Monday, July 12, 2010
Neat quote
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Dr. Howard Thurman
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Fridge Life
Found this neat article on fridge life. I really should be cooking more now that I have a home.
http://www.mint.com/blog/saving/storing-produce-07072010/
Apples
Store on the counter. Move any uneaten apples to the refrigerator after seven days. In the fridge or out, don’t store near most other uncovered fruits or vegetables — the ethylene gases produced by apples can ruin them (making carrots bitter, for example). The exception: if you want to ripen plums, pears and other fruits quickly, put an apple nearby for a day or so.
Artichoke
Refrigerate whole for up to two weeks.
Asparagus
Store upright in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with either an inch of water or with a damp towel wrapped around the base, just like you would have flowers in a vase. They’ll last three to four days that way.
Avocados
Ripen on the counter. Can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days once ripe.
Bananas
Store on the counter. Refrigerate only when ripe — they’ll last for another two days or so.
Beets
Remove green tops an inch or two above the crown. Refrigerate beets in a plastic bag to prevent moisture loss, which leads to wilting. (They’ll last seven to 10 days.) Refrigerate greens separately, also in a plastic bag.
Berries
Grower Driscoll’s recommends refrigerating berries, unwashed and in their original container. Blueberries and strawberries should keep for five to seven days; more fragile raspberries and blackberries up to two days.
Broccoli
Refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag. It’ll keep for three to five days.
Carrots
Refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag for up to three weeks.
Cauliflower
Refrigerate, stem side down, in a sealed plastic bag. It’ll last three to five days.
Celery
Refrigerate one to two weeks in a sealed bag. Keep in the front of the refrigerator, where it’s less apt to freeze.
Citrus fruits
Store oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit on the counter. They can last up to two weeks.
Corn
Refrigerate ears still in the husk. They’ll last up to two days.
Cucumbers
Refrigerate, either in the crisper or in a plastic bag elsewhere in the fridge. They’ll last four to five days.
Garlic
Store in the pantry, or any similar location away from heat and light. It’ll last up to four months.
Green beans
Refrigerate in a plastic bag for three to four days.
Green onions
Refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Herbs
Fresh herbs can last seven to 10 days in the refrigerator. “When I use fresh herbs and store them in my refrigerator at home, I keep them in air-tight containers with a damp paper towel on the top and bottom,” says Raymond Southern, the executive chef at The Back Bay Hotel in Boston. “This keeps them fresh.”
Leafy greens
Refrigerate unwashed. Full heads will last five to seven days that way, instead of three to four days for a thoroughly drained one. Avoid storing in the same drawer as apples, pears or bananas, which release ethylene gases that act as a natural ripening agent.
Mushrooms
Take out of the package and store in a paper bag in the refrigerator, or place on a tray and cover with a wet paper towel. They’ll last two to three days.
Onions
Stored in the pantry, away from light and heat, they’ll last three to four weeks.
Peaches
Ripen on the counter in a paper bag punched with holes, away from sunlight. Keep peaches (as well as plums and nectarines) on the counter until ripe, and then refrigerate. They’ll last another three to four days.
Pears
Store on the counter, ideally, in a bowl with bananas and apples, and then refrigerate after ripening. They’ll last another three to four days.
Peas
Refrigerated in a plastic bag perforated with holes, they’ll last three to five days.
Peppers
Refrigerated, they’ll last four to five days.
Potatoes
Store them in the pantry away from sunlight and heat, and they’ll last two to three months.
Radishes
Refrigerate. They’ll last 10 to 14 days.
Summer squash
Refrigerate in a perforated plastic bag. They’ll last four to five days.
Tomatoes
Spread them out on the counter out of direct sunlight for even ripening. After ripening, store stem side down in the refrigerator and they’ll last two to three days.
Tropical fruit
Mangoes, papayas, pineapples and kiwifruit should be ripened on the counter. Kat Bretcher of Cottonwood, Ariz., ripens mangos in a paper bag in a cool place, and then refrigerates them for another two to five days.
Watermelon
Kept at room temperature on the counter, it’ll last up to two weeks, Bretcher says.
Winter squashes
Store on the counter for up to two weeks.
http://www.mint.com/blog/saving/storing-produce-07072010/
Apples
Store on the counter. Move any uneaten apples to the refrigerator after seven days. In the fridge or out, don’t store near most other uncovered fruits or vegetables — the ethylene gases produced by apples can ruin them (making carrots bitter, for example). The exception: if you want to ripen plums, pears and other fruits quickly, put an apple nearby for a day or so.
Artichoke
Refrigerate whole for up to two weeks.
Asparagus
Store upright in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with either an inch of water or with a damp towel wrapped around the base, just like you would have flowers in a vase. They’ll last three to four days that way.
Avocados
Ripen on the counter. Can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days once ripe.
Bananas
Store on the counter. Refrigerate only when ripe — they’ll last for another two days or so.
Beets
Remove green tops an inch or two above the crown. Refrigerate beets in a plastic bag to prevent moisture loss, which leads to wilting. (They’ll last seven to 10 days.) Refrigerate greens separately, also in a plastic bag.
Berries
Grower Driscoll’s recommends refrigerating berries, unwashed and in their original container. Blueberries and strawberries should keep for five to seven days; more fragile raspberries and blackberries up to two days.
Broccoli
Refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag. It’ll keep for three to five days.
Carrots
Refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag for up to three weeks.
Cauliflower
Refrigerate, stem side down, in a sealed plastic bag. It’ll last three to five days.
Celery
Refrigerate one to two weeks in a sealed bag. Keep in the front of the refrigerator, where it’s less apt to freeze.
Citrus fruits
Store oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit on the counter. They can last up to two weeks.
Corn
Refrigerate ears still in the husk. They’ll last up to two days.
Cucumbers
Refrigerate, either in the crisper or in a plastic bag elsewhere in the fridge. They’ll last four to five days.
Garlic
Store in the pantry, or any similar location away from heat and light. It’ll last up to four months.
Green beans
Refrigerate in a plastic bag for three to four days.
Green onions
Refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Herbs
Fresh herbs can last seven to 10 days in the refrigerator. “When I use fresh herbs and store them in my refrigerator at home, I keep them in air-tight containers with a damp paper towel on the top and bottom,” says Raymond Southern, the executive chef at The Back Bay Hotel in Boston. “This keeps them fresh.”
Leafy greens
Refrigerate unwashed. Full heads will last five to seven days that way, instead of three to four days for a thoroughly drained one. Avoid storing in the same drawer as apples, pears or bananas, which release ethylene gases that act as a natural ripening agent.
Mushrooms
Take out of the package and store in a paper bag in the refrigerator, or place on a tray and cover with a wet paper towel. They’ll last two to three days.
Onions
Stored in the pantry, away from light and heat, they’ll last three to four weeks.
Peaches
Ripen on the counter in a paper bag punched with holes, away from sunlight. Keep peaches (as well as plums and nectarines) on the counter until ripe, and then refrigerate. They’ll last another three to four days.
Pears
Store on the counter, ideally, in a bowl with bananas and apples, and then refrigerate after ripening. They’ll last another three to four days.
Peas
Refrigerated in a plastic bag perforated with holes, they’ll last three to five days.
Peppers
Refrigerated, they’ll last four to five days.
Potatoes
Store them in the pantry away from sunlight and heat, and they’ll last two to three months.
Radishes
Refrigerate. They’ll last 10 to 14 days.
Summer squash
Refrigerate in a perforated plastic bag. They’ll last four to five days.
Tomatoes
Spread them out on the counter out of direct sunlight for even ripening. After ripening, store stem side down in the refrigerator and they’ll last two to three days.
Tropical fruit
Mangoes, papayas, pineapples and kiwifruit should be ripened on the counter. Kat Bretcher of Cottonwood, Ariz., ripens mangos in a paper bag in a cool place, and then refrigerates them for another two to five days.
Watermelon
Kept at room temperature on the counter, it’ll last up to two weeks, Bretcher says.
Winter squashes
Store on the counter for up to two weeks.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Believing in Fate
Tomorrow's an important day. I have an interview for the Technical Manager position at my non-profit. If I get the job, I switch to management and we hire someone to replace me as one of the data analyst / database administrator. I would step far outside my comfort zone both in my current abilities and ideology.
Society seems to place a high status on managers, though I never really understood the reasons why. While I don't think of managers as the grossly inept people commonly portrayed in the mass media, I did think that a small professional staff could easily write off a manager as unnecessary overhead. Plus, I thought middle management was an antediluvian concept.
A couple events recently changed my mind. First, my boss went on vacation for a week. It was the end of the quarter/fiscal year so our staff should have all been busy. Without getting into the details, the office instantly turned into a wreck. I guess you don't appreciate someone for what they do until they're gone. Up until this point, I hadn't yet realized that my boss was the glue holding us together. After she came back, she was able to quickly bring the team back into a cohesive unit.
I also recently read "It's Your Ship" by D. Michael Abrashoff, a recommendation by my roommate, and it's helped change my perspective on what management means. I think the term management has a negative stigma associated with it; I think people still think of it as the "We do this because I'm the boss and I said so" mentality. As I read the book, I noticed the subtle, yet powerful messages that a manager can send to those around him/her. If I hadn't just seen my boss' invisible hand fix our company, my pessimistic self would have written it off as 'management bullshit'.
If you asked me a couple weeks ago whether I would hire an intelligent programmer or a competent manager, I would have easily chosen the programmer. They produce tangible results that you can see. Now, after seeing the crippling effects that even one negative employee can have on staff (and its negative effects on productivity), I would have to pick the competent, down to earth manager.
Although I believe in the company's mission, I'm still a selfish person. If I don't get this position, I think my time with this company would be closely approaching an end. I would want to stay around long enough so that the company can hire new employees, have them become proficiently trained, and then I really would wish them the best. I feel like I haven't challenged myself recently and I owe it to myself to do so, whether it's this new position or by facing the unknown again. I think fate will decide whether I get this position and where my life will go from there.
Society seems to place a high status on managers, though I never really understood the reasons why. While I don't think of managers as the grossly inept people commonly portrayed in the mass media, I did think that a small professional staff could easily write off a manager as unnecessary overhead. Plus, I thought middle management was an antediluvian concept.
A couple events recently changed my mind. First, my boss went on vacation for a week. It was the end of the quarter/fiscal year so our staff should have all been busy. Without getting into the details, the office instantly turned into a wreck. I guess you don't appreciate someone for what they do until they're gone. Up until this point, I hadn't yet realized that my boss was the glue holding us together. After she came back, she was able to quickly bring the team back into a cohesive unit.
I also recently read "It's Your Ship" by D. Michael Abrashoff, a recommendation by my roommate, and it's helped change my perspective on what management means. I think the term management has a negative stigma associated with it; I think people still think of it as the "We do this because I'm the boss and I said so" mentality. As I read the book, I noticed the subtle, yet powerful messages that a manager can send to those around him/her. If I hadn't just seen my boss' invisible hand fix our company, my pessimistic self would have written it off as 'management bullshit'.
If you asked me a couple weeks ago whether I would hire an intelligent programmer or a competent manager, I would have easily chosen the programmer. They produce tangible results that you can see. Now, after seeing the crippling effects that even one negative employee can have on staff (and its negative effects on productivity), I would have to pick the competent, down to earth manager.
Although I believe in the company's mission, I'm still a selfish person. If I don't get this position, I think my time with this company would be closely approaching an end. I would want to stay around long enough so that the company can hire new employees, have them become proficiently trained, and then I really would wish them the best. I feel like I haven't challenged myself recently and I owe it to myself to do so, whether it's this new position or by facing the unknown again. I think fate will decide whether I get this position and where my life will go from there.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Good Feeling
I have a really good feeling about the rest of this year. I'm not only happy where I am, I'm also looking forward to where I'm going and what I'll be doing.
Movie List
I've been such a couch potato. Not only have I been watching almost every match of the World Cup, I've also been hitting up my movie list as another form of procrastination.
What I recently watched/re-watched:
Match Point
The Princess Bride
Avatar
Hannah and Her Sisters
Annie Hall
City of Gods
Stardust
500 Days of Summer
180 Degrees South
Stander
Future movie list:
Casablanca
Goodfellas
Dr. Strangelove - Updated 7/4/10 - Just finished
North by Northwest
Bus 147 - Updated 7/4/2010 - Just finished
What I recently watched/re-watched:
Match Point
The Princess Bride
Avatar
Hannah and Her Sisters
Annie Hall
City of Gods
Stardust
500 Days of Summer
180 Degrees South
Stander
Future movie list:
Casablanca
Goodfellas
Dr. Strangelove - Updated 7/4/10 - Just finished
North by Northwest
Bus 147 - Updated 7/4/2010 - Just finished
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
My Dream Car
My roommate and I purchased cable this month so we could watch the World Cup. After the World Cup is over, we'll cancel our subscription. Until that moment, we're taking advantage of the extra channels.
I walked into the living room while my roommate was watching 'Top Gear', a car show where they review some of the fastest, most luxurious, and subsequently unattainable cars engineered. The last car ran at a maximum speed of 250 mph, faster than some small planes.
I don't get it. I don't get why people want cars that can go X times past the speed limit when in the United States, we still have a speed limit. I've been on the German autobahn, a place where they have an advisory speed limit, but no cap (except for certain types of vehicles and certain dense areas). I can understand why some people would want a very fast car there; the engine can roar to life... legally. I don't get it here.
So when people ask me what my dream car is, I don't have the typical answer. For me, cars get me from Point A to Point B. Don't get me wrong; I marvel at the genius of whoever created the internal combustion engine. Perfecting the firing time of pistons to generate movement sounds like magic to me. However, I don't see the real worth of accelerating from 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds instead of 9. I'm in no hurry.
Instead, I thought about what was important to me in a vehicle. I did a little research and came to the conclusion that my dream car is 'The California' made by Volkswagen. The vehicle is technically a campervan with all the accessories that would make any outdoor enthusiast envious. It has a pop-up roof (for sleeping), 4 seats (front two that swivel), a worktable, a two burner stove, sink, and a reclining bench. With it, I would cram in all my climbing and hiking gear. Ironically, it's only available in Europe.
Anyways, it's always nice to fantasize. I guess we all just have different fantasies. I could see how living out of a car, hiking in the woods, and moving constantly might not be appealing; kinda like a 3 second car.
I walked into the living room while my roommate was watching 'Top Gear', a car show where they review some of the fastest, most luxurious, and subsequently unattainable cars engineered. The last car ran at a maximum speed of 250 mph, faster than some small planes.
I don't get it. I don't get why people want cars that can go X times past the speed limit when in the United States, we still have a speed limit. I've been on the German autobahn, a place where they have an advisory speed limit, but no cap (except for certain types of vehicles and certain dense areas). I can understand why some people would want a very fast car there; the engine can roar to life... legally. I don't get it here.
So when people ask me what my dream car is, I don't have the typical answer. For me, cars get me from Point A to Point B. Don't get me wrong; I marvel at the genius of whoever created the internal combustion engine. Perfecting the firing time of pistons to generate movement sounds like magic to me. However, I don't see the real worth of accelerating from 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds instead of 9. I'm in no hurry.
Instead, I thought about what was important to me in a vehicle. I did a little research and came to the conclusion that my dream car is 'The California' made by Volkswagen. The vehicle is technically a campervan with all the accessories that would make any outdoor enthusiast envious. It has a pop-up roof (for sleeping), 4 seats (front two that swivel), a worktable, a two burner stove, sink, and a reclining bench. With it, I would cram in all my climbing and hiking gear. Ironically, it's only available in Europe.
Anyways, it's always nice to fantasize. I guess we all just have different fantasies. I could see how living out of a car, hiking in the woods, and moving constantly might not be appealing; kinda like a 3 second car.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Many interpretations
Just finished watching "Hannah and Her Sisters". Great movie; they don't make them like they used to. I loved this Leo Tolstoy quote that they used: "The only absolute knowledge attainable by man is that life is meaningless"
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