Christmas Dinner 2010

Okay, so photographing food is really hard! But here are my best shots from Christmas dinner.

Christmas medley of red peppers and green brussels sprouts:


Lots of roasted garlic:




Lobster tails ready for the broiler!


Finished product... flatiron steaks, lobster, brussels sprouts and red peppers with sauteed onions and bacon crumbles:

Christmas Eve 2010

Christmas is lovely in Washington, DC. The city clears out and for three days everything is peaceful and quiet.

We are taking advantage of having an excuse to make great food! Here was the menu:

Antipasti: soprasetta and salama with tuna, olives, and sweet peppers; St. Andre triple creme cheese and toasted baguette.


Main Course: homemade chunky crab bisque with toasted baguette.


Dessert: mini-mousse, lemon tart, and mixed berry tart.


Today we're going to go for a long, brisk walk and then hunker down for another day of eating, reading, napping, and documentary-watching.

Trying to Get Back in the Game

Well, this injury has been quite the learning experience. I'm really not supposed to run for another four weeks, but I've been cleared to walk. So I'm power-walking around the National Mall and feeling like a complete idiot. See, I always make fun of people who walk because, just run already! And I pride myself in having a strong body and a stronger mind.

Now, here I am, my pride (wanting people to know that I'm better/stronger/healthier/tougher than I look) and self-centeredness (assuming that everyone is judging me for walking rather than running) are coming through full blast. Yet I just can't help feeling this way. I really miss running. I want to run. It's frustrating to have to hold back. But for four more weeks I'll do it.

I've also started practicing my banjo again. Boy howdy have I regressed! My playing is slow, laborious, and non-expressive - but it's playing. So my goal is to play at least twenty minutes per day for the next few weeks and gradually increase my time and tempo.

In some ways I appreciate the down time. I always wind down in winter anyway - spend more time inside, more time reading, more time thinking - so I don't *really* need the additional enforcement, but it's better to have an authority figure to obey rather than beat myself up for not doing enough.

I'm looking forward to the Christmas and New Year's weekends. More to follow as those unfold.

Good Day

I had a good day at work today. It started early (0430h) but I got a lot accomplished and really helped some people.

Also, it's snowing! Just a few inches, which is causing a widespread panic, but it looks lovely. Not having a car makes snowfall a very stress-free event. Right now I'm drinking a beer, watching it fall, admiring the Christmas lights that are coming up on my block, and mentally digesting my day.

I feel good.

Recovering

I've been sidelined with an injury for the past few months and finally feel good enough to get back into the swing of things, exercise-wise. Currently I can only walk, but walking I am. At work I take a half-hour walk in the late morning and call it my lunch break. It's been going well, so I'm going to start adding another hour of brisk walking after work, around the National Mall.

It feels strange to walk and not run. I love running and walking is slow, a little boring, and feels to me like an under-achievement. But it's all I can do and frankly I'm just thrilled to be at the point where I CAN walk for exercise.

I'm not necessarily looking forward to that first run, but I am looking forward to the point where I can run easily again. It'll take some time to get there but I'm ready for the work.

Jury Duty

I served jury duty today. I enjoy jury duty. I've only sat on a civil case before, but the experience was enlightening.

I really believe that jury duty is an essential civic duty and I get irate when people complain about it. Yes it's inconvenient. No, you are not important enough to be exempt just because.

Put yourself in the position of a crime victim. Or the position of a mom, dad, brother, or sister of a defendant. Suddenly you have a lot riding on the jury. How would it feel for people to be trying to get out of it, for people to just go along with whatever the majority says in deliberation? There's a lot at stake and it deserves to be taken seriously.

We're trying to have a society here, people! Serve. Take it seriously. Don't complain. And hope you are never on the other side of the jury box, because you could be - either in the defendant's chair or on the stand as a victim.

Gifts From my Father

I have a Christmas tree!! A real, lovely smelling, balsam, pre-lit Christmas tree!

Thanks Dad :)

Every month...

... one more dollar of my mortgage payment goes to principal rather than interest. Still heavily favored towards interest. I am on the fast track to paying off my student loans (currently throwing 1k/month at the principal, or eight times the monthly payment) and can't wait to have that done so I can start killing my mortgage!

Ahhh... adulthood.