Cheese Whale Narcolepsy

On Friday night before Ed and Wendy's wedding (after the rehearsal and after the rehearsal BBQ and after the tux fitting/geocaching afternoon) we went to this place called something like Moose Hill Cafe. It's a nominally Mexican restaurant that served something called Flautas. A couple of us thought these were little crispy rolled things like taquitos. Silly us. When it came it was a flour tortilla with stuff inside smothered in sauce and cheese. Evan therefore called it a cheese whale, which I thought was hilarious. Then after I ate it I began to enter a food coma (as I would usually call it) and Evan suggested I was instead suffering from Cheese Whale Narcolepsy. Chris has some funny friends!

Ed and Wendy's wedding was lovely, if early in the morning. Instead of a wedding cake they had a chocolate fountain which I loved! They were married in Evergreen, CO and it was so beautiful up there. They were getting their photos taken by the lake early in the morning and they kept having to shoo away the redneck fishermen in canoes in the background.

On Sunday we had a really fun time hanging out with Matt and Carrie and seeing their new place. It makes me jealous - they get such a nice apartment for so little money out there... they were even walking/biking distance from some really great stores and restaurants, which is uncommon for the burbs. They're looking to move soon though for law school/art school and may end up in SF. That would be really fun to get to hang out with them more often.

Then Monday we attempted a 14er, Mt. Bierstadt. I was surprised that I didn't seem to have any more trouble climbing than anyone else. I got a raging headache though and turned around at 12,540 ft. The headache went away after a double espresso. The area was totally beautiful and hanging out with Chris's friends was fun, as usual. I want to go back sometime and spend more time acclimating and actually make it to the top of the mountain. We hurried to the airport to make our 9pm flight, which turned out to be at 9:25. And then 10:50. And then 11:55. Argh. We finally got home at 2am and I slept like the dead. Colorado was nice though, and I wouldn't mind living there. Although Denver really is suffering from unbelievable sprawl.

Saturday we fly to Prague. Boy are my arms tired. Actually, I feel so tired... kind of emotionally tired or something. People I run into ask what I've been doing for the summer and they say, "Oh vacation! That's so exciting/fun!" But I don't feel like I've been on vacation. I haven't been in lab, but I haven't been on vacation either. Chris and I are both looking forward to the rafting trip - we think that will be actual vacation. Perhaps because we can drive there.

Book quest

I posted photos from my trip to Tennessee online. There's also more photos there of sunsets and Jill's wedding. I'll probably post more about the trip to Tennessee later.

I am having my 2nd annual book quest. I'm going to Prague and am looking for a good book to take. There's a lot of requirements though. It has to be: paperback, long (like 800+ pages - I read really fast), interesting (so Russian literature is right out), and something I've never read before. Things I've read that might otherwise be good candidates are Atlas Shrugged, Gone with the Wind, Scarlett, Cryptinomicon (this one was only sort of interesting, and I've already tried starting Quicksilver but didn't think too much of it). I've read some of those long histories before (like Sarum, Pillars of the Earth) and those are ok, but not ideal. I read sci-fi, so can anyone say if Dune is good? Oh, a really good one would be the complete Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

So send me your long, but interesting, book suggestions. Thanks!

Lard Waffles

I was teasing Laurel about making lard waffles and here's what she sent me. The image is the funniest part. Too bad I'm vegetarian.

Lard...what a great food! Culinary experts, including the nation's best chefs, know the virtues of lard. Rich in energy and flavor, lard is the key ingredient of many a comfort food. The size of lard's fat molecule makes pie crusts and baked goods so much lighter and flakier. In the oven, lard resists melting as quickly as butter or margarine, so dough has time to rise higher. Try using it for searing beef roasts, making pastries, and sauteing vegetables. Rub it around the surface of baking pans prior to baking to make them stick-free, or use it to 'season' a new cast iron pot. There's really no good substitute for lard.

According to the USDA, average lard consumption peaked in 1940 at 14.4 pounds per person. By 2000, that number had dropped over 85% to 1.9 pounds. The word "lard" is now made analogous to sloth and gluttony. How unfairly disparaged lard is! Have we forgotten lard's virtues? Contrary to contemporary opinion, lard is better for you than many other fats. Lard does not contain trans-fatty acids like hydrogenated shortenings do. And lard contains a generous 46% monounsaturated fat, a healthier form of fat. However, be careful not to purchase lard containing preservatives or hydrogenated fats to extend shelf life. Look for pure, white, unpreserved lard from certified organic, pasture-raised hogs.

Bad Robot!

I'm not sure which is worse - the robots or the articles about them. People are clearly concerned about these robots that ran amok...

Jill's wedding - 999 words

We had a really fun weekend last weekend - we left early Friday morning and flew to Austin, TX for Jill's wedding. The flights were pretty good (direct, anyway) and when we got to Austin they gave us a luxury rental car for only $3/day more. It was this nice Volvo. We checked into our hotel and immediately needed a nap. (We'd stayed up until 2 am the night before and got up at 5am. Well, I did anyway. I always get excited before a trip.) Then in the evening we went up to the House on the Hill for the rehearsal BBQ thing. Jill and Wolfgang had rented the whole house and grounds out for the weekend - their families were staying on the property and we just had the house and kitchens and everything for our use. We watched the rehearsal and then ate hamburgers and various weird salads (Princess pudding? It's this concoction of tapioca, cool whip, and canned fruit salad... very Southern... or something). So we got to hang out - I got to chat a little with Jill and hear what was up with Kirsten (because they've talked more recently) and chat with Jill's sisters and parents.

Then on Saturday we went to a spa in downtown Austin - I had previously looked up places with Wifi and after Chris dropped me off at the spa I sent him off to hang out. A lot of the girls had their hair done in updos but I just had my nails done in a french manicure. It was worth it too because I've been growing my nails out for weeks just for this. They look nice. But it makes me want to have them done again now that they're getting worn out a little. After spa time I walked to meet Chris - it was like a mile or more but I really just enjoyed being outside in the heat. I stopped off and got iced coffee (to keep me perky through the evening!) and also went to the flagship Whole Foods store (it's incredible!) and picked up a tour guide to Prague at a bookstore downtown.

So after all that we went to the wedding around 6 and it was just so beautiful. Jill's friend Ellen is an internet minister (he he - the modern age is funny) and she performed the ceremony. They had this great violinist who played kinda bluegrassy-old timey music. Then they had a Statement of Appreciation where they told each other why they loved the other so much. (There was a lot of crying at this ceremony - the bridesmaids were all sobbing - I think Jill was even crying as she walked down the aisle. Good wedding, eh?) Their friend Jen read from the Marriage section of The Prophet which seemed appropriate to me - that section really emphasizes the separateness of being together. It seemed appropriate given Jill's love of independence.

After the ceremony there was an indoor reception and we watched a cute slideshow of Jill and Wolfgang through the years. We ate and laughed and had really yummy cake and then finally went outside for the first dance. The DJ was Jill and her iPod, so the music was really fun for dancing. They also played these games, in the German tradition throughout the reception. One of the funniest ones was this binder clip game - they distributed 6 binder clips to the guests and we were supposed to sneakily put them on the other guests. Then if you found one on you, you were supposed to pass it off. At some point they then tried to track down all the clips and whoever had clips had to say something to the bride and groom. At that point we looked for the clips and it turned out Chris was wearing 3 of them. Ha. So I stood up and said something nice. Another of the games was wear the bride and groom sit back to back each holding one of their own shoes and one of the other's shoes. Then they get asked questions and they have to hold up the shoe of who they think it applies to, like "Who will fall asleep first tonight?" or "Who is the better cook?" (They each held up their own shoes for that one. Ha.) The party favors were etched wine glasses with Jill and Wolfgang written on them and also wine jewelry that we made ourselves. It was really a neat party. I loved the dancing especially and I think everyone had a lot of fun. It was nice - since they'd rented out the whole place for the whole weekend they didn't have anyone kicking us out. The only people working for the party were the caterers and they left after dinner. It was very relaxed and fun.

So finally, on Sunday Chris and I ate brunch at the West Lynn Cafe (a vegi restaurant in Austin, yum!), saw Jill and Wolfgang for another hour just to hang out and then went to the airport. Once there they needed volunteers, so Chris and I gave up our seats on the plane and got $300 each towards American plane tickets. We had to fly through Dallas then, but it was worth it.

So all in all it was the best wedding I've ever been too, I think. It was the right balance of meaningful and relaxed and beautiful and fun. Yay!

Homeless Dude

A couple of months ago I noticed this guy walking around the basement of Durand. It wasn't clear but he looked like he might be a homeless guy - he had these ratty tennis shoes and a scruffy beard and kinda mismatched clothes and a strange haircut. Then I went to a group meeting and my advisor introduced him as the visiting professor from Germany. Oops. I guess that's Professor Dude to me.

He pointed out in our group meeting today that Commencement, which comes at the end of your academic career, is actually a word that means beginning. I think that's interesting. He said it was typical of Americans' way of looking at things: like thinking about challenges instead of problems.

Jill's Wedding Photos

Jill and I at the rehearsal BBQ.

Jill and Wolfgang give flowers to their mothers.

Jill and the bridal party: her two sisters and Wolfgang's sister.

Baby Spong

Last Thursday I went over to Brandy's house and had dinner with her and Yasha. She's gotten so big! I think the only other pregnant person I probably spent much time with was my mom when my sister was in the oven - of course I don't remember that. Last time Brandy and I had hung out together I had wanted to feel the baby kick but we were in a restaurant so I didn't get much of a chance. So last Thursday when I went to her house we sat on the couch after dinner and I got to put both hands on her tummy for like 20 minutes. I got to feel the baby kick and move around and everything. It's interesting - when the baby adjusts position you can sometimes even see it. And at the beginning Brandy could tell me where the baby's limbs were and I couldn't tell but after awhile I started to be able to distinguish the firmness of the baby's head (or butt or whatever) from just the general firmness of her belly. It was pretty fun! She's due July 23 and I really hope the baby doesn't come early because I want to be there for as much as possible.

I've been meaning to post a link from Ab regarding baby socks. She sent me this after my blog about cute little baby clothes.

Melissa

So, since I've lived at my current location Laurel and I have had the coolest upstairs neighbor Machek. (Really, since he's Polish, it's Maciej, but who the hell could pronounce that?) He went to Princeton, class of 99 and was just very cool about having barbeques on the deck and inviting whoever walked by. Anyway, we were sad when we heard he was moving out. I happened to be in the apartment when our landlady was showing the place upstairs one day. The person she was showing it to sounded really chatty and friendly, which is exactly the type of upstairs neighbor I want to have. So, even though I had already checked the mail I pretended that I needed to check the mail again so that I could spy/meet the potential new neighbor and by being friendly could perhaps help persuade them to move here and then we'd have cool new neighbors again. And now we have this exact very cool upstairs neighbor, Melissa.

Last night I taught Laurel to play Settlers of Catan. I beat her twice (once was a freak blow out - I mean, who can build a city on their 2nd turn?) and then Chris played with us one game and beat our pants off. It was really fun. And we ate strawberries and cherries, both of which are in season right now. What a great time of year!

Along the coast.

All that green in the old style blog was bugging me. I'd like to actually make my own template but I'm too lazy. Anyway, California was being incredibly photogenic on Saturday evening. Chris and I had just come from a meal in Santa Cruz at the Saturn Cafe - all vegi food - my favorite! We were driving up the coast and had originally intended to hang out on the beach for awhile but that didn't really happen because it was awfully cold once we actually got there. Anyway, I had my camera and we took a bunch of photos, some of which I'll post here.






I also had dinner this weekend with Ushma and Neil - Ushma cooks unbelievably good Indian food by the ton. As one of her friends said at her wedding, "I ate India." We played Apples to Apples and Chez Geek. Basically this weekend we enjoyed our last weekend of no travel before the 5 week odyssey begins Friday of this week.

Coefficient of friction

I was researching friction cones and coefficients of friction today and found this little summary of values:

Materials - mu
metal on metal - 0.15-0.6
rubber on concrete - 0.6-0.9
plastic wrap on lettuce - infinity

He he. I found this here (pdf) while searching Google for "coefficient of friction" "friction cone" lettuce. All of which reminds me:

Clean joke:
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Interrupting cow.
Interrupt....
Moo!!!

Bad nerdy joke:
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Interrupting coefficient of friction.
Interrupt....
Mu!!!

Another clean joke (non-nerdy) - better enjoy these. I don't know many clean jokes.
How do you catch a unique rabbit?
Unique up on it!

How do you catch a tame rabbit?
Tame way. Unique up on it.

Defensive

Thanks to the people who tried to help me with that word. The winner is Ab, who guessed "Defensive." Perhaps it doesn't mean all the things I implied, but in my mind it does.