“Rain, thunderstorms, severe weather, freezing rain, sleet, snow, and wind can be expected with the system as it heads eastward over the next several days.”
We drove a 16+ hour day Saturday up through North Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and then due west to Denver. A bit painful, but we got here to Christina V’s welcoming apartment and thought it much better than spending the night in some expensive-cheap hotel.
Today, we are heading home to Texas. We decided to break up the drive back into two days and stop in Carlsbad, New Mexico for the night. (Sadly, to stop in Marfa would require two very long days of driving.) But, lo and behold, the snow waited to grace us with her presence until early this morning. We awoke to blankets of white, and while the soft flakes are pretty to watch, we will be taking things very very very slowly as we make our way south without snow tires.
Snow and rain in the forecast for the next two days for much of our route: FUN!
Stay warm, take care, and travel safely! See you on the other side of Christmas!
My head is frequently filled with a cacophony of sound bites, madly repeating things I wrote and said, or things that were written or said to me, or things I read or heard on screen or in the street. They replay themselves like a recorded chorus of schizophrenics, each member struggling for attention but quickly surrendering to his noisier neighbor. They weigh down my mind, distracting me from the moment. These voices are treacherous, incessantly repeating plans, promises, ideas, judgments, advice, reminders, comparisons, opinions, and hungers…
I rarely get around to reading the books because my mind is too tired, and because the speed of information transferral of a book seems so sluggish compared to the high-speed mental acrobatics I had been conducting all day at my computer. Reading a book at this point feels like staring at a wall, and I usually opt instead to stare into the dancing fire, seeing what I can see in the flames, whose unpredictably beautiful forms and movements seem better suited to the shape and speed of thought. To the fire, there is only the moment, and the potential of where to dance off to next.
Maybe in the future inventors will find a way for us to control fire with thought. Then we can replace essays and novels with fires, imprinting our ideas in flame and using the paper instead only as kindling. Then we can send our fires through the wooden world and into the hearths of other people’s minds, where they will entrance and entertain as only fires can.
THE ART OF MAKING MONEY PLENTY in every Man’s Pocket;
by Doctor Franklin
published in 1791
At this time when the general complaint is that money is so scarce
it must be an act of kindness to inform the moneyless how they
can reinforce their pockets. I will acquaint all with the true secret
of money catching, the certain way to fill empty purses and how to
keep them always full. Two simple rules well observed will do
the business. First, Let honesty and labor be thy constant
companions; Second, Spend one penny every day less than thy
clear gains; Then shall thy pockets soon begin to
thrive, thy creditors will never insult thee, nor
want oppress, nor hunger bite, nor nakedness freeze thee.
The whole hemisphere will shine brighter, and
pleasure spring up in every corner of thy heart. ~
Pressing in our times of doubt, fear, hate, and war. Especially crucial for those who work with youth and the future. Valuable for all individuals — as part of humanity today. A perfect reminder during the start of our holidays season. May compassion, giving, and gratitude continue past the holy dates.
The guys at gamesplusblog.com have been struggling with the very valid question of quantity vs. quality, and I think Mr. Glass hits the nail on the head again and again with his tips on finding stories, crafting stories, figuring out which stories have meaning and why, and—most importantly—quantity leads to quality because perseverance is key.
His advice spans all sorts of fields and adventures, so be sure to watch all four parts:
what makes a story compelling
the time and effort it takes to find great stories (and the ability to know when to kill a story)
the gap between your good taste and your ability to make something worthy of your taste
two common beginner errors (not being yourself and not being interested in other people/the world.)
Ours isn’t the most articulate generation. It leads to things like poor phone interviews, on which basis Teach for America can reject your application. I know, I’ve been there. Live and learn…and speak with conviction!
I’m debating whether to do our CSA farm share again in the winter. I’ve been in such a food rut lately, that it feels like we waste more of the veggies than use them well. (We compost what we can’t use, but still…) I just don’t know…
These kale chips may sway our decision:
salty, crispy kale chips
Easy-peasy:
Remove leafy parts from stems. Tear into bite-size pieces, and arrange on a baking pan.
Drizzle/toss with olive oil. Sprinkle conservatively with sea salt. (Save the salt for post-baking if you want less intense flavor.)
Bake at 325º or 350º for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the ones that are done, flip the others, and bake again for a few more minutes. Keep an eye on ‘em, so they don’t burn.
Crispy, salty, somewhere between a potato chip and seaweed snacks, depending on the heartiness of your greens. Tastes as if they can’t be good for you, but they are!
[P.S. I got the idea from this 3191 post about getting a son who is on the autism spectrum to eat some greens.]
