Delicious Ambiguity

I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity.

- Gilda Radner

That is truly what life is all about. Sometimes it's better not to know where it will lead you next.

Cold

It's finally chilled down in Pittsburgh. While there is still no snow, 11 degrees definitely makes you bundle up and get inside as soon as possible. Well, except for me. I love this weather; I know it's not the greatest when you're waiting for a bus for 20 minutes, but brisk air is so invigorating, and it also makes you appreciate the warmth of comfy sweaters, soft blankets, and hot stew.

I've forgotten how much fun cooking can be. Last semester I didn't take the time to do much cooking outside of simple pasta or quick stir fries, but I'm branching out this semester. This might also have to do with the fact that I got two great new cookbooks for Christmas: The Complete Vegetarian, and a book of Indian cooking. There are some great recipes in them, and I'm dying to try many of them. I recently made a Lentil Soup that was divine (lentils are the best, incidentally). It's super easy and requires few ingredients, and yet still is so tasty and filling.

Lentil Soup

1/2 cup lentils
2 1/2 cups water
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 green onions with green tops, chopped
1/2 cup chopped, tightly packed, washed fresh spinach
1 medium unpeeled red or white potato, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 small celery stalk, finely sliced
1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Bring lentils and water to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the vegetables

Add the vegetables, garlic, and oil. Cover and continue simmering the soup for 20 minutes. Add the cumin and salt and cook for a few more minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Serve.


The great thing about this recipe is that it's pretty forgiving. You don't have to add all the vegetables if you don't have them, and it will still be good, and you can add different spices if you wish for a different flavor. It's also really healthy, high in protein (go lentils!) and low in fat. In future experiments, I might add different vegetables, and change the spices, but it's pretty darn good on it's own, and is hearty enough to satisfy you without anything else (though fresh bread goes really well with it too).

Debate

Tonight was the Las Vegas Democratic debate between the three remaining candidates of the Democratic Party, Clinton, Edwards, and Obama. It was a great way to understand more of their opinions on the big issues like the economy, the environment, the military, welfare, health care, etc. Shrewd viewers can even sift through the rhetoric to uncover the candidates' true opinions, and the weaknesses in their views. I recommend looking at it if you didn't watch it tonight; I'm sure it can be found on youtube or some such.

That being said, my first impressions seemed to gravitate again to Barack Obama, as it has been more and more since he first announced his candidacy. He seems to have viewpoints and plans I really agree with, and truly understand the reality of many complex situations. Edwards, by contrast, is more extreme than the other two, and his goals seem too infeasible when grouped together. Too much money going out to programs (which are good ideas on paper) but no real way to finance them realistically. Hillary Clinton has always rubbed me the wrong way, and has never seemed genuine. Her overconfidence is something that I find a negative trait rather than positive.

Unfortunately, the pundits analyzing the debate after the fact seem to think that Hillary came off really strong and seems the most viable candidate at the moment, which I didn't really see at the time. I understand how they came to that position now, but it all seems like they were judging her rhetoric and confidence rather than the actual content of her answers, which honestly weren't all that compelling (though now I might be unintentionally biased). She seems to be trying to undermine the Obama campaign by aligning her views with him, and not the other way around, and playing up her experience, which is nothing to sniff at. However, I think there is something to be said for new blood, and all the experience in the world doesn't necessarily mean that you are a better fit for the presidency if your ideas and presence in politics are stale and unexciting.

First Pictures

These are some of the best of the first pictures I took with my new baby. (^_^) They're of my dog and the backyard, mostly, though I did take sample shots to practice using the features I'm unfamiliar with, like Color Accenting and Color Swapping (which is so much fun). The top one was taken with the wind blowing. They are all far clearer than most taken with my other camera. It's a welcome change. (Click on the picture to blow it up to full size).