The Stream Behind the House

A Dying City, or the Way the World Turns?

I posted this on Fbook the other day, and have been thinking about the comments since. I think it's really very interesting to consider what's happening (and has been, frankly, for years it seems) in my home city.

I know the degeneration is really not pervasive all over Bflo, but it's still sad to see some really cool neighborhoods go south. My grandmother, for example, lived on Fillmore near Broadway, steps from the Broadway market and within sight of the Central Terminal. Lots of gorgeous old houses there (including hers) which are now completely run down and the 'hood is no longer the Polish holdout it once was (And don't get me started on the gorgeous architecture that is the Central Terminal. I'm just happy that people still use it occasionally, usually for Halloween parties, or the World's Biggest Disco, or even just as a great Haunted Location). But it's the loss of those cultural neighborhoods is really what I mourn.

In reality, it's the lifecycle of a city I think. Take SE DC, which is now seeing a tiny resurgence in certain areas, and NW where the $ is now moving out, therefore changing those neighborhoods somewhat as well.

Just interesting to think about.

Everything at Once

It's been a stressful couple of weeks, and like some things in life, the good mixed with the bad.

First, we got ourselves a dog. Her name is Juno (after the spirit in Shakespeare's The Tempest, not the movie, thankyouverymuch), and she's a sweet, although a little shy, "dark chocolate" lab. We're excited to see more and more of her personality come out each day, and it's fun getting into a routine with a dog around again. It's been far too long.

Secondly, mom was hospitalized with a clot in her right leg. The vascular surgeon still claims it's impossible to know where it came from, but in my non-medical opinion, I think it may have been a result of her hernia surgery from the month before. She's fine now, and just came home from the hospital today.

The week was pretty difficult to get through, though I was convinced to not jump in the car and drive home or hop a plane by my family, as there was nothing for me to do except sit there and wait. But this week, I've got at least tentative plans to head up there on Wednesday to help her out a bit since she can't move around too terribly much while her leg continues to heal (but she's mobile, and is supposed to get up and walk as much as she can stand it). I'm hoping she rests comfortably tonight, and tomorrow goes relatively well.

Fingers/toes crossed and angels and the like....

Thoughts for My Valentine

This Valentine's Day will be on a budget (well, most of them are as I'm not rich by any stretch of the imagination), but I thought it would be nice to collect some things I think my valentine would like here.

Original artwork is always lovely, and what a grand idea I saw here on PW's blog listing. Had I the money, I'd definately get a print of the kids with the heart cutout.

Of course, music is always in style. Although I love a lot of different songs appropriate for Valentine's Day, this one played recently on Pandora, and it made me think of my valentine.

Knowing my valentine, however, the best thing for me to give him is one of his favorite home-cooked meals. So, I plan on making this for him on Valentine's Day.

Here's to a lovely day with my love!

Melamine in Chocolate

This was a bit disturbing. Makes me stand even more behind the pure dark chocolate, even if US chocolate isn't directly affected!

More on Plastics

I found this article from the Green Guide educational. For example, did you know your Brita pitchers are made BPA-free? (Of course, it still would be great for Brita to allow the filters to be recycled... but that's another story.) I also really didn't think much about steaming veg in plastic, a la Bird's-Eye's Steamfresh. Gives me pause, and I think I'll have to cut them open and nuke 'em in a bowl just to be safe! What do you think?

Flex Schedules

The Washington Post reported this weekend on a growing number of businesses and governmental agencies testing or moving forward with a compressed workweek. My office was cited among those trying out the program this summer. I was pleased to return from vacation today to the news that the summer test of the flex schedule will continue through Columbus Day.

Although I agree with the last woman quoted in the article (who said her stress has been reduced knowing she has an extra day), I must say that--at least for my office--compressed weeks can sometimes mean more stress during the week as there's always the same amount of work to do, but in less time. In reality, I've worked 10-hour days for a long time now, as I'm the only one doing what I do. To that end, my darling Computerguy and my family have chided me to clock out when everyone else does, as the work will always be there. True. And I've tried to adjust, but I must admit it's hard for a workaholic like myself to back off from the self-imposed stress I place on myself.

(Aside: Hell, I'm still working on being okay with arriving to work at 9:00 am or a little thereafter so that I can run with Computerguy every other morning or so. Considering I used to arrive in the office at 7:30 at the latest, I still feel a little panicky that I'm late, but my health is much more important. But I digress...)

I still am planning on telling/asking my boss for one workday at home every other week or so. My job entails much contract research, and thanks to an excellent IT department here, I can do everything I would normally do in the office from home (save for send a fax or call the UK). She was resistant before the imposed Society-wide flex hours, but I think I've proven that I can still get my work done in fewer days AS WELL as those days that I'd worked from home when the weather kept me away from my desk during the winter.

I'll agree that an imposed flex schedule is an overall morale booster, but the cost savings by both my employer—and perhaps more valuable to me, myselfëare also a great benefit. On those Fridays off, I don't usually need to leave my neighborhood, so can walk to everything I need. I will sometimes hop in my car to run a quick errand (and it is quick without everyone else on the road or running the same errands). I'm able to catch up with more friends, take care of stuff I would normally do on the weekend, and yes, relax a little. You can't put a dollar value on that.

Of course, the impact it has on reducing my personal carbon footprint is also to be considered. If I'm not on the road, getting stuck in traffic or even using public transportation, I'm not burning more fuel. Why more companies—including my own—don't allow more flex schedules or work-at-home days in this age of these fantastic internets is beyond me.

Does your company offer work-from-home or flex schedules? If so, what do you think of them?

The Book Thief

Something you must read. The themes within are not easy to digest, but it's a gorgeous book. Read my review here.

Wii and Getting Fit

The latest issue of Ace Fitness Matters (which is one of a few industry mags for those of us who are certified—heh, certifiable?—by ACE) contains the results of a study on the calorie-burning potential from playing various Wii Sports games.

I know it's entirely possible to play these games without moving an inch off your couch, but in my opinion, it's much more fun getting into the game being played. I know Computerguy and my friends get a real kick out of watching my face contort into all sorts of serious expressions or watching me shuck and jive around the room while making my lame attempt at boxing.

The participants in the study were coached to utilize the same movements they might were they actually playing the game, and right there, you know that the study is going to show some positive benifits.

What surprised me, though, was how close some of the caloric measurements were to the real thing. For example, Wii golf burned only .8 calories fewer than live golf does at 3.1 calories per minute, and Wii tennis burned 2.8 fewer calories per minute than the real thing. Of course, when you play both of these game in real life, you have more movement in general as golf will have you walking (well as long as you don't take a cart everywhere) from point to point, and tennis makes you run from spot to spot. Still, the fact that there is a measurable calorie burn from playing Wii is good news for those who aren't moving as much as they should be, no matter your fitness level.

ACE reports that they are in the midst of a study on the Wii Fit. I'll be very interested to see what those results prove.

To Drill or Not to Drill

Although I remain skeptical as to how internet petitions really work for getting the word to those "powers that be," the latest email campaign sent to me by my step bro from Save the Environment struck a chord with me.

Basically, it encourages Congress to carefully consider the consequences of drilling offshore, in Alaska, and in other vulnerable ecosystems. There have been several news stories over the past few months (hell, last few days, like here and here) which point out that drilling won't solve the inflation we've been seeing at the pump. There's even an entire page at the government's own web portal which points to those who support drilling and those who don't.

Personally, I think higher gas prices are a good thing for this country. The simplest reason? We depend on our cars far too much, and our waistlines could definately do with a little more moving about via our own two feet.

So, give the message a read and join in if you, like me, think that drilling is a bad idea.

Tune Out

This article from The Daily OM got me thinking about my scheduled life, and how important my choices are not only to the planet and my community, but my own well being.

This is in opposition to the article, I suppose, but I've been feeling a real need to just NOT DO for a while. I recycle, I volunteer when I can, I am always cleaning and straightening up around the house in an effort to keep up with Computerguy's stack of projects he seems to cheerfully go about.

But lately, I'm finding all the things that I want to do conflicting with a need to slow down. I feel panicked that there's simply not enough time in the day to do everything.

It's natural, I suppose, to need to take a step back and regroup. I've not gone just driving in a while, or spent some good time alone. There's always things to do here at the house, there's what seems to be an overwhelming amount of things waiting for me on my desk at work, and I don't feel like I have a moment's peace.

Why do I feel the need to fill every moment with something that I feel is more productive than simply sitting there, or reading, or just watching the world go by? Where is the shut off switch for this guilt over "wasting" time?

I'm guessing it's my psyche's way of telling me I need a vacation--a real one, as opposed to the working "vacation" in London last month, and as opposed to a few days off here and there. One with no need to go anywhere or DO anything, unless I feel inspired.

I know part of this attitude adjustment (if you will) will come with a return to my regular yoga routine that has slid with the rest of my workout program. When I take time to center myself in my breath, I can let things slide around me like water rolls off the proverbial duck's back. When I nurture my body and soul, the world around me doesn't feel like it's pushing me around. Even reading simple directions for a new gadget becomes easier.

As another saying goes, there's no time like the present. I'm going to go and get myself changed now and head out the door for a walk.