Carolina Beach pictures.

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

family feud of sorts.

I am spending two days with my parents in Asheboro. I love them. They are nice people. But I am stir-crazy. I want to be at the beach, and instead I am spending the afternoon going through Christian thrift stores (I forgot to bring my dress-up clothes for COURT) and watching movies.

We just watched Blame It On Fidel (see below) which was awesome and I highly recommend it. Richard wanted to go straight into Nacho Libre, but I need a break. I played the piano for a while, enjoying the barely recognizable (and not-frequently practiced) songs of Tori Amos and Coldplay. Now I'm doing this while they watch Family Feud. It's hard to compete with John O'Hurley I guess. Maybe it's the hair.



We're heading off to the beach tomorrow--FINALLY--so until then, I guess I'll rummage through all my junk that I've left in storage here.

I might be able to post an entry at the beach, but probably not. Either way, I'll definitely post some pictures when I get back.

Love, Charity ;)

ps-oh, and my mom is paying for me to go to Improv classes for my birthday! This will be the best birthday present ever, I think!!! Yay, 31! (God, I'm old.)

overthinking.

Overthinking is a bad habit of mine. It always has been. The drive home to Asheboro today was a long one. For some reason I was listening to my "bad-ass lady" music: Ani DiFranco (Not a Pretty Girl), PJ Harvey (Rid of Me), and the Breeders (Last Splash). And I was thinking. Dwelling in decisions I have to make, decisions I want to make but can't, decisions I know I should make but won't, and the like.

Driving down Highway 49 through the outskirts of Charlotte, I hit traffic. I found myself behind a car with personalized tags. I struggled to figure out what their tag meant: 4ARESON, and then I realized it was "for a reason" and I felt so silly because of what I had said the other day, and yet here I was, so easily slipping into the familiar pattern of worrying over every little thing.

I don't want to do that any more. I guess I'll just have to keep reminding myself. It was nice to get some help today.

I'm off to the beach tomorrow. I'll post some pictures afterwards.

Peace and love to you if you find yourself reading this,
Charity :)

whoa! what was that?

I will say this: when you honestly give something to God, or fate, or whatever--when you honestly let control of something go and quit trying to bend reality to your will, amazing things happen. It's pretty great!

Here's why:

1) you don't have to worry about the outcome anymore, and can relax knowing that the outcome is predetermined and will be the same whether you stress about it or not.

2) amazing things might happen--things you never expected. You will be surprised by good things that come into your life.

3) bad things that happen don't seem so bad anymore. The Avett Brothers describe their past loves:

"And I've known others,And I've loved others too
But I loved them cause they were stepping stones
On a staircase to you"

Everything that happens, even if it seems yucky, is just a step to something else. It's just a matter of seeing the eventual outcome as positive, rather than negative. Everything is temporary, and if you try desperately to stay on that happy step rather than moving forward, you'll just make yourself unhappy in the long run. Because you can't stay there. And who would want to, since the step beyond is better than you can even imagine!

Charity :)

PS-Um, 30 is really old. I'm feeling it today. It's ok, but I'm just saying. It's old.

i guess i'm just on a video-posting kick.

love these guys!

charity :)

transcribing.

I know I should be... I'm just SO INCREDIBLY BORED with it. I think I'll move on to analysis first, and come back to this interview. I think I conducted it summer of 2007. Yes, over a year ago. Surely that's a record. Over a year to transcribe an interview? That's like one word a day.

Hmm, meaning if I had only done just one word a day, I would be done by now. Missed opportunities...

I've been listening to The Wailin' Jennys lately. I really like them. The video below isn't my favorite song by them, but it's good, and it's the only one I can find that's not recorded live and weird sounding. Plus, it's kind of fitting. I hope you like it!



charity :)

six flags photos.

That's that, Mattress man.

charity :)

simply the best...

...musical ever.



I saw Curse of the Golden Flower yesterday; very good. Very lush (luscious?), just like they said. I also saw The Dark Knight again yesterday. It's still as good as I remembered. I really like the new series, and I'm sad about Heath Ledger again. His performance is top notch.

I miss church. My cousin's in town so we didn't go. :( Hopefully I'll be able to go next weekend, although chances of getting my little brother to go with me are pretty slim. But oh, yeah, SIX FLAGS here we come!

Last week saw Nights of Cabiria recently ("the Fellini film"), and my oh my was it heartbreaking. I don't know why I read that movies are described as "heartbreaking" and yet every time I'm surprised. It was amazing, though. It is now my favorite of Fellini's I think. The lead, Giulietta Masina, is AMAZING. Cute and gives a very touching and convincing performance as the prostitute who can't find happiness (I wonder why?). It's better than Pretty Woman, at least, although that's really not saying much. I worry about people who like that movie. Very much I worry.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the clip. Liza Minelli is no joke. Love her.

(source)
Charity :)

PS-I got Wicked tickets for October! Unfortunately I couldn't get them for the weekend that my mom could come with us, but Rich and I will surely have a blast!

parenting.

While I have just about given up on having kids of my own, I imagine I will never give up judging others for their poor parenting choices.

In that vein, I read a really interesting article today; it was actually a blog/opinion piece, but very well-written and apt.

My cousin is here, otherwise I'd write more, but since no one read this anyway, I'll just pretend I wrote Judith Warner's blog entry...


Some photos I also didn't take (Jill Greenberg did).
Charity :)

i'm all about balance.

When I used to do yoga in Greensboro at a fancy friendly healthy nice yoga studio (which I still miss tremendously), I would stop on the way home to buy a bag of Doritos. It's all about the balance, I would laugh guiltily. I'm doing something great for my body, so now I need to eat some Doritos or I'll be all out of whack (I actually lost weight that year and was in great shape by the end of it, incidentally).

In the spirit of balance, then, of my previous post, in a not serious but delicious way, I'd like to share the recipe of one of my favorite Spanish tapas, the Spanish Omelette (tortilla de patatas). Enjoy! And namaste!

(Also, the recipe I used before was much simpler and did not have garlic but did have black pepper. I like the black pepper. Also, I would slice the onions thinly rather than chop them, but that's just my preference.)


Ingredients

* 1/2 pint of olive oil
* 5 medium (40 oz each) baking potatoes, peeled, sliced and lightly sprinkled with salt
* 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 5 eggs
* Salt

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a 9-inch skillet and add the potato slices carefully, because the salt will make the oil splatter. Try to keep the potato slices separated so they will not stick together. Cook, turning occasionally, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain into a colander, leaving about 3 tablespoons of oil in the skillet.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt. Add the potatoes, and stir to coat with the egg. Add the egg-coated potatoes to the very hot oil in the skillet, spreading them evenly to completely cover the base of the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook, shaking the pan frequently, until mixture is half set.

Use a plate to cover the skillet and invert the omelette away from the hand holding the plate (so as not to burn your hand with any escaping oil). Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and slide the omelette back into the skillet on its uncooked side. Cook until completely set. Allow the omelette to cool, and then cut it into wedges. Season it with salt and sprinkle with lemon juice to taste (optional).

Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves four, prep time 35 minutes. (source)

things we should be eating (NYT).

June 30, 2008, 8:50 am
The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating
by Tara Parker-Pope
New York Times/Well Section

Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t. But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.

1. Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
2. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
3. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
4. Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
5. Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.
How to eat: Just drink it.
6. Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.
How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
7. Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.
How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
8. Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.'’ They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
9. Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,'’ it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
10. Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.
How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
11. Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.

You can find more details and recipes on the Men’s Health Web site, which published the original version of the list last year.

In my own house, I only have two of these items — pumpkin seeds, which I often roast and put on salads, and frozen blueberries, which I mix with milk, yogurt and other fruits for morning smoothies. How about you? Have any of these foods found their way into your shopping cart?

--------------

I'm off to buy some frozen blueberries! After working on my dissertation for a few hours (blegh, but yay!)

Charity :)

i went to church this weekend.

Yep, you read right. It was pretty fun. I'll be back. The spiritual guidance, the pageantry, the pigtailed little girls and boys in argyle sweaters, the prayer, the communion. Yeah, I'll be back.

In other news: I saw the new Batman movie (did I already tell you?) and it was AWESOME but that was last week. Let's see, I also did some transcribing (but not enough--it is NEVER ENOUGH), went to the pool a few times, worked out at the gym quite a bit (Yay!) and babysat a few times.

I'm really going to miss the Elliotts. It is only when someone leaves that you realize how much you will miss them, I think. The way I'm feeling now, that means I'm in for a sad sad September. (August I will be spending several weeks in North Carolina and the other weeks preparing for my class to begin and getting caught up at work).

I guess the good news is that there's always my dissertation to keep me busy and hopefully distracted.

And now, there's also church.

charity :)

as if i needed another reason...

druthers.

I'm just saying. (source)

feeling better!

That's it. I'm just feeling better. I started to read this great book: Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationships by John Welwood and it has me feeling very calm. Also, my decision not to feel sad today helped, and my decision to spend all day transcribing, and my decision to go to the gym and start doing yoga every day again, and my decision to go to church next weekend. I won't tell my parents, though, because I don't think they'll approve of the denomination, but I'm pretty excited about it.

Charity :)

Michigan rag.

As performed by Marley Cat Manasse.

I can't remember if I posted the video above already. It was from my visit to Baltimore in like March or whenever.

I'm feeling sad now. So sad I couldn't even fill in the Myspace survey Erin posted. So I'm just going to post this and then go to bed and hope I feel better tomorrow. At least I finally finished transcribing that doctor's interview. He was from New Jersey and talked SUPER fast. Now, I just have ten more to go... Hmm, and I told my advisor I'd have them done by the time he gets back from Sweden. Um, Thursday. Yeah, I don't think that's so much going to happen...

God, this has been a stressful weekend. I'm so glad it's Monday tomorrow. Oh wait, that means it's Monday tomorrow. And one day closer to Thursday.

Dude.

NYT story about the economy (spoiler: we're in trouble).

New York Times, July 19, 2008
Uncomfortable Answers to Questions on the Economy
By PETER S. GOODMAN

You have heard that Fannie and Freddie, their gentle names notwithstanding, may cripple the financial system without a large infusion of taxpayer money. You have gleaned that jobs are disappearing, housing prices are plummeting, and paychecks are effectively shrinking as food and energy prices soar. You have noted the disturbing talk of crisis hovering over Wall Street.

Something has clearly gone wrong with the economy. But how bad are things, really? And how bad might they get before better days return? Even to many economists who recently thought the gloom was overblown, the situation looks grim. The economy is in the midst of a very rough patch. The worst is probably still ahead.

...

Article posted here if you're interested. I'm cutting it because it's too long and I'm tired of seeing it on my blog.

fun for the whole family!

Above: A slideshow of photos from the recent Welch Family Reunion at Natural Tunnel Park in Virginia. Enjoy!


Above: A Brief Tour of the Natural Tunnel at the Natural Tunnel State Park, Virginia.


Above: The Welch Family Singers; my camera was being weird so I only got a brief clip, but we had a lot of fun. People in the crowd were singing, kids were running in and out and everyone was just having a wonderful time. True family fun. Plus more ham that you could possibly know what to do with. If you're into that sort of thing...

Anyway, so much for my early bedtime tonight! I've been meaning to get these up for some time, though!

Charity :)

ice skating and middle school math quiz.

I went ice skating today at the Marietta Ice Center and boy was it FUN! I hope I can go again very soon. I highly recommend it. It feels kind of like walking smoothly, balanced on the dull edges of two knives, on a big ice cube. Because that's what it is, essentially. Also, when we left there were people playing hockey on the big rink and I got to watch it. How fun, and they move really fast! Maybe someday. When I get a little more comfortable moving on a big ice cube.


Well, it wasn't exactly like this, but pretty close (source).

OK, here's the quiz:

Question: How long will it take Charity to get home from ice skating given that the skating rink is approximately 20 miles away from her house if she is moving approximately 2 meters per hour due to REPAVING THAT HAS BEEN SCHEDULED ON WEEKENDS TO CLOSE 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC GOING SOUTH AT ONCE ON A FIVE LANE PORTION OF TWO MAJOR HIGHWAYS THAT IDIOTICALLY UNITE AND THEN RUN THROUGH A MAJOR CITY?

Answer: 4 hours.


My view for most of the four hours was something like this.

I had to cancel babysitting tonight, which luckily turned out to be not a problem. What a day. So now, it's Charity's favorite meal of nachos, beer, and candy, I guess. At least I've been working out lately.

I think I need to take a long scorching hot bath and then fall asleep right in front of my box fan. No one can say CHARITY doesn't know how to have a good time on a Saturday night...

charity :)

last night (Tubby del Toro).

Last night I dreamed I that Benicio del Toro came to call. He was even better looking than I remembered, and younger. He and I were talking in my parents' kitchen, and when my dad came in, the first thing he did was stick out his hand for a handshake and ask what ethnicity he was.

Benicio turned to me with a knowing smile and responded that he was Seminole, from Guadalcanal. Then he told us his real name was Yes Fire Hot. We went for a bike ride in the park, but it started snowing, so he dragged me around on the ice and we had a delightful time.

I wish the Dog Whisperer had been on last night. I might have dreamed of puppies instead.

****

I found out last night that my sweet sweet sweet cat Tubby was found dead and buried by some nice Vietnamese people who live across the street from my mom. Poor poor Tubby. Now she will fertilize some strangers' garden, but I don't mind. I miss her terribly. She was my sweet little old lady kitty, the most beautiful cat in the world. When I used to pet her head she would stare up at me with big beautiful eyes lined in black and orange and flat ears and freckles and I called her my refugee kitty, so I guess it's fitting that her final rest be in some nice immigrants' garden.

RIP Tubby, and I pray that in the great cat beyond you have all the triangle food and piano serenades your little kitty heart desires.

charity :)