Oh So Good

Today was a fun day, and when I say why, it will probably sound hideous.  Today was Tucker's 3 month visit to the vet.  I can't explain why I love his regular visits to the vet.  One possible explanation is that not very long ago at all, I repeatedly left the same vet's office with crushing news.  Now, though, I practically skip out because I get glowing reports about a happy and healthy beloved pet. 

In any case, my first most favorite part about the vet visit is getting Tucker in his car harness and seeing his realization that he, too, gets to come along with me.  I can see why this is so exciting for him since normally he watches me leave in the morning, is visited at noon by his Critter Sitter friends and doesn't see me until after 5pm.  Today, though, he joined me in the car as my trusty co-pilot and demonstrated his goldendoodle magic as a car companion.  I put his towel on the front seat, strap him in, and he settles in, oftentimes napping for the drive (although it is a mere 10 minutes).  When he decides to remain awake, he stretches his gigantic paw across the parking brake/console area and lays it on my arm or leg.  It's totally endearing and sweet.  The ride home is never any different.

Another thing I love about vet visits is I get to sit with Tucker, proudly allowing him to interact with all of the various clients, human and animal alike.  I affectionately refer to him as "the mayor" because he thoroughly enjoys interaction with just about anything and anyone.  He's one of the most social creatures I've ever come across.  In fact, he even loves his vet, which is amazing since every trip thus far has only included getting poked by needles. 

My last favorite part about vet visits with Tucker is he has a completely amazing and clean bill of health.  After two consecutive tragic experiences with beloved pets, I'm not sure I can take another situation of having to either put an animal to sleep or witness their sudden death due to unknown causes.  So, with each successful vet visit, I'm reminded of how incredibly lucky I am to have a very healthy and hearty pup on my hands. 

I, hands down, adore my new dog and cannot gush enough to properly convey the level of satisfaction this new bond brings with it. 

Obsession with a Fun Something

Each time I visit with my 9-year-old niece, she asks me what games I have on my phone.  I consistently answer her with the unsatisfactory, "None."  This response is always followed by a confused scowl on her part and a shrug of the shoulders and clueless "What?" on my part.  Obviously, this exchange is the direct result of a generational gap, but I must admit that there is one app that I've recently downloaded and started to love.  I became one of the millions and finally downloaded Draw Something.

The irony in this choice of app obsessions is that if I would rate my talents, drawing would come dead last.  Like, on a list of 10, it would be somewhere around 15 or 20.  But, because I'm doing this drawing on the screen of my tiny little iPhone, I figure critics will have to be understanding and sympathize with my limited resources.  And I actually believe that the lack of talent will only serve to enhance the humorous qualities of my drawings.  So, my weakness will actually serve me and others very well. 

Perhaps because those with whom I've played are more naturally talented, I've only had one criticism.  The assortment of letters at the bottom of the screen makes it a little too easy to guess.  (I'm fairly certain that those at the other end of my drawings do not feel the same and are extremely grateful for the letters.)  Otherwise, I endorse this game/app as one that encourages creative thought and some fun interaction--whether with a randomly-assigned opponent or friend.   

So, next time you have a moment, check this out.  If you're not interested in the actual game, then you should at least visit this gallery because you'll be amazed by what others can do with only their fingers and phones to draw images.  I know I was.

Great Minds

In my day job, I spend a lot of time reading about all sorts of business ventures and companies.  While I don't directly support our emerging companies group, based in the Silicon Valley office, the group is a vital part of our overall Corporate practice, which I do support.  There are moments, similar to the one last week when I discovered our team had assisted Instagram in its merger with Facebook, when I'm left with a very deep appreciation both for the inventiveness of others as well as the commitment to success.

My most recent moment of appreciation came partially as a result of a personal obsession.  This week, it came to my attention that there is a San Francisco-based start-up company known as Cherry.  Cherry provides on-demand car wash services.  There is an iPhone app (and is a soon-to-be-released Android app as well) that you use to check-in at your location.  This spurs coordination on Cherry's end to send out a car wash associate, and that person brings all supplies and completes a full car wash wherever it is your car has been parked.  There is a text sent to you when the team member is approaching, and there is a text sent to you when the job is completed.  This service sounds amazing to me because I am constantly distracted by smudges and bugs stuck to my car.  I'm also rarely able to really take the time to do a good job on correcting those things anymore, so I'll end up driving through an automatic car wash, drive away having done no work myself, participated in the waste of a ton of water but also with remaining smudges and then eventual water spots.  So, the combination of my focus on a clean car and frustration due to lack of time caused my ears to perk up at the discovery of Cherry.  

The cost of this service is about $29.99, and so far, it's only available in a handful of cities in the Bay Area.  The inspiration for this creation?  The founder arrived home from a business trip and had a dirty car.  He googled the closest car washes to go and run his car through, but when he went to the two listed as closest in proximity, they were no longer in business.  He reflected on the fact that he could have used that time he was driving around to find a car wash to spend with his family.  And this is when it occurred to him that a lot of others probably had any number of things they'd rather be doing rather than driving to the car wash or washing their own car.  While all of this may seem excessive, the company also remains focused on being eco-friendly, so environmental lovers can get off guilt-free.

Perhaps someone in Wheeling will soon get fed up with the futile conundrum of dirty cars but not enough time to properly clean them and jump on the Cherry bandwagon.  A long shot, I know, but it's worth hoping. 

Holy Hamburger!

It struck me today, as I contemplated what grilled deliciousness I should have for dinner, that there's a very apparent and yet rarely spoken of difference in nomenclature in the burger world.  While most of the masses would probably shrug their shoulders and move on from this realization, I had to conduct some research and satisfy my own curiosity on the matter.

In more recent years, the burger world has greatly diversified.  We now have chicken burgers, turkey burgers, buffalo burgers, veggie burgers, etc.  The commonality among all of those I list here is that their names include reference to their source and then "burger."  However, the classic hamburger is strikingly different.  It's not made of ham, derived from the pig, but rather made of beef, from a cow.  So, why is it called a hamburger? 

In researching the etymology of the word hamburger, there is no real answer to the question of why it was so named other than the rather boring theory that they originated in Hamburg, Germany.  Another blogger also posted results of this same research, conveying the same sense of disappointment that I felt at the results of my research.  More than a sense of disappointment, though, I guess I find it to be pretty ironic that there's almost no other meal more "American" than a juicy hamburger and serving of french fries.  The fact that this particular meal is actually a melting pot of global foods is appropriate and yet a little deflating.  If hamburgers and french fries are not truly American culinary relics, then what foods are?  Do we have any?

Amazing how pondering a simple dinner menu can lead to such interesting thoughts. 

A Wild (But Entertaining) Memoir

From the first moment I read about Wild:  From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed, I was hooked.  Based on reviews I saw, this promised to be a memoir steeped in intrigue, adventure and, ultimately, personal growth.  The New York Times review gets it right by describing the book as having "...a punk spirit..."

I guess in picking it up, I had suspected it would be like a reinvention of the once popular Eat, Pray, Love ("once popular" as in before the movie was released and somewhat lacking).  I especially thought this as I started to read the book and came across a line referring to the main subject's impending marital doom.  However, rather than a writer erecting strife within her life, this story is a lot more real.  Cheryl Strayed is not some foodie in search of self-empowerment or a trendy travel tale of yoga and pasta-eating adventures.  This is real.  This is more like A Million Little Pieces meets Eat, Pray, Love.  It's gritty, it's set in the most natural of natural worlds, and it's about the struggle of (wo)man versus man and (wo)man versus nature.

One of the things I have read (including in the linked NYT review) is that there is suspicion surrounding the reliability of memories from events so far in the past.  A lot of years passed between Ms. Strayed's 1995 hiking adventure and her resulting memoir, so I can understand this point being raised.  However, just as was the case with all of the controversy surrounding the "truth" behind James Frey's A Million Little Pieces, I guess I can confidently say I don't care.  I don't select my reading, based on whether it's true or not.  I believe every story is told with a somewhat fictionalized perspective...it's called subjectivity.  But, whether or not Ms. Strayed's memories are 100% accurate or not will not affect me as a reader.  My second thought on this is that sometimes, and this is most especially true with the most monumental of life moments (which I'm pretty sure she was navigating during the time the memoir is set), one needs a lot of distance and time before being able to situate life experiences.  So, if it took her almost two decades to situate her experiences, then so be it.  Perhaps none of her experiences could have been projected as dynamically if she hadn't taken that time. 

In any case, I think if you enjoy the outdoors, communing with nature and self-reflection (especially in the midst of turmoil), then you will enjoy this book.  I know I am.  More than anything, it whets my appetite to one day explore the wilds of the Pacific Crest Trail.           

Spring Behavior Blossoming

Just as all of the shades of green and spring blooms are taking over, so are the natural tendencies towards spring behavior in humans.  I am generalizing, of course, but speaking for myself, all indications point to spring. 

First, allergy season has hit.  The stuffiness, dry eyes and accompanying symptoms of spring blossoms, which usually hit hardest in May or so, have settled in for a longer season this year.  The spreading blankets of color are captured like time elapse video in my mind, and while this is pleasing to the eyes aesthetically, it can also prove ironically irritating. 

Next, the winter activities employed during free time over the last several months have gently slid out of style in favor of those more appropriate for spring and summer.  The last few weeks have included weekly grass cutting, which is one of my favorite activities.  I get almost as excited about seeing the grass grow as I do about the spreading blankets of color because it means I'll have an excuse to break out the mower.  What is possibly more exciting than this thrill?!  Weed wacking, pulling weeds and putting careful thought into landscaping and some garden plants are just a few other fun activities taking center stage.  The latter two are in the slow lane until we discontinue the overnight freeze trend, but they rank pretty high for the excitement factor. 

Lastly, dinner menus are quickly changing.  The soups and stews of winter have taken the back seat to lighter and most enjoyable veggies and entrees.  The refreshing colors and tastes of spring vegetables and fruits are equally as pleasing as the birds and blooms of the warmer weather.  Last weekend included the exciting purchase of a new grill.  We barely got it situated on the porch before tossing several cobs of corn on for grilling.  What a delicious treat for a Sunday dinner!  Upcoming grill treats will include pineapple, salmon, asparagus and burgers.  Culinary delights abound when the grill comes into play.  While most grill food can be kept very simple, the results are almost always delicious, healthy and can be pleasantly diverse.

With plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures, spring is off to a great start.  In fact, I wouldn't mind if the current temps and conditions would stick around rather than being chased off by high humidity and even higher temps.  But, I guess I'll take what Mother Nature has to give.

 

         

Easter 2012: The Year of Playing Like a Kid Again

This year, Easter was even more fun than usual.  It's been several years now since our family was blessed with its first grandchild.  But, it seems that this year, the three of them officially reached ages that make the holidays tremendously fun.  Some highlights from Easter 2012 deserve to be noted in order to demonstrate this point. 

At the start of our Easter celebration for the last several years, my mom has coordinated an Easter egg hunt for the kids.  As more grandchildren came, this effort grew larger.  I'm not sure how many eggs were hidden in the tradition's inaugural year, but I can confirm that there were more than 80 hidden this year.  Granted, we're catering to the sweet tooth needs of three kids.  But, we practically had too little real estate and hiding places for this year's challenge.  I'm fairly confident my parents will be finding Easter eggs for the next several weeks, but the kids had a blast and came up with quite the sweet loot! 

A second highlight would be that of the wiffle ball game.  I would like to say, first, that this was not wiffle ball as I would have known it.  It was some Nerf-like material bat and ball.  While I understand the impulse to protect the safety of our bat-wielding child population, I also have a deep appreciation (and affection) for the traditional wiffle plastic.  I can't even put a number to the amount of hours my brother, sister and I spent playing wiffle ball in our yard.  In any case, I believe the Easter 2012 wiffle challenge is best demonstrated in pictures:


What started off as a normal, run-of-the-mill, game of wiffle, which also included some very helpful instruction, bestowed upon the kids by myself and my brother....



...quickly dissolved into who can be most goofy?



...or who can bring on the most fierce laughter?



...or who has the best Superman pose?



...or who has the best form for rolling down the grassy hill?

 As I reflect on this year's Easter gathering, I think I've concluded it's not just for the kids after all.  They may have had the advantage over us in the egg hunt, but I'm pretty sure that the wiffle ball game and resulting shenanigans were owned by an earlier generation, reliving the fun and magic of playing like a kid.  The small difference may be that the true kids probably don't have aching backs from all of the fun...

Baking for the Bunny



Betty Crocker Easter Basket Cake

 One of my favorite parts of being "all grown up" is contributing to family gatherings and meals.  Despite the realization that any cooking or baking adventure could go terribly wrong, I fairly consistently choose to try new and exciting creations rather than old favorites.  This tactic could most definitely fail me at some point, but so far it's turned out well each time and it has proven a fun endeavor for me each time. 

I have been put in charge of dessert for Sunday's Easter dinner.  Initially, I thought of doing a pineapple upside down cake.  I am not sure why, but I remember that being one of my very first baking experiences.  I guess it must have seemed pretty basic to me at the time.  In any case, after some thought, especially about what could be a little more fun for the kids attending, I've decided to go with the Easter Basket Cake recipe from Betty Crocker (pictured above).   

Rather than going with the proscribed yellow cake with chocolate frosting, I'm going to instead go with a chocolate cake and vanilla frosting.  I haven't decided on a color yet, but my frosting will be some fantastic Easter basket color with equally fantastic Easter "grass" placed on top.  Lastly, in place of the large jelly beans pictured (since they're not a personal favorite), I will place Whopper Eggs on top instead. 

I'm not sure which to be more excited about:  serving my role of "hider" for the annual Easter egg hunt for the kids or my role of dessert extraordinaire.  I guess I'll decide after seeing the results and level of success of my efforts at the latter.

A Tribute to Life Favorite: Brother Thầy

It was only four years ago that I first realized how incredible Thich Nhat Hanh (also known as Brother Thầy) is as a Buddhist figure.  This was totally by accident as I, so appropriately, returned home from an evening yoga class.  I had tuned into the local NPR station and happened to catch part of a program he recorded with Krista Tippet on the American Public Media program, On Being.  The program was titled, "Brother Thầy: A Radio Pilgrimage with Thich Nhat Hanh."   The feeling that accompanied that small bit of listening is almost indescribable, but the the strongest feeling was that of peace.  I immediately went to the NPR web site to search out the full recording in order to reap the benefits of listening to all of it.

Brother Thầy was born in Vietnam and entered a monestary at the young age of 16.  His humanitarian work began as he assisted the School of Youth for Social Services, a grassroots organization, in its efforts to rebuild and provide relief for Vietnam in lieu of the state of war.  Since then, he has done a tremendous amount of work worldwide, promoting peace and educating people from all sorts of backgrounds on the foundations of Buddhism and the importance of mindfulness.  In 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the best known civil rights activists to live, nominated Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Brother Thầy's work has been tireless, as he has opened up the world of Buddhism, meditation and mindfulness to the Western world.  He has educated through the establishment of the Order of Interbeing as well as more than one hundred books and frequent talks.  I have read at least a few of his books, including The Energy of Prayer, Peace is Every Step and You Are Here, and whether you're searching out a peaceful escape from a busy life or in need of some serious decompression from stress, these are incredibly insightful readings.  There are also several podcasts available on iTunes and audiobooks as well. 

Brother Thầy's perspective is unique to this modern-day world and encourages tolerance, understanding and non-violent solutions to conflict.  I think all of these are very admirable goals and can think of more than just a few instances in current world events in which they could all be very helpful.

Lake Cottages, Beach Cottages and Dreams of Vacation

What is more fun than dreaming of all of the destinations to which you want to travel?  The problem is...that there are just so many!

It's that time of year when it's time to start brainstorming a couple of well-deserved getaways, and my wheels have definitely been turning.  Just like in so many other situations in life, my problem is that I'm so overwhelmed by all of the choices that I can hardly get started with the true planning, reserving, etc.  I think I blame most of this on the Internet.  It's got incredible breadth, offering endless details on any niche vacation choice you could possibly make.  The endless pages of information, available at any time of the day, makes me think about what this process used to look like. 

I'm pretty sure years ago, when my family used to plan annual summer treks to Ocean City, Maryland, that all planning was done via snail mail and telephone.  There was nothing impulsive or quick about it.  Realtors sent my mom catalogs of available properties, we perused (and dreamed) and narrowed down our choices.  Then, it was telephone time for my mom, and she eventually settled on a place for us.  Even more, I remember the necessary and strict timing of arrival and departure and the painstakingly long waits (after an 8 hour drive) to pick up the keys at realtor offices.  This process, looked at from this time in my life, seems like it had to be time consuming and not very fun.  Nobody would be in a realtors office when the kids were gone to bed and the house was quiet.  So, I feel sure there was a need to juggle crazy kids, dinner preparations or some other domestic chore and phone calls to realtors.  Now, though, you can hop onto the Internet and look at whatever you want whenever you have a few quiet minutes to do so.  And, if those few minutes happen to fall in the middle of the night, you can still make just as much progress by submitting your inquiries or continuing your collection of favorites.  As far as reservations, payment and key exchanges, we now have sites such as vrbo.com and flipkey.com as well as the traditional realtor sites.  These allow you to do everything electronically.  And keys can be mailed or there are many places with keyless entries.      

In any case, despite being mired in this momentary vacation planning nostalgia and all of the choices and possibilities, we have successfully settled on two destinations.  Our smaller trip will be more like a "hold me over" sort of trip, and it'll be to Deep Creek, Maryland.  This destination is perfect for a getaway to the mountains of western Maryland, with lots of wildlife and nature, and a focus on relaxation.  Also, it's a mere 2 hours away, so it's super easy to head down for a weekend and keep things simple.  Yet, there are many attractions, shopping and restaurants to take in while there.  Our bigger trip will be to the sandy shores of the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  I'm really excited about this one because I haven't been to the ocean since living next to it a few years ago.  The cute little beach cottages we've found are cozy and right on the water's edge, so I see several glorious mornings of slowly sipping coffee and watching the sunshine dance on the waters of the Atlantic.  Both trips will afford us the ability to take the pups along, so everyone in the household except Lotus (sorry, buddy!) will be packing up for some much needed rest and relaxation.   

As with so many things, this round of vacation planning has made me realize how much things have changed over time.  It's so easy to only look at the present and forget the evolution that has had to take place for us to be where we are.  I would've never dreamed that my vacation planning would've been one of those things to make me appreciate that evolution.  That is, of course, unless we're looking at the evolution of gas prices...

Travels with Steinbeck

I am reading a book right now that has me totally and completely enamored.  Travels with Charley, a travelogue written by the great John Steinbeck, is a beautifully written story.  In the simple and yet eloquent prose of an American master, you gain a glimpse into Steinbeck's desires for simplicity, companionship (both with people and his loyal Poodle, Charley) and a knowledge of authenticity in America.  He didn't want to only know of America what he already knew; instead, he wanted to expand that sphere of comfort and learn of the many fabrics that make up the whole. 

Most of what I've read of Steinbeck is packed with everyday types of characters that absorb my full attention as their stories unfold and dance into the telling of the overall plot.  While my last Steinbeck read, Cannery Row, had a bit more grit to its cast, Travels with Charley has a gentle and sentimental touch to it.  From the descriptions of preparations for the road trip to the meetings with various people along the way, every page includes something that, for me, connects to some of my own most fundamental desires to know more about the world around me.  He elaborates on the importance of not always being glued to a map as you travel and embracing what is to be found along any route.  But, he also reflects on some of the more disappointing realizations as a result of his travels, such as the disconnected nature between people.  Some of this is captured in the guarded waitresses and some is captured in the imagery of the abandoned inn.

I've learned through some brief research that Steinbeck's eldest son posits that this journey was taken because Steinbeck knew he would soon die and wanted to see his country.  This adds, of course, another layer of reflection to the prose and observations.  Also, not dissimilar from the book A Million Little Pieces by James Frey, there has been debate about whether Steinbeck's book can really be qualified as non-fiction.  To this, I say the same as I did about Frey's book:  I don't read a story because it's true or not true.  I read the story for the story.   

While I have not finished the book, I know that this will be one I will hate to complete.  The simple contentment that comes with each turn of the page is a rarity and something to be cherished in a good book.  It's always nice, too, to gain a little insight into the human behind the creator.