Steven Harper's Blog, page 18
March 26, 2023
Ride
I just got back from an evening bike ride, the first of the season. The red wing blackbirds are back, along with the robins and the mourning doves. The spring peepers are having a huge party down by the creek.
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Stress Cooking
I'm vagueposting, I know, but ... I'm sitting on some potentially rotten news, and I have to wait until May to know for sure. It's incredibly stressful, and to cope, I'm downing Xanax and spending today in the kitchen.
It started with a batch of banana muffins for breakfast. I like my recipe for these. Bakery muffins are basically fruit-flavored cupcakes and make your teeth ache. My recipe uses minimal sweetening, and they're very good, especially hot from the oven and slathered with butter. A little sausage on the side and it was a perfect breakfast.
We were almost out of bread, and what we had was going stale, so I whipped up a new loaf in the bread maker. When it was done, I pulled it out and set the machine to making some dough with added minced garlic. Then I went downstairs to run and do stupid PT exercises.
Finished up and showered just as the dough was finishing. I let it sit in the machine while I got out chicken, wine, more garlic, mushrooms, and onions. Chicken breasts are so huge these days that one is more than enough for Darwin and me, and they're so thick, you have to slice them in half sideways so they cook without drying out the outer part and leaving the inner part raw. I sharpened my big knife and zipped it through the breast until I had four manageable pieces.
I fried them with salt and pepper in olive oil, removed them from the pan, and added more oil. When it was hot again, I added the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. They sizzled nicely. When everything was tender, I sprinkled in flour, waited a few moments, then poured in Marsala and deglazed the pan. That done, I added beef broth (which is weird, considering this is a chicken dish), let it thicken, and returned the chicken to the pan. Chicken Marsala!
While that was simmering, I set my iron grill sheet on the stove and let it heat. I pulled chunks of the bread dough out the maker, flattened them, smeared olive oil on them, and dropped them on the sheet. In no time at all, I nice batch of naan.
Put together a salad, set the table, and we had a very nice dinner.
What else shall I make?
comments
It started with a batch of banana muffins for breakfast. I like my recipe for these. Bakery muffins are basically fruit-flavored cupcakes and make your teeth ache. My recipe uses minimal sweetening, and they're very good, especially hot from the oven and slathered with butter. A little sausage on the side and it was a perfect breakfast.
We were almost out of bread, and what we had was going stale, so I whipped up a new loaf in the bread maker. When it was done, I pulled it out and set the machine to making some dough with added minced garlic. Then I went downstairs to run and do stupid PT exercises.
Finished up and showered just as the dough was finishing. I let it sit in the machine while I got out chicken, wine, more garlic, mushrooms, and onions. Chicken breasts are so huge these days that one is more than enough for Darwin and me, and they're so thick, you have to slice them in half sideways so they cook without drying out the outer part and leaving the inner part raw. I sharpened my big knife and zipped it through the breast until I had four manageable pieces.
I fried them with salt and pepper in olive oil, removed them from the pan, and added more oil. When it was hot again, I added the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. They sizzled nicely. When everything was tender, I sprinkled in flour, waited a few moments, then poured in Marsala and deglazed the pan. That done, I added beef broth (which is weird, considering this is a chicken dish), let it thicken, and returned the chicken to the pan. Chicken Marsala!
While that was simmering, I set my iron grill sheet on the stove and let it heat. I pulled chunks of the bread dough out the maker, flattened them, smeared olive oil on them, and dropped them on the sheet. In no time at all, I nice batch of naan.
Put together a salad, set the table, and we had a very nice dinner.
What else shall I make?
comments
March 19, 2023
Tolkien and Me
An interview with me! And Tolkien. In a way. Check it out:
https://talesaftertolkien.blogspot.com/2023/03/author-interview-steven-piziks.html?m=1
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https://talesaftertolkien.blogspot.com/2023/03/author-interview-steven-piziks.html?m=1
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March 18, 2023
Shazam: Fury of the Gods
Darwin and I saw Shazam: Fury of the Gods yesterday. It was a fun movie and we enjoyed it. A lot of critics were clawing their eyes out, but geez louise, folks--this is a popcorn movie, not high art.
There were a couple misfires. (Minor spoilers follow.) Billy and Freddy are supposed to be seventeen, but they act like middle schoolers, as they did in the first movie. Made no sense. The unicorns didn't work. At all. Not one bit. And the product placements, especially Skittles, were heavy-handed and embarrassing.
But there was a lot of cool. The gay reveal--yay! The audience we were with cheered. And so many Shazam comics Easter eggs, including the RV from the 70s TV show. And cameos galore (see the 70s TV show above). And the final scene with another super-hero--a delight!
So we were happy.
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There were a couple misfires. (Minor spoilers follow.) Billy and Freddy are supposed to be seventeen, but they act like middle schoolers, as they did in the first movie. Made no sense. The unicorns didn't work. At all. Not one bit. And the product placements, especially Skittles, were heavy-handed and embarrassing.
But there was a lot of cool. The gay reveal--yay! The audience we were with cheered. And so many Shazam comics Easter eggs, including the RV from the 70s TV show. And cameos galore (see the 70s TV show above). And the final scene with another super-hero--a delight!
So we were happy.
comments
March 10, 2023
Good News, Everyone!
On Wednesday, the Michigan House voted in favor of adding sexual orientation to Michigan's civil rights law. The bill has already passed the Senate. Governor Whitmer is expected to sign it. This means it will be illegal to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people based on their orientation or what gender they present as. The opposition complained that the bill doesn't make an exemption for "sincerely held religious beliefs," though none of the speakers in question explained why religious organizations should be allowed to discriminate when no one else can.At any rate, this is hugely good news! Michigan has become a safer place for LGBTQ+ people!
www.mlive.com/politics/2023/03/michigan-to-codify-lgbtq-protections-into-states-civil-rights-act.html
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March 3, 2023
Mega-Storm Walk
A huge snowstorm is sweeping across Michigan. As it drew in, the forecasts became truly scary. Although the students at Wherever were hoping for a snow day (when don't they?), the storm wasn't going to arrive until late afternoon, so school was in full session.
I kept a nervous eye on the storm. I have a 50-minute commute and didn't want to get caught in it, and it was set to arrive not long after school got out. The moment I was able, I dashed out the door and sprinted for home. No sign of snow when I pulled off the highway in Ypsilanti, so I stopped at the store for a few things and encountered the usual pre-apocalyptic crowd of people who were convinced that their survival depended on grabbing every gallon of milk and loaf of bread they could get their hands on. I just wanted bananas and a frozen pizza so I wouldn't have to make supper!
The snow started just as I was pulling out of the store parking lot. Big, wet, sticky flakes.
Throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening, the snow really ramped up. It was BAD snow, thick as oatmeal. And we got a LOT of it and very quickly. I was glad to be at home!
Darwin, who doesn't go into the office on Fridays, and I had a nice, cozy meal while outside, the storm continued to gain strength. We saw lightening and heard crashes of thunder--thundersnow. This is a new phenomenon in Michigan, and exists thanks to climate change.
Then the lights flickered. They recovered, then flickered again, and then yet again. I dug out flashlights and candles, just in case, and immediately afterward, the flickering stopped. You're welcome, everyone!
At around 9:30, my phone blared with a message from the emergency messaging system. We were being advised not to drive, as the roads in the area were all but impassible. Wow.
It was too dark to see out the windows, and wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so I pulled on my heavy boots and my winter gear and headed outside for a good tromp.
The weather didn't disappoint. Wet snow swirled around, blown by a gusty wind. Every tree and limb was covered in white. The street in front of my house and the main road nearby were both nearly shin deep, and it packed into a slippery mess underfoot. No sign of a snowplow anywhere.
I tromped down to a dirt road leading to farm country. Everything was white and windy. A few ruts through the snow showed some people were foolish or desperate enough to drive. I heard sirens in the distance. The wind was powerful, but between my practical winter gear and the exercise, I was toasty warm. I wondered how someone from Hawaii would handle this.
Ahead of me was a pair of car headlights. As I got closer, it became clear they weren't moving. A bit closer, and it became clear the car was stuck. A woman was inside, tapping on her phone. My Midwestern helpfulness genes kicked in, and I approached. She didn't see me. I tapped lightly on the window, then stepped back so I wouldn't be looming over her. Startled, she rolled her window down.
"Do you need a push?" I said.
"I've called a tow truck," she replied.
"That'll probably take quite a while. I could give you a push and we could probably rock you out of here."
"No, thanks. This is the third time I've gotten stuck, and if I get back on the road, I'll just get stuck again. I'll wait for the truck so it can just take me home."
"Okay, then," I said with a wave. "Good luck!"
I tromped on.
At one point, I turned off the road and onto a sort-of trail that leads through a stand of pines. They're TALL, and at this moment, they were covered in snow that pull their branches downward. They stood like a line of white giants gearing up for war. The scene was both beautiful and eerie.
I wanted to see what the nearby graveyard looked like, but I noticed I was starting to feel a bit tired--walking through deep, wet snow is hard work--and I figured I'd better head back. It wouldn't be a good idea to exhaust myself and still have a mile or more to walk. So I turned around.
The lady and her car were still stuck, but just as I emerged from the trees, a tow truck bustled past and pulled up to her. The driver got out to do tow truck driver things and was industriously doing them when I arrived.
"Hey!" he said when he saw me. "How's it going?"
"Busy night for you, I'll bet," I observed.
"I'd way rather be home!"
And I continued on my way.
Finally I got back, a little wet, but not at all cold. A brisk Michigan walk! I made hot chocolate and toasted some home made bread and celebrated being warm and inside again.
comments
I kept a nervous eye on the storm. I have a 50-minute commute and didn't want to get caught in it, and it was set to arrive not long after school got out. The moment I was able, I dashed out the door and sprinted for home. No sign of snow when I pulled off the highway in Ypsilanti, so I stopped at the store for a few things and encountered the usual pre-apocalyptic crowd of people who were convinced that their survival depended on grabbing every gallon of milk and loaf of bread they could get their hands on. I just wanted bananas and a frozen pizza so I wouldn't have to make supper!
The snow started just as I was pulling out of the store parking lot. Big, wet, sticky flakes.
Throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening, the snow really ramped up. It was BAD snow, thick as oatmeal. And we got a LOT of it and very quickly. I was glad to be at home!
Darwin, who doesn't go into the office on Fridays, and I had a nice, cozy meal while outside, the storm continued to gain strength. We saw lightening and heard crashes of thunder--thundersnow. This is a new phenomenon in Michigan, and exists thanks to climate change.
Then the lights flickered. They recovered, then flickered again, and then yet again. I dug out flashlights and candles, just in case, and immediately afterward, the flickering stopped. You're welcome, everyone!
At around 9:30, my phone blared with a message from the emergency messaging system. We were being advised not to drive, as the roads in the area were all but impassible. Wow.
It was too dark to see out the windows, and wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so I pulled on my heavy boots and my winter gear and headed outside for a good tromp.
The weather didn't disappoint. Wet snow swirled around, blown by a gusty wind. Every tree and limb was covered in white. The street in front of my house and the main road nearby were both nearly shin deep, and it packed into a slippery mess underfoot. No sign of a snowplow anywhere.
I tromped down to a dirt road leading to farm country. Everything was white and windy. A few ruts through the snow showed some people were foolish or desperate enough to drive. I heard sirens in the distance. The wind was powerful, but between my practical winter gear and the exercise, I was toasty warm. I wondered how someone from Hawaii would handle this.
Ahead of me was a pair of car headlights. As I got closer, it became clear they weren't moving. A bit closer, and it became clear the car was stuck. A woman was inside, tapping on her phone. My Midwestern helpfulness genes kicked in, and I approached. She didn't see me. I tapped lightly on the window, then stepped back so I wouldn't be looming over her. Startled, she rolled her window down.
"Do you need a push?" I said.
"I've called a tow truck," she replied.
"That'll probably take quite a while. I could give you a push and we could probably rock you out of here."
"No, thanks. This is the third time I've gotten stuck, and if I get back on the road, I'll just get stuck again. I'll wait for the truck so it can just take me home."
"Okay, then," I said with a wave. "Good luck!"
I tromped on.
At one point, I turned off the road and onto a sort-of trail that leads through a stand of pines. They're TALL, and at this moment, they were covered in snow that pull their branches downward. They stood like a line of white giants gearing up for war. The scene was both beautiful and eerie.
I wanted to see what the nearby graveyard looked like, but I noticed I was starting to feel a bit tired--walking through deep, wet snow is hard work--and I figured I'd better head back. It wouldn't be a good idea to exhaust myself and still have a mile or more to walk. So I turned around.
The lady and her car were still stuck, but just as I emerged from the trees, a tow truck bustled past and pulled up to her. The driver got out to do tow truck driver things and was industriously doing them when I arrived.
"Hey!" he said when he saw me. "How's it going?"
"Busy night for you, I'll bet," I observed.
"I'd way rather be home!"
And I continued on my way.
Finally I got back, a little wet, but not at all cold. A brisk Michigan walk! I made hot chocolate and toasted some home made bread and celebrated being warm and inside again.
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February 9, 2023
My Journey Through Laryngitis
The cold left me with laryngitis. Right now, I can't make a noise louder than a croak. It makes life difficult at work. I use a text-to-speech program, which my students think is splendid. I'm also wearing a card that says LARYNGITIS with a frowny-face so people will understand right away that I can't talk.
I'm avoiding all speaking until my voice is better.
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I'm avoiding all speaking until my voice is better.
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February 8, 2023
Sick Weekend
I had a really bad cold over the weekend. Got sick Thursday night and was too sick to work on Friday. Saturday I felt better. Then Sunday--WHAM! Misery. I took three covid tests--all negative. Monday I was still too sick to work. Tuesday I was shaky but functional, so I went in. Wednesday (today), I have no voice. Who knows what tomorrow will bring!
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February 4, 2023
Dreams
Do you have any of these?
Types of Dreams I Have:
1. The Impossible Task Dream. I have to do something normal (get something from the refrigerator, drive to work), but weird stuff keeps happening to divert me, and I become more and more frustrated until I wake up.
2. The Pee Dream. I have to pee, but something interferes. The toilet is broken or backed up. There are a bunch of people in the bathroom. The bathroom is locked. Finally, I wake up and go to the bathroom for real.
3. The Crappy House Dream. I've just moved into a new house/apartment/dorm room, and it's a craphole. Dirty. Broken-up bathroom. Watery basement. But I'm actually happy to be there. I feel like a college student who got his own place for the first time. Often, but not always, the crappy place turns out to be way, way bigger than it looks. Either a door leads into an entirely new section, or there's a huge secret attic. Just as I'm getting into the exploring, I wake up.
4. The Distant Driver Dream. I'm driving a car/truck/van, but somehow, I'm positioned a hundred feet above it and driving it either by remote control or a REALLY long steering column. The car looks like a toy. It zooms around, and I'm desperate to keep it from hitting something. Finally it smacks into another car. The distance collapses and I'm standing next to the wreck. I wake up.
5. The Disaster Dream. There's been a terrible disaster, usually a car accident or something has smashed into the house, and it's my fault. I'm standing amid the wreckage, horrified and despondent. Then I wake up and it takes a moment to realize it was only a dream and I'm flooded with relief.
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Types of Dreams I Have:
1. The Impossible Task Dream. I have to do something normal (get something from the refrigerator, drive to work), but weird stuff keeps happening to divert me, and I become more and more frustrated until I wake up.
2. The Pee Dream. I have to pee, but something interferes. The toilet is broken or backed up. There are a bunch of people in the bathroom. The bathroom is locked. Finally, I wake up and go to the bathroom for real.
3. The Crappy House Dream. I've just moved into a new house/apartment/dorm room, and it's a craphole. Dirty. Broken-up bathroom. Watery basement. But I'm actually happy to be there. I feel like a college student who got his own place for the first time. Often, but not always, the crappy place turns out to be way, way bigger than it looks. Either a door leads into an entirely new section, or there's a huge secret attic. Just as I'm getting into the exploring, I wake up.
4. The Distant Driver Dream. I'm driving a car/truck/van, but somehow, I'm positioned a hundred feet above it and driving it either by remote control or a REALLY long steering column. The car looks like a toy. It zooms around, and I'm desperate to keep it from hitting something. Finally it smacks into another car. The distance collapses and I'm standing next to the wreck. I wake up.
5. The Disaster Dream. There's been a terrible disaster, usually a car accident or something has smashed into the house, and it's my fault. I'm standing amid the wreckage, horrified and despondent. Then I wake up and it takes a moment to realize it was only a dream and I'm flooded with relief.
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January 27, 2023
Darwin's Adventure With Food
Don't worry--it has a happy ending.
Darwin's food palate is limited, or it is by my standards. By his standards, he's practically a gourmand--he'll eat at any Coney Island in the country!
I like to try new places and new types of food. My favorite place to eat is one where I have to ask the server how to eat something. This creates occasional tension in our marriage.
When we go to a restaurant, it usually has to be a place Darwin likes. His reasoning goes that I'll eat the food at any restaurant he chooses, but he stands a good chance of not liking the food at a place =I= choose, so we should therefore eat at a place where both of us will like it, and that's a restaurant =he= chooses.
My responses is that "like" and "tolerate" are not the same thing. I don't "like" diner food, but I'll tolerate it if there's nothing better.
My friend Sarah is in the same boat with her husband. And so when she and I do lunch, we do our best to pick a place that both our husbands would hate.
On Fridays, Darwin doesn't have to work, but I still do, and usually I get home in no mood to cook. "Where are you taking me for dinner?" is my usual question when I get home.
Today, Darwin said, "You can choose. Anywhere."
I clasped my hands. "Reeallly?"
"Yes, really."
I opted for Basil Babe. It's a new Thai restaurant that occupies the spot once taken by Tower Inn, if you know Ypsilanti. Darwin sighed heavily, but I ignored him. Off we went.
The first thing I noticed was that the interior of the restaurant has been completely redone. They removed the drop ceiling and took out one entire wall, which very effectively opened the place up and made it airier than Tower Inn (which had decent food but did feel a bit dark and claustrophobic). It's an upscale-ish place, but you order at the greeter's station through QR code menus and bring a number card on a stand to your table so the server can find you. The rest of the decor is minimalist, but done well, and we approved.
Darwin usually likes noodles, so I told him he might want to try the pad thai. I ordered pork belly stir fry and some crab rangoons for an appetizer.
The rangoons arrived. They were crisp and creamy and delicious. Darwin took a bite, made a face, and put his down. Strike one, and dang--I ordered them because I figured he'd like them and would have something to nibble on if the pad thai didn't turn out.
The main courses arrived. The pork belly, which the server described as "medium spicy" was correctly advertised. When something is "medium spicy," it usually means "at the upper edge of my tolerance," and I was glad it wasn't spicier. The meat was crispy around the edges and tender. It was very good.
Darwin's pad thai looked tasty. He tried a forkful of noodles, made another face, and put his fork down. "It's too sweet," he reported. Strike two.
I tried it and found it excellent. I put both our platters in the middle of the table and urged Darwin to try the pork belly. He did and said it was okay, but too spicy (strike three), and he contented himself with forkfuls of plain rice while I ate from both dishes.
Well, we tried.
One advantage of paying in advance is that you don't have to wait for the check, so when I was done eating, we left. A snowstorm had whipped up while we were in the restaurant, and we made our way through it toward the car, which was a block away. We passed by Insomnia Cookies, which became famous by staying open until 3 AM and delivering fresh cookies like pizzas. (You know what demographic they target, right?) We'd never been in, so we decided to have a look.
We ended up ordering. How could we not? Darwin had a brookie (a half-brownie, half-cookie concoction) and I had mint chocolate chip cookies topped with ice cream. It was wonderful, and it saved the outing for Darwin.
See? A happy ending.
Meanwhile, I texted Sarah to tell her we had a new restaurant to try for our author lunches.
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Darwin's food palate is limited, or it is by my standards. By his standards, he's practically a gourmand--he'll eat at any Coney Island in the country!
I like to try new places and new types of food. My favorite place to eat is one where I have to ask the server how to eat something. This creates occasional tension in our marriage.
When we go to a restaurant, it usually has to be a place Darwin likes. His reasoning goes that I'll eat the food at any restaurant he chooses, but he stands a good chance of not liking the food at a place =I= choose, so we should therefore eat at a place where both of us will like it, and that's a restaurant =he= chooses.
My responses is that "like" and "tolerate" are not the same thing. I don't "like" diner food, but I'll tolerate it if there's nothing better.
My friend Sarah is in the same boat with her husband. And so when she and I do lunch, we do our best to pick a place that both our husbands would hate.
On Fridays, Darwin doesn't have to work, but I still do, and usually I get home in no mood to cook. "Where are you taking me for dinner?" is my usual question when I get home.
Today, Darwin said, "You can choose. Anywhere."
I clasped my hands. "Reeallly?"
"Yes, really."
I opted for Basil Babe. It's a new Thai restaurant that occupies the spot once taken by Tower Inn, if you know Ypsilanti. Darwin sighed heavily, but I ignored him. Off we went.
The first thing I noticed was that the interior of the restaurant has been completely redone. They removed the drop ceiling and took out one entire wall, which very effectively opened the place up and made it airier than Tower Inn (which had decent food but did feel a bit dark and claustrophobic). It's an upscale-ish place, but you order at the greeter's station through QR code menus and bring a number card on a stand to your table so the server can find you. The rest of the decor is minimalist, but done well, and we approved.
Darwin usually likes noodles, so I told him he might want to try the pad thai. I ordered pork belly stir fry and some crab rangoons for an appetizer.
The rangoons arrived. They were crisp and creamy and delicious. Darwin took a bite, made a face, and put his down. Strike one, and dang--I ordered them because I figured he'd like them and would have something to nibble on if the pad thai didn't turn out.
The main courses arrived. The pork belly, which the server described as "medium spicy" was correctly advertised. When something is "medium spicy," it usually means "at the upper edge of my tolerance," and I was glad it wasn't spicier. The meat was crispy around the edges and tender. It was very good.
Darwin's pad thai looked tasty. He tried a forkful of noodles, made another face, and put his fork down. "It's too sweet," he reported. Strike two.
I tried it and found it excellent. I put both our platters in the middle of the table and urged Darwin to try the pork belly. He did and said it was okay, but too spicy (strike three), and he contented himself with forkfuls of plain rice while I ate from both dishes.
Well, we tried.
One advantage of paying in advance is that you don't have to wait for the check, so when I was done eating, we left. A snowstorm had whipped up while we were in the restaurant, and we made our way through it toward the car, which was a block away. We passed by Insomnia Cookies, which became famous by staying open until 3 AM and delivering fresh cookies like pizzas. (You know what demographic they target, right?) We'd never been in, so we decided to have a look.
We ended up ordering. How could we not? Darwin had a brookie (a half-brownie, half-cookie concoction) and I had mint chocolate chip cookies topped with ice cream. It was wonderful, and it saved the outing for Darwin.
See? A happy ending.
Meanwhile, I texted Sarah to tell her we had a new restaurant to try for our author lunches.
comments
