I'm writing this post from my very nice hotel room in Washington DC. When Scott picked me up last night he said, "You're not really a librarian, are you?" Little does he know the high falutin' lifestyle that comes along with the information biz. (Eventually I had to break it to him that I have a sweet discount on my room due to a special conference rate. Sometimes you get the Hyatt Regency in DC, sometimes the Super 8 in Kilgore. Librarianship is unpredictable like that.)
My flight got in yesterday at about 3pm, and after checking into my room and jumping on the bed, I proceeded to devour yet more of The Brief Wondrous life of Oscar Wao. I started this book at the airport in Houston, and I'm afraid I'm going to finish it today. Afraid, because I only brought one book and what will I read on the flight home? Conundrum. Otherwise - wow. If you have not read this book, I recommend it highly. Full review coming soon!
But back to DC. I got to hang out with Scott last night, who is one of my favorite college friends. We spent the night barhopping. I ate a vegan burger and drank delicious beer and we watched Obama's not-State-of-the-Union address on a TV with a bunch of other bar patrons. Turns out people in DC really care about politics!
Today I am going to the WebWise pre-conference and waiting on Ella to arrive with vegan cupcakes and a steady stream of stories (that's Ella for you!). But first - breakfast and coffee and actual work stuff. Hope you are all having a lovely day!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
heartbreak duathlon
I've been talking about the race pretty much nonstop since I caught my breath upon completing the final leg of the event, but I'll try to keep this recap short and spare you all but the most daring details.
We arrived at Tyler State Park on Friday, around 4:00pm, and immediately set up camp. We then proceeded to carb load and drink a bottle of wine by our cozy fire. I don't put much stock in carb loading, but honestly if there is an excuse to load up on carbs, I will take it. The wine, well - secret weapon? Sure, why not.
We woke up the next morning at 6:30am. It was cold and I didn't want to get out of my Hennessy Hammock, but I forced myself to hop into the morning light. The sky was cloudy and it started to rain lightly, so we ate peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches and drank coffee in the car. Then we headed to the area of the park that would serve as the race's check-in and transition area. By that time, it was pouring rain and I was worried. I was pretty sure I could run and bike all the miles of the race, but doing 15 miles in the pouring rain? Scary. Luckily, the rain stopped at about 9:45am, just in time for a 10am start. We gathered at the mouth of the first loop and then we were off!
Nathan and I didn't stick together for the race, since he's a speed demon and I'm still in the beginner stages of pretty much everything. The first leg of the race was a 2.5 mile trail run. I kept a pretty good pace, even passing a few people, and finished in about 25 minutes. Not bad! After the run, we ended up in the transition area, where I put on my helmet, guzzled some Gatorade, and then hit the trail on my bike. Next up was 10 miles of trail riding, and the trails in Tyler State Park are very, very hilly. I'm in pretty good shape, but wow. What a challenge! It took me about an hour and a half to finish biking all the trails and by the end I had no hills left in me - I had to get off the bike and walk it up the last few inclines. By the time I rode into the transition area, I was ready to take a nap. Unfortunately, I still had to complete the final leg of the race - another 2.5 mile trail run!
When I rolled into the transition area to drop off my bike, Nathan was already there. He'd finished the whole race about ten minutes earlier and he was cheering me on. He decided to run the last leg of the race a second time, with me, and it was a huge help. Chatting while I plodded along made the pain in my legs easier to ignore, and with his encouragement I finished the last few miles in just 30 minutes - a great time considering how exhausted I was!
Overall, Nathan finished 9th out of 65 participants. I came in 44th, which is awesome! You can see the full results on the Steel Sports Adventure Racing website. I didn't really know how much I'd like this whole racing thing, but I have to say - after the high of finishing Saturday's event, I'm hooked! I can't wait to do another one.
So that was my weekend. How was yours?
We arrived at Tyler State Park on Friday, around 4:00pm, and immediately set up camp. We then proceeded to carb load and drink a bottle of wine by our cozy fire. I don't put much stock in carb loading, but honestly if there is an excuse to load up on carbs, I will take it. The wine, well - secret weapon? Sure, why not.
We woke up the next morning at 6:30am. It was cold and I didn't want to get out of my Hennessy Hammock, but I forced myself to hop into the morning light. The sky was cloudy and it started to rain lightly, so we ate peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches and drank coffee in the car. Then we headed to the area of the park that would serve as the race's check-in and transition area. By that time, it was pouring rain and I was worried. I was pretty sure I could run and bike all the miles of the race, but doing 15 miles in the pouring rain? Scary. Luckily, the rain stopped at about 9:45am, just in time for a 10am start. We gathered at the mouth of the first loop and then we were off!
Nathan and I didn't stick together for the race, since he's a speed demon and I'm still in the beginner stages of pretty much everything. The first leg of the race was a 2.5 mile trail run. I kept a pretty good pace, even passing a few people, and finished in about 25 minutes. Not bad! After the run, we ended up in the transition area, where I put on my helmet, guzzled some Gatorade, and then hit the trail on my bike. Next up was 10 miles of trail riding, and the trails in Tyler State Park are very, very hilly. I'm in pretty good shape, but wow. What a challenge! It took me about an hour and a half to finish biking all the trails and by the end I had no hills left in me - I had to get off the bike and walk it up the last few inclines. By the time I rode into the transition area, I was ready to take a nap. Unfortunately, I still had to complete the final leg of the race - another 2.5 mile trail run!
When I rolled into the transition area to drop off my bike, Nathan was already there. He'd finished the whole race about ten minutes earlier and he was cheering me on. He decided to run the last leg of the race a second time, with me, and it was a huge help. Chatting while I plodded along made the pain in my legs easier to ignore, and with his encouragement I finished the last few miles in just 30 minutes - a great time considering how exhausted I was!
Overall, Nathan finished 9th out of 65 participants. I came in 44th, which is awesome! You can see the full results on the Steel Sports Adventure Racing website. I didn't really know how much I'd like this whole racing thing, but I have to say - after the high of finishing Saturday's event, I'm hooked! I can't wait to do another one.
So that was my weekend. How was yours?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
happy birthday nathan!
Aw! Two pictures of us, from the Valentine's day party we attended this past weekend. We clean up nice!
Also: today is Nathan's 28th birthday! I'm working a half day in honor of this momentous occasion. We're planning to do various fun things this afternoon and then sit down to a special dinner, which I am way looking forward to preparing. I love birthdays, even when they are not mine, and even though Nathan is not half as excited as I am. I do right by birthdays, and they never fail to do right by me.
Happy birthday, Nathan!
Also: today is Nathan's 28th birthday! I'm working a half day in honor of this momentous occasion. We're planning to do various fun things this afternoon and then sit down to a special dinner, which I am way looking forward to preparing. I love birthdays, even when they are not mine, and even though Nathan is not half as excited as I am. I do right by birthdays, and they never fail to do right by me.
Happy birthday, Nathan!
Monday, February 16, 2009
coming soon
Due to a perfect storm of technological setbacks, I am unable to post any of the awesome photos I've taken these last two weeks, all of which document the fun, friends, and foods that define my days. Instead, I will grant you a preview of what's to come, and hope that you are, for the moment, sated.
+ I baked the fudge pecan pie from La Dolce Vegan, which was ooey and gooey and so chocolately it made me teeth hurt and my stomach sing out in joy.
+ On Valentine's day, Nathan and I went to a special "heart opening" yoga class; sat on the branches of a Magnolia tree and drank the bottle of fancy wine we purchased in Fredericksburg on our anniversary trip; and attended a potluck party at the yoga studio, which featured live jazz and a makeshift photo booth. It was the best Valentine's day ever.
+ I dressed fancy for the party, and people noticed! I think I will strive to be fancier on a more regular basis. It's fun, and owning a pair of vegan cowboy boots makes it easy.
+ On Sunday morning, we stayed in bed, drinking coffee, reading, making Seamus sing, and eating cinnamon rolls, which I baked from scratch! And they were good!
+ We kidnapped Sonnie and went to see Coraline in 3D that afternoon. Coraline was very good - the 3D was exciting, the story was a good combination of dark and cute, and the stop motion animation was flawless, which made the slow beginning seem not so slow.
+ I toyed with the idea of starting a vegan food blog or tumblr account, but since I rarely create my own recipes it's kind of pointless. Instead, I'm just going to make occassional food posts here. To kick things off, I will leave you with two old photos. These are pictures of the Eggplant and Pine Nut Rolled Lasagna from VeganYumYum that I've raved about again and again. My photos are not nearly as nice as Lolo's but you get the idea. This is the best lasagna ever, and you should make it this weekend, if not sooner.
This is the inside of the lasagna. The pine nut cream is luscious and rich and can't be beat. The original recipe recommends frying the eggplant strips in oil, but since I'm lazy and don't like tending to a frying pan, I baked them in the oven until they were brown and crispy. I've made this both ways and didn't taste a difference, so personally I recommed the baking method. I also added some fresh spinach from the CSA.
I baked a double batch for the Progressive Dinner, just about filling up a pan. Rolling up the noodles is more fun than you would think; eating the lasagna is positively thrilling!
+ I baked the fudge pecan pie from La Dolce Vegan, which was ooey and gooey and so chocolately it made me teeth hurt and my stomach sing out in joy.
+ On Valentine's day, Nathan and I went to a special "heart opening" yoga class; sat on the branches of a Magnolia tree and drank the bottle of fancy wine we purchased in Fredericksburg on our anniversary trip; and attended a potluck party at the yoga studio, which featured live jazz and a makeshift photo booth. It was the best Valentine's day ever.
+ I dressed fancy for the party, and people noticed! I think I will strive to be fancier on a more regular basis. It's fun, and owning a pair of vegan cowboy boots makes it easy.
+ On Sunday morning, we stayed in bed, drinking coffee, reading, making Seamus sing, and eating cinnamon rolls, which I baked from scratch! And they were good!
+ We kidnapped Sonnie and went to see Coraline in 3D that afternoon. Coraline was very good - the 3D was exciting, the story was a good combination of dark and cute, and the stop motion animation was flawless, which made the slow beginning seem not so slow.
+ I toyed with the idea of starting a vegan food blog or tumblr account, but since I rarely create my own recipes it's kind of pointless. Instead, I'm just going to make occassional food posts here. To kick things off, I will leave you with two old photos. These are pictures of the Eggplant and Pine Nut Rolled Lasagna from VeganYumYum that I've raved about again and again. My photos are not nearly as nice as Lolo's but you get the idea. This is the best lasagna ever, and you should make it this weekend, if not sooner.
This is the inside of the lasagna. The pine nut cream is luscious and rich and can't be beat. The original recipe recommends frying the eggplant strips in oil, but since I'm lazy and don't like tending to a frying pan, I baked them in the oven until they were brown and crispy. I've made this both ways and didn't taste a difference, so personally I recommed the baking method. I also added some fresh spinach from the CSA.
I baked a double batch for the Progressive Dinner, just about filling up a pan. Rolling up the noodles is more fun than you would think; eating the lasagna is positively thrilling!
Friday, February 13, 2009
a day for love
I know my boyfriend cares about me, because for Valentine's day he bought me the vegan cowboy boots pictured above. Yes, yes. This is love.
We don't usually do Valentine's day but we're making an exception this year. Part of that exception is going to the yoga studio for a potluck, martini bar, faux-photo booth and jazz performance. I'm very much looking forward to it and have spent most of the morning trying to decide what to bring, food-wise. So far I've settled on the Fudge Pecan Pie from La Dolce Vegan (which, I discovered via the Google, has a typo in the recipe. Google to the rescue!) As far as a main dish goes, I'm stumped and am opened to any and all last minute suggestions.
The next few weeks are going to be really busy. Tomorrow is Valentine's day. Next week I'm presenting to three separate education classes on campus, making Nathan a super delicious dinner for his birthday, and competing in the Heartbreak Duathlon in Tyler. The week after that I'm going to Washington D.C. for five days, to attend the best conference ever (WebWise Oh Nine!) and have an impromptu college reunion with Scott, Rachel and Ella. Woot! In between those weeks, my first story will be handed in and workshopped in class. The business doesn't end there, but I'll spare you the Google calendar. Suffice to say the coming weeks will bring you and the Internet many photos, stories and indulgent navel gazing. I can't wait!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
adventures in debt
If you do not care about my erratic Adventures in Debt series, then skip this post. For the rest of y'all, here's a little update.
Since November, I've been tracking our spending and since that time, we've aimed to consciously spend less. This has been met with mixed success, but things appear to be improving. First, the good.
+ I've been paying $600 a month on my credit card and putting $100 a month into savings. These are my goals and sticking to them is exciting.
+ Since I'm taking a class this semester, I no longer have to pay $30 a month for the Rec Center.
+ We're in the process of switching from cable Internet to DSL, which will be a little more reliable and slightly cheaper. Not sure how much cheaper yet, but every little bit counts.
+ We have not spent any money on the bar in two months and have cut back quite a lot on alcohol consumption in general. Good for the wallet and for the beer gut.
+ We've kept our heat at 68 degrees for most of the winter, and saved about $40 a month while piling on sweaters and blankets. The last few days have been pretty warm, so we've turned off the heat entirely and I hope we don't have to turn it on again until I desperately need AC in June.
Now for the bad...
- Nathan got his difference check and we splurged in Lufkin last weekend. Granted, we bought clothing and shoes and other necessities, so it's not all bad. But I still felt a twinge of guilt.
- We ate out way too much in January. Hopefully eating every single meal of February in our kitchen will balance this out.
- Somehow my "free" class cost me $220. This was a one time fee so I won't have to pay it again, but it was still an unpleasant surprise. Good thing I love my class.
- Things keep popping up! Nathan's birthday, a dentist appointment, the duathlon next week, DC at the end of the month. Most of these things have been planned for and taken into account, but being frugal while on the road is hard. I promise to do my best!
Overall: I feel like my finances are under control, my debt is lessening, my credit card remains safely in a lock box (literally), and my job is both stable and enjoyable. All things considered, I'm doing better than a whole lot of other people out there right now and for that, I'm very, very grateful.
Related Ad: Student Credit Cards
Since November, I've been tracking our spending and since that time, we've aimed to consciously spend less. This has been met with mixed success, but things appear to be improving. First, the good.
+ I've been paying $600 a month on my credit card and putting $100 a month into savings. These are my goals and sticking to them is exciting.
+ Since I'm taking a class this semester, I no longer have to pay $30 a month for the Rec Center.
+ We're in the process of switching from cable Internet to DSL, which will be a little more reliable and slightly cheaper. Not sure how much cheaper yet, but every little bit counts.
+ We have not spent any money on the bar in two months and have cut back quite a lot on alcohol consumption in general. Good for the wallet and for the beer gut.
+ We've kept our heat at 68 degrees for most of the winter, and saved about $40 a month while piling on sweaters and blankets. The last few days have been pretty warm, so we've turned off the heat entirely and I hope we don't have to turn it on again until I desperately need AC in June.
Now for the bad...
- Nathan got his difference check and we splurged in Lufkin last weekend. Granted, we bought clothing and shoes and other necessities, so it's not all bad. But I still felt a twinge of guilt.
- We ate out way too much in January. Hopefully eating every single meal of February in our kitchen will balance this out.
- Somehow my "free" class cost me $220. This was a one time fee so I won't have to pay it again, but it was still an unpleasant surprise. Good thing I love my class.
- Things keep popping up! Nathan's birthday, a dentist appointment, the duathlon next week, DC at the end of the month. Most of these things have been planned for and taken into account, but being frugal while on the road is hard. I promise to do my best!
Overall: I feel like my finances are under control, my debt is lessening, my credit card remains safely in a lock box (literally), and my job is both stable and enjoyable. All things considered, I'm doing better than a whole lot of other people out there right now and for that, I'm very, very grateful.
Related Ad: Student Credit Cards
Monday, February 09, 2009
weekend plus one
+ MaryT's orzo recipe was a success - so delicious and filling that we ate it two nights in a row!
+ Bought some new clothes in Lufkin with Nathan's difference check. Big news! I purchased my first, specifically-for-work purple article of clothing. Did you catch that? See, SFA's color is this terrible, overwhelming purple, and faculty and staff are encouraged to wear purple on Fridays. For two years I have shunned this practice, because I do not have school spirit and I do not like purple. And yet, it seems that something inside me has shifted. I'm not sure how I feel about this, and I still hate purple, but my new shirt is fancy and grown-up and that makes me happy.
+ Saw the film Trouble the Water at the art gallery. There was the biggest crowd yet and we had to stand the whole time, but we'd brought pints of Double Chocolate Stout and we could lean on each other, so I didn't mind. The film was good, so good, and you should watch it as soon as possible.
+ On Sunday, we played flag football at the field with a bunch of people - some who knew how to play football, some who had no idea (like me). I mostly ran back and forth across the field and laughed a lot. At one point I caught the ball and ran with it for about five or six feet. This was an amazing moment for me, and this past weekend's Moment of Glory. Later, I was thrown the ball a second time and I dropped it. Eh. You can't win them all. I also got to try out the sports setting on my camera and that was fun. Pictures coming soon!
+ OrangeJuicy's Shepard's Pie with Lentils. So good.
+ Relaxing. Relaxing is really hard for me but on Sunday, I made a concerted effort to sit on the porch, enjoy the lovely weather, and do... nothing. At least for fifteen minutes. It was nice, and I think I should try and make this whole "relaxation" thing a regular occurrence. We'll see, we'll see.
+ Bought some new clothes in Lufkin with Nathan's difference check. Big news! I purchased my first, specifically-for-work purple article of clothing. Did you catch that? See, SFA's color is this terrible, overwhelming purple, and faculty and staff are encouraged to wear purple on Fridays. For two years I have shunned this practice, because I do not have school spirit and I do not like purple. And yet, it seems that something inside me has shifted. I'm not sure how I feel about this, and I still hate purple, but my new shirt is fancy and grown-up and that makes me happy.
+ Saw the film Trouble the Water at the art gallery. There was the biggest crowd yet and we had to stand the whole time, but we'd brought pints of Double Chocolate Stout and we could lean on each other, so I didn't mind. The film was good, so good, and you should watch it as soon as possible.
+ On Sunday, we played flag football at the field with a bunch of people - some who knew how to play football, some who had no idea (like me). I mostly ran back and forth across the field and laughed a lot. At one point I caught the ball and ran with it for about five or six feet. This was an amazing moment for me, and this past weekend's Moment of Glory. Later, I was thrown the ball a second time and I dropped it. Eh. You can't win them all. I also got to try out the sports setting on my camera and that was fun. Pictures coming soon!
+ OrangeJuicy's Shepard's Pie with Lentils. So good.
+ Relaxing. Relaxing is really hard for me but on Sunday, I made a concerted effort to sit on the porch, enjoy the lovely weather, and do... nothing. At least for fifteen minutes. It was nice, and I think I should try and make this whole "relaxation" thing a regular occurrence. We'll see, we'll see.
Friday, February 06, 2009
creativity blah blah blah
I spent the last two and a half days at a summit on creativity and innovation, which was being held on campus. The conference was... okay. There were some good presentations, some good ideas, but overall - eh. I was expecting something a little more general, if that makes sense. Sessions and speakers with ideas and methods that could be applied to a variety of fields and passions. Instead, most people focused on education and creativity in the classroom. Which is fine, and is relevant to my job in a cursory sort of way but, like I said - eh.
This morning's keynote speaker was Dr. Sharon Nichols, who has a book titled Collateral Damage: How High-Stakes Testing Corrupts America's Schools. She was an engaging speaker with a great presentation, but holy shit. Depressing! At some points I felt like crying and left the session very concerned and afraid for the education institution in general. Dr. Nichols ended her talk with this song, which would be cute and funny if it only it wasn't true.
Scary.
In other news: it is Friday, and that means we should be happy and cheerful and not lamenting the future. Instead, let us consider our plans for the next 2.5 days - orzo and Amelie tonight, clothes shopping on Saturday, and flag football on Sunday. I think I'm going to flex my baking muscles and attempt a new recipe - cranberry scones, maybe, or perhaps cinnamon rolls. Who knows! At any rate, I'm aiming for a semi-quiet and relaxing weekend, which is harder than it sounds. Wish me luck - I'm sure I'll need it.
This morning's keynote speaker was Dr. Sharon Nichols, who has a book titled Collateral Damage: How High-Stakes Testing Corrupts America's Schools. She was an engaging speaker with a great presentation, but holy shit. Depressing! At some points I felt like crying and left the session very concerned and afraid for the education institution in general. Dr. Nichols ended her talk with this song, which would be cute and funny if it only it wasn't true.
Scary.
In other news: it is Friday, and that means we should be happy and cheerful and not lamenting the future. Instead, let us consider our plans for the next 2.5 days - orzo and Amelie tonight, clothes shopping on Saturday, and flag football on Sunday. I think I'm going to flex my baking muscles and attempt a new recipe - cranberry scones, maybe, or perhaps cinnamon rolls. Who knows! At any rate, I'm aiming for a semi-quiet and relaxing weekend, which is harder than it sounds. Wish me luck - I'm sure I'll need it.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
and the winner is...
Atlatl is the word of the day, and that makes Andrea our winner! But I seem to remember saying something about all of you being winners and guess what? I wasn't lying. To claim your prizes (a box of goodies for Andrea, and super awesome postcards for the rest of you wordsmiths) please email your address to me at christine (dot) hennessey (at) gmail (dot) com. I promise not to put you on weird mailing lists, sell your information to the government, or stalk you in any physical manner (that's why we have the Internet!)
Thanks for playing along and making my first contest such a fun experience! We'll have to do this again somtimes.
Monday, February 02, 2009
worth the wait
We finally finished repainting the kitchen cabinets, and not a moment too soon. I like the way they turned out - the green matches the rest of the walls, the brown matches the bookcases that Nathan built, and the dull and dreary brown wood paneling that once graced the room is no more. I recognize that these colors together are a little kitschy, but I think that adds to the charm. All in all, it's a good space for cooking and creating and that is, of course, what counts. You can see more green and brown angles on my Flickr account, as well as lots of photos from Saturday's Progressive Dinner and surprise birthday party.
Also: today is your last chance to enter the contest! I'll be pulling words from a hat tomorrow and posting the winner some time that evening. And remember - everyone gets a postcard no matter what, so you literally have nothing to lose.
Happy Monday!
Sunday, February 01, 2009
silver lining
I sort of dropped the ball on this impostor color week thing. In my defense, I spent Thursday and most of Friday languishing in Huntsville, Texas - a trip which proved to be not as bad as I had predicted, but still nothing worth snapping your camera at. Thursday was purple, a color which I don't particularly like and had already done during round one. Therefore, I am skipping purple and heading straight for silver. I hope you don't mind. Also, I did not do a good job of letting you know who the rest of the color week participants are - be sure to check out the colors that Sonnie, Chay and MaryT found lurking around this last week.
The edge of a framed photo featuring Nathan and I; the contents of my silverware drawer; a necklace on my neck. I didn't realize how much I like silver, but I think it might be my favorite color after green.
This weekend was also a favorite, as it involved a surprise birthday party for Mr. MRT's 30th. The surprise involved weeks of planning and culminated in a long day of shooting guns with some of the guys while the rest of us cooked up a storm and decorated three separate houses - MaryT had decided to throw her huzz a progressive dinner. This is a dinner where each course is served at a different house - appetizers and cocktails at stop one, main courses at station two, and coffee and dessert at location three. There was a plethora of good eats, lots of lovely friends, and one very surprised birthday boy. A successful evening in every way and photos are, of course, coming soon.
In the meantime, I am settling in for the night, hoping my Internet connection can last through the latest episode of Lost, reading through the short stories due for class tomorrow, and making herb scalloped potatoes from Veganomicon. A perfect end to a perfect weekend.
The edge of a framed photo featuring Nathan and I; the contents of my silverware drawer; a necklace on my neck. I didn't realize how much I like silver, but I think it might be my favorite color after green.
This weekend was also a favorite, as it involved a surprise birthday party for Mr. MRT's 30th. The surprise involved weeks of planning and culminated in a long day of shooting guns with some of the guys while the rest of us cooked up a storm and decorated three separate houses - MaryT had decided to throw her huzz a progressive dinner. This is a dinner where each course is served at a different house - appetizers and cocktails at stop one, main courses at station two, and coffee and dessert at location three. There was a plethora of good eats, lots of lovely friends, and one very surprised birthday boy. A successful evening in every way and photos are, of course, coming soon.
In the meantime, I am settling in for the night, hoping my Internet connection can last through the latest episode of Lost, reading through the short stories due for class tomorrow, and making herb scalloped potatoes from Veganomicon. A perfect end to a perfect weekend.
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