Scribbit | A Blog About Motherhood in Alaska

Barbie Meets the Mouse

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

While going about her chores on Saturday Grace happened to walk by the bedroom she shares with her younger sister where inside, Lillian was playing with her dolls and carrying on an in-depth conversation in strict Barbie-to-Barbie fashion as only a first grader can do in that kid-sized falsetto pitch.

Says Barbie #1: Ooooh! What do you want to do tonight?

Says Barbie #2: I know! How about we go to a movie?

Barbie #1: I LOVE movies--what movie should we see?

Barbie #2: How about we go see Life of a Dead Mouse? I've heard that's a good one.

Barbie #1: I'd LOVE to see Life of a Dead Mouse--it sounds like a good movie. . . .

Grace wandered downstairs and informed me of the conversation going on above our heads. Chuckling I asked her why didn't hadn't noticed that Life of a Dead Mouse was playing (I can only assume it wouldn't be a Disney production). Apparently I missed it's premier amidst the Harry Potter craze.

"Oh I'm not interested in seeing it," Grace said with a smile.

"Really?" I said.

"Yea, I heard it was really, really cheesy," she said.

I don't know which one cracks me up more, my youngest or my oldest.

Sponsored by Tiny Prints for the holiday party invitations for children.

Passion Fruit Cheesecake

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

A while ago my mother gave me a jar of passion fruit puree (and you know she's been out of the country for two years so that shows you how long it's been). I keep it frozen and whack off junks as I need them but honestly? How often does one require passion fruit puree?

Well I found this recipe for passion fruit cheesecake that uses it and not only is the shortbread crust the best I've had on a cheesecake, the tartness of the passion fruit is perfectly balanced in this light summery dessert.

It's really worth getting a jar of the puree for yourself just to be able to make it. If you're in Anchorage M&M Distributors are my source for odd ingredients like that. They carry all different kinds of fruit purees along with syrups for hot chocolate, inexpensive dry-packed yeast, all sorts of restaurant stuff you won't find at the supermarket.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons nuts, finely chopped
6 ounces butter, melted

Filling:
1 1/2 pound cream cheese
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
3 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup passion fruit puree

Directions:
Make crust by combining dry ingredients in a large bowl. Melt butter and add to dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. When incorporated, press evenly into nine-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.Combine cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add corn starch and blend. Add eggs and mix thoroughly, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla and sour cream. Mix until smooth and fold in passion fruit puree. Pour batter into a springform pan and bake at 300 degrees for approximately one hour and thirty minutes, or until set. Cool slowly and completely refrigerate for several hours.

Sponsored by Beau-Coup for unique baby shower favors.

Blush Giveaway

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Got a fun little item here to show you here--something to fix those fashion glitches and prevent unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions.

Thank goodness that whole belly thing has gone out of style because after all my pregnancies some things are better left a mystery. Like my stomach. But being tall it's hard to sometimes find shirts long enough.

The solution? Blush offers shirt extenders that are tubes for your midsection to lengthen the coverage between your tops and those low-rise jeans.

While the idea works well with regular folks it's particularly well-suited to maternity wardrobes. If you have one of these little contraptions you can not only extend your shirts but the life of your wardrobe as your stomach swells. They come in all sorts of colors and with various edgings but this week's winner will get to try one out, courtesy of Blush. Just follow the directions below.

Here's how to win:

Before 12 am Monday morning click here to reach the giveaway entry form then enter your name and email. I will pick one of the names at random, contact the winner via their email and publish the winner's first name and home town in next Tuesday's post. See the bottom of the entry form for more details.

This giveaway is open to readers with a U.S. address, good luck!

Junk Food for the Soul

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:20:00 +0000

It's not exactly original but the books-as-food metaphor works for me. There are books that are like whole grain health with a side of zucchini to teach and inspire, the books that are poisonous (stuff that rots your brain inside out) and then there are the bubblegum books. They're fun, they're quick and oh how sweet they are.

In fact, they're hardly books at all and really more like hardbound screenplays, with their focus on action and plot over character or strength of language and unity but so help me I love them.

I go in cycles, reading heavy stuff here and there then I'll rebel and go crazy binging on the literary equivalent of Doritos topped with fake neon liquid Velveeta goo and let me tell you I've been on a binge lately (probably because I can read them with only half of my brain, making it conducive to my life of forced multi-tasking that I lead while my children are out of school.)

Anyway, I'm partial to mysteries and thrillers and though I've made my way through most of John Grisham's and Dan Brown's novels I've been reading Harlen Coban lately. He is actually a old college friend of Dan Brown's and starting writing with the first of a series of 8 detective novels (which I haven't touched) but then sneaked in a few stand-alone thrillers that I've gobbled up. Tell No One was the best though No Second Chance wasn't bad either and there are others. Oh yes there are others.

I'm very partial to historical fiction and on someone's recommendation just started Outlander by Diana Galbadon. So far so good (the beginning was a little slow but it has picked up once the time travel thing kicked in) though I'm barely started and it's 630 pages (or something like that). Hardly a quick read--and me only partly into things. As a side note . . . I met Gabaldon at a mystery writer conference several years ago along with Michael Connelly, Anne Perry and a few others that are now starting to surface on the shelves--you'd have to look up Anne Perry on Wikipedia to get the full appreciation of her bizarre life. And I mean bizarre.

Anyway . . . then once I'm finished with this one I have Lauren Willig's Masque of the Black Tulip waiting that was also recommended. A historical fiction mystery that picks up where the Scarlet Pimpernel left off, it promises to be a jolly good read.

And isn't that what summer is about?

My Favorite iPhone and iTouch Apps. So Far.

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

I already mentioned how excited I was to try out the new iTouch and I was thrilled to get so many great recommendations for new apps. (I won't tell you how much time I wasted looking at apps and thinking about apps and installing apps and playing with apps . . . it would just disgust you).

But I made progress and I've found a few that I'm pretty excited about. I've got a list here and to those who made such great suggestions, a big "Thanks!"

As it happens today is my day to chaperone at cub scout camp so it'll be a good thing I have my iTouch . . . I'll be off in a corner playing Pac Man while the boys go at it with Dodge Ball.

1. Crossword Light.
I'm a huge crossword fan (I credit my love of crosswords for allowing me to completely dominate Andrew at Scrabble . . . though that's a bitter story that is best left for another day) so one of the first apps I ferreted out was a crossword puzzle. This one is the "light" version and only has a few puzzles but I can try it out for free and see if I like it before going for it's "paid" older brother version. That's actually a nice way to go. Most good apps have a free "light" version that gives you a taste (kind of like Baskin Robbins with their mini spoons) before you have to invest in a couple dollars for the meatier thing. Niiice.

2. Pandora Radio
A few of you recommended this free app (thanks!) and I felt sheepish that despite having heard about Pandora here and there I had no idea what it was. I'm still not entirely sure, all I know is that I can now listen to digital quality radio via internet by artist. I can type in a group I like (say the Killers or Muse) and they'll not only pull up their songs but others they think I might like. It's really fun. Of course with the iTouch it must be on a wifi system so you have to be in range of a signal.

3. Flixster
Another recommendation and another free app from another nice commentator and being the movieaholic that I am I grabbed this one first thing. It allows you to see movie times and recommendations as well as trailers and other juicy tidbits.

4. To Do's
I am a consummate list maker. One of the first things I do in the morning after hoisting my bones out of bed is to sit down and make a list of the things I need to do. Crossing things off is a rush of endorphins every time I put that pencil to paper (and I prefer using pencil). However this sweet little to do list program helps me keep everything in one spot rather than on the various pieces of random paper and backs of receipts that I normally use. Verrrry handy. I think this particular program was a free version (and so far I like it fine--I mean it's a to do list, how fancy do you really need it?) though you can get some that are as much as $10.

5. Spend
Not a bad deal for $.99. This one is a fairly simple budgeting plan that allows you to keep track of a budget then record your expenses. The only problem I've encountered so far is how to change the amount of a certain category without messing with the entire budgeted amount total. Say, I have extra in one account and I want to add it to another account. How do I do that without messing things up? I'm sure there's an answer but so far in every other way I like it.

6. Big Oven
Yet another recommendation--this one for an app that lists 160,000 recipes. Yes, as in enough recipes to feed every household in Anchorage. Twice. So far, so good. I've seen other apps of a similar nature listed but this one was free (are you sensing a theme here? I'm a cheapo at heart) so I'm trying it to see if I'll really use it. Hey, free recipes! Who's going to argue with that?

7. Spongebob Tickler
Bring on the games! Now I could lie and say that I downloaded this one for my kids. However you know I'd never lie to you. Unless I really, really needed to.

Anyway, yes I'm a goober and think Spongebob is funny so I got the free "light" version which made me at least feel good about myself by knowing that I wouldn't actually spend money on something so stupid but nonetheless poking and stretching him and watching him giggle is kind of funny. At least for the first 20 seconds.

8. Labyrinth
Why do I have such a hard time spelling that word? It's like "rhyme" where I have to think about it every time. Must be that Greek "y" thing. Regardless, this game is much more sophisticated than the previous (as if there was anything that could be less sophisticated than touching a cartoon sponge) and I find it not only rather relaxing but somewhat addicting. I like the music it plays while you role the digital ball that you swear is real through a computer maze. How do they make it feel so real? Well however they do it, it's free and it's fun.

9. Hidden Mysteries
Here my love of mysteries comes out. This (also free) game is a sleuthing treat where you look at scenes to solve a crime. This is the app Sherlock Holmes would have if he had an iPhone. I haven't used it much yet but it's very highly rated and so far seems a great deal. Of course it's free so who knows what that means.

10. Flashlight
It is what it is. An app that turns your iTouch or iPhone into a flashlight. For those who like to spelunk while listening to their tunes. I downloaded it (again, free) purely for the thrill of another gadget. Kind of like making my iTouch into a Swiss army knife or something and while I don't know if I'll ever use it, if I have to find my way some day in total darkness with only my iTouch to guide me you can bet I'll be pretty glad I loaded this baby.

11. Light Saber
When I saw this mentioned in the comments I immediately had to go and find it and download it stat. If you aren't a Star Wars fan you might run the risk of devaluing this highly exciting app where you can turn your gadget into a light saber (or the closest thing you'll ever have to it) and can even creat your own Jedi alter ego. Yes, you read that right. You're own Jedi character. Me? I will now be known as Peekup Yermez, the mother of all Jedis.

12. Remote
This one is really, really cool. It turns your iPhone/iTouch into a remote control for your computer or your Apple TV. It's tricky to get it working properly, you have to have your units on the same wifi network but once you get it installed (for free) you can use it to play your computer or tv. Sweet!

13. Finger Piano
Again, very intuitive as to what this app does but I find it strangely fun. I've got the light version but as always you can pay for something fancier if you really want to.

14. Art Gallery
I'm still not finished deciding on some book apps but in the meantime this particular toy allows you to see all kinds of paintings from throughout the history. Interesting and kind of fun. I have another that gives you a tour of various museums which I found but haven't tried yet. Basically, if it's free I'm willing to give it a try. Charge me and I'm much less interested.

Sponsored by YourWeddingDays.com for beautiful bridal shower invitations.

Soap Crayons

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Everyone's heard about making your own recycled crayons or sidewalk chalk but equally fun is making your own soap crayons. You know, the kind you can use for fun art projects either in the tub or on the sidewalk then rinse away?

It's an easy recipe, the only caution is that you want to make sure you don't have white grout in your tub that can be stained by the food coloring (though usually a good product like Soft Scrub can remove any residuals the food coloring might leave behind).

Here's the recipe:

1 cup powdered laundry soap
30-40 drops of food color
water

Mix the dry laundry soap with food coloring then add enough water to turn the powder into a very thick liquid. Pack the mixture into ice cube trays then set the trays out in a sunny place for two days to dry.

Once they're dry just pop them out and they're ready for drawing. Great for bathtime fun!

Sponsored by Pak Naks--decorate your stuff!

Happy Birthday to Me!

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

While I was out camping with the girls last week Andrew decided to take time off and bring the kids down to see me on the Kenai Peninsula to celebrate my birthday.

He brought with him peach pie (a favorite), chocolate pie, vanilla soup (that was once ice cream in a former life) and a present.

An iTouch!

I didn't have much time to look at it while camping but now that I'm home I've been playing and playing with it in utter contentment.

I've downloaded a to-do list application, a budget app, a shopping app, even a crossword app and a few games but my question is: which iTouch/iPhone applications are the best?

Which apps can I not live without because I'm a novice here and am pretty sure there are some great ones out there that will make my life pure bliss from this moment on.

I'm particularly interested in good audiobook or ebook programs but am open to anything with extra helpings of "cool." Which apps do you recommend?

***

Congratulations to Karen of Bloomington, Minnesota (hey! I've been there!) for winning this weekend's celebrity gift basket. Woo hoo!

Alaskan Kayaking

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

So how about that Sarah Palin?? You just can't get away from Alaska in the news, can you?

And I'm going to give you more Alaskan things to think about because you're going to have to listen to the story of my week. Sorry for not answering emails or responding to comments, I was too busy having THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE!!

I should start by saying I've never been a huge camping fan. I've always had a hard time with that whole cold, dirty, bug-infested part. But last week I accompanied 11 teenage girls on a kayaking expedition and if I were to tell you all the wonderful things about the trip you'd be reading pages and pages till you dropped from exhaustion.

We had originally planned on going to Valdez and kayaking on the ocean but when it came down to it the people who were training us worried that the girls would be fighting the dangerous ocean currents and notoriously touchy weather on Prince William Sound so at the last minute we switched to the Kenai Peninsula so we could instead go kayaking on lakes and stay safer.

I was a little disappointed at first but boy was I wrong because we had the most fabulous weather you'll ever see in southcentral Alaska. Our temperatures were around 80 for most of the week (the picture looks rather hazy because of the forest fires burning around the state but it really was very sunny) and instead of using all the layers I packed we spent the week in swim suits and t-shirts, trying fun things to keep ourselves cool.

We camped in the Ptarmigan Creek campground which is about 20 minutes north of Seward. The fee is $14 a night but it's well worth it because the area sits alongside the Ptarmigan Creek where there's a trail that leads from the campground for about 3 1/2 miles along the river up to Ptarmigan Lake. We hiked the trail first thing when we got there (even before setting up camp) and it's very much like the Winner Creek trail back in Girdwood in terms of terrain and difficulty.

At first I was a bit nervous because of all the signs that said things like: "Bear Country: Beware!" and "For the safety of all, do not leave any food, cosmetics, toiletries or anything with an odor in your camp!" The other leader that was with us handed me a can of bear spray and suggested I go first along the trail.

"You just pull this strap here and the trigger unlocks. Then you spray the bear. Just be careful that you're not more than 30 feet from him because it won't work at that distance--you'll just get a cloud of spray that blows away. You need to be able to get him good in the face and the can only has enough spray for about two or three seconds which means it's really just there to give him a distraction so that you can run away."

"So let me get this straight? I see a bear coming at me. The bear wants to eat me. [we've already proven how good I am with wildlife relations after my earlier moose episode] I'm supposed to 'wait until I see the whites of his eyes'? I'm supposed to let him get a good, tasty whiff of me and offer myself as a morsel then get close enough to really make him mad so the rest of you can have time to run away?"

"Pretty much."

"Okay. Just so we're clear here."

So at first I was a bit nervous and did a lot of shouting along the lines of "If there are any bears out there you better back off because I'm armed. With bear spray!" until the temperatures rose and we were all a pack of dripping sweat balls and I pretty much didn't care if there were any bears out there anyway because becoming an h'ors d'oeuvre couldn't be worse that the flies that were attracted by my most pleasant fragrance.

But sweatiness aside it was a great hike. Forget-me-nots and orange wild columbine dotted the forest trail with dogwood and cow parsnip underfoot as we hiked beside the opaquely-green river. It was about as beautiful as you can imagine.

The next few days were all about kayaking. We shuttled our nine kayaks up the road about five miles to the turn off for Upper and Lower Trail Lakes where we packed up and put in.

Grace and I were both in single-man crafts while most of the girls were in doubles. The singles are a bit more unstable but the water was just like you see it here--perfect glass.

We paddled for five miles and the girls did great--even with a sticky rudder and a broken cable to cause some problems they really were amazing and it was one of those perfect days where the weather is perfect, your surroundings are perfect, you're just perfectly content, hoping it all doesn't end.

There were float planes occasionally taking off or touching down on the lake as we made our way across, there were dolly varden and rainbow trout jumping here and there to break the surface and surprise us but the highlight of the trip was when, on our return, we passed directly beneath two large spruce trees where two bald eagles sat perched on the very tops. They were screeching in their distinct way and were watching us as we drifted by then they flew on ahead a bit to two new trees where they watched us catch up only to fly on ahead of us again, screeching and talking.

I would have had pictures of them but it's hard to pull out your camera from the back of a kayak. We ate our snacks and lunches right there on the water, floating along, because there were no places to put out--it was nothing but mountains and spruce trees right down to the water line.

When we finally got off the water it was so warm and lovely the girls all jumped back in the water right there at the lake. Even back at camp it was warm enough that every afternoon we could tramp down to the river and bathe so we could feel more human and evenings were all about sitting around the fire and playing long games of Five Card Mow (rhymes with cow) which will probably warrant a post in itself it was so fun.

On Wednesday Andrew brought the kids down to wish me a happy birthday and I took the kids out on Kenai Lake which is the picture you see here--they all loved it and the only bad news now is that we're thinking that we may have to do it as a family next summer. Maybe by then David will be big enough to reach the rudder pedals and won't have to mope about how he wants to go out in a kayak by himself and why does he have to have a partner?

I think after this trip I can definitively say to Andrew that I am not the outdoor whimp that he thought he'd married afterall. And the girls had as much fun as I did--I kept hearing that it was "the best experience of my WHOLE life!" which must mean that it wasn't too bad of a week.

Who says I'm not an outdoor person? At least as long as I've got my sun.

Sponsored by Wedding Paper Divas for wedding invitations.

Barbecued Pork Salad

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Between the barbecue and the cole slaw this salad just oozes "summer"--everyone loved it and it got rave reviews. Though as for calories it's not one of your lighter salads.

For cole slaw:
1/2 green cabbage, shredded
2 shredded carrots
1/4 shredded red cabbage

For cole slaw dressing:
1/4 cup mustard
1/4 apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
salt and pepper to taste

For salad:
4 cups pulled pork
1 cup barbecue sauce
10 ounces romaine hearts, torn
4 tomatoes

For salad dressing:
1/2 cup buttermilk ranch dressing
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce (or more if desired)

In a bowl mix the ingredients for the cole slaw and in a separate bowl mix the cole slaw dressing ingredients then toss together. Divide the torn romaine among six plates. Mix the ingredients for the salad dressing and set aside. Mix the pork and barbecue sauce then divide among six plates, placing on top of romaine then sprinkling with chopped tomatoes. Add a scoop of the cole slaw and drizzle with the salad dressing.

Sponsored by Tiny Prints for the holiday party invitations for children.

Tori Spelling Gift Basket Giveaway

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Are you interested in a package that's not only fun but full of glamour? Well here's the story: Tori Spelling and her husband Dean McDermott threw a birthday party for their daughter Stella and the many guests received gift baskets just like the one you're about to see right here.

First it includes a cute little stuffed lady bug from Bel Bambini that is also a pretty little night light. You see the Twilight Lady Bug pictured here at right from Cloud B and if you decide to order one of their products you can use the coupon code TSBG-0609 to get a 20% off your purchase through July 15th. Sweet, huh?

You will also find custom made hair bows from Pixie Bows in bright colors such as you see here. Cute, aren't they? I love the little lady bug in the middle, it goes perfectly with the stuffed bug.

But if that's not enough the gift basket also includes a pair of shoes from Robeez in one of their beautiful little garden-themed styles such as this "Happy Garden" style you see here. Lady bugs? Gardens? Get it?

To finish off the sweet package it also has children's detangler/conditioner from Suave in their Fairy Berry Strawberry (and you probably already know how I love Suave's stuff--and detangler is at the very top of my Love List when it comes to children's products).

. . . AND it has healthy food from Boxed Greens to finish off the treat. How great is that?

So how do you win one of these exclusive baskets? Just follow the rules below!

Here's how to win:

Before 12 am Monday morning click here to reach the giveaway entry form then enter your name and email. I will pick one of the names at random, contact the winner via their email and publish the winner's first name and home town in next Tuesday's post. See the bottom of the entry form for more details.

This giveaway is open to readers with a U.S. address, good luck!

Pillow Dolls

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

I'm not sure that "pillow dolls" is the right term for these. They're so cute and sweet it seems a bit too descriptive. Maybe something like plushie princess or softie pies would be better but still, I think they're fun.

The biggest one is about four inches tall, they're just big enough to stuff in a pocket, and I've made a princess, a prince, a evil stepmom/witch (sorry all you stepmoms out there, I'm just going with the Cinderella thing here), a gnome/dwarf/Rumplestiltskin, a fairy godmother (why do godmothers get all the praise and adoration?) and a cat.

Why a cat? Why not? I just thought it would be cute.

This shot shows the group with the knitted bag I put them in which I'd made separately--it's a pattern called "Dante's Purse" and it's easy enough--that link will take you to the pdf pattern file. I thought about making this Fabric Dolhouse but really, I was out of energy at that point and called it good.

Sponsored by YourWeddingDays.com for beautiful bridal shower invitations.

Slacker List

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Continuing in my week of slacking off while I'm camping and roughing it here are a few of the links I've been admiring lately:

Want a party in your mouth? Firecracker cookies made with Pop Rocks would seem to do the trick.

Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls sound like the perfectly perfect-most summer perfection to me.

I don't know what it is but I love these tiny wooden toy acorns. Strange, but there it is.

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes. What else can I say?

And if sweets aren't your thing how about a Chinese Buffet at home?

Complete with Pot Stickers?

And Jolanthe has a deal where you can get FamilyFun Magazine for $5. As in a subscription, not a single issue. Good deal huh?

Sponsored by Pak Naks--decorate your stuff!

Hina Dolls

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

I saw this idea at my friend Jessica's terrific blog: Zakka Life and filed it away for fun this summer with Lillian.

Of course our dolls aren't exactly culturally correct or artistically worthy or anything, they were just fun to make. You see Lily's set up top and here you see mine. Can you tell what my characters are supposed to be? Let's just say it took me a bit of repainting to get them even this normal looking. A painter I am not.

If you can't tell what they're made of it's just those little wooden eggs you can get at craft stores for under a dollar--they fit perfectly in your hand and remind me of Weeble Wobbles. Here's another way of painting them that is also pretty darn cute that was featured on Craftzine.

Sponsored by Pink and Blue for unique baby gifts to make them "ooh" and "ahh."

And It Just Keeps Getting Better . . .

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Why do things happen in groups? Have you ever noticed that? You'll have a stretch where things are working well and humming along and then all of a sudden everything seems to fall apart.

I swear it's been like that here--you remember how I was hit by another car back in June? No injuries except to my beloved minivan and it was all sorts of trauma to get that thing fixed. Don't get me wrong, State Farm was great to us but it was damaged enough they were going to declare it a total loss and you know they never give you enough to actually replace your car. Well our body shop worked with our insurance and worked some more to get it down where we could get it fixed and it's been in the shop for weeks now.

So we're "roughing it" as a one-car family, I run Andrew to work in the morning and pick him up at night on days when I need the car and since it's been summer it hasn't been too bad. Until now.

Andrew was driving back to work on the highway--in the car that he's only had about three months--and he was following a truck that was pulling a boat. There was a seat on the boat that wasn't attached properly and out of nowhere the seat blew off the back at 65 mph. Of course Andrew was okay (I don't like to think about what could have happened) but of all things it landed on his hood, smashing everything up before dragging over the grill and going down underneath the car.

He felt pretty sheepish calling State Farm again to report a second accident before the paint was even dry on the first repairs. Again, not our fault but still . . . I wonder if they have a "bad luck" motorist clause in there somewhere that will knock our premiums up?

And we're still without a car . . .

***

Congratulations to Nancy for winning this weekend's Gamewright Games giveaway!

Sponsored by Wedding Paper Divas for wedding invitations.

Sayonara

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

At least until the weekend. As of now I'm officially incommunicado.

As you read this I'll be somewhere in the wilds of Alaska hiking and camping and kayaking and enjoying my 39th birthday covered in bug spray.

No really, it'll be fun.

Actually, all sarcasm aside, I do think it'll be fun--the weather has been great and I've got all my gear. (The key to happiness is layers, my friends, and layers I have got.)

A wicking layer, a layer for warmth and a layer for wind/rain protection. I'm so well protected I could stop a bullet. Or at least a raindrop.

You'll hear from me when I get back, complete with pictures. As for now, I've got a few here-and-there posts lined up for the week and then you're always free to browse the archives. Here are a few of the places outdoor adventures I've mentioned:

Belgua Point
Winner Creek
Tangle Lakes
Ninilchik

Have a great week!

Watermelon Sorbet

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

We have a Cold Stone near our house and it calls to me. My favorite treat they make is their Dulce de Leche with French Vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, honey and then I add macadamias sprinkled on top. Oh how good it is.

But another close second is their watermelon sorbet which is truly wondrous. I tried making it myself and had pretty good results. Sorbet is so easy to make you don't even need an ice cream maker to whip up a batch.

Perfect for this picnicking weekend.

Oh, and I saw a note that said you could replace the corn syrup in the recipe with sweetened condensed milk as a slightly different treat.

5 pounds seedless watermelon, cut into small chunks (6 cups)
1/4 cup sugar
grated peel of 1 lime
pinch salt
1/2 cup light corn syrup

Using a blender, puree the watermelon to make four cups of fruit blend. Then, in a large pot, bring 1 cup watermelon puree, the sugar and lime peel to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves; season with the salt. Pour in the remaining 3 cups watermelon puree, then whisk in the corn syrup. Pour the watermelon mixture into a shallow plastic bowl and freeze until firm, about 4 hours or overnight.

Let the frozen watermelon soften at room temperature for 5 minutes. Using a butter knife, break up the frozen puree into 2-inch pieces. Transfer the pieces to a food processor in batches and pulse until smooth. Store the sorbet in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 week. Let stand for 5 minutes before scooping.

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Gamewright Games Giveaway

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

We're a game-playing family--I've written before about some of our favorites--so I was pretty excited to be contacted by Gamewright to try out some of their children's games.

I'll say that the timing could not have been more perfect. Summer vacation is cranking along and it's great to have a stash of inexpensive games where you can just point to the shelf and say, "Don't tell me you're bored--pick a box and have some fun!"

I'm particularly partial to non-electronic board games (I'm anti-batteries and anti-screens) and here's a list of what we got to try from Gamewright's 2009 collection:

Ringo Flamingo
You see it pictured here and it's by far the best. As I said it's not electronic but it's all about hand-eye coordination so that not only did our 7 year-old love it but we all had fun playing. It's a little addictive as you try to flip the plastic rings over the flamingos necks. Two thumbs way up on this one.

Pool Sharks
Also a fun game it's table-top pool with a marine theme. Instead of pool cues you have two little plastic trigger-loaded sharks that hit the balls when you shoot them gun-style (though they're not guns, don't panic). The kids liked it though getting the little balls out of the pockets isn't as easy as it could be though that's certainly not a huge issue.

Say Cheese!
A matching game with dice that's good for visual recognition skills with small children. You roll a set of dice then see if the characters on the dice match the cards on the table. If they match you get to keep them and new cards are turned over. Easy concept, but one where you'll find yourself getting beaten by your first grader if you're not on your toes.

Polar Derby
Another dice game but one that is so much a game of luck it didn't go over as well. We tried it out a couple times but lost interest when twenty minutes into it we were still rolling and rolling and rolling and rolling . . . I'd stick with Say Cheese for a better time.

Too Many Monkeys
Another good card game where you try to get all your monkeys in a row but with some fun twists. Like elephants. And giraffes. Oh, and raccoons--we love raccoons. This one has been popular.

Boochie
Another five stars here on this game. You have a multi-sided "boochie" ball that you roll (good for outside or inside) and then players try to throw their bean bags or plastic rings as close to the boochie ball as possible. Once everyone has thrown all their turns you look to see what is written on the top side of the boochie ball then score the game accordingly. It might say that the farthest player gets an extra point or that the player with the closest two items gets two points, whatever. A big hit with Lillian and her first-grader friends and fun for the rest of us too.

Funny Business
This one got mixed reviews here. I didn't care for it and the others didn't really like it but David LOVES it. It's styled as more of a party game for adults where you have a deck of cards, each with the description of a business on it. Say, a recording studio or a dentist's office or funeral parlor or whatever. You draw two cards then are timed as you each try to come up with the best business name that incorporates both businesses. So if you have a bakery and a hair salon you might write down "Cookie Cutter's." Get it? They give you suggestions but I only thought it was alright. But who cares what I think, right? If it keeps my 10 year-old happy it's all good.

This Big!
Another card game where you try to catch fish of varying point values. A good one along the lines of some of Gamewright's other hits like Slamwich or Rat-a-Tat. Though my favorite is still Ringo Flamingo.

But now for the good news! Gamewright has generously offered one winner a chance to own Ringo Flamingo and Hang Four, one of their best from last year's collection. Great summer stuff! Thanks, Gamewright!

Here's how to win:

Before 12 am Monday morning click here to reach the giveaway entry form then enter your name and email. I will pick one of the names at random, contact the winner via their email and publish the winner's first name and home town in next Tuesday's post. See the bottom of the entry form for more details.

This giveaway is open to readers with a U.S. address, good luck!

Someone I'd Like You to Meet: Michelle Fabio from Bleeding Espresso

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

I hope you're all enjoying the beginnings of a great 4th of July weekend--or Canada Day as the case may be. Thank you all for such great comments on yesterday's post, it's nice to hear that so many of you out there feel the same way as I do, gives me a feeling that maybe I'm not so crazy after all.

Anyway. . . on with today's post! Michelle Fabio was June's Write-Away Contest judge and she was kind enough to answer some of my questions.

Her blog is Bleeding Espresso where she writes about her life in Calabria, Italy where she lives with her fiance Paolo and assorted animals. You'll probably pick up many of the details of her life as you read the questions I put to her--she graduated from law school, has great advice for freelance writers, likes to cook . . . a multi-talented and very interesting person.

By the time I got to her last few answers I was drooling just thinking about that fresh mozzarella!

***

I’m so envious of your chance to live in Italy. It’s a place I’ve dreamed of visiting. Give us the best thing about living there and then the worst. Is there a worst? Or is it all just perfection?

The best part of living here for me is the oft-overwhelming feeling of peace I have here; I'm the kind of person that could be happy just about anywhere, but living here simply feels so very right for me. The worst part about living here is that my family and old friends don't live closer than an ocean away.

I know you came to Italy and met your fiancé Paolo when you didn’t speak any Italian and he didn’t speak any English. You’ve got to explain how that worked. It must have been an instant connection or something.

Well, the premise of the question is partly true: it's true that I didn't speak Italian when I landed in Italy, but I was actually already living here (in a village of 300 and only one other English speaker) for a year and a half before I met Paolo. By then I was speaking Italian at a decent level, although the learning process certainly went much faster post-Paolo.

You got a law degree but never practiced law. How long did it take you after your clerkship to decide you wanted out of the law? What prompted it? Did your family have anything to say about it?

Actually I knew I didn't want to practice law before I went to law school. I had always planned on doing something alternative with my law degree, something in legal research and writing, possibly even a lifetime law clerk (I *loved* my clerkship and definitely would've sought out another had I stayed in the States). Writing was always my ultimate goal, and despite the fact that lawyers get a bad wrap for their writing, law school does teach you how to make solid arguments and not leave holes in your writing that others can exploit--very good lessons for a writer of any genre, I think.

My family really didn't say anything to *me* about my decision to come to Italy and not practice law, although if they talked amongst themselves, I don't know. I've always kind of done my own thing, so I don't know that any of this was all that shocking for them.

Do you see yourself living forever in Italy? Would you ever move back to the U.S.? I know you miss family there but which side of the Atlantic feels more like home?

As of right now, I don't envision myself living in the United States for an extended period of time again. I love both my countries (I'm also an Italian citizen), but as I said in the first question, I just feel at peace here. This is where I belong, at least right now--and that's how I live my life, in the now. Plus I also have a family and responsibilities now here too with Paolo, my dogs, my goats, chickens, rabbits, ducks, etc. It's just like anyone else who moves away from "home" even if it's just to another town in your state--you create your new home and if you like it there, you stay and probably don't think too much about 20 years down the road.

You have two goats that get some press on your blog—what other pets have you had over the years? Anything else you’d like to keep?

Actually we recently added another kid to the mix :) I've mostly been a dog caretaker over the years; I've also had a few cats and some fish as a child. As I wrote above, we also have chickens, rabbits, and ducks, but I wouldn't exactly call them pets if you know what I mean. I would love to have a little lamb to go with our kids and someday, if we can find a way to get more land, I wouldn't mind a donkey and/or a horse. I would have a zoo if I could!

I can imagine that learning the basics of a language is hard enough but getting fluent enough to really get the idioms and humor takes some time. When did you get to that point where you could joke in Italian? Is the Italian sense of humor very different from the American? If so how?

Excellent question. I think the Italian sense of humor is actually quite similar in many ways, but our reference points are just so different. Puns, for instance, are quite common here as well, but you have to know those idioms and double meanings well to really get the gist of some of them. And in the same way not all Americans have the same sense of humor, neither do all Italians, so it's a bit of a difficult question to answer. I will say, though, that Italians seem to love variety shows way more than Americans. Weird, but true.

I don't really remember the point when I could joke in Italian, but I do know it's a great feeling to make Paolo laugh :)

What would you say the Italian perceptions of Americans are? Do they have stereotypes? Have you had any personal experiences with this?

Well, some Italians *love* Americans, love to practice their English, would fly to NYC tomorrow if they could. Others think of Americans as introducing many of the nasty things to the world, e.g., McDonald's and everything biggerbiggerbiggeryesssssss! I think it's still pretty common for some Italians to think Americans are wealthy--especially those that travel here.

The only personal experience with stereotypes I can think of is the sheer surprise many here had/have that I grew up eating much of the same food as they did since I grew up in an Italian-American home...I'm pretty sure they thought I hate hamburgers and hot dogs every day, and that I put ketchup and mayonnaise or some kind of sauce on everything (I really don't, I swear!).

If someone was coming to visit Italy and only had one week how would you plan their itinerary?

My best advice is to not think of your holiday as a trip of a lifetime. From the get-go, plan on coming back here so you can really focus on one or two cities in that week and enjoy them rather than flitting around trying to see too much and really losing sight of everything in the process. I'd say fly into Rome, hang out there for most of the week, and hit Florence for two days or so. Then start planning for the next trip.

You come from Pennsylvanian coal country—and Pennsylvania Dutch stock--which seems quite the opposite from the Italian side of your family but have you found any similarities?

STUBBORNNESS! And extreme pride in their heritage. My grandfather was Lithuanian (yet another thrown in the mix), and believe-you-me, you did *not* want to mistakenly say he was Polish....

You’ve had some great posts about freelance writing, what kind of goals do you have related to your writing career? Any projects in the works?

My two most current goals are to start working my way into more mainstream print magazines and also to publish a book or 12 ;) I have a few novels in the works, actually--and by that I mean, I've written most of a first draft of a few, and they're sitting in my computer waiting for me to make time to get back to them.

What was the first thing you ever wrote professionally? As in “got paid for”?

In law school, I wrote case summaries/articles for Philadelphia's The Legal Intelligencer, the oldest law journal in the United States. Thinking about it now, that gig was probably what convinced me I could actually use my legal training and love of writing together, so it's rather appropriate that it was my first paying gig.

You love to read . . . do you read more in Italian or English? What are your favorite books?

I read *way* more in English; I've probably only read five or six Italian books total, but I'm working on it. In Italian books, they use a funny tense that really isn't used in spoken Italian, which means it's a bit more challenging for me; I never learned "book" Italian, only through listening and repeating.

My favorite books are many and vary by mood, but generally Virginia Woolf and Jane Austen are particular favorites. I loved "Chocolat" by Joanne Harris, "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho (which I read in Italian!), Sarah Dunant books, Ladies No.1 Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith, the Mitford series by Jan Karon, Janet Evanovich, Lisa Scottoline, Anita Shreve, Michael Baldacci...so many! I'll read absolutely anything you put before me, especially since buying English books here is quite difficult (and then, expensive).

You like to cook—what is your favorite thing to whip up as a late night snack? What foods do you miss the most from America and what are we missing out on?

This will sound weird, but I really don't do late night snacks. We tend to eat dinner quite late--between 8 and 10 p.m (the latter more in the summer), so there isn't really much snacking going on. If I'm hungry between meals and feel like making something, it depends on what's in season...right now, I'd have a couple figs or slice of melon wrapped in prosciutto crudo or maybe some tahini-less hummus (tahini is hard to find so I substitute peanut butter). In the winter, maybe a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich or popcorn made on the stove with olive oil. Or, you know, a chocolate bar, chips, yogurt, or ice cream--but I don't whip them up ;)

Foods missed from America, in no particular order:

Bacon (yes we have pancetta--delicious but not the same)
Cheddar cheese (yes we have a million kinds of cheese, but nothing like cheddar)
Cottage cheese (ditto)
Different salad dressings
Good mayo (we have it here, but it's more Miracle Whip-y tasting, which I don't like)
Different ethnic foods like Chinese, Mexican, etc. (most Italian cities do have at least a semblance of these, but I live in the boonies)

What are Americans missing out on? Mozzarella made from buffalo's milk, especially with ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and a drizzle of fresh olive oil. Caprese salad made in Italy (as close to Capri as you can get) is like *nothing* you've ever tasted before. And of course I love my prosciutto crudo as mentioned above. And authentic pizza. And oh dear, you really must come and eat your way through Italy!

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Things I've Learned about Blogging

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

I'm coming up on some anniversaries here--I've got a birthday around the corner, I just had a wedding anniversary and then I've been blogging for four years now which kind of puts me in the running for bloggers' social security.

So being all introspective and everything I'm compiling a few things I've picked up over the past four years. Because four years in blogging time is pretty much close to an eternity and what good is all that time if you can't share a bit of it?

1. Bloggers are usually very nice people. In fact, surprisingly so. They're usually willing to answer questions and help out others in the medium and considering that we're talking pretty much total strangers here it kind of puts your faith back in humanity. I mean, if you can get a cross section of the world online and the majority you run across are generally nice and polite then doesn't that say something about the world in total?

2. There are waves of bloggers. When blogging first started you had the Techie Pioneers who blazed the trails followed by the Creative Practical types who figured they'd better give it a try because it seemed fun and it might have a future. Then there were the Me Too's! who heard about blogging on every street corner and finally decided they should see what all the fuss was about followed by the Entrepreneurials who smelled money in the air (though ironically enough to really make that money you had to be at the first or second wave). As more people pick up blogging it changes to mold to the whim of the masses. It sure has been interesting to watch . . .

3. And likewise there are waves of audiences. Or maybe a better way to put it is that audiences rotate. Someone finds your blog and they follow it for a while--how long it is I'm not entirely sure, it's hard to say--then they get to the point where they've seen enough of a blog that they get bored. Then a new set of readers move in and the cycle starts again. You see this with other media as well--magazines, television shows, whatever. There might be a core of hard core fans but generally the majority are a shifting mass that rotate through the cycle of lurking, commenting, devouring, burning out, dropping out.

4. Frequency of posting is more important than you think. In the past I thought that however often you post really doesn't matter--you decide it for yourself and follow your own pace. But now I'm not so sure it's not one of the more critical choices a blogger can make. First, if you're in blogging to improve your writing your frequency of posting will make a huge difference in how quickly your skills improve. It's the difference between exercising once a week and exercising every day. Conventional wisdom in the blogging world has suggested that more is better--up to a certain point at least--and that keeping readers happy with a steady stream of material is the key to success (if "success" is what you're after).

However, as I mentioned in point #3, readers can be a fickle group. They come, they sample, they return for another snack but feed them too richly too often and they get lardy and complacent. If your content is the equivalent of three full buffets a day then your readers will begin to take it for granted and expect more and more to satiate their appetites. You always want them to come to you hungry, right?

So my point is, somewhere out there is a scale that says "on this side you're giving them too much, they're getting fat" and "on this side you're starving them" and you've got to figure out where that point is and balance it against your abilities to produce. I'm not sure I've made the right calls when it comes to this issue. In fact, I'm quite sure I've been very selfish and have considered only my own wants and needs and have probably paid the price because of it.

5. There are only three reasons people read blogs. Education, entertainment or friendship. If you want to be a good blogger then you have to provide at least one of these things but preferrably two or three. I have about 200 blogs in my feed list that I read and the ones on the list are there because of one of three reasons: They teach me something (whether it's about food, crafts, parenting or another culture), they entertain me (usually by making me laugh) or they've been able to create a bond with me where I'm interested in what they're going to say simply because I like them as a person and care about their life.

If a blog can't provide one of these things it won't draw readers.

6. There is a blogging life expectancy. I've watched other blogs pretty carefully over the years and it seems there are stages that all bloggers seem to go through. The first is childhood where you're completely unsure of what you're doing, you can hardly find your way around your template, you're making faux pas right and left but don't even realize it.

Then you get past that and you're into adolescence where blogging is completely addicting. You spend too much time on the computer (at least you have that suspicion), you start to realize how big the blogosphere is and how much there is to learn and you're desperate to jump in and find your place. You start telling everyone that you've got a blog and you're having lots of fun.

Then when you hit blogging adulthood you realize how much time it takes to maintain your new hobby. You wonder if there is more to life than just the blog thing and if you shouldn't be focusing on something else. The workload of keeping things up and commenting hits you and you get very tired.

Finally, of course, is senior citizen status where you've been around long enough to generate some respect simply because you haven't succumbed to death yet. You've set rules for yourself and stick to them out of a sense of self-preservation and reality. You wonder how much longer you have left . . .

My point is, a blog's death can occur at any time along this time line but I've seen it commonly hit at about the 1-year mark. Something about blogging a year tends to make people stop and wonder why they're doing it and if it's not time to move on because that's usually when their blog hits adulthood and is fully grown. So if you're coming up on one year and are feeling that burn out it's not just you . . . it's pretty common.

7. The beauty of the medium is immediacy. But the best posts are those that can sit a bit. Back to the feeding-your-audience metaphor: while I can appreciate the wonders of fast food and have spent more than my share of calories on the joys of onion rings and strawberry milk shakes I do get a better meal from restaurants that take their time to let things braise and simmer and roast. Likewise, while blogging is about "now" and "what next?" I consistently find that the best writing happens when posts are allowed to set, solidify and mellow in between edits.

I know it's hip to think that just slapping words on the page and serving them up in their natural, raw, gritty state is the "real" way to write and to show one's true emotions but it's really a bunch of bologne (okay, perhaps I've taken the food thing too far). It's as I've heard time and time again . . . anyone can write but real writers edit.

8. Having a goal is everything. Of course this is true with everything in life, if you want to be successful then you have to have a plan where you want to go. Even if your plan is just to enjoy yourself you won't fully realize this goal unless you first formulate it.

People get into blogging for all sorts of reasons, none of which are necessarily wrong, but if your goal is to make money you are so completely in the wrong line of work. Not only is it highly unrealistic to think that you'll be able to get into the upper echelon that can make a living in such a volatile field (it's too determined by luck and genius to provide even modest incomes to the majority) but if you're in it first for the money then everything you do will have that shadow of motive behind it which cannot be hidden from your audience. They will eventually figure it out and it will turn them off.

Making money from blogging is completely fine--I personally say "Woo hoo!" every time I see a check with my name on it--but you'd better have a goal and it better be something other than that check if you want to find satisfaction in the job.

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Scooper Ball

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Catch is a great game no matter what but this is the game for those who haven't quite mastered a ball and mitt yet.

Easy as cutting up some old milk jugs and taping up a pair of socks or some rags into a ball (you could use a wiffle ball too though the sock ball is softer on the head and doesn't bounce out as easily).

And if that doesn't float your boat I'm smitten with these Star Wars rings--now that is a fun idea!

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And More Terrariums . . .

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0000

I warned you that I'm filling every glass container in the house with plants--here's a Mason jar we filled with moss to make a pretty little country landscape.

Complete with a cottage. Probably made of cottage cheese (or maybe polymer clay).

I'm afraid that's all I have for you today. Things have been very busy here lately . . . for all of us . . . important stuff like lemonade stands (or "lemonad" stands as Lillian's sign advertises). No it's not a typo at all but a marketing ploy to sound more European so she can charge more.

Or busy making tennis ball canons with my son or hanging out my laundry on the line or reading cheap thrillers which I've very much been in the mood for lately. Or getting ready for our kayaking trip next week. It's summer time and the livin' is easy . . .

***

Congratulations to Trish at Acworth, Georgia for winning this weekend's Aqua Sphere swim gear giveaway. That's going to be one fun package!

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The Black Swan

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Strange to say but I've held off writing this review.

You see, earlier this year Andrew kept telling me about this great book he was reading and how much I'd like it but I pretty much ignored him. "Yea, yea" I thought. "I'd love it. Got it."

But it wasn't until I was in the mood for something meaty that I finally caved and gave it a try and from the first page I was hooked. I found it so interesting and so "WOW!" that after I was finished I turned around right then and read it a second time, gleaning all those little kernels that I'd missed with the first passing. And yes, Andrew's found satisfaction in many "I told you so's."

I still haven't got it all down yet and could probably do with a third reading so I'm rather hesitant to review it because I most certainly won't do it justice but here goes. . . .

It's called The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable and if you have any background in economics you'll recognize that a Black Swan is a name to describe an event that was unforeseen and rare but that had a lasting consequence. It seems that back before the world had been so thoroughly explored, Europeans believed that the only kind of swans in existence were white. The idea of a swan being black went against their concept of reality. However, once explorers reached Australia and found black swans happily living there the pseudo-truth that "all swans are white" was destroyed and replaced by a new view.

So it is with certain events. We go along in life, living and working and thinking we know what will happen tomorrow when "BAM!" something comes along--a Black Swan--that changes our world. It might be something historically significant like 9/11 or it might be something culturally revolutionary such as Harry Potter but to be a Black Swan it must be unpredictable and it must have a large impact.

The author, Taleb, brings a unique experience to his writing. Originally from Lebanon, his father was a high-ranking government official in a country known for its cultural richness and diversity. Then came war (a Black Swan for sure) and suddenly he's living with bombs overhead and later as an expatriate.

One of the most intelligent writers I've read he worked on Wall Street as a quant (quantitive analyst) working with numbers to assess risk but began to believe that in fact, the world was completely and utterly unpredictable. While he was spending his time analyzing numbers to lead his clients to money he realized that our extremist, fast-paced world is becoming increasingly governed by these Black Swans--and after the economics we've seen in the past year I would do nearly anything to sit down with Taleb and talk with him about the situation and if he feels a small bit of vindication.

Anyway, I could go on and on because it's really and truly one of those books you read that changes the way you look at the world--you start seeing Black Swans everywhere. In effect, the bottom line is the old Socratic adage: "True wisdom is knowing that you know nothing."

As an example of a few of the things he covers, one part describes how we humans have a driving need to create an understanding of events. We need narrative, we demand explanations and even if there may not be an explanation (Taleb argues there rarely is, particularly when dealing with Black Swans) our minds pick and choose our memories and experiences to create explanations and narratives to suit our purposes.

As a personal example--months ago I mentioned our Senator Ted Stevens and the legal troubles he was encountering. I'm pretty cynical of the situation, I didn't vote for Stevens and figured justice had been served when he was pronounced guilty.

Later new evidence surfaced that the prosecution hadn't presented an honest case. That they hadn't shared evidence that was potentially exculpatory. In the end the verdict was thrown out and the prosecution backed down on having a new trial which left Stevens a free man. My sister, a firm Stevens supporter made a comment to the effect of "See! I told you he was innocent."

Perfect example of the narrative fallacy. Stevens' conviction was overturned because of prosecutorial misconduct and because my sister supported our longtime Senator she created the explanation that he is innocent. Me? Just as bad because I thought he was guilty and said, "This proves nothing. The guy is still guilty and good riddance." We both had our opinions on the issue and looked for facts that supported our views, conveniently ignoring anything that didn't fit our theory.

It's human nature and we do it all the time but it's particularly dangerous when it comes from news media, politicians, bankers and economists because the rest of us are silly enough to listen to these false experts then rely on the narratives they've created.

Another thing we're susceptible to is thinking we can predict the future. Unless you have divine powers on your side (and I'm not going to get into the religious nature of that argument--Taleb doesn't touch it and neither will I) you simply cannot tell anything about where we're going. Nothing. Despite all the Monday morning quarterbacks springing up across the country you could not have predicted to any degree what has happened in America this past year economically. However, despite our rotten abilities to see ahead we continually try and then think we're being oh so astute and savvy, which only gives us a false sense of security and some inflated egos, ultimately causing even more harm by blinding us to our own blindness.

Anyway, I'll stop here. The book is fabulous, terrific, stunning and all that. I'd read it again and maybe this time around I'd been able to grasp more at the end when he gets into some of the deeper, more technical parts with fractals, Mandelbrotian theory and Gaussian curves (I think I understand it, the second time around helped but still . . . it's deep stuff). But don't let that scare you, it's quite readable and makes so much sense you wonder why you hadn't heard this before.

There you have it. You never know what you'll find here do you? Completely unpredictable isn't it?

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Warm Peach Summer Salad with Prosciutto

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Oh the salads! Oh how I love the salads!

Can you believe Grace detests salads in all forms? She hates lettuce, hates crisp, crunchy cucumbers and peppers, hates anything green and leafy and fresh. What is wrong with that girl??

I've tried for 15 years to reform her but so far I'm losing. I can get her to force a salad down but she's not happy about it and has to constantly repress that gag reflex. I repeat: What is wrong with that girl??

Anyway, she had the misfortune to be born into a family that loves salads and we eat them all the time and this one freaked her out most royally.

But bad news baby, I loved it so it's going into the permanent collection. Someday she'll thank me.

As another quirky note to the tale, this particular salad calls for prosciutto and as we all know anything in its original Italian is terribly expensive, right? While prosciutto is just fancy cured, thinly sliced ham I wanted to give the family a taste of the good stuff that night so when I served dinner I handed out salads, each with a cute little curl of meat delicately rolled on the side.

But wouldn't you know it the pagan dogs turned their noses up at it! Two bucks of paper thin meat on their plate and they didn't want to eat it.

It was the end of a long day and faced with the option of forcing them to eat something they didn't want and casting my pearls before swine (or swine before swine I suppose you could say) I gave up right there and with a growl reached across the table and snatched the prosciutto off of each of their plates and munched it down right there in front of them.

It was fabulous.

8 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
3 peaches at room temperature, peeled and cut into eight wedges
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons blueberry balsamic vinegar (or regular balsamic in a pinch)
1 1/2 cups fresh corn
2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
6 cups loosely packed arugula

Arrange the prosciutto in pretty little curls on 4 dinner plates along with the arugula.

Place the peaches in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat the butter over medium heat until the foam subsides and the butter has turned light brown. Add the bay leaf, thyme, peaches, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss for 1 minute then pull the peaches out of the pan and divide over the four plates. Add the chicken and saute for three minutes until cooked then add corn and saute another minute. Divide the mixture over the plates.

Serve immediately--you can also drizzle any extra leftover butter and balsamic mix over the plates if you wish.

***

And if that salad wasn't enough to send my teen shrieking in terror you can imagine her joy when she saw I'd been sent Simply Salads by Jennifer Chandler to review.

And more bad news Grace, it's a great book.

Of course I do love getting cookbooks so I'm not exactly a hard sell but this one seems to really be a good one and I'll tell you why:

1. Salads are always great. You can eat them as sides or as mains, they're healthy, they're fresh and they're good with my other three favorites: pasta, soup and sandwiches. So right off, I love the subject.

2. I've never met a salad I didn't like. Seriously. Never. Oops--except deli potato salad. I despise that stuff so I guess that's the only one I don't eat. Out of over 100 recipes I'm not seeing any that don't look terrific.

3. This cookbook has a picture for every recipe. Yes, you read that right, a full color photo for every recipe. On every page. I know that publishers have a hard time doing that but I'll tell you it's an absolute must for me when I'm cooking. I have to have a goal and a picture gets me know what I'm shooting for.

4. There are some salad staples like the basic Caesar but with over 100 recipes you also get Warm Fingerling Potato Salad, Warm Wild Mushroom Salad, Baked Polenta Salad, Pink Lady Apple Slaw and Wild Flower Herb Salad. All looking very beautiful, very delectable.

5. These salads are all designed to be made with pre-packaged, washed and ready-to-go greens from your supermarket. Chandler outlines the different varieties and what "spring mix" or "triple hearts" mean and gives you recipes where you can use them. All fast and easy and in half the time of regular salad preparation. Love it!

So look out Grace, I fear your next three months will come to be known as Summer of the Salads. Muahahahaha!

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Aqua Sphere Swim Giveaway

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0000

It's summer in a big way here and I've got such a great package to give you this weekend!

I've been learning how to kayak in preparation for a camping/kayaking trip next month in Valdez and I met up with Aqua Sphere, a company that makes fantastic active swim wear for just such an occasion.

They sent me some of their goggles, a kid sized Stingray Core Warmer and a lady's Aqua Skin to try out and after giving them a go I don't think I could sing enough praises.

The thing about water in Alaska is that it's cold. Really cold, even in summer and I used that Aqua Skin while in the kayak when I had to flip myself over and escape underwater and I don't think I could have done it very well without the gear. I was so nice and warm that the water even felt good.

Anyway, I was very impressed with the suit and will be bringing it on my kayaking trip--because the water will be even colder than it was at the lake where we practiced. They seriously saved my life!

So if you're planning on being in the water at all this summer you really ought to check out their line of products--keeping your muscles warm in cold water is not only more comfortable but it prevents injuries. And besides keeping you warm in the water Aqua Skins are good for sun protection to keep your skin safe too.

The company has generously offered the same package they sent me including:

• Seal Kid Swim Mask
• Stingray Core Warmer
• Kaiman Lady Goggles
• Aqua Skin Lady Full Suit

To get your name in the pot for the giveaway see the directions below and give Aqua Sphere a good look--they'll keep you warm all summer. You'll be seeing more pictures of my kayaking next month!

Here's how to win:

Before 12 am Monday morning click here to reach the giveaway entry form then enter your name and email. I will pick one of the names at random, contact the winner via their email and publish the winner's first name and home town in next Tuesday's post. See the bottom of the entry form for more details.

This giveaway is open to readers with a U.S. address, good luck!

Sun, Sun, Sun Here It Comes

scribbit@gmail.com (Scribbit) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0000

I have been very much into terrariums lately. If it's glass and it's in my house, odds are it has a plant in it.

This tea cup pouring out an ivy is hanging in my kitchen window where I can see it and think happy thoughts about summer in Alaska.

Sponsored by YourWeddingDays.com for beautiful bridal shower invitations.