July 04, 2008

Friday, July 04, 2008
summer.. so far...

Proof of how fast summer came to Portland was evident as emptied my laundry basket. I threw the dirty tank tops into the wash, and tank tops gave way to increasingly thicker articles as I emptied the contents. Half way through, I found long sleeve shirts and light sweaters. And at the bottom I found wooly knee socks and a thick hoodie- clothes that were totally necessary 2-weeks ago, I can't imagine wearing now that the weather is so warm.

Today was pretty normal. I went to the gym, ordered some curtains from Urban Outfitters, watered my plants and my garden, did my laundry and made my way to work. I usually get off at the VA hospital so I can walk across the sky bridge and take in its amazing view of Portland and sometimes on a clear day, Mt. Hood before going to the windowless unit I work on for the next 8-12 hours. As I was walking across the bridge, I had a slight freak out; was I wearing pants? Yes, I looked down and indeed saw my brown linen pants shuffle along with my green converse. Ok, but maybe I forgot underwear? I brushed my hand against my lower back. No, the underwear is there. Check! Oh, I know… I forgot to put a bra on? Yes? I looked down at my breasts that seemed a little larger than usual, or was it the shirt I was wearing? I stuck my index finger under my shirt by my shoulder and gave my strap a quick snap. No, I have a bra on. I was so busy rushing around all morning that I felt like I was on autopilot. I was sure that something had been overlooked in the hullaballoo, something like putting on pants. I felt exposed in some way, but I'm not sure why. ....

Anyway, summer is going great! I'm happily following through with eating well, being a more envoi-friendly citizen and redecorating my apartment. ...
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My apartment is looking awesome! I got curtains for my bedroom, a huge honkin' bookshelf and a new bedspread. I got a cute desk for my living room and café curtains for my dining room. I rearranged a lot of the wall art and framed some things that needed to be framed. I now have quite a nice collection of house plants, I have a second jade, a spider plant, ivy, a slew of starts from Sarah O. and I've been successfully nursing my indoor tree (not sure what it's called) back to health. It's nice to see him so happy after almost losing him (I don't know why I'm referring to a plant as a particular sex, but go with it, ok?).....

I landscaped the small dirt lot behind my apartment with daisies, bungle weed (so fun to say, I could say bungle weed all day!), blue star creepers, rosemary and a fern. I also started some basil from seed and it's doing so well! I forgot how great it feels to grow things and to watch nothing turn into something. My budding basil is the only plant I've nicknamed. I am affectionately calling it "Cousin Basil," a reference to one of my favorite 3 Stooges episodes. I also got a bird feeder, and when I admitted to my co-worker Jackson, how much time I spend watching the birds play on it and the endless internet searching I do to try to identify their species, he assured me that this new domesticity could be a large reason I'm not getting any dates (that and the fact that I like Rush, but he doesn't know what he's talking about because Rush is awesome!). ....

Composting is going well. It's the easiest thing in the universe. In fact, it quickly became second nature to separate all organic scraps for composting. One thing I'm still not totally comfortable with is composting newspaper and cardboard. I need to get over that. I'm also doing well in the slow evolution to de-toxify my home and my person. I'm diligently recycling and reusing. I realize that my small participation and effort to be more conscious isn't going to save the planet as a whole, but it's a step in the right direction. I can definitely tell that I'm making better habits for myself and my apartment just FEELS BETTER. I can't explain it, but it feels like I rediscovered a part of myself and an important aspect of my life I didn't even realize I had lost sight of. I have been hungry for information on living more eco-friendly and eating healthier. I recently saw King Corn about the corn industry and how corn makes its way into pretty much everything we eat… which lead me to become borderline dogmatic about cutting out high fructose corn syrup out of my diet. I recently picked up the Omnivore's Dilemma- a book that sort of takes the King Corn thing one step further. I'm only about 1/3 into it, but it's full of good information. I also found this website I can't get enough of, http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LndhbGxldG1vdXRoLmNvbS8=. If you have any suggestions on good books or websites, please pass them along. I'm definitely a beginner when it comes to an awareness of this stuff. ....

Despite how it looks, I haven't been spending my entire summer installing window fixings, looking out my window at birds and studying up on flaws in the American way of life. I've actually managed to spend a good amount of time outside. I've come upon a few good bbqs, met some new people, taken some long bike rides and have spent plenty of hours inebriated on bar patios.....


I feel really great. Physically, I'm in the best shape of my life. I've been going to the gym 3-5 times a week since November and I can definitely see and feel the difference. This has also manifested as a new confidence in my appearance. Although I am still chubby, I don't consider myself "fat"- not that there is anything wrong with being fat. But, for the first time in my life I don't associate myself with that label. I do consider myself fit and feel a sincere love for my body and a pride in how I present myself. My life seems to be really coming together in general (knock on wood)- working on my apartment, my diet and lifestyle makes me feel really balanced. I am the person I always wanted to be and that feels really great. Here's to hoping it doesn't all go to shit too soon!! ....


Other things worth mentioning: I'm enrolled in school full time this fall. I am definitely doing a video showing/discussion at Reflections Coffee Shop/ Talking Drum Bookstore (I will let you know when I have more details) sometime this summer, I've made more block prints (an inquisitive platypus and a freaked-out snail) and I've gotten into sewing reusable menstruation pads again. I might be willing to give some away or trade if anyone's interested. ....

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I hope everyone's summer is going equally as awesome!
-H

Like Barry and Lavone, I COOK and then, I Chill.

Here are some recipes of things that I make and people seem to like and in the spirit of the 4th of July BBQ season, I will share them with you.
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Heather's Famous Amazingly Awesome Vegan Ck'n Salad....
a.k.a How to make $3 worth of Tempeh worth $3-billion of yumminess!....

12 oz of Tempeh (personally, I like going to Proper Eats in St. John's and buying their homemade Tempeh, this recipe uses ¼ of a sheet. One package of store bought works just as well.)

1-3 stalks of celery chopped (I like a lot of celery, if you don't that's ok)

2-3 chopped scallions

½ red pepper chopped

1 table spoon of Lemon juice

½ cup Veganaise (or you can make your own)

1 table spoon of liquid aminos or soy sauce mixed with 1 table spoon water

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (like a good friend, nutritional yeast is worthy of a nickname, let's call it "Nooch"- a dirthouse tradition I intend to keep alive)

A Shitload of Cilantro!! (yes, that's an exact measurement!)

½ tablespoon curry (or more, season to taste)

Salt n' Pepa to taste

Cut the tempeh into ½-inch cubes, marinate in liquid aminos and water and fry for 5 minutes or until browned, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of Nooch while frying. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl mix all other ingredients. Add the tempeh and chill. Bring to a 4th of July BBQ and bask in the love you're sure to receive.

What I really dig about this recipe is that you can make sandwiches with it, or use it as a dip or spread for crackers or tortilla chips. It's pretty diverse and awesome.
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Auntie Heather's "Eat Your Fucking Veggies" Pasta Salad....

12 oz of cooked whole wheat pasta (any works, I prefer rotini)
½ red bell pepper chopped
½ cup chopped red onion
1 stalk chopped celery
1 eggplant
1 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like to use Annie's Naturals Shiitake & Sesame Vinaigrette)
A Shit-ton of Cilantro (not to be mistaken for a shit-load, these are 2 different measurements! Don't fuck this part up)
2 chopped scallions
1 cup broccoli florets
½- 1 cup Feta Cheese (I'm sure you could use some kind of vegan cheese for this, but it won't be as good. And let's face it, you weren't all that stoked about being vegan anyway, so just eat the feta.)
1 cup cauliflower florets
10 cherry tomatoes cut in half
Salt n' Pepa to taste and to listen to while you prepare this vegetable utopia of deliciousness
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut eggplant into ½ inch triangles (they don't have to be triangles, but the triangle shape helps add an element of "zany-ness" to this otherwise unzany recipe). On greased cookie sheet arrange eggplant triangles, spray with light oil and bake for 15 minutes, until soft. Set aside until cool.
In bowl toss all this shit together.
Eat it outside, for some reason it tastes better that way.