Spaghetti Puttanesca

I have been watching Jamie Oliver's show, "Oliver Twist" lately, and last night on my way home from the gym I was inspired to try one of his simple pasta dishes.  I love to cook, and the flavors that he uses just seem so perfect.  I had to give his quick spaghetti puttanesca a try:

Ingredients (slightly modified to my taste):

• 1 pound (455 grams) dried spaghetti, the best you can get
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I used three)
• 1 handful capers, drained
• 2 handfuls big black olives, pitted
• 12 anchovy fillets
• Crushed red pepper flake, to taste
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cans of whole tomatoes
• 2 good handfuls of fresh basil
• Freshly ground black pepper

(These are the instructions that I have written for the sake of clarity.)  To start let the garlic brown just a tad in some extra virgin olive oil, but be careful, if you let garlic burn it turns horribly bitter.  Drain your olives, capers, and anchovies-then toss them in the pan.  Next comes the oregano, chilies, and pepper.  Let that cook on medium heat for just a few minutes, and then add both cans of tomatoes, give it a stir, and let it simmer on low-medium heat for about ten minutes.  You shouldn't need to add salt, the ingredients used in the dish are salty enough.  The anchovies are beautiful, they melt in the pan and create a beautiful sticky feel to all of the ingredients.  Mmmmmm!

To cook the spaghetti, make sure you have a big pot, and add a healthy pinch or two of salt to the water.  Let your pasta cook until it is "al dente," which means "to the teeth" (roughly).  Pasta cooks after you pull it off the heat, and if your spaghetti still has a little bite to it when you test it, it will be perfect on the plate.  Make sure you don't rinse your pasta, and leave just a bit of water in the pot.  Drizzle some good extra virgin olive oil in the spaghetti (not the stuff you cook with), and add the two handfuls of basil (give it a tear before you add it).   Toss the spaghetti and the sauce, then serve.

This dish took about fifteen minutes, and it was a huge hit in our house.  My only complaint was that it didn't have any meat in it!  I'm thinking of cooking up some Italian sausage on the side next time, I'll have to let you know how that goes!

According to Jamie Oliver, don't use parmesan, but the contributors to "Olive Juice" did.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

The semester has been great (I only have two more papers and one final), but things get a little hectic at the end.  I had one of the best study groups that I can recall on Saturday.  We didn't get a damn thing done, but we drank some margaritas, ate bread, and completely decompressed.  Sometimes you need to just say, "screw it!" and take a day off.

This is my study partner and friend, Jessica, and those are margaritas.

My Monkeysphere

A few months ago I read an article about how people comprehend relationships, it referred to our social circle as a "monkeysphere," and it was hilarious. Although the article is hilarious, it is based upon facts, and is definitely worth a read.  The main premise is: as human beings we can only conceptualize up to 150 homosapiens as actual people, and the closer those people are to you in your monkeysphere, the more you would care if they died.  David Wong refers to the sanitation worker in your neighborhood- he/she isn't a person, but "the thing that makes the trash go away."  Particularly hilarious are references to our interaction in large groups versus intimate situations:

"Think about this the next time you get really pissed off in traffic, when you start throwing finger gestures and wedging your head out of the window to scream, 'LEARN TO FUCKING DRIVE, FUCKER!!' Try to imagine acting like that in a smaller group. Like if you're standing in an elevator with two friends and a coworker, and the friend goes to hit a button and accidentally punches the wrong one. Would you lean over, your mouth two inches from her ear, and scream 'LEARN TO OPERATE THE FUCKING ELEVATOR BUTTONS, SHITCAMEL!!'

They'd think you'd gone insane. We all go a little insane, though, when we get in a group larger than the Monkeysphere. That's why you get that weird feeling of anonymous invincibility when you're sitting in a large crowd, screaming curses at a football player you'd never dare say to his face."

The combination of the monkeysphere article and the earthquake in Japan (odd combo, I know), have led me to evaluate the people that I really care about in my life.  

   
I have come to the conclusion that if there is an earthquake in Utah, you know, the one everyone talks about- I only need four people to live: Ben, Braeden (my little brother), my mom, and my dad.  Do I care if other people that I love survive an earthquake? Yes.  Do I need my best friend to survive a natural disaster? Well, yeah...but if I am going to be honest (and you probably feel the same), the number of survivors that I need is small relative to the amount of people that I love.  I cherish my friends, family, even my ridiculous co-workers, and fellow students, but I really only feel like I NEED those four people.

    I might be a callous human-being, but I suspect that I'm not, and everyone has similar feelings on the issue.  All of these musings were recently exacerbated when Ben confessed that he has a lump in his ribs that has been hurting.  He then confessed that he has a lump in his elbow, and I found one in his pectoral (breast self-examinations aren't just for women), and it was in those discoveries that I realized how fragile my heart, and my monkeysphere truly are.  I cried when he showed me the lump in his elbow.  Three lumps must be cancer.  I am so happy, and now Ben is going to die.  My mind is a crazy place to live, and those were the conclusions that I jumped to.

 
I made an appointment for a dermatologist, and Ben just went in today.  The lumps are absolutely harmless, and he's getting the one on his ribs removed on Friday.  No big deal, the appointment lasted ten minutes, but when he called me on my way from school to work, and told me that he was fine, I cried.  It turns out, I love one monkey waaaay more than all of the rest.

I hope "the big one" hits Utah after I'm dead, because I can't imagine losing one of my precious monkeys.

Paintballing

 Saturday (the 2nd) was Camrann's birthday, and his fabulous wife planned a surprise paintball party in Morgan, UT, at Action Center Paintball. I must admit, I was afraid to go.  I have heard horror stories about the pain associated with paintballing, and was terrified to get hit.  The first game, I stayed behind a bunker and screamed, "this is stupid," and didn't fire my gun once!  I was shot in the knee the second game, and I'm still sporting a bruise from the impact.  I'm not sure that the amount of fun was worth the anxiety and pain, but I think I need to give it another go before I make a fair assessment.
    
Thankfully, I had the courage to move by the third game, and I even shot and "killed" Pedro (my badass black belt bjj instructor).  I only shot one person, but that was all I needed to feel satisfied with my participation.
    
If you get a chance to go to Action Center, I highly recommend it!  The shooting areas were well set up, and it was a lot of fun to be outside and play around for hours.  The employee that was running the place for the day played with us, and was gracious enough to let us play for two hours beyond what we paid for.  The only downside to paintballing is the cost of paintballs- the group purchased five cases of paint at $64 per case...you do the math.  It can be a tad pricey, but it was worth every penny, just don't be lured in by the low cost to rent the field. 
    
We ate sandwiches and Vanessa The Scientist baked a delicious carrot cake, it was a fantastic birthday party for one of the best guys that I know!  Happy Birthday, Cam!

Pedro, Cam, Tseitel, and Ben loading their guns.

Accomplishment Alert!

At the end of 2009 I acknowledged that I have a spending problem, and after acknowledgment came some of the first steps to achieve a debt-free life.  First things first, I cut up my credit cards, and today I finally paid the last two cards off!  I had $2600 in credit card debt this morning, and after applying my tax returns I have $0 in credit card debt.  Because I no longer have to make monthly payments, I have an extra $143 per month!  The extra money is going towards other debt (I have about one year left for payments on my car, and student loans). Even though I haven't accomplished my initial goal of eradicating all of my debt, I am so proud of myself.  I am one step closer to living without shackles to distant numbers.
     
At the end of 2009 I also decided that I wasn't going to take out any more student loans for my undergraduate degree, and I haven't. I have not borrowed a single penny for school.  I have paid for each credit hour on my own (spare a sweet gift from the amazing Bentley, who paid 3/4 of my fall tuition), and it has made me appreciate school so much more!
   
I can finally see a light at the end of the debt tunnel, hoorah!

Happy Birthday, Ben!

Today the best man in the world turns twenty-seven!  I am so thankful for the amazing series of coincidences that led to Ben's adoption by the Garner family, and led us both to Absolute MMA.  When I feel stressed from the day I always know that our little apartment will be a calm sanctuary full of hugs, kisses, and a warm hand to caress my face when I'm sad.  Everyday I love him more and more. Ben is smart, funny, handsome, caring, and infinitely patient.

Today is his day.

We started off with stuffed strawberry french toast, bacon, and Kona coffee.  Tonight we're going to the Himalayan Kitchen with friends for some delicious naan and curry, and after that we'll have dessert at the place of his choice.  Unfortunately, the gift I bought him didn't show up yet, but he is getting a single-weave black Fuji Gi.

San Francisco '09

Happy Birthday, Bentley!

Top Gear

 Top Gear is my new obsession, and believe it or not, it's a car show.  Well, calling it simply a car show would be vulgar in my opinion, because the show is so much more.  The three hosts, Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and (my favorite) Richard Hammond are absolutely brilliant and hilarious.  The show is smart enough to exclude a particular demographic, but accessible enough that someone like myself isn't lost in the car jargon.
    
Top Gear is a show about supercars, Porsches, Gumperts (that's a real car), Bugattis, and the like, but it also includes segments about regular cars (like Nissans and Fiats).  Each show, the tame racing driver, known as "The Stig" drives a given supercar around the Top Gear track, and the time is recorded, with each new episode presenting a possibility for a faster car.  The lap times are kept on a board that is brought out for each episode, and it is truly intense with each new car, because the top of the board is a sought after achievement.  The Stig is a mysterious figure whose face is always covered by a helmet, and each segment you learn new facts about The Stig, for instance, it is rumored that one of his eyes is a teste...pure comedy, and man can The Stig drive!

 Each episode also has some sort of challenge, one of the last challenges was for the three men to use a pittance of a budget to purchase motor vehicles to take them on a thousand mile journey from North to South Vietnam, the catch, because there's always a catch, is that they only had enough money to purchase terrible road bikes. The hilarity ensues as the trio heads across Vietnam through rain, painting one motorbike pink behind their companions back, and exchanging hilarious gifts that had to be carried on the back of Vespas and small bikes.  Keep in mind, I'm behind on the series because I'm only able to access the show online through Netflix.  
   
The knowledge of the hosts is staggering, and their passion is unparalleled.  The three men have so much chemistry that you actually believe that they are best friends who sit at the pub after work.  If I wasn't madly in love with Ben, I'd fly to England and try to date Richard Hammond, even though he's super short!
  Top Gear has a celebrity in each episode (seriously, this show has a segment for everyone), and that celebrity gets a driving lesson from the "tame racing driver" and takes the reasonably priced car (currently a Chevy Aveo) for a ride around the track; like the supercars, their time is recorded, and the top of the board is the main goal for the celebs.  I could blather on and on, but really, just check it out.  If you have cable find it on the BBC, and if you have Netflix, stream them instantly.  I'm currently streaming from season 9, but hope to be caught up eventually.  This show has replaced every other show in my arsenal, and is permanently seated as my favorite.

My life goals have changed because of Top Gear, and they are:
1. Learn to drive a manual.
2. Become famous in England.
3. Get on Top Gear and drive the reasonably priced car.

Seems reasonable enough, aye?

Tibia

I have been training for The SLC Half, and training has been going well.  However,  I may have encountered a slight speed bump on Thursday night; the speed bump has a name, and its name is Dustin.  Dustin and I were rolling (that's jiu-jitsu speak for sparring and/or fighting) and when I went to sweep him (gain a dominant position), he caught his balance and came down on my leg with all of his weight.  I thought my leg broke, and I immediately rolled belly-down and writhed in pain.  My face was flushed and the tears were hot.  My coaches and Ben ran over and helped to pull my gi open, and each one held a hand and coached me to contain my breathing.  I laid on the ground for half an hour, not moving my leg and trying to stay calm.
 Eventually we put some ice on the site of impact, and I was able to walk out of the gym, but my leg still feels mushy in one spot.  It hurts to touch my leg, and walking across campus is too much impact.

 Is there a running God, and is he testing me?  Last year I had to drop from the Ragnar due to pain in my knees, and I have to be honest when I say that I wasn't too disappointed (sorry, Nat).  Remember, I was still horrified from my first race:  But this year, I'm excited to run.  I have invested in toe socks and better running shoes.  I have a training schedule, and I've been diligent!  Now, I have a mushy leg, and it hurts.  My leg hurts and I'm disappointed that I may have met my match for training.  I'm also disappointed that I cried at the gym, it was mortifying.  Here's a picture of a healthy set of bones, I'm pretty sure the lower part of my tibia looks like moldy bread:

13.1

I'm running in the SLC Half Marathon, again! I swore that I would never run in another half, because I was in so much pain last year! In all fairness, I was in pain last year because I ran twice in preparation...stupid much? You can't just run 13.1 miles without conditioning your body, well, you can, but you'll hurt for weeks and curse the entire running world. For weeks I would curse runners and call them stupid when I saw them outside (every runner except Natalie of course). I crossed the finish line last year and immediately said, "That was the worst fucking experience of my life." I literally almost lost control of my bowels (sick, I know), because I had to go to the bathroom at mile two and didn't dare to brave the porta-potties. I thought running was stupid, but I was stupid. This year I am training. This year I am going to be prepared.

So far, I still hate running.

I am getting blisters between my toes, so I'm going to invest in toe socks. I have found the Injinji brand to be the most well-reviewed, any other suggestions, friends? If not, here come the gay pride toe socks:

CRASH!

Today I was so ornery that I almost skipped class. I received a bill in the mail for a dental procedure that I paid for two years ago, but apparently some charges were being disputed unbeknown to me, and VOILA, a random bill. An extra hundred dollar kick in the pants is not cool. I was pretty upset, but went to class and... received a B on a paper. Chelsea was not happy.

I put a lot of time into my paper, and received a bad grade for reasons that are not clearly stated in the comments. I'm the type of person that negotiates grades. I will be scheduling a meeting with my professor to discuss my grade and how he came to his conclusions. I climbed into my car (sufficiently upset), and as I backed out, someone decided that looking in their rear-view mirror would be too inconvenient, and crashed into Warren (aka: my Yaris). I now have a square hole the size of half of a dollar bill on my back bumper. Thankfully the guy had insurance and I filed a claim. My car was gentle and didn't harm his heap of a Cavalier. Hopefully all goes smoothly and I'm not out any money; hopefully, because I don't have any (see above).

March 8th, 2011 can piss off...except for jiu-jitsu. Jiu-Jitsu was great tonight.