E-Readers and Their Ilk: Call Me Old-Fashioned (Or Vain)

Everything is electronic these days: music, streaming video, and increasingly, books. I jumped on the bandwagon with enthusiasm for streaming and electronic video, as well as for music, albeit music has brought about some mixed feelings. One form of e-media I have not yet partaken of: e-readers.

I love the idea of streamlining, eliminating clutter, and living lightweight and seemingly care-free. Electronic media most definitely aids this. But my reality is quite the opposite: I have stuff, and lots of it. Some I need, some I don't, but there it is. I cram it in closets and squeeze it onto shelves. Books are a large part of this equation.

So why haven't I converted my Billy bookcases and cardboard boxes of books into one lithe little Kindle? I love the look, feel, and variety of books. Blame my publishing background, but I think it goes back much further than that. The outward design of each book foretells the mood of what's inside. Sure, the e-readers have images of all that stuff, but it's just not the the same. You can't display it in your home. I think of my books as a gallery of sorts: a text and pictorial display of all that interests me. It's out there in full view to everyone who enters my home. Such would not be the case if my library were neatly contained in a Kindle. That's also why I have some mixed feelings about e-music. People can take a look at my CD rack and see, "Oh, she likes indie, classical, jazz, hip hop, but NO COUNTRY." It tells people something about me. But maybe a CD selection isn't quite as revealing as a book collection, and that's why I was less resistant to e-music. A CD is a CD, whereas a book is determined not just by its content, but also its edition--hardback, softcover, antique, or contemporary. Maybe I don't want to just read George Eliot, I want to read George Eliot from an edition actually printed and bound in the 19th century. Choice of edition, as well as choice of content says something about the reader.

So, in spite of environmentally-friendly and clutter-eliminating reasons, I cling to old fashioned, crack-open-the-pages books. Why?

Because I'm vain.

Losing Weight is Hard

Stating the obvious, I know.
Now I'm going to state the brutally honest, in hope that it will embarrass me so much that something will have to change: I need to lose 30 pounds. I weigh more than my 5'10" male friend (I'm 5'3"). True, he's naturally very skinny, but still.
When I lived in NW Portland, I walked everywhere, and my weight was stable and reasonable. Now, I live too far to walk places, and must resort to going to the gym to get exercise. I've been going consistently once a week, but clearly, that doesn't cut it. I have a trainer (ending soon due to budgetary constraints), and I'm definitely stronger because of it, but as far as slimming down and cardiovascular health, I need to exercise more often. Now it's imperative that I make myself exercise regularly, because I won't have the weekly appointments with her anymore. I need to make an appointment with myself.

I have the pulse of a hamster. That's got to change.
My stomach looks like a kitten is living in it. That's got to change.

Bottom line: I'm wasting my remaining, fleeting youth.
I know how to eat well to feel well: lots of whole grains, fiber, fruits and vegetables, but I'm inconsistent about it. I hate wasting things, so I'm reluctant to throw out the junky stuff in my kitchen, even though they're bad for me.
So I'm aiming to go to the gym three times a week like I used to; that should improve things.
I realize that this is a boring post, but I wrote it for my benefit, not anyone else's.
OK, my moment of completely embarrassing disclosure: I weigh 157 pounds.
There, I said it.
I should weigh around 125.
Hopefully, I will be able to report back in a few weeks with a slight reduction. Progress. My hamster-like pulse calming down.
I'll let you know. For me, not for you.

Been a Long Time...

Haven't posted anything since this summer, because I got burnt out trying to make my vacation posts too detailed. But I've returned! Since my last post, I've been on two super great vacations. First, to Amsterdam, Bosnia, Croatia, and Montenegro, and recently, to New Orleans. Quite the contrast.
Anyway, I've picked out a few of the best photos from each excursion.

First, Mostar: the Old Town is beautiful and the bridge has been rebuilt since the war in the 90s. Venture into the modern portion of town, and you'll find shelled out buildings on nearly every block. In spite of that, it's a pretty, green city.

















Below this, a photo of Dubrovnik. I loved Dubrovnik. Touristy? Yes, but wonderful and relaxing all the same. Full of history and the good life. You'd never even guess that a war raged here 15 years ago.
















Now I'm on to New Orleans, where Derek and I spent a week this December. I believe it is now my second-favorite U.S. city (after Boston). It doesn't have to be the ra-ra frat boy party town. Your experience there is whatever you choose to make it. People there are friendly, relaxed, and funny, and the city is an interesting mix of gritty and grand. I want to go back.

I just realized that the last two vacations we've taken involved places recovering from disaster: Croatia and Bosnia suffered through war in the 90s, and New Orleans was partially destroyed from Hurricane Katrina. Each locale differs in attitude in the wake of these disasters, but at their individual cores, they all want the same thing: to rebuild and thrive.

Oh Yeah!

In two and a half weeks, Derek and I will embark on our next adventure: Amsterdam and the Balkans!

We start off in Amsterdam:After a transfer in Budapest, Hungary, we arrive in Sarajevo, BiH:
See the old bridge in Mostar, BiH:
Relax in Dubrovnik, Croatia:
Experience the beauty of the Dalmatian coastline in Korcula:

Wind things up in the big city of Split, Croatia:

Three Weeks With Henry

Derek and I both fell in love with the same individual. A triangle of sorts, but a happy one: a golden retriever named Henry.
I took care of my landlords' dog Henry for three weeks while they were on a Rick Steves' tour in Italy. He is the best dog in the whole world. I'm not exaggerating.
What fun we had! Dog parks, a hike and a splash in the mud at Sauvie Island, watching windsurfing and drinking beer at a dog-centric pub in Hood River, mojitos on the deck upstairs, a hike and swimming at Lost Lake, and dog parks galore. Henry even found a girlfriend at the Gabriel Park dog park: a cute, shiny black poochie named Luna.

One of his most endearing points was that he stomped his feet and raced through the house when he was excited. He memorized the distinctive sound of Derek's car, and would run to the front door to meet him before he even parked his car.
Goodnight Henry, we love you. Looking forward to our next adventure together!

I Totally Forgot About This Idea

Surprise, Surprise, having trouble finding a job. I know I am not alone in this problem. Seriously, even a volunteer position never called me back. But suddenly, while cooking asparagus a la Julia Child and simultaneously drinking martinis, I remembered that [back when I had a job] I had wanted to hit Ken Forkish up to ask for an internship at either his bakery or pizzeria. He used to be on Facebook, but now I can't find him on there, no email address, so I guess I'm going to have to do it the old-fashioned way: snail mail letter. But reflecting upon this, it seems somehow appropriate: old-world traditions for making bread, pastry, and pizza meet old-school method of communication. I mean, back in the day, Jacques Pepin's daughter used to head up the evening dinner service at the bakery. So tomorrow, when I am martini-free, I will draft the most convincing letter ever about how much I love the craft, and want to learn about it, and hopefully, this will be my entrée into the culinary world. We'll see.

Winding Down

It's the last regular week of class before the reading period, and then finals begin. Am I relieved? Yes. Am I super confident and prepared for finals? No. But that's what the reading period is for.
What am I going to do this summer?

• Take care of Henry for three weeks! I'm looking forward to having a doggie friend.
  
• Find a job? Hopefully.
• Go on vacation? Definitely. Maybe Japan, as Iceland is looking obviously unreasonable. Maybe a national park. Maybe Ecuador.
• Take a class to get ahead? I think it's probably too late to register, and frankly, I don't want to. I need a break.

Any other ideas?