Rufus

Five Things This Week

Nothing but a lazy, ungrateful cuss.

1. Kitty Cats Dead and Alive. This week marked the one year anniversary of Rolly's adoption, and I'm a little disappointed to see that she doesn't really care. Not a "Thanks, pal," not a "Here, let me wash the dishes for you." Nada. I even showed her the story of Double Trouble and she expressed no appreciation for being rescued from the glass box she shared with a shrew back at PAWS. Speaking of Double Trouble, you should really sign the petition. I don't care if you don't like PETA. University's who conduct useless experiments on helpless animals in order to keep the government funding bucks constantly flowing deserve to be called out, no matter who does the calling.

2. What Gives? My back. Well, my back gives out. It first became a problem when I was 19 years old and working at a summer camp. Kids jumped on me. I picked up the little ones. I pushed them on a tire swing. And then my back decided it hated children and wouldn't let me move for several days. When I was 26 I threw it out by sneezing. I also had major problems after bowling on my 29th birthday, and it almost kept me from voting in 2010. And this week it's been crazy stiff, and giving me occasional sharp shooting pains if I move my legs a certain way. So, Back, what gives?

3. Teachers. Guess what, just because as a child you went to school doesn't mean you know how to be a teacher or what it is like to be a teacher. So be quiet and let them speak up for themselves.

4. They May Take My Life, But They'll Never Take My Freedom!  I start full-time work next week, for the first time since early in the year of 2009. Thankfully I'll still get to work from home and so I shouldn't complain or anything, but how do all of you people who work 9-5 finish all your errands? I was hoping to have an easy week this week before I take the plunge, but all these things have come up. Haircut, Free Wednesdays at the AIC, dentist appointment, haggling with doctor's offices, getting my student ID (oh man, the next time you see me, ask me to see it. It's a riot!), going to the post office to mail a package. How do any of you people get anything done, ever?

5. Rather Large Things I Might Like to Eat. Let's Return to Cookie Mountain, shall we? And remember that TV on the Radio used to be good. Like on the first ep and album. They've been crap since then mostly, but I've recently revisited this album and discovered that it's not as bad as I remembered. Bill gave me a dirty look when he came home and I was listening to it. But we can't all have such discerning taste as he. I mean, this song is pretty straight up.

Rice Pudding

Last week I had a dream that Paragon Family Restaurant in Hobart was closed down and it was just about the biggest tragedy that could ever happen to me, and I was about ready to throw myself into traffic and declare the rest of my life not worth living.

In reality, if Paragon closed I would be sad because of the memories it conjures (post-church brunch with Grandpa Detterline, late night coffee with friends, and one rather awkward Christmas Eve), but all-in-all I wouldn't care too much as the restaurant has had little bearing on my life since I moved to Illinois and became a vegan. And looking back I think the food was perhaps a little subpar, bland, and greasy and nothing I would enjoy as an adult anyway.

But as a kid I ate at Paragon a lot. Like, a lot a lot. Being a child of habit I mostly just had a cheeseburger deluxe but there were certain special items I would order on occasion in order to give myself little nuggets of happiness, like strawberry waffles topped with whipped cream, or a julienne salad that came in a dish the size of a punch bowl. I never did partake in the infamous francheezie, and I will always remember the barfalicious smell of flaming cheese. But there was one little dish that came free as a dessert that I was perhaps most fond of for its simplicity and unassuming nature. Yes, I felt a kinship to the rice pudding, for it was quiet and sweet, and gooey and chubby, and it waited around patiently for someone to remember it was there.

Well, rice pudding, my old friend, I remember you, and the modest joy you gave me on many a Indiana night, and although we've been separated for quite some time, I've decided it was about time to rekindle our old flame and reminisce about the good ole days we shared back on Route 6. Of course, now you are dairy-free, and I'd rather eat you for breakfast then after a pile of salty french fries, but to me you are the same as you have always been: modest, trustworthy, and delicious.

Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

Rice
3 cups rice milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbs. maple syrup
1 cup rice

Cream
2 cups of cashews (soaked in water at least four hours)
1 banana
3/4 cup rice milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbs. maple syrup

Directions:

Rice
1. Combine rice milk, cinnamon, and maple syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Add rice, lower heat, cover, and simmer for about an hour, until all the liquid is absorbed.
3. Chill rice in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Cream
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. When rice has cooled, mix it with the cream.
3. Serve chilled topped with cinnamon for breakfast or dessert.
4. Let peace wash over you.

Five Things This Week

I used to  be a spelling bee champ. A Quiz Out master.
What happened to me?

1. Remembering how to be a student. I was always a model student, from kindergarten through undergraduate; you could maybe say I was a professional student, but instead of being paid with money my hard work was rewarded by warm and fuzzy feelings of being smarter than you. But it's been almost a decade since I received my BA, and now in my second week of my graduate program I'm realizing that I've forgotten all of my mad school skillz. My first time through college, I was so paranoid about missing deadlines that I would pull all-nighters three nights before a paper was due, even though I had the outline done, all my resources fetched, and plenty of free time every upcoming afternoon.

Now I've, gasp, found myself doing things at the last minute, not because of procrastination but because I don't remember what the phrase time management means.  I feel mentally challenged by just trying to keep track of reading assignments. (I'll let you know how I feel about the actual reading when I finally get around to doing it.) Additionally my handwriting has degenerated into that of a howler monkey, and the function of a two-pocket folder now baffles me. Why are there two pockets? What goes on the left side, and what goes on the right side?  

2. Being Thankful. Three months ago, my husband was literally dying, but now he's living (Thanks, modern medicine!) and has found a job (Thanks, Marcia!) as an assistant teacher. He's grumbling, though, because it has been a long time since he's had to deal with the daily grind. For the past several years we've gotten by on part-time freelance work (Thanks, simple living!), and now he makes about the same amount of money working 40+ hours a week in a school as he did working part-time from home. (Thanks, non-union, corporatized charter schools!) Additionally, I've been offered a full-time job from the company for whom I've freelanced for three years (Thanks, my obsessive, awe-inspiring attention to detail!), and they are allowing me to work from home to accommodate my school schedule. (Thanks, telecommunication innovation!)

3. The Justice System. We all know that Drew Peterson is a Class A creep-o and murderer, but I'm a little worried that the state of Illinois finds it perfectly acceptable to convict someone based on gossip.

4. Feeling Good About Myself. I liked Plus Model Magazine's Facebook page, and every day they inundate my feed with images of gorgeous women of all shapes and sizes, and it has done wonders for my self-esteem. Also noteworthy pages to like: Healthy is the New Skinny, Operation Beautiful and My Body Gallery. Women can be sexy no matter what their size, no matter what their imperfections (or even because of them). I think most men and women would agree with this statement, but misrepresentative media has made us all forget.

5. Returning to Form. Have you heard the new Dirty Projectors album?

Crochet Project: Spider-Man Blanket

When my pals Justin and Maggie Russo revealed that they were designing a superhero-themed room for their expected little one, I immediately knew that I needed to make a blanket to fit in their scheme. My first thought was some sort of blanket based on a cape with logo, but after simply doing a search for "superhero blanket" I quickly came upon this pattern for a Spider-Man Web afghan, based on a dream catcher design.

The pattern was easy to follow, and once I understood the system of increases I didn't need to use it. The author suggests a color pattern and size but I "followed my own likes" based on the amount of yarn that I had on hand. I also used a teal rather than a royal blue, because Maggie indicated teal was a color she wanted to use in the room, and also because my husband informed me that the original Spider-Man blue was more of a teal, and Justin would appreciate this authentic touch.

This is only the second baby blanket I've made. Like all blankets it was time consuming but because it's worked in the round it was fairly easy to whip up. I think it came out well.

I hope Baby Russo likes it!