Who among my readers will be the first to notice what is so right about this picture of my work place? How quintessentially Wisconsin is this? We had a cookout today that just happened to coincide with a weirdly amazing summer-like day with blazing sun and 72 degree (F) temperature. Food was the usual Midwest picnic fare: Burgers, brats, chips, baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad, and dessert.
And beer.
Life is good!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
The Element of Surprise
A large part of my life is improvisational as a conscious choice. I try to not over-plan whenever possible. Of course, being in Imminent Show Mode means I have a lot less free time for spontaneity, but I still try to leave blocks of unstructured time for whimsy and serendipity.
The Element of Surprise
Part of that desire is based on my experience with contact improv dance, though the roots are deeper in my experience. During the latter part of my martial arts days when I - like seemingly every martial artist - spent a bunch of time and energy thinking about my training and "what worked". As Bruce Lee stated when developing Jeet Koon Do, "Use what works and discard the rest." I started thinking about sparring and my approach to it. I began to realize that it was very difficult to control a fight - control it - if your opponent was anywhere near your level of ability. There were simply too many variables for control. Rather I saw myself as "guiding chaos" with a technique here and a technique there. While never a threat to any serious fighter, I began to have more fun sparring and got better at it.
After I hung up my gloves and moved from fighting to dancing, particularly the contact improv form, I realized that all movement and life itself could be smoother and gentler by employing that same thought process. Basically it boils down to understanding that there are many influences on one's life, and you cannot control all of them. What you can do is be flexible and roll with changes as they careen into your life. Rather than get upset and angry when your car breaks down (as mind did recently) just understand that cars break down, and almost never at a convenient moment. Rather than waste energy getting angry, assess what your options are now that the car is kaput. Can you get where you need to go another way (taxi, bus, bicycle, on foot) or reschedule the trip? Sure you might be delayed, and it might cost more (or less) than if you were in your car, but the failure of the car does not have to be the failure of everything.
As I have let this influence my life more and more, I find that I have more moments of "Ah!", experiencing the element of surprise in a positive way rather than negative. Give it a try. Push in your clutch, and shift your paradigm. Have more "Ah!" in your life.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Welcome Spring!
It looks like the Iris beat the crocus this year in the race to bloom. The crocus are sprouted all over the yard, as are day lilies, daffodils, hyacinth, and sedum, but this hearty little Siberian iris took the honors. Since it is only 33 degrees out there at 8:30 AM, that takes some inner fortitude!
This starts a cascade of blooms in my yard that lasts until the fall frosts. I think we have something blooming all the time. Not a lot, but sufficient for enjoying most every morning while I blink awake with a cup of coffee.
Welcome spring!
UPDATE: It seems the crocus were only off by a day! This one will likely open up today. Woohoo! And Nala was enjoying smelling all the smells too.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
It is going to be a good year of cooking
Twenty-three years. That is how long I waited to change from an electric stove to gas. When we bought our house in 1989, it came with a not-new refrigerator and electric stove. Okay. I had opportunities to cook on gas stoves and vastly preferred it, but this one was here, and electric, and after buying the house we did not have a lot of spare money. So I thought I would use the electric one until it died and then I would replace it with gas.
Twenty-three years.
The oven element was failing, and I probably could have fixed it - myself - for about $25. But when we determined that it was indeed failing, my heart leaped and I did a happy dance. Reena did not begrudge me the new stove.We bought one lickity-split, had a gas line run from the basement (furnace, water heater) to the kitchen. Delivery of the new stove (and refrigerator) was yesterday.
Now we are cookin' with gas. Yeah baby.
As it turns out, we were not home for dinner yesterday. Reena got to use the stove before I did - sheesh! - and we went to a pot luck party. Today...ahh, today. I had a brand new carbon steel wok from Blood Bath and Beyond, and today it was going to get used. But with a carbon steel wok, like a cast iron skillet, you first have to season it.
For those who do not know, seasoning means heating up the brand new wok, coating the whole dang thing with vegetable oil, and putting it on the burner until the oil cooks in and burns off. It smokes a lot, and definitely set off my smoke alarm. It changes the color of the wok from bright steel to blackened caramel. Done properly it will prepare the wok for a lifetime of non-stick cooking goodness.
Now mine has had its initial seasoning, and it was time to cook. Who knew that the first thing I would cook in it, on the new stove, was tofu? Not me!
I took most of a pound of tofu and squeezed the moisture out of it, then put it in a marinade of lemon juice, salt, lemon peel, garlic, cloves, onion, and ginger. I have peppers (red and green), mushrooms, baby corn, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and bean sprouts to add. A bit of rice, and voilé - dinner!
On my new gas stove with a newly seasoned wok. It is going to be a good year of cooking.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Twilight Snowfall
Last week was another busy, busy week. It is entirely possible that I have bitten off more than I can comfortably chew at this point in my life, and I feel stretched thin. I made a bunch of commitments before I got a day job because I had a lot of free time. Now I do not, and there are a lot of balls being juggled an it is a bit difficult to keep them all in the air. I have a couple that will resolve this weekend and that will help reduce the stress. And yet the world goes on doing what it does. Yesterday it snowed here in Wisconsin. I understand that some parts of the state got quite a lot, but after all was done here in the capitol city, we had about 2-3 inches of thick, wet snow on the ground.
Twilight On The Yahara River
It was really, really pretty, and I hope to get out later today to capture a bit more of it, perhaps at Edna Taylor Conservancy. Hard to say for sure. I have a stove and refrigerator being delivered today, and that takes a bunch of time to empty the old into coolers, clean under the old stove (ugh) and generally prepare so the delivery guys can get in and out. I have a bit of photo editing and DVD-burning to complete, and I have a poster for our upcoming aerial dance show that has to get done this weekend. And tonight there is a party!
Twilight Along The Yahara River
I also want to get to a store or two and find a carbon steel wok. The new stove is gas and my electric wok is going away. I have wanted a gas stove my entire adult life, and after 23 years the electric stove that came with our house finally started to fail. Yes, it could have been repaired, perhaps even easily, but when we realized it was failing I did a happy dance and my heart leapt with joy. Reena did not even challenge my expressed wish for a gas stove. She's the best!
The Neighbor's Tree
So it is possible I will not be able to take the time to wander in this winter wonderland today. It is a bit of a shame really. We have had so little "winter" this year that this may be my only real opportunity. We shall see. It would not have to be a long outing...
Monday, February 27, 2012
A Tale of Two Workplaces
I have an interesting life. In addition to running eyeDance Photography Studio, I also have a day job as a software quality assurance engineer. For the purposes of this post, that means I work in a cubicle.
And I dress all normal-like, if casually, for a laid-back office environment.
And I am also a dancer/performer with Cycropia Aerial Dance and so my evenings are often spent rehearsing or in some sort of performance. The work environment and attire is decidedly different!
Both roles have a valuable presence in my life, and fill a different need. At the moment both are a bit stressful. The day job is new and so filled with ignorance and needed learning. The night job is in imminant-show mode and I am the administrative director for the show, so there is much to be accomplished in additn to rehearsing for three pieces. Both of those things are temporary so there is the comfort of knowing that the stress will ease.
Life is good!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
My First Limburger
Today I snacked. I snacked my way across Madison. Accompanied by friends and spouse, I hit several high-end yummy-food places and had a gastronomical orgasm of flavors and sensation. And I had my first Limburger cheese.
Among our stops today was a binge at Fromagination, Madison's (and maybe the Midwest's) best cheese store. I had some of a gift card left, so we bought three cheeses to savor. Our guests bought two more, some crackers, and a goat sausage. After a hard day of hunter-gather activity we needed a nosh. And an espresso.
We bought some interesting gourmet cheese: a raspberry soaked cheddar, an espresso dusted ...something...parmesian(?), a blued and aged cheddar, and a Limburger. Our cheese consultant at Fromagination - Priscilla (who rocks) - assured us that the proper way to enjoy a Limburger was to eat it on sweet potato crackers, with onion and unsweetened cherries. Coincidentally, one of our guests had brought us 4 lbs of unsweetened cherries from Door County. So that is how I experienced my first (and second through sixth) taste of Limburger: As a little tiny sandwich of cracker, cheese, onion, and cherry. It was pretty darned good.
Once the espresso kicked in and I was feeling up-and -at-'em, I poured a cocktail to go along with the cheese. I made a Silver Streak, sort of like a vodka martini, but rather than vermouth use a like amount of Jaegermeister. Pretty good.
Amusingly, despite all the espresso my friends are all napping as I type this. It is probably a good idea as the night is going to be long. We are going to experience Madison's take on Carnaval (Mardi Gras, Brazilian style) which means a long night of drinking, dancing, and glitter. Vita brevis, nudus pars.
Monday, February 13, 2012
A Young Man's Fancy Turns to Thoughts of ...
Spring is definitely approaching, even though it was snowing here today and the roads are rimed with salt. Nevertheless, it is nearly spring, and a young(ish) man's fancy turns to thoughts of ...
MOTORCYCLES!
This past weekend I went to the annual International Motorcycle Expo in Chicago. It is a deep dive into the motorcycle pool, a chance to see all the new bikes and shop for all the latest in gear, clothes and accessories, and snake oil.
I was delighted to see the above bike: The new incarnation from Erik Buell Racing. Like a phoenix, EBR arose from the ashes of Harley-Davidson's epic mishandling of the brand (and corporate stupidity and rigidity of mind-numbing proportion) to build this tasty, effective race bike. Street bikes cannot be too far behind.
This sweet yellow custom caught my eye and made me buy a raffle ticket in hopes that i would be lucky and one day soon it would be mine.
It started as a Honda VFR 250 and was stripped of all its bodywork and converted to a street-tracker. I would LOVE to rip around town on this bike!
There were many temptations and I drooled on many. In the end, all I bought was a fancy, high-tech shirt to wear when I ride in warm temps. We shall see if it was worth the money. Regardless, I had the experience I wanted, and am thus somewhat sated for the next six weeks of cold and snow before we really start seeing spring.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
CROCUS!
I have a little poem I read somewhere, many years ago, that makes an appearance around this time every year. It makes me giddy to type it. You see, it is the celebration of one of my absolutely favorite moments of the year.
First a winter storm awoke us.
Then the rains began to soak us.
Before our eyes could clearly focus:
CROCUS!
Yep, you bet'cha. I have crocus coming up in my yard. w00t! Iris too.
I spent a bit of time with Nala out there nosing around, enjoying the spring-like temperatures, and more to the point, spring smells.
We are not done with winter by a long shot, but it surely is comforting to know that Spring is lying in wait. Happy Imbolc!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Hoar!
We still do not really have "winter" here in southern Wisconsin. We are having either an extended fall or a long spring. No real deep freezes yet, and I still look askance at the ice-fishermen on the bay. Is the ice really thick enough? Today was one of those occasions when we have below freezing temps at night ... barely ... followed by just above freezing temps, so we had hoar, the sort of frost that grows into spike needles.
Since the sun never came out, the hoar lasted until mid-afternoon outside my workplace. It made for pretty distraction as I left the building to run an errand at lunch time.
Interestingly, I shot these in jpg format rather than raw, and did the post-camera editing and uploading via my iPad. The tools are not great (I have only free apps so far) but they were barely adequate for this task.
I resisted the temptation to ruin the pics by making them look like I had shot them with a $30, light-leaking Diana camera rather than a $1,600 DSLR with a reasonable lens. *grin*
Monday, January 30, 2012
Toot!
You know, I am so shy and reserved, I just do not know how I will ever adapt to a new workplace. Meeting people is so difficult. *grin* My new work cubicle is right next to the main door into our area, and I was feeling a little bit abandoned on my first day at the new job, so I took matters into my own hands.
Not surprisingly, it worked. At lunch people asked me about the very things I had on this whiteboard as an ice-breaker. Sometimes an extrovert has to do what an extrovert has to do.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Inside, At Night gala opening
Last night was the hugely successful opening of the exhibit, "Inside, At Night: Origins of a Revolution", the photojournalistic coverage of last year's (Feb-Mar) protests in Madison, WI. More narrow in focus than 'crowds with signs' this show tells the story of those who - for lack of a better term - occupied the state capitol for 18 days and nights in an effort to slow the newly elected governor and his policy-friendly Senate and Assembly from ramming through significant changes to the Wisconsin political landscape.
The opening kicks of a three-month exhibit of the works of nine area photographers (including me) who were on hand, inside, during those tumultuous days. The show is at Tamarack Gallery, 849 E. Washington Ave, in Madison, WI. Hundreds came through the doors last night to see the photos and listen to speakers offer views of the way forward.
The speakers ranged from local political voices like John Nichols of the Nation magazine, and Matt Rothschild of the Progressive magazine, to a very young girl who stole the show when she opined that Governor Walker did not have enough love in his life and she hoped he found more love. Since it was videotaped, I expect it to charm tens of thousands, and perhaps even Walker's heart will grow three sizes as a result. [Turn up your volume to adequate listening level when you click that link!]
The show is up for three months. Prints of all the images are for sale, as is a book that contains all the images. All are available on a tiered pricing scheme to allow those who are underemployed to support this effort. Those who find themselves flush with capital can take the high road and pay the full price. At least 40% of the proceeds from the sale of books and prints will go to fund additional efforts to recall Governor Walker.
The conversation in the room last night was "What's next?" Assuming we successfully recall Walker (or do not), how do We The People keep this grass roots activism alive and in force? How do we keep our elected officials in line with the progressive Wisconsin so many of us want? There were no pat answers, but the dialog engaged many and keeps the effort alive.
This is an important story being told in this exhibit, one that was not covered by news or other media outlets. I urge you to go and see what happened, Inside, At Night.
There are more photos from the opening in a SLIDE SHOW.
