Anyway, I was going to post something silly, but instead I decided to say thank you to you all.  I can always post the silly thing tomorrow. This month has meant the world to me. I can hardly believe I made a video every day for thirty days. Makes me wonder what else I can do. Let me tell you, that’s worth everything.

NaVloPoMo has been a pleasure. I’ll miss it, especially the increased watching and commenting, the back and forth that was going on between old friends and new. Maybe we can keep it up? I might try! Perhaps bi-weekly if not daily. I’ll see you on your vlogs, people!

You’ll probably notice that every object could lead to a story. If you’re curious about something feel free to ask – I’ll vlog the answer for you.

Because this is fairly personal footage, this video does not carry my usual Creative Commons license. Instead I elect to retain all rights.

Challenge!

I will mail a fabulous prize to the first person who can correctly identify the original song title and recording artist of the music I abused to make this video. Based on my knowledge of my friends’ music tastes, I think probably only Markus Sandy has a chance. Or maybe MissBHavens (who can forget Lake Titicaca?). But I’d LOVE someone to surprise me!

The video script with a bibliography is available in PDF and Word Document formats. I also posted a Barringer Meteorite Crater photo set on Flickr from my visit to the crater. The video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.o License and can be embedded elsewhere by using the Share tool at Blip.tv.

She was my faithful friend, always happiest when sitting on me, as close to my face as possible, purring like anything. Last year, Rosie developed cancer in her jaw, and it spread to invade her nasal passage and eye socket. When she could no longer enjoy her life, her vet came to our home and euthanized her as she sat in my lap for the last time. I spent as much time with her as I could in her last days, and documented our friendship.

One good thing about knowing the end is coming … you can prepare, and spend time together. Looking at this video makes me cry, but I’m glad I have it. I’ll never forget the little whistling sound she made when she drooled and purred at the same time, how warm she kept my feet on cold nights, or the soft feel of her fur. Godspeed, my little friend, until I meet you again.

This is inspired by / in response to two of Heath‘s posts:

1. 8 Years Later
2. Saying Goodbye

I shot this event in 2003 or so for an organization I work with sometimes. I was trying to record the whole thing – that’s what they wanted. I was also trying to respectfully stay out of the way of the crowd gathered to watch.  I would carefully look at the light, try to anticipate the next activity, set up my tripod and camera, run my mic out to get decent sound, tape things down. And then, every freaking shot, this twerp videographer from a local news channel would come stand right in my way and ruin the shot with his fat ass.

Croma’s work helped me take a new look at the “ruined” footage with my true eye. I like it. Thanks, Robert.

The funny thing is, I never had any idea where the place was. The phone number was on the fridge. The menu was in a drawer. They showed up at the door. With great food. This is something I never questioned, never thought about. It just was, and boy, was it good.

When I moved back to Phoenix, I missed this food so much I could barely believe it. After fifteen years, I still dream about those egg rolls. I could remember exactly how they tasted. The only other foods I dream about, with the exception of a certain Mexican food restaurant here in Phoenix, are foods my mom, dad, or grandma made when I was a kid. So it’s a big deal that I dream of Pekin House egg rolls.

So when I went to Chicago for BlogHer this past summer, I had to see if I could find the place. I found an address on the web, and figured out how to get there. It would be a 45 minute journey by El-train and bus from my hotel room. I talked up these egg rolls all day long to everyone I met, but at the end of the day, nobody wanted to be adventurous and go with me.

There was no way I was going to give up on these egg rolls, so I went all by myself, even though my very favorite thing is sharing good food with friends.

So I brought you with me. It was better with you there. We had an adventure together on the streets of Chicago. I’m sorry I forgot to tell you that you came with me for this long. Thanks so much for coming along with me. It really meant a lot for me to share this with you.

I got truly crappy audio in the restaurant, because I was a little embarrassed sitting there telling my camera about dinner, so I did it quietly. I got even worse audio on the El, because it’s just so loud. So I subtitled myself. If you have trouble reading the wee little version, consider downloading the mid-size.

It’s probably not especially clear what’s going on in the video. My mom wants to attract Mary, but has no means to do so, so she goes next door and steals bird food from the neighbor’s porch. They come outside to see what’s going on and give Mary some bread so that she’ll come closer. You can hear some of the conversation. It’s just a little slice of small town life.

Of course, my lesson to myself might be “edit things quicker!”

Just in case you are wondering, it’s not my car, nor any of my students. And we don’t know why it caught fire.

Music: This Is Funnn by the Boogiemen, via podsafeaudio.com

1. I said songwriting wasn’t encouraged in my family. That’s not exactly true. My mom encouraged pretty much anything I wanted to do, and she and I sang together all the time. She taught me how to harmonize. And my dad encouraged me to play music … for his drunken friends, which I did not find fun. So I kind of stifled it myself. It’s not my parents’ fault. Of course my dad pretty much told me I’d starve to death if I went into any kind of music professionally, so it’s a little bit his fault.
2.  The mean teacher was my 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Cummings, from Squaw Peak Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona. She scarred me for life. I was very shy, and I spent the remainder of second grade terrified that I would start humming without knowing it.
3. I don’t really feel that my youth was stolen. I did for awhile. How many people in the U.S. who are around 25 years old give up their friends and social lives to care for their elders? My relationship with my dad was a bit strained, and I didn’t enjoy living with him until we worked a lot of things out. Then we got to be friends, and I’m so glad for that experience. But I was awfully squawky for awhile there.
4. I used the word “tattoo” to describe my moko because most everyone will know that means there’s ink implanted in my skin. But it’s not a tattoo, it’s ta moko; it’s much more than a tattoo because of what I did to receive it, and how it was given.

We’re over the “hump” today. We know how to say “NaVloPoMo” and we’ve got this posting-every-day thing figured out! Keep it coming everyone! Vlog on!

Here are a couple of the newcomers that turned up around All Hallow’s Eve:

• Dinner by Twilight

  

• Flash through Screen

  

• FraidyCat Ran but Tang Stayed

  

Pretend you’re up high looking down. Just a tiny shift in perspective and you’re right there with me.

Oh, and you should be amused. Jeffery and I have the same apron, and we both posted cooking episodes for NaVloPoMo Day 11.

Potato Soup

very slightly adapted from The Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas

Ingredients

• 5 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 – 4 leeks, finely chopped
• 4 cups water
• 1.5 cups milk or cream
• 2 Tbs dill weed
• 1 tsp salt
• fresh-ground pepper
• 2 – 3 Tbs sour cream
• butter
• garnish options: chopped chives, parsley, fresh dill, basil

Instructions

Simmer potatoes and leeks in salted water about 30 minutes, until they’re tender. Add milk (or cream) and dill. It will be salty enough, but add pepper to taste. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes until you reach your preferred consistency and the potatoes are falling apart a little.

Now stir in a few tablespoons of sour cream and a tablespoon or so of butter. Let that heat through, and serve. Garnish with chopped chives or whatever fresh herb seems yummiest to you.

Makes 4 – 6 servings (4 in my house).

Potato Peel Broth aka Garbage Soup

Ingredients

• peels from 5 – 7 large, healthy potatoes
• 1 large onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 small stalk of celery
• sprig of parsley (optional)
• clove of garlic (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Quarter the onion. Cut the carrots and celery into large pieces. Put the potato peels and veggies in a big pot with 1.5 quarts of water. Add parsley and/or garlic cloves if you want them. You can add any other vegetable bits you want to pull nutrients from before they hit your compost heap. Squash, green bean ends, carrot tops, broccoli leaves, the tough outer skin from beets, anything.

Keep adding water as it evaporates so everything stays covered. Simmer this concoction over low heat for at least 1.5 hours, until everything is very soft. At that point, you can go one of two ways:

1. For a clear broth, just drain off the liquid and correct the seasoning.
2. If you want a thin puree-like consistency, remove the celery and garlic and put the rest through a sieve or food mill.

Your broth will be light brown in color, fragrant and delicious. It’s a great starter for almost any soup. Store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it, but try to use it within 5 – 7 days.

Makes about 6 cups.

Sheesh.

You want more self-confidence in your bread-baking vlogger chick? You want the recipe written down? Then check out MissBHaven’s exemplary good eatin’ vlog post about the no knead bread. You want a piece of me? You want a piece of bread?