caliarch.net

…so I’ll just say it. Frozen strawberries are the BEST.

mmmmm so good….

“I wanted to unravel the question of a female musical vocabulary. Is there one? Do women play rock music like women, or is gender irrelevant? Most women agreed that they approached guitar playing and songwriting in a different way to the traditional ones which have been established by male musicians. While men often seek validation of their masculinity through playing rock music, women are more likely to be challenging accepted ideas of femininity by crashing headlong into an area that has long been deemed unacceptable for nice girls.” ~ Liz Evans, Women, Sex, & Rock ‘n’ Roll: In Their Own Words

Too much wine + dishes with faces on them = the following:

Jon: “I have to say, I like the cat faces on my pot de creme.”

Lilla: “Are they cats? I think they’re people.”

Jon: “I think they’re cat people.”

Lilla: “I think it’s Voldemort.”

Jon: “That’s how you can tell my pot de creme is wicked delicious.”

Lilla: “Perhaps it’s the Desert-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named.”

Jon: “Or maybe it’s He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Eaten.”

One thing I very much admire about the Harry Potter books is JK Rowling’s “iceberg” style of writing — what is explicitly seen, described, or explained is only about 10% of what’s actually going on. This is sheer genius for two reasons. First, it allows her to tell a very large, complex story from the point of view of a group of children who can’t possibly know or understand every aspect of that story (certainly not in the earlier books). Second, it turns every detail into a potential easter egg — sometimes a locket is just a locket, and sometimes it’s a piece of the Dark Lord’s soul that says nasty things about your friends and refuses to die. You never know what’s going to crop up three books later as a critical piece of information. That’s what’s really kept me reading the books for six years now — trying to piece together the clues and guess what’s coming next, and what has come before.

So, now that we have the whole story (if only in the most literal sense), it is now time for me to attempt the ultimate piecing together, and unearth (un…ocean?) the other 90% percent of that iceberg. Though, truth be told, I’ll be happy if I manage half of it. (more…)

“Ever notice that The Food Network is far more interesting when you’re hungry? I mean when you’re not hungry, it’s like, ‘This is stupid,’ but when you’re hungry, The Food Network is like porn. You’re like, ‘Ohhhhh yeah…Whip it up, baby…Make it for meee…’ ”

~ Jim Gaffigan, Beyond The Pale

Cool!

No, seriously.  It’s an academic paper.  237 reasons, and a full-on taxonomy!

“Why are females of other species as fierce in self-defense as males – except for human females?” ~ Gloria Steinem

“Ask a man you know, ‘When is the last time you were concerned or afraid that another person would harm you?’ Many men cannot recall an incident within years. Ask a woman the same question and most will give you a recent example or say, ‘Last night,’ ‘Today,’ or even ‘Everyday.’ ” ~ Gavin de Becker, The Gift of Fear

I didn’t realize how anxious I sometimes felt walking around an unfamiliar area / after dark / on my own / etc. before I started learning karate. It had never occurred to me to study self defense; that was the last thing on my mind when I started. But the effects – the psychological ones, at least – were undeniable. Walking home from class one day through Boston at dusk, it occurred to me that I was not the least bit afraid of anything (at least nothing weaponless) that I might encounter (ridiculous, I know now, looking back, but that’s how I felt at the time). I realized that I had begun subconsciously sizing up people I passed on the street – “I can take him. I could take her. Definitely him. Him, maybe not. If he were to do this right now, here’s what I’d do –”

Wow, I remember thinking, have I really been this afraid the whole time and it took seven months of karate to get me to see it? (more…)

Ralston & Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont

I’ve driven past it many times, but today I was seized by a desire to try it.  Avanti Pizza has a quaint little spot in a plaza facing Ralston, and though it might look a little seedy on the outside, it’s actually pretty nice inside (complete with plasma screen TV on the wall).  The staff were very friendly and helpful (in spite of some customers that were being quite rude to them while I was there).  Also, they have a decent selection of bottled & canned beverages, both alcoholic and non (including wine).  Nothing fancy, but I’m willing to bet most people could probably find something they’re willing to drink with pizza.

You can get a 12″, 14″, 16″, or 18″ pie, and the list of toppings is pretty extensive.  They have several house specials, or you can build your own for about the same price.  I had a 12″ pizza with feta cheese, artichoke hearts, and basil — mmmmm!  Really excellent.  The crust was my favorite kind — not thick and crunchy and not the weenie thin crust where the grease soaks right through to your hands, but right in between: firm but soft, with a thick, bubbly circumference (you know, the topping-less crust on the outside).  Also, the crust had just a hint of a buttery taste, which was absolutely delicious.  I would definitely go there again.

131 W Santa Clara St , San Jose

We went here after a concert because it was close and cheap, and some people said they read all these *AMAZING* reviews about it. Not really sure what that was all about; it was a pretty mediocre burrito (a little better than Las Islatas, but not as good as Taco Jalapa). The rice was actually pretty tasty, but that’s about all I can say about it. Furthermore, there was no salsa. Let me repeat that: NO SALSA. Are you actually allowed to call yourself a taqueria if you don’t have ANY salsa, AT ALL??? Methinks probably not.

Alright; they do have the spicy orange sauce, which apparently people out there swear by. I guess it’s okay, if you like spicy, garlic-flavored mayonnaise (?). Absolutely no substitute whatsoever for even the lamest of salsas, though.

So go there, I guess, if it’s close & you’re hungry & you’ve got six bucks. But beware the bar stools; I fell off one and broke my shoe, and had to walk back barefoot.