I have a confession to make . . . I'm a non-fiction junkie.
I have been for years.
One of my greatest fears is that this is making me like my father. He always had some strange biographical work laying around such as "The Lint Collection of FDR," or "Harry Truman's Secret Life."
I worry that I am becoming like him not because I like non-fiction and he liked non-fiction, but I worry that my taste will decline to the crap that he was reading . . .
It forces me to ask the question, why do old people watch the history channel?
How many ground breaking documentaries do you have to watch about Pearl Harbor to figure out that Japan bombed the shit out of us!
I was sitting with my friend Chris who has cable. (Mandy and I do not have cable or else we would never get anything done. Although I do miss it this time of year for scary movie marathons.)
Chris and were sitting on his couch when a new documentary about JFK came on. And we watched it. We both sat with our mouths open in silence watching it like it was The French Connection or Silence of the Lambs.
Why?
It didn't change my perspective on history. It didn't shed anything in a new light. (Other than point out how inept we were at dealing with the media, protecting prisoners and protecting the President.)
I still get upset when people idolize Jackie O and say she was going for help. No, she wasn't, she was running for her life. She was trying to get out of the car because someone was shooting at her and her husband's head just got blown off.
I don't mean to be crass, but it's the truth.
And every time I watch the tape I say to myself, there's no way one guy made all those shots . . . and where was the Secret Service? The first gun shot should have brought a flurry of agents throwing their bodies across the car to protect those inside . . . but I digress and my opinion will never change about that day.
Although it does make me want to write an alternate history story/film script where I posit the question . . . what would the world be like if JFK hadn't been assassinated?
Would we still, to this day be in the clutches of the cold war?
Would the Berlin Wall have never come down? (The only good thing Regan did - thank goodness he had a pair of brass ones when dealing with the Soviet Union.)
This is an idea I think that is worth playing with. There might be something in it that could make a great movie.
But I have digressed . . .
My original point about liking non-fiction . . .
I recently finished, My Life in France, by Julia Child.
I encourage everyone to read it.
If you are an artist or are following a dream you should read it.
If you are struggling to figure out what to do with your life, you should read it.
Julia Child is inspiring.
Her journey of becoming the woman she became and doing what she loved; is truly an amazing, heartfelt and an incredible story.
So please read it.
It's easily the best book I've read all year.
I will admit that I am very biased. I love travel literature. I love it like a crack addict loves the glass pipe. I also am a foodie who cooks (Duh, have you seen the recipes?).
So this book combines two things I love and adore and mixes it with the story of a woman following her bliss and doing what she loves and guess what? She's pretty freakin' successful at it.
Read it kids.
And yes, I have some recipes to post. I'm saving them for the weekend.
Until Next Time True Believers . . .
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
My Mom's Kolache Recipe.
I know, I know . . . how many friggin' posts can I write in one weekend?
Well, it's wet and rainy outside and I had planned to go support my fellow academy members at the New York Submission Shootout, but things just ran away from me today.
I'm working on dropping a weight class. So I'm doing two-a-days of workouts and eating next to nothing so I can fight a weight class down in the tournament I plan to attend Nov. 7th.
That probably explains why I'm extra grouchy right now and can't seem to get anything done other than blog. Plus I'm home alone, all my friends are busy, I don't have cable or get any reception on the TV and I've been up since 5AM. (Over training will do that.)
I also just got a wall post on facebook from someone who used my chili recipe and loved it. That made me happy and it made me want to give back to the Universe by sharing my mom's kolache recipe.
Now, this recipe is very important to me. As some of you may know we had to put my mom in a home due to some severe medical issues. She suffers from Posterior Cortical Atrophy. It's a pretty rotten and very severe form of dementia in the Alzheimer's family.
The story of the recipe thickens because unbeknownst to me, an ex of mine had the original, in my mom's handwriting and through the grape vine of the Universe she heard about mom and sent it to my sister, Susan in Cedar Rapids, IA.
That was really, very cool of her: thank you Brandy.
After getting the thank you for the chili recipe I decided I should share with the non Czech/Bohemian world the magic of the kolache.
I grew up with kolaches being made during Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. They were a staple pastry growing up. The picture doesn't really do them justice. When Mandy and I were recently back in Iowa my sister and I took Mandy to Czech Village and inducted her into the cult of the kolache.
Here's a brief history of the kolache from Wikipedia . . .Kolache (also spelled kolace, kolach, or kolacky, from the Czech and Slovak plural koláče) is a type of pastry consisting of fillings ranging from fruits (including poppy seed, raspberry, and apricot) to cheeses inside a bread roll. Originally only a sweet dessert from Central Europe, they have become popular in parts of the United States. Several cities, including Prague, Oklahoma, Caldwell, Texas, and East Bernard, Texas hold annual Kolache Festival celebrations, while Montgomery, Minnesota, is the "Kolacky capital of the world"[1]Days. Verdigre, Nebraska, stakes the same claim, with a similarly-named festival.[1] Prague, Nebraska, is commonly known as the home of the world's largest kolache. Fayetteville, TX, claims the title of "Kolache capital of Texas." Crosby, TX, also has a yearly Czech festival. St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, IA, hosts it annual Kolache Festival the first full weekend in June every year and makes over 600 dozen kolaches to sell at its annual event. and holds an annual festival.
A related dish is a klobasnek, which often uses similar bread but is filled with a piece of sausage. These are sometimes mistakenly referred to as kolaches. They may also contain ham and cheese, sausage, jalapeño slices, and more resemble a "pig in a blanket" than the original pastry. There is also a sweet and flaky filled pastry with Polish origins called the Kalach.This also clears up the debate I have with folks of Polish decent who try to claim they have kolache as well.
I also didn't realize how crazy Texans are about the kolache. They are crazy over this pastry and nearly every website I found relating to kolaches was out of Texas. Go figure.
So, in conclusion, here's my mom's Kolache recipe.
Connie Broulik's Recipe for Kolaches
2 pkgs dry yeast
1 TBS sugar
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening
1 tsp salt
1 egg
7-8 cups flour
Various jars of fruit/preserves (apricot, prune, cherry, raspberry)
1 egg white
4 Tbs butter
Dissolve 2 pkgs dry yeast and 1 TBS sugar with 1/2 cup luke warm water. Mix, then set aside.
In a large bowl, put 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup shortening and 1 TSP salt. Pour 1 CUP BOILING WATER over this mixture and stir until shortening is dissovled. When shortening is dissolved, add 1 cup cold water and 1 egg (whipped). Add yeast mixture.
Stir in 7-8 cups flour, one cup at a time, until smooth but not too stiff. Leave dough sticky. Let dough rise. Shape into balls and let the balls rise. Make indents into balls after they have risen and fill indents with spoonful of preserves/fruit. Baste lightly with butter. Baste VERY LIGHTLY with egg whites.
Bake 425 to 450 for 6-10 minutes.
Makes at least 4 dozen kolaches.
There you have it. My mom's recipe. I haven't made them since Brandy (the ex who was so awesome to return the recipe) and I lived together in Iowa 8-9 years ago. (Wow, it's been that long since I lived there!??!?) I think I'm going to take another stab at them this coming holiday season. Maybe they can be Mandy's and my contribution to Christmas this year.
Oh and if you haven't tried my Soba noodle, fennel, walnut and pea recipe yet do it! It rocks!!!!
Until Next Time True Beleivers . . .
My Favorite New Shows.
I've decided to dedicate this post to something I love dearly, TELEVISION.
I love it.
Deep down in my heart I think it is one of the greatest storytelling mediums ever.
When it's great - it's incredible. When it's bad . . . It's Jon & Kate + 8.
TV is where my hopes, dreams and wishes lie . . . I want to make really great TV and be a part of some amazing storytelling.
Putting all of that sappy crap aside, here are my picks of the current crop of new shows.
#1 FLASHFORWARD
In case you live under a rock and haven't caught it, you should. Terrific cliff hangers, solid performances, interesting writing and a concept I HOPE won't jump the shark or get worn out like LOST has.
#2 MODERN FAMILY
Thank you someone for getting Ed O'Neil back on TV. Ty Burrel, so funny. And yes, that was Shelly Long on a recent episode. It's funny, truthful, endearing and I will never listen to the Lion King the same way again.
#3 GLEE
Say what you will but I am addicted. The pilot was brilliant. The following few episodes were shaky but I feel like the show has found it's storytelling feet and it's style to create a complete world. I just hope it can keep it up. I had my doubts but they have been able to create some great moments with some smart writing (I'm assuming that's Ryan Murphy's doing?) even when the rest of the episode was, blech.
#4 VAMPIRE DIARIES
Attack me if you must, but Kevin Williamson is pretty awesome. He writes angst ridden teenagers acting like adults better than anybody. It shoots in Georgia instead of on a lot in LA and despite some bad acting, the writing is sharp and one or two performances aren't bad. I have high hope for it. I want it to stay on the air. I know its soap opera like and I wanted it to fail and then I watched an episode . . . I didn't hate it. So, I watched another. And like another Williamson show, Dawson's Creek, it's highly addictive and I'll watch it in my closet, alone, if people will judge me for my TV tastes.
SHOWS WALLOWING IN THE SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Here is a show returning for a second season that, quite frankly, isn't great . . .
1# FRINGE
Throw things at me if you must, but Fringe sucks. I dislike like it for a number of reasons. 1.) They bailed on NYC and moved to Vancouver, BC. 2.) They have completely dropped, ignored major story developments in hopes that the audience won't notice. 3.) Anna Torv, is bad. The cast that surrounds her, Joshua Jackson, John Noble and Jasika Nicole is terrific and interesting. 4.) Stop giving Lance Reddick jobs. He is bad and has never been good and is one note. 5.) Did I mention the writing?
I had such high hopes for this show and it just never lived up to any of them. It could have been cool, it could have been great. Instead it took the middle road and went bland. Maybe it will surprise me -I doubt it.
Here are two shows that I really like that are back for a second year . . .
#1 CASTLE
I know it's innocuous as hell, but I really do like this show. The writing isn't bad, the supporting cast is great and while sometimes it crosses a line into cute and corny, I still like it. Molly Quinn and Nathan Fillion make the show for me. It brings a smile to my face. I quite frankly don't know why I like it -but I do. The only bad thing I have to say about the show is that is should shoot in NYC full time. It's set in NYC - it should be shot in NYC.
#2 MAD MEN
Duh!. 'Nuff said.
HERE IS A SHOW THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BACK!!!!!
#1 SOUTHLAND
Why, oh why NBC did you pull the plug? NBC, stop making horrible mistakes. At one point you were the top of the networks and now, well, you are at the bottom. SPIKE TV makes better programming decisions than you do.
I was looking forward to Southland's return. Here was a show, that while sometimes off the mark, I felt that if given a full season order could do something unique on Network. I hear rumblings that TNT may be picking it up. I hope so.
MOST ANTICIPATED NEW PROGRAMING.
#1 MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE
I know, mock me for my sentimentality, but the trailers/commercials make me want to watch it. Maybe it appeals to the side of me that's a dude and isn't getting any younger. Scott Bakula, Andre Braugher and Ray Romano? That alone will get me to watch it. I hope it doesn't dissapoint.
#2 V
I'm not even going to justify this choice - to anyone who grew up with the original, I shouldn't have to.
For those of you who are curious as to what I consider good and bad TV here is a partial list of some of my all time favorites.
MASH
ROSANNE (the first 5 seasons, up to 3 was some perfect, amazing TV)
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (the most recent)
RESCUE ME
SLINGS & ARROWS (go Canada!)
LIFE ON MARS (The British NOT American.)
SCRUBS (I don't care what you say, I will watch it anytime, anywhere!)
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
THE WEST WING (up to season 5)
X FILES
I'm sure there's more, but that's all I've got off of the top of my head.
Until Next Time True Believer's . . .
I love it.
Deep down in my heart I think it is one of the greatest storytelling mediums ever.
When it's great - it's incredible. When it's bad . . . It's Jon & Kate + 8.
TV is where my hopes, dreams and wishes lie . . . I want to make really great TV and be a part of some amazing storytelling.
Putting all of that sappy crap aside, here are my picks of the current crop of new shows.
#1 FLASHFORWARD
In case you live under a rock and haven't caught it, you should. Terrific cliff hangers, solid performances, interesting writing and a concept I HOPE won't jump the shark or get worn out like LOST has.
#2 MODERN FAMILY
Thank you someone for getting Ed O'Neil back on TV. Ty Burrel, so funny. And yes, that was Shelly Long on a recent episode. It's funny, truthful, endearing and I will never listen to the Lion King the same way again.
#3 GLEE
Say what you will but I am addicted. The pilot was brilliant. The following few episodes were shaky but I feel like the show has found it's storytelling feet and it's style to create a complete world. I just hope it can keep it up. I had my doubts but they have been able to create some great moments with some smart writing (I'm assuming that's Ryan Murphy's doing?) even when the rest of the episode was, blech.
#4 VAMPIRE DIARIES
Attack me if you must, but Kevin Williamson is pretty awesome. He writes angst ridden teenagers acting like adults better than anybody. It shoots in Georgia instead of on a lot in LA and despite some bad acting, the writing is sharp and one or two performances aren't bad. I have high hope for it. I want it to stay on the air. I know its soap opera like and I wanted it to fail and then I watched an episode . . . I didn't hate it. So, I watched another. And like another Williamson show, Dawson's Creek, it's highly addictive and I'll watch it in my closet, alone, if people will judge me for my TV tastes.
SHOWS WALLOWING IN THE SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Here is a show returning for a second season that, quite frankly, isn't great . . .
1# FRINGE
Throw things at me if you must, but Fringe sucks. I dislike like it for a number of reasons. 1.) They bailed on NYC and moved to Vancouver, BC. 2.) They have completely dropped, ignored major story developments in hopes that the audience won't notice. 3.) Anna Torv, is bad. The cast that surrounds her, Joshua Jackson, John Noble and Jasika Nicole is terrific and interesting. 4.) Stop giving Lance Reddick jobs. He is bad and has never been good and is one note. 5.) Did I mention the writing?
I had such high hopes for this show and it just never lived up to any of them. It could have been cool, it could have been great. Instead it took the middle road and went bland. Maybe it will surprise me -I doubt it.
Here are two shows that I really like that are back for a second year . . .
#1 CASTLE
I know it's innocuous as hell, but I really do like this show. The writing isn't bad, the supporting cast is great and while sometimes it crosses a line into cute and corny, I still like it. Molly Quinn and Nathan Fillion make the show for me. It brings a smile to my face. I quite frankly don't know why I like it -but I do. The only bad thing I have to say about the show is that is should shoot in NYC full time. It's set in NYC - it should be shot in NYC.
#2 MAD MEN
Duh!. 'Nuff said.
HERE IS A SHOW THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BACK!!!!!
#1 SOUTHLAND
Why, oh why NBC did you pull the plug? NBC, stop making horrible mistakes. At one point you were the top of the networks and now, well, you are at the bottom. SPIKE TV makes better programming decisions than you do.
I was looking forward to Southland's return. Here was a show, that while sometimes off the mark, I felt that if given a full season order could do something unique on Network. I hear rumblings that TNT may be picking it up. I hope so.
MOST ANTICIPATED NEW PROGRAMING.
#1 MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE
I know, mock me for my sentimentality, but the trailers/commercials make me want to watch it. Maybe it appeals to the side of me that's a dude and isn't getting any younger. Scott Bakula, Andre Braugher and Ray Romano? That alone will get me to watch it. I hope it doesn't dissapoint.
#2 V
I'm not even going to justify this choice - to anyone who grew up with the original, I shouldn't have to.
For those of you who are curious as to what I consider good and bad TV here is a partial list of some of my all time favorites.
MASH
ROSANNE (the first 5 seasons, up to 3 was some perfect, amazing TV)
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (the most recent)
RESCUE ME
SLINGS & ARROWS (go Canada!)
LIFE ON MARS (The British NOT American.)
SCRUBS (I don't care what you say, I will watch it anytime, anywhere!)
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
THE WEST WING (up to season 5)
X FILES
I'm sure there's more, but that's all I've got off of the top of my head.
Until Next Time True Believer's . . .
An addendum . . .
I want to pick up on something I wrote in my last post and clarify a point.
I want to make it clear that I don't hate all theatre.
Here's a litmus test of the theatre I hate/don't hate . . .
If you are a group of people who firmly believe that as theatre makers & storytellers you have a unique vision of the world and/or a unique story and you feel compelled to tell it?
Then by all means do it.
We need unique voices.
Let's face it -I hate most new plays because they feel like television. And believe me - I love television. It's my preferred medium of choice.
If I am reading/watching your play and I think to myself . . . would this be better filmed or shot? Then we have a problem. It's not theatre. So writers, I beg of you, write things that feel like plays. I actually got excited over a new play the other day. It was an audition for a show at New York Women's Project. A play called Smudge. It was awesome. A terrific play, that could only be a play and would not work in another medium.
But I digress . . .
Back to my original point.
If you are starting a theatre company because you feel like you talent just isn't being heard and no one wants to even give you a call back or a second interview. (Or even a first you are agent hunting.) If you feel like you just have to be onstage no matter what and that the world and the industry is wrong for not recognizing it.
Do me and everyone else a favor.
DON'T.
Find something else to do with your life.
Please.
Don't suck up limited funding and audiences and annoy your friends because of some narcissistic need for people to look at you.
I blog, I'm a complete narcissist - but it's free and no one has to pay for it!
Here's a tip, your Mommy and Daddy did love you even if they never said it - you don't have to keep vying for attention from people who are never going to give it anyway. So give yourself a big hug and say, "I can do something else with my life and be a productive member of society."
Oh and a tip, he/she from last night isn't going to call you today because they could smell the desperation and crazy coming out of your pores. So don't call them. Love yourself a little and try to get some self respect. Desperation is a scent best left in the bottle.
Ok, I'm done with that rant.
I want to make it clear that I don't hate all theatre.
Here's a litmus test of the theatre I hate/don't hate . . .
If you are a group of people who firmly believe that as theatre makers & storytellers you have a unique vision of the world and/or a unique story and you feel compelled to tell it?
Then by all means do it.
We need unique voices.
Let's face it -I hate most new plays because they feel like television. And believe me - I love television. It's my preferred medium of choice.
If I am reading/watching your play and I think to myself . . . would this be better filmed or shot? Then we have a problem. It's not theatre. So writers, I beg of you, write things that feel like plays. I actually got excited over a new play the other day. It was an audition for a show at New York Women's Project. A play called Smudge. It was awesome. A terrific play, that could only be a play and would not work in another medium.
But I digress . . .
Back to my original point.
If you are starting a theatre company because you feel like you talent just isn't being heard and no one wants to even give you a call back or a second interview. (Or even a first you are agent hunting.) If you feel like you just have to be onstage no matter what and that the world and the industry is wrong for not recognizing it.
Do me and everyone else a favor.
DON'T.
Find something else to do with your life.
Please.
Don't suck up limited funding and audiences and annoy your friends because of some narcissistic need for people to look at you.
I blog, I'm a complete narcissist - but it's free and no one has to pay for it!
Here's a tip, your Mommy and Daddy did love you even if they never said it - you don't have to keep vying for attention from people who are never going to give it anyway. So give yourself a big hug and say, "I can do something else with my life and be a productive member of society."
Oh and a tip, he/she from last night isn't going to call you today because they could smell the desperation and crazy coming out of your pores. So don't call them. Love yourself a little and try to get some self respect. Desperation is a scent best left in the bottle.
Ok, I'm done with that rant.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Why I hate theater & a recipe you must make!
I hate theatre . . .
Let me clarify that point.
I hate MOST theatre.
My friends hate it when I say things like that. It really rubs them the wrong way. I don't blame them for getting angry. I'm attacking the very foundation upon which they stand.
So let me clarify further, only a handful of the last couple of plays/musicals I've seen were worth even the student rush price or the SRO price.
August: Osage County, I would have paid double.
For the most part though,NYC theatre is pretty bad. The actors are terrible and the production values suck.
Wait - let me clairify this . . . MOST NEW YORK THEATRE SUCKS.
Yup.
I've seen great theatre in Spring Green Wisconsin at The American Players Theatre. I have yet to see a bad show there.
I've seen great theatre in Chicago, Ohio, Florida even Iowa. . . but alas NYC theatre sucks.
It's over priced and I'm tired of being solicited by friends to come see their shows.
Here's a tip kids . . . I don't want to pay $15-$50 bucks just to see my friends perform!
It doesn't mean that you are doing anything real. It just means that you bilking your friends for money and guilting them into coming - but you are not really building/developing an audience!
Of course let's face facts, most of the actors in New York shouldn't be actors. They are bad. They are here sucking up space at auditions never really doing anything and living like dogs because they don't have the emotional maturity to say to themselves, "It's okay if I do something else with my life."
So, here you go kids, I've just said it for you. Now move back home and figure out what to do with your life.
I have, of course, opened up a box of worms, a can of Pandora with these words. I've gotten involved with a fledgling theatre company. But I swear I will adhere to the next two principles . . . it will entertain, i.e. you will always get your money's worth. So if the ticket cost $15 I will make sure you get $15 worth of entertainment?
Fair?
And I swear that all shows will at least be visually interesting. If nothing else the show will look cool.
Agreed?
Good.
Right now I'm working on my cutting/arrangement of Twelfth Night. Yup, I'm over hauling The Bard. I trying to cut it down to one hour and twenty minutes.
What's funny about this is that I am a purist. I am. I love the text. I'm a text Nazi - but when it comes to directing, I can't be precious. Plus I'm trying to accomplish something with my cutting.
I also promise you it will look cool.
OK, now for the recipe . . . .
Soba Noodles with walnuts, fennel and peas.
Serves four, Prep time: 10 minutes, total time: 25
2/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
10 ounces of soba noodles. (The buckwheat shrinks fat cells and it has sooo much protein!)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bulbs fennel, fronds and ends trimmed, thinly sliced. (Often times grocery stores incorrectly label fennel as anise)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup low sodium vegetable or chicken broth. ( I used chicken.)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest. (I actually used a squirt of fresh lemon juice as a finisher before serving.)
grated Romano cheese to top when done.
You can also add Turkey meatballs if you are a meat eater - but they are really not necessary.
TOAST the walnuts in a skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. I find a little butter opens up the flavor of the walnuts oh so well. Set aside.
HEAT in a large skillet, wok or saute pan the olive oil over medium heat.
Add garlic - saute for 1 minute.
Add fennel and stir fry over medium low heat for 8 minutes or until softened.
Add peas, broth and salt.
Simmer over low heat.
Cook, your soba noodles. It only takes 3-4 minutes once the water is boiling. Drain them, but don't rinse the noodles. The starch from the soba when you mix every thing together will make it like a cream sauce - so don't rinse.
Toss everything together.
Serve.
It's roughly 500 calories per serving, but 24 grams of protein.
Enjoy!
Until next time true believers . . .
Let me clarify that point.
I hate MOST theatre.
My friends hate it when I say things like that. It really rubs them the wrong way. I don't blame them for getting angry. I'm attacking the very foundation upon which they stand.
So let me clarify further, only a handful of the last couple of plays/musicals I've seen were worth even the student rush price or the SRO price.
August: Osage County, I would have paid double.
For the most part though,NYC theatre is pretty bad. The actors are terrible and the production values suck.
Wait - let me clairify this . . . MOST NEW YORK THEATRE SUCKS.
Yup.
I've seen great theatre in Spring Green Wisconsin at The American Players Theatre. I have yet to see a bad show there.
I've seen great theatre in Chicago, Ohio, Florida even Iowa. . . but alas NYC theatre sucks.
It's over priced and I'm tired of being solicited by friends to come see their shows.
Here's a tip kids . . . I don't want to pay $15-$50 bucks just to see my friends perform!
It doesn't mean that you are doing anything real. It just means that you bilking your friends for money and guilting them into coming - but you are not really building/developing an audience!
Of course let's face facts, most of the actors in New York shouldn't be actors. They are bad. They are here sucking up space at auditions never really doing anything and living like dogs because they don't have the emotional maturity to say to themselves, "It's okay if I do something else with my life."
So, here you go kids, I've just said it for you. Now move back home and figure out what to do with your life.
I have, of course, opened up a box of worms, a can of Pandora with these words. I've gotten involved with a fledgling theatre company. But I swear I will adhere to the next two principles . . . it will entertain, i.e. you will always get your money's worth. So if the ticket cost $15 I will make sure you get $15 worth of entertainment?
Fair?
And I swear that all shows will at least be visually interesting. If nothing else the show will look cool.
Agreed?
Good.
Right now I'm working on my cutting/arrangement of Twelfth Night. Yup, I'm over hauling The Bard. I trying to cut it down to one hour and twenty minutes.
What's funny about this is that I am a purist. I am. I love the text. I'm a text Nazi - but when it comes to directing, I can't be precious. Plus I'm trying to accomplish something with my cutting.
I also promise you it will look cool.
OK, now for the recipe . . . .
Soba Noodles with walnuts, fennel and peas.
Serves four, Prep time: 10 minutes, total time: 25
2/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
10 ounces of soba noodles. (The buckwheat shrinks fat cells and it has sooo much protein!)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bulbs fennel, fronds and ends trimmed, thinly sliced. (Often times grocery stores incorrectly label fennel as anise)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup low sodium vegetable or chicken broth. ( I used chicken.)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest. (I actually used a squirt of fresh lemon juice as a finisher before serving.)
grated Romano cheese to top when done.
You can also add Turkey meatballs if you are a meat eater - but they are really not necessary.
TOAST the walnuts in a skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. I find a little butter opens up the flavor of the walnuts oh so well. Set aside.
HEAT in a large skillet, wok or saute pan the olive oil over medium heat.
Add garlic - saute for 1 minute.
Add fennel and stir fry over medium low heat for 8 minutes or until softened.
Add peas, broth and salt.
Simmer over low heat.
Cook, your soba noodles. It only takes 3-4 minutes once the water is boiling. Drain them, but don't rinse the noodles. The starch from the soba when you mix every thing together will make it like a cream sauce - so don't rinse.
Toss everything together.
Serve.
It's roughly 500 calories per serving, but 24 grams of protein.
Enjoy!
Until next time true believers . . .
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Trainwreckitis!
Yup,
Trainwreckitis . . . it's my one of my favorite words. I stole it from Mark Law who at the ripe age of 50 decided to take up Judo.
Trainwreckitis is also how I feel at the current moment. I'm back at the Jits full bore with both barrels blazing since my road race season has drawn to a close.
I missed my last race due to a memorial/funeral I had to speak at. I have to admit, while I was happy to speak at the memorial, I was more than a bit grumpy that I was missing the Staten Island Half Marathon. Oh well.
Now I just have to keep my running fitness up and not let my weekly mileage drop too low during the winter.
Which brings me back around to the Jiu Jitsu. I was sad that I wasn't able to belt test. But injury and traveling for the family back in Iowa kept me away just enough so that I didn't feel ready for testing. So the next belt test is Dec. 15th and I have to be there no matter what. (I don't think Sensei/Professor/Maestre will let me slide on this one.)
I already have the syllabus for it so getting the information down pat should not be a problem.
The real problem is going to be keeping my body intact. I've added training days and I'm also trying to drop a weight class. I'm the smallest of the "big guys." As a result I end up fighting guys who outweigh me by 100-150 lbs.
It sucks.
If I drop a weight class the guys I roll with who are a few pounds under me won't be able to complain about having to roll with a guy that outweighs them by ten pounds. (They have no idea what's it's like rolling with the really big guys!) So, I'm hard at work at dropping some weight, increasing my flexibility and increasing my explosive power. (If only I had kettlebells to work with!)
Right now Trainwreckitis is how my body feels.
I fought off a guillotine choke for a good five minutes today and I know my neck won't be right in the morning. I also spent the whole class and open mat time fighting from the bottom in half guard. I got sort of angry when one of the guys (who was resting off to the side) told me I was being lazy - at that point I'd been fighting for 20 minutes from the bottom and was getting my face smashed in. I'd also been fighting for consciousness for the last 2 or 3 minutes - the jerk. I'm all jacked up. But I only have one more day to train this week before I get two days off to heal and rest. (Well, I'll run/lift/stretch/yoga/plyometrics - but no jits for two days.)
Until next time true believers. . .
Trainwreckitis . . . it's my one of my favorite words. I stole it from Mark Law who at the ripe age of 50 decided to take up Judo.
Trainwreckitis is also how I feel at the current moment. I'm back at the Jits full bore with both barrels blazing since my road race season has drawn to a close.
I missed my last race due to a memorial/funeral I had to speak at. I have to admit, while I was happy to speak at the memorial, I was more than a bit grumpy that I was missing the Staten Island Half Marathon. Oh well.
Now I just have to keep my running fitness up and not let my weekly mileage drop too low during the winter.
Which brings me back around to the Jiu Jitsu. I was sad that I wasn't able to belt test. But injury and traveling for the family back in Iowa kept me away just enough so that I didn't feel ready for testing. So the next belt test is Dec. 15th and I have to be there no matter what. (I don't think Sensei/Professor/Maestre will let me slide on this one.)
I already have the syllabus for it so getting the information down pat should not be a problem.
The real problem is going to be keeping my body intact. I've added training days and I'm also trying to drop a weight class. I'm the smallest of the "big guys." As a result I end up fighting guys who outweigh me by 100-150 lbs.
It sucks.
If I drop a weight class the guys I roll with who are a few pounds under me won't be able to complain about having to roll with a guy that outweighs them by ten pounds. (They have no idea what's it's like rolling with the really big guys!) So, I'm hard at work at dropping some weight, increasing my flexibility and increasing my explosive power. (If only I had kettlebells to work with!)
Right now Trainwreckitis is how my body feels.
I fought off a guillotine choke for a good five minutes today and I know my neck won't be right in the morning. I also spent the whole class and open mat time fighting from the bottom in half guard. I got sort of angry when one of the guys (who was resting off to the side) told me I was being lazy - at that point I'd been fighting for 20 minutes from the bottom and was getting my face smashed in. I'd also been fighting for consciousness for the last 2 or 3 minutes - the jerk. I'm all jacked up. But I only have one more day to train this week before I get two days off to heal and rest. (Well, I'll run/lift/stretch/yoga/plyometrics - but no jits for two days.)
Until next time true believers. . .
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