A Food-Themed Post

To begin with, I should probably mention that the sandwiches in the new blog header were not tragic. They were from a friend’s birthday tea, and were delightful. In fact, this was the tea that introduced me to chicken-cranberry salad sandwiches, which were so good that they left me saying “Why haven’t I thought of that?” I’m sure everyone else has been eating chicken-cranberry salad for ages.

Also, I’ve obviously been playing with the blog theme and header. This probably will continue.

Today I had a blatant opportunity to act on my 29-Day Giving Challenge, and I took it. As I walked toward Whole Foods on my lunch hour, one of the guys who sits on the benches along Gayley Avenue and asks for money asked me for money. I said, as I do, “No, sorry,” at which point he says, “A cold drink?” I said, “Sure,” and he said something that I was reasonably sure was “Snapple.” That’s when I recognized him as the guy who has specific requests when it comes to food. But I’m always happy to give people food, and a cold drink of any sort seemed like an extremely reasonable request when the temperature is in the 90s. Fortunately, it turns out that Whole Foods does in fact sell Snapple.

Both of us have been tired all week, so for the second time in four nights, we’re ordering pizza from our favorite local place–The Coop. It’s a tiny storefront with no seating, and they only take cash. However, they do deliver, and they make excellent pizza. It has a thin-ish crust with a sauce that is exactly the right degree of spicy, and it’s delicious when topped with our choice of pepperoni and Canadian bacon. The downside is that it often takes a long time, because the place is so small (tonight’s wait is 75 minutes, for example). But it’s worth it, particularly since it means that they’re getting lots of business. It’s one of the places I’m really going to miss when we move. But I still want to move.

View my page at the 29-Day Giving Challenge

Wow.

I really am not good at this giving thing. Hmm . . . I’m tucking in all of the yarn ends on a baby blanket that I made for our office manager’s new baby seven months ago. Does that count? Probably not, since it’s unlikely that I’ll get it finished, wrapped, and to the post office before closing time. Maybe it’ll count for tomorrow.

Falling Down on the Job

Not literally. First of all, I didn’t fall down. Second, I was busy all day doing my actual job. But I’m so tired, and was so focused on doing what I needed to at work, that I completely forgot to give anything away. Not even a pen. I’ll have to double up tomorrow.

I Should Be Working Out

But I’m not. However, that still is one of my goals for this afternoon, while J is off on a road bike ride in Malibu.

It’s been a busy weekend, and it’s barely Sunday afternoon. Yesterday we decided to see Iron Man, so we headed over to the theater to buy tickets. However, we soon found that between us and the theater was a huge traffic jam, due to a nearby car show. We decided to continue with our errands and go to a different theater once we were done. The next stop was at the Goodwill donation point, where I gave away the first item for the 29-Day Giving Challenge–a lawn bag full of clothes. Now, there were probably more than 29 items in the bag, so I suppose I could have doled them out over the course of the Challenge. But that doesn’t seem to be in the spirit of much of anything, so I’m counting the bag as one item.

Next, we went to the pool, where I swam 900 meters and J swam 1100. I’m hoping to be swimming twice a week, and doing 1000 on one of those swims for at least a few weeks before the triathlon. We also need to do some ocean swimming, and I still need to get on the bike. Well, not this weekend.

After the pool, we ate at The Stand. This is probably the fanciest hot dog stand you’ll ever eat at. J had the Chili Dog and I had the Kraut Dog. The sauerkraut didn’t have the tang I was hoping for, but the hot dog and bun were quite good. This is a little splurgy for hot dogs, but I’d come back. Oh, and they have Thomas Kemper cream soda on tap, which is very nice.

We made a brief stop at home, where we learned that the car show was over, and headed out for Iron Man. The movie was a lot of fun, and Robert Downey, Jr., did a great job as Tony Stark. I’m still not all that taken with Gwyneth Paltrow, but I think the problems I had with Pepper Potts had more to do with the writing than with Paltrow’s performance.

Back home again, I said, “How do we not own Raiders of the Lost Ark on DVD? Check TiVo and see if it’s showing tonight.” J did and said, “Believe it or not, it’s starting in 10 minutes.” So we watched Raiders (as edited for television) for the umpteen-millionth time. It’s always good.

Today has been a little slower, although of course there was plenty of laundry to do. When J left on the bike, I headed out with a grocery bag full of movies on VHS. We’ve been replacing our VHS tapes with DVDs wherever possible, and the stack of outbound tapes was getting pretty high. This seemed like a worthy second day of giving for the Challenge, so I dropped them off at one of the local libraries.

I’m not sure how I’m going to fulfill the Challenge during the work week, but I’m sure I’ll figure something out. I do know that I need to get up off the couch and work out!

The Spirit of Giving

In the interests of simplifying my life–and hopefully our home–I’ve joined the 29-Day Giving Challenge. I’ll be giving away something every day for 29 days. So I suppose that means I should find something to give away, and a way to do that.

Here’s hoping that I’ll be more successful at completing the challenge than I am at displaying the badge.

View my page on 29-Day Giving Challenge

Tsunamis, Real and Adapted

This weekend, I had a dream about escaping a tsunami. So I guess it’s no surprise that we finally decided to watch HBO’s Tsunami: The Aftermath.

Once again, HBO has provided an excellent production that reminds us of ongoing recovery needs. I think that When the Levees Broke was stronger, largely because it was a documentary and Tsunami is fiction based on the actual events. However, the performances are excellent. Sophie Okonedo and Chiwetel Ejiofor are particularly moving as parents who experience the tsunami in different ways, and must search for their missing daughter. (I was struck by the idea that Okonedo is all of the actress that Thandie Newton is not, and now am even more motivated to see Hotel Rwanda.)

Toni Collette is excellent as always. I might wish Gina McKee had a bit more to do as the mother of two boys who determinedly petitions her government’s local representatives for assistance (she seems so calm that, in the wake of The Forsyte Saga, I begin to question her ability to emote any sort of passion), but that is only a minor quibble in an otherwise excellent miniseries. It’s a shame only Collette was nominated for a Golden Globe–I am surprised that Okonedo was not so honored for her poignant performance.

Katrina Anniversary

Spike Lee’s new documentary When the Levees Broke is a wonderful, painful look at the effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and other areas of the Gulf Coast. People there still need our help; please give to a worthy, reputable charity to be sure that your money goes where you intend it to.

Doing Good in L.A.

We have a friend who hosts charity Bingo nights. This month’s recipient is the Downtown Women’s Center.

Reading: The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling; Metamorphoses by Ovid (tr. Charles Martin)

New Orleans

Please continue to donate after the immediate crisis seems to have ended. People will rely on our generosity for months to come. NetworkForGood provides links to a number of charities providing support. Do not give to a charity unless you are familiar with it, and beware of scams. That’s common sense, not a reason to avoid helping others.