... six weeks since my last cigarette... Unbelievable. It is true though. Vaping (e-cig) is an amazingly easy way to quit if you can get past the fiddly techy problems that can occur (gurgling, leaking, flooding, burning, etc).
Fall is quickly going to winter here...
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| I love this hat B knitted for me. The pattern is called "Brownie", but we put a squirrel on it because it looks like an acorn. Too cute! |
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| Yesterday's snow |
My small set of pictures from our road trip!
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| B&K at Red Cliffs Lodge |
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| The long, long awaited sunrise at Red Cliffs Lodge |
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| Arches NP |
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| B&K at Double Arch (click to see big version, there they are!) |
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| Arches NP - my favorite picture from the trip. |
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| Balanced Rock |
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| the elusive petroglyphs of Moab... |
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| Sunset at Monument Valley... B&K are on the way back, but are they in this picture?? (picture taken in a daze from The View hotel room, during my gall bladder attack) |
Had not intended to stop smoking when I first started thinking about this. It was about having something for when it's blowing snow and below freezing outside, preparing for winter. It turns out this little device is surprisingly satisfying, the physical act, the vapor and mouthfeel. Just wanted to put this up so I remember, it's Day 0.
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| Kanger e-smart |
Fall bounty processing continues. One full batch of tomatoes have finished in the dehydrator. A bowlful of yellow pear tomatoes ended up juiced, very delicious. Added celery salt, pepper etc. for the spicy Bloody Mary flavor.
Working through some herbs now, which are quick to dry, before continuing with the heavier produce.
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| Stages of dry: oregano, mint and sage |
Coincidentally, Manjula's latest video is for Spicy Indian Chips, which uses dry mint. Looks so delicious, might have to make it.
Still in a Pynchon frame of mind. Next in the stack for me is a first-read of Mason & Dixon. The opening pages are delightful, giggly fun, but I am not ready to do this. Takes more concentration than I can muster just now, the period English. Really want to read it... soon. Meantime, back to a re-read of Inherent Vice, nice and easy for bedtime. Looking forward to the movie, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, lots of good info at Cigarettes & Red Vines . Have to link the song here, love Aimee Mann...
The new Pynchon comes out in a week, Bleeding Edge, which will go immediately to the top of my stack. Not many writers I will go out to get the latest on release day, it's nice to still get excited about new works! Some early reviews:
Pynchonicity: The Paris Review
The Slate Book Review: “A Search Result With No Instructions on How to Look for It”
A website popped up related to the impending release, hashslingrz (apparently the name of a computer-security company in the novel). There are interesting little stories linked to each of the pictures on the main page. Curious too is a trailer for the book, William Gibson (@GreatDismal) calls it, "Absolutely the best novel trailer so far in the history of the world"
Along these lines, might as well link a couple of videos for Gravity's Rainbow. The first is my favorite of the YouTube readers, hearing the German words is fantastic.
There was a cassette audiobook released (out of print now?) which someone has posted in three parts. Over 11 hours each! It's nuts, or as one commenter aptly noted, "bananas". Hearing this dramatic reading is so refreshing, even though I have read the book many many times. It will take me some time to get through it, but I love it. Part I... dig in.
Summer is winding down, tomatoes and corn are full-on, lots of produce piling up. Delicious.
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| The "corn garage" is what I call this place. Seasonal produce sold, brought in daily, the corn, melons and peaches here are great. |
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| Had to text this to R, forgot the list on the counter. |
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| My new mug from J&R, Kitt Peak Observatory. It is perfect, the strainer fits nicely and it has the low center of gravity stability I prefer. |
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| Some of today's CSA delivery. |
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| As good as it gets. With some nice fancy-assed salt. |
Miscellaneous food
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| Sakura Maccha Kit Kit at NRT |
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| Did not eat here, but had to send the picture to B! |
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| TV special about these sweet green peppers, thinking of S&S and Sushi Koko |
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| Onigiri at a grocery store |
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| Takoyaki chain store |
| Gindaco Website |
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| Acquisitions during the search for maccha Kit Kat. The pretzels were not good. |
Some family pictures not previously posted.
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| Last Day, looking a bit stressed and tired |
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| Lunch at Hara's, the garlic bread in foreground was really delicious hot from the oven... |
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| Masa's lift, he transports goods from shipping containers where the docks meets the railway |
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| Waiting for sushi lunch, Minami helps Masa figure out Gmail on his phone |
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| In a taxi |
Going through my phone gallery, lots of little moments that didn't get posted. So here we go.
Election TV Spots
Candidates are given a fixed time slot to give a speech stating their campaign platforms, filmed in a neutral boring stage set-up. I usually changed the channel when these frequently aired, opting for old anime (Doraemon, Pokemon, Sponge Bob). But sometimes we left the channel going, waiting for Sumo or some other program to follow. Some politicians seemed cool, memorized polished speeches, some very nervous never looking up from the paper. Below, this first guy really grabbed my attention; what a striking delivery! The second is for comparison.
Narita Express
On the way to the airport from Yokohama, around 2pm. Somewhere near the Tokyo stop, like Shinagawa and Chiba. Funny how quickly I forget, as I distinctly remembered to remember when I took the videos. Doesn't capture the beautiful little valleys with rice and farms, which was what I was looking for. Slice of life.
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| Family altar |
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| Sisters smiling: last day |
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| Pluto collection, 1930-2012, Vancouver airport |
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| Reunion dinner |
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| Good friends good times |
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| Bella |
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