Poplar Forest

Since Aaron and I failed at visiting Poplar Forest in March of this year, we decided that it would make for an excellent mid-summer "meet in the middle" location. Yes, Aaron was out of state this summer interning...again. One of these summers Aaron and I will both be in the same state. 2012, anyone?

Back to the mid-summer meet in the middle trip. The drive to Lynchburg from Raleigh is gorgeous. Lots of small towns and farms. To give you an idea of how rural and untraveled the road was, I saw, perhaps for the first time ever, a live hippity-hoppitying little brown bunny on the side of the road. I resisted the urge to stop in the middle of the road to watch it munch on wild grass and continued on. I think downtown Lynchburg is in the beginnings of a revival, because while some blocks were lively and busy, other sections were nothing but broken windows and empty buildings. Still, not a place I would want to be walking around alone at night.

I had done some food research before leaving to find some local places to eat while we were there. We ate at a roadside diner for breakfast for what I hoped would be down home and tasty food. Well, they got the down home right, but not so much on the tasty. Both of the plates Aaron and I ordered came different than how we ordered (different sides and omelet fillings). I am not that great of an egg maker, but I probably could have made a better, fluffier omelet than what I was given. Live and learn, I suppose.

Poplar Forest, for those who are oblivious to what it is as we were earlier this year, is the retreat home of Thomas Jefferson. It was designed entirely by him and is smaller, quieter, and more removed than Monticello. It sits near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains far from anything resembling a city, both then and now. The house itself is an octagon with an offshoot bottom floor that housed the kitchen, some slave quarters and such. Jefferson designed the landscaping as well, with a mix of formal garden and open lawn.

This place is amazing. The preservation society has worked methodically to regain as much of Jefferson's original land as they could, and the results vastly improve the entire experience when visiting. Standing on the back lawn, looking across to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance, there is no sound of cars, no barking dogs, only the muffled voices of other visitors and guides. And suddenly it is crystal clear why Jefferson selected this place as a retreat. Here, he could get away from the visitors, the obligations, the busyness of Monticello and read, relax and reflect. I think he earned it, too!

I hope I am correct in speaking for both Aaron and I when I say we fell in love with this place. It lacks the grandeur of the other presidential homes we visited; it is not polished or put together. But it is personal, so simply handsome. Those who are restoring the property and home are meticulous in every detail. They read Jefferson's letters for any hints of the moldings and furniture; they have plant archaeologists combing the ground and soil for remnants of roots and seeds from when Jefferson began plantings. They hope to restore many of the poplar trees that gave this home and property its name. It is apparent how dearly these people care for this place, and I think it rubbed off on Aaron and me. Poplar Forest invites the same sentiments Jefferson must have striven for then in its visitors today - reflecting, dreaming, resting, and re-energizing.

Sadly, we eventually had to leave Poplar Forest. However, my pre-trip food searches paid off this go around with a fantastic coffee shop, The Muse Coffee Company. Aaron and I found a table upstairs and enjoyed bagel sandwiches and some great coffee with an afternoon of chatting and reading before we had to head our separate ways for the remainder of the summer.

For those interested in a presidential homes' tour like Aaron and I accomplished in two parts, I would highly encourage it. In fact, here is a suggested route!

Mount Vernon - George Washington's home outside of Washington, DC

Montpelier - James Madison's home near Orange, Virginia (southwest of DC)

Monticello - Thomas Jefferson's home near Charlottesville, Virginia (southwest of Orange)

Ash Lawn-Highland - James Monroe's home near Charlottesville, Virginia ( down the road from Monticello)

Poplar Forest - Thomas Jefferson's retreat home near Lynchburg, Virginia

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A Year of Books in Review

Read any good books lately? I have been the asker and the recipient of this question many times over the years, as I am sure you have as well. I thought I would make a quick list of the best books I have read this year for all to see. And, in return, I ask you to add your own list of best books in 2010 in the comments to share with everyone. I am always hunting out good books, and this is a quick way of trading information and adding a few more titles to my ever-expanding list of books to read, which is well over 150 books right now. So go on and add some more to my list!

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot - Excellent book that covers American history, science, privacy, medicine, and human drama. There has been a ton written about it, so I will no ramble on about it. Great book to read.

The Passage, by Justin Cronin - I am so shy about explaining this book because, yes, it kind of sort of is about vampires, the theme du jour of late. It is well-written, the story flows well, and it keeps the reader turning the page.

Freedom, by Daniel Suarez - First, read Daemon, then read this sequel. Michael Crichton with more technological focus, if I had to describe the style. A compelling topic that is both enjoyable to read and brings up questions for the reader regarding present day politics, technology and society.

The Zookeeper's Wife, by Diane Ackerman - I am a sucker for World War II books, and this one delivered. I enjoy those books that hone in on one specific moment in history, and this one does just that. It tells the story of a family who owned a zoo that they used to hide Jews fleeing the Nazis in Poland.

And, my favorite read in 2010 is...

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck - One of my high school teachers tries to read To Kill a Mockingbird every summer. Like To Kill a Mockingbird, I think East of Eden is one of those books that is worthy of reading and rereading. It is an epic and timeless story that is extremely enjoyable to read. Thank you, GANC, for bringing me this book!

Books You Can Wear

I have been ogling shirts from Out Of Print Clothing for months. I decided that I would purchase one for myself once I completed The Great American Novel Challenge. The challenge completed, and myself declared queen of the books, off I scurried to the site to select which shirt to call my own. Decisions, decisions. Do I opt for Moby Dick because, at that time, it was the only GANC book I had read that was also a shirt? However, I did not especially enjoy the book, and did not relish the thought of having passersby engage me in conversation about a book I prefer not to speak at length regarding.

I eventually narrowed my choices down to Hound of the Baskervilles and 1984. Difficult decision which was quickly made much easier when the shirt for Hound of the Baskervilles was changed. Sadness. So, I chose:

I love it! Some notes on the shirt itself. When the site tells you the shirt runs small, they are not joking. I got an extra large and it fits me perfectly - not baggy or too tight and fits through the shoulders. The fabric is super soft and it is my favorite weekend hang out shirt. I even wore it on Halloween to work as my "costume." Because, what is scarier than the world of 1984?

Presently, I am resisting the temptation to read all the books of the shirts I like. However, Atlas Shrugged is gaining ground on my list of books to read, and Brave New World may perhaps be my next shirt purchase. It is not that I enjoy reading about dystopia, I just like the book covers!

(And, since this is the season of giving, buying a book/shirt combo for the reader in your life would make for a pretty cool gift! As a bonus, for every shirt purchased, Out of Print donates a book to a community in need through Books for Africa. Two gifts for the price of one!)

Look, Look a Nook

For my birthday, Aaron bought me, among other things, a Nook. Yes, I am officially part of the e-book crowd. And you know, it is pretty nice. As Aaron will point out if I do not, I did not really use my Nook for books initially. No, I was pleasantly distracted by the sudoku games that come on it. It is an excellent thing to do while watching football! You cannot read and watch football, but watching football and not doing something else feels lazy to me. So, I played sudoku. Yes, this is still fairly lazy, but I am exercising my mind...and my right index finger.

For some time over the summer and early fall, Barnes & Noble was putting out 10 classic books in electronic format weekly - for free! Once I learned of this, I began purchasing them, which led to a virtual library of about 90 classic books...before I even had something to read the e-books on. Yes, it is hard for me to pass up free books. In Aaron's gift to me, he included a print out from our local library explaining where and how to check out e-books.

This sheet came in handy when I wanted to borrow an ebook. However, being that I have a Mac and people still do not realize how many people have Macs and therefore why it is a good idea to have software that works on a Mac, it was not that easy. The program I needed to get the ebook on my Nook was a pain in the rear. Several support forums later and I got my book! (This is not the Nook's fault in any way; it is the Adobe application I needed to get the book from the library, to my Mac to my Nook that was the issue.)

I decided to read The Passage by Justin Cronin as my first official e-book. It looked like a good book that would be enjoyable to read on paper and an excellent "fun read" to test out how the Nook works as a reader. All in all, I am impressed with it and I only saw a few minor things that could slow the reading experience. The hardest part is that if you want to refer back a few pages to earlier text, on the Nook you cannot just skip back to the desired page. You have to push the back button until you get there, which can be mildly annoying. However, as I did with a drawing in The Passage, you can easily bookmark pages that are kept in a list for quick referral.

I like reading in my Nook. It is more portable than some books I read and it is not difficult to read from at all. If I get bored of one book, I can quickly flip to another. And, as I expect over this Christmas flying season, it will help me reduce the weight of my baggage by a good 5-10 pounds. Books are not light, people, and carrying 5 of them with you on board because having them in the checked bag puts it over the poundage limit is a scenario I would like to avoid this year. Now, I can carry 111 books with me and it all fits in my purse.

Cast Iron Cooking: Upside-Down Apple Tart

What did I do before I inherited my grandmother's cast iron? It amazes me I managed to survive in the kitchen without cast iron pans. The latest cast iron creation came to me courtesy of Southern Living magazine. Say hello to Upside-Down Apple Tart.


This is not a picture of my tart. Though it could have looked like that if the following things had not occurred:

- I was making it for my small group on Wednesday and I wanted it to be hot for them. However, I do not have enough time after work to peel the apples and cook it. So, I peeled the apples on Tuesday, which was not a problem except I think it gave the apples the chance to lose some of their liquid. Which, in turn, led to the syrup part not thickening and the apples got a little mushy. Still good eats, the apples were more amorphous than the above picture displays.

- Since I cooked it after work and before small group, I had a very small window of time to work. I could not wait for the sauce to thicken more and once the oven timer went off, out the door I went to small group.

- Because the sauce was not as thick as desired and the crust (which is amazing!) may not have cooked as long as it could have to reach the perfect golden brown crust, when Aaron and I flipped the not-so-light cast iron pan filled with tart over, "shifting" occurred. That is to say, it nearly fell off the plate and onto the table. But all was well and only a few globs of apple/sauce fell overboard.

- The tart goes great with ice cream, by the way. Too bad I left the quart I bought for it at home.

Moral of the story: This is a great and easy dessert to make and it elicits oohs, aahs and yums. However, perhaps you can learn from my experience and do all of the recipe in one day. Except for the dough - that can be done a day ahead without any ill effects. And, as a fellow small grouper admitted later, it makes for a great breakfast the next day. Better than a pop tart!

Spring Break (finally!)

Back in March, Aaron and I took a little spring break vacation to Charlottesville, Virginia. Our goal was simple: visit a bunch of presidential homes. Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, James Madison's Montpelier and James Monroe's Ash Lawn-Highland are all located within an hour of Charlottesville, so it was a Founding Fathers road trip. After an unexpected overnight in Richmond due to a blown tire, which is a story in and of itself, we started our vacation visiting Monticello.

Aaron likes Jefferson. Really really likes him. I think if Aaron could be someone else in a past life, Jefferson would be high on his list. Maybe it is because he secretly yearns to be a redhead. Maybe Aaron wants the freedom to wear breeches and a tricorn hat without all the stares and whispers. Whatever the case, Aaron was eager to see Jefferson's home, library, and some of the inventions. The tour was great and very thorough, going room by room and sharing not only Jefferson's hand in the design, but the histories of specific pieces and who may have visited or why things were historically significant. It was still early spring and rainy, so the gardens and yard were not at its best and brightest. It was still beautiful, it just took imagination to think of what it looked like in full bloom on a sunny day.

After drooling over everything in the gift shop and resisting the compulsion to spend a small fortune there, we headed down the hill to Mitchie Tavern, a refurbished colonial era tavern and inn. They have a little restaurant that serves food that could have been served at the tavern in the 1700s. I think the menu changes seasonally, but what we had was fantastic. It is served buffet style, so Aaron and I got a little of everything. I think the best fried chicken I have eaten, stewed tomatoes, pulled pork, roast chicken, rolls, green beans, beets, cornbread, slaw. So very very good - sit by the fire and eat off tin plates while the wenches ask if you would like any more food. I think if they were renting rooms I would have stayed just so I could eat the next meal. After we glutted ourselves, we made our way over to the inn and a wench took us through the house. This was an interactive tour, so we played some games they would have played (I beat Aaron) and danced a little. It was especially appealing for me to see the kitchen tools they used - like the toe stir! She also showed us tea bricks, which are compressed tea leaves that people would use when traveling so the leaves would not spoil and use as a form of money. After seeing these at several places, I caved and got a small brick of black and green tea. Still have yet to try it out, and even if it is not delectable, the designs are pretty neat.

That evening, Aaron and I went to downtown Charlottesville. For a relatively small city removed from other metropolitan areas, I was surprised how vibrant and modern the downtown was. If Austin could be compressed into one street, Charlottesville's downtown is close to how it would look and feel. We ended up having dinner at a panini and wine restaurant. The sandwiches and salads were excellent, Aaron enjoyed his wine and I was all but driven to distraction by two ladies nearby who spent about 45 minutes and several tastings of wine to try and find the bottle they wished to purchase. I am new to wine lingo, so I could not tell if they knew what they were talking about or knew enough to be dangerous with buzzwords - tannins, oak, earthy, floral, etc. The poor wait staff was opening bottles, pouring glasses, and trying to remember which wine they served 3 glasses ago.

The next day, Aaron I drove out to Montpelier, Madison's home. We came upon a happy accident when, at the gate, we were told it was Madison's birthday and entry to the park was free. The tours of the house were special, too, as they were set in 1810, the year Madison turned 50. All the questions the tourists asked referring to events and dates after 1810 were quickly answered by the guides with an "I do not know what you are referring to. What is this you speak of?" It also worked well as they are still working to restore Montpelier and the house is bare save for a couple swatches of wallpaper and a dining room table. Fortunately, Dolley Madison was redecorating in 1810, so the absence of decor fit well into the story.

That afternoon, a ceremony was held at the Madison family cemetery where the local, state and national government, as well as Thomas Jefferson's descendants and historical societies gave speeches and presented wreaths at Madison's grave. A Marine color guard was in attendance to provide a 21-gun salute. All in all, a special, unique and unexpected experience that made Montpelier come alive.

Aaron and I were able to drive back to Charlottesville in time to go to James Monroe's Ash Lawn-Highland before it closed for the day. This was perhaps my favorite house - it was more modest, less palatial and felt more retreat-like than the previous two. It did not hurt that we had the best tour guide ever. Seriously, this guy was phenomenal. He knew all these snippets of the Monroes' lives that made the tour of their house more alive and intriguing. For instance, the master bedroom was the warmest in the house in winter, so it was typical that if there were guests, one would invite them to sleep in the master along with the husband and wife. Well, Mrs. Monroe, being from New York and not used to Southern ways, detested this. After Monroe passed, she converted part of the slave quarters into a guest house so, should guests stay over, they could sleep somewhere other than her bedroom. I have no clue if all the tales he told are true or not, but I am not positive it matters all that much. He knew how to spin a yarn and I was happy to follow along with him.

The final day of our spring break history trip was thrown together on the fly. We got through the presidential homes more quickly than we expected, and were left with a day to fill with something. In reading some of the pamphlets, we learned that Jefferson had a retreat home outside of Lynchburg, so we decided to go there. After circling the city a couple times and going over a questionable wooden bridge, we found the entrance to Poplar Forest. Unfortunately, in our haste and excitement, we did not read in that pamphlet that Poplar Forest did not open for the season until April. Oops. Oh well, I suppose we shall save Poplar Forest for another time. (More on that in a later post...someday.)

Thankfully, Appomattox Court House is relatively close to Lynchburg, so we redirected ourselves there for the day. I was most surprised by the quietness of the area. There sat this little town, largely as it looked the day Grant and Lee met there to end the war, with only small glimpses of a road or car. If you had even a small amount of imagination, it was simple to picture the procession of Confederate soldiers as they surrendered their arms. No whoops and hollers from the Union soldiers lining the road, only a quiet dignified respect for their brothers. (Can you tell I am a sucker for the Civil War?) The museum on site had many items, both small and grand, from the events that took place at Appomattox. The park rangers have done an excellent job of presenting what happened there, keeping the area how it would have looked to the eyes of the soldiers, and have a wealth of knowledge about the details of the surrender process.

And so our historical spring break came to an end. Despite the rough start, we saw everything and more than we had planned, and both agreed to come back to Monticello, Montpelier and Ash Lawn-Highland again someday.

An Obsession Confession

Confession time. For the past few months, I have fed an ever-growing obsession. One that Aaron has not only encouraged me in, but has partaken of as well. We are disciplined in our obsession, though, only indulging once a month. I guess it is time to out with it. Now, I will warn you, what I am about to show you may lead to your own obsession. Perhaps we could start a support group.

Aren't they gorgeous? I could stare at them for ages. The cover design is by Coralie Bickford-Smith for Penguin Classics. I wish I could remember where or when I first saw one of these books. It was probably wandering the rows of a bookstore and stumbling upon Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice. You know, it has kind of been like a relationship. I saw a book for a brief moment, and the first impression stuck with me. I started to look especially for them, seeing if we would happen to bump into one another at the store. I began to talk about them with other people, trying to make them see how amazing they were. Then there was that first date, the first dalliance. I purchased one.

I showed it to Aaron and we decided, then and there, that we were in a committed relationship with these books. But we did not want to take it too fast. We wanted this to be a long, smoldering relationship. So we decided that we would only buy one book a month each, and we had to be together to purchase them. The fact we only visit them once a month not only makes it something of a treat and a fun date, but also it feels like it is something we should not be doing, overly indulgent. Like eating cherry pie right from the pie tin, or watching a embarrassing to admit but secretly loved movie while eating a pint of Ben & Jerry's.

These are books that we aim to make a library of. Making a library is not putting all your old college textbooks on a shelf. Library making is the thoughtful acquisition of high quality books worthy of multiple readings and thoughtful reflection. Books whose readings will not go out of style, and whose premises, plots, and social commentary transcend writing styles and generations. And, if you are like me, something I call bookend books. A more accurate term would be book spine books, but that does not roll off the tongue as well. Books, like these, that stand out on a shelf, hardcover with a good solid spine.

I hope my obsession confession has not resulted in an immediate reduction in your bank account and a sudden increase in needed bookshelf space. Or, if it does, that you enjoy searching for and reading them as much as Aaron and I have.

A Corny Salad

A few weeks ago, my Bible study group started back up after summer break with a taco night. Assigned to bring a side, and short on any quick recipes that would compliment tacos well, I took to the internet and who should come through but Paula Deen. Her Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad was just the thing I was looking for - clean, fresh, light, and Tex Mex-ish. Since this was a last minute dish, I made a few substitutions, by necessity and personal preference. I was not able to use fresh corn, so I used frozen shoe peg corn, which worked great. My grocery store was running a special on cherry tomatoes, so there were none to be found. Instead, I used a mix of varietal small tomatoes, which made for a more colorful and varied texture. Some were meatier, some more delicate. And, I used two avocados because I like avocados and one did not create enough chunks to merit one piece of avocado per spoonful.

If success of a dish is based on how the bowl that holds it looks at the end of the night, then this recipe is a keeper. I think if some people were left alone with the bowl, they would have licked it clean. The lime and cilantro created a clean taste while the crunchy, tart and creamy textures of the veggies made for great mouth feel, and it was pleasing to the eye as well with reds, yellows, greens and purples. I think this salad would go great beside some grilled chicken or steak at a Saturday cookout. A perfect summer dish.

Descriptive Jealousy

I am jealous. Jealous of a man. A man who was able to put into words what I have repeatedly failed in doing. Jealous of a man who put into words the thoughts I fail to express in written and spoken words about William Faulkner. Yes, him again. This author has taken up haunting me. I am afraid to turn a corner down a darkened alley lest I am confronted with a book of Faulkner's sitting there, glaring at me menacingly. Most books do not glare, but I imagine Faulkner's would. Anyway, I digress. I am jealous of not only of how well this man described his experience attempting to read Absalom, Absalom!, but also of how eloquently he presented his hesitation, confusion, and understanding of Faulkner's writing style. I believe he is spot on and only wish I had come up with his words when I attempted to explain and understand the book and the author.

(Thanks, Dad, for the link!)

GANC: My Thoughts

Ah yes, the final review. Just when you thought it was over, GANC comes back for one last hurrah. Kind of like all those Freddy and Jason movies. After writing the below commentary, I realized it is rambling, which is unsurprising if you know me. If in my rambling I do not explicitly say, I am so happy that Aaron thought this up, that I took part in it, and found books and authors at times off my beaten path of reading. It is reassuring and encouraging to know that with a little pressure from myself and from the challenge, I can push myself beyond my literary comfort zones and find a few jewels.

I am not sure if this was a subconscious effort on my part or there are more writers here or what, but most of my novels were written by an author from or a book about the South. Having never lived in the North, or really even visited there, I can only assume the North is a dull place with no novel-worthy conflict and a lack of imagination. I kid, I kid! To make a generalization, Southerners are a story-telling people; and slavery, plantations, Civil War, and segregation lend themselves easily to stories and fictional exploration of social constructs. Much of the large societal action in the North occurred in the 1700s and early 1800s, and from what I could find there are not a lot of books from around that time, at least not widely known ones. It is strange, in some ways you can see the shift of the writer concentrate from early America and North to established country and South as you move from the likes of Melville, Hawthorne, James Fennimore Cooper and Poe to Twain, Faulkner, Harper Lee, Capote, and Flannery O'Connor.

The early 2oth century is the place to go for some of the best known and most highly regarded authors. Henry Miller, Faulkner, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Carson McCuller, Capote, Norman Mailer. I have not done much research on this, but I assume part of this is due to FDR's New Deal which encouraged aspiring writers, through the Federal Writer's Project, to document folklore. What is remarkable is the excellence of the books. These authors wrote with purpose, depth and complexity during some of the most difficult days in our nation's history. I wonder how many excellent American books we have lost awareness and knowledge of from before that time, and where all the good books are today. Has America lost its literary creativity for the stable 40-hour work week? Has the creativity been transferred to different forms of written expression (magazines, e-zines, blogs, etc.)? Where are the novels that will transcend generations?

I made a conscious effort to include both female and minority writers. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have read Invisible Man over Their Eyes Were Watching God. Nothing against the latter, but Invisible Man is universally agreed upon as a must-read book. However, I in no way mean to imply that white male authors get all the praise and glory and it was my aim to bring minority and women writers to light. Each of the novels I selected are worthy to stand on their own. While the author's gender, color, and locale all lend themselves to the creative process, each book transcends whatever biases, prejudices and assumptions one may have.

Yes, I did allow myself two indulgences - Lonesome Dove and Giants in the Earth. While in the long run neither will likely be on a "Greatest American Novels" list, they are still worth reading and two I would absolutely consider reading again one day.

To readers who think what I did over 13 months is not possible for them, do not be afraid of challenging texts. Yes, Faulkner has become my literary whipping boy for examples of almost unreadable literature, but that does not mean I am never going to attempt him again one day. Reading some of these authors requires a different cadence, for lack of a better word. This is not John Grisham here; these authors at times used words I needed a dictionary for, paragraphs I had to read over again, and, yes, even a few sly looks at SparkNotes for translation from time to time. Some of these authors need more attention - reading slower, giving yourself more time to read so you can get into the flow of how they write. One of the best things I took away from high school was using a 3x5 note card to write character lists and relationships on for reference. This has saved me lots of time turning back pages trying to figure out if Sam is Susie's father, boyfriend, uncle or estranged brother. It also doubles as a handy dandy bookmark!

These American novels are patriotic, but in a far subtler way than I anticipated. Which probably means they work well as reading for the rest of the world. Probably the one that I felt was most overtly patriotic and stereotypically American was Lonesome Dove, but that could just be my Texan heart beating in time with the cowboys and cattle. East of Eden exhibited this, too, but more in a pride for the land and the bonding of community than "Johnny's gone off to war" sort of pride.

Working through History and English majors in college gave me a broader picture of the periods I was studying. History relays the facts and circumstances while literature shares the mood, society, and sentiment. I now feel like it is hard to have one without the other. Had I gone into The Bell Jar with no knowledge of women's suffrage and the evolving attitude toward women, I may have missed some of the underpinnings of the book. Almost all the books I read these past 13 months are a commentary of the author's view on local, national, and international events. In other words, do not read with blinders on. Supplement literary reading with a quick trip to Wikipedia to read about the author and the book, as usually context is given to the book. And, if it is a history you are reading, take a peek at contemporary authors and see if any books strike your fancy. Follow the bread crumbs and see where they lead.

This was not an easy challenge to complete. Some books I felt would never end as the approach of the 4th came steadily closer. I had to set aside most of my aspirations to read any other book during this time to devote my energies to GANC. Books like carrots dangled temptingly in front of me. In a small way, I can equate it to feel a little like someone on a diet and going out with friends, watching as they eat cheeseburgers, nachos and chocolate cake. Both Aaron and I agreed, after looking at other online book challenges, that we created one of the more time intensive, rule-riddled ones out there. It was the time intensive part that I struggled with more than the rules, though, once I realized there were plenty of great American novels left for me to read.

Challenges are fun! It was always a small competition for me to see Aaron's book before he saw mine each month. And to "beat" him on choices. Only once did we read the same book, and in the same month to boot! (For the curious, it was For Whom the Bell Tolls.) While I need a year off from mandated reading, I would do it again. In fact, Aaron and I already have a running list of ideas for the next challenge. All have easier buy in's, are shorter in length, and are far less constrictive on parameters. Stay tuned!

Thank y'all for reading my reviews. I know it is not everyone's cup of tea, and my posting on food and other things diminished significantly, but I am glad you stuck with me as I stuck with the challenge. Almost as much as finishing the book and posting each month, I looked forward to the discussion in the comments afterward. Finding out who else has read the book, what they thought, and even suggestions on other books I should read. It is nice to know in a time and place where distractions can be found with every keystroke and channel change, that people are still reading books, both old and new. I hope that my voracity for books never weakens and I look back on this past year as a milestone year, always remembering to step outside my boundaries, both with books and in life, and try new things. Sometimes Faulkner happens, but more often than not its Steinbeck and Hemingway.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Do you ever have a moment of illumination when you realize something you consider(ed) completely normal is actually rather abnormal? During most summers of my teenaged life, I did not spend my summers doing whatever it is teenagers do when they are not in school. Sleep in? Go to the pool? Hang out at the mall for no reason? I am not sure what the normal summer vacation activities of the American teen is. I spent a large part of my summers from 8th grade through high school taking part in The Great Adventure, a...thing my church has. I say "thing" because to call it a program or an event does not rightly convey what it is. So here is what it's all about...

The Great Adventure (GA) is for teenagers from 8th through 12th grades. The biggest "event" GA had was a week-long thing called Backyard Bible Clubs (BYBC). BYBC were held in the backyards (or front) of families from our church. Each host home would invite neighborhood kids to come to their house for this week and a team of 3-5 teens would go to 3 or 4 homes daily to play crazy games with the kids, tell a Bible story/lesson, share the Gospel, and answer any questions the kids, or the adults, had about God. The hosts provided snacks for the clubs, and each team had a driver to take them from one club to the next. Each team had one teen chosen by the youth leaders to be the team leader. This person was responsible for bonding the team together, choosing who did what on which day, and making sure the team was prepared at each club.

We, the teens, had phenomenal training leading up to BYBC week. Before we were accepted for GA, we had to learn a gospel presentation (either Wordless Book or the Hand Presentation, depending on the year). Most years, we spent 2 or 3 days at an encampment being trained on the stories, games and gospel presentations, and bonding as a team. Then we traveled to Waco, where we did BYBC for inner city kids at government housing projects. It was bananas. Sleeping four people across on expanded bunk beds, checking for needles at the playgrounds before clubs began, and keeping an eye out for people taking our supplies and suspicious people lurking around the clubs. If you were not bonded before going to Waco, your team was when you left!

For those who know me, as most of you do, I am not the most outgoing or take-charge kind of person. However, BYBC forced me out of my shell both as a team member and a team leader. Being a wallflower and sharing the gospel with 20 kids 4 times a day just does not work. I learned a lot about leadership, or lack of leadership, those summers. How to talk with peers so they understand and things are done properly. How to talk with adults so they understand what to expect and what is going on. How to talk with kids when they will not sit still, or 6-year-olds ask the big scary questions adults cannot properly answer. I had to know what the gospel was, how to present it, and how to explain it to children. I think doing this helped me understand it more, but being forced to simplify took away much of the extraneous details so many adults become wrapped up in.


The week ended with a big party on Friday night in our church's parking lot where it was transformed to SummerFest and hundreds, if not a thousand or more, people came. Lots of games for the kids to play, live music to enjoy, fire engines to climb on, hot dogs and sausages on the grill, cotton candy, snow cones, and popcorn. It was a way to bring the kids and their parents to our church so the BYBC hosts and drivers could connect more with their neighbors and we as a church could throw out the welcome mat. The kids in my clubs were so excited to find me and my other team members every year, and we were equally excited to see them and their families.

But the best part of the whole BYBC week may have come months later when I walked around my church and a kid would run up to me to say hi - I taught them at BYBC! To know that the little time I spent with a child not only provided them with fun things to do with their neighbor friends, but that they went home and became an influence on their family to go to church is truly awesome and humbling. Perhaps more importantly, it showed me that even though I may not directly see the impact I had during that week, the work that began with BYBC continued on in the children, families, homes, and neighborhoods we teens visited.

So, while I did not get to go to the pool a lot, hang out with my friends, and my family virtually postponed vacations together for 6 or 7 summers, I would not change one moment of my summers spent taking part in the Great Adventure. What I learned during that time - about myself, God, evangelism, the world, and being a good neighbor - has and will continue to follow me throughout my life.

Cup of (Frozen) Joe

Over the weekend of July 4, Aaron and I took part in one of my family's summer traditions and made some homemade ice cream. Since Aaron was here only for the weekend, I let him be the deciding vote in what type of ice cream we made. Unsurprisingly for anyone that knows Aaron, he went for the coffee ice cream. Luckily, I like coffee ice cream, so I entered into its creation happy with the prospect.

All in all it was fairly simple to make. Some whole milk and heavy cream were heated over the stove along with coffee grounds, then let to sit for a few minutes so the coffee could infuse. The recipe called for the coffee to be strained with cheesecloth and, not having any, I tried coffee filters. This failed miserably, and messily thanks to yours truly. Approximately one tablespoon got through the filter before it stopped completely. I next used a mesh sieve, which was not as fine as it needed to be, but worked more or less. A few stray ground got through, but they were small enough not to be very noticeable.

While the cream and coffee mixture cooled a little, I whipped up egg yolks and sugar, then slowly added the warm cream mixture to the eggs. This was strained again to remove any egg that cooked and some more of the grounds. This mix went into a glass bowl and was placed on top of a pot with some simmering water. Let the custard-ization begin!

While Aaron watched Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on ESPN, I stirred and stirred and stirred this mix over the water, waiting for it to thicken. The recipe said it would take 10-15 minutes for it to thicken and coat the back of the spoon. 30 minutes in Aaron and I decided a thin coat was a coat nonetheless and set it in the fridge to cool for an hour.

A little more than an hour later, and after some regular stirring to keep a skin from forming, into the ice cream maker bowl it went. We let it churn for 20 or so minutes while we watched some Food, Inc. then into the freezer it went to chill a few hours.

Later that evening, it was ice cream time! As per the recipe, I whipped some whipping cream (imagine that!), scooped the ice cream into coffee mugs, dollop of whipped cream on top with a sprinkle of cocoa powder. Voila, frozen coffee!

This coffee ice cream, more than any other I have tried, tastes like a person made a cup of joe with some cream and sugar and threw it into the freezer. There is no question what type of ice cream this is. It was not too sweet, very creamy, and had a wonderfully smooth texture. Definitely not for people who are so-so on their adoration of coffee flavor, or who like their morning coffee with 8 sugars and 3 creams, as one of my coworkers does. Will I make it again? For Aaron and other coffee lovers, yes, but probably not if it is just me eating it.

GANC: The Almost Reads

Now that the reading is over, I can share with you those books that missed the cut. I may have read thirteen books, but there were several that made my GANC list but did not make the cut for reading. A little of this was due to my own reading preferences, but most of it is because of the "two books per decade" rule. By the time I realized my list was absent some big hitters, I had already exhausted a couple key decades, namely 1920-1970. In order to allow these books to be recognized for their merit, below is a list of what I almost read but did not. In some cases, books were recommended to me, and I will note who recommended where appropriate. I also may provide explanation on why I have the book on my list or why I did not read it. In other words, this is my blog and I will do whatever I want to. So there.

1830s
The Book of Mormon - Talk about starting off the list with a bang, huh? It is clear that this book has a large and ever-increasing footprint in America. It is somewhat controversial that it is on my list as a fictional novel. I do not know enough about The Book of Mormon to declare what it is or is not (myth, tall tale, blasphemy, fiction), but I believe it is not a writing inspired or written by God, Jesus, any of His angels, the Holy Spirit, or any of the previous speaking through the mouth and writings of Joseph Smith. It is a work written by a man, from the mind of a man, with no heavenly assistance whatsoever.

1840s
The Deerslayer, by James Fenimore Cooper - Having read The Last of the Mohicans, and wanting to have a book from the early to mid-19th century, this was a natural choice. And I actually started to read it one month for the challenge. However, I found it difficult to get into and not something I was excited to read, so I abandoned it for another book.

1860s
The Marble Faun, by Nathaniel Hawthorne - I love reading Hawthorne, so when I looked his works up to find a book to read for GANC, I found that I had exhausted all of his novels set in America. This one was set in Italy, so it did not rank high on my list of novels to read that could be great American ones.

1880s
The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James

The Prince and the Pauper, by Mark Twain - I had already read his two America-centric books, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, so this one also fell on the list due to it not being set in the US.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, by Mark Twain

1890s
The Awakening, by Kate Chopin

1920s
Babbit, by Sinclair Lewis - I was supposed to read this book in US History 2, but failed to finish it. Since then I have picked it up from time to time, only to be lured away by a more indulgent novel. This book was a victim of too many good books in one decade.

1930s
Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller - Victim of decade

The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck - This too was a victim of decade. Let me put it plainly, I misused the 1930s. Thankfully, Aaron owns this book and I will probably read it before he finishes it.

1940s
Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck - Poor Steinbeck. So many good books over so many decades, and I could not read them all.

Other Voices, Other Rooms, by Truman Capote - I have only read In Cold Blood and was interested to see how his fiction played out.

The Naked and the Dead, by Norman Mailer - By the time I realized I was missing this author, it was too late. The 1940s were already spoken for.

1950s
Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison

Wise Blood, by Flannery O'Connor

The Adventures of Augie March, by Saul Bellow - I wanted to read this book so badly, but it simply was not in the cards. Had I not taken half a month to decide not to read Invisible Man, I could have tried to read this. Oh well. I think Aaron has a copy, so I will add it to my pile of books to read.

Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand

On the Road, by Jack Kerouac

1960s
The Moviegoer, by Walker Percy

V., by Thomas Pynchon

The Crying of Lot 49, by Thomas Pynchon

Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut - I know! How did I make it through high school and college, while having this book on my list throughout, and still not read it!? I am happy with the two novels I did read from the 60s, so no regrets here. Just another book to keep on my list. Lock me away for a year and I may be able to finish half of this list I have.

1980s
The Executioner's Song, by Norman Mailer - This is a book that has a foot in both non-fiction and fiction, depending on where you look. A little like In Cold Blood - fictionalized account of a true crime

The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros

Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy - My uncle Tim recommended this book to me and said it was one of the greatest books of the 20th century. To place some perspective on this, Tim is an English professor at St. Edward's University, so his comment is not without merit.

A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving - Suggested to me by a friend. The '80s and beyond is a little too fresh and new for me to feel comfortable declaring a book that could be younger than me as a great American novel. I like a good 30 or 40 year buffer to see what books are flashes in a pan and which are here to stay.

The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan

1990s
The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien

Bud, Not Buddy, by Christopher Paul Curtis

2000s
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon

Some books that were considered for my "break the rules" month:
Dr. Seuss - various books
Emily Dickinson's poetry
Calvin & Hobbes
Books I have already read. Which brings us to...

Books I have read that I consider great American novels: (in absolutely no order)
The Wizard of Oz- Frank L. Baum
The Scarlet Letter- Nathaniel Hawthorne
The House of Seven Gables - Nathaniel Hawthorne
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
Call of the Wild - Jack London
O. Henry's short stories
Uncle Tom's Cabin - Harriet Beecher Stowe
The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane
Washington Irving's short stories
Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
All the King's Men - Robert Penn Warren
The Hidden Hand - E.D.E.N. Southworth (Never heard of this book? Go ahead and add it to your book list. It is funny, light, adventure-filled, fantastical and melodramatic.)

So there you are. Are there any books I should have had on my list that are glaring omissions? Should I have thrown in some non-fiction to pick from for my break the rules month? How about a book written by a non-American author? Feel free to add your suggestions to my list via comments. I look forward to see what books I missed!

GANC: Good Ol' Charlie Brown

My fondness for Peanuts began at an early age, probably with A Charlie Brown Christmas, then a growing interest in the comics section of the newspaper. However, I became a true and faithful adorer of the gang when my family acquired some of my dad's old Peanuts books. Even more than Calvin and Hobbes, another comic my family likes, Peanuts echoed of my dad's childhood, perhaps I read these at the same age he did as a kid. Over the years I have returned to these books when I want something quick to read before bed, or am stir crazy after a series of days stuck indoors. And each time I marvel more and have a deeper appreciation for Charles M. Schulz's art. Schulz created children characters during and about a time when some say the loss of American innocence began. Much like Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts placed adult ideas, themes, questions and impasses in the minds words, and actions of kids.

Charlie Brown, the protagonist of the strip, is presented as someone who is faithful to his friends through thick and thin. He may be wishy-washy, but never does he fail Lucy, Linus, Peppermint Patty, Snoopy or the rest of the gang. He does not give up even though he constantly fails. For proof, look no further than him trying to kick that football, fly the kite, or win a baseball game. He is meek, self-conscious and unsure, which strikes a chord with people, making him instantly relateable. Among some of the characters, a highlight or two...

- Lucy has an ever-present desire for control and to be everyone's boss, whether they ask for said help and commentary or not. Charlie Brown and Schroeder are the two main focuses of her efforts.

- Linus has a need for security in the form of a blanket while being so secure in his beliefs, which makes him into one of the speakers of wisdom in the strip.

- Snoopy considers being a stereotypical dog below him which, along with his vivid imagination, leads him into adventures where he is a World War 1 flying ace, Joe Cool, a vulture, among other things.

Each person has their tiffs with others, likes and dislikes, but in the end they are friends who stick by one another, even if it means Lucy will always pull the football away before Charlie Brown kicks it and the baseball team rarely wins.

As for its influence in America, beyond what I touched on above, it established the way strips were printed in newspapers and was perhaps one of the first comics to have large success through merchandising and, as we all know, television specials. Some of the repeated phrases and key imagery from Peanuts has found its way into our lexicon. Charlie Brown's "Good grief." Mentioning "The Great Pumpkin" when speaking about someone with dogged persistence and belief in the face of logic and, perhaps, reality. The numerous dogs named Snoopy walking around these days. Snoopy as the mascot for MetLife. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day balloons of Charlie Brown chasing that football.

Charlie Brown and the rest of the characters are images now entwined with American culture. When watching football and a kicker misses the ball, Charlie Brown and Lucy are inevitably brought up as examples of failure. It is a testament to the strip and Schulz that 45 years after it debuted, A Charlie Brown Christmas is shown every Christmas season and people gather around to watch with family and friends. I know I will rearrange my schedule or tape it so I can be sure not to miss it. Heck, I own the soundtrack!

Charlie Brown is American as apple pie, a true icon of our nation and the American spirit of the everyman never giving up, despite the odds stacked against him. Good ol' Charlie Brown, how I love him.

Great American Novel Challenge Booklist:
July 2009: Absalom, Absalom! - William Faulkner, publ. 1936
August 2009: Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry, publ. 1985
September 2009: Moby Dick - Herman Melville, publ. 1851
October 2009: For Whom the Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway, publ. 1940
November 2009: Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston, publ. 1937
December 2009: The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath, publ. 1963
January 2010: Rabbit, Run - John Updike, publ. 1960
February 2010: East of Eden - John Steinbeck, publ. 1952
March 2010: The Age of Innocence - Edith Wharton, publ. 1920
April 2010: Giants in the Earth - Ole Edvart Rolvaag, publ. 1927
May 2010: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter - Carson McCullers, publ. 1940
June 2010: Short Stories - Edgar Allan Poe, publ. 1840s

Atkins Shmatkins

This year has been unofficially declared "The Year of the Bread" in my kitchen. I am not sure what muse has come upon me, but I have been drawn to bread recipes with an undeniable force. Bread, as I have found, is that happy medium of being somewhat healthy, baking fun, and not sugar-rich. It all started when I was reorganizing my recipe binders (cue the cloudy dream fade)...

Generally, if I print, clip or jot down a recipe, I am going to use it in the next week. However, there are a few recipes that have made their way i

nto my binder that have not been tested for real world success at my hands. One of these recipes happened to be one on bread. Since I had an extra amount of time on my hands earlier this year (thanks economy!), I decided I needed a way to use up some daytime hours, bake something, and do it on the cheap. Little did I know how cheap I would get, and how excellently it would turn out. Behold, no knead bread!

I know, I know, I am about the five millionth person to get on the no knead train, but I am proud to be a follower. Why? Because I have freshly made, some time-scheduling required bread for pennies. The key to this bread is to plan out when things need to happen. I suggest starting the dough on a Friday evening when you will be home in the morning/early afternoon Saturday. The recipe is easy to follow, but I will note that my dough does not rise upward so much as spread like The Blob, so do not fear if yours does the same. The rises and beautifying happens when it bakes. Which brings up another note. I do not (yet) have a dutch oven, or a 10 quart anything, so I have taken to using my Corningware 5 quart casserole dish. It works perfectly. The bread may be a little more dense than it should be by the letter of the recipe, but it is not anything someone will complain about. It is crusty and artisan bready and perfect for soup sopping.

Later on this year, I got a craving for raisin bread. Maybe a Food Network personality made a loaf and I wanted one too. I honestly cannot recall why this came about, but it did and strongly. How strong? I made two batches in 3 days. Yeah. That strong. And I should note the recipe I used makes 3 loaves each. Yes, the amount is bananas....errr...raisins. And before you think I ate them all, I shared with people - Aaron, my small group, my pastors' families, and a couple others enjoyed the benefits of my obsesssion. This bread turns out so very good. Toasted with a little butter on it, makes my mouth happy. It is the perfect morning munch, or afternoon munch...or after dinner dessert munch. The only things I did differently from recipe is I used a half and half mix of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour, which made it a little heartier, I guess. After the dough had risen, I divided the dough in thirds rather than try roll one huge piece of dough on my limited workspace.

A weekend or two ago I was trying to come up with something to do with the leftover rosemary I had from the chicken I made the previous weekend. Then I remembered I had a recipe from Central Market (I miss you!) for rosemary focaccia that I had not made in a bit. So, I made a batch. Well, half a batch, being that a full recipe makes two and by the time I got to eating loaf two (is it a loaf if it is flat?) it could be going bad. So very good. I want to go buy deli meats and cheeses I should not eat and make beautiful sandwiches with arugula and fancy spreads and carmelized red onion.

I now realize I am quickly becoming my own Loaves of Love lady. (For those not familiar with my Austin church/former workplace, Loaves of Love is a ministry where a group of ladies from the church bakes bread and a team delivers the bread to first time visitors as a way to connect with them more personally and say hello in a nice, friendly neighborly way. I suppose it is not a bad title to have.)

What's up next on the bread making radar? I have a few recipes begging to be made, but I am waiting for a good event or gathering to make it. Mainly so I do not eat it all myself.

GANC: Invisible Man (but not)

Invisible Man is without a doubt a great American novel. It makes many national and international "Top 100" lists. Which made my decision to include it on my list of novels a simple one. Then I began to read it and simple went out the door. First, this book is long, though not an insurmountable length for a month of reading. Ralph Ellison only wrote this one book, so I guess he got in all his books' worth of material at once. Second, Ellison also explores many ways of writing, telling a story that can go from straight narrative to blues-inspired riffs, which can get a little confusing, wordy and indulgent. Third, and this is to no fault of the book, GANC has left me maxed out on racial strife, and strife in general. Between blacks and whites not getting along, ranchers and Native Americans, Americans and Spaniards, Californians and the earth, sailors and white whales, me and Faulkner - I have had my fill of irreconcilable differences. I did not think I could endure one more tale of the same. So, I decided that Invisible Man would not be my last regular, rule keeping book. I am sure it is good, great even, just not for me right now.

What did I read instead? I decided to bend, but not break, the rules for this one. And, as I am the only person left on this GANC island, I declared myself queen of the challenge and allowed my small amendment to pass unanimously. Instead of reading a novel, I read a collection of short stories by Edgar Allan Poe. Poe is one of America's more known authors, but aside from The Raven I am fairly certain the American public would be unable to name another of his works. I remember reading a few of his short stories in high school and maybe college, but could not summarize any of the plots with clarity. After a recent adventure to a used book store, I had a collection of his short stories close at hand. Onward, into the dark mind and art of Poe!

The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841) and The Purloined Letter (1844)- While I read these stories, I had the growing sense I had seen this all before. It quickly became clear that this seems a whole lot like another famous detective, one Sherlock Holmes. Poe's detective, C. Auguste Dupin, is of the same strain as Holmes - detective with narrating sidekick uses logic and the power of observation to solve a crime when the police cannot. Actually, I should say Holmes is of the same strain as Dupin, as Poe's Dupin stories were written about 40 years before Holmes made his first appearance. Personally, I like Holmes more as Dupin's mysteries are too quickly resolved. It lacks the tension of the reader wondering, "Will this be the case Dupin/Sherlock cannot solve?"

The Tell-Tale Heart (1843) - This is Poe. It is dark, sadistic, Gothic, guilt-ridden and conscious of conscience. It follows the narrator as s/he (oh, to write an essay on how this story reads differently if the narrator is male or female!) murders an old man (father, grandfather, guest, servant - who knows!) and then dismembers the body, hiding it under the floorboards. Eventually, the murderer's guilt arises as s/he "hears" the victim's heart still beating, louder and louder, from under the floorboards. It is clear every word Poe uses is chosen with a great deal of thought. The story is tight; each phrase evokes a smell, sound, sight or emotion. What a great story to read on a dark night in a creaking home.

The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar (1845) - This story is something of a exploratory look into mesmerism, known today as hypnotism. In it the narrator, again in the first person, investigates how far mesmerism can go. Specifically, what happens if a person is mesmerized at the point of death? The narrator successfully mesmerizes a man just before he dies, and yet he continues to speak for some time after death, finally begging to be let go so he may die fully. Once the narrator takes him out of the trance, his body disintegrates into an almost liquid form. What is unique about this tale is that Poe did not publish it with a note of is fiction. And, as mesmerism was something of a trend at the time, it is likely people did not immediately recognize it for the tale it is.

The Pit and the Pendulum (1842)- Another great Poe story. Again, first person, which brings the reader into the midst of the story. And what a story to be in the midst of! A man awakens in a dark room after being sentenced to death. He cannot see anything, is unsure where he is, or what is to come for him. Through a series of events, he finds the room he is in has a large pit in the middle that his accusers had hoped he would stumble into. However, he escapes that fate only to be drugged, strapped to a plank, and watch helplessly as a pendulum with a scythe attached inches closer and closer to him. The more into the tale I went, the more it felt like a 19th century version of Saw. The story features a great focus on the senses - what this man heard, smelled, felt and saw - all executed brilliantly. And yes, I shall leave you in suspense as the pendulum draws closer and closer to the belly of the accused.

There were a few others I read, but they are along similar lines as those above, so I will save some space by not rehashing each one. Poe is a write who explored different ways of presenting a story all under this mantle of dark, devious and a little demented. In his tales, something is perpetually out of balance. Deeply flawed characters, fantastical occurrences, and taking sin and misdeeds to extremes. It is not a world I would want to live in, but I am okay visiting it every now and then.

While this may not be a great American novel, Poe is most definitely a great American author. His writings can be read many times and each time a new facet is shown. His words, themes and plots have made their way into pop culture so slyly we probably do not even recognize it when it happens. Poe exhibits a different sort of American author, one that exposes the darkness of people unapologetically, but one who also seeks resolution and a moral at the end of his frightening tales. The Puritanical core still is in him, but he, like America, grew from that core to develop his own voice, opinion, and view of himself, America, and humanity.

If you would like to read some of Poe's short stories, check out Project Gutenberg. Enter his name and it should bring up just about all of his stories, poems, and articles.

12 down, 1 to go!

Great American Novel Challenge Booklist:
July 2009: Absalom, Absalom! - William Faulkner, publ. 1936
August 2009: Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry, publ. 1985
September 2009: Moby Dick - Herman Melville, publ. 1851
October 2009: For Whom the Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway, publ. 1940
November 2009: Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston, publ. 1937
December 2009: The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath, publ. 1963
January 2010: Rabbit, Run - John Updike, publ. 1960
February 2010: East of Eden - John Steinbeck, publ. 1952
March 2010: The Age of Innocence - Edith Wharton, publ. 1920
April 2010: Giants in the Earth - Ole Edvart Rolvaag, publ. 1927
May 2010: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter - Carson McCullers, publ. 1940

Office Warfare

Today, on the battlefield of my office desk, a war of wills was begun. It started as an innocent squabble, but quickly devolved into outright combat. Sides were taken, gauntlets were thrown down, and a little blood was shed. Cold, heartless brutality. Children, avert your eyes. Persons of weak constitutions, please, I beg you, do not continue reading. Behold, the epic battle of me versus...

...the stapler of DOOOOOM! This stapler has decided it hates me. I do not know where its little brain resides, but I wish I could squish it between my fingers after I play with it as if it were a superball. I have employee packets to staple, each of which averages about 30 pages. Each packet needs one little ol' staple at the top left corner. Just one! But the stapler of doom decided it hates sharing its staples. They are, to steal a phrase, its precious. But it is a tricky devil, this one. The stapler will correctly staple the first packet of paper perfectly, lulling me into a sense of security in my stapling abilities. Then WHAM! the stapler decided to jam 5 staples together both on the paper and in the stapler, melding paper, staples and stapler together in an unholy matrimony. I spend 5 minutes delicately dislodging the staples from the stapler and paper while trying to avoid shedding blood from my staple wounds on the snow white paper. I speak soothing words to the stapler and make sure all the little staple soldiers are in line and happy. I gently place the packet until the jowls of the stapler once more, say a quick prayer to office supply gods, and meaningfully and authoritatively depress the stapler's arm onto my paper. Noooo!! Yet another jam, this time with the added complication of the entire column of staples being stuck inside the belly of the stapler. Oh, this is truly a devious and malignant beast. I shake my fist at you, stapler of doom.

And still, the battle rages on...

The Night of the Chicken

On a recent Friday night, Aaron and I invited one of his grad school friends and wife for dinner and games. I went into this night with some wariness given the wife is pregnant and going through the sudden absence of a gag reflex and a yet to be fully realized list of foods to steer clear of. I like an exciting time when people come over, but not one involving someone becoming ill. After being reassured that my choices in food would not come back to haunt me, I started cooking.

I decided to make red potatoes and sauteed broccoli for the sides as they are simple to make and taste yummy. No special recipe for the potatoes -cut in fourths, boil until tender and let everyone salt, pepper, butter and sour cream to their preference. The broccoli I blanched and let drain and cool while I warmed up some minced garlic in melted butter with a little bit of lemon zest. I tossed the broccoli in after few minutes, squirted some lemon juice over it and let it heat up. Tasty tasty...and I got Aaron to eat lemon. Bwa ha ha!

The main course came together out of an unexpected special at the store followed by a need to free up freezer space. A few months ago I was getting groceries, trying to get a pack of chicken breasts when my endeavor was thwarted by a few ladies in front of the chicken area who were looking at every single whole chicken. What would normally prove a minor annoyance worked well for me as it gave me opportunity to see that the whole chickens were on super duper sale, hence the gaggle of women. So, I bought two, and in my freezer they have sat since. I took the opportunity of guests to bring one out for dinner.

Here is a note for all you people who think they would like to roast a whole chicken. Make sure to read the small print lest you end up like me. Because you do not want to end up like me. My chicken may have been a super duper deal, but it also had its giblets. Attached. To the chicken. Inside the cavity. Just hanging out. Squishy. Gross. And me without a latex glove or boyfriend around to scoop out whatever giblets are. Ew ew, a thousand time ew. It may have lasted only a few seconds, but I have scars to last a lifetime.

De-gibleting completed and after a moment to regain my composure, I was able to move on with my regularly scheduled chicken prepping. This was the first time I brined a chicken, something I have been curious to try. Hard to tell how well it worked, but it got its hour-long soak in salty garlic and rosemary water. After its soak, the chicken got a nice massage of olive oil, garlic and rosemary and then was placed in the oven for cooking. About an hour later, it was ready to eat. So we ate. And it was juicy and tasty and not too garlic rosemary overpowering. Yay!

Our guests brought dessert - chocolate pound cake with cream cheese frosting - which we ate between rounds of Killer Bunnies. It was a fun evening of getting to know them better and eat tasty food. And no one threw up.

(Sorry no pictures - we were too busy eating the food to think about pictures.)

Full and Dim Sum

New food/culture experience alert! I do not know when or how my approach to food changed, but some time along the path of my life, I decided in a "try anything once" mentality to food. Maybe it was all those mission trips where it is best not to ask what kind of meat is in front of you, maybe it was a greater appreciation for taste and flavor over pizza and burgers. In any case, in the past years I have tried out new dishes, spices, flavors and textures with varying amounts of approval and enjoyment. Not so much on the spicy curries, bring on Vietnamese and Cuban.

Recently, I was met with yet another new food experience - dim sum! Before going to eat, I first had to do the required research into dim sum. I may try anything once, but I want to know what I am getting myself into! I learned dim sum is not a dish, it is a meal or type of cuisine. Kind of the Chinese version of Spain's tapas. Aaron and I went with our small group leaders Ben and Rachel to Neo-Asia Restaurant. I was the only one who had not had dim sum before, so I relied on their expertise and knowledge to lead me in the right direction.

How dim sum works is perhaps the largest obstacle to overcome, and one of the neater things, in my opinion. Servers push carts of food around the restaurant, stopping by your table to offer you what is on their carts. At Neo-Asia each cart had a different "theme" - meats, seafood, noodles and rice, desserts, etc. it is kind of like a buffet where the buffet comes to you. Each dish has three or four pieces on it, so it makes it great to share with a couple of friends.

Everything we tried was great. I have no clue what the name of it was, or in some cases the protein, but it was tasty! With four of us, it was great since we could try more things than if two people were eating dim sum. Favorite things were the salted shrimp and this rice...thing that was wrapped in some sort of leaf. Oh, and the Chinese broccoli. I would eat that every day if I could.

We continued our Asian journey with a trip to the Asian market for bubble tea and reading unique English translations for food. We saw lamp meat (aka, lamb) and pork bums (buns). And unique food. As a warning, do not visit the meat section of an Asian market if you have a weak stomach. Do visit it if you wish to scare your roommate when they open the fridge or freezer.