verbatim

Friday iPod Random Ten

1. Blue Umbrella - John Prine
2. Third Degree - Eric Clapton
3. Drifters - Ron Sexsmith
4. To The Hilt - The Devil Makes Three
5. Die Die Die - The Avett Brothers
6. Another Town (live) - Steve Earle
7. Crash Into Me (live) - Dave Matthews
8. Pantry - Lyle Lovett
9. Swept Away (live) - The Avett Brothers
10. All The Roadrunning - Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris

Mismeanings

A couple of week ago, Twitter pal @4ndyman posted on his blog these Eleven Words that Don't Mean What You Think They Mean. I love this list! The word that really makes me start breaking my red pencil points is enormity. I once heard someone at a funeral giving a eulogy, and he said something about the enormity of his father's heart/generosity. Argh! I am one of those people who insist on using enormity only to mean great wickedness; although I acknowledge that it can also just mean immensity, I maintain that there is still a negative connotation attached to it. You can talk about the enormity of the damage from a flood but not the enormity of the happiness filling a room. Later on Twitter, @CopyCurmudgeon suggested restive, another good one for this list. It means restless, not restful!

Then there are those so-called Janus (two-faced) words that do in fact mean both one thing and its opposite. Think of cleave (to cling to and to cut away from), sanction (to prohibit and to allow), and oversight (supervision and carelessness). There are loads of them listed here.

That got me thinking about expressions that people use incorrectly. Right away I came up with two of them. I often hear people saying that a project or a situation "is all downhill from here" and they think that means that it's all going bad. In fact, "downhill" means easy, as when you're walking or pushing something. You've already crested the hill and can coast the rest of the way. Somehow a lot of people have decided that it means that things are headed downward, like a plummeting line on a sales graph.

The other one is "a sight for sore eyes." What that really means is a welcome sight—one that could heal someone's sore eyes. For example, "After I'd been stranded with a flat tire during a storm, the approaching AAA tow truck was a sight for sore eyes." People seem to think it means an awful sight, as in "He stumbled in at 2 A.M. from the bachelor party—what a sight for sore eyes!"

Anyone know of other expressions that are often used incorrectly?

Seen on the InterWebs

1. One of my favorite Tumblr blogs is Things Real People Don't Say About Advertising (via Nancy). Here are a coupla choice items:

2. What is your state the worst at? Check out The United States of Shame.

3. Now this is what I call an anagram (via Neatorama):

4. A year or two ago, blogging pal Jo bought the local kids' cooking school, Create A Cook, and has done wonders with it. Apparently Google thinks so too—check this out! (Do what I did and read the post first, then watch the video after.) Yay Jo! Yay Google!

5. I had a #5, but it's gone now. I was 95% done with this post when I had to shut my Mac down, and I lost it (and have no recollection what it was). Curse you, Webex conference call! Ah well, if it was any good, I'll think of it another time....

Friday iPod Random Ten

1. Have a Little Faith in Me (live) - John Hiatt
2. No Big Deal - Lyle Lovett & His Large Band  
3. Aeroplane - the everybodyfields 
4. Before I Wake - John Doe & The Sadies
5. (Making The Run To) Gladewater - Michelle Shocked  
6. Cheapest Kind - Greg Brown 
7. Spanish Pipedream - John Prine
8. Another Star - Stevie Wonder 
9. Black Sheep - Martin Sexton
10. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning (live) - Richard Thompson & Nanci Griffith

Civil Service

The first time I was called for jury duty must have been at least 20 years ago, and I had to schlep downtown, which I recall was a pain in the neck (although we lived in Brookline at the time and had no kids, so what did I know from pains in the neck). Luckily, that time we all got sent home after just a few hours.

The second time I called the hotline the day before and learned that I didn't have to go in at all—and yet it still counted as having served! Woo-hoo!

The third time was in Cambridge, and we were told from the get-go that they were all backed up, so we would all almost certainly be impaneled. I ended up on a two-day case involving insurance fraud. It turned out to be pretty interesting. A young, sleazy-looking guy reported that his one-year-old, fully loaded SUV had been stolen. It was later found, completely totalled. The insurance company had reason to believe that the guy had arranged to have the car "stolen" and trashed—I can't remember the specifics, but I think he had been seen shopping around for a newer model, and there were some questionable cell phone calls on the night the SUV disappeared. Although we on the jury unanimously believed that the guy was guilty, we also unanimously believed that the attorney for the insurance company had utterly failed to show that the guy was guilty, so we had to find for the guy. It was a bummer, but the judge spoke to us afterward and reminded us that we'd in fact done the right thing—there was not a "preponderance of evidence," just a gut feeling that the guy was a scumbag.

The fourth time was today, and it was in Woburn. Once again, we all got sent home before noon. Yay! I'm free for another three years or so!

I know this sounds awful, but each time I've gone, my overriding emotion has been: These are my "peers"? Please, please, let me never be tried in front of a jury.

So ... have you served? Any interesting trials?

Long-Awaited DVD Review!

So, you may have heard a rumor that we actually watched one of those DVDs that came from Netflix last April—it's true! This one was "Ghost Town," and it's been so long that I can't for the life of me remember who recommended it to me, but thanks to whoever that was.

If I tell you that it's about a guy who can see dead people, then you're going to think of "The Sixth Sense," and if you're anything like me, you're going to lie awake in bed with the lights on for several nights in a row and be scared shitless that you'll see a corpse every time you get up to pee. So instead I will tell you that if you liked "Heaven Can Wait," then you'll like this. That's right, it's a romantic comedy! Where someone can see dead people! It's not even the teensiest bit scary, I promise you. We even let the kids watch this one (although in truth they caught only bits and pieces).

In fact, it's really funny. Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, and Tea Leoni are all in top form. We laughed out loud quite a few times. It's also very touching, in that romantic-comedy kind of way, and I thought about the characters last night long after a normal non-insomniac would have been sleeping. It's not life-changing, but I'm very glad I saw it.

Long Weekend

We had a nice long weekend, but unfortunately it was not the same length for all of us. Friday after school I headed north with Steph and Julie. We hit unbelievably bad traffic—the first 30 highway miles took 90 minutes (with 120 more miles to go). I was fit to be tied by the time we arrived in Franconia. Andy and Pete were still at home, because Pete had a basketball game on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday morning the girls skied with their grandparents, while I caught up on the last few months' worth of New Yorker magazines. Bliss! Andy and Pete drove up in time for dinner, after Pete's team's big win.

Sunday morning all the kids skied with their grandparents, while Andy and I watched the beginning of a movie on DVD! Together! Without the kids! But we didn't get to finish, so details will come tomorrow. Then in the afternoon we went to Chutter's for our sugar fix.

This morning Andy was in the car at 5:30 a.m., with the temperature reading -8°, to head to work. A few hours later, the kids once again went skiing with their grandparents, while I did all the laundry, made the beds, and packed the car. We left around lunchtime and made good time home, much to my surprise.

And now I can't wait to get into my own bed. Stay tuned tomorrow for a movie review!

Friday iPod Random Ten

1. Long Black Veil (live) - Dave Matthews & Emmylou Harris
2. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (live) - The Band
3. Give Back The Key To My Heart (live) - Uncle Tupelo
4. Hard Times Come Again No More - Nanci Griffith
5. The River (live) - James Taylor & Garth Brooks
6. Nobody Said That (It Would Be Easy) - Dan Tyminski
7. Vengeance Is Sleeping - Neko Case
8. No Depression in Heaven - The Carter Family
9. This Is My Favorite Cage - Joe Henry
10. I'm An Animal - Neko Case

De-Lurk Thyself

 

Hey guys! It's that time of year again, when I ask all of you who lurk here at Verbatim to come on out and show yourself. If you're too shy to leave a comment, feel free to shoot me an email. I just like to know that you're out there!

AT&T

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that Apple has finally allowed Verizon to carry the iPhone. I have been among the loudest and angriest anti-AT&T customers, furious that there's pretty much no signal in our house, and pretty much no signal in Andy's office (where I also spend one day a week). Before going iPhone, we had junky Verizon phones and had no problems. With Verizon, I never lost a call. Not once. Furthermore, we had Verizon service up in the mountains where we* ski. Then along came the iPhone, which I had to have, and that came with AT&T. Which just plain sucks where we live, work, and vacation. (I'm aware that people in other locations have no problems whatsoever, but this has been our experience.) It only speaks to my near-rabid love of the iPhone that I have stuck with it despite the fact that I so rarely have a reliable signal.

Fast-forward to February, when a Verizon iPhone will become available. I will not buy it.

WHAT?

Let me explain. First, I plan to wait to see how Verizon handles the additional data stress on its network. I think it will do fine, but I don't need to be the first one to find out through personal experience. Second, Apple generally releases a new iPhone in the summer, and I'd rather wait and get that one. Third, we have a family plan, and are all at different points in our contract cycles, so waiting until summer (at least) makes sense financially. Most likely our penalty for dropping our contracts will be minimal by then.

I want to point out that, despite the horrendous signal, I have been happy with everything else about AT&T. (I know, I know, this is in the same category as "Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?") I've called them every now and then for various issues, and I've always gotten great service. To wit: In October Pete left his brand-new cell phone on the bus. (In my recent glowing tribute to Pete, I neglected to mention that he is, in fact, the Biggest Loser, if by that you mean that he loses everything he touches. Raincoats. Hats. Sneakers. Sweatshirts. Flip-flops. Water bottles. Cell phones. Let's just say that he's very lucky he has those gorgeous eyes and charming dimples.) Every day he asked the bus driver if he'd seen the phone, and every day the bus driver said he hadn't seen it. I suspected that the bus driver hadn't actually looked for it, but I guess he wasn't lying to say that he hadn't seen it. Finally a week later the bus driver produced it. Yay! Then, a month later, Pete lost it once again—he thought on the bus but wasn't sure. I planned to follow the same tactic as previously, right up until we got an email from AT&T, maybe three days after the loss, saying that we'd just gone over our data limit for the month. Oh no, some evil dudes had the phone and were wreaking havoc with it!

We called AT&T, and the customer service rep was as helpful as can be. He suggested we first upgrade to unlimited data, so as to pay only $10 instead of all the fees that were being racked up, then suspend the service. About a month later, Pete gave me one of his amazing grins, and the next thing I knew I was buying him a new phone (actually it was one of those Go-Phones, albeit a nice one—an LG Neon). Sigh.

During this time, Andy heard about the AT&T MicroCell, a signal-booster unit. He went to the AT&T store, and they gave him one for free. Without his even asking. We set it up here in the house, and instantly we all had full bars. A few days later Andy went back to the AT&T store for another one for the office, and they gave him that one for free too! Imagine! Now we have full bars there too. (I recognize that AT&T is now scrambling to keep their customers, and they're doing a good job of it.)

As for New Hampshire, as of sometime this summer, we suddenly had intermittent signals up there. It's not worth writing home about—and, moreoever, the forthcoming Verizon iPhone's ability to function as a wifi hot-spot has me all hot and bothered (in the good way). I could bring my Verizon iPhone up north and be able to use my MacBookPro in the living room, instead of in that dark corner of the basement where I have to plug an Ethernet cable into the modem. Oh, what a dream...!

*That's the royal "we." I skied once and lived through it, so now I never have to do it again.

Lucky Number 4

I hope you can all forgive me, for I have been remiss in sharing wonderful baking news with you. Remember in September when I got to meet my baking idol Abby Dodge? Did I mention that she gave me a copy of her latest book, Desserts 4 Today: Flavorful Desserts with Just Four Ingredients? Well, that's when things got kind of hazy, because this past fall was not my best season ever for lots of things—including baking and blogging—so I'm belatedly posting this rave review.

Andy and I both love to bake—which is probably why Abby's previous book, The Weekend Baker: Irresistible Recipes, Simple Techniques, and Stress-Free Strategies for Busy People, has so many pages that are curled, warped, and splattered from use. Every recipe there is a winner. And so far that's the case with Desserts 4 Today too. You could certainly plan ahead to make these treats, but they're also just the ticket for those days or nights when you want something yummy but don't want to make another trip to the market. If you've got butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and oats on hand, you're just minutes away from Oatmeal Cinnamon Crisps. In the mood for Dark Chocolate–Banana Soufflés? All you need is sugar, chocolate, banana, and eggs. Really, every recipe has just four ingredients! Abby provides ingredient substitutions and offers suggestions for "gussying up" the recipes too, if you should so desire.

So far our favorite recipe is this awesome rice pudding. It is so delicious, whether warm or cold. The kids love it too!

Butterscotch Risotto Pudding

4 cups whole or 2% milk (Abby says you can use half-and-half in a pinch, and we have done this successfully.)
2/3 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed (Abby says you can sub in 1/3 cup granulated sugar, but we haven't tried this yet.)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Have ready four serving bowls and make room in the fridge.

2. Put the milk and rice in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring, until the rice is tender and the pudding is thick and reduced to about 3 cups, 25–30 minutes. Stir more frequently toward the end of cooking to prevent scorching.

3. Slide the pan from the heat and stir in the brown sugar and vanilla. Pour the pudding into the serving bowls. Cover with plastic wrap (touching the surface so that a skin doesn't form). Serve warm or refrigerate until ready to serve or for up to 2 days. If the pudding is too thick, stir in a little more milk.

YUM! Thanks, Abby!

All About Pete

I keep thinking of things to say about Pete lately, so I decided to devote a whole post to him. He's nearly halfway through his first year in middle school, and it's going great. He seems to be handling the increased workload with ease, and got a stellar first-term report card to prove it.

He's still playing sax, and somehow I managed to not get a photo of him in his bowtie for his first band concert in December! He also recently started taking drum lessons (outside of school), thanks to his cousin Al's influence.

He had a great fall soccer season, and now he's playing basketball for the first time (competitively, that is). He loves it. In fact, when the bus arrives at school every morning, he and his buddy run quickly to the gym to shoot hoops for those few precious minutes before the bell rings.

He's been getting involved in everything he can—he volunteered to set up the chairs for the band concert, volunteered to help collect money for Christmas toys for needy kids and then to help wrap all the gifts, participated in a mini-run to raise awareness for autism, and more. Seems that whenever an opportunity comes up to do something extra, he does it—and I'm all for that.

Every few week he and four of his buddies go at lunchtime or during a free period to hang out with their very cool guidance counselor, who sometimes orders Chinese food (and has a drawer full of candy otherwise). I asked Pete if anyone ever talks about their problems with him, and he looked at me like I was nuts. "No, we just hang out." I think this is great—if at any time in the future one of these kids does have a problem, they'll already have established a great relationship with the guidance counselor and will (hopefully) not hesitate to go see him. In my day, the guidance counselors were the last people a kid would want to go to with a personal or social or even academic problem. They were as far from cool as they could be. I love that that's no longer the case. (Steph loves her guidance counselor too.)

This year (and next) in Hebrew school Pete has an additional obligation to do community service work (ma'asim tovim, which translates literally to "good deeds") in preparation for his Bar Mitzvah. Part of becoming an adult in the eyes of the Jewish community is a responsiblity to tikkun olam, or to help "repair the world," so each kid chooses a program that appeals to their particular interests or concerns. Pete chose to help out once a month at a local soup kitchen. Last week I accompanied his group. It was a wonderful experience. The kids didn't hesitate to pour drinks, serve food, sit and chat with the guests, or wipe down tables. I was so impressed. The kids learned that while some of the guests are in fact homeless, others do have a home but for whatever reasons are having a tough time making ends meet, so they are grateful for the hot meal they can get each night at the soup kitchen. It was eye-opening for all of us.

Friday iPod Random Ten

1. Complicated Shadows - Elvis Costello
2. Detroit City - John Doe & The Sadies
3. I Shall Be Released - The Band
4. Storm Windows - John Prine
5. Shower the People You Love with Love - James Taylor    
6. Funny Thing - Cat Power
7. Shine On Harvest Moon - Leon Redbone
8. Cold Shot (live) - Stevie Ray Vaughan
9. Dancing Daze - The Avett Brothers
10. Oh Cumberland - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band  with Matraca Berg & Emmylou Harris

Delivered Right to My Door

A couple of years ago, I heard about a service called Boston Organics that delivers fresh produce to residences and businesses. I contacted them, but at the time they weren't delivering to my neighborhood. So I waited. Then last week I got an email saying that my ZIP code has just been added to their route! Yay!

This service is not a CSA but accomplishes many of the same goals—and with some added benefits. Here's how it works: First you choose to get a delivery every week or every other week—for now I chose every other week, and I'll see how that works. Then you choose what size box you want—I went with the $29 size. Then you choose what ratio of fruits and veggies you want—I opted for 2/3 fruit and 1/3 veg. I can already imagine changing things up in the summer! Then you get to tick off all the items you never want to receive. For instance, the only fruit that no one in this house will eat are pears and honeydew melon, so I put those on my "no" list, along with other things we don't like (or don't like enough), such as fennel, bell peppers, and cilantro. And, as soon as I peeked inside today's box, I added winter squash to that list—I don't mind it but would almost always prefer something else. Every week they post (approximately) what will be in the box, so you can adjust your order as needed.

Boston Organics tries to use as much local produce as possible, but there's not much available in the dead of winter around here, so they move outward from the Boston area until they find something. Specifically:

We buy locally grown produce as often as possible, taking quality, value, and variety into consideration. During the summer and fall, a lot of the produce comes from Vermont and Massachusetts. During the peak of the local growing season (late July - August) 50% of the vegetables that we offer are locally grown. Because of a fairly short growing season and difficult growing conditions, the organic market in New England is limited. As we are a year-round service a large portion of our produce comes from California, Florida, and Georgia. Tropical fruit comes primarily from organic farms in Central and South America.

Anyhow, today I received two different kinds of apples, some bananas, oranges, kiwis, and tangelos, a grapefruit, an acorn squash, a huge beet, some carrots, and a head of green leaf lettuce:

Pretty, ain't it? If you live in the Boston area, you can sign up too!

New Year's in the White Mountains

We're back from our weekend, and for the first time ever (hard to believe, but true), the whole family was up there together! It was us 5, Andy's parents, Andy's sister and daughter (both in from London), and her son (who's been here for a month or two getting ready to start at Berklee in January).

We had a great weekend. Everyone skied except for me and Andy; we stayed back at the house and just lazed around and ate and did a jigsaw puzzle and read. I had absolutely no work hanging over my head, so I finally got a chance to just relax. And eat some more. (We always eat a lot up there.)

Our nephew Al took Pete and Julie outside to play in the snow, and they ended up building a very impressive igloo next to the deck. I was skeptical, but it worked!

Al wanted to sleep in it, but we put the kibosh on that idea fast since the weather forecast was for warmer temps and rain overnight.