Bleeding Espresso

Remembering Corporal Pat Tillman

michelle — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:51:11 +0000

Today would’ve been Corporal Pat Tillman’s 33rd birthday.

Tillman was an American professional football player who gave up his own freedom (and millions of dollars) to serve with the United States Army Rangers after 9/11 during the so-called “War on Terror.”

Tillman’s journals show that he quickly became disillusioned with the presence of the U.S. military in both Iraq and Afghanistan, but even when offered a discharge before his time was up–after a tour of duty in Iraq–Tillman refused, and was sent to Afghanistan.

He was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in April of 2004, but from the moment of Tillman’s demise, circumstances surrounding his death have been debated, to say the least. The government initially told the world (including Tillman’s family) that Tillman died a hero, protecting his men from enemy fire; it turns out that, actually, everyone on the ground knew the truth immediately: Tillman had been shot by one of his fellow platoon members–and yet General McChrystal pushed through paperwork to get Tillman awarded a Silver Star, which isn’t given in fratricide situations.

Here is the heartwrenching testimony of Cpl. Tillman’s brother Kevin, who served beside him with the Rangers, in front of the 2007 Congressional Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in a hearing entitled “Misleading Information from the Battlefield”:

And here’s an interview by Jim Rome with Mary Tillman, Pat and Kevin’s mother, talking more about the cover up after her son’s death:

There is also a fabulous new book about Pat Tillman’s life and death called Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer; I first heard about the book during Krakauer’s interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show–and ordered it from The Book Depository the next day.

It is an amazing, highly emotional, highly recommended book.

Much of the information in the book comes directly from Tillman’s handwritten journals, which show him to be a smart, sensitive, driven man with a great love for his friends, his family, and above all, his beloved wife. It also demonstrates how disgusted Tillman would be with how his death was used by the government to ramp up support for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tillman’s family has created the Pat Tillman Foundation “to carry forward Pat’s legacy of leadership and civic action by supporting future generations of leaders who embody the American tradition of citizen service.” The Foundation provides scholarships, programs, and resources for students to develop leadership skills; it also holds an annual Pat’s Run, “a 4.2 mile run/walk around Arizona State with a finish on the 42-yard line of Sun Devil Stadium (#42 was Pat’s number while a Sun Devil).”

Rest in peace, Pat Tillman, and all of our fallen.

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La Bella Lingua/Celebrate Italian Heritage Contest

michelle — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:54:39 +0000

Remember when we talked about Dianne Hales’ book, La Bella Lingua? Well here is your chance to win another copy–plus four other Italian-themed books from Random House through the:

Celebrate Italian Heritage Contest

From the contest page:

October is Italian Heritage Month so Living Language and Broadway Books are pleased to provide five lucky winners with an all-about-Italian prize package, valued at $115.79.

Each prize package will include the following:

• (1) signed hardcover copy of La Bella Lingua by Dianne Hales

• (1) Living Language Complete Italian: The Basics package

• (1) Living Language Baby’s First Words in Italian package

• (1) Living Language 2000+ Essential Italian Verbs with CD-ROM

• (1) Fodor’s Italy 2010

The contest runs until November 7. The email addresses go straight to a computer in Random House’s vault and will not be used for any solicitations. The contest is limited to people with mailing addresses in the U.S and Canada.

Read more at the contest page, and hurry!

Viva l’italiano!

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This Halloween, May All Your Cauldrons Be Boiling

michelle — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:24:17 +0000

Read more about what happens (or, actually, what doesn’t happen) for Halloween in Calabria over at Cherrye’s My Bella Vita.

Buon weekend!

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Mediterranean Cooking on a Budget

michelle — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:24:00 +0000

This isn’t a traditional What’s Cooking Wednesday post. In fact, it’s not even written by me (welcome dear Heather of Yummi Sushi Pajamas!), but it’s full of great information–and TWO recipes–for those trying to eat healthier and save money. Pretty much all of us, I imagine?

But before we get to Heather, in other food news:

I wanted to let you know that Sara of Ms Adventures in Italy and I, as co-hosts of World Nutella Day, (yes, it’s coming faster than you realize!) are holding a contest and giving away some Nutella!

All you have to do is tell us about your first time. Eating Nutella, of course. Get the deets, enter over at the World Nutella Day Facebook Fan Page–coming up on 1800 fans!–and why not become a fan while you’re there?

OK, take it away Heather!

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I am so excited to be guest posting on Bleeding Espresso! Here I am to talk about Mediterranean cooking on a budget.

I’ve been lucky enough to make three separate trips to the Mediterranean. Every time I come home, I look around and wonder how I can bring something of the Mediterranean lifestyle into my American living. It’s not an easy thing to do since in a lot of ways the culture couldn’t be more different, but there are some things I’ve been able to manage.

For me, food was the easiest change to make. Mediterranean meals are based on fresh, local ingredients with smaller portions of meat, healthy fats, and lots of veggies. I loved the food when I was there, and I knew I could find ways to work it into my cooking. Following the Mediterranean diet (whole grains, healthy fats, lean proteins in small amounts, and tons of produce) helped me lose six pounds without ever having to measure a serving or count a calorie.

The problem came when the economy took a downturn and I changed my shopping style. Instead of shopping from a preplanned list, I’ve started clipping coupons and shopping sales. It saves us a lot of money, but makes it tough to purchase particular items for specific recipes. Saving money meant changing the way I thought about incorporating the Mediterranean mindset.

Instead of searching for Italian or Greek inspired recipes, I’ve started shopping at local farmers markets. I spend a lot of time putting together recipes from whatever I’ve got in the pantry (lots of canned fruits, veggies, and beans) and whatever produce I am able to grab from the local stands. I am trying to embrace the fact that it’s not olives, capers, or lamb that make a meal Mediterranean. I am learning to embrace the Mediterranean mindset of using what’s fresh and local instead of trying to incorporate specific ingredients.

Last week’s attempt resulted in two extremely good dinners made from local ingredients and pantry leftovers. My first experiment was born from the need to use up two pounds of plums before they rotted. I peeled and pitted all of the plums, then put them in a skillet with:

A clove of minced garlic
1 ¾ cups of sugar
¾ cup cider vinegar
½ tablespoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

I boiled it all down, using a spoon to crush the plums a bit better, and waited for it to reduce. It took maybe a half hour total. I used the sauce to top some cooked chopped chicken I had in the freezer, and put it all over some ziti. It turned out really well, and went great with a simple side of sautéed zucchini.

Experiment two was even more adventurous. I sautéed the rest of the zucchini in a little bit of olive oil and garlic. I boiled some penne pasta while the zucchini cooked. After I took the zucchini out of the pan, I tossed in a little more olive oil and a can of sardines I’ve had sitting around forever. The sardines (I chopped them first) cooked down nicely until they were just crisp salty bits, and I tossed in some bread crumbs to soak up the leftover oil. Once that was all done, I tossed the zucchini and pasta into the pan just so it could all warm up together. It was really good and so easy!

Now I feel confident that I can get whatever is fresh at the farmers market every weekend and just make it work with what I’ve got at home. I try to keep some basics like olive oil, lemon juice and capers on hand, and just toss in whatever else I have. It takes some courage, and lots of experimentation, but eventually you’ll find your own style using things you can get inexpensively and creating quick, easy meals that are reasonably healthy.

I know these ideas don’t compare to the amazing recipes featured here on Bleeding Espresso [so NOT true, Heather!], but they’ve been a hit at my house!

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Heather Hurd is a freelance writer and blogger. She writes about food and wine for Examiner.com and blogs at Yummy Sushi Pajamas about raising a family and enjoying the good things in life.

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They sound delicious!

How have you been saving money on food lately?

Do you enjoy the Mediterranean Diet?

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Celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Jewelry and Coffee

michelle — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:07:54 +0000

October is coming to a close, which means it’s time to remind you that Breast Cancer Awareness (along with Ovarian Cancer Awareness!) should be at the front of our minds all year long.

Be sure to check out the following information from BreastCancer.org:

And here are some ideas to keep the pink going:

Angela Moore’s Pink Ribbon Collection, sales from which 15% of proceeds go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. As you may remember from Angela Moore’s Ovarian Cancer Awareness line, all of her pieces are hand-painted and one of a kind:

Dark Pink Charm with Gold Filled Accents: $9.00

Pink Ribbon Triple Pendant with Chain: $40.50

Blue Men’s Tie: $49.50

Pink Ribbon Classic Bracelet with Pink Rondelles: $54.00

And for my fellow coffee lovers out there, check *this* out:

Jura has made a one off pink version of their ENA 5 machine to auction off in a bid to raise money for several Breast Cancer Awareness charities. How CUTE is this?

Hurry, bidding ends at noon on October 30!

And remember, think pink and teal all year round!

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And the Kids Come of Age

michelle — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:25:55 +0000

You know as a goat maaaaa the day will come when your lil’ kids, particularly the one you bottle fed,

would go and get all grows up.

Yes, it’s breeding time around here (for the GOATS people!), and last week, the girls were anxiously, let’s say, waiting for Godot.

Meet Godot:

If all goes well, kids in March.

Gaaaaah! Are we ready for this?!

Five months, and we’ll have our answer.

Buon weekend!

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Love Thursday: Fallen Love Apples

michelle — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:21:02 +0000

I don’t know if our garden neighbors just have too many pomegranates for their own good or what, but this is currently the scene of the crime over that way:

Couldn’t help but notice this little lovely though:

Happy Love Thursday everyone!

Do you love pomegranates as much as I do?

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7 Habits of Highly Effective Expats in Italy

michelle — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:51:34 +0000

Today we have a guest blogger, and she comes from just down the road in Catanzaro. Welcome back Cherrye of My Bella Vita!

7 Habits of Highly Effective Expats in Italy

The reasons people move to Italy vary-some came to retire in the land of their fathers, others were pulled by Italy’s charm and yes, some of us came here for romance-or to say it like my mom would-we came here for a boy.

Regardless of our motives, we all left our homeland and entered the world of Expats in Italy. Over the 3+ years I’ve been here, I’ve noticed there are two distinct categories of expats-Effective Expats, or those who are happy, successful and grounded and Miserable Expats, the ones who can’t wait to leave.

Just so you know if you are considering a move to Italy … you want to be the first type. Just to be sure here are the seven habits of highly effective expats in Italy.

1. They research.
Most people plan for months for their Italian vacation so why wouldn’t they do the same when they are considering a move? Expats can adapt more quickly to their new country when they have done research, read other expat experiences or joined an expat forum. The Internet is full of information on moving to Italy. So fire up your laptop and get reading.

2. They can adjust to change.
Successful expats know where the best laid plans go and are able to adjust to changes as they come. Being able to go with the flow and adjust to those changes, rather than getting disgruntled and negative is one of the major differences between those two groups of expats I listed above.

3. They don’t focus on the differences.
This is one of the hardest habits to attain, but happy expats don’t focus on the differences between their home country and Italy. Learning to appreciate the differences instead of obsess over them makes expat life easier to enjoy.

4. They work hard to acclimate to life in Italy.
If you move to a new city in Any State, USA and lock yourself at home, you won’t be very happy. The same goes for living in Italy. Happy expats take a risk, get out and meet new people and work hard at acclimating to their new lives.

5. They are interested in the world around them.
And by that, I mean effective expats want to learn more about the people, places and things around them. We want to know how they do things, how they did them ‘back in the day’ and why.

6. They have honed their stress-management techniques.
There is no other way to say it, moving to Italy is stressful. Whether you get crushed by the stress of your new life or learn to adjust to the changes depends on how well you handle stress. Successful expats are good stress-managers.

7. They remember who they are.
The most successful expats remember who they are, or more importantly, who they were back home, and don’t alter their behaviors just because they are on foreign land. Some young or temporary expats might find themselves partaking in activities they would have never considered back home.

Opening your mind is a good thing, losing yourself is another. If you aren’t sure what I am referring to – think Amanda Knox.

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Cherrye Moore a freelance writer and B&B owner living in Calabria, Italy. She writes about expat life for Affordable Calling Cards where they sell calling cards to Italy and about living and traveling in Calabria at My Bella Vita.

—

Thanks Cherrye!

What do you think are some habits of highly effective expats?

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Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change

michelle — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:33:45 +0000

I’ve written a bit about Going Green, so be sure to check out those posts for specific things you can do to help climate change for Blog Action Day 2009, but I really couldn’t say it any better than SealtheDeal2009.org, the UN-led campaign aiming “to galvanize political will and public support for reaching a comprehensive global climate agreement in Copenhagen in December”:

Sign the petition for a fair climate change agreement at the Copenhagen Conference, let the U.S. government know it’s time to act on climate change, and of course incorporate as many green changes into your lifestyle as you can.

“One day. One issue. Thousands of voices.”

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Holy Mackerel! Look at Those Altocumulus Clouds!

michelle — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:33:10 +0000

Yesterday while walking the dogs, I looked up and saw this:

My mom’s friend Kitty (she of the unique tea strainer and adorable heart bracelet) once told my mom these were “mackerel clouds” because they resembled the fish’s scales. Of course we both thought this was an old wives’ tales, and maybe it is, but it also made Wikipedia, so there.

They’re actually called “altocumulus” clouds (thus the title of the post), just in case you didn’t remember from elementary school science class.

So I smiled as I photographed the sky, thinking it was rather fitting that these clouds would be over me this week. Kitty’s 87th birthday would have been on Saturday the 17th–a day before mine–but she passed away two years ago.

The mackerel clouds, however, will always live on–and always make me think of our Kitty.

Had you ever heard of mackerel clouds?

Do you have strange things that remind you someone special?

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