I'm excited about New Year's. It's been several years since the last time I was excited about the passing of one year to another. Usually it's the time I bemoan all the if onlys and what ifs, and am filled with a sense of restlessness. I think the last time I was excited about New Year's was when I went with a friend to the USS Hornet.
But this year is filled with anticipation. Because we have traditions and I finally appreciate them.
It started 5 or 6 years ago, when we were driving home from some event famished. The only business open on our route at 10pm Dec. 31st was a fancy Chinese restaurant. We had spicy eggplant, braised garlic green beans, and were introduced to vegetable mu shu. After that, we had Chinese food at the end of each year--sometimes sit-down, sometimes take-out, with or without friends.
As my family has become more educated and concerned about our food sources, the tradition has wavered. Not this year. This year I'll make everything at home. It'll be organic and free of MSG, just the way mom likes it. Instead of being purely Chinese food, there will be a combination of some of our favorite Asian dishes.
On the menu: spicy Sichuan eggplant, braised garlic green beans, sweet and sour chicken, Vietnamese spring rolls, coconut rice, sweet rice and mango, and caramel apples.
The caramel apples are just because.
A lot of these dishes I've experimented with in the past, so I'm not totally winging it. I really can't wait to see the spread and will certainly take pictures.
Our other tradition is more recent and a little less original. We gorge on movies. One year it was all Marilyn Monroe, and then Audrey Hepburn. My brother boycotted so we had a sci-fi/fantasy fest (it was the happy medium) with oldies like Dark Crystal, Willow, and The Princess Bride. This year we're going for a mix of dance movies (A Chorus Line), martial arts (The One), and humor (Mr. Bean's Holiday). It'll be great fun with our new, downsized living room and projector system.
I'm also excited because I finally am doing something I've wanted to for a long time. I'm volunteering at The Poverello House before all my family festivities.
There can't be a better way to finish off this insane year than giving time to those less fortunate.
Happy New Year!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Snowboarding Makes Me Happy
I went snowboarding for the first time this past weekend. I had been debating participating past the snow bunny stage, but when we arrived at Badger Pass everything was too good to resist. It was an incredible day, the powder was perfect, and there was next to no one on the slopes.
As I signed the if-I-die-I-will-not-sue-you form I told myself to just ignore the little knot that threatened to fill my stomach. After all, I'd survived being hit in the head with a ski lift once, I'm sure I could handle anything this venture could sling at me.
My friends kindly bought me a lesson which I took gleefully. People tend to hate the slow person on the slopes, but not when they're part of a posse with an instructor. We practiced on the flat and it went well. We went up the slope and it went very well. The only time I spent on my bottom was when I was told to by the instructor.
So, despite the yearly warnings of broken limbs, sprained muscles, frozen tushes, and various bruises, I escaped unscathed. I even got on the lift properly on the first try! Ah. The smooth gliding without having to worry about one leg deciding to go in the opposite direction of the other. The sun, the snow. It was just so GREAT!
I will add pictures of the slopes and sunset when blogger deems me worthy.
As I signed the if-I-die-I-will-not-sue-you form I told myself to just ignore the little knot that threatened to fill my stomach. After all, I'd survived being hit in the head with a ski lift once, I'm sure I could handle anything this venture could sling at me.
My friends kindly bought me a lesson which I took gleefully. People tend to hate the slow person on the slopes, but not when they're part of a posse with an instructor. We practiced on the flat and it went well. We went up the slope and it went very well. The only time I spent on my bottom was when I was told to by the instructor.
So, despite the yearly warnings of broken limbs, sprained muscles, frozen tushes, and various bruises, I escaped unscathed. I even got on the lift properly on the first try! Ah. The smooth gliding without having to worry about one leg deciding to go in the opposite direction of the other. The sun, the snow. It was just so GREAT!
I will add pictures of the slopes and sunset when blogger deems me worthy.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
The Selling Point of Rebellion
Have you seen the short clips from Converse?
You can see them here.
They're "about being original" according to the byline at the top of the page. Instead they tote the usual party line of individuality, activism, and solidarity (though I've never figured out how the first two reconcile with the last one), while of course wanting to sell you shoes.
Pricey shoes at that. If you hunt the sale bin, you can find two styles for $29.98 (plus s/h, of course), but otherwise the low end seems to be $40 and the high $100. I know, I know--as a card carrying member of the girly girl clan I shouldn't bat an eye at shoes over $40.00, or anywhere under $2000 for that matter. The fact of the matter is that I buy my oh-so-cute heels at department store sales for under $20 and my rocking Reeboks in the children's department of Ross for $9.99 (small feet are convenient).
I'm getting sidetracked by the shoes, so before I digress further I should probably make my point. How does paying $46.98+ s/h for torn up shoes make me a smarter, more active and caring individual than the stereotypes in the clips? How does buying shoes relate me to the individuals they're promoting?
If I wear torn up sneakers to make a statement, I hope they come from the Salvation Army for $6 and that I spent the $40+ I saved to do something more important--like start a fund to establish the Armenian homeland.
One goal of this campaign is effective. They ask that you "just don't do nothing." But they seem to want to irk, shock, and incite you to action. Is it really a good thing to have people acting out of anger and frustration? When did encouragement and inspiration be deemed ineffective?
I must have missed the memo. And the shoe sale.
You can see them here.
They're "about being original" according to the byline at the top of the page. Instead they tote the usual party line of individuality, activism, and solidarity (though I've never figured out how the first two reconcile with the last one), while of course wanting to sell you shoes.
Pricey shoes at that. If you hunt the sale bin, you can find two styles for $29.98 (plus s/h, of course), but otherwise the low end seems to be $40 and the high $100. I know, I know--as a card carrying member of the girly girl clan I shouldn't bat an eye at shoes over $40.00, or anywhere under $2000 for that matter. The fact of the matter is that I buy my oh-so-cute heels at department store sales for under $20 and my rocking Reeboks in the children's department of Ross for $9.99 (small feet are convenient).
I'm getting sidetracked by the shoes, so before I digress further I should probably make my point. How does paying $46.98+ s/h for torn up shoes make me a smarter, more active and caring individual than the stereotypes in the clips? How does buying shoes relate me to the individuals they're promoting?
If I wear torn up sneakers to make a statement, I hope they come from the Salvation Army for $6 and that I spent the $40+ I saved to do something more important--like start a fund to establish the Armenian homeland.
One goal of this campaign is effective. They ask that you "just don't do nothing." But they seem to want to irk, shock, and incite you to action. Is it really a good thing to have people acting out of anger and frustration? When did encouragement and inspiration be deemed ineffective?
I must have missed the memo. And the shoe sale.
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