Continue reading »]]> Total Pages Read: 4,245
Shortest Book: 171 pages
Longest Book: 636 pages
Fiction: 6
Non-Fiction: 4
Cookbook: 3

Last Book Read:
13. Jam On: The Craft of Canning Fruit by Laena McCarthy.  A cookbook from the founder of Brooklyn’s Anarchy in a Jar.  Lots of jams, jellies, and other fruit preserves. 272 pages. (Finished 20 May 2013).

Past Lists:
2012 List
2011 List
2010 List
2009 List
2008 List
2007 List

1. Fairy Tales From The Brother’s Grimm by Philip Pullman. A new English version of 50 of the Brother’s Grimm collection of Fairy Tales.  Includes some background and references to similar stories in other languages after each tale.  405 pages.  (Finished 5 Jan 12)
2. Astray by Emma Donoghue.  A selection of short stories about people that have left their land/place of birth.  All of the stories are inspired by at least some part of historical record. (Whether its a sentence in a newspaper or a larger historical record.) 288 pages. (Finished 12 Jan 13).
3. Detroit City is the Place to Be by Mark Binelli.  The story of the “rise” and mostly the fall of an American metropolis. 300 pages. (Finished 21 Jan 13).
4. This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz.  Stories of love, longing, and cheating.  At the heart of all of them is Yunior as a teenager, a college student, and an adult. 213 pages. (Finished 25 Jan 13).
5. Joseph Anton: A Memoir by Salman Rushdie.  A memoir of Rushdie’s time in hiding as a result of the fatwa issued by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini. 636 pages.  (Finished 10 Mar 13).
6. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. A newly divorced woman…still dealing with the recent death of her mother decides to hike a large portion of the PCT.  346 pages. (Finished 19 Mar 13).
7. The Mozza Cookbook: Recipes from Los Angeles’ Favorite Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria by Nancy Silverton.  A Christmas present from 2011, I finally got around to doing more than just a quick skim through the book.  368 pages. (Finished 25 Mar 2013).
8. Slam by Nick Hornby.  Sam is into skateboarding and not much else (though he does like making art at school).  His mom takes him to a party of a coworker where he meets Alicia and everything changes.  This is Hornby’s first novel specifically directed towards young adults.  309 pages. (Finished 3 Apr 2013).
9. The Kimchi Chronicles by Marja Vongerichten. A KCRW cookbook club selection from last year that I finally got around to reading.  It is a companion piece to the television show of the same name on PBS.  As you might guess its about Korean food (with her husband Jean-Georges French influnences in some recipies, as well as her American influences (she mainly grew up in the US).  272 pages. (Finished 5 Apr 2013).
10. The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan Journey by Salman Rushdie.  In the summer of 1986, Salman visits Nicaragua.  At the time the Sandinistas are in power after a revolution had overthrown a brutal dictator.  Because of left leaning policies (and friendly diplomatic relations with the USSR and Cuba), the Reagan administration wasn’t a big fan and supported/created a counter-revolutionary force (The Contras).  Not originally intending to write about it, he came home with such an experience that he felt he had to.  171 pages. (Finished 12 Apr 2013).
11. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon. A young adult is sent by his family from Prague to the USA just before WW2 clamps down on the Jews of Prague. He ends up sharing a room with his comic book obsessed cousin and the soon create their own character and place in comic book history.  The book covers their rise and fall in both career and life.  636 pages. (Finished 6 May 13).
12. Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan.  Set in the early 70s, MI5 wants to influence the culture by sponsoring writers who’s views align with the government.  To help the project along, they use a beautiful Cambridge student to approach the author.  A story of loving and losing. 301 pages. (Finished 17 May 13).
13. Jam On: The Craft of Canning Fruit by Laena McCarthy.  A cookbook from the founder of Brooklyn’s Anarchy in a Jar.  Lots of jams, jellies, and other fruit preserves. 272 pages. (Finished 20 May 2013).

Continue reading »]]> It has been exactly a year today since I moved back to Portland from Los Angeles.  Of course I’ve been bad about keeping in touch with people (and not posting much here).  So I figured it was time for a bit of a check in.

The biggest news of the past year is that I got engaged last August.  Alicia and I are getting married this August 31st in a wonderful park here in Portland.

In October, Alicia got a job at OHSU and moved up the middle of the month.  We found a nice apartment within a few blocks of the place I had initially moved into.  This apartment search was much more difficult (and cutthroat) then when I moved to Portland from Eugene back in 2004.  Granted, I didn’t have a friend say “we don’t like our roommate, we’ll kick him out and you can move in” this time.  An example of how cutthroat it was: We went to an open house and arrived 15-20 minutes early, and there were already three couples ahead of us in line.  When the people showing the house arrived, they said “We already have one completed application in process, but if you want to apply we’ll put you on the wait list.”  They also wanted a bunch of extra information above what is normally asked on a rental application.  For example, copies of three months of paystubs to even consider your application as completed.  Granted I’ve only got Portland and Los Angeles to go on, but I’d never had that level of detail initially requested.

Around the same time as Alicia’s move up here, I settled into a temp job at the Craft Brew Alliance (the parent company of Widmer/Redhook/Kona).  Sadly for me, the job market has been a little more difficult to break into in my most recent field up here.  A lot of the positions want people with industry experience and the industries are different than nutritional supplements.  But the temp job isn’t so bad and it covers the bills so I can’t complain too much.

The fun news I just found out a few weeks ago is that I had been accepted into the 2013 Master Food Preserver Program for Washington and Multnomah counties.  The program involves 8 weeks of classes (48 hours total), and then a test at the end.  If you pass the test then you are a Master Food Preserver (and you have to volunteer 48 hours in the next year).  I’m looking forward to the classes and continuing learning more about food preservation.

Continue reading »]]> So its been almost 10 months since I moved back to Oregon from LA.  A few weeks ago it had me thinking about the people I may never see again.  I know part of this is just the natural course of life, that people move into and out of your life.  But its still strange to me that there are people that I was pretty close to, that I may never see again because both they and I have moved away.  But then, I suppose this happens even in Portland.  The only difference being there is still a chance I might randomly run into them.

to my So Cal friends…if I don’t see you again…thank you for helping to make my time in LA enjoyable in each of your particular ways.

Continue reading »]]> I’m super late writing about this cool project I received and completed in November.  In May, I found out about the Kickstarter campaign for Kinetic Creatures.  Kinetic Creatures are three different animals created out of cardboard that have the capability to “walk” either via a hand crank or a motor kit that was also available.  When one of these animals happened to be a rhino…I had to contribute (and receive my reward of one of the first kits).

As the Kickstarter campaign was meant to raise funds for larger (and cost effective) production, my kit didn’t arrive until mid October.  The packaging was nicely designed:

The first part I decided to put together was the motor kit:

Here is the kit put together (ready to go in Rory once he is put together):

As for Rory…he came in pieces.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take a picture of the cardboard sheets before I punched them out.  But here is a picture of all of the pieces before I put them together:

And here he is put together:

Now that both the motor kit and Rory was put together, it was time to let him take a little walk around the apartment.

Continue reading »]]> Total Pages Read: 12,271
Shortest Book: 96 pages
Longest Book: 576 pages
Fiction: 27
Non-Fiction: 6
Poetry: 3
Cookbook: 7

Last Book Read:
43.  Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck.  A collection of short stories from the Swedish writer translated by herself.  From the dark fantastical world that comes from living in rural northern Sweden.  142 pages.  (Finished 27 Dec 12).

Full List below the cut:

Past Lists:
2011 List
2010 List
2009 List
2008 List
2007 List

1. Binocular Vision by Edith Pearlman.  A collection of short stories set anywhere from Europe around WWII to contemporary United States (mainly around Boston).  373 pages.  (Finished 7 Jan 2012).
2. The Artist of Disappearance by Anita Desai.  Three novellas of life and expectations in contemporary Indian culture.  156 pages.  (Finished 9 Jan 12).
3. The Redbreast by Jo Nesbø.  Dectective Harry Hole makes a mistake and gets reassigned to monitor neo-Nazi’s threatening Muslim’s at an upcoming holiday shared by both Norway and Islam.  In the course of his investigation he discovers a plot with roots in WWII and soldiers who had fought alongside the Germans in opposition to the exiled Norwegian government and royal family.  576 pages.  (Finished 13 Jan 2012).
4. Canning & Preserving with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Make Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Chutneys & More (Home Living Series) by Ashley English.  Basic info on canning & preserving, the equipment needed, some history, and some classic and seasonally influenced recipes.  136 pages.  (Finished 17 Jan 2012).
5. All-American Poem by Matthew Dickman.  Another of my former classmates’ (and twin brother of Michael from last years list) first collection of poems.  96 pages.  (Finished 17 Jan 2012).
6. Platform by Michel Houllebecq.  A disintrested civil servant in Paris goes on a tour package vacation to Thailand after the death of his father.  There he meets Valerie, a rising executive in the tourism industry herself.  They end up creating a concept promoting sex tourism that ends up causing a disastrous result.  272 pages. (Finished 21 Jan 12).
7. Nemesis by Jo Nesbø.  Inspector Harry Hole must try to help solve a bank robbery and a murder (that he is a prime suspect of).  480 pages.  (Finished 24 Jan 12).
8. The Devil’s Star by Jo Nesbø.  Inspector Harry Hole is about to get fired and gets called out of a drunken binge to work one last case.  This time he must work with his long time nemesis, Tom Waaler.  452 pages.  (Finished 26 Jan 2012).
9. The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan.  Alive for almost two hundred years, Jake gets the news that he is now the last werewolf on earth.  Two organizations are closing in hoping to be the ones to capture the last of species.  293 pages.  (Finished 31 Jan 12).
10. Home Dairy with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Make Cheese, Yogurt, Butter & More (Home Living Series) by Ashley English.  Basic info on making cheese, yogurt, butter and other milk products.  136 pages.  (Finished 1 Feb 2012).
11. For the Relief of Unbearable Urges: Stories by Nathan Englander.  A collection of stories revolving around Orthodox Jews and their interactions with the world outside their communities.  224 pages.  (Finished 8 Feb 12).
12. The San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market Cookbook by Christopher Hirsheimer and Peggy Knickerbocker.  Part reference guide…part cookbook.  I nice reference to the seasonal goods of California’s markets (even though this is focused on Northern California).  288 pages.  (Finished 9 Feb 12).
13. The Snowman by Jo Nesbø.  Inspector Hole finds himself tracking down a killer that strikes on the day of the first snow.  400 pages.  (Finished 11 Feb 12).
14. The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing by Taylor Larimore, Michael LeBoeuf, & Mel Lindauer.  Its a book about investing.  307 pages.  (Finished 16 Feb 12).
15. Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi.  A business book on why you should build relationships to improve your roles in job.  Or something like  that.  320 pages.  (Finished 29 Feb 12).
16. Headhunters by Jo Nesbø.  Oslo’s self proclaimed best corporate headhunter also dabbles in art theft.  When he meets the ex-CEO of a GPS tracking company, he get’s a little more than he expected.  256 pages.  (Finished 5 Mar 12).
17. Blue Nights by Joan Didion.  A mother reflects on the loss of her daughter, aging, & motherhood in this book that partners well with her earlier work A Year of Magical Thinking, that focused on the loss of her husband.  188 pages.  (Finished 6 Mar 12).
18. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes.  An old man looks back on the suicide of one of his high school friends after receiving an unexpected inheritance from the mother of an ex-girlfriend.  Winner of the 2011 Booker Prize.  163 pages.  (Finished 9 Mar 2012).
19. What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander.  The latest collection of short stories centered around Jewish lives from the author.  207 pages.  (Finished 19 Mar 12).
20. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta.  On Oct 14th, millions of people just disappeared like the Rapture had happened.  But it wasn’t just Christians, but people of other faiths and no faiths at all.  Three years after the Sudden Disappearance, the citizens of Mapleton are all recovering in their different ways.  355 pages.  (Finished 22 Mar 12).
21. The Leopard by Jo Nesbø.  Former Inspector Harry Hole reluctantly returns to Norway to help solve a new series of gruesome murders.  528 pages.  (Finished 27 Mar 12).
22. The Angel Esmeralda by Don DeLillo.  A collection of short stories from throughout DeLillo’s career.  208 pages.  (Finished 12 Apr 12).
23. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides.  It’s the 80s and the recession is looming over soon to be college graduates.  Mitchell loves Madeleine who loves Leonard who well…you’ll need to read the book.  406 pages. (Finished 11 May 12).
24. Ragnarök: The End of Gods by A.S. Byatt.  Part of The Myths Series.  The story of the Nordic Gods and their downfall.  177 pages.  (Finished 24 May 12).
25. Rain Dragon by Jon Raymond.  Damon and Amy have had enough of living in Los Angeles and set out to move to the Northwest where they end up working with Rain Dragon, a producer of organic yogurt on a communal farm outside of Portland.  In doing so they must evaluate their dreams both shared and individual.  272 pages.  (Finished 29 May 12).
26. The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta.  Ruth teaches high school sexuality in a suburban town that has recently seen the influence of a new evangelical church take over.  Tim is her daughter’s soccer coach and a member of that church.  Despite some circumstances developing that put them at opposite sides of a culture war…a friendship develops.  384 pages.  (Finished 6 Jun 12).
27. Room by Emma Donoghue.  Jack has lived is whole live in Room, an 11 by 11 space that he shares with his Ma.  Inside Room, they have created a world just for the two of them.  The only visitor from Outside is Old Nick, who brings them food and other things they need to survive.  321 pages.  (Finished 30 Jun 12).
28. Hot Sauce!: Techniques for Making Signature Hot Sauces, with 32 Recipes to Get You Started by Jennifer Trainer Thompson.  A brief overview of the history of hot sauce and then some recipes to make your own (and inspire you to create your own. The latest KCRW Cookbook Club selection. 192 pages.  (Finished 31 Jul 2012).
29. A General Theory of Love by Thomas Lewis, M.D., Fari Amini, M.D., Richard Lannon, M.D. A look at love from a biological and neuroscientific viewpoint.  288 pages. (Finished 1 Aug 2012).
30. Hector and the Search for Lost Time by François Lelord.  Hector goes on another journey to discover the secrets of time.  192 pages.  (Finished 6 Aug 12).
31. Pacific Feast: A Cook’s Guide to West Coast Foraging and Cuisine by Jennifer Hahn.  A book about the native (and some non-native) things you can gather yourself and eat.  Mainly focused on the NW, but many items range down to California.  223 pages. (Finished 15 Aug 2012).
32. The Science of Yoga: The Risks and Rewards by William J. Broad.  A look at the history of yoga and its relationship with science over the years.  336 pages.  (Finished 23 Sep 12).
33. Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes by Joy Wilson. A hundred decedent and mouth watering recipes (lots of chocolate, peanut butter, and bacon). 208 pages. (Finished 24 Sep 2012).
34. Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague by Geraldine Brooks.  The story of a small English village’s decision to close off their village in order to prevent the spread of the plague outside of it.  Based on a real village in England in 1665-66.  308 pages.  (Finished 17 Oct 2012).
35. Phantom by Jo Nesbø.  Former detective Harry Hole reluctantly returns to Oslo when the son of the woman he loved is arrested in a drug related murder.  As he dives deeper into trying to prove Oleg is not the killer he’ll put his life at risk to find the truth.  378 pages. (Finished 26 Oct 2012).
36. 50 American Plays by Michael Dickman & Matthew Dickman.  My former classmates at the University of Oregon (and twin brothers) explore each of the fifty states with a short poem inspired by the format of a play.  110 pages. (Finished 2 Nov 2012).
37. Susan Feniger’s Street Food: irresistibly crispy, creamy, crunchy, spicy, sticky, sweet recipes by Susan Feniger with Kajsa Alger & Liz Lachman.  Recipes inspired by global street food, based on versions from her LA restaurant Street.  A KCRW cookbook club selection. 224 pages. (Finished 6 Nov 2012).
38. Strong Motion by Jonathan Franzen.  A series of strange things happen in Boston over a spring and summer.  A series of unexplained earthquakes and the resulting death of his grandmother cause family upheaval.  528 pages. (Finished 23 Nov 12).
39. A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver.  New poems from Mary Oliver. 96 pages. (Finished 27 Nov 2012).
40. Errantry: Strange Stories by Elizabeth Hand.  A collection of ten odd (and strange) stories.  320 pages. (Finished 7 Dec 12).
41. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan.  A downsized web designer takes a job at an obscure bookstore and stumbles upon a secret society searching for the secret of eternal life.  288 pages. (Finished 11 Dec 12).
42. Killing the Messenger: A Story of Radical Faith, Racism’s Backlash, and the Assassination of a Journalist by Thomas Peele.  The story of the assassination of African American journalist Chauncey Bailey in 2007 by members of a Black Muslim splinter group based in Oakland.  464 pages.  (Finished 23 Dec 12).
43. Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck.  A collection of short stories from the Swedish writer translated by herself.  From the dark fantastical world that comes from living in rural northern Sweden.  142 pages.  (Finished 27 Dec 12).

Continue reading »]]> So Friday morning my computer froze up and when I rebooted, it fell into a blue screen of death cycle. I tried the system repair tools, my recovery DVD, even an Ubuntu live DVD. Nothing would get all the way through the boot process. So I took it into a repair shop recommended by a friend to see if something was salvageable (since I’ve neglected updating my backup since the move). The repair guy ran a diagnostic on the hard drive and is pretty sure the data is ok, so that’s good news.  The bad news was that it didn’t appear to have a quick fix solution, so I would have to check it in for service which has 3 – 4 business day turnaround right now.

So with a weekend to kill and no computer I devoted my time to some projects in the kitchen.

After my normal Saturday morning trip to the Hollywood Farmers Market, I finally got around to making a batch of Kombucha with the kit I bought when I took a class on it a few months ago.

I was inspired to make a lemon cake in honor of my sad computer (and the novel The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake) while grocery shopping. It had also been a friends birthday on Friday, so I was also making it for her birthday as well.

The other main thing I did Saturday was get some photos taken of me by a friend (for better LinkedIn/FB profile pics).  Alicia and I both went and saw The Bourne Legacy at the same time (though her in LA and me in Portland).  It was enjoyable…a Bourne movie, nothing special, but a good time.

The weekend projects weren’t over though.  After getting home from church, I made a batch of salsa:

Then it was the big project…canning the 5 lbs of green beans I had bought at the farmers market Saturday.  I made them into Pickled Dilled Beans:

(the red thing in the jar is a slice of red bell pepper)

All in all, I feel like I had a pretty productive weekend.