I need to cook
It has been way too long since I made something decadent. But here’s the deal, every freaking book is so freaking vague about directions!
Do I look like a guy who understands heat at medium…I mean does the dial say medium? Is it literally half-way around the dial?
I need “Cooking For Dummies”…and the sad part is, whatever I make turns out great according to friends but is this the best way to cook it? Am I doing it right so the taste of the ingredient comes out?
I know I know, “approach love and cooking with reckless abandon”. I guess I am more Zen than that…I need to know that the dish tastes like it was supposed to…now don’t get me wrong, I love to muck around and change it…but I need to know how its meant to be done before I can do that!!!
One more book that tells me “heat on medium low until its about to turn brown but hasn’t” I will pop a gasket
Have asked these two beautiful people for help -- Belle & Jamie
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Friday, February 10, 2006
A Third World New York Life
New York life for me is one of extremes...today I ate bad chinese take out watching a world class chef prepare truffles followed by 6 jellybeans while watching chefs duke it out for the best designed desserts (why 6? because the counter top jelly bean machine my roomate has vends 4-6 at a time)
I spent an hour going through cnet.com scouring digital camers, their pixel capacity, manual features, LCD screens, apertures, focal points followed by a 15 minute calculation of how much I can spend each day until payday followed by a 20 minute conversation with one of my best friend on how to invest in mutual funds in India.
Talk about extremes.
I wondered if I could afford to do laundry this weekend continued with a mental list of uh, 'product' (inside joke) that I want to get ...
I'm already thinking of Sunday next (night before President's Day) and if Ash wants to have dinner either at Tao or Pastis
God help me.
I spent an hour going through cnet.com scouring digital camers, their pixel capacity, manual features, LCD screens, apertures, focal points followed by a 15 minute calculation of how much I can spend each day until payday followed by a 20 minute conversation with one of my best friend on how to invest in mutual funds in India.
Talk about extremes.
I wondered if I could afford to do laundry this weekend continued with a mental list of uh, 'product' (inside joke) that I want to get ...
I'm already thinking of Sunday next (night before President's Day) and if Ash wants to have dinner either at Tao or Pastis
God help me.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Things That Make Me A Little Less Of A Cynic...
...and actually make me happy...i hope this is true...or at least, i ....pray
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?"
The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:
"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
Rebecca- age 8
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
Billy - age 4
"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other"
Karl - age 5
"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
Chrissy - age 6
"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
Terri - age 4
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
Danny - age 7
"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss"
Emily - age 8
"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,"
Nikka - age 6(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."
Noelle - age 7
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
Tommy - age 6
"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."
Cindy - age 8
"My mommy loves me more than anybody .
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."
Clare - age 6
"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
Elaine-age 5
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
Chris - age 7
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
Mary Ann - age 4
"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."
Lauren - age 4
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (what an image)
Karen - age 7
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross."
Mark - age 6
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
Jessica - age 8
And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.
The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
"Nothing, I just helped him cry"
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?"
The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:
"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
Rebecca- age 8
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
Billy - age 4
"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other"
Karl - age 5
"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
Chrissy - age 6
"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
Terri - age 4
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
Danny - age 7
"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss"
Emily - age 8
"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,"
Nikka - age 6(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."
Noelle - age 7
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
Tommy - age 6
"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."
Cindy - age 8
"My mommy loves me more than anybody .
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."
Clare - age 6
"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
Elaine-age 5
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
Chris - age 7
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
Mary Ann - age 4
"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."
Lauren - age 4
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (what an image)
Karen - age 7
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross."
Mark - age 6
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
Jessica - age 8
And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.
The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
"Nothing, I just helped him cry"
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Who Knew?
Everything happens for a reason….but is there a reason behind everything that has already happened?
Yes.
That was an errand thought that words playing around handed me.
I had a chance to be good yesterday. I was walking home from the gym when I saw a credit card lying on the sidewalk. Now the thing is, I am broke…and I surprised myself when I picked up the card to find a lost and found number behind it…
Its just after I dialed it in did I realize I could use it…so what do you think I did??
Today I saw another person return something that was valuable. This typical self-styled New Yorker with long hair and a trench-coat reached behind to feel for the key. As her hand moved out of her pocket, the keys fell out (ironic isn’t it? Thought she wouldn’t have thought so). The man behind her picked up and she thanked him.
I guess no storm over the Atlantic Ocean
I’m going to pick two:
One: it was the 11th grade and this representative from this prestigious British school had come down to announce a scholarship to complete the 11th and 12th grade. I believe 4 of us appeared for the test – 8 hours long in English, Math, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History and a foreign language (German). I actually made it through to the interviews where there were a total of 10 hopefuls 9and mind you, this was a nation-wide scholarship).
If a bird has to crap, it will hold on until it finds me.
I came in third, a substitute in case one of the two selected stood down and didn’t go. (I later learned that both their parents knew the Chancellor of the school….go figure, isn’t that a convenient co-incidence?)
Now, because I didn’t get through, I stayed on, did a year in my home country, got fed up with it, came to the
Talk about a string of events having an awareness
Two: this was the year in the college I did in my home country. One of my closest friends of the time made me fill out a form for AIESEC , this student run body that I knew nothing about. Now of course, I remember it all very well. It was a $15 form, I was a wiseass and remember for the question: the biggest challenge you have ever faced, answer: thinking of something clever to say on this form
I got through.
There was a national conference for all new recruits and the train ride took two days.
I saw her sitting alone in a purple T-shirt (she insists she never had a purple one) reading a Sidney Sheldon. She was the only one reading. I had to talk to her.
5 and a half years later, I’m still in love with her
…because of a $15 form and a wiseass remark…
who knew?
PS: i saw the site for the school for the first time today...almost said, "It looked nice"...
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
The Thing About Being Broke...
...its no fun
Especially when you walk in to your room and see the leftover ends of your subway sandwhich...just to put another on the plate
Yeah...so anyway, it comes back when its the weekend and you are wondering if the chicken you bought and left in your freezer a month and a half ago is still okay...
And people wonder why money is such a great incentivizer (dont knwo if thats a word but I will borrow it from "the Office"
Bloomberg magazine did an interesting piece on the effects of money, gaining and losing it, on the mind; guess what, its the same as sex. No cigars there.
But then again that would explain that quickening of breath and well, I'm sure, dilating of the pupils.
Hm, I guess I always wanted a lot of things...no, not in the sense that "Mommy! I want that toy!!", believe me, there was the usual dose of that. More in the sense that the neighbors got a new Merc and my Dad is driving the smaller, second car, my car which the valet at the 5-star refused to park. I guess that was one of those moments that you grow up in a flash.
And people say others don't understand the value of money.
I want my house to look like the one in my head. I want her to be decked in diamonds that women drool over and other men wish they could have. I want I want I want and god damn it, I'm not ashamed of it.
Yes, I will be the day I live just to make more money, when spending time with her in the park is less important, when I don't have time to be with her and my child.
Money is the purest form of trading labor (both, physical and that in the realm of ideas and thoughts). Apropo John Galt from "Atlas Shrugged"
Hm, there is much I have to learn
Especially when you walk in to your room and see the leftover ends of your subway sandwhich...just to put another on the plate
Yeah...so anyway, it comes back when its the weekend and you are wondering if the chicken you bought and left in your freezer a month and a half ago is still okay...
And people wonder why money is such a great incentivizer (dont knwo if thats a word but I will borrow it from "the Office"
Bloomberg magazine did an interesting piece on the effects of money, gaining and losing it, on the mind; guess what, its the same as sex. No cigars there.
But then again that would explain that quickening of breath and well, I'm sure, dilating of the pupils.
Hm, I guess I always wanted a lot of things...no, not in the sense that "Mommy! I want that toy!!", believe me, there was the usual dose of that. More in the sense that the neighbors got a new Merc and my Dad is driving the smaller, second car, my car which the valet at the 5-star refused to park. I guess that was one of those moments that you grow up in a flash.
And people say others don't understand the value of money.
I want my house to look like the one in my head. I want her to be decked in diamonds that women drool over and other men wish they could have. I want I want I want and god damn it, I'm not ashamed of it.
Yes, I will be the day I live just to make more money, when spending time with her in the park is less important, when I don't have time to be with her and my child.
Money is the purest form of trading labor (both, physical and that in the realm of ideas and thoughts). Apropo John Galt from "Atlas Shrugged"
Hm, there is much I have to learn
And Their Grandmother's Faces...
I guess anyone reading this would want a bit of a preamble. Now, if it were someone who knew me reading this, they know it isn’t forthcoming.
But to be reasonable, I doubt anyone will read this…least of all me in a years time
: o)
Anyway, so Saturday night we went to Nikki Beach, invitation (table) courtesy Ash’s boy du jour. Well, he seems enough a nice guy and I hope he lasts.
Let’s see.
Interesting place, Nikki Beach…first reaction – this is where the models come out and play. I of course felt terribly out of place (I had come directly from a Lifehouse concert and was looking a bit water logged, my glasses steamed up, my boxers ride up where the sun don’t shine). Now usually I go with the flow and love melting in…then again I was a snowball thrown into hell with not much chance of fitting in! Who cared though…
Now, coming back to it, interesting place this…all the women have the bodies and clothes of 25 year olds and the faces of their grandmothers. The men wear $500 shirts (or something like that), are balding with potbellies that would fit the part of the grandfather in an Italian movie.
I don’t know, it felt sad…or at least felt like an attempt to never grow old. Now I’m not saying stop partying when you grow old…just…I hope its with a woman you love and now a grown-up sorostitute.
I spent too much money on drinks that barely did it for me. SB I guess got comfortable with me. No, not like that…I don’t think I would ever want it like that again….anyway, I digress, what I meant is that she hung out with me without acting weird…finally…I guess 7-8 drinks would make the Pope comfortable with me.
Anyway, she got drink, armed herself with a limplumper and hilarity ensued. Then again, do I need a lip-plumper?? Ye gads….
Ash and her boy were quite comfortable till the bouncer made us leave. We headed back to his place…which in hindsight was a bit hm, intrusive of me but I figure everyone was drunk (everyone at this point being the 4 of us). Bolla tried to find music to play while those two spooned and made out on his bed.
He lived on the 29th floor. The view is of the city.
: o)
How could my mind resist waxing poetic to no one and everyone alike? It was heartbreaking to realize I would never be that young as I was that night…
Well, the thing with the city is there are times I can be with friends and be lonesome, with strangers and feel as though it were the company of my oldest friends…go home to find peace just to find this grayness I still don’t get.
Well anyway, moving along…next purchase – digital camera for me…one with b/w mode
Why? Not to fight growing old, to remember what it was like to be young
But to be reasonable, I doubt anyone will read this…least of all me in a years time
: o)
Anyway, so Saturday night we went to Nikki Beach, invitation (table) courtesy Ash’s boy du jour. Well, he seems enough a nice guy and I hope he lasts.
Let’s see.
Interesting place, Nikki Beach…first reaction – this is where the models come out and play. I of course felt terribly out of place (I had come directly from a Lifehouse concert and was looking a bit water logged, my glasses steamed up, my boxers ride up where the sun don’t shine). Now usually I go with the flow and love melting in…then again I was a snowball thrown into hell with not much chance of fitting in! Who cared though…
Now, coming back to it, interesting place this…all the women have the bodies and clothes of 25 year olds and the faces of their grandmothers. The men wear $500 shirts (or something like that), are balding with potbellies that would fit the part of the grandfather in an Italian movie.
I don’t know, it felt sad…or at least felt like an attempt to never grow old. Now I’m not saying stop partying when you grow old…just…I hope its with a woman you love and now a grown-up sorostitute.
I spent too much money on drinks that barely did it for me. SB I guess got comfortable with me. No, not like that…I don’t think I would ever want it like that again….anyway, I digress, what I meant is that she hung out with me without acting weird…finally…I guess 7-8 drinks would make the Pope comfortable with me.
Anyway, she got drink, armed herself with a limplumper and hilarity ensued. Then again, do I need a lip-plumper?? Ye gads….
Ash and her boy were quite comfortable till the bouncer made us leave. We headed back to his place…which in hindsight was a bit hm, intrusive of me but I figure everyone was drunk (everyone at this point being the 4 of us). Bolla tried to find music to play while those two spooned and made out on his bed.
He lived on the 29th floor. The view is of the city.
: o)
How could my mind resist waxing poetic to no one and everyone alike? It was heartbreaking to realize I would never be that young as I was that night…
Well, the thing with the city is there are times I can be with friends and be lonesome, with strangers and feel as though it were the company of my oldest friends…go home to find peace just to find this grayness I still don’t get.
Well anyway, moving along…next purchase – digital camera for me…one with b/w mode
Why? Not to fight growing old, to remember what it was like to be young
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