It Ain't Plato, That's for Sure.

by Wendy

2012 AD or CE (whatever)

PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: LITERATURE TEACHER WENDY; KICK-ASS WENDY; GENTLE READER; THE BOOKS

Scene: The house of Wendy

LITERATURE TEACHER WENDY: The semester is finally over!  Final grades have been turned in and it is summer break at last. I’m excited to get this time to recharge and to catch up on some reading.  I’ve got some ideas I’d like to try for next year’s poetry and fiction classes. 

 KICK-ASS WENDY: I want to have some fun!  The end of the semester is always so damned stressful.  My brain needs a vacation. 

THE BOOKS: Which of us are you going to choose? 

GENTLE READER: Yes! I’d like to know.  English teachers should have some great recommendations, right? 

LIT W: I’ve been meaning to try a Hemingway novel.  It has been awhile since I’ve tried one.  I’ve never read the entirety of Don Quixote either. And there is that new world literature anthology I need to work through. 

KAW: I want something with explosions. And gunfire.  

LIT W: Hemingway can probably provide that. 

KAW: Yeah, but then I’m going to get distracted by the big ideas.  I don’t really want big ideas right now. I want to read something by Matthew Reilly.  

LIT W: You cannot be serious.  Matthew Reilly is a terrible writer. His prose is awful. Instead of letting the narrative build tension and excitement naturally he keeps doing things like underlining words and adding a lot of exclamation marks. It is painful. I would drown his work in a sea of red ink. 

KAW: But it is so much fun. 

GEN R: So what’s the problem?

LIT W: I quote: “It was a small victory, for at that exact moment, gunfire erupted around the darkened room as a legion of dark figures emerged from their positions on top of the decompression chamber and inside the telephone-booth-like test chambers and rained hell on Book’s hapless group in the center of the floor.”  Why would you emphasize those words? How many clichés can you shove into single sentence? 

KAW: That’s from Area 7, right?  Let me reply in kind by quoting from the Publishers Weekly:  “Area 7, a top-secret military outpost in the barren outback of Utah where government scientists are trying to perfect a new vaccine that will protect Americans from the Sinovirus, a deadly disease invented by the Chinese to kill everyone on Earth except themselves. A rogue air force general, the evil Caesar Russell, has other plans, however. During a visit by the president of the United States, Russell and his band of elite mercenaries capture Area 7. Their aim: kill the president, take over the country and use the Sinovirus to poison all but members of the white race. But Marine Capt. Shane Schofield isn't going to let that happen. With his usual mix of unflagging bravery and superhuman strength Schofield starred in Reilly's 1999 American debut Ice Station the relentless Marine and his tight group of highly competent sidekicks battle Russell on land, water and in space.”  

LIT W: None of that is plausible. It isn’t even good fantasy.  There’s no depth to it, no soul.

KAW:  Did you see the part where they battle in space?  There are also komodo dragons. 

LIT W: Seriously? Wait. Forget I asked. Literature isn’t just about plot.  What about character?  The characters in Reilly’s books are cookie-cutter, walking stereotypes. Can you tell the difference between most of the characters? 

KAW: Their nicknames are different.  Sometimes they have different guns. 

LIT W: There is nothing really worthwhile here.  What can you learn about the human condition from one of these books?  And don’t tell me that it is about good and evil. This cartoon version tells us nothing about subtlety, about complications, about real life. 

KAW: Sometimes I don’t want subtle. Or gray areas.  Sometimes I just want to revel in excess.  I like these books because they lack pretension.  The author says he wants to write an action movie in prose.  He does that.  

LIT W: But there are amazing adventure stories out there. Read Jack London. Read Alexandre Dumas. If you want contemporary, try Will Thomas. The Barker and Llewelyn books have excitement, mystery, eccentricity, and panache. 

KAW: I do. I will. But...

LIT W: When there are so many beautiful, interesting, experimental books out there why waste precious time on bad ones?

KAW: These books aren’t just bad.  They are sublimely bad. Everything is ham-fisted, over-the-top, and completely absurd.  You never know what may happen because the boundaries of taste and common sense aren’t there.  And yet, there is honor involved--sure, it is the kind of 1980’s action movie cliché honor (compromised by the usual dubious footing) but it is there. There is a veneer of good. 

LIT W: We agree that these books are bad. There is no grace, no style, no innovation. 

KAW: But there are battles with killer whales. And crazy chase scenes. And world travels. His Jack West Jr series is like Indiana Jones, if Indiana Jones had a badass pet falcon. 

LIT W: And a lobotomy.  Anyway, it is more like Tomb Raider or National Treasure.

KAW: But I kind of liked...

LIT W: *facepalm*. 

THE BOOKS: No fair! Those are movies and games. Let’s stick to the subject: us. 

KAW: Look. If you want to get all high and mighty about it, fine.  I think that escapism is perfectly legitimate. It’s one of the functions of the art--or a benefit at least. And I bet these books could really appeal to reluctant readers.  You can’t always begin with James Joyce. 

LIT W: True. And you do have a point. Any kind of reading is better than none. It’s just that it would be sad if that was the limit of someone’s exposure to literature. 

KAW: Who are you to judge? Aren’t you the one who enjoys working with popular culture and theory? Haven’t you bemoaned the academy’s stance on the field? 

LIT W: Well, yes.  Yes, I have. And come to think of it, there could be an interesting paper in...

KAW: Boo-yah!  Take that! And there is no rule that says that if you read those books they are the only ones you’ll ever read.  I read plenty of other things. I can’t be the only one. 

GEN R: Um, isn’t there some middle ground? Isn’t there something that has all the action, the fun, and maybe more of the style and depth you are looking for?

THE BOOKS: Yes! 

LIT W: Maybe Chuck Palahniuk.

KAW: Some of those would work.  But sometimes I find his stuff feels like it tries too hard or something. Or maybe I’m not always in the mood for a critique of consumerism, the modern condition, or whatever. 

LIT W: Fight Club is quite good; you have to admit it. 

KAW: Yes. But I’d go for Josh Bazell’s Pietro Brnwa’s series: Beat the Reaper and Wild Thing.  They are more purely action oriented but have the benefits of some interesting writing, deeper characters, and some playfulness. There aren’t any robot sidekicks or anything but it has this delightful tinge of absurdity to it that I love. It also has a modern noir vibe to it that makes the action really sing. 

LIT W: It was a lot of fun.

KAW: And don’t forget the footnotes.

LIT W: The footnotes were particularly awesome.  I have such a weakness for them. The books are playful with styles and the reading experience. They tackle some important ideas, explore moral ambiguity, and I liked the characterization. 

KAW: And the action was intense.  I have a pretty high tolerance and I was shocked a couple of times in Beat the Reaper.  It never really felt too gratuitous though.  Somehow it earned that moment with me. By the roughest patch, I was there, in it with the main character. Actually I was hooked from the first paragraph: “So I’m on my way to work and I stop to watch a pigeon fight a rat in the snow, and some fuckhead tries to mug me! Naturally there’s a gun. He comes up behind me and sticks it into the base of my skull. It’s cold, and it actually feels sort of good, in an acupressure kind of way. ‘Take it easy, Doc,’ he says.”   Even in the crude language there is a sense of fun.  Still, I wasn’t expecting what was to come. You don’t always expect a book that starts like that to actually be...thoughtful.

LIT W: Don’t oversell it.  It isn’t perfect. But it is a good time and the writing does not suck.

GENTLE READER: So--what’s it about? 

THE BOOKS: Dr. Peter Brown works long hours at a hospital, minds his own business, and is covering up his past. He used to be Pietro Brnwa, a mob hit man.  One night, a patient uncovers his secret and all hell breaks loose.*

GENTLE READER: Hell yeah! 

WENDYS: We need to read that again. I hear that Leonardo DiCaprio is going to play Brnwa in an HBO series.

BOOKS: Seriously, this again? Focus! 

WENDYS: Apologies. We are agreed then. If you want some great summer reading just go for it. Enjoy what you want. Have fun. You don't have to impress anyone, not even yourself. Live it up. But if you want a recommendation, you could do worse than to start with Beat the Reaper. 

KAW: Or Ice Station. 

LIT W: Really? I can't...

GENTLE READER: No. Not this again. I'm out of here. I've got stuff to do and books to read.

THE BOOKS: Mind if we join you?

GENTLE READER: Not at all.

THE BOOKS: Peace out!

THE END

*Footnote: I hesitate to give even that much information.  I am sick of evaluations that are actually nothing more than plot summaries.  Then again, it drives me crazy when sites like the iTunes bookstore consistently fail to give even the barest idea of what a book is about. It's all about balance, people. 

Afterword: Apologies to Plato. 

Vinyl Memories: Inspired by National Record Day

In the spirit of full disclosure I will begin by stating that I really like digital music. I frequent various online digital music services and vendors. I love being able to browse around, listen to samples, read opinions, and experiment--all without having to deal with the stronger . . . personalities that can dominate even the most mellow of record stores. I love it that record stores still exist. I admire the dedication to the medium and I'm sure that many people who work in them are lovely, but I've been burned a few times. (I've got so many issues!).

I am not so weak that I can't handle a hipster sneer or two, but I prefer some anonymity most of the time. The online experience gives me that. Then again, no record store clerk would bother to record what I purchase or look at just to build some list of recommendations: the kind of recommendations that, in some cases, may be constructed around one or two guilty pleasures or odd selections.

I have been haunted by the specters of embarrassing song choices past.  I'm sure that your average record store wouldn't pay someone to keep popping up with singles, shouting "Hey, you bought "Monster Mash" last October so wouldn't you like to try ____?". 

Confession: The first song I purchased from iTunes was "Kuntz" by the Butthole Surfers. The second was "Africa" by Toto. The latest purchases I've made have been Porgy and Bess by Miles Davis and My Head is an Animal by Of Monsters and Men. I am ruled by whim. 

I relish the ability to carry around (in my pocket!) a wide variety of music and playlists. I do not miss the days of fumbling around in the car for the case holding a collection of tapes or CDs, desperately hoping to find something decent to listen to. I don't miss having to move heavy boxes of records from residence to residence (in addition to the insane number of books I collect) either.

I do not have a great ear; I often miss subtleties of sound. For the most part, the quality of digital music is just fine with me. However, even I can tell that there is a relative lack of warmth to music I have downloaded. I miss the hisses and pops of a record. While I don't miss dealing with scratches, skips, or the maintenance, there is a living quality to the format that was more inviting. Records bear the marks of time. Digital music is static. In essence, there is a tactile quality to the whole experience of listening to records that is satisfying to me in a way that scrolling and clicking can't compete with. 

It's so easy to slip into new habits, forgetting the old ones. 

Last summer we went to a vinyl exhibit at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. I was psyched for it. A lot of it didn't end up working for me, mostly because a lot of the albums were so unfamiliar. It was intellectually appealing enough, I suppose, but I was mostly disengaged from the experience until I saw a Talking Heads album I knew well.  The connection was made there and I felt a little rush. Records may be aesthetically interesting. They may stimulate the mind (in of themselves or as part of a general philosophy about art and experience) but for me, they are fundamentally tied to emotion. 

My favorite moment of that exhibit actually happened in the gift shop.  Back in a corner of the store, between the tee-shirts and other bric-a-brac, there were three or so cubes filled with old albums. I was drawn to the cubes and started flipping through the albums. That motion, the practiced dance of index and middle fingers, triggered a memory. It was such a familiar sensation. I was instantly happy. I enjoyed pulling out records I recognized and I had a blast laughing at some of the more cheesy selections I found in the the collection. I had a great time showing them to Adam and watching his reactions.  I hadn't had that kind of experience in years. 

National Record Day was April 21 of this year. It got me thinking and remembering. 

1. First Record Player.

I remember my first record player. It served me well. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I'm pretty sure that it was a Portable GE Model V211 Mod Orange. It may not have won any audiophile awards but it was serviceable. 

That record player played more stories than music. One of the first records that comes to mind is one that my brother, Jon, had. Again, thanks to the internet and some half-assed research I think it was most likely Power Records presents The Fantastic Four: The Way it Began. It was kind of like a radio-play, I guess. It came with a comic book you could follow along with. I don't think it included the little musical cue to turn the page but we had some record-book sets that did. 

My favorites were from a series of Disney movie albums. This was back before VCRs and DVDs made these movies easy to get. The only way to catch one of the animated films back in the day was to go to the theater. I'm fairly certain that they didn't make it to the tv show, The Wonderful World of Disney, very often. So if you wanted to revisit a favorite, all you had was your imagination--or one of these records. 

The titles I remember best are: Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, and The Rescuers.  They weren't just the musical scores. It was the entire soundtrack of the film: music and dialogue. Years later when I saw those movies again, I would be amazed at how much I remembered. I recognized every sound cue and could recite along. I didn't respond to the images in the same way; they could still surprise. But I knew the sounds cold. 

The first music records I remember were slightly later in the GE model era. I am almost positive that it was my Grandpa Gentz who gave us a couple K-Tel albums to listen to. We just about wore out both K-Tel's Dumb Ditties and Goofy Greats. To this day, I still enjoy a good rendition of "Martian Hop." As far as kids' music goes, I'll take silly novelty songs over insipid Barney and Kidz Bop singalongs any day. Though I do envy today's young-uns the They Might Be Giants catalogue. Their songs for kids are spectacular.

2. First Album.

I don't exactly know when I got my first stereo but I think it was around my fifth or sixth grade year. I felt so grown up.  

I do remember the first album I ever asked for. Once again, it was my grandpa who came through with the goods. Music was important to him, I think. 

So, yes, my Grandpa Gentz bought Pink Floyd's The Wall for his twelve or thirteen year old granddaughter's birthday. And yes, that still seems pretty cool to me. (He must have been something of a fan because after his death we discovered that he owned an eight-track tape of Dark Side of the Moon). 

I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. "Another Brick in the Wall--Part Two" had been getting heavy play on the radio and it hit big at Northside Elementary. I guess lyrics like "We don't need no education. We don't need no thought control" are going to hook a kid in (even a nerdy kid who liked school more often than not). The melody is catchy, easy to sing, and who can resist a solid shout: "Hey! Teacher! Leave us kids alone." Not me. That sweet taste of rebellion is heady stuff. 

I tore into that album with glee. The cover was straightforward. I was disturbed by the interior cover art.  I hadn't been exposed to that kind of grotesquerie before. It didn't stop me from forging ahead but it did give me pause.  I listened to my favorite song first. Then I started from the beginning. Most, if not all, of the references, ideas, and lyrics went over my head. I do remember liking the music itself. I soon became a fan of "Comfortably Numb" in particular because I thought it was pretty. I have a vague idea that I may have decided it was about the feeling you get when you let a limb fall asleep.  It is possible that I made a leap to connect the song to novocaine, the drug which marked the limits of my experience with...interesting substances. 

I distinctly remember feeling quite naughty because "Mother" included the forbidden word "balls"--and yes, I double-checked its context. Despite the giggles, the emotion behind the song itself was scary stuff. I hadn't hit adolescence yet. I don't think I had even embraced the "dark sarcasm" yet. Ah, the days of innocence. 

There were a few other songs I enjoyed at the time and I liked the idea of an album that told a story but it took me years to really connect to it. I suppose that happened when I got closer to the age of the intended audience. 

Confession: I'm pretty sure that the second album I owned was given to me by a friend on that same birthday. It was another K-Tel offering, Hot Nights and City Lights. My favorite songs were Anita Ward's "Ring My Bell", Amii Stewart's "Knock on Wood", Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" and Blondie's "Heart of Glass." Roller disco, y'all! 

3. A Classic.  

After seeing the movie Amadeus I became interested in Mozart. I didn't really know anything about the music I had responded to in the movie so I just asked for the soundtrack for Christmas. My grandparents came through yet again. I was a bit puzzled at the condition of my gift because it had obviously been opened. It turns out that my grandfather was not above listening to the album before giving it as a gift. I think Grandma was a bit mortified about it. That memory always makes me laugh, especially since he can't have been concerned about inappropriate content unless, I suppose, he felt burned by the Pink Floyd thing. I figure he just wanted to hear the album and so he went ahead and helped himself. If anyone else had done that I probably would have been livid. 

4. And so on...

I won't go through every memory I have that is attached to an album. It would take all day. I'll just put down a few more snippets. 

* I, like many before me, found out the hard way that albums, the sun, and a hot car don't mix well. My first copy of Sting's The Dream of the Blue Turtles was warped before I got a chance to listen it. Thanks to a kind record store clerk (Note to self: don't dismiss everyone as a "hipster"--it makes you smallminded!), I got an exchange--and a nudge toward common sense record stewardship. 

*I was particularly fond of the negative image of Burl Ives in the center of Killdozer's Burl EP. There was something both horrifying and amusing about it. I loved to watch it spin. 

*I owned the soundtrack to one of the Superman movies. That Superman logo was stamped on the record itself. I thought it was so bitchen. Wait. Hold on. That's a lie. I've never used that word before. I just got tired of overusing "cool" and "awesome." Girls from Wisconsin should never try to make that kind of slang work for them. My apologies. 

Confession: I also owned the soundtrack to Popeye. My strange liking for that Robin Williams movie will have to wait for a different post. 

*I remember packing my collection in old milk crates. I thought it was so kick-ass. I'm sure that bookshelves constructed out of planks and bricks would have blown my mind at that point in time. 

*I started a list of albums I remember owning. I know I had more, and I remember titles, but for some reason these are the ones I remember...owning. I remember holding them, opening them, playing them. 

Fables of the Reconstruction (R.E.M.), The Unforgettable Fire (U2), Outlandos d'Amour and Synchronicity (The Police), Songs About Fucking (Big Black), Locust Abortion Technician (The Butthole Surfers), Freaky Styley  (The Red Hot Chili Peppers), Big Lizard in My Backyard (The Dead Milkmen), Little Creatures (Talking Heads), So (Peter Gabriel), Violent Femmes (Violent Femmes), the Beatles compilation albums with the blue and red covers... okay, the list is longer than I thought it would be. 

Confession: I also owned the soundtrack to Miami Vice. In my defense, it was an unsolicited gift from my aunt. Still--I listened to it. 

But I get it now. These albums were among those that were important to me in high school and college. There were plenty of others. These date me, I'm sure. That's okay, I guess. I'm getting old. And even the embarrassing titles are a part of my past. 

Music still continues to play a vital role in my life. I'm still creating memories and a lot of them are keyed to music. The main difference is that the connection between music and memory is no longer one that I physically hold. The albums and songs are not really attached to an object I can touch.  Or rather, that object has so many uses and so much in it that it isn't about specific titles or even one kind of medium. I don't have the same kind of focus. My iPhone, iPad, and laptop have more than one function. I don't pick them up and immediately remember a party, or a friend, a road trip, or a marathon study session, as I might with an album. 

I don't have to dust a digital record. I don't flip it, have to blow on it, or even watch it. I'm not its caretaker. The music is just present, summoned by the touch of a button, a flick of a finger.

I guess that's okay...as long as it's there. 

But, you know, if you have the means and the inclination, buy yourself a real record. They're kind of magical. 

Mission Accomplished

I have never considered myself a fan of comics.

When I was younger, my lack of enthusiasm for the medium was mostly a problem with access. Without consistent access to the issues my experience with comic books was generally frustrating: there was never any sense of resolution to the story. I was intrigued but never satisfied. I began to shy away from the superhero comics because of that. The more exciting it all looked, the more disappointed I was when it didn't come to fruition.

The one time of year I could count on getting some comics was our family trip to the UP. I'm sure that it was a small price to pay for the small amount of quiet time it bought my parents. That is a long haul. After a while, I would just forget the traditional hero titles from the very small collection available to us. Instead, I would opt for those three-pack blind choices you could get at the drugstore. That meant a lot of Archie, Looney Tunes, and Richie Rich comics. They had the benefit of being complete stories. The real problem was that they basically sucked as far as I was concerned. I soon abandoned the whole enterprise in favor of books.

Every once in a while I would try the superhero comic again. I vaguely remember reading some Avengers, an Iron-Man or two, and some Dr. Strange, but it was still piecemeal. My most successful purchase was a collection. It was the origin story of Spiderman. I liked it a lot because Peter Parker's nerdiness felt familiar and it was a complete story. I had a fondness for Spiderman since my Electric Company watching days but at the end of the day, Spiderman just wasn't my superhero. I didn't pursue much more.

I eventually got most of my superhero fixes through Saturday morning cartoons and the occasional movie. The classic one during my childhood was Super Friends. On the one hand, I'm happy I watched the show because of what it offered. On the other, I feel a bit put out with it because it nearly ruined more than one of the heroes for me. I've discussed Wonder Woman elsewhere on this blog. The next problem was Aquaman.

I loved the idea of Aquaman. I have a weakness for the aquatic heroes (seriously, I was a fan of the old tv show The Man From Atlantis with Patrick Duffy). The show made it really difficult to bond with Aquaman. He always seemed to be stuck out in the water somewhere, beaming those O00000s at a whale or a big school of fish. Or he'd be saddled with the Wonder Twins, throwing ice buckets to a giant eagle or something. It was too easy to make fun of. I dropped it.

Fast forward many years... I picked up an interest in graphic novels. I've incorporated them into many of my literature and writing classes. I happily watched many of the new superhero movies. And yet, I remained superhero free until I got the one-two punch that came from the ComiXology application for the iPad and the launch of the new 52.

Adam had recommended the comics reader to me. It is fantastic. It is very well designed, easy to use, and I believe it enhances the reading experience. Best of all, it provides access to an online store of comics. Perfect! I bought some great titles (We3, 27, Chew, etc.). I began reading the form even more frequently.

Once I was in the groove I started to pay more attention to the comics news. I thought the idea of DC's New 52 was fun. Rebooting everything gave me the chance to get in on the ground floor so to speak. I wouldn't have to worry about feeling lost or as if I had lost out. I was intrigued by the experiment if nothing else. It seemed like a bold move. I had always drifted toward the Marvel titles but I was willing to give DC a shot.

I read reviews and selected four first issues to look at. I lasted through one issue of a title I've already forgotten, two issues of Animal Man, and I gave the Justice League Dark three tries. They weren't bad, but they didn't grab me. That distinction went to Aquaman. From that first issue I became an unapologetic fan. I know that there are many out there who knew all along how cool this hero can be, but I figure it's better to be late to the party than to never arrive at all.

I'm hooked. Every month I wait for the Wednesday an Aquaman issue is released. I download it and read it immediately. It is usually a quick first read--I need my story fix. Then I go back for a more thorough look. This time I linger over the art, the framing, the pacing, and so on. The art is consistently very good and is well worth spending time with. I may go back to revisit the older issues to see if I've learned anything new. Then I go back to waiting for the next one.

So why Aquaman? And why now? I suppose part of it is because I now get to indulge that inner child--the one who would have been thrilled beyond belief to be able to get comics so quickly, consistently, and easily. Part of it is that I probably have a predisposition to like a hero that can breathe underwater, has strength and speed, can communicate with (or at least influence) sea creatures, etc.

I also like an underdog--and poor Aquaman has been the brunt of many jokes.

I believe that the main reason the first issue won me over so thoroughly is that it hit so many things that I am a sucker for. It was funny, self-deprecating, clever, and balanced action and emotion. The self-awareness of the character was perfect (maybe not quite meta-fiction, but darned close). But it wasn't just some trickery and it avoided that kind of ironic poseur stance that would have made it tiresome. It was irreverant and knowing but respectful of the form and the fans. Dealing with resistance head-on was a clever move. It could have been too heavyhanded but I think it managed to keep it in check.

Okay, the interview with the obnoxious blogger was a bit over the top but I could excuse it. I was also willing to forgive it much because staging that scene in a cheesy seafood restaurant was genius. Aquaman just wanted a little fried fish feast and a dose of comforting nostalgia--when he was a kid he would eat there with his father. What he got was the very amusing horror of the other patrons. How can he eat fish? It was funny and awkward and kind of sweet.

What I really liked is that Aquaman consistently acted like a real hero--and like an adult. In the face of ridicule, rudeness, and general idiocy, Aquaman did what he needed to do. He didn't grandstand. He didn't bully. He was relatively stoic but he didn't just fold either. He showed emotion--displeasure, impatience, and so on, but he didn't let it control him. As someone who has emotional control issues I can say that he's a good role model for me. Aquaman did not play the victim. Sure, he may struggle with some self-pity and his emotions but that just adds some depth. He also saved it for private moments.

And that is what it comes down to for me. I like these characters. I feel more comfortable as an adult fan of a comic because I think that I have found an adult superhero. What really clinches it for me is that Aquaman is married. Mera, his wife, also just happens to kick ass. She is a strong female hero who supports her husband emotionally and with some impressive powers as well. They seem to have a healthy relationship. How can I not fall for that?

It isn't all lovey-dovey. In addition to the emotional story elements, the action has been satisfying. The first story arc was interesting and it was paced well. I liked the balance of horror and action adventure. The heroes had to make some difficult choices. These choices look like they are going to have real consequences as well. Responsibility seems to be a theme.

I'm intrigued by the developments in the story. We keep getting hints about the past and that is tantalizing. I like the story of his continuing dealings with the townspeople and law enforcement. I am pleased to see some tonal shifts as well. It is hitting different notes but is maintaining overall consistency. It has good balance.

I could go on and on-- but I won't. I don't know the numbers and I don't know if DC has considered its new 52 a success, but it has definitely won me over. I can say that it has made me something I never thought I'd be: a comic book fan.

Nuts

First, you are welcome.  I say this because had I gone with any of the first titles that ran through my head you would now be groaning at the terrible pun. Or perhaps you would have immediately clicked on some more promising link or...let's just move on, shall we? My subject today is nuts. 

But not just any nuts. These are superior nuts and perhaps some of the best I have ever had. The source of these delights is Nuts.com . Generally, I would not advise typing an address like that and just hitting Enter. Frightening things lurk online.  I will admit that I did so cautiously, but not blindly. One of the podcasts that Adam has me listen to from time to time had talked up the store and their products. I decided it was a reasonable risk, took a chance, and visited Nutsonline.com.  (At that time, they went by Nutsonline. They changed soon thereafter).

I have been looking for healthier snack options and so I decided to try it out. I was rewarded. The website is easy to navigate, user-friendly and informative. The most difficult part is trying to decide what to order. They have a wide selection of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits.  They also carry things like candy and other snacks. I haven't investigated those items beyond a quick look. 

After I made my decisions and placed my first order the first thing I noticed was how quick and efficient they are.  I ordered on a weekday, and I don't think a half hour went by before I got notice that my order was ready to ship. It does have a clear place for you to specify when you would like it to ship.  After that, you can select delivery speeds and options.  I have gone standard each time.  The shipping rates are not unexpectedly high or low and my package has arrived in a couple of days, right when they said it would. 

I like the whimisical touches they place on their notifications.  It is a small thing but I found being addressed by "Nutty Wendy" to be an amusing and friendly little touch, especially since it was a note trying to confirm delivery. Dealing with the company is just like that.  When you get your package, there is a packing slip and so far we've been given a little treat with each order.  When we ordered standard roasted nuts, we got a little bag of cashews. In the order that was mostly organic raw nuts, we got a little package of raw almonds.  And in the package that was primarily dried fruit, we got a little bag of dried strawberries. So, it seems that not only do you get a little bonus, you get one that actively reflects your interests.  I really like that. 

Now on to the good part: the actual products.  As you will soon see, I have become an enthusiastic customer. We have had a variety of roasted, salted nuts.  We started with a package of Brazil nuts, a package of jumbo cashews, and one of macadamia nuts. They were gorgeous: big, meaty, whole pieces.  The flavors were clear and the quality is obviously high. I was particularly impressed with the macadamias.  

Exhibit AThe little pile on the left is from a jar I got at the supermarket.  Granted, these weren't even from Mauna Loa. I think they are Food Club brand.  They taste okay but once I compared them to what I got from the Nuts.com peeps, there is no contest.  My photography skills are weak but I hope that the difference is clear.  The nuts on the right are larger, uniform and an inviting light toasty brown. There were no broken nuts in the bag. They are slightly sweet and savory--just like a great macadamia should be. 

The only small disappointment was the result of a mistake on my part. I didn't read labels carefully so I missed the fact that these were oil roasted in peanut oil.  Luckily, this is just a matter of preference.  No lives were threatened by my mistake.  Happily, they carry many varieties, including dry roasted (salted and unsalted), and raw. If you are worried about any icky chemicals (like those used on some raw almonds) you shouldn't fear.  The organic raw almonds are chemical free and they are delicious.

We've had good luck with every variety of nut that we have ordered so far.  I've stuck with the familiar so far but I'm excited to try varieties I haven't had much of (like chestnuts) or have never tried (like Pili nuts). 

Once I had a taste of the quality of the star product, I thought I would give their dried fruit a try. I love the idea of dried fruit but a lot of what I have tried before has been pretty average or even actively disappointing. Sometimes it is tasteless and leathery, cloyingly sweetened or lacking in real fruit flavor. Once again, I am going to heap praise on the company.  

Everything that I have tried speaks of the real fruit.  It has all been pleasing to look at. When I open the bag, the only odor is neutral or that of fruit.  If you have ever been hit with the overpowering scent of dried fruit when opening a box of cereal (I'm looking at you, Blueberry Morning) you might have found it as unpleasant as I did. I swear, Booberry smells better to me.  At least the chemicals in that are more...honest, somehow.  But I digress. 

I have tried the bag of mixed berries.  I think it had dried blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, strawberries, and sour cherries.  The mix was pleasant and everything tasted good but I have some issues with the textures of a couple of the berries.  I don't think it was a reflection of the quality just a preference on my part.  The blackberries and raspberries were, not unexpectedly, a little...gritty? But they tasted very nice. I recommend giving them a try. You can buy bags of the individual fruits so that is what I'll probably do next time. 

Again, you do need to be careful to read the ingredients.  Each catalog item has the ingredients, a nutrition label, quantity information, and descriptions available to customers.  The trick is to use them.  I ordered a package of dried kiwi because I've never had them before.  They came with added sugar.  They are very tasty and very sweet, a little closer to the style of the standard dried pineapple with sugar you can buy in a lot of places. You can definitely taste the kiwi.  If you don't mind the sugar, they are worth a try.  The dried strawberries also have added sugar. These pose a problem because I thought they tasted fantastic.  The sugar isn't cloying, instead, it seems to turn the berry into something like really awesome candy. If I weren't trying to stay away from sugar I would have abused these. Instead, I savored the ones I came across in the berry mix and I've resisted the temptation of opening the extra sample pack. Maybe after Lent. 

Clockwise from top: Holiday Dates, Kiwi, Gooseberries, Pluots, Cacao Nibs (center)Here is a selection of goodies that are in the fridge right now.  There are the kiwis.  The picture is bad, but perhaps you can tell how stiff with sugar they are.  I will say that they are beautiful. 

The dried gooseberries are one of my favorites.  I ordered them because I've never heard of dried gooseberries before.  I am so happy that I did.  They have an odd texture. Obviously, they are dry but some of them are even a bit hard.  All of them are chewy.  It doesn't matter to me.  They are more tart than sweet but not mouth puckeringly sour.  I think of them as little natural SweeTarts, but refreshing.  

I adore fresh pluots.  If you don't know, they are a plum/apricot cross, sometimes marketed under the name Dinosaur Eggs.  They are also tart and sweet, a favorite flavor combination of mine.  I had hoped that the dried version would be as good.  They are. They are also remarkably moist, not really leathery at all. I believe that these will also become a household staple. I will also have to get some dried apricots and plums to try too. I'm especially curious about the texture of the apricots. 

The Cacao Nibs are good, but not great for snacking. I expect I'll try to incorporate them into some recipes.  It is possible they could be a nice crunchy addition to yogurt. They have a slightly bitter chocolate taste to them...which makes total sense because of what they are.  The issue for me again is mostly textural.

I do not have any problems at all with the Holiday Dates...unless you count wanting to eat the whole bag.  I like dates anyway, but these are spectacular treats.  It is just ground dates, formed into logs, rolled in coconut shavings and topped with an almond. The dates have plenty of natural sugar so there isn't any need to add any more. I limit myself to one as an occasional dessert.  Okay, sometimes I have two. I still think it is better for me to eat that than to snarf down a Snickers bar or something.

Our supplies are getting low so I made another order today.  i thought I'd try some dried Rainier cherries,  a new variety (to me, anyway) of hazelnut (DuChilly), and a new (to me) kind of date (Barhi dates, described as caramel like). I am looking forward to getting them next week!  

I am also anticipating many more orders in the future.  There are so many different things available including fruits I've never heard of before (Yumberries? Chokeberries) or haven't had yet (jackfruit, billberries).  

I don't usually go on and on about a store.  I feel like those crazy people you see who give everything five stars and add fourteen exclamation marks to their notes of praise. Maybe I'm just hopped up on awesome dried fruit and nuts.  It could be worse! 

I patted myself on the back for not starting with a pun but I can't avoid wordplay entirely. Here's a little Roald Dahl for your enjoyment. 

"A Little Nut-Tree"

I had a little nut-tree, 

Nothing would it bear.

I searched in all its branches,

But not a nut was there.

 "Oh, little tree," I begged, 

"Give me just a few."

The little tree looked down at me

And whispered, "Nuts to you." 

---So, if you are in the market for some treats of this sort, check out Nuts.com.  They'll be more than happy to sell you all the goodies you want. 

I Love It When a Plan Comes Together...

For the past few years, Adam and I have tried to make some kind of change (usually in the realm of our eating habits) during this time of year.  In the past we have tried things like avoiding all meat, or all meat except fish, or just watching calories.  This year we have been following Adam's suggestion and I have to say that it has been pretty awesome so far. 

The first step was to clean out the pantry, fridge, and freezer. I had quite a mess on my hands.  I had accumulated a shameful amount of junk. Or, if it wasn't junk, it was old or not anything I was honestly going to do anything with. I'll admit it.  I'm an impulse buyer and a bit of a hoarder. 

The next step was to restock without overstocking.  So far I have managed to keep everything at a point where I can still see everything in storage. Nothing has been knocked back into the dark recesses of the shelves where it can be forgotten.  That is quite an achievement for me, actually.  Instead of being packed full of stuff I have some oils, vinegars, fish sauce, tamari, canned fish, tomatoes, and coconut milk, dried fruits, olives, and lots of spices.  We have a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in the house.  The freezer is filled with local (or semi-local) grass-fed meats and wild-caught seafood. I've been keeping on top of the leftovers so they haven't been a problem.  Most of the time they make their way into our lunches.  I feel a lot more efficient and a lot less wasteful. 

I hate it when people get all high and mighty about food choices. I don't want to be that kind of person. I'm not saying that anyone else needs to do this, that, or any other thing. My main food rules tend to be driven by what I find to be delicious, by a spirit of adventure, and by a desire to not make my choices an excessive inconvenience to others. 

I will say that so far, the extra time and expense has been totally worth it.  The quality of the meat has been far superior to what we can get in the supermarket around here. I am going to order some seafood next.

I'm looking forward to hitting the farmers' market again for fresh produce.  Until that time, I can usually score some decent stuff. I've never been a fan of canned vegetables and there were only a few frozen ones that I have ever fooled with.  Two of them (peas and corn) are currently off the menu so that pretty much leaves the fresh stuff.  I guess that part hasn't really changed. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Let's get to the important part: the om nom nom factor. 

Breakfasts. So far they have mostly been some combination of eggs, meat, and fruit or vegetables. One of the highlights has been a simple sausage stir fry using onion, spinach, and some ground pork sausage from a local farming co-op. Most of the breakfasts have been satisfying and I'm finally learning to cook eggs a bit better than I used to.  I've learned that if you are going to poach an egg you need something on the plate to anchor it.  Chasing a slippery egg around your plate isn't much fun and a side bowl of blueberries and nuts isn't going to help with that. I've learned to let your scrambled eggs sit in the pan for a bit if you want to get better texture. And, I've learned that you really need to pay attention when trying to plate an omelette. As you can probably see, it was a particularly hearty breakfast...that almost didn't make it on the plate. 

Omelette with spinach, tomato, onion, peppers, and ham. Sweet potato hash made with yellow bell peppers and onion on the side.  Lunches are usually salads or leftovers from previous dinners. I roasted a pork loin early in the week and that lasted for quite a while.  A bit too long, actually.  By the time we had eaten it all I was pretty sick of it.  It did give us the opportunity to have some excellent sauerkraut.  Bubbie's makes a mean batch of kraut.  It isn't too fierce and has a pleasing crispness to it.  It was a solid match with the garlicky pork.  I served it with roasted beets and they packed well the next day. 

I probably should have frozen a big chunk of it but I'm a little shy about that.  Too many sad, freezer burnt mystery packages went into the trash during the purging process. I need to muster up some courage before getting into that.  Until then, it will be all about the lunches and their powers for good. 

 Dinners: This has been the fun part. We've feasted on---

Simple stir-fry of steak, peppers, onions, and soy on romaine

The usual kind of stuff.  A piece of beef, fish, pork or poultry, with broccoli, carrots, asparagus, beets, rutabaga, etc., or a side salad.  We've had stir fry, but instead of rice it was served on some romaine lettuce dressed with a little homemade balsamic and oil dressing.  By the way, the homemade dressing blew away any store bought variety and it was so easy.  Who knew? 

I made ratatouille and added some shrimp.  I think I served it with a side of fruit but honestly, I mostly just remember tucking into a bowl of the main event.  It is a pretty decent recipe and pretty standard. I know it isn't exactly seasonal, but who am I to argue with a craving? 

I was happy with the bowl of bison chili I made.  We got the ground bison from a Minnesota company, Buffalo Gal. I added tomatoes, onion, garlic, and spices, including a little unsweetened cocoa powder. I've done that before but this particular mix of flavors worked out especially well I think. Of course, adding a garnish of cilantro and my beloved avocado helped it along.  

Bison chili. Quite mild, but flavorful.

Most of the recipes have been pretty simple to prepare. This one is a pork curry.  I used ground pork and a sweet curry blend from Penzey's for the meat. You add spinach and coconut milk and let the spinach wilt. That's about it, aside from a little garlic. It was quick and tasty. 

Mellow curry, super fast to make. I bet if you grind your own spice blend it's even better. The most involved meal so far was one I undertook mostly because I wanted to see if I could do it.  I made mayonnaise.  I've tried before but I added the oil too quickly and got a broken mess.  This time around I was patient.  I used avocado and light olive oils, an egg, white pepper and some lemon juice.  The end product turned out creamy but it tasted a little flat.  I don't know if it was the oils or the choice of acid, or a lack of something else but I'll have to keep trying.  I mostly wanted to see if I could do it and I wanted some mayo to use in a cole slaw recipe. 

I made some ketchup the same day.  It was a quick ketchup because I began with a can of tomato paste and worked from there. It was pretty decent though my palate always screams for Heinz when it comes to ketchup. This is a good start and it wasn't packed with a lot of sweetener; I just added a bit of maple syrup. I used a good deal of the ketchup to make a barbecue sauce. 

Barbecue--good blend of spice and vinegar with just a bit of sweet for balance. Goes perfectly with cole slaw.I poached some chicken breasts (from those clever Indiana farmers again) in chicken broth, drained the pot, and shredded the chicken.  I folded in some barbecue sauce. For dinner that evening we had the slaw and chicken.  The nicest bite was a mixture of the two.  The plate cried out for another element so when we had leftovers for lunch today, I fried up some bacon and cooked some kale.  It went really nicely with the rest because it added a smoky, bitter green note to the rest.  On the side, I made a strawberry soup using strawberries, orange juice, orange and lemon zest, cinnamon, and the coconut milk I didn't use in the curry.  The berries had marinated in some balsamic vinegar. It was pretty decent but I think it needs some tweaking.  Maybe more orange juice or something to give it more tang. 

Adam isn't much of a fan of foods that try to pretend to be what they're not. He doesn't like vegetarian "meat" sauces and so on.  I can't blame him. Some of the gluten free crusts and stuff look really gnarly.  I would probably want to just skip the pizza crusts and other fake-outs.  That being said, we've had two successes that nudge into that territory. 

The first involves a jambalaya recipe.  This recipe has most of the expected ingredients: onion, celery, green pepper, tomatoes, the appropriate spice blend, shrimp, and sausage (I used kielbasa from the Indiana farmers' group because it was what I had leftover from another meal of sausage and sauerkraut).  What is different is that there is no rice in this dish.  Instead, the recipe asked for grated cauliflower.  I like cauliflower and so I thought, why not? I added celery and a bit of Cajun spice blend (Penzey's again) to the original recipe. It just needed a tad more kick.

Honestly, no one would ever be fooled into thinking it was rice. The important part for me was that it tasted good. I didn't miss the rice at all and the dish cooked a lot faster. I'm definitely counting this one a victory. 

The other "faker" is called "Paleo Chicken Alfredo" in Robb Wolf's book.  I call shenanigans on that.  Let's be perfectly clear: you absolutely, positively, cannot call something Alfredo that does not have dairy in it. Just deal with it. Anything else is just made of lies. 

Whew. Now that I've got that off my chest, I'll continue. 

My original plan was to make a red sauce with ground beef, using spaghetti squash to approximate a bed of noodles.  That isn't anything new.  But, I will admit that I've never really loved the combination of tomato and that particular squash.  Adam doesn't either. It was a happy accident that I forgot to thaw anything out for that evening.  It was Plan B time. I decided to take a chance on the "Alfredo" recipe that we now call "Chicken and Spaghetti Squash in Cashew Sauce" because even if it sounds weird it isn't stupid. Just sayin'. 

Chicken and Spaghetti Squash with Cashew Sauce. Take a chance. It's made with truth.

I cooked the spaghetti squash and then shredded it, as you probably would for just about anything.  Half the fun is the shreds. I sautéed 4 or 5 cloves of chopped garlic in a couple of teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. I added a pound of cubed chicken breast and a few shakes of dried tarragon and cooked it until it was browned on all sides.  

In a food processor I blended a cup of cashews, 1/2 tsp of onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp mustard powder, 1/4 kosher salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/8 tsp paprika, until it was a powder. I added some chicken broth and blended it until it was a saucy consistency. 

I added the sauce and spaghetti squash to the skillet and tossed to coat. I sprinkled a little chopped parsley on top for color before serving.

It was quite a surprise.  It was nutty (duh) but it had spice and the vegetal nature of the squash was complemented by it. The mild chicken was a nice addition too.  We got to eat something new and were rewarded for taking a bit of a chance.  I think it is pretty safe to say that I won't be dumping marinara on spaghetti squash ever again. I know it works for a lot of people but I'll pass.

All in all, this has been a great time for me.  At just shy of two weeks into this experiment I feel good. I feel sassy. And I feel ready to meet the challenges ahead. It is hard to ask for more than that.

I'll just lean back, chomp on my imaginary cigar, and revel in the feeling of success. Luckily, no vans were rolled in the making of this episode.  Apologies to Mr. T as we will not be drinking any milk. However,  I will stay in school and I'll say no to drugs.  I hope that makes us even.