I should really start blogging again.

I miss it. And I miss my community of blogofriends. (My phone really wanted that to be blogosphere. I typed that sentence largely to make it feel better.)

I found myself on the train this morning actually wishing that I kept a paper journal still, how very odd. I think there is something enjoyable about the physical act of writing that I must have been missing. Let's face it though, just typing is hard enough on a moving bus/train/cab, writing wouldn't be the visceral pleasure I'm thinking of at all! Perhaps this spiffy app will at least be fun for short posts or picture posts, even if it's not actually writing...

Headed down to the bar for a drink with an old friend, hope you're enjoying your Saturday night as well.


-- Posted from my iPhone

Small Can Be Big

Wow - what is this update page? I haven't seen it in so long, I barely remember it! I've been busy and not as connected as is customary, so my blogging has suffered considerably but I wanted to take this chance to introduce you all to my new favorite way to help folks in need. Similar in some ways to Kiva.org, though this is for donations and not microloans, Small Can Be Big uses local charity organizations to find families with a specific, fundable need. You get to pick the family you want to help, and any size donation is added to the pot, until the need is met. Then they turn the funds over to the sponsoring charity to pay the medical bill, or the heat, or the security deposit - whatever relatively minor cost is standing between that family and security.

In these insecure times, I've been very fortunate despite my intermittent work life. None of my colleagues are having to decide what bill to pay. (Yet.) None of my friends and family are going hungry. (Yet.) None of my loved ones are in danger of losing their homes. (Yet.) The people Small Can Be Big is trying to reach out to are people just like the ones you and I love, just a little less lucky. If you feel similarly, skip that lunch out at work, or that trip to Starbucks, and spend that money instead on helping someone at Small Can Be Big.

Disclosure statement: One of my old friends is partially responsible for Small Can Be Big. So yes, I'm biased. And more to the point, quite proud of him,

Photos.

Day 39 ~ 12/12/08

Yikes. Working "Tappy Holidays" at Symphony Space. Shoot me.

Day 38 ~ 12/11/08

My favorite piece of ad work - the poor, huddled statue makes me want to give her the coat off my back. This shows up each year around this time, in support of the NY Cares Coat Drive.

Day 37 ~ 12/10/08

Sometimes the traffic really does just look like a puzzle game.

Day 36 ~ 12/09/08

What a cheerful sight to see on my way in from the cold!

Day 35 ~12/08/08

So pleased was I to see even a little snow, I had to stick my hand in it.

Day 34 ~ 12/07/08

Looking out at the church window. I can't shake the oddity of this space.

Day 33 ~ 12/06/08

Detritus of a birthday party (a very LOUD birthday party) outside the church/theatre.

Day 32 ~ 12/05/08

Rushing out to buy a tree before another day of tech rehearsals.

Day 31 ~ 12/04/08

9th Avenue as seen through the Christmas tree stands.

Day 30 ~ 12/03/08

Here's a stop that could use some mosaic. This is the dreariest station in the city. The E at 50th.

Day 29 ~ 12/02/08

What's greener? Fake trees or real? I say real - I'm always in favor of oxygen producing factories!

Day 28 ~ 12/01/08

Sky outside Ikea.

Day 27 ~ 11/30/08

Can anyone explain my obsession with the fire escape when it rains?

Day 26 ~ 11/29/08

Things are coming together at work. Just about ready for tech.

Day 25 ~ 11/28/08

Sadie the Sleepy Dog grabs the Comfy Chair.

Photos.

Day 24 ~ 11/27/08

Sadie gives her "uncle Dave" a kiss.

Day 23 ~ 11/26/08

Finally had to take down the map...

Day 22 ~ 11/25/08

A picture of pictures. I liked the light in my living room.

Day 21 ~ 11/24/08

Last day at Baruch! A planter out front.

Day 20 ~ 11/23/08

Window at St. Clement's, a theatre/church.

Day 19 ~ 11/22/08

One of the ubiquitous water towers.

Day 18 ~ 11/21/08

More art - above ground. These tree houses are an installation at Madison Square Park.

Day 17 ~ 11/20/08

This is one of my favorite subway mosaic - all up and down the platform are these hats, coupled with a tile showing the name of the famous person to whom the hat belonged. I suspect that the hats are all at the height of the person who wore them.

Day 16 ~ 11/19/08

A pencil case with speaker boobs.

Pies are squared

Tomorrow's meal should be excellent, though I certainly reserve the right to totally screw it up between now and then. Today I did as many of the advance things as possible, in hopes that tomorrow morning won't be totally crazy. (Ha!) I went ahead and made the dough for rolls, since it wants to chill in the fridge anyhow, though I'll have to shape them tomorrow. I'm not crazy about the wine I ended up using in the wine jelly, so that might be a flop, but the custard to go with it is just now off the stove and cooling, and that will be outstanding. I've never bothered with green bean casserole before - I love green beans, but I usually just saute them with some shallots and garlic (in the wok for thanksgiving - it's really the only pan the right size for a serious mess of beans). This year I'm branching out. I saw an episode of Good Eats in which Alton made a version of the ubiquitous holiday dish using actual real food. And it looked really GOOD. Which wasn't something I expected from green bean casserole. So I had to try it. It's looking pretty good in my fridge right now, all sexy in its cast iron skillet, just waiting for some last minute oven time.

One of today's tasks was the bourbon pecan tart. I'd actually decided against making it, because Dave's mom is bringing two pies, but I really like it, and neither of the pies is pecan, much less pecan with bourbon. I tried something new this time, using bourbon as the liquid in the crust - it certainly made a nice smelling and easy to work with crust, tomorrow will tell about the taste. It probably won't matter, since the filling is pretty intense, but  it was fun. I did find myself doing pie math though. Seriously. π r², quite literally. The recipe is for a 9" tart pan, and I only own an 11" tart pan, so I needed to figure out the amount to increase the filling. Turns out, in case you ever find yourself in a similar situation, to increase a tart from 9" to 11" (assuming the same height), you need one and a half times the filling. I'm bad enough at remembering to straight double or halve things, so I'm sort of impressed that it turned out so well. I really should just recopy the thing with the right measurements for the 11" pan. It's not like I'm going to get another tart pan, well, ever really.

But yeah, thanks geometry. Way to help out with the holiday dinner!

Photos.

Day 15 ~ 11/18/08

Candles seem to warm away the winter chill. Or maybe that's just the stove.

Day 14 ~ 11/17/08

Leaving home on the way to work. I hate winter in some ways. I miss daylight.

Day 13 ~ 11/16/08

There have been a lot more soldiers around the National Guard Armory lately, which is fine, it's the armory after all, but this scene, with the military vehicle and the ordinary life all around it made me think a lot about the Army unit assigned to domestic duty. It seems to blatantly defy the Posse Comitatus Act. I can't even have a simple photo project without getting all political. Sheesh.

Marriage Equality Rallytime!

Yesterday afternoon (at least, it was afternoon if you were in eastern or central time) there were rallies in 300 cities in all 50 US states as well a several other countries, supporting marriage equality. While there were plenty of "Shame on you, California" signs still about, the focus of the rally here in NYC was largely on the positive of what we want, not the negative of Prop 8 and its brethren.

Here are  a few of the pictures that I took yesterday, though none of them are especially fantastic, at least it can give you some idea!

You know how I adore the constitution! 

This was one of my favorite signs. ("Whoever said that orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed.")

This girl had the right idea! Climbing on something seemed the only way to even see where the stage might be!

Another good sign. I like the positive ones best. 

Of course, some negativity is pretty funny, especially when it's Wizard of Oz related!

There was something especially affecting to me about this girl. She seemed very intense to me.

While it's hard to argue that the Mormons are not an excellent lightning rod, I think that focusing on them is ultimately a losing battle. 

 

The police had cordoned off lots of areas like this, which made me think of Naomi Wolf's "Give Me Liberty", in which she laments the limits placed on public assembly.