26 June 2009

More uses for kimchi

So, I had some noodles from the Thai restaurant near work for lunch yesterday. There were enough leftovers to be worth saving but not enough for a full meal. And I have this home-made kimchi -- so I brought it to work and stirred a bunch of it into my freshly microwaved noodles.

Who knew? It worked great! They are astoundingly complementary flavors. It's great that this stuff is easier to use than I had feared.

Tonight or tomorrow I'm going to start a new batch and document the making of it here.

24 June 2009

Blogging -- how, where and when?

If you're one of our three readers, you've noticed that we're crazily sporadic in our blogging. There's the whole "why am I blogging" question, of course, but also some other issues: When do I have time? Where am I when something blog-worthy happens? How is it best to get the notional information into the blog?

Cathy and I have had iPhones for a few months now. Wow. We love them. I'm thinking they should help us blog on the go. I can Tweet pretty easily from my phone, so why not "real" blogging. But after a few hours of looking around and configuring various services, I think the options are pretty lame just now. At least if you're on blogger/blogspot/Google. They don't have a custom iPhone app -- maybe because that would be unsupportive of Android and the combination of other things doesn't add up to a seamless whole.

Here's what I can do:

I can email to the blog. From the iPhone, this can include a single picture and I have to initiate the process from the image -- I can't just attach it from the email client (can you say stoopid?). But this is actually a pretty elegant solution for simple posting while out and about.

I have enabled the iGoogle widget that lets me blog (among other things) from within Safari. It's also an adequate option for low-complexity posts. The good thing with this is that I can save the draft and edit it later. And I can even do it immediately -- this tool provides a quick link in. But no images without following that link. And the tool is a bit hard to use on the mobile screen.

We have a Flickr account under Cathy's name. And there is an app for the iPhone called Flickit. It does a pretty astounding job of getting images from my phone to Flickr. And I configured Flickr so that we can blog right from an image over to here. That's neat. But again, it only supports a single image. You can add more, but it's a hassle on the phone. And actually, what I do from my desktop PC seems to be impossible. Flickr knows that I'm using a mobile browser and present a simplified interface. One of the simplifications includes not displaying the "small" version of the image and not giving out the URLs. So again, it's a pretty hopeless tool for anything but the most simple use-case.

There's also an SMS-posting tool but we're on a limited texting plan and I don't want to go down that route.

So, with this imperfect array of tools, I'm going to try to blog stuff a bit more. Maybe I'll have to come back and edit things when I have a real keyboard or maybe I'll develop a style around these tools.

I keep thinking about buying a new Mac Mini so that I can write iPhone apps of my own. Here's an amazing example of something that needs to be written.

Home-made food

I've been reading Wild Fermentation lately. Inspired by the book, Cathy helped me make some kimchi. And a few days ago I made a ball of Farmer's cheese.

So...making these things is very cool, but I don't always know what to do with them. Tonight I decided to dive in.

I started by sauteeing the "paneer" with pepper and celery salt and then I dump quite a bit of the kimch into the pan and stir-fried them together. To round it out, I added a package of commercial vegetarian kebobs -- some textured wheat gluten magic.

It was actually quite good.

(Also, this is me blogging from my iPhone for the first time -- it's a bit awkard, but cool.) (And as it turns out, I haven't yet figured out a decent way to add images...I had to come back in and edit...grr!)

31 March 2009

Random RPG entry

Over at Story Games there is a thread about creating random RPG covers. Some of them are really funny. Mine's not so much, but I followed the instructions and got what I got. Behold:





10 March 2009

Our lost decade

Over at Daily Kos, there is a GREAT essay on the last ten years and what we did with it. Go here. Read it. Thanks to JWalt for pointing it out.

20 February 2009

Discs looking for a home

Hi all, we're getting rid of a bunch of old CDs that we don't care about. We'll donate them to the library or school district and write them off for a bit over $2 each. I figured I should offer them to people I know who might want them. So, if anyone wants any of the following CDs for say US$2.50 plus shipping, they're yours (assuming they're not already claimed).

GenreArtist/GroupAlbum titleNotesComposerPerforming groupConductor
AlternativeSuicidal TendenciesSuicidal Tendencies
AlternativeSuicidal TendenciesHow Will I Laugh Tomorrow...When I Can't Even Smile Today
AlternativeSex PistolsNever Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols
AlternativeSkinny PuppyToo Dark Park
AlternativePailheadTrait
AlternativeMeat PuppetsForbidden Places
AlternativeMeat PuppetsMonsters
AlternativeMeat PuppetsToo High to Die
AlternativeWeenChocolate and Cheese
AlternativeRed Hot Chili PeppersMother's Milk
AlternativeThe ClashThe Clash
Alternative & PunkJesus JonesLiquidizer [Bonus Tracks]
Alternative & PunkScreeching WeaselAnthem For A New Tomorrow
ClassicalTokyo String QuartetString Quartets CompleteBartok / JanacekTokyo String Quartet
ClassicalBernstein Favorites: OverturesVariousNew York PhilharmonicLeonard Bernstein
ClassicalVarèse: Arcana; Holst: The PlanetsHost/VaresePhilharmonia OrchestraLeonard Slatkin
Classical"Grieg: Symphonic Dances, Norwegian Dances, Lyric Pieces"GriegGothenburg Symphony OrchestraNeeme Järvi
ClassicalJohann David Heinichen: Lamentationes PassionsmusikJohann David HeinichenMusica Antiqua KolnReinhard Goebel
Classical"Dvo?ák; Symphony #9, Slavonic Dances"DvorakNew York Philharmonic OrchestraKurt Masur
ClassicalHeinz Holliger"Handel: Oboe Concertos, Concerto Grosso"English Chamber Orchestra
ClassicalBernstein Arias and BarcarollesLondon Symphony OrchestraLeonard Bernstein
ClassicalAndre RieuThe Vienna I Love: Waltzes From My HeartJohann Strauss Orchestra
ClassicalModl & WindgassenWagner Tristan und Isolde Highlights
ClassicalRomantic Overtures: Wagner and MendelssohnPhilharmonia Hungarica"Arthur Gruber, Alois Springer"
ClassicalMozart Orchestral Legends
ClassicalPablo CasalsCasals Early Recordings 1925-1928
ClassicalSteven IsserlisBoccherini: Concertos and Sonatas for CelloBoccheriniOstrobothnian Chamber Orchestra
ClassicalCantus ArcticusEinojuhani Rautavaara
ClassicalBryn TerfelOpera AriasMetropolitan Opera OrchestraJames Levine
Classical"Copland: El Salón México, Music For The Theatre"Aaron CoplandNew York Philharmonic OrchestraLeonard Bernstein
ClassicalHaydn: London SymphoniesPhilharmonia OrchestraLeonard Slatkin
ClassicalDvo?ák's New World Symphony & Other Orchestral MasterworksDvo?ákChicago Symphony OrchestraFritz Reiner
ClassicalRussian Choral Music - Music of the PassionGlinka Choir Of Leningrad
ClassicalRussian Choral Music - Russian EasterChoir of the Trinity - St. Sergius Laura and the Moscow Theological Academy
ClassicalRussian Choral Music - Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom - TchaikovskyPeter Ilyich TchaikovskyUSSR Ministry Of Culture Chamber ChoirValery Polyansky
ClassicalRussian Choral Music - Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom - RachmaninovRachmaninovMoscow Chamber Choir
ClassicalRussel BrazzelTwentieth Century Cuban Music
Classical"Mozart Concerti K242, K365, K466"MozartEnglish Chamer OrchestraSir Georg Solti
ClassicalGorecki: Symphony No. 3Henryk GoreckiLondon SinfoniettaDavid Zinman
ClassicalItzhak Perlman and Daniel BarenboimMozart: Die Sonaten Fur Klavier Und Violine4 discsMozart
ClassicalJohn Williams and Arthur FiedlerAmerica The BeautifulBoston Pops Orchestra
ClassicalThe Wedding AlbumCompilation of music played at weddings.
ClassicalCarreras Domingo PavarottiThe Three Tenors in ConcertMehta
ClassicalKoechlin and ZinmanThe Jungle BookBerlin Symphony Orchestra
ClassicalVariousMaxiplay: Go For the Gold"""Greatest Hits"" of classical music. It's a good disc, though many music snobs would dislike it."
Classical"Cecilia Bartoli, Myung-Whun Chung"Chant D'Amour - Mélodies Françaises
Classical"Ravel: Boléro, Rapsodie Espagnole, Pavane, Alborada Del Gracioso, Daphnis Et Chloe"RavelChicago Symphony OrchestraDaniel Barenboim
ClassicalSibelius: Syphonies Nos. 2&6London Symphony OrchestraSir. Colin Davis
ClassicalThe Met OrchestraDon Quixote and Tod und Verklarung StraussThe Met OrchestraJames Levine
ClassicalRichard Strauss: Vier letzte Lieder; Tod und Verklärung; MetamorphosenStraussBerlin PhilharmonicVon Karajan
Classical"Strauss (R): Also Sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan"StraussBerlin PhilharmonicVon Karajan
ClassicalTchaikovsky Symphony #5TchaikovskyRadio Symphony OrchestraAnton Nanut
ClassicalThe Soloists From ZagrebThe Best of Vivaldi: 7 All Time Faborite ConcertosVivaldi
ClassicalNigel KennedyVivaldi: The Four SeasonsEnglish Chamber OrchestraNigel Kennedy
ClassicalItzhak Perlman and Israel ZoharTradition: Itzhak Perlman Plays Poplular Jewish MelodiesIsrael Philarhmonic OrchestraDov Seltzer
Classical"Eveline Schuler, Folk Harp"Sound of Austria: A Treasury of Alpine Folk MusicSchuler Folk Ensemble
ClassicalMusic Of BulgariaEnsemble of the Bulgarian RepublicPhilip Koutev
ClassicalThe Best of the German Marches IIThe Maritime Self Defence Force Band of Tokyo
ClassicalWagner: Ride of the Valkyries"""Great Orchestral Music From ""The Ring"""""WagnerCleveland OrchestraGeorge Szell
ClassicalSimon DentGreatest Oboe Concertos (Die Schonsten Oboenkonzerte)Vladislav Czarnecki
ClassicalGil ShahamViolin Romances: Romances for Violin an OrchestraOrpheus Chamber Orchestra
ClassicalVariousThe Magic of the CelloVariousVariousVarious
ClassicalCharles GerhardtClassic Film Scores For Errol FlynnNational Philharmonic Orchestra
Electronica/DanceFront 242Geography
Electronica/DanceFront 242Tyranny (for you)
Electronica/DanceFront 24205:22:09:12 Off
Electronica/DanceNitzer EbbAs Is [EP]stained case in poor shape. CD fine.
Electronica/DanceNitzer Ebbebbhead
Hip Hop/RapBeastie BoysLicensed to Ill
Hip Hop/RapBeastie BoysCheck Your Head
Hip Hop/RapDigital UndergroundSex Packets
Hip Hop/RapDJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince"He's The DJ, I'm The Rapper"
Hip Hop/RapDigital UndergroundThis is an E.P. Release
Jazz"Harry Connick, Jr."When Harry Met Sally Soundtrack
JazzLouis ArmstrongLaughin' Louie
JazzKenny GDuotones
JazzCharlie ParkerBird: The Original Recordings of Charlie Parker
JazzNatalie ColeUnforgettable With Love
MetalTwisted SisterBig Hits & Nasty Cuts
PopNeil DiamondHeartlight
PopElton JohnThe One
PopPhil CollinsSerious Hits… Live
PopThe New Christy MinstrelsGreatest Hits
PopThe Mamas and the Papas16 of their Greatest Hits
PopCarole KingTapestry
PopJefferson AirplaneJefferson Airplane
PopCarly SimonMy Romance
PopGeneration X Perfect Hits 1975-1981
PopAretha FranklinWhat You See is What You Get
PunkDanzig IIIHow the Gods Kill
R&BAretha FranklinThe Best of Aretha FranklinStill in shrink
R&BSly & the Family Stone Greatest Hits
R&BRay CharlesMy World
R&BThe DriftersGolden Hits
R&BRighteous BrothersAnthology 1962-1974 Disc 1
R&BRighteous BrothersAnthology 1962-1974 Disc 2
R&BRay CharlesThe Best of Ray Charles
RockThe AssociationGreatest Hits!
RockB-52sCosmic Thing
RockBow Wow WowI Want Candy
RockOingo BoingoBest O' Boingo
RockBlondieThe Best of Blondie
RockT-RexThe Very Best of T-Rex
RockStyxCome Sail Away: The Styx Anthology
RockMekonsThe Mekons Rock N'Roll
RockU2Rattle And Hum
RockThe TubesThe Best of the Tubes 1981-1987
RockSteve WinwoodRoll With It
RockThe RembrandtsLP
RockMen at WorkBusiness as Usual
RockElvis Costello & The AttractionsArmed Forces [Bonus Tracks]
RockEric ClaptonThe Cream of Clapton
RockGeorge Thorogood & The DestroyersThe Baddest Of George Thorogood & The Destroyers
RockRushMoving Pictures
RockRush2112
RockSammy HagarUnboxed
RockDon HenleyI Can't Stand Still
RockJerry Lee Lewis18 Original Greatest Hits
RockJethro TullThick as a Brick
RockJethro TullAqualung
RockJethro TullOriginal Masters
RockVariousPunky But Chic: The American New Wave Scene
RockSoundgardenBadmotorfinger
RockCreedence Clearwater RevivalChronicle
RockElvis PresleyThe Top 10 Hits disc 2RachmaninovUSSR Ministry Of Culture Chamber Choir
RockElvis PresleyThe Top 10 Hits disc 1
RockElvis PresleyThe Number 1 Hits
RockGolden EarringThe Continuing Story Of Radar Love
RockThe Guess WhoTack Record: The Guess Who Collection2 CD set
RockBob DylanUnder the Red Sky
RockAerosmithBig Ones
SoundtrackVariousPump Up The Volume Motion Picture Soundtrack
SoundtrackJohn WilliamsStar Wars Original SoundtrackJohn WilliamsLondon Symphony OrchestraJohn Williams
SoundtrackJohn WilliamsStar Wars A New Hope SoundtrackJohn WilliamsLondon Symphony OrchestraJohn Williams
SoundtrackJohn WilliamsTHE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - Symphonic Suite from the Original Motion Picture ScoreJohn WilliamsNational Philharmonic Charles Gerhardt
SoundtrackBraveheart Original Motional Picture SoundtrackJames HornerLondon Symphony OrchestraJames Horner
SoundtrackIndependence Day Original Motion Picture SoundtrackDavid Arnold
SoundtrackJurassic Park Original Motion Picture SoundtrackJohn Williams
SoundtrackMission: Impossible - Music from and Inspired by the motion picture
SoundtrackHamlet Original Motion Picture SoundtrackEnnio Morricone
SoundtrackDances With Wolves Original Motion Picture SoundtrackJohn Barry
SoundtrackWyatt Earp: Music from the Motion PictureJames Newton Howard
SoundtrackWolf Original Motion Picture SoundtrackEnnio Morricone
SoundtrackStar Wars: Episode 1 The Phantom Menace Original Motion Picture SoundtrackJohn WilliamsLondon Symphony Orchestra
SoundtrackVariousMusic from the Films of Clint EastwoodVarious
WorldBuckwheat ZydecoTaking It Home
WorldHebrew NationalKosher Classics

17 February 2009

Charlie's Soap: Best Laundry Soap ever!


Ok, I feel a bit silly blogging about a laundry soap, but I really like this stuff.

It's called "Charlie's Soap," and it's a small family-owned business. The soap is biodegradable, hypo-allergenic, and has no dyes or perfumes. The clothes come out of my dryer smelling... clean, not perfumy.

I got some of the soap because I'd heard that it actually eliminates the sour smell that comes from leaving laundry in a front-loading washing machine too long. I love my front-loader - it gets things cleaner than any other washing machine I've ever had, but if you leave a load in the washer for more than 4 or 5 hours, the clothes get stinky, and I'm TERRIBLE about starting a load in the evening, and forgetting about it until the next morning. Sigh... all that water savings goes right down the drain if you have to re-wash your clothes all the time. So, I'd taken to using the delay wash feature for when I started a load relatively late in the evening, so that the clothes would actually start washing the next morning. And I try to be prompt about transferring the clothes to the dryer.

Anyway, Charlie's Soap doesn't fully eliminate the mildew smell if you leave it overnight, but it's enormously better. And best of all, once you've used it awhile, you can stop using fabric softeners. Most of the stiffness in the cloth comes from all the chemicals and detergents and surfactants that never really get rinsed away fully (some fiber artists told me that it takes 15 rinses before it's all actually gone).

I asked why it works on the mildew smell, and it's because things like bleach and mildew killers actually kill or dessicate the mildew organism, but don't actually wash it away. So the mildew is still there, just in a dead form. And dead mildew is an EXCELLENT medium for growing new mildew. Charlie's Soap actually breaks up the mildew and washes it away. Mildew, if you leave wet clothes sealed up in the washer for long enough, will still happen, but it takes longer. Leaving the washer open when not in use also helps.

Charlie's Soap has very little suds, and rinses away completely, so no soap is left behind, which is why it helps those with chemical sensitivities, or dry or sensitive skin.

Even the pickiest members of my family agree that the clothes are coming out softer - plenty soft enough that we can discontinue the dryer sheets.

It comes in two forms - Powdered and Liquid. The latter is better for washing Gortex fabrics, but the powdered is great for just about everything else. And best of all? You use only a tablespoon per wash, and it really does dissolve completely. I can detect a faint odor when I stick my nose very close to the powder. The liquid has a more noticible scent, but it just smells kind of soapy to me. I'll be using the powdered most of the time. It's more concentrated, and you can buy it in 5-gallon buckets, which is good for well over 1000 washes (the price ends up being $0.11 per load if you buy it in that quantity at full price (I bought a few other items, which dropped the price on the big bucket even farther), which is better than 1/2 the cost of liquid purchased at a grocery store. I got some of the all-purpose cleaner to use as a spot cleaner.

Shipping is always free on the big buckets. Right now, through the end of February, shipping is free on any item, but it's goes back up to free shipping with orders greater than $25 or thereabouts, in March.

Games!