Walmart vs. Starbucks

One of the most interesting statistics in this article on the current Presidential polling hinted at how cultural and social differences among voters affect their choice of candidates:

Even though the two candidates are viewed favorably by about the same number of people, there are some big cultural splits. Of people who get their coffee at Starbucks, 52 percent favor Obama while 39 percent prefer McCain. Of people who frequent Wal-Mart, 58 percent favor McCain while 33 percent prefer Obama.

Hm. I wonder who Cindy McCain will be voting for. Look very carefully to see where she falls along the aforementioned cultural/social divide.


(Photo found on CNN.com today.)

Horizon in sight...

I left the office today knowing that tomorrow will be a better day. Not that today was so bad, just that tomorrow will be better. Whew!

NPR does risotto.

Learning more about the heart - both the electrical and the mechanical components. I wonder why this is the organ we humans have associated with love. Maybe because it needs so many parts collaborating to make it work? I dunno...

Lots of laughter with Supper Club tonight.

Thankfuls

I always fall back on this format of listing a few of the things that I'm thankful for. It helps to keep me focused on the positive things in life, it keeps me centered, and it reminds me to pause. Throughout my days, I often find myself pausing to take note of the things that are blog worthy - the things that were delightful, that provided some respite, that made me happy to be alive. So, here they are again today:

Giving up on giving up coffee. And, this new French roast from IY.

Walking to work.

Park bench afternoon break - the hot sun on my face, the cool autumn air, blue skies, and a moment to breathe.

Emails from family. Ma working on her health. Sweet kitties.

The Food Lion near my house becoming a more pleasant shopping experience.

The most important thing

...I know from personal experience how strong the habitual mind is. The discursive mind, the busy, worried, caught-up, spaced-out mind, is powerful. That's all the more reason to do the most important thing -- to realise what a strong opportunity every day is, and how easy it is to waste it. If you don't allow your mind to open and to connect with where you are, with the immediacy of your experience, you could easily become completely submerged. You could be completely caught up and distracted by the details of your life, from the moment you get up in the morning until you fall asleep at night.

You get so caught up in the content of your life, the minutiae that make up a day, so self-absorbed in the big project you have to do, that the blessings, the magic, the stillness, and the vastness escape you. You never emerge from your cocoon, except for when there's a noise that's so loud you can't help but notice it, or something shocks you, or captures your eye. Then for a moment you stick your head out and realise, Wow! Look at that sky! Look at that squirrel! Look at that person!

--Pema Chodron, "Waking up to your world." Shambhala Sun, Sept. 2008

Friday

Helpful co-workers get me through another busy week.

A relatively comfortable flat 3 miles, and missing my running partner (for reasons beyond not having company on my runs).

End of an era with my hairdresser/friend. It's been, gee, 7 or 8 years worth of haircuts and chats. Thinking good thoughts for a speedy recovery and better health and a happy future for her.

Noticing a little hazy head, a little dyslexia, a little irregular/rapid heartbeat.

Thankful for my orange boys.

Would somebody please come rescue me from all of this produce?!

Horse & Buggy week again. Here goes:

8 red apples
1 lb tomatoes
1 lb fingerling potatoes
2 hot red peppers
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
2 oz. Thai basil
1 lb concord grapes (yum!)
1/3 of a large watermelon

A la carte:
4 mini loaves pumpkin bread
1 cantaloupe

And, if you think 1/3 of a watermelon is kinda silly, as I did (she literally cut it up in front of me and disbursed the sections to three different people), it's really not. It's a whole lotta watermelon for one person. Seriously. I'll be eating watermelon for days. Help! I might drown!

I'm still eating produce from two weeks ago. I finally discovered a solution to my storage woes - Ziplock fresh produce bags. They have special holes that help the produce to breathe (or something like that) while they hang out in the fridge. I knew they existed, but not all stores stock this type of bag, so it took me a few attempts to actually find them. They are working - the zucchini from two weeks ago tasted great sauteed with some Thai basil and rice tonight!

I've identified a few challenges during this year's Horse & Buggy adventure. First, storage - the Ziplock bags help alot, but I also need to get better about processing and freezing (and maybe learning to jar) items like tomatoes, apples, peppers and corn. Secondly, waste - this will improve as my storage strategies improve, but before I do this again next year, I must start composting. I need to have the right tools to do this, which is entirely doable, I just haven't made it a high enough priority.

The season last until just before Halloween. More to come...

Grace(less) Tuesday

I really wish I was the kind of person about whom others could say, "Oh, she's Grace under pressure. Always positive, so on-the-ball. Such a pleasure. And, she handled that difficult situation so well." But, I'm not that way. Instead, I'm Grumpy. Effectual, but Grumpy. Harumph.

Sunday, windy and summerly

Good night, lazy morning.

Thanks to La Taza for serving me early on Saturday morning, and late on Sunday morning - gotta love the neighborhood coffee shop.

Passing on the sale at Jcrew, and instead thinking about ways to put some weight back on. Protein shakes, maybe?

Buying staple items, and feeling weirdly spaced out, at Whole Foods.

Muggy September Saturday thankfuls...

Not feeling like I'd been beaten up after teaching today.

The boyfriend discovering text messaging. And, a Coen Brothers movie ahead.

Patience with the Mystery Lawn Mower man for butchering my lawn again. And thanks to Dave for the weed-eater, which lasted the entire time.

Week 20 belly shots from C.A.S.

A day off tomorrow.

Horse & Buggy Pick Up

Oh boy! I always get more than I can imagine eating in one week!

1 loaf bread
6 eggs
6 ears corn
2 green peppers
3 cucumbers
2 lbs tomatoes
2 oz basil

A la carte:
2 very large zucchini
2 lbs yukon gold potatoes
3 sm loaves banana bread

Fun things from today's pick-up:
The cute little blond hiccupping girl.

First time making of tomato sauce from scratch: de-seeding, peeling, blending, add olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, salt, pepper.

Sharing with friends.