remuemenage

That response that I've tried to work up for you--it came out as my latest journal entry. But, yes, having and raising children, or child, is the purest joy I've known, and so completely unexpected. Until I was 30, I was positive I did not want any children. I ended up researching the question, though, and was convinced by my "try everything once" philosophy. Even while I was pregnant I was ambivalent, but you always remember that first look into your child's eyes. The memory will stop you dead in your tracks. It may be a trick of nature to protect the genetic investment, but it is a pretty good trick. And pair-bonding is the only real way we've figured out for raising young. Very hard on everyone involved to do that sort of thing alone. I guess the best living arrangement is to pair bond and have lots of affairs on the side, ya know?

The warmth in the societal acceptance of marriage--that does fade away as a sufficient motivation. It drives the wedding and even, to some extent, the birth of children, but after about 10 years it ceases to mean anything or drive any particular feelings. At least for me that was the case.

Hope you had a good weekend. I first typed "god weekend." Well, hope you had that too, I suppose.

that speed-writing experiemnt totally kicked my butt! thanks so much for the luv/support!

Ha! know that feeling!
'Backsliding' is such a great word, I must learn how to use it...

I've been thinking, lately, of my life as inhabiting a kind of high, and rarified, but desperately arid plateau. If I can articulate this properly, I'll put it in my journal.

I'm sure you're right re. freedom of speech in Amerika: i.e. you're fine so long as you've got money behind you. Kinda depressing really. I'm afraid that is as astute as my political commentary is going to get tonight, halfway into a bottle of South African ros...

Thank you for all the great musical selections for my sister. I came up with a ruse: I asked her to help pick out romantic music for a mixed cd I'm making for surly.

Awwwww . . .

Your compliments are a balm to the bruised artist's soul.

*glow*

And a recipe (as requested) . . .

starisea's pacific rainforest risotto

8 oz fiddlehead ferns (roasted)
3 1/2 c chicken broth
4 T butter
6 baby shallots (chopped)
6-8 morels (chopped)
1 c arborio rice
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Wash & trim ferns. Toss with 1 T olive oil and pinch of salt. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet and roast for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Pour broth into a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and morels and cook, stirring often, until soft. Add rice and stir until opaque and well coated with butter.

Add 1/2 c of the broth and cook, stirring until absorbed. Continue to cook, adding remaining broth 1/2 c at a time, until rice is just tender to bite but not starchy tasting (This process will take aproximately 20 minutes); after each addition , stir constantly until broth is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in cheese; let stand, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Top with roasted ferns and serve.

I am soooooo foodcentric lately, but I blame the amazing abundance of the Pacific Northwest summer. I can't escape the wonderful fooooooods!!

This has me nostalgic for when I used to swim regularly, which already feels like a long time ago. I certainly remember wanting to take fellow swimmers into my mouth...


On your points:

Re. five favorite friends being like cruel schoolgirls: Yes, and I'm not playing.

Re. Everything is Illuminated - didn't see the movie, partly cos I thought I might want to read the book (and now I do) and I hate reading the book after I've already seen the movie and know the story...
But 'screwball magical realism' would be a reasonable assessment of Extremely Loud too...

Re. your photo: is that a bear?
And have you seen Grizzly Man?
Rrwooaaarr! [why isn't there an SG smiley of a bear?]

Re. The Passenger: there is an article in the new issue of Sight & Sound, which just arrived in my letterbox, reassessing Antonioni's movie thirty years after its initial release. This is clearly a sign that I need to get around to seeing this movie. I like Jack Nicholson and Maria Sch(n?)eider anyway. I will try and check it out of the library one of these days, though I don't have too many free evenings what with all these sporting events...

Cheers ears!

Your words are always so elegantly eloquent.

I'm not used to using the new camera for taking self-portraits. It's got a completely different balance. So many blurry photos before your request was finally realized.

(Of course, I could have used the tripod if I wasn't so lazy.)

Tell me more about the modern marble art garden of the empire state plaza. It sounds very intriguing. I want to hear about it in remuemenage words of wonder.



PS~ Take apostleofsanta's advice and read some R.A. Wilson. He is one of my gurus! Excellent stuff about the "big questions" all wrapped up in a yummy layer of humor and irreverance.

awesome - hello to your sister claire. i'll probably figure out how to do that picture thing in a month or two. but once i learn, i'll never forget!!

re: drama, i guess it's time to face the fact that it's s. GIRLS. and "suicide" for that matter. what the hell are we doing with our time?? it is a fun forum to network in, and i've been thrilled by some kindred souls, such as yourself, whom i've been lucky enough to trip across here. so, you know, whatever.

I think that, in referring to my 'novella', silvereve was making a sarky comment about the length of my latest blog...

My sentiments exactly.

I have another long post that I may manage to get up later today.

I am honoured to be in your top 5 friends, although personally I don't think I'm going to go in for such brutal favouritism. Besides, I like the way it shows a random five - reminds me of people I haven't talked to in a while...

Fifi LaRoux? Somehow I just don't think I can carry that one off. Besides I don't want to change my first name.

Glad you're back. Sorry to hear things sound...rough.

Actually, Lila Downs has some traditional Mexican songs on her albums about the loss of love, hurt, which she sings with such emotion, you don't need to know Spanish to understand..... Of course they may also make you want to get stupefyingly (I think I just made that word up) drunk on Tequila. So be warned.

welcome back.

lots of stuff is new here... new apartment, new roommates... cool stuff. check out "the temple" my pics section and you'll understand!!

thank you dear. i love how expressive you are. you use language beautifully.

thank you for the recipe!

wow - you actually semi-quoted the tag line for the show ... "If the wars of the twentieth century were fought over oil, the wars of this century will be fought over water." Ismail Serageldin, 1995-Vice President of the World Bank

the issues at stake are more shocking than i ever realized, even after living in the p.i. & aus. they are much more serious than any of us outside the key institutions and/or countries at risk know. i've become an extremely conscious consumer of water in this process. its amazing how little water you actually need for a shower when you try. although this isn't my research issue, i'm definitely more interested in working with/in this issue. anyway ...

on a more superficial note, i'll try to get some pictures soon. its so funny how men react - they either LOVE it or HATE it. funny boys.

i contend that you can combine aesthetics and ethics. throw some nietzche in the mix. love life by creating beauty - visual, verbal, auditory, sociologically, spiritually, etc. go go both.

also, pretty peechar.

Ah, you must have noted that being complimented by strangers makes me happy! Thanks for that.
Well, maybe you're not a stranger, but it is somewhat odd to me to be conversing with all these people I have never met. It makes me feel less lonely and like less of a socially inept loner.
Here's to no more strangers!