December « 2009 « The VeganGeek!

December 31, 2009

New Years Eve

Filed under: Music,Ramblings — Jason @ 9:24 am

Well, this is it. The end of 2009. New Years Eve — a blue moon, no less — the end of the “naughts”, the beginning of the teens. A start of a new decade.

I like that. The end of the naughts. I dread naughts. Negativity spreads through things, and it’s best if it is dealt with quickly, by heaping tons of positive energy on it. 2009 was an interesting year, with both highlights and low points. The low points for me were probably the house break in, and an unwished-for outcome in a trip backwards through time. Although, the beauty of time travel is that you can technically attempt it again, so long as you don’t pollute your historical light cone and remove your ability to time travel. Paradoxes are fun.

Highlights? A trip through Morocco, during Ramadan. Increased spirituality. Becoming more like my Dad. Finding strength within. My friends, and co-workers, who helped me find strength without. My brother, who begins a journey of his own, to Ottawa, and then to kitchens abroad (hopefully). Being vegan. Cooking a lot. Great books. An incredible visit to Ottawa. A letter, hand written on paper.

I was trying to think of a song to summarize this entry today, but had a hard time choosing something relevant. In the end, I decided to let fate choose for me, and picked whatever the last track was during my two hours on the mag trainer this morning was. In the end, it was probably something better than I could have chosen on my own. Pure Reason Revolution is a prog-rock/metal band from the UK, that come across as one type of music when you start listening and end up being something totally else, once the distortion and heavy psychedelic slide guitar kicks in. Oh, and any band with a female bass player that does backup vocals is badass in my opinion. Anyway, the track is Apprentice of the Universe. Given that it’s -20 outside now before the wind kicks in, and I am about to walk in it, a relevant lyric snip is worthwhile.

and give me something to dream about, I’m tiring
I’m cold and I want to go to sleep
she told me I had too much to dream last night
lime and limpid dream colonise

I am in awe with the “I had too much to dream last night” line. Wow. And I’m not sure what a “lime and limpid dream” is, but it sounds like something I’d like. In the end, aren’t we all just apprentices of the universe?

December 29, 2009

Stuffed Zucchini, and Overstuffed Thoughts

Filed under: Music,Ramblings,Recipes — Jason @ 11:07 am

First, there’s a new recipe up. Like I have been promising for months now, I’ve done something Moroccan, and put up my take on a quick vegetable dish. Zucchini squash are often stuffed with some form of grain or pasta. Moroccan cuisine is obviously famous for couscous, and it’s usually flavoured with dried fruit, and even brown sugar. Sugar is, in fact, such a large part of Moroccan life that it’s often given as a wedding gift. Moroccans are one of the largest consumers of sugar on the planet. One look at the sugary pastries on counters around Ramadan and there’s no wonder why. Anyway, enjoy.

Back at work. I will miss the indulgence of lying on my couch with a book, alternately reading, gazing out the window, or napping. I am re-reading Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy again, and when I ran out of daylight at 5 pm last night, I watched the almost-full moon trace a path across a window for a half hour, in cloudless twilight. Awesome.

I’ve dug out some of my old Queensryche albums. In 1991, I saw them on their Building Empires tour, when they came to Halifax. Amazing show. Anyway, Another Rainy Night (without you) is a track from that album. Blows my mind. The first stanza, and chorus:

Don’t slam the door on your way out
Don’t leave without saying goodbye
Another long distance night alone
You leave me wanting, always leave me wanting more
Last word today, coming home to stay?
Wouldn’t that be nice, for awhile?

But now my take-out food is growing cold
And the candle’s burned a hole in the floor
And I’m still waiting for the ring of the phone

December 28, 2009

Fuzzy Headedness

Filed under: Ramblings — Jason @ 5:58 am

It’s early, but not that early, and I’m sitting here with an espresso, enjoying the fact that I don’t know what I’m really doing today. It’s Monday, the library is still closed for the holidays, and it rained last night, a gentle rain that rhythmically splashed against my window. It alternately kept me awake and pushed me back into dreams, although I don’t remember them. I never do, really.

My head is fuzzy. Full of fuzzy thoughts, warm ideas that float in and out, unbidden. These fuzzy thoughts are helped along by the lovely Laura Groves (AKA Blue Roses), a wonderful musician from Yorkshire, in the UK. She reminds me of Tori Amos, or Joni Mitchell. I’ve heard her voice described as a sound that can calm thunder. Right now, I am listening to a track called I’m Leaving, from her self-titled Blue Roses album.

Here’s a live track of her performing Coast.

December 27, 2009

Acorn Squash stuffed with Bulgur and Tomato

Filed under: Recipes — Jason @ 1:01 pm

A new recipe today. I actually make a variant of this quite often, but it’s usually rice and lentils, not bulgur. Anyway, this time I had bulgur lying around after making tabbouleh, and needed to use it up, so here it is. In essence, the filling is reverse tabbouleh. Normally, you’d probably do this with a ton of parsley, and a little bit of bulgur. I flipped it around this time.

December 25, 2009

Christmas Day

Filed under: Coffee,Music,Ramblings — Jason @ 1:39 pm

It’s now early afternoon on Christmas Day, and I am trying to come up with something poignant to say about it being the day that it is. Before this, I was relaxing on my couch under a big afghan with a smoky dark roast, contained in a most excellent MNO mug. I am almost done the Stross novel I’ve been picking at for the last few weeks, and am gazing with eager anticipation at the small mound of Kay novels on the corner of my coffee table. Because, you gotta have goals, right? I will be returning to my couch in a few minutes.

Things are quiet. I walked into town earlier, and everything is, obviously, closed up. Ray Henry was working in his new restaurant, trying to get it up and running as soon as possible. Dedication. For obvious reasons, a dedicated gourmet burger place doesn’t thrill me, but I do admire his drive and focus, even on a morning such as this.

I’ll recommend two tracks this afternoon. The first is a fairly traditional one that I like this time of year, Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto Grosso (Christmas Concerto), which is really quite fabulous. The other, heh, is something that most people who know me would know that I’d like. Ronnie James Dio, formerly of Black Sabbath and his own band, Dio, does a great cover of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. The staccato guitar riff when he sings “tidings of comfort of joy, com-fort-and-joy” is most excellent. Enjoy.

December 24, 2009

Whole Wheat/Hemp Bread

Filed under: Recipes — Jason @ 9:23 pm

I know it’s Christmas Eve, and I will have more to say about that at some point, but as my gift to everyone (ha!) here’s a recipe I use a lot to make bread. It’s easy, it can be heavily tweaked, and works well for me. It makes a very dense, chewy bread, but that’s how I like it. I bake small loaves, so the slices can be toasted and end up almost like a cracker.

December 23, 2009

Snowed Under

Filed under: Ramblings — Jason @ 9:58 pm

Quite literally, I guess. It has been snowing pretty steadily now for over a day, solid, and I have shovelled my driveway three times now trying to stay ahead of it. This is fine. It’s extra activity, bonus stuff, and I happily do it. Snow, I don’t mind at all. Just not a fan of the deep cold that comes in waves around here.

I’ve been behind on recipes and photos because I’ve been waiting for some software to interface with my camera. That’s arrived, and I’ve started pulling the last few weeks of photos off of the camera now. I’ve mostly gone through the photos from Ottawa, and the kiln firing, and will get back into the groove of taking photos around work in the mornings and at night. If it ever stops snowing, that is.

I have a bread recipe ready to go up, now that I have the photos for it. Hopefully, tomorrow.

Today’s lyric quote is rather … heavy, but it’s appropriate given the weather of late, and a few goings on in Life. This is from “The Day It All Came Down”, by Insomnium. They have rather quietly become one of my favourite bands. Incredible musicians.

Should I be content with the memory of the life I had?
Or is the Hell knowing what we could have become?
- Quite indifferent as the tides of time have now turned
And the past is buried in a drift of whirling snow

Full song, along with “Nocturne”, the intro to it. here.

December 17, 2009

Pendulums

Filed under: Ramblings — Jason @ 5:58 pm

When new skyscrapers are built, they often incorporate giant pendulums in their basements to prevent catastrophic failure in the event of an earth quake or other natural disaster. The theory is that when the building sways one way, the pendulum swings the other way, and acts as a counter balance, absorbing whatever energy would have caused the building to crack.

Rituals, routines, regimens, and belief systems can act as pendulums for people, it seems. By incorporating these things in our lives, we build in a self-preservation mechanism, protection against things in life that could cause us to stumble, crack, or fail. Retreating to the safety and comfort of the Known can be a beacon in the night, showing us a path away from danger.

I will not stumble, crack, or fail. I might bend a little, or sway against the quake, perhaps.

Tonight’s lyric quote is from “Wasted Years”, off of the Somewhere In Time album, by Iron Maiden.

From the coast of gold, across the seven seas
I’m travelling on, far and wide
But now it seems, I’m just a stranger to myself
And all the things I sometimes do, it isn’t me but someone else

I close my eyes, and think of home
Another city goes by, in the night
Ain’t it funny how it is, you never miss it til it’s gone away
And my heart is lying there and will be til my dying day

December 15, 2009

The Return

Filed under: Ramblings — Jason @ 3:38 pm

Ottawa was fantastic. A full four days, fantastic company, lots of photography, walking, food, even more walking, and interesting sights to see. It had been a while since I’ve had the opportunity to feel so at ease on a trip. I suppose it’s also been a while since I’ve travelled in a Canadian city for a reason other than business, and it’s been a while since I’ve travelled with a companion. Change is good.

Disjointed comment — offering advice can be a heavy burden. To do so with an impartial hand can be difficult, especially if the advice you offer and the outcome you desire are at odds with each other. Ultimately, I believe that the advice given must be in the best interest of the advice taker, and often times the best advice is no advice at all. Rik Emmett suggests that we all follow our hearts. I agree.

A food comment is in order. First, Ottawa is chock-full of amazing Lebanese food. It’s really raised the bar in terms of what I will prepare for myself, and others. Second, seeing that is now winter, I will probably add a vegan chili recipe to the site at some point. It’s been a while since I have made it for myself, and I have ideas that I’d like to try. Hopefully, others will like it too.

December 10, 2009

Ottawa, and beyond

Filed under: Ramblings — Jason @ 9:09 am

Well, I’m about to head to Ottawa. Rather, in a few hours. I’m packed, rather minimally (the norm for me, only even less stuff), with mostly camera gear. It should be a great trip. I am certain that I will have much to comment on once I return.

We had our first serious storm last night. The Kitchen was pretty quiet, and the walk home was a bit of a slog because the storm seemed to be at its peak right around 6 or 7 pm, when I was walking. Yak Trax are awesome, if you’re ever looking for something to keep you from sliding on loose snow or ice. I have shovelled out — it’s a matter of pride that I a) do it by hand, and b) I beat my neighbours who don’t, and c) I don’t own a car but do it anyway.

Bring on the winter.

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