Foodies

Some go-to edibles as of late

Chicken & ginger-miso dish

 Blueberry-cream cookies

Cookie watch (dog not edible, but they say the red ones taste good)

Roast chicken

Good stuff

When I think about what Paula Deen would have done if she were given this opportunity, at least at my age and place in life, I feel ashamed that I walked away with only four boxes (pounds) of unsalted butter. I think I bake enough to merit four more boxes at this price point. Anyway, I wasn't even expecting butter to be on sale (I checked the circulars), so when I saw this price tag, I just leaned over the refrigerator container and admired it. Then I took this photo with my phone, and then I just couldn't stop marveling that I had to tweet and blog about it. I might have to call my mom in case she doesn't know, though she probably does (but then why didn't I get a call?!).

In other news, I think last night's episode of Glee was one of the best of this season so far. I haven't been obsessively watching like I did for season one, mostly because I didn't get the iTunes season pass for it, but also because I feel like the writers of the show are aware of its massive success and popularity. Maybe the episodes evolve around the musical themes more, and less around the characters? I don't know. But damn, those Warblers are just killing it every episode! I can't believe they did a Robin Thicke song, long-haried, vintage Thicke, no less! I was hoping to see the original version of "When I Get You Alone" in the Top 50 singles on iTunes, but I have a feeling that looking up the single under "Robin Thicke" and getting nothing, while the single actually hides under the artist name "Thicke," has something to do with it. And the fact that Glee Cast songs do better than originals. Anyway. And finally, I saw the old Rachel of season one last night when she and Finn were talking towards the end, and when she sang "Firework" to herself in her mirror at home with her brush as the mic. It was like when she sang "On My Own," at home and in her Glee audition, except she wasn't depressed and sad and solitarily slushied all the time. And her dresses! The green one with the bows, the pink one with the black prints of who knows what! If/when I get that episode in HD, I will obsessively try to find the most flattering frame of her in them and the maybe scour the internet in hopes of finding them or something similar. And then I will post myself trying to look like as hopeful as Rachel Berry, maybe as the snow melts and spring approaches.

Mitsu x Beethoven Collaboration

Last week, I was playing the piano, and Mitsu starting vocalizing when I played the theme to Beethoven's 7th. I've been playing this piece, a Nodame Cantabile version, for about half a year now so it's become the one-trick-pony piece I play when I feel like playing something but not really practicing. At first, I thought Mitsu was telling me to shut up, and then I thought she had to go outside. But then she sat and lied down by my bench, so I continued playing. When I started a section that involved a crescendo, Mitsu joined in by howling. Her face, looking straight on, is super cute when she stretches her howls out. I started to give her treats when she would sing along to my crescendos, and she performed for Mordecai a couple of times. I was finally able to capture all of this on camera tonight with minimal mistakes on my part. She doesn't seem to care for any other pieces I play, so I like to think that she and Beethoven are basically best friends.

You kind of have to wait for her to hear the howls clearly. She warms up a little throughout the song, misses my conducting cues in the middle, but then comes through at the end (~1:00 mark)!

This is our one hit wonder, guys! We won't be coming on tour near you! You might hear about a comeback 10 years from now! Good night!

Aftermath

So I guess we had only two days off of school back in 1999. Maybe it felt like a week off because it was close to a weekend? Anyway, let's see how many students show up to my sections on Friday.

For some reason, I found last night's epic blizzard to be pretty exciting. Occasionally, I'd hear some voices or tires spinning or snow being shoveled, so I'd peek outside. One group of kids got stuck in the alley next to our house, and seeing it'd be unhelpful for me to go out there, I sent Mordo out with a shovel. Eventually, some other kids across the street joined, and the car was successfully dug out and pushed to Fullerton. It turned out to be a neighbor who had to get his girlfriend home. 

This morning, the snow was still falling, but it eventually stopped and the sun came out. Before noon, people were trying to dig their cars out, clearing sidewalks, and trying to clear the side streets and alleys using shovels and cars. I thought it was kind of interesting how major events like these move many people to do something about their situations instead of wallowing in self-pity, blaming Daley & Co., or napping. Not that napping didn't occur. I thought I'd be cabin fevering it today, but since the snow and wind stopped, walking Mitsu seemed appealing and shoveling necessary. All the physical work culminated into a rather epic nap, which then energized me to make dinner and dessert (separate post). 

Mitsu was less annoyed by the less harsh winds, and she enjoyed a nice long walk along Fullerton and some other side streets that were almost impassable.

I don't have the energy or creative power to make a better looking collage, but I love all these pictures. Mitsu is showing off her good walking skills with me, she's being protected by MoDiddy, she looks deranged because the snow looks like it's taking over her pupils, then she's recovered, then she's looking dainty with me, but with MoDiddy she looks more noble and proud to be a big Shiba baby. I'll end with this one, where she's forging ahead, leading the way, almost getting lost in all the snow.

Mitsupocalypse!

Chicago and its inhabitants are being severely punished right now by a massive snowstorm. The last time we were assaulted like this was in 1999, and I remember having about a week off from school. But I don't remember phrases like "potentially life-threatening," or "thundersnow" being thrown around back then. I am not looking forward to the aftermath, but my parents report that Oji is shedding a little early this year, which hopefully means spring is coming sooner rather than later. I'll put up with a thundersnowstorm and a day (or two? or three? please?) off of school if spring arrives sooner than usual.

Mordecai and I took Mitsu out for a quick potty break. She was very displeased. Mordecai had to carry her out to the front, where there is less snow because it gets blown away. She quickly realized it wasn't going to get any better anywhere else, so she got to business and then immediately started whining to go back inside. I'm glad we have a dog with human-ish sensibilities. Also noteworthy about Mitsu and the elements: she seems to be able to sense patches of ice and water on the ground far sooner than I can. I wonder if she has good eyes, at least for a dog. This has actually helped me out a couple of times when I hadn't even noticed the ice. We don't need a repeat of 2008 of ankle breakage. Thanks, Mitsu!

Platonic forms

I've been searching for the ideal dessert. I like to believe that I'll know it when I eat it, so I figure I'll just make lots of desserts and see what pleases me the most. So far, the front runners include my standard strawberry tart, grapefruit cassis, and macarons. (I find La Boulangerie's to be the best in Chicago that I've tasted so far.)

Last week I saw Giada making angel food cake. It seemed like a nice, light dessert, so I tried it out. I like angel food cake because it involves lots of egg whites and sugar, like marcarons, but the yogurt honey sauce didn't seem to go all that well with the cake. I added fruits for garnish (blackberries one day, cara cara oranges the next at my parents'), but this didn't add or take away from the cake. Basically, while it wasn't bad, I will never make this again.

Next up: Ina Garten's coconut cupcakes. I really want cream cheese frosting...now! I wonder how it will fare in comparison to Emily's frosting.

Unrelated to my desserts, but I guess it's a kind of dessert, or snack, is cotton candy, now apparently available on campus. Seriously? In January? It sells? Is class at UIC now like attending a sporting event?

***

Sleeping princess; sleeping fools

Certain corners of the Internet are in great debates about raising children. (Don't forget this take on the story.) What I find interesting about all of this is how in many ways, the discussion parallels dog training. Do you praise your children and let them be picky eaters; do you train dogs exclusively through positive reinforcement like Victoria Stilwell? Or do you call your kids garbage and make them practice piano without bathroom breaks; do you make your dog submit to you or expend their energy on treadmills like Cesar Millan? My mom let me be a picky eater and showered me with praises, but at the same time, a lot of Amy Chua's explanations in her WSJ excerpt made sense to me (and why it might not make as much sense to "Western" parents). And likewise, positive training works well with Mitsu, but with nipping/mouthing/biting, merely walking away and ignoring her briefly does not seem to cut it. I try to teach her "kisses" by rewarding her for licking my hand, but this process is usually preceded by unpleasant biting. How do I know she's not learning to bite, then wait for "kisses" command to receive treats? Puppy, please.

Roast puppy de cassis

Today Wendy DeCarlo came to our house for some puppy consultation. We have books and cable TV, which all let us know that we aren't horrible dog-parents or that Mitsu is a she-devil. But all of that provides only general information--even the Shiba Inu book--so we wanted a trainer to meet her and assess our particular situation. I don't want to be one of those parents who brag about their dogs and children, but I think she did pretty good today. It helps that she came to us crate-trained by the breeders, and that she naturally has an outgoing and confident personality. The more I think about it, the more it seems like Poo Monster Dud exhibited more skittish behavior--"I see you but I don't really feel like acknowledging you"--whereas Mitsu was much more willingly interactive with us when we hung out with the two pups in the breeder's living room.

This evening, Mordecai and I made roast chicken. It wasn't difficult! It helped that the Food Network posted Ina Garten's roast chicken episode on YouTube. This was our first time, so our chicken-carving skills are pretty non-existent, and the bed of vegetables was more like jail-cell-bed than Ritz-Carlton bed so most of them overcooked. I wish there was a way to practice cutting chicken without actually using meat. (...Is there?) Dessert came from a recipe in Maida Heatter's book, which was the super easy grapefruit and crème de cassis with a little bit of honey (above). I don't know what it is about it--it's like raspberry and grape combined?--but cassis is one of my all time favorite flavors ever. It makes me feel nostalgic, but I don't know for what. Like I grew up with it. Or maybe I was a little black currant in my past life.

Best of 2010

I don't know if I have any resolutions for this year except to continue ones from last year--wake up early (now mandatory with the puppy, but then naps-with-puppy become a problem); maintain healthy hair, nails, skin. And then there's some usual stuff, but it's probably more "grow the eff up" than resolutions, like be productive, clean the house, cook more often, spend wisely, and so on. One thing I do know is that I didn't go berserk for baseball in 2010, so I'd like to return to 2009-style passion for 2011 baseball. Anyway, like I did last year, here are my reflections on 2010.

Personal Best of 2010

Book: Axel Honneth, "Struggle for Recognition" & Thomas Harris, "Silence of the Lambs"

Album: Kylie Minogue, "Aphrodite"

Place visited: Yokohama, Japan & Vandalia, Ohio

Meal cooked: Pork-ginger-miso dish from Orange Page, the Japanese equivalent of "Real Simple"

Movie: Nodame Cantabile: The Final Score, parts 1 & 2

Article read: Stanley Cavell, "Knowing and Acknowledging" & "Avoidance of Love"

Information learned: Various things about owning a home and a dog, including how common it is to improperly care for both of these things

Quote discovered: I don't really have a favorite quote from this year. Basically, I find inspiration in any philosopher (i.e., Stanley Cavell) who criticizes parts of mainstream analytic philosophy (i.e. an overemphasis on rationality and science at the expense of the self) that I find strange (i.e., the quote from last year will do).

Item Bought: Honda Fit, house, Mitsu

Honorable Mentions: Reduced access to Facebook by about 99% from previous years; reduced spending on clothes and shoes significantly (only to spend them on Japan, the house, and Mitsu); increased interest in some classical music; MET LORD MIGGY

Shiba World

2011 Mameshiba Calendar 

Mitsu is bed-less because she destroys them, and towel-less because she pees on them. So she is left with the hardwood floor or our laps. Here, she is nestled between my calves, on her back, teeth exposed. Also photographed are my fleece socks, which I've realized, after living in the Midwest for 26 years, are absolutely necessary in the winter. Do they come in non-hippie, non-40 year old mom prints? (I'm sure they do, but I don't actually care. Warmth is my priority!)

Today, we went to the vet so she could get some more puppy vaccination shots and to check on her heart murmur. The vet reports that she no longer hears the murmur! Unfortunately though, Mitsu was not treated to Gerber baby food like she was during her first visit. She got rid of her murmur, allowed the vet tech and vet to probe and prick her, and all she got were some cookies! Life is so hard for a sweet faced puppy. So I gave her the beloved chicken and chicken gravy baby food when we got back. After playing with her millions of toys, and after I did my nails and after Mordecai played Metal Gear Solid 4, she got sleepy and sweet, like nectar, like her name.

Merry Mitsumas!

Christmas Decorations

I'd say "Holiday Decorations," but the menorah was put away earlier and I think the Hanukkah candle holders should not be near so many flammable objects.

At the request of Mordecai's mom, we assembled some decorations. We got a little rosemary tree from Trader Joe's, and Mordecai found an animatronic tree that sings "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" at Walgreens. It was one of those moments where one of us says, "Look at this silly thing" and then it ends up home with us. This reminds me of someone, who, despite the addition of the puppy, is still a star member of our pack:

The tree's eyes reminds me a little of Doraemon.

Puppy Frosting

That's a lot of cupcakes. I made red velvet cupcakes but with Emily's cream cheese frosting: 

1/2 pound (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Cream the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer until fluffy then add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and mix well. Then, try not to eat it all.

As usual, Emily's cupcakes are better. At least my frosting is sufficiently good.

Tomorrow is TRON LEGACY in 3D for IMAX. And laundry. And the usual puppy antics. 

"Do you know about Shibas?"

Our breeder experience went well, so I'm going to share our little story we've got so far. This is also for Phoebe, who is apparently in the market for a little poodle! And maybe Wesley!

My previous, limited experience with breeders involved finding one at the dog show at Chicago's McCormick Place in February. This seems a good way to meet breeders and to see their dogs' dispositions, but I wasn't willing to wait until February. After figuring out which breeders were in the Midwest and approved by official figures (AKC, National Shiba Club of America), I started contacting breeders in the early fall, asking about litters and providing some information about me and Mordecai. Actually, everyone ignored me, so I was getting a little nervous. Were Shibas in such high demand?! Was I going to have to prove in some helicopter mom way that I was a fit owner?! Momoko did say that she had to be "selected" to own her puppy from her New York breeder, and this breeder wanted a survey filled out (which I did, and which was ignored). Finally, Mordecai called Glenchester Kennels. They made sure we knew about the breed, but didn't drill us about ourselves. We were placed on a waiting list, but somewhere at the ass end. So we watched their website and our emails for updates, and eventually anticipated a puppy from either Spirit's litter, born at the end of September, or Danica's litter, born at the beginning of October.

Spirit's litter: Who knew we'd get the one that first caught our eye, "Darkest Muzzle"?

Debbie and Mark diligently kept us updated with many pictures of their growth, from when they looked like guinea pigs to when they looked like miniature wolf pups. We arranged for a late November pick-up, aiming for some time around Thanksgiving. A lot of friends and family started asking us about which gender we wanted. I initially wanted a boy, because I wanted to name it Felix (after 2010 AL Cy Young winner King Felix Hernandez). But I knew that it wasn't necessarily a good idea to get fixated on something superficial, that it had more to do with matching personalities, and anyway, Mordecai did not care at all either way. So eventually I softened up to the idea of a girl, and since there were so many girls in both Spirit's and Danica's litters (8 out of 10 puppies were girls), we figured we'd end up with one. After waiting for so long, we stopped caring about genders, and just longed for A PUPPY in our house. But thinking about it now, it's good that we got a girl because so many of her dog friends will be boys (Oji, Jackson, Boba), and the breeder mentioned potential same-sex aggression in Shibas.

Around the time we figured out we were likely getting a girl, my mom thought of the name "Mitsu," taken from the word "hachimitsu," which means honey, or literally, bee nectar. It looks like (according to my observations at ShibaInuForm.org) everyone who has a Shiba has to name it something Japanese, and I had long been needing to do this as well. Mitsu is easy to pronounce, as it's contained in known Japanese names (Mitsubishi, Mitsuwa), so we were leaning towards Mitsu. (Other contenders were Strawberry, Ichigo ["strawberry" in Japanese], Josée [from "Josée, the Tiger, and the Fish"; apologies to Sean!]).

Left, Mitsu; Right, Poo Monster Dud

It turned out the one I thought was a boy was one of the remaining two puppies we could choose from. Our other choice was her lighter coated littermate with rounder eyes. The latter presented a couple of problems right away. One was that she had a heart murmur, which we were told would most likely go away. The other was that we observed her go potty in the breeder's living room, and after she relieved herself, she proceeded to begin EATING what she just excreted. This is apparently a habit picked up from their mother, who is particularly meticulous about cleanliness. I've read that Shibas are very careful about being clean, sometimes prancing around puddles, avoiding the rain, etc., so I wasn't entirely disgusted. "Darkest muzzle" also seemed tempted to join the fecal adventures, but she hesitated and missed her chance.

Goodbye Poo Monster and Keeper (breeders' pick of the litter)!

Mordecai was turned off by the Poo Monster Dud, so we were more prone to picking "Darkest Muzzle." We (and others) had thought she was the cutest of the bunch from previous pictures, so it was nice to see her remain an option for us. She seemed very outgoing, friendly, and cautious but optimistic about unfamiliar territory. I was also impressed that she let pretty much anyone hold her, play with her paws, gums, and even trim her nails with a dremel. I've read that Shibas are not particularly cuddly, so I was drawn to the possibility of contact. And finally, the breeder said that she looked like a good Shiba. Her ears taper forward a little and are well-proportioned, her hind legs bend well, and her eyes are triangular instead of almond (Asian eyes!). If they were keeping two puppies from the litter, the breeder said, Mitsu would have been her second pick. I wonder what her other three littermates were like, especially as they transition into their new homes.

Mitsu's penthouse

I was afraid that Mitsu would have a hard time in the car ride home from Ohio, that she would have a hard time in a new environment, that she wouldn't like being crated at night, etc. But so far, she's been totally fine with car rides; she immediately claimed her crates, bed, toys; and she's allowed us to sleep at night by crying for only a couple of minutes in her crate. It's also been relatively easy to potty train her, as the Shiba literature indicated would happen. Her confidence in herself and her new surroundings is growing, and she's starting to get a bit feisty. One of the current challenges is being able to leave her alone in her giant crate (it's Yuki's old crate, so it's for an Akita, which means she has a mansion of a den space for Mitsu). The main challenge though is to make sure her will never triumphs over ours, partly because she's a Shiba and partly because she's a puppy. I like how people ask us, "Do you know about Shibas?" as if we're gonna be like, "Oh really? They're stubborn and willful and hard to train? My, thank you for informing me!" Child, please! I know how to read a book and use the Internet. I appreciate it, but don't. Anyway, I can already tell what kind of trouble we've gotten ourselves into, and I'm always busy thinking about how to erase bad habits, effective immediately! I got this!

MITSU!

She's here! Our Hanukkah Puppy!

The six hour ride home went rather smoothly. But I'm so exhausted, mostly from worrying, anxiety, and driving in crappy weather, rather than actually taking care of her. I had read that new environments can cause a lot of stress in puppies, that their first car rides can make them sick, that potty training is difficult or tedious, that you have to assert your authority right away, that the first couple of nights involve a lot of what should be ignored crying and whining, and so on. For now, she's adjusting well, and responding to both Mordecai and me. It's only Day One, so I'm thankful that there have been no serious issues. But damn, it's a really long Day One, I could pass out any second.

Brothas From Anotha Motha

If you know me, or have been to Golden Nugget with me on more than one occasion, then you know that I will likely order the Guadalajara Skillet (first photo). It is a skillet of potatoes, onions, peppers, chorizo, cheese, tortilla chips, topped with a fried egg, accompanied by a side of salsa and a hot pepper, and it also comes with corn tortillas.

Today, I encountered the Guadalajara Skillet in burger form, or its "brotha from anotha motha." At Maddi's request, we went to Kuma's Corner for lunch (best time to go? Sunday, 11:45AM), and I ordered the "Megadeth," named after the band (second photo). It is a burger topped with a chorizo and potato hash, tortilla chips, and a cayenne avocado mayo-ish sauce, served on a pretzel roll. I had the handmade chips, as you can see. I imagine the Guadalajara Skillet and the Megadeth writing letters to each other, reunited without ever knowing they were separated.

Dearest Megadeth,
I hope you are well. At Golden Nugget, they continue to ring the annoying bell every hour so the employees know to wash their hands. I don't know if they actually do. The funny-looking Asian girl continues to order me, regardless of the location. She always takes me home, and I feel special. Maybe one day you will meet her.
Best,
Guadalajara Skillet

Hey Guaddy, Yeah that little lady came, ordered me and took my creamy cayenne avocado top off. She just SHUT IT DOWN. I guess she likes chorizos and potatoes a lot. Over here the music is still loud and I saw a waitress rub her nose a lot with her hand, so I was like Oh Shit It's Dirty Up In Here but then I saw another lady with blonde and black hair find a stray strand of hair and she properly took it to a garbage can, or at least out of my sight so I was like Oh Snap Maybe It's Alright Here. Sometimes I sense that big old devil dog but it stays outside and doesn't eat me. My worst nightmare is to be devoured by the Beastmaster. Anyway this crazy little Asian girl had me BURNT! The waitress was like Watch Out Now but your girl was like Oh You Don't Know Me Honey. Okay I'm sick of writing to you because I'm a burger and I shouldn't be and don't want to do this,  I'm gonna go smell good now, so bye. MEGADETH

We saw Senshi, an Akita, behind Kuma's Corner. I know Kuma was an Akita, and I wonder if Senshi is to Kuma like what Oji is to Yuki for my family. He looks like Oji's "brotha from anotha motha" so I felt compelled to pet him, but I knew better than to stick my hand in between the bars. Not that I ever knew a mean Akita, but you never know. That combo of black head and golden eyes is amazing.

Now I will continue to imagine what life will be like on Wednesday and on. Will the Shiba puppy hate me for the first couple of days? "How dare you take me away from my littermates and mother! Who are you and why do you smell bad?! SHIBA SCREAM!!!"

Chicago Sun-Times Show

This past weekend, we attended another Chicago Sun-Times card show. Some prominent active guests were: Ubaldo Jiminez, Clayton Kershaw, Curtis Granderson, Jayson Heyward, Armando Galarraga, Edwin Jackson, Evan Longoria, a canceled Aroldis Chapman, a canceled Matt Garza. Some former star guests were: Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, William "The Fridge" Perry of the '85 Bears (he wore a cowboy hat and walked with a cane). It was a pretty good lineup, but a number of the young players don't merit the high prices for autos. Curtis Granderson--UIC alum, Chicago native--comes back from New York, and charges $99 for an auto?! I know it's out of his hands (he's a gentleman, I trust it's out of his hands), but damn, FORGETCHU (à la Gwyneth Paltrow or Cee-Lo, however you want to hear it in your head)! At least at the card show. Jayson Heyward had higher price tags than Galarraga and Jackson. FORGETCHU! Ubaldo was charging $49, Longoria $89, and Kershaw $59. FORGETCHU!

Armando Galarraga is our "Honeymoon Pitcher," so I wanted his auto. Mordecai wanted to be reunited with Darryl Strawberry and pick up where they left off at a T.G.I.Friday's in Queens 20 years ago, so we had to check out his booth. I told Galarraga that we went to a Tigers game for our honeymoon, and that he won, so he was our "Honeymoon Pitcher." He gave a good laugh in response. I forgot to tell him that Justin Verlander pitched badly the next rainy day, and to thank him for blessing our marriage. Mordecai recounted his T.G.I.Friday's story to Mr. Strawberry, who laughed at the "You were trying to eat your steak, but I really appreciated you taking the time to sign my card" line. I really enjoy meeting beloved players, but it's always so nerve-wracking to actually meet them. What do you say? "Hey, you don't look as dorky as I thought you would. In fact, you're pretty good looking." (Galarraga.) "Hey, you seem confident." (Strawberry.)  What would you say to your favorite player? "Can you sign this? How about this? And this too. Can you sign my puppy? How about my arm? Would it be creepy if I got your signature on my arm tattooed? Did you know you're the first baseball player I cared about who's not Japanese? You're welcome. When will you forget me? Thanks!" (Miggy.) I guess it's just important that you say what you want to say to them, thank them, and treasure the memories.

Milwaukee, May

I never posted these but always meant to. Back in May, we went to Milwaukee for a Milwaukee vs. Mets game. In the last picture, we're waiting for the gates to open, so we could see the Mets' batting practice. Corey Hart went berserk at this game, and the Mets had a laughable starting pitching situation.