I am interupting the normal lack of programming...

...to say Happy 600th Post to Maggie over at Maggie Rose Online. I also hope I win today's giveaway from Shabby Apple! (pick me! pick me!)

You can now return to other blogs while I continue to slog through hand-addressing invitation envelopes.

Food Matters

Blogging. Something I have really not even thought about, except when my friends pester me to update. I suppose since I did move across the country, I owe them something. But I really don't want to bore you with every wedding-related idea I'm currently obsessing over. I reserve that for my poor fiance.

The most notable things going on with me right now are my attempts to revise my grad school personal statement, and also revise the way I eat. I've been shopping around trying to find the right "formula" for a way to eat healthfully. I don't want to diet, and I don't want to deprived myself. I don't need those things in my life. But I do want a structured way to make the right decisions. I found it! I didn't need to look much farther than Mark Bittman, my favorite "celeb chef" whose New York Times blog has been on those links to the side there for years.

Mark Bittman recently wrote "Food Matters", a chronicle of his own awakening to the "insane" way we eat in America loaded with facts and analogies to illustrate how factory farming is destroying more than just cows and chickens. It's also destroying our environment, our health, and our financial well-being. Since then, he's also been touting a more sane way to eat, and a food deal he struck with himself. It's called "Vegan Before Six." He eats no dairy, meat or processed food before dinner, then he eats what he wants. Learn more here. (While most of the information is not new to those of us who've read Michael Pollan or watched Food, Inc. But I find Bittman's conversational and practical voice convincing in a fresh way.)


I'm on Day 8 now, and I won't stop here! After the first 2 days, I stopped wanting the string cheese I'd recently stocked in the work fridge. I used soy in my coffee and didn't mind the difference. I bring lunches of veggie-hummus wraps and this delicious squash dish I made this week. I haven't cut out homemade backed goods, and probably never will. That would not fit under the "sane" eating label, in my book. Now I feel it's easy, and the more I read "Food Matters", the more fortified I am in my resolve. Last week I probably ate a total of 7 servings of dairy and 5 of meat. Almost every day I ate my 5 recommended servings of fruits and veggies. I haven't been tracking my weight, but I feel lighter. It's a sustainable and intelligent alternative to a diet, and to our current culture's eating "situation."

I will try to post my favorite recipes here, as I continue the pursuit of Vegan Before 6, or "VB6." What do you all think of this? Have you made similar changes to the way you eat lately?

Holiday Hustle and Bustle

It is difficult to blog when you are also applying to graduate school, trying to work out 3-4 times a week after a 40 hour work week, trying to join an intimidating new book club, manage holiday gift giving (and making), and plan a wedding. It is difficult to find time or motivation. And to be quite honest, I'm not seeing a huge flow of bolstering comments around here to light the fire.

Speaking of fire, here is what Aaron and I did this weekend, in addition to visiting the awesome Newseum and hosting an out of town guest. We gathered a few discarded branches at the tree lot, where we also found this cute little number on the right. The stockings are from Target, but I'm hoping to snag some discounted post-holiday fabric and Martha myself some new ones for next year. (Like how I used Martha as a verb? It's the new "Google".)


I'll be home for Christmas for 2 weeks in December and am very much looking forward to it. I may be taking just a bit of research home for a new work assignment (possible publication??) and will hope to do a blitz of wedding decor shopping and crafting. Apparently DC does not donate anything (no Goodwill within the limits), does not create anything (no mainstream craft hubs to speak of), and does not want to by anything for a dollar, or at least from a dollar store. Hard to execute a budget wedding in these hostile conditions.

Next weekend we're going to visit New York for some big city holiday cheer. I'm looking forward to it. No promises for big blogs in the near future, but hope this resuscitates things a bit.

Book 16: Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth

My most recently finished book was also my first DC Public library book. Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth is a book of poetry by Alice Walker, author of one of my all-time favorite books, The Color Purple. After my brutal 2 months trying to finish Book 15, I thought I deserved a break.

Here are two of my favorites from the political, earthy, simply-stated, sensual collection.

Patriot

If you
Want to show
Your love
For America
Love
Americans
Smile
When you see
One
Flowerlike
His
Turban
Rosepink.

Rejoice
At the
Eagle feather
In a grandfather's
Braid.

If a sister
Bus rider's hair
Is
Especially
Nappy
A miracle
In itself
Praise it.

How can there be
Homeless
In a land
So crammed
With houses

&
Young children
Sold
As sex snacks
Causing our thoughts
To flinch &
Snag?

Love your country
By loving
Americans.

Love Americans.

Salute the soul
& the body
Of who we
Spectacularly &
Sometimes
Pitifully are.
Love us. We are
The flag.


Grace

Grace
Gives me a day
Too beautiful
I had thought
To stay indoors
& yet
Washing my dishes
Straightening
My shelves
Finally
Throwing out
The wilted
Onions
Shrunken garlic
Cloves
I discover
I am happy
To be inside
Looking out.
This, I think,
Is wealth.
Just this choosing
Of how
A beautiful day
Is spent.

Book 15: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

There were many times I almost gave up on Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I started reading it in a Brazilian airport on our way back to the states. After a long plane ride and a solid beginning, we moved, I started a job, and we started planning a wedding. All of these took up lots of time and energy. I was only reading about 10 pages a day, on average. Not a good pace to finish a 1,000-pager.

In the end, I'd give this book 3 of 5 stars. It had a strong beginning and a few great high points. However, as someone told Mozart in Amadeus that his music had "too many notes", this book may have had too many stories. Susanna Clarke creates an elaborate history of magic in England, and the two gentlemen-magicians bringing it back the the fore during the Napoleonic wars in the 19th century. She certainly paints a detailed picture of the time, setting, and skillfully inserts her own fantastical history into it. There were footnotes of stories real and imagined, and interactions between fictional and historical characters. It was fun to read, when it wasn't meandering.

One of my most literary friends raved about this book (and she isn't alone - it won loads of awards), and I heard it compared to a cross between Jane Austen's witty narration of English society and JRR Tolkein's elaborate, dramatic fantasy. I would agree, and add that it was also the length of Pride & Prejudice (minus the most romantic scenes) plus 2/3 of the Lord of the Rings Series. It was well done, but not for everyone (Everyone including those with short attention spans and significant life events occurring.)

Ghosts of History

Ever since moving to DC, I've been awestruck by the number of historical (and just historical-looking) buildings in the city. If you walk from my office to my apartment, you go straight through the Mall and the Capitol, past the monuments, and brick and marble buildings like the Supreme Court or even just Senate offices. I always think that if just one of these buildings, even a pretty humble one that is just used as offices now, were transplanted into Portland or San Francisco, it would become a local celebrity. For all the West Coast's attributes (and I could go on and on), it certainly doesn't feel as historically significant, as monumental (literally.)

Tonight I joined some friends on a walking ghost tour of DC done by Washington Walks. This is the Octagon House, the most haunted place in the District. Three times as creepy in person and at night.


Aside from it being a well-delivered tour and a gorgeous night, it was a reminder of what a cool place I've moved into. Significant events happen here daily in the political sector, the vast amount of art and artifacts on display (and mostly free) is mind-boggling, and nearly every corner of the city has a history all it's own. The past is constantly present, and for a history nerd like myself, that is pretty awesome.

Adorable DIY

I like to take breaks at work. Sometimes the breaks consist of mindless clicking through facebook, sometimes I'll listen to the hourly news on NPR, but sometimes I discover a whole new corner of the internet that I never knew existed, and sometimes that is monumental.

Today I discovered "I Do"-It-Yourself, an amazing and inspirational blog full of wedding details. Many downloads are posted, from lemonade labels to invitation templates. Every little bit is cute and clever and classy - a true DIY feat. I especially love the vintage-inspired designs with decorative flourishes.

During my break (which became a little long), I clicked through to The Wedding Chicks and The Vintage Moth, all in the vein of beautiful, downloadable eye-candy. Now, your turn for a break.