Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Public Service Announcement
Due to the craziness of that thing called life posts have been near impossible. I will get back to a regular schedule as soon as I can. Thank you for your patience. :)
Monday, August 24, 2009
Original 31 Flavors
One of my passions is food. Whether it's a simple hamburger or a plate of shrimp scampi with linguine, I love to cook and eat. Trying to pick my favorite food would be like trying to pick my favorite book, fairly impossible, but I will always have a weakness for one. Ice cream. Anytime of the year, anytime of the day, I can eat ice cream. I like most flavors except: amaretto, pistachio, birthday cake, cotton candy, and black walnut. It is said that ice cream as we know it today (more or less) arrived on the scene in the 18th century. Soft serve was brought to us in the 20th century thanks to a research team in good old Britain (turns out a young Margaret Thatcher, who has served as Prime Minister of Great Britain, was on that team). And now, tons of flavors and companies exist, bringing the joy of ice cream to us all. Sometimes though, you just have to make some for yourself. Sure, it's easy to run down to the store and pick up a pint of the wonderful treat, but homemade ice cream gives you a sense of accomplishment. So, for your exploring pleasure, I have dug up a recipe that I used in a Chemistry class.
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 to 3/4 cup rock salt
2 cups ice
1-quart Ziploc bag
1-gallon Ziploc bag
1. Add sugar, cream, milk, and vanilla to the quart bag and seal very well. (You may want to tape around the seal as well)
2. Put ice into the gallon bag allow with the salt. (This is why the first bag needs to be sealed well. From experience I can tell you salty ice cream does not taste good)
3. Place the quart bag into the gallon bag and seal the gallon bag well.
4. Shake the bag well for 10-15 minutes or until the ice cream is the consistancy you want (it will be like soft serve). (You will probably want to cover the bag in a towel because it gets pretty cold)
5. Carefully open the gallon bag and remove the smaller bag with your yummy ice cream in it. Wipe off the seal as to not get any salt in your treat.
6. Open and enjoy! (Unless you want harder ice cream, then you can put it in the freezer)
A note on flavors: Although this recipe makes vanilla, you can use a number of things as flavoring. When I made this in my Chemistry class, I also added a powdered grapefruit drink mix. (I know, grapefruit and vanilla? It actually was amazing). I'm sure other drink fruit mixes can be used as well as other flavorings (such as mint). Use your imagination. Explore! Tell me what you come up with.
5
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 to 3/4 cup rock salt
2 cups ice
1-quart Ziploc bag
1-gallon Ziploc bag
1. Add sugar, cream, milk, and vanilla to the quart bag and seal very well. (You may want to tape around the seal as well)
2. Put ice into the gallon bag allow with the salt. (This is why the first bag needs to be sealed well. From experience I can tell you salty ice cream does not taste good)
3. Place the quart bag into the gallon bag and seal the gallon bag well.
4. Shake the bag well for 10-15 minutes or until the ice cream is the consistancy you want (it will be like soft serve). (You will probably want to cover the bag in a towel because it gets pretty cold)
5. Carefully open the gallon bag and remove the smaller bag with your yummy ice cream in it. Wipe off the seal as to not get any salt in your treat.
6. Open and enjoy! (Unless you want harder ice cream, then you can put it in the freezer)
A note on flavors: Although this recipe makes vanilla, you can use a number of things as flavoring. When I made this in my Chemistry class, I also added a powdered grapefruit drink mix. (I know, grapefruit and vanilla? It actually was amazing). I'm sure other drink fruit mixes can be used as well as other flavorings (such as mint). Use your imagination. Explore! Tell me what you come up with.
5
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
And Every Song Reminds Me of You
When I started this post it was going to be about how I am having some trouble moving on with certain things because I was recently dumped by my boyfriend. The title comes from the fact that we shared so many interests and I am contantly reminded of him by things that I like. I realized though, that the topic really didn't fit with the theme of the blog; I don't want this to just be a personal diary sort of thing. Also, I just don't feel like talking about it here and I am sure you don't want to hear about it. So, I deleted the three paragraphs I'd written and went back to the drawing board. The original title stayed because I liked it and it is from this title that I decided to do a little post on music.
To say that music is a part of my life would be like saying breathing is a part of my life. I do not exaggerate when I say that I always have a song in my head. Whether it's "Nightingale" by Norah Jones, "Let Me Drown" from the musical The Wild Party, or "StarStrukk" by 3OH!3 there is always some song providing background music to my day. Some people prefer to not have to imagine their music and in this digital age that is easier than ever. You cannot pass ten people on the street without seeing at least one mp3 player. Music can be streamed via internet and even cell phones. But even before these technologies music was everywhere you looked. The radio, television, movies. Silent films were set to music and imagine how boring certain movies would be if not charged with dramatic music. One thing some people fail to think about though, is the individual instruments that come together to form a cohesive piece of music. Unless, of course, you are a musician or just a very observant person, then you think about that quite a bit. We all know the standard instruments when it comes to music: all the symphonics such as trumpet, electric guitars, drums, things like that. But what of the lesser know instruments? They do exist, trust me. Here are two for you exploring pleasure.
Theremin
Patented by Léon Theremin in 1928, the theremin is an electronic musical instrument that has been featured in the soundtracks of such films as The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) and The Ten Commandments (1956). The theremin looks mainly like a box with two metal antennas. What makes the instrument unique is the fact that it does not need to be phyiscally touched to work. Rather than try to explain, I'll just let you watch this video:
Fun stuff. Of course, the theremin can also be kind of creepy, hence its use in science fiction films. Due partly to the difficulty of the device, the theremin fell out of popularity soon after the end of World War II, but in 1994 the film Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey inspired more people to pick up the instrument once again. Today, the theremin is used by more avant-garde artists and the occasional classical composer as well as some pop artists.
Waterphone
Inspired by the Tibeten Water Drum, the waterphone was invented by Richard A. Waters. The instrument consists of a stainless steel frame and bronze rods with an interior resonator that contains water and has been compared to the sound of Humpback whales. The rods can be played with a bow, by hand, or with mallets. In the following video watch as the inventor demonstrates his creation.
I don't know about you, but I think that's really cool. The waterphone has been used in the soundtrack of such films as The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Mr. Waters still makes his waterphones to order. They start at $1000, so if you are interested in buying one check out his website http://www.waterphone.com/index.html. I'd recommend checking out his website anyway because it includes music and more information.
Well there you have it. If I have inspired you to look for more lesser known musical instruments, start here: http://www.oddmusic.com/gallery/index.html. From there, go wherever your exploring heart takes you. Let me know what you find out. I'm here to explore just as much as you are, so leave comments.
To say that music is a part of my life would be like saying breathing is a part of my life. I do not exaggerate when I say that I always have a song in my head. Whether it's "Nightingale" by Norah Jones, "Let Me Drown" from the musical The Wild Party, or "StarStrukk" by 3OH!3 there is always some song providing background music to my day. Some people prefer to not have to imagine their music and in this digital age that is easier than ever. You cannot pass ten people on the street without seeing at least one mp3 player. Music can be streamed via internet and even cell phones. But even before these technologies music was everywhere you looked. The radio, television, movies. Silent films were set to music and imagine how boring certain movies would be if not charged with dramatic music. One thing some people fail to think about though, is the individual instruments that come together to form a cohesive piece of music. Unless, of course, you are a musician or just a very observant person, then you think about that quite a bit. We all know the standard instruments when it comes to music: all the symphonics such as trumpet, electric guitars, drums, things like that. But what of the lesser know instruments? They do exist, trust me. Here are two for you exploring pleasure.
Theremin
Patented by Léon Theremin in 1928, the theremin is an electronic musical instrument that has been featured in the soundtracks of such films as The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) and The Ten Commandments (1956). The theremin looks mainly like a box with two metal antennas. What makes the instrument unique is the fact that it does not need to be phyiscally touched to work. Rather than try to explain, I'll just let you watch this video:
Fun stuff. Of course, the theremin can also be kind of creepy, hence its use in science fiction films. Due partly to the difficulty of the device, the theremin fell out of popularity soon after the end of World War II, but in 1994 the film Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey inspired more people to pick up the instrument once again. Today, the theremin is used by more avant-garde artists and the occasional classical composer as well as some pop artists.
Waterphone
Inspired by the Tibeten Water Drum, the waterphone was invented by Richard A. Waters. The instrument consists of a stainless steel frame and bronze rods with an interior resonator that contains water and has been compared to the sound of Humpback whales. The rods can be played with a bow, by hand, or with mallets. In the following video watch as the inventor demonstrates his creation.
I don't know about you, but I think that's really cool. The waterphone has been used in the soundtrack of such films as The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Mr. Waters still makes his waterphones to order. They start at $1000, so if you are interested in buying one check out his website http://www.waterphone.com/index.html. I'd recommend checking out his website anyway because it includes music and more information.
Well there you have it. If I have inspired you to look for more lesser known musical instruments, start here: http://www.oddmusic.com/gallery/index.html. From there, go wherever your exploring heart takes you. Let me know what you find out. I'm here to explore just as much as you are, so leave comments.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Plenty of Fish in the Sea, I'm Just Two of Them
At one point in my life I wanted to be an astronomer. I had an impressive collection of star charts and a map of the moon on my ceiling. The library, my second home, provided me with wonderful information on my future profession and I often checked out more books than I could really carry. Eventually however, I started to think that maybe mankind would benefit more from my life if I focused on the Earth instead of the heavens (my main goal is to help humanity directly in some way). My telescope has been exiled to the garage and the star charts handed down to my brother. The interest never left me though, so I still take my siblings out at night and see what constellations I can find. One that I never can seem to is Pisces. Another interest of mine that I have studied since elementary school is Greek mythology. It was through these two topics that I discovered the world of astrology.
My sun sign according to astrology is Pisces, symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions. Most of the time that is me to a fault. I am always of two minds about things and I see all the shades of grey. These traits caused problems for me growing up because my father is a very black and white sort of man. At times I feel like one big contradiction. I am very intellectual, yet I love fantasy. The sciences are my field of choice, but I have been having an extended love affair with the arts. I cannot live without the company of others, and I crave to just be left alone to think. According to elore.com (a website I have found particularly good), Pisceans are "in need of a container which will shape them, guide them" and "possess a gentle, patient nature, but one that is in want of molding". Yep, that sounds about right. I am very easily molded and that is one fault I am trying to work on. People cannot live their lives simply copying those around them. Another aspect of Pisceans is that they can be "easily misled because they want to believe. No matter how often they are led astray by vacant promises, they keep the faith and go on looking for their personal ideal". This is me without a doubt. I recently was dumped from a relationship that never should have gone on as long as it did simply because of my "loyalty" (for lack of a better word). In response to this a good friend told me "You can't be loyal to someone else until you are true to yourself". When it comes to relationships I tend to wear rose colored glasses; I am a hopeless romantic. The fact that I realize this about myself though, just makes it that much easier for me to fix it. I have to be more rational when it comes to relationships because in my life I tend to be very dreamy. Life is all about balance, especially when you are such an interesting blend of opposites like I am.
My sun sign according to astrology is Pisces, symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions. Most of the time that is me to a fault. I am always of two minds about things and I see all the shades of grey. These traits caused problems for me growing up because my father is a very black and white sort of man. At times I feel like one big contradiction. I am very intellectual, yet I love fantasy. The sciences are my field of choice, but I have been having an extended love affair with the arts. I cannot live without the company of others, and I crave to just be left alone to think. According to elore.com (a website I have found particularly good), Pisceans are "in need of a container which will shape them, guide them" and "possess a gentle, patient nature, but one that is in want of molding". Yep, that sounds about right. I am very easily molded and that is one fault I am trying to work on. People cannot live their lives simply copying those around them. Another aspect of Pisceans is that they can be "easily misled because they want to believe. No matter how often they are led astray by vacant promises, they keep the faith and go on looking for their personal ideal". This is me without a doubt. I recently was dumped from a relationship that never should have gone on as long as it did simply because of my "loyalty" (for lack of a better word). In response to this a good friend told me "You can't be loyal to someone else until you are true to yourself". When it comes to relationships I tend to wear rose colored glasses; I am a hopeless romantic. The fact that I realize this about myself though, just makes it that much easier for me to fix it. I have to be more rational when it comes to relationships because in my life I tend to be very dreamy. Life is all about balance, especially when you are such an interesting blend of opposites like I am.
Even if you put no stock in astrology, I would suggest taking a look at your sun sign. This blog is all about exploration, remember? astrology-online.com, elore.com, and astrology-insight.com are all good websites. Compare what is said about your sign to your own personality. It could be completely wrong or spot on. Once you do that, take a look at the Greek myth concerning your sign. I love the way the Greeks explained certain things. If you find any other good astrology websites let me know. Just have some fun while looking because you never know what you'll find. I'd love to hear about it.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Is That a Train Coming My Way?
"Live like you are dying". That is the cliche which can be found in all forms of our culture. Through songs, books, and other modes of media we are inspired to go out and live life to the fullest because it's all too short and we shouldn't waste a second of it. Faced with the thought of death we should want to spend our time loving life. It is supposed to be an inspiring message. I do not find it inspirational at all. I think that many people, if presented with the knowledge of a shortened life would at times (or at least at first) be so depressed that they would not be able to act. Of course, that may just be the cynic in me; she surfaces every once in a while and I have to beat her down with rays of sunshine. Yes, I should probably speak for myself. However, I do not understand why we should need to be reminded of our end in order to live. We all are dying when you get down to it, but why get technical, right?
Just live. That's what I have to say in response to the cliche. There is no need to be constantly preoccupied with the end. Stare at the light at the end of the tunnel for too long and you can be blinded. Don't live like you're dying; just live. If something interests you, go out and pursue it. Even if it seems a bit silly. Want to fly a kite? Do it. Never been to a certain local resturant? Check it out. You do not have to look hard to find something or someone that is interesting. The hardest part is stepping out. Actually, that is your assignment right now. Go out and do something that maybe you haven't done before or haven't done in a while. I'm not kidding. Take a small break from the internet and do something different. What could be the harm?
Follow the Leader
According to the 5th annual State of the Blogosphere report conducted by Technorati in 2008 there were 133 million total blogs indexed since 2002. Today I am adding to this number, thus becoming another statistic. Blogging was something I never considered doing; to me it seemed a pointless gesture made by those seeking the lime light, frantically waving their arms in the air hoping to get some attention. My view changed however, when a friend told me that she would be starting a blog. I wanted to support her, so I checked it out; I was impressed. Curious (I'm always curious), I started to read other blogs and some of them confirmed my suspicions, making me wonder why someone would want to read about how the most exciting event in the day of a complete stranger was them brushing their teeth, but others surprised me. They surprised me so much that I decided to start a completely pointless blog of my own. I am not claiming that I will say anything profound in this blog. I am not claiming that my grammer will be proper. I am not on the road to self discovery nor am I looking for fame. Yes, I would like it if someone read this blog and paired their thoughts with mine, but at the heart of it my reasoning for starting this blog is that I think it will be fun. Pure and simple. Who knows what will come out of it? So here I am, jumping on the blogging bandwagon. Glad you could come along for the ride.
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