In memoriam

Today we mourn the loss of one of our dearest family members: Giño. Named for a faulty headlight that didn't flip down with the other, he was a charming addition to our family and liked and respected by all. Recently, however, he began to show his true obstinate and ornery nature. T-rav did his best to tame this wild beast, to no avail. Today, in the graveyard of car parts know as Cedar City, Giño bit the dust. Let us all spare a moment of silence in his memory...

And then break out a bat to smash this piece of crap to smithereens!!!

Here's the story: this weekend we decided to go camping in southern Utah with our friends who recently moved to Arizona. The plan was to meet in St. George and then head to Zions for some hiking and adventuring. Our plan was thwarted. Greatly. And words (at least words that I feel would be appropriate to post on my blog) do not express my anger, frustration, disgust with our rotten little Honda.

We were driving up a hill somewhere between Nephi and Fillmore when we noticed the first signs that something was wrong: every time we tried to accelerate up the hill, the gear would slip out. If we downshifted, the car returned to normal. Or if we returned to flat ground. But anytime we tried to speed our way up a hill, Giño insisted on slipping out of gear...which usually means 1 thing- transmission trouble. And then there was that mysterious steam and stink that emanated from hood of the car when we stopped.

Luckily, we stopped at Cove Fort (= middle of nowhere Utah) where there happened to be a gas station/repair shop that could take a look. After affirming that yes, it was a transmission problem the repair guy eagerly offered to tow us the 80 miles to the closest transmission shop in Cedar City (for a "discounted rate of only $350) which we had no choice but to accept (it was that or leave the car there at the gas station...in retrospect, I think that would have been a better option).

After an interesting ride with a crazy, uneducated, prejudiced small town 20-something, burgers at Brads "Food Hut," a walk in the city park, and anxious minutes wondering what the fate of our car (or rather, our checkbooks) would be, the verdict was....

The transmission fluid has been bbqued, which means in a few more miles, the transmission itself will be dead.

Completely ruined.

Sure, we can put a "new" used tranny in for around $1500, but considering the fact that we didn't even pay that much for the car itself, it just doesn't seem worth it somehow.

Our friends are on their way to come pick us up so we can salvage the remainder of the weekend. Right now I'm sitting at a picnic table at a rather pleasant KOA across from the transmission shop waiting for all the kids to get out of the pool so I can go swim. But basically, this has been the worst day I've had in a long time (sorry to complain- but you all know how much I loathe spending money...especially in a situation like this).

Does anyone feel like driving down to Cedar City to pick us up on Sunday?

How do you choose who to vote for?

This year's election has me in a quandry: I have no idea who to vote for, dislike both candidates, and find myself wishing desperately that I could form a 3rd party all on my own...but then who would I nominate for president?? Lately, T-rav and I have been discussing the pros and cons of both Obama and McCain, leaving me feeling just as undecided as before. Anyway, here are some facts from a recent CBS/NY Times survey. I thought they were interesting, if nothing else.

• Barack Obama leads John McCain 45 percent to 39 percent in the latest CBS News/New York Times poll of registered voters nationwide.
• 43 percent of registered voters believe Obama says what he believes, not just what voters want to hear. Down from 53 percent in May. Forty-six percent believe McCain says what he believes, down from 51 percent in May.
• Slightly more than half of McCain voters - and 56 percent of Obama voters - say the candidates have changed their issue positions to get elected. About 4 in 10 of those who feel that way say the change has made them think worse of the candidates.
• 73 percent of voters describe McCain as "very patriotic," while 37 percent view Obama that way. Obama has improved on this measure. In April, just 29 percent considered him "very patriotic."
• When asked who would be an effective commander in chief 46 percent say McCain would "very likely" be effective, while just 24 percent say the same of Obama. Thirty-six percent say it is "not likely" Obama will be effective.
• Forty-eight percent of registered voters believe America's image in the world will get better if Obama is elected, while just 18 percent say America's image will improve if McCain is elected.
• Voters under 65 support Obama, particularly those between 18 and 29 years old, where there is a 12 percentage point difference between the candidates. Voters 65 and older favor McCain by a small margin.

So how do I choose?

My NOW list

For our book club this month, we just finished reading the book No Opportunity Wasted (NOW) by Phil Koeghan (the host of the Amazing Race). The book is based on the idea that you should seize every opportunity presented to you in order to live a more fulfilling life. Being the kind of person who enjoys motivational books (especially when they're adventure stories), I quite enjoyed this one.

So in order to help you achieve your wildest dreams, Phil goes through 8 different themes of life. As you read each chapter, you're supposed to make a goal of sorts based on the theme of the chapter. Here's my list:

1. (Face your fear) Since I'm terrified of performing in front of people (especially for an audition), I want to audition for and participate in some type of local dramatic/musical event (a musical, play, opera, etc).
   
2. (Get lost) Get lost in another culture...one that I'm not very familiar/comfortable with, learn a lot about it and then eventually go there to visit. I think I'll start with China. or maybe Korea.
3. (Test your limits) Participate in a triathalon sprint.
   
4. (Take a leap of faith) Move to Italy for at least a year.
5. (Rediscover your childhood) Take a pottery class and learn to make really fantastic pots (much better than the little snake ones I used to make as a kid)
6. (Shed your inhibitions/ express yourself) Take an Irish dance class and perform in a "recital." And yes, I want to wear a fancy little dress and put my hair all in curls.
7. (Break new ground) Sponsor a refugee family to come to the US and help them get established here.
8. (Aim for the heart). This one is a secret that I can't post in such a public place. But it has something to do with surprising someone with one of their dreams.
   

On another note: (1) I'm really sick of eating mushy food, but my face is finally decreasing in size. (2) I've gotten really wimpy when it comes to humidity. Today the humidity percentage was about 35-40% and I thought I was going to die. It's so blazing hot! (3) These pictures were brought to you by Still Light Photography, owned by our friends B-rad and Caroline. They're really fantastic photographers (I escpeically enjoy the enhancements they have given to T-rav. It suits him, don't you think? And don't worry- they only punish difficult-to-photograph peeps like ourselves with such additions).

Delirium and chubby cheeks

So yesterday was the fateful day...and I made it out alive. To no one's surprise, I remember about 10 seconds after the anesthesiologist stuck me with the needle. I vaguely remember waking up to zillah and the nurse staring down at me, but I have absolutely no recollection of how my wallet was removed from my back pocket, my bill was paid, and how I ended up in the car. We stopped for some jamba juice on the way home (I was absolutely starving) and then swung by Smith's to get my prescriptions filled. On my way into the store, I decided that I needed to take a rest on the back of Zillah's car (2 feet away from the door had I just come out of), after which I made it to a shopping cart...and promptly sat on the ground in the parking lot. Zillah and some random Mexican ladies dragged me back to the car, where I believe I passed out. When I came to, there was an enormous t-shirt that a nice trucker man had put on the windshield for me so I wouldn't bake in the sun. Meanwhile, Zillah was inside purchasing lortab under my name and using my visa card to pay for it. I love the lack of security on prescription drugs.

Since then, I've been doing pretty well. T-rav has been making me lots of smoothies and cuting up popcicles for me (I can't get my mouth open wide enough to suck on them). As you can see, my cheeks are very fat and I think I'm developing a faint bruise on each side. I hoping for bruises to make me look like I fought a battle instead of just getting my teeth pullled.

impending doom

Tomorrow I get my wisdom teeth out.

I'm afraid.

One more thing

South Africa is considering legalizing prostitution for the 2010 World Cup. They're even making plans for the girls to operate in "safe" environments. How comforting.

Whatever happened to freedom of religion

This morning as I was perusing the latest headlines on the BBC, I came across this article entitled "French minister denounces burqa." It irked me for several reasons, which I will get to in a moment.

But first, for those of you who are not familiar with exactly what a burqa is, let me enlighten you. Muslims believe in hijab, which means "to veil or cover." Much like Mormons, they believe that both women and men should be modest in dress. The burqa is an outer garment worn by very conservative Muslim women with the purpose of covering one's entire bodies. You will see burqas with actual eye holes or sometimes a mesh screen (like the one on the left). This is not to be confused with the simple *veil (head scarf) that many Muslim women wear (covering only their hair), or the chador, which loosely covers the entire body, but leaves the face open to the breeze.

So back to the BBC. The point of the article was that a Moroccan Muslim woman in France was denied French citizenship because she wears the burqa. Because, as the woman in question was bluntly told "her practice of 'radical' Islam was not compatible with French values." The minister, a Muslim woman herself, said that the burqa "is a prison, it's a straightjacket."

I myself find the burqa to be, in many cases, a symbol of the oppression of Muslim women. For many of them, especially women in Iran, the burqa (or chador, for that matter) has been forced on them by fundamentalist regimes. They have no choice but to wear the burqa, regardless of their personal religious views.

BUT!

For many other women, especially the more conservative Muslim women, the burqa is a symbol of their modesty and chastity. It is their way of being obedient to what they perceive to be God's law. Whether of not I agree with their point of view is irrelevant; I believe that we should respect their right to practice their religion as they see fit.

So when I read that a woman in France was being denied citizenship for her religious practices, I couldn't help but be outraged. Yes, I know, it's France (maybe they never had freedom of religion). But still! This was done with complete and utter disrespect for a long-valued tradition based on a deeply rooted fear of Islam and anything associated fundamentalism. And it makes me very angry.

Although I don't think it will ever reach this point in the US, I am often astounded by the number of people I meet/ read comments from/ talk to/ etc., with views that echo Madam Minister and company's opinions. So for all of you out there who applaud France's discriminatory decision, here's something to consider:

Wearing a burqa does NOT equal fundamentalist.
Veiling does NOT equal oppressed.
Being Muslim does NOT equal terrorist.

*An interesting side note about veiling: many scholars believe that head covering did not begin with Islam, but was introduced into Arabia (where Mohammed eventually adopted the practice, to some extent) by people from Syria and Iran. It is believed that veiling was a sign of social status because a woman who was veiled could obviously not work in the fields...kind of like Chinese women whose feet were bound.

Chicken Tostadas

Tonight Zillah and I went for a Mexican style dinner. It was delicious (although K didn't give us the usual "It looks fantastic!" both he and T-rav ate enough to convince me that it really was tasty) and, aside from having a lot to chop up, it was pretty simple. Here's the recipe, thanks to Gourmet July 2008.

Chicken Tostadas

1 medium white onion
1 pound tomatoes, quartered
2 large garlic cloves
1 or 2 fresh serrano chiles, stemmed
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce - or some other green like romaine or red leaf
6 large radishes, halved and sliced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided
1 rotisserie chicken, meat coarsely shredded (4 cups)- if you're too poor to buy a pre-cooked chicken, broil a few chicken breasts and then shred them. It takes a bit longer, but it's cheaper...
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 (1-pound) can refried beans, heated
1 avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled
1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
1/4 cup crumbled queso añjo (aged white cheese, also called cotija) or ricotta salata -we used white cheddar

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Cut half of onion into 3/4-inch wedges, then chop remainder. Toss onion wedges, tomatoes, garlic, and whole chiles with 2 tablespoons oil in a 4-sided sheet pan, spreading in 1 layer.
3. Broil about 4 inches from heat until softened and charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, toss together lettuce, radishes, chopped onion, and half of cilantro.
4. Purée tomato mixture in a blender along with one or both roasted serranos (to taste) and 1 teaspoon salt until smooth (use caution when blending hot foods). Transfer purée to a bowl and stir in chicken, remaining cilantro, and salt to taste.
5. Heat remaining 1/2 cup oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry tortillas, 1 at a time, turning once or twice and pressing with tongs to immerse, until golden brown, 45 to 60 seconds per tortilla. Drain briefly on paper towels, then transfer to plates.
6. Spread tortillas thickly with heated refried beans, then top with chicken mixture. Slice avocado over tostadas and dollop with crema.
7. Mound lettuce mixture on top and sprinkle with cheese.

a fast food nation?

This term at UVU, one of my main goals (aside from the whole improving pronunciation, grammar, fluency, thing) has been to convince my level 4 Speaking class that Americans eat more than just fast food. We've had quite lively discussions about what a "typical" or "traditional" American dinner would be. Inevitably, their answer is always "hamburgers and french fries." Mine is always more along the lines of meat and potatoes, meatloaf, some kind of casserole, spaghetti, etc. We compromised with this list:

• apple pie
• meat and potatoes
• turkey and stuffing
• hot dogs
  
• cake
• pasta and sauce

That's what 4 Mexicans, 6 Koreans, 2 Mongolians, 2 Peruvians, 1 Chinese, 1 El Salvadoran, and 1 Malian think about daily American cuisine.

But honestly. Do you really think that a normal family comes home from McDonald's every day with a Big mac and fries? Well, I didn't think so at first. But perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe Americans really do eat fast food all the time. Maybe I'm an anomaly because I only eat fast food when I'm on a road trip and the only restaurant within 200 miles is a Wendys...and then I get a baked potato (fast food makes me ill when I'm driving). So after a bit of research I discovered these disturbing facts from Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser.

• Every day about one quarter of the U.S. population eats fast food.
• The golden arches are now more widely recognized than the Christian cross.
• American children now get about one quarter of their total vegetable servings in the form of potato chips and French fries.
• This year Americans will spend over $110 billion on fast food more than they'll spend on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music combined.

Wikipedia says that "the average American eats out more than five times a week and often, one or more of those five times is at a fast food restaurant." Granted, many of those people are probably grabbing a quick something for lunch. Maybe they're eating salad or a bagel or soup or something all the other times.

So then, out of desperation to prove that as a nation we are not as obsessed with fast food as it may seem, I bring up these points:

• Subway counts as fast food, right? (That's healthy and not a hamburger! HA!)
  
• Maybe the people who eat out 5 times a week are all the same people (I only eat out about 2-3 times a month)
  
• Maybe the people who eat all the fast food are the same people
• Maybe a high percentage of students/lower income people are the ones eating the fast food
• I found an article on an unreliable website that says that British people are the most fast food obsessed

However, none of these really help my crusade to change my students' minds about American food. I fear they shall leave my class with the same (in)correct (and embarrassing) ideas of what we eat. But either way, I decided to conduct a poll to see if my friends and associates eat the high quantities of fast food that other Americans do.

Please be honest. There is no shame in admitting that you have a fast food addiction. ;)

fishes

Of recent, I have had an overwhelming desire to eat fish. All the time. For every meal. As much as possible! Or at least once a week. (And no, for those of you who I'm sure are wondering, I am definitely not pregnant). Luckily, T-rav is ok with this, so I've been able to freely experiment with different types of fish. I've been cooking all the types of fish in all fairly similar way (not too many spices, sauces, etc) so that we can taste the flavor of the fish, my purpose being to discover what kinds of fish I love, hate, or am indifferent towards. Bear in mind that my fish experience is based on what our local Smiths ships in each day, and therefore some of it may not be the most fresh. So just think how delicious these fishes would be if they were fresh! Those of you who live near a coast- I'm jealous! Anyway. Here is my list thus far:

• Tilapia- very tasty, light, flaky, and one of my favorites
  
• Flounder- surprisingly good. I was a bit wary at first (something about the Little Mermaid comes to mind...), but it had a very mild fish taste, wasn't as flaky as the tilapia and is one of T-rav's favorites
  
• Sockeye Salmon- salmon in any form is always good
  
• Cod- I can't remember this one well enough to describe it, but I liked it, T-rav didn't
  
• Red Snapper- just a fish, nothing spectacular or terrible about it
  
• Catfish- not our favorite. It tasted very...fishy, was thick and almost rubbery in texture
  

Still to try:

• Halibut
• Sole
• Mahi Mahi
• Tuna (not from a can- a nice fat fillet)

Does anyone have any suggestions for fish that I absolutely must make? Or are you all fish-haters?

On another note, you should all go check out this website, which is a simulation of what it's like to be a refugee. It's very enlightening, especially if you're unfamiliar with the whole refugee thing.