Buh-Bye DirecTV

OK, I've decided that I''m getting rid of television.  I'll keep my two TVs, and I'll watch DVDs, but no more satellite TV for me.  Before I go further, I should say that I really do love DirecTV.  I love watching the cable news channels and USA and TNT and the Food Network and ID, which is new-ish.  Anyway, I love it.  But I've come to the conclusion that I'm watching more TV than can possibly be good for me.  It's not a good sign that I know, every single day, what's transpired in the Caylee Anthony case.  It's not a good sign that I sleep with the TV going all night.  It's not a good sign that I know what's on Bravo almost every night.  Also, I have to give a shout out to the customer service people at DirecTV.  Seriously.  When I've had questions, which isn't often, I've always been amazed at how helpful they are.  And it appears that they've not outsourced calls to techs in another country.  I hope this isn't too un-PC of me, but I hate it when you call and 800 number and get someone who just doesn't speak English very well. 

Anyway, I've been thinking, for quite some time really, that I'm simply watching too much of what I call "default TV."  That's when I turn on the television and zone out in front of something I don't necessarily really, really want to watch but it's just what's on.  And I feel like I am just wasting too much time, time that could be spent reading or writing or crafting or relaxing in a more productive way (read: yoga, bubble baths, and meditation practice).  I mean, I think that I'll be a happier, healthier person without TV there to distract me.  Oh yeah, I've also fallen into the habit of just having the TV running in the background all the time when I'm at home.  So I feel like getting rid of TV will free up my time and attention (not to mention my finances) for other more productive or more bliss-producing activities.

Finally, I just feel like I need some changes in my life.  I feel like I keep working and working and working on somehow getting my life in order, getting my life on track.  And believe me, it often feels like it's dramatically, inexplicably derailed.  When I feel like this, it always seems like some big change shakes things up and helps make the adjustments I'm looking for.  This is a much larger issue with me, larger than whether or not to watch TV.  It's just that every week, almost every day, I feel like I can never get enough done.  If I manage to stay on top of it all at work, which I often do, it seems like my house is a total disaster.  If I'm really disciplined about one thing, say what I'm eating, I can't seem to be at all disciplined about another.  It's so frustrating.  And I keep trying and trying to be better about it all, but I'm not sure I've made much progress in the last five years (or maybe ever!).  Anyway, I know that many of you may not understand, but getting rid of TV feels like a way to move towards getting my life and myself in order.

Not to fear:  I am keeping Netflix!

First Day

So today, inaguration day, is the first day of the new semester for me.  First day of classes is always, always kinda boring--going over syllabi, learning students' names.  But starting a new semester always feels good, like a fresh start.  It's a time to reassess and set goals and all that kind of thing.  One of my goals is to spend more time prepping for class (but not more time grading!).  I so enjoy the prep work when I set aside the time to do it properly. 

Well, I'm off to 20th Century Children's Lit!

Mama Said There'll Be Days Like This

So you know those days when nothing disasterous happens but it still feels like every little thing goes wrong?  In spite of a couple BIG reliefs, it's been one of those days.  After several nights of insomnia, I slept really well last night and woke up a little before eight.  But there was no water coming out of any of the taps--I was certain my pipes had frozen, although I had left the heat running last night.  I called my heater guys.  Well, it turns out the pipes hadn't frozen--it was no big deal.  But it was still really stressful.  At that point, I decided I'd go into campus for a couple hours.  I intended to wear my snow boots, but about half way there, I realized I was wearing these old Birkenstock clogs.  I've had them for about 13 years, and the sole is all worn down--not good for walking across the icy parking lot.  Also, I forgot to take my lunch with me.  Once I got to work, I got an e-mail from the bookstore that one of the books I'd ordered was unavaliable; it was out of stock at the publisher.  This would be no big deal except that classes start Tuesday.  This was all especially annoying because moths ago when I picked books, I had all kinds of confusion over the particular edition / translation.  The publisher's materials were incorrect, and it was a big pain just figuring out which translation was the one I really wanted.  Oh, and I'm having cramps, so I feel just generally icky physically.  And I have, like, zero appetite, which isn't necessarily bad--just weird.  Anyway, although I'm so thankful that my water pipes didn't freeze (and subsequently burst!), it's still been one of those days.

Diana Wynne Jones

I've just started reading Diana Wynne Jones's The Magicians of Caprona.  And it's quite delightful.  In my expert opinion (ha, ha--I just love saying that), Jones is possibly the most underrated contempporary writer of juvenile and YA fiction.  I have not read anything by her that I haven't liked.  I think that Charmed Life, which I reread over the Thanksgiving holiday, is maybe my favorite.  Especially in her Chrestomanci collection, of which both Charmed Life and Caprona are a part, Jones does some really interesting things with how her fantasy world works and how it may be related to the world you and I know.  I particularly enjoy fantasy in which you and I, as readers, are "Otherized" (if I can use that word) by the characters and the social structure of the fantasy world.  Here's one of my favorite examples of what I mean:  In Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Lucy puruses the books on Mr. Tumnus' shelf.  The titles include things like Man:  Myth or Reality and other titles that would suggest that in Narnia humans are mythical creatures of the fairie realm, much as we might think of elves and satyrs.  (I don't have the title of Tumnus' book quite right, I'm sure, and my coies of TLWW are all in my office at work, so I can't look it up just now.)  But you get the point:  we are made to feel Other, foreign, outsiders, strange, even disenfranchised in some way.  I don't know why, but I find fantasy that constructs the reader this way as particularly interesting, enjoyable fantasy.  And there are certainly moments when Jones does this quite well.  In all sincerity, I hope that this concept makes its way into a conference paper or something of that sort sometime soon in my professional life.

New Alarm Clock

You may remember that about six weeks ago, I had an alarm clock emergency.  Well, yesterday, I got home and had a package from UPS.  My brother had ordered me this alarm clock as an early Valentine's Day gift.  Isn't it too, too cute?  I absolutely adore it.  It's perfect for my soon-to-be pink bedroom.

New Blog!

Ok gang, I've started a second blog--one devoted to makeup, style, that sort of thing.  It's still in the fledgling stages, of course, and it may be a rather short lived project.  But if you are interested, read Airing My Dirty Laundry.

The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan

Ok, so I really enjoy juvenile and YA novels, especially fantasy.  It used to be my guilty pleasure / guilty secret.  But now that I have a job that warrants reading all this sort of thing, I can feel somehow justified.  But let's face it:  I just really enjoy this sort of thing.  Recenly, my brother John recommended Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and last week I picked up the first in the series.  It was actually much better than I'd anticipated.  At first, I was just annoyed by the protagonist--I found Percy to be whiney and not at all likeable.  But as the novel progresses, and as Percy endertakes a quest of heroic proportions, he grows and develops in such a way that he becomes likeable and sympathetic.  So here's the quick summary:  12-year-old Percy Jackson, who lives in contemporary America, discovers that his father is one of the classical gods.  Olympus has somehow been relocated to the top of the Empire State Building.  And Percy must undertake a quest to recover Zeus's lightening bolt of power.  Riordan uses classical characters and themes in creative, interesting, and not entirely predictable ways.  In all, it was a good read.  John basically told me that it's clearly written for eighth  or nineth graders, so it reads really quickly but that it's both entertaining and interesting.  And he's right.  That pretty much covers it.  Next in the series is Sea of Monsters, and I hope to read it soon.

Better-Than-Kraft Mac & Cheese

Ok, so I call this Better-Than-Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.  It's super easy, super yummy, and probably really bad for my waistline.  I make it a little differently each time, depending on what I have in the fridge, but the following, for two servings, gives the basic idea.  It certainly takes no more time than good ol' Kraft.

1.  Bring to a boil enough salted water for aproximately 2 cups penne or elbow macaroni.  Cook according to package directions.

2.  Meanwhile, in a 2 quart sauce pan, melt 3 Tablespoons butter.  Stir in about 2 Tablespoons cornstarch.  I used to use flour, but Zee suggested corn starch, and it gives a better texture than flour.

3.  At this point, you should have a quick-y roux in the pot.  Stir in about 1/2 cup milk (1% is fine).  "I see you're drinking 1%. Is that 'cause you think you're fat? 'Cause you're not. You could be drinking whole if you wanted to."

Now here's where things get fun because there are lots of options.

4.  I like to add about 2 to 3 Tablespoons sour cream at this point, but this is optional.

5.  Stir in a couple dashes of Worchestershire sauce, a bit of garlic salt, about 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard, and a tiny dash of Tobasco sauce or cayanne pepper.  The Tobasco or cayanne doesn't make it spicy, just gives it a kick.  These seasonings are really to taste, and I don't measure.

6.  Stir in about 1 cup of shredded cheese.  I like to use a combination, with sharp cheddar forming the majority of the cup.  I've also used Cabot horserasish cheese, and it's super.  But I like to throw in a little something else, if I have it.  Today, I added just a tiny bit of this Double gloucester / stilton blend I had in the fridge.  I've used a cheddar / jack blend with taco seasonings already mixed in, and that's good too.  Feta, I've discovered, doesn't melt very well.  I tend to buy the pre-shredded stuff to save time.

7.  The heat should be really low on the cheese sauce, and you need to stir it pretty frequently until everything melts and the consistency is smooth.  I heat it until it just starts to bubble, then turn it as low as possible.

8.  In just a few minutes, the pasta should be done.  Remove it from the heat and drain it.

9.  At this point you have two options.  You can either add the drained pasta to the pot of cheese sauce and fold it in.  Or, if you are Zee, you can put the pasta in your bowl and ladel the cheese sauce on top.

That's it!  Super simple, and super tasty.  The sour cream is optional, but tastes good.  You can even skip the milk and stir the cheese right into the butter / corn starch roux.  I've even skipped the corn starch completely, and that's fine too.

It's yummy with Durkee french friend onions (you know, the ones in a can) sprinkled on top.

This is seriously my new favorite comfort food, and I eat it at least once a week.

I'm A Bookslut

So it's official!  Click here.