Food - Turkey Burgers

I have been told that when I eat I analyze my meal.  The gears are turning before the first bite and I'm always trying to come up with ways to either reproduce something from a restaurant in the kitchen or ways to improve upon what I've already made.  I was not aware of this habit that I have.  I'm by no means a gourmet chef but i like to cook and come up with different ideas.  Because of this hobby of mine, I am going to dedicate some of my time to documenting new zany ideas that I've experienced.  The primary tag used will be FOOD and then i will break it down further from there while trying to differentiate between what I've tried while going out vs coming up with in the kitchen.

To kick this thread off, I will describe what I made for dinner recently...

Turkey burgers.

Take one package of fresh pre-made turkey burgers and cook them on either a George Foreman or in a pan on the stove.  High heat is the key to give it a little bit of searing and flavor.  Season burgers with choice of seasoning (Mrs Dash has an awesome chipotle or fiesta seasoning) since Turkey is very bland.  After removing burgers from heat, place a small piece of cheese on them (I love co-jack).

In another non-stick pan, turn heat up high.  Take a chunk of red and green pepper (maybe 1/4 of the whole pepper) and cut into thin strips (1/4-1/2" thin).  Also have sliced mushrooms ready (used pre-sliced white mushrooms because they were cheap and easy).  Didn't need any kind of oil/butter for veggies because of non-stick pan.  After pan is heated up, toss peppers and mushrooms in while gradually turning the heat down.  Ideally you want to have the peppers be seared a bit to give it a semi-grilled look.  Keep pan uncovered for a few minutes as veggies get more seared.  Cover for a minute or two which will bring out the moisture in the veggies and then uncover again.  Turn heat off.  Veggies should be nice and hot.

Cheap white buns were used.  Put burger on bun and scoop some of the veggies on top of the burger so they're on top of the cheese.  No condiments are needed for this to be completed but a little dab of ranch will be needed if the turkey burgers are over cooked.

Cost:  Burgers cost $3.50 on sale. Buns are cheap.  Veggies can cost a bit but if you have them in the house regularly, then this is yet another use for them.

Health:  Excluding the cheese and the dash of seasoning, i can't see how this is a 'bad' meal.

Racing Through Life

When did life become a race?  It seems as though I missed the memo that I am supposed to be like my peers and running around under a self imposed deadline to accomplish 'goals'.  Mainstream media tries to tell us that 40 is the new 30.  At the same time I look around and see people treating 30 as the new 50.  Some are striving to be older than advertised in the hopes of using their false maturity as leverage to advance their agenda of being perceived as 'older and more stable' for both personal and professional purposes.

I am viewed as a 'failure' by a lot of people (both friends and family).  They won't come right out and say it but this is how I am viewed.  I'm viewed as such because I didn't buy into their notion that I'm supposed to have a two car garage by now with a matching family and a Weber grill that will make me the envy of the neighborhood.  I have next to nothing set aside for retirement because i opted to quit a shitty job 10 years ago and go back to school in order to better myself.  I did not pursue a field of study that would have easily enabled this mythical dream world to happen.  I chose to study what interested me which lead to my growing mentally and emotionally as a human being as opposed to a more acceptable worker drone.

Now I'm looked down upon because I'm 'behind the curve' in terms of accumulation of the 'goals' that my peers are racing towards.  My maturity is quietly questioned by those that know me socially.  My stability is questioned by both prospective employers and casual acquaintances.  I'm chasing a different dream than what others are chasing and for that I am an oddity.  You're more than welcome to look down upon me now but please don't call me when you're suffering from a midlife crisis after you realize you have attained all of these milestones that you raced towards and realized that you're stressed about keeping up the charade.

There must be something wrong with this individual who dared to quit their job when buying a new car was within his grasp.  There's clearly something wrong with someone who walked away from a job with benefits all to risk being penniless.

Them: What would your ideal job be right now if you could do anything?

Me: A gardener.

Them: Ahh… Agriculture.

Me: No.  Just a gardener.

Them: That's it?

Me: Yes.

Clearly there's something wrong with this one.  We should be sure to distance ourselves from him for fear of the unknown that he brings.

I think the reason why I'm refusing to run this race that I see others caught up in is because the finish line should not be the ultimate goal.  The journey is more important to me than the destination.  It's the experiences in this journey that make us who we are and give us the knowledge to pass on to the next generation with the hopes of not repeating our mistakes.  Age comes in time.  I'll get there when I get there.  In the meantime there's absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying where you are chronologically.  I accept my branding as a 'failure' by those that don't understand this because i sleep soundly every night perfectly content with who i am.

See ya at the finish line...

Slowing Down

I have no job. I quit my job a month ago because i was burnt out, strung out, wiped out, and mentally drained. I have no regrets. The end.

Life has slowed down for me these days. There is some pretty annoying construction that i have to deal with whenever i want to go anywhere on the freeway. I see people swerving in and out of lanes while jockeying for a better spot only to come to a halt again. I am the asshole who goes slower when there's a growing gap between myself and the cars ahead of me. No point in rushing when we're going to slam on our brakes after this bend and cause even more panic breaking. I coast at a leisure pace through it all and pull up alongside of those that passed me earlier and keep on coasting through. Barely tapping the brakes. The traffic doesn't bother me because i know it's there, there's no way to avoid it, and I'm in no rush.

Approximately 10 minutes north of me and through a couple of suburbs is where a friend of mine lives. Gas is hovering around $4/gallon and i have only my savings. I walk there. It takes approximately 50 minutes one way to walk there at a steady pace. The walk is calming. Never realized some of the little things I see on stretches of road I've gone down all of my life. Never realized that some boring looking apartment complex with dark red bricks and very bright white trim has an indoor pool. I forgot that my feet can actually be tender and my legs can be slightly sore from walking that much.

According to the calendar the season is supposed to be spring. On occasion the weather actually resembles that.

I've found myself being more polite than usual when out in public. Letting people cut in line at the grocery store. Holding the door for someone who is more than 2 steps behind me and more like 10 steps behind. I've got time and I'm in no rush.

As i reflect more and more i feel as though i recently woke up from a long sleep. I feel as though i dreamt the past couple of years of my life while not knowing when exactly it was that i slipped off into this dream world. The fog is lifting day by day. I don't know who i am anymore but I'm liking where this is going. Income is a looming concern of mine but I'm fighting constantly with it to keep it very much a secondary concern.

I have no job. I quit my job a month ago because i was burnt out, strung out, wiped out, and emotionally drained. I refuse to allow myself to have any regrets. This is the beginning.

The "unplugging" experiment

In response to Mom unplugs teens for 6 months from Internet, iPod, TV ...

If not for the fact this was influenced by her plan to write a book, I would applaud this "experiment". Stories like this genuinely interest me and I may look to find a copy of this book at the library one of these days (assuming they still exist). If not for the fact that she had to bribe her kids with a piece of the action from the book sales, this would be even better. Despite the lack of genuine sincerity behind this experiment, it both fascinates and disturbs me that this is a topic worthy of discussion.

In the past I've written about the desire to unplug from society if even briefly and I feel the need to reiterate that this has been a strong desire of mine for years. Even though i only talked about turning my phone off, I'd like to believe that "unplugging" from most technology would be the implied much like what Susan Maushart did with her family. It's almost as though I need to document that I felt this way before others "jumped on the bandwagon" and beat me to the punch. This is my way of making peace with myself on this topic i suppose.

The results of this on her family are fascinating and impossible to ignore. Her son was branded a video game addict and dedicated his free time to playing sax. Once the cloud lifted, he became interested in something that is not only potentially social but also what is arguably one of the foundations of culture. If not for the experiment, it's debatable whether or not he would have gone back to music or not. One daughter actually had her grades improve during this experiment.

More importantly than the results for me is how disturbing this is that it's worthy of writing a book about a family doing something like this. Apparently families are truly this out of control that they can't suppress their technology fetish. The removal of the "evil crickets" from their day to day lives should not be this big of an issue and yet it is.

Most importantly, this article/topic has flooded my head with more and more questions to which i don't necessarily want the answers to. Is technology truly that integral to not only people but families to the point that the act of "unplugging" can only be done so through bribery of kids? Are parents really that powerless (whether accidentally or by choice) to keep their families from self medicating by way of their immediate gratification gadgets? Why is it that more people aren't concerned with this? Are we losing the ability to physically interact with one another in favor of the perceived security of our virtual interactions? Could the son be considered a poster boy for what talent can lie underneath the shroud of electronic addiction that needs only be unplugged in order to shine through?

Although i'm fascinated by this "experiment" and the questions that it has raised within me, i don't foresee answers coming to light anytime soon. It's my opinion that "experiments" like this will become increasingly popular in the coming years and they'll be more and the outcomes will become more and more drastic as we progress further.

Wanderlust

Tonight I was watching PBS and got sucked into a documentary about two guys from Queens NY who retraced Marco Polo's travels. Link to site. This show got me thinking again about the few travels i've had and how many more there are out there for me.

It's more than just the travels that drew me into this show. It's the history of what was being seen first hand. Living history. Reaching out and touching something that is exactly as it was documented hundreds of years prior just absolutely fascinates me. Part of me longs to go through the hell of traveling on horseback, crowded buses, and all around misery to meet people in a land who are living the same exact way they did for probably a thousand years (excluding the Nike hat that someone was wearing).

I'll admit that i let my imagination wander and drift away to the far away lands that i too would like to experience. I know I'm fortunate enough to live in a region that is very beautiful with it's different seasons, colors, and varying features (lake, hills, greens, blue, browns, etc) and that those that are in shows like i was watching would be in awe of my homeland just as much as i would be in awe of theirs. The key word for me is really "experience". Most people that travel go somewhere, take a bunch of pictures, and then go home. I want to experience my destination. Rather than a hotel or a hostel, I'd much rather find a family to take me in for a couple of weeks and show me the ropes of their area.

It's the little things that i see in programs like this that draws me in. Transportation was needed to get from one village to another and the only way to get there was to hire someone to ride a bike with you on the back. How cool is that?! It's sad that a region can be that dirt poor and yet i long for us to truly grasp how pampered we are even with our buses. The idea of biking everywhere because it's your only mode of transportation just strikes a chord with me. No i'm not turning into one of those fixed gear riding hipsters! I just think we've lost an overall appreciation for not only our surroundings but travel time because of our "superior" means of transportation.

Granted that I know my perception is being filtered by the filmmakers views of the places traveled, the ultimate draw of shows like these for me is how friendly people everywhere are to travelers. You can stage a lot for a camera but there are so many little gestures of sincere camaraderie and brotherhood that can't be staged. When you see politicians on stage and even the best of actors, they still seem to lack something. When you see an image of an old toothless man as he's sharing a smoke with a foreigner, you can see the magic in his eyes. Neither will forget the other. Both having an immense impact on each others perceptions of outsiders. It's exchanges like these that i'm drawn to. I want to experience them too. I want someone far removed from me to come away thinking that outsiders are good people too.

In the end I guess i just get warm fuzzies from the idea of learning first hand that most of the world is filled with decent people. We're taught and conditioned to not trust most of the world which i think is contrary to human nature. I'd like to believe that if you put two people together with no common means of communication that they'll work things out and get along just fine. Stay away from this region because they don't like us and they'll try to eat your brains! Don't travel there because they are all bad people that hate us! Don't associate with those people because they'll corrupt the way you think and pollute your mind with ideas that will destroy your sense of morals.

Bah. Fuck 'em. I want to learn for myself about people and places. I want to travel. I want to see places. I want to experience new foods and new ways. Something tells me that most of the world doesn't give a shit what my country of origin is and is more concerned if i've got a spare match in my pocket or an open hand to hold the door for someone.

It might be a minor thing but what i miss about traveling is looking out the window. Whether it's a window on a bus, plane, or a house, i miss looking out the window. Perhaps it's my voyeuristic nature but there's something soothing about watching everyday life unfold before my eyes. I might be on a bus buzzing from town to town but i love letting my imagination wander as i see building an people. I guess when i take a vacation, i like to take a vacation from reality while on vacation.

There's so much history in the world that is both living and dead waiting to be experienced. I can only hope that i can witness first hand a fraction of it in my remaining time here.

Writers Block

I've had a lot on my mind these days. Anyone who knows me, knows i'm not afraid to say what's on my mind. My problem is that I'm trying to filter what is on my mind, into this medium. So many things to talk about but none of them really feel "worthy".

I love reading and giving my feedback on social issues. The problem with that topic these days is that during my absence from this blog it has become more and more vogue to speak out on these issues. That and honestly i just haven't found any truly unique stories that i care enough about (see older posts about gardening and drug war) to comment on.

What has really been dominating my life are two things: job hunting and technology. Job hunting is nothing new for me to write about and although i'm employed back in the industry, i'm still looking. Technology is still a love of mine but there's just sooo many tech bloggers out there that are much better than me. I don't feel that i have a lot to contribute to the tech blogosphere but since i have nothing better to write about, here goes what will hopefully be the beginning of an ongoing effort to change that.

Within the technology realm I'm most fascinated with my macbook and the things it has opened up to me. Last.fm has been getting a lot more attention because of this. As has my cheat sheet of *nix commands (scp, vi, and even a bit of grep). When i sit down and use this machine i immediately start coming up with ideas of what i want and can do. The portability of it also fuels my curiosity.

I'm ashamed that i have yet to get my music collection on here. Why? Because I want to turn itunes loose on it so that i can sync my (free) ipod with it and really get rocking with the last.fm scrobbling. That was my first and most daunting plan (i hate the word "project" these days) for this machine. I've got maybe 20gb worth of music that i need to get on here but the bigger issue is how to sort it and then cleaning up the ID3 tags before i even dare sync it with my ipod.

Speaking of last.fm, i've been thoroughly enjoying listening to what it has to offer up for streaming music. I was recently listening to "my library" and found a couple songs/groups that really caught my attention. It's refreshing to be exposed to unexplored music for me. My local radio stations are awful at best and so homogeneous that i can feel any individuality being sucked out of me through my speakers. Gone are the days of cutting edge and different music which has been traded for music that fit that description 20 - 30 years ago with the vain hopes that we've been living in a vacuum.

Hopefully in the coming weeks i'll document more in depth what i've done while chasing these interests. Hopefully inspiration will strike and i'll get back into my writing groove. No matter what, bear with me as i get my legs again.

Went for a walk

Tonight i went for a walk. I had an errand to run. It was cold and snowing lightly. I walked. It would have been more comfortable to drive. I walked instead. Bundled up a bit and was only cold for the first block and then i got acclimated to it.

What's the big deal about taking a brief walk in 20 degree weather? It's that i realized how much i miss simple things like that these days. It's that a lot of people would opt to drive that distance these days. It's that the weather is considered too cold for humans to leave their caves to trek out briefly into the wild these days for fear of a polar bear attacking them behind Jimmy Johns.

Some would label this as being "green" since i didn't drive. Some would say that i'm being old fashioned for walking when it's more efficient to drive. Some would even say that i was trying to be "healthy" since i'm over weight and it's time for new years resolutions and all of that jazz.

I walked because i enjoy it. No ulterior motives. No external influences. I did it because i enjoy it. I suppose that makes me a bad person because i wasn't doing something for the greater good. Fuck the greater good. I did it because i like it and that's that.

Some days i truly enjoy being me. :)

Look who's back!

Despite my best efforts, I have not died. It's time to crawl out of my shell and into... my shell. :)

Random rumblings to come.

Social commentaries to come.

Opinions to come.

Most importantly... I'M BACK BITCHEZ!!!

seth-macfarlane-to-be-infomercial-host

Once again, sunbelt to the rescue when i need material to read!

http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/seth-macfarlane-to-be-infomercial-host.html

Gardening in Havana

Original article here.

Here we sit in the midst of a recession with the economy in the toilet, unemployment is up drastically, and yet we're obese. Food prices are going up, money is tight, and yet we less and less self sufficient as a country.

After reading about the farming that's going on in Cuba I realized that's exactly what we need. It just makes sense economically, socially, and physiologically.

Why would you not produce goods like produce where the consumers are? Transportation costs would be negligible, need for storage would be eliminated, and convenience for consumers would be unparalleled. People could buy the tomatoes, carrots, and lettuce needed for a salad right there on their lunch break rather than trekking the same distance to 'Burger World' and spending the same amount for inferior quality foods that have been soaked in chemicals using very Scotched Earth tactics. What's this? A good quality product for the same price as its mass produced competition? This must be a mistake!

Large scale growing and production within a major metropolitan area would also be a means to jump start the local economy. Active and consistent commerce tends to bring other commerce and we need only look at malls with their anchor stores to see this holds true. Local labor who is out of work would have an opportunity to be participants again in the economy whether they're laborers, growers, or sellers. Whatever their 'job', they would have some form of income which enables them to be consumers rather than a leech on the system. Even if they make $20/day, that's $20 less that they need to borrow or be given and more importantly it's EARNED.

The social effects of what is going on in Havana can't be comprehended by outsiders. Concepts like pride, hope for former unemployed workers, and aesthetics are all intangibles that can't be measured (yet somehow are major factors). Pockets of green like parks are already on the decline in most major metropolitan cities. These are pockets of green that not only produce marketable goods but cut back on air pollution in addition to their aesthetic value. The notion of eating something that was grown right near your employer can't be measured and yet will make most people smile.

Access to fresh produce can only have positive effects on peoples diets. Even if they just use that fresh tomato on their grease burger, it has more nutritional value than anything highly processed and mass farmed using heavy amounts of chemicals. Tomatoes are red, not pink. Look at a homegrown one next to one from the store. Case closed.

What strikes me the deepest about Havana is that they learned a lesson the hard way that we are blinded to.

Havana has almost 200 urban allotments - known as organiponicos - providing four million tonnes of vegetables every year - helping the country to become 90% self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables.

How is this a bad thing? A country that is 90% self sufficient in fruit and vegetables can weather economic crisis better as Havana is showing us. They're eliminating dependencies on foreign oil which means their country won't hit the panic button when Gas hits $4+ per gallon like it did in the US during the summer of 2008. The more self sufficient you are, the better you can cope with problems that arise.

As well as marigolds, basil and neem trees are planted around the containers to keep the aphids and beetles at bay. Sunflowers and corn are also planted around the beds to attract beneficial insects such as ladybirds and lace wings. Sticky paper or plastic funnel-shaped bottles are positioned throughout the beds to trap harmful pests that do get into the garden.

And the methods work. Lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, squash, sweet potatoes, spinach, herbs and many other crops are grown in huge quantities and sold cheaply. Mangoes are 2 pence (3 US cents) a pound. Black beans 15p (25 cents) and plantain, just 12p (20 cents).

What's this? A good quality product for the same price as its mass produced competition? This must be a mistake!