Is it nearly June already? May flew by, what with this new garden venture and the lovely day off we enjoyed today. I haven't blogged as much in the last couple of weeks because I've felt like I haven't had much to tell (not that I really do anyway, I suppose...). But I condensed some recent experiences into sound bites so I at least have something to share!
1. Our Seattle Sounders FC played the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night - Mark and I had our friend Brian over to watch the game but the Sounders disappointed us with a 0-1 loss. My brother, Richard, has season tickets to the Rapids and I did see him on TV a couple times - one time he was on his phone texting me! (I said, we'll really know it's Richard if my phone rings in a second - and it did). We were hoping for bragging rights over Richard but the day belonged to Colorado in the end, so I guess we just have to put up with it for now! :)
2. After the Sounders game, Mark grilled kalbi short ribs I had marinated earlier that day - they turned out quite nicely. I'm not used to bones in my meat - anything that keeps me from scarfing down food is just a hindrance - but I'd make it again, bones and all.
3. We went over to our friend Sam's house for a barbecue today - thanks for the delicious food, Sam! We used the leftover chicken in some fried rice that Jessica helped me make, complete with carrots, corn and snap peas.
Long weekends are fantastic... made even better because now it's just a four-day work week. Yes!
Midweek Tidbit (only one...)
So... I have been such a slacker when it comes to perusing the great world wide Web, due to some little things I like to call "work" and "life".
In lieu of entertaining stories and links, I present to you an entertaining video provided by my friend Maile. This is how everyone should start their day!
In lieu of entertaining stories and links, I present to you an entertaining video provided by my friend Maile. This is how everyone should start their day!
City biking
On Saturday I completed my first downtown Seattle trek by bike and survived to tell the tale. Mark and I rode to the Sounders game and I was pleased to see that the hype really is true – Seattle is very bike-friendly, even bustling downtown. We had our own bike lane most of the way to the stadium and only ran into one snafu – a lack of bike racks at Qwest Field (someone should really get on that).
I don’t have much experience biking in traffic and through crowds of pedestrians so the ride was a little nerve-wracking at times but I got through it. I still have much to learn though, like how to effectively shift BEFORE I start up a hill (I’m still trying to figure out how and when to change gears) and how to un-jam a bike chain (good thing Mark was there or I would’ve been walking home).
I cannot tell you how many cyclists I’ve yelled at (inwardly of course) for running red lights and stop signs but I now have a little more of an appreciation of the stresses they encounter every day. Although, knowing now how an accident can occur at any moment, it still bewilders me how some cyclists still choose not to stop or even LOOK at intersections when they don’t have the right-of-way. I’ve put together a little list of why you too should bike in the city and how it will make you a better person.
I don’t have much experience biking in traffic and through crowds of pedestrians so the ride was a little nerve-wracking at times but I got through it. I still have much to learn though, like how to effectively shift BEFORE I start up a hill (I’m still trying to figure out how and when to change gears) and how to un-jam a bike chain (good thing Mark was there or I would’ve been walking home).
I cannot tell you how many cyclists I’ve yelled at (inwardly of course) for running red lights and stop signs but I now have a little more of an appreciation of the stresses they encounter every day. Although, knowing now how an accident can occur at any moment, it still bewilders me how some cyclists still choose not to stop or even LOOK at intersections when they don’t have the right-of-way. I’ve put together a little list of why you too should bike in the city and how it will make you a better person.
- You will become a better cyclist. This first point is quite obvious – you will grow more comfortable biking in stressful situations and adept at weaving within crowds. There is no better teacher than trial by fire. You’ll be able to better anticipate the actions of drivers/cyclists/pedestrians and leave yourself a way out – expect the unexpected.
- You will become a more vigilant driver. Putting yourself in the cyclist’s shoes opens your eyes to the decisions (some smart, some stupid) that cyclists make on the spot. Honestly, I now assume a cyclist on the road will not obey the rules of the road and that knowledge has probably saved me (and them) from an accident. Really though, this should be our attitude to everyone on the road, car or bike. Would it be wise to pull out into an intersection if you see an approaching car who doesn’t appear to be slowing down for the red light? Just because the cyclist is more vulnerable doesn’t mean he’ll make a decision based on his safety – in fact, he’s more apt to think “They’ll stop for me.” I’m not saying we should bend to the whims of cyclists, but the goal is to keep everyone safe and not try to teach someone a lesson.
- You will become a better pedestrian. As a frequent runner on Seattle trails like the Burke-Gilman, there is no greater stressor than being nearly mown over by a bike approaching from behind. I’m a firm believer that bikes should announce their intention to pass, whether by bell or by voice, but that shouldn’t replace a runner’s or walker’s awareness of their surroundings. When we were biking downtown, I found unaware pedestrians to be more of a danger than cars (although we were in a rather crowded section of town, Pioneer Square). Solutions? Pedestrians, know where the cyclists are. Cyclists, don’t expect pedestrians to sense your presence and get out of the way. It’s common sense – avoid sudden movements and never assume!
Garden Update: 3 1/2 weeks in
Look who finally decided it was time to enter the world. The cucumbers have finally surfaced! One mound looks much better than the other so I took a picture of the healthier-looking one.
The zucchinis are also popping up. Just like the cucumbers, one zucchini mound looks healthy while the other looks like it needs help. Hopefully every plant will just suck it up and pull through. The only downside to this gardening attempt is that as careful as we are, dirt still ends up getting tracked into the house. Commence vacuuming.
Midweek Tidbits: Home and Garden edition
I'm kind of lost when it comes to interior decorating. Luckily my hubby has a creative eye and is slowly teaching me how to find mine. For example, he cut a small branch from our curly willow tree (I'm not really sure if that's what kind of tree it is... but that's what it looks like) and put it in a vase in the kitchen. I wasn't a huge fan but nearly every visitor to our apartment that week asked where we got it.
Apartment Therapy has lots of tips for small spaces - perfect for urban twenty-somethings like us. I love before and after pictures!
As a newbie gardener, I've been scouring the Web for gardening advice and stumbled onto This Garden Is Illegal - the musings of a woman who really is obsessed with gardening. She's funny and honest and, let's not kid ourselves, I might've cried when I read her post about the passing of her beloved cat.
This veggie garden looks like a rabbit heaven. And honestly... do the leeks look like giant green daddy long-legs to anyone else? It's kind of creeping me out.
Did you know that the coriander spice comes from the cilantro plant? We have a cilantro plant on our deck and are hoping to harvest the seeds eventually - this video shows us how! It looks like it'll take a lot more time until they're ready to harvest.
I guess this post really tipped toward the garden part of the scale... shows where my focus is.
Apartment Therapy has lots of tips for small spaces - perfect for urban twenty-somethings like us. I love before and after pictures!
As a newbie gardener, I've been scouring the Web for gardening advice and stumbled onto This Garden Is Illegal - the musings of a woman who really is obsessed with gardening. She's funny and honest and, let's not kid ourselves, I might've cried when I read her post about the passing of her beloved cat.
This veggie garden looks like a rabbit heaven. And honestly... do the leeks look like giant green daddy long-legs to anyone else? It's kind of creeping me out.
Did you know that the coriander spice comes from the cilantro plant? We have a cilantro plant on our deck and are hoping to harvest the seeds eventually - this video shows us how! It looks like it'll take a lot more time until they're ready to harvest.
I guess this post really tipped toward the garden part of the scale... shows where my focus is.
My news/media diet: What do you read?
The Atlantic Wire is doing an interesting series where they interview prominent authors and journalists and ask them where they get their news - what their media consumption looks like on a daily basis. For example, one of the latest interviewees was Terry Gross of National Public Radio's Fresh Air. Of course she had to say NPR's Morning Edition, but who knew that serious Terry Gross is also a fan of Jon Stewart?
So what's my media diet? I also start my day with NPR's Morning Edition on the drive to work. My morning just wouldn't be the same without Steve Inskeep educating me on world news. When I get to work, I check The Seattle Times, The New York Times, and BBC. Depending on my appetite for local news, I may also check the Seattle P-I (may their print edition rest in peace). Slate is an absolute must - I'm addicted to that site. As the morning turns into afternoon, my news hunger seems to taper off. I check The Seattle Times continuously throughout the day but it's rare for me to consult any other news site after I get home from work. And let's be honest, the day wouldn't be complete without a hit of the clever fashion forward girls at the Fugly blog.
Aside from straight-up news, I've gotten more into nonfiction lately (see the list on the right). I'm swinging back over to fiction though, as I'll soon start the next installment in The Three Musketeers series - Twenty Years Later.
What about you? Where do you get your news or your entertainment?
So what's my media diet? I also start my day with NPR's Morning Edition on the drive to work. My morning just wouldn't be the same without Steve Inskeep educating me on world news. When I get to work, I check The Seattle Times, The New York Times, and BBC. Depending on my appetite for local news, I may also check the Seattle P-I (may their print edition rest in peace). Slate is an absolute must - I'm addicted to that site. As the morning turns into afternoon, my news hunger seems to taper off. I check The Seattle Times continuously throughout the day but it's rare for me to consult any other news site after I get home from work. And let's be honest, the day wouldn't be complete without a hit of the clever fashion forward girls at the Fugly blog.
Aside from straight-up news, I've gotten more into nonfiction lately (see the list on the right). I'm swinging back over to fiction though, as I'll soon start the next installment in The Three Musketeers series - Twenty Years Later.
What about you? Where do you get your news or your entertainment?
To all you jewelry owners
Listen up ladies! If you have any kind of ring that encourages any sort of upkeep (i.e. rings with set stones), I'd encourage you to take it regularly to a jeweler for cleaning and possible maintenance. We got my engagement ring at E.E. Robbins, and we're supposed to bring it in every six months for a cleaning and an inspection. We took it in yesterday and they discovered that the stone was coming loose in its setting, so I had to leave it with them to be fixed. I wouldn't have known the stone was loose until I had already lost it, so thank goodness that was avoided! My finger feels naked without the ring but that's better than losing the diamond somewhere in Seattle.
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