The "Bat Crisis" of Summer 2010

Yesterday I was hanging out in my living room when I noticed some odd movement out of the corner of my eye - it was a bat in the house! After screaming and hitting the floor, I immediately called my landlord who was heading back to town from a day of drinking on the river. He said, "I don't like it, but I'll help you get it out." Then I called my friend K* who apparently has trapped several bats and released them, and asked her for some tips. So, I tried to solider up and I trapped the bat in one room with an open door to outside. Then I threw something at the bat until it flew around and I *thought* that it flew out the door and I felt all good about how independent I was.

Well, the "bat crisis" ended up being more complicated, of course. I thought I'd gotten the bat out but no dice - it was flying around again and I swear, bigger than ever about 20 minutes later. So at 10:30 p.m. my landlord and his girlfriend and their friend with an enormous beard came upstairs with several tools of the broom closet variety. However, after much pondering, we used the trap in a cup technique; slide off the wall with some beer cardboard. Bearded friend did all the dirty work, with girlfriend wearing a beekeeper hat, and my landlord just laughing like a goofball. Good times.

I've felt too busy to cook lately so I've been eating quick meals of yogurt or scrambled eggs or soup from a can. I've been working a lot of hours and traveling, and actually staying out late at a few parties. My work-life balance has shifted slightly less heavily towards "work," which I guess is a good thing. Maybe it's spring, but I'm feeling a need for creative energy/expression again. I found out about a local metalsmithing course, while visiting a local bakery, which was all just wonderfully being in the right place at the right time.

Crockpot Venture #1: Not a Failure

So I made my first crock pot entree today. I kind of tweaked out, to be honest. Note to self: do not attempt to cook poultry in the morning; it's a bit of a strain.

I had assembled the vegetarian ingredients last night in the crock, but started trying to research browning the meat and came across too many articles about salmonella and temperature of chicken etc etc. So I decided to brown the meat this morning, but then tweaked out about putting it in the cold liquid. So, I ended up putting it in the oven at 350 and baking it while the crock pot heated up, which was a pretty good solution on the temperature issue but then ended up cooking the ginormous chicken breast all the way through. So I put it cooked in the soup crockpot and hoped for the best. But I worried all day that the chicken was going to be the consistency of a beach ball. But, when I came home, the house smelled amazing (thanks cumin, and thanks to Rotelle chili flavored tomatoes) and the chicken was good. A little dry, but definitely not "beach ball" in texture. And the house didn't burn down.

Isn't the whole point of crock pot cooking that it's not neurotic? I'll have to remember that next time.

Creative Energy Comes in Delicious Packages

I've turned my creative juices onto cooking lately, and this cooking has some spice to it! A lot of these ideas I've gotten from Mark Bittman's cookbook, "How to Cook Everything." Or, perhaps I found a recipe somewhere else, and then tweaked it after reading the cookbook. My latest endeavors:

1) homemade chili paste
2) "busy-man's chai"
3) vegetarian and pork dumplings
4) stuffed zucchini and stuffed onions

Each of these has been an experiment, and in each I've learned a little something, and thought of how I could do it better next time. Here are the corresponding thoughts and lessons:

1) Get to know more about different types of chilis. In this round, I used dried Ancho chiles. They were supposed to be milder, and they were. But also, the paste had a bit of a bitter flavor, which I don't how how to fix. I used it mixed in with a quinoa filling for #4, but perhaps paired with a meat it would have a different result.

2) I definitely need to try this again. Since I don't have a microwave, I had to heat milk in a little container on the stove, which is tricky because you can't heat it too fast or too much. I dipped a lipton tea bag in, and it barely steeped at all. I had cardamom and cinnamon, but not cayenne or clove, but then sprinkled in ginger and a little black pepper. I'd say it less resembles chai then just a weird drink. But, it's a work in progress and this has potential to be amazing.

3) First time, I steamed these in a bamboo steamer over a wok - proper AND delicious. The second time, I boiled them and they were a pretty disgusting texture. Next time, I'll pan fry them first, then steam them to finish. Both low tech AND delicious, I predict.

4) These were just good. I don't know if I'd make the onions again, but maybe with a different filling. Maybe more like a ground beef or ground lamb type thing, with cheese and tomatoes? I don't know - but I am INTO the technique.

Sundays: Explore and Dream Days

So Sundays are my new exploration days. Last weekend I went to the botanical gardens and walked around the outdoor and indoor gardens. It was like night and day - the outdoors were frozen and quiet with filtered light reflecting from the sky and the frozen lake. The inside garden was tropical and humid with little birds flying around. It was nice to be able to breathe humid air again, even for an hour or two.

This weekend, I went to see a neat Automata exhibit at a local museum. On Sundays, there are free concerts and today was a piano and cello duo - so delightful. The acoustics were marvelous and the museum had some beautiful French glasswork from the Arts & Crafts period, and also some great Thai and Hindi Buddhism pieces, as well as the Automata (one shown left). The music echoed through the gallery and made it a fun wintery experience.

I also went looking at some Asian grocery stories. I was actually looking for some homemade fortune cookies for Chinese New Year next weekend. I didn't find those, but a few of the stores were interesting/cheap and had quite a variety of obscure ethnic products in case there was something unique one needed. There was a lot of frozen fish, which I didn't know quite what to make of, and not as many Chinese candies as I hoped.

Tide Has Turned: 2010

I went to a "snow ball" party last weekend. The theme was "Edward Gorey" and I dressed up with a fun hat. There was a guy there with a huge fake mustache, who kind of looked like Hugh Jackman in "The Prestige." There were also some cool girls there in funny flapper type hats/outfits. At midnight, we walked out on the frozen lake and lit off fireworks, which was probably my favorite moment in Madison to date. Of course, everyone picked up all the fireworks and beer cans right after because it's Madison and everyone is all about recycling.

December Stream of Consciousness

These are excerpts from a letter I wrote to a friend:

1. I love my car. I've been driving it all around town. The first week I had it, I had the first full week of good night's sleep since I moved here. I'm not kidding. I've felt so much anxiety and some of that lifted just from having a car again. I've dreamed about Snoop Dogg and weird roommates and music in my dreams. But the anxiety dreams about clients and spreadsheets are fading away, which is a good thing.

2. I've been watching old West Wing episodes lately and I love it. The people are so smart and so dedicated to their jobs and have to "hop to" when their boss wants them to. I can really relate to that and it is a comfort to me. It also makes me want to wear suits more often.

3. I went to a bacherlorette party this week, after a 11 hour work day. It was at a fondue place and it was fun. The bride got some panties but they were cotton briefs that said stuff like "bride" and "who needs mistletoe." I mean, is this what passes for sexy bridal humor in Wisconsin? Do me a favor, if I get married and I have a bachelorette party where you buy me underwear (yikes) please don't buy thongs, but please don't buy me ultra practical underwear. Thank you.

4. No love life to speak of. The weird ebay/Ron Paul supporter/college drop out to be a Christian rock roadie guy randomly called this week and left an overly jolly message. So weird. I probably won't respond. I'm not opposed to online dating, but I'm not quite ready yet. Maybe in the new year.

5. I've got to get ready for a wedding. It's at 3. I have some college friends staying here that are in the wedding, so they aren't here now. I'm just meeting them there. But it should be fun. A coworker is having a party too that I want to stop by later. I hope that works out b/c his friends seem fun. He has a kind of snowboarder roommate who's kind of hot. I wouldn't mind making out with him in the coat closet later.

6. I have to try to fix my horrendous outfit before I go out tonight. Pink dress, gray sweater tights (because jesus, who has their wedding in Wisconsin a week from Christmas and during undergrad finals and when its 20 degrees outside) and turquoise shoes and a rhinestone star necklace. Girl, they can't handle my style in Wisconsin!!!!

Great weekend in Chicago. Saw a grad school friend, did some Christmas shopping, and did a puzzle, which was surprisingly entertaining. Celebrated a friend's birthday and had a spa day with a few girlfriends. It was so delightful. Got to tell some good stories about the "nuts and berries" i.e. crazy people in my *new* town. It was good to laugh about it, and also to talk with friends about what I'm doing.

Ups and Downs

Back to it. I'm realizing that there are changes I need to make in my life, now that I'm in a different stage of life. I think I'm getting it, and then I feel like I'm not. What I mean to say is, I used to love meeting my friends out at the bars and catching up on grad school topics and gossip. That's not working for me in Madison. For one, I don't have many friends here, and I don't have any good friends. So going out to the bars ends up being a drag, especially when my one pal has all sorts of guy drama in town and we end up seeing said guys around town at the places we go. Not too fun.

Instead, what I think I need to be doing is yoga and more cooking and something creative. I love doing these things, and they make me happy, but I also deeply need companionship. This week I found an awesome yoga class. The people were genuinely friendly and the atmosphere was happy. It felt great and energizing. I went on a long walk afterwards, and did a painting, even though it wasn't very good. Now that I have a little more social energy, I want to start trying things I like and therefore meeting people. I know that it won't be lonely forever, and that I should try to take advantage of my free time to cultivate a stimulating life. If I'm happy, the rest will follow, right? For now, I want to keep fixing up my apartment, and finding visual inspiration to stoke my creative and peaceful mind.

If I Age Back 3 Years, I Could Celebrate 30 a Second Time

I feel like I've aged 5 years in the past 5 months. From going to parties with my grad school friends, weekly happy hours, and discussing food systems and Southern literature, to age forward and only getting invited to parties for or about other peoples' kids. It's weird. I mean, kids are cute and all... but dude can I get a grown-up party in the house? How about a little sangria and some slightly inappropriate cleavage instead of sippy cups and diapers? Ugh.

Unblocked My Chi

There's a scene in the movie, Kung Fu Hustle, that I often think about when a personal tide takes a turn for the better. The main guy in the movie, who is kind of an extremely lucky f*ck-up, gets beat up by this kung fu villian, which also has the added bonus of unblocking his chi so that he can more readily access his true potential. After he unblocks his chi, he becomes tall and gorgeous and a fully-developed kung fu talent that he always knew he had, but couldn't reach. Even though the movie is a comedy, it really is a beautiful idea.

So I feel like I had a minor chi unblockage. I've been feeling down with all the transitions in my life, missing my support network, and greiving the recent exodus of Mr. D from my life. When I also got a soccer injury that limited my ability to get the gym or wear fun shoes, I was in the pits. So I was trying to tough it out at a play on Friday night, when I started to feel woozy and out-and-out fainted during the play. Yikes. I came to sitting on the floor (and yes, the show kept on) faced by a friend and a bunch of strangers trying to make me drink water and putting a soggy napkin on my forehead. Luckily, there was a nurse and an EMT (supposedly) in the audience, and they were able to take me out of the theater and cool me down. I revived and was ok, and then the EMT was totally trying to hit on me. What I didn't get, is what about that was hot exactly, as I was pale and sweaty after fainting. Maybe the vunerability? Or maybe I just made fainting look good?? It was weird. Anyway, the nurse and the EMT texted me later to make sure I was ok (I was) and the EMT offered to come over the next day to give me a foot massage. At first I thought that was weird (it was) but then I thought - if I'm going to go back to dating I better get to practicing a lil harmless flirting. After I was checked by a doc on Saturday (I'm fine), I realized that something about the experience helped me move forward in some way. The chi, unblocked?

Cathy 1 and Cathy 2

I joined a gym this week and it is actually wonderful. It gives me something to do and somewhere to go after work each day, instead of slugging it out at work and then going home to my television. I worked out yesterday, but next time I will remember my headphones as Cathy 1 and Cathy 2 almost buzzkilled my workout.

I was on one of the machines next to two girls who were obviously friends, or more likely, frenemies. They were the whiniest bitches I have seen in awhile, and some of their comments reminded me of the Cathy comic. Here are some snippets:

1) "I mean, I get my J Crew packages sent to my work, which I kind of feel guilty about, but hey - I need my khakis!!"

2) "So this pregnant woman at my work asked everyone at the staff meeting to stay home from work if they're sick because she's vuerable to illness. I was like, 'how about we call in to work if we're feeling sick and work can tell you to stay home.'"

3) "I was telling a new guy at work about my vacation days and he was like, 'I wish I had vacation days,' and I was like, 'I earned my vacation, ok? That's what happens your first year of work, you don't get vacation, ok?'"

3) "I hate this. I'm tired today. I hate this."

I mean, what Wisconsin puritans! The negativity pouring off these girls was disturbing. Then, during our workout an amazing rainbow appeared out the window. I'm serious. It was an incredibly vivid and beautiful rainbow. I looked around from side to side to see if the people around me would notice, and they didn't. So I said, "Cathys, see that rainbow."

What else could I do?

Stung By a Beeeeee

I took out the window A/C units tonight, uh... 32 degrees tonight in Wisconsin?!?
Apparently some bees were semi-hibernating on the side of one of the A/C units and when I took it out they went bonkers. Actually, they were sleepy but one still managed to sting me on my right pinky, that rascal. My landlord ended up coming upstairs to help me - gloves, beekeeper hat, etc. and carrying the A/C units outside after swatting a bunch more of the bees. Oh, Lord.

The Human Backside

I have a lot of time to myself now to think and to dream. I keep daydreaming of travel, mainly to Europe. I want to learn French. My job is inspiring me to become a better urban planner, and I have borrowed many books on urban design; I go places in Madison by myself and immerse myself in these books. Here's a choice quote from a book I was reading today, regarding a comfortable depth of benches in public spaces,

"Another dimension is more important: the human backside. It is a dimension architects seem to have forgotten."

Hee. It's so true though. All praise to some room for the human backside.

I think of delaying buying a car, and what I could save money to do by postponing this purchase. Buy a kayak. Visit friends in New York. I research art and cultural exhibits that I want to see. I am mostly okay with doing all this with only myself for company.

Peace Be With You and Then Peace Out

I went to a hippy peace party this weekend and my thought was, "Yep, peace be with you and now, peace out." My libertarian side was like "rock on with the peace and the drum circle, Madison!!". Part of me is genuinely glad such a place/community exists, but the hippy vibe got a bit much for me. It's funny and weird that I'm a big yuppie by Madison standards. But don't worry, I won't let that serve up an identity crisis. It's just that the hippy scene seems so extreme, so non-urban, that it's kind of like a cultural time warp. I mean, see the picture above.


There are things I'm finding that I like - fall gardens and outdoor cafes. Riding my bike around and living in a lively neighborhood. Waiting for the social piece to fall into place still though...

Music to My Ears

Something is shifting, and I feel more like myself. The past several months have been full of change and anxiety for what was to come - where I'd live, what I'd do about a job, how I was going to plan the transition, etc etc. It was extremely stressful. Glad I'm through the woods.

My Third Eye Opened

Last weekend I went with some of my family to Minnesota for my dad's uncle's funeral. It was surprisingly peaceful, at least for me. For one thing, it was a comfort to attend a funeral of an 89-year-old. It was sad, but his death wasn't unexpected, and it made so much more sense in the cycle of life than the last funeral I went to. Some of the grief from my friend Steph's funeral in June bubbled to the surface during this funeral too. In a strange way, it was healing to grieve over a more sensible death.

There was also the spirit of family nearby. I heard some old stories about my dad growing up, and his cousins growing up too. Some of the stories I had heard before, but some were new. It was a comfort to me that my dad is still close with his cousins, and it was nice to be "the kid" of the group.

Finally, I liked hearing stories of my great uncle and how he coped with the dis-ease and loneliness that can come in life. He filled his days with community and volunteer activities and cooking food like casseroles and rosettes for the ladies at the nursing home or the perpetual bachelor next door. He was no saint, and in fact, would be one of the first people to tell someone to "F*ck Off," if necessary. But I think that he kept from getting bored and kept life interesting by getting involved with other people around him. I feel that is a lesson I can take home right now in a time where I often feel lonely.

I Laughed Once Today

Things have settled down for me a bit. The automatic panic that I usually feel in the morning as I'm heading off for my commute is less pronounced. I have a better grip on my job (better than no grip, yes). I end up spending so much of my day related to work. The other time is sleep as I'm exhausted. The other time is reading "The Bourne Identity."

I did have one genuine laugh today at work. I also had one victory of getting a project done under the gun. That made me smile. A lot of my joyful time during the day lately has been related to driving around the rental cars that I've had to use this week to get to travel locations to work. I can sing out and feel the wind in my hair. For now, that's as good as it gets during the week.

I don't have any friends, yet. I almost had a social invite Sunday night but was out of town and I missed my invitation window. I have a potential friend that wants to go to a yoga class, but I haven't figured out how to work that in. Mainly I'm having a hard time planning social dates as I've felt really busy with work or too tired. Maybe I'll get a friend sometime soon. That would be sweet.

RE:juvenation

I know, I know. Awesome last post. So descriptive.

Honestly, the cat has had my tongue the past three weeks. Three weeks! I can't believe I've been three weeks at my new job. The time has flown by.

I went to Chicago this weekend to visit Mr. D and it was absolutely delightful. We had a friends brunch for his birthday on Saturday, and it was very fun and rejuvenating for me. It felt great to be among friends and eating good food (both things in short supply in my experience in Wisconsin so far.) I love my friends in Chicago - they are smart and weird and it was refreshing to spend time with them. As for Mr. D, after seeing some friends, we saw "Julie & Julia," went to Koreanfest, AND went out to dinner. We had a great time all around and laughed together and it was lovely.

One thing that came up while I was talking about my new life experience of late was my nosy landlord. He's not nosy with bad intentions but he does note my comings and goings. I paid my rent in cash this month and in a later conversation it became apparent that he had told some of his friends about that ("Ask Marta to buy your CD; she's flush with cash.") Another day, I got home at 9:45 p.m. on my bike and I noticed that he looked out the window and said to some guest of his, "Yep. She's coming home. 9:45 p.m." This is mostly funny as I sometimes note his comings and goings as well. A small town thing, I began to think. I thought about my great grandmother who used to note the comings and goings of a Greek family in her apartment building and how much zest it actually gave her life (even though she complained about it all the time.) However, when I talked to some of my friends in Chicago, it turned out that they know exactly who on their block is a spying landlord and who's pregnant and who just redid their house with a lot of money, etc. etc.

I guess it's just a human thing.