this overwhelming world

Beautiful music is so profound. I can’t describe why even, but ...

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:13:47 -0700

Beautiful music is so profound. I can’t describe why even, but these sounds just make me feel like the universe is communicating something important with me. You know that when Nickel Creek musician Chris Thile and Yo-Yo Ma get together, something just absolutely unworldly is going to result. I don’t know why this particular song, but the quiet section in the middle, when the main riff starts up, with the bass after a more disjointed section… unreal. I can’t even handle it! The entire album of the Goat Rodeo Session is life-changing as well. LISTEN.

Song obsession of the moment.

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:28:13 -0600

Song obsession of the moment.

"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence..."

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:27:35 -0600

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”

- Albert Camus

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:58:57 -0600

I love this poem. It kills me every time. For me, it holds special meaning about the instability and sometimes bitter fight of life, especially when it comes to questions about meaning and existentialism.

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

- Dylan Thomas

Thomas Moran was a 19th century painter who accompanied the...

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:43:17 -0600

Thomas Moran was a 19th century painter who accompanied the earliest expeditions to explore the region of Wyoming now called Yellowstone. His paintings, one of which is shown above, captured the landscape and played an important (if slightly underdocumented) role in convincing Congress to establish Yellowstone as the first National Park in 1872. I personally have been visiting Yellowstone since before I was born (yes, I do mean in the womb), and can imagine no more beautiful place on earth.

Painting © Thomas Moran.

Kevin Drum on the Debt Deal

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:22:00 -0600

“It’s a shit sandwich no matter how you look at it. And it’s a shit sandwich in at least two very specific ways: (1) It means we’ll continue to live in a fantasyland that says we don’t need any tax increases even though our population is aging and we’re plainly going to need higher revenues to support this demographic reality. (2) We’ll continue to live in a fantasyland that says our problems are primarily caused by discretionary spending. This is, of course, exactly the opposite of reality, which means we’re going to screw the poor and do nothing serious about the long-term deficit. Nice work, adults.”

UNREAL. Lewis Black owns my life!

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 10:16:26 -0600

UNREAL. Lewis Black owns my life!

"If you are going through hell, keep going."

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:15:53 -0600

“If you are going through hell, keep going.”

- Winston Churchill

My Drunk Kitchen

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:06:00 -0600

My Drunk Kitchen:

This is UNREAL. Hilariousness defined.

"You–only you–will have stars that can laugh."

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:31:32 -0600

“You–only you–will have stars that can laugh.”

- Antoine de St. Exupery, in Le Petit Prince

"Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes."

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 17:50:17 -0600

“Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.”

- Author Unknown

Nothing like Vegan Pancakes in the Morning

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:30:00 -0600

Okay, I’m not a Vegan. I wish I were. But I LOVE many vegan versions of just about everything; breads (especially Banana Bread), crepes, and other foods (like curries, etc.) But the vegan-version I REALLY love is vegan pancakes, with THIS recipe:

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg replacer (http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=7678.0)
1 cup nondairy milk (I use soy)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup white all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Mix wet ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mix dry ingredients in a larger bowl.

2. Pour wet ingredients into dry; mix well until smooth consistency.

3. Drop ladlesful onto medium heat (preheated) pan. Flip over when each pancake begins to bubble on top.

Serve with vegan buttery spread (if desired) and maple syrup.

HINT: At higher elevations, maybe use less baking powder (reduce by 1/2-3/4 tsp).

It’s absolutely unreal. I always use half a mashed banana as the egg replacer, and unfortunately most times have to use non-soy milk by virtue of my family not buying soy milk frequently. Top it with syrup, or brown sugar and pecans (my favorite) or fold in some chocolate chips or mashed/sliced bananas (or all of the above) into the batter and you have yourself a MEAL. Also great for topping with fruit.

From: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=16252.0

Scene: January 1960, a reporter asks Winston Churchill: “Sir Winston, what is your comment on...

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:23:03 -0600

Scene: January 1960, a reporter asks Winston Churchill:

“Sir Winston, what is your comment on the prediction made the other day that in the year 2000, women will rule the world?”

“They still will, will they?” He replied.

From Man Down by Dan Abrams

"You’re only what you give back."

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:57:58 -0600

“You’re only what you give back.”

- Imogen Heap

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc I need like… approximately 3...

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 22:20:52 -0600

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

I need like… approximately 3 more Sorkin seasons of this TV show.

Screen caps from http://www.screenmusings.net

"No matter what they wish for, no matter how far they go, people can never be anything but..."

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:47:19 -0600

“No matter what they wish for, no matter how far they go, people can never be anything but themselves. That’s all.”

- Haruki Murakami

"You live life forward, but understand it backward."

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:39:00 -0600

“You live life forward, but understand it backward.”

- Abraham Verghese, in Cutting for Stone (which I highly recommend)

"You are not accidental. Existence needs you."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 22:03:00 -0600

“You are not accidental. Existence needs you.”

- Stephanie Tolan

“You can kiss you family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time...

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 20:28:00 -0600

“You can kiss you family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world, but a world lives in you.”

- Frederick Buechner

"People have phenomenal capacity."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 20:21:00 -0600

““People have phenomenal capacity.””

- Aaron Sorkin, via Jed Bartlet on the West Wing