I'm writing a novel. It's going to be futuristic, but I'm not writing a science-fiction story or one of a prophetic dystopia, like 1984. So far, I like what I have. It's a bit of a bland story thus far, though, because I'm having trouble making a conflict in a world I've created to be virtually perfect. I figure there's a lot of potential for corruption in the government, which maybe isn't too obvious from the beginning. Despite my not having a conflict yet, the story feels good. The direction and tone are interesting. I'm not sure if meat-eaters and conservatives will like the story too much though. But the main person I'm writing this for is myself.
I'm selfish that way.
4.30.2009
Slutty Fag
"What the fuck do you mean you've been with twenty guys?"
"Well, about twenty."
"I didn't realize I liked such a slutty fag."
"It was a phase. I just had bad luck."
"That's the worst fucking excuse ever."
That's all.
"Well, about twenty."
"I didn't realize I liked such a slutty fag."
"It was a phase. I just had bad luck."
"That's the worst fucking excuse ever."
That's all.
4.20.2009
Vegan Food
I'm submitting these two dishes to the This is why You're Thin blog. I hope they make it!
Asparagus Stir-Fry
The first dish is a simple asparagus stir-fry with brown rice.
Makes 1 or 2 servings
Ingredients:
Stir-Fry
2 Tbsp Canola oil
1 c Asparagus, chopped
2 c Broccoli, chopped
1 c Green beans
1 medium Red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 large Carrot, chopped
1 tsp Garlic powder
2 Tbsp Lime juice
1/2 tsp Salt
Brown Rice
2 c Brown rice
2-1/4 c Water
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Butter, Earth Balance (optional)
Instructions:
Prep ingredients: Cut broccoli, red bell pepper, onion, carrot and asparagus. Put canola oil in a wok or non-stick pan (I prefer a wok) with the burner on low-medium heat. Add garlic powder, salt, limejuice and chopped onion to the oil. Stir ingredients. In another pan, bring the water for the brown rice to a boil with salt (and Earth Balance butter, if desired). Add remaining vegetables to the stir-fry, while waiting for the water to boil, stir ingredients. Add brown rice to boiling water and continue stirring the contents of both pots, for about five minutes. Turn down the heat for the rice to medium, cover and simmer. Raise heat for the stir-fry to medium. Continue stirring the stir-fry. The rice and stir-fry will be done in five minutes. Add rice to stir-fry in wok (or pan) and mix thoroughly. Serve and enjoy!
Stuffed Papaya, with Guacamole and Whole-Wheat Tortilla Chips (All homemade!)
The second dish is not as simple, because I chose to make everything myself. You could easily just buy the tortilla chips and guacamole.
Ingredients:
Tortilla Chips
2 c Whole-wheat Flour
1/2 c Soymilk
1-1/2 tsp Baking powder
2 tsp Olive oil
1 tsp Salt
(You might want to have a pump-spray can)
(or you can use paper toweling.)
Guacamole (single bland serving)
1 Avocado
1/4 Red onion, minced
1/2 small Tomato, diced
1/2 Tbsp Fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp Sea salt
A dash of Pepper, fresh grated
1 tsp Chives, chopped
Stuffed Papaya
1 Papaya, halved and seeded
1 medium Tomato, diced
1 (12 ounce) package Crumbles (Morningstar Farms)
1 Tbsp Canola oil
1 small Onion, chopped
1 Tbsp Garlic powder
1 Tbsp Garlic pepper
2 Tbsp Cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 Tbsp Chili powder, or to taste
1 Tbsp Seasoned salt
(Add any other spicy spices to taste)
Instructions
For Tortilla Chips and Guacamole:
I'd suggest making the tortillas first, and make them much earlier in the day than you want to eat them. Start by stirring together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix soymilk and olive oil in a separate bowl (or cup). Gradually add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients. The fun part comes next: use your hands to work the mixture into dough on a lightly floured cooking board. Continue kneading until the dough is no longer sticky. Put the dough into a bowl, then cover it with a damp cloth; allow it to sit for ten minutes. Divide the dough into eight equal balls, return to the bowl and re-cover with a damp cloth. After twenty minutes have passed, uncover the bowl. Preheat a skillet to medium heat. Dust a pastry board with flour and press the dough into a circle with about a five-inch diameter. Use a rolling pin to flatten the circle to less than quarter of an inch high. Put the flattened circle into the preheated skillet. Cook for about thirty seconds on each side. Repeat these steps for each ball, separating finished tortillas on a plate with paper toweling. Put the tortillas in the refrigerator. When you are about to make the guacamole, take out the tortillas, cut into fourths, or desired chip size, put on a cookie sheet, spray each side with canola oil (this is why I recommend having a pump spray can. You can also use Pam, or you could put canola oil on a paper toweling and lightly brush it on each side of the chips.) Put in the oven at 350° for ten minutes. While it is in the oven, mix the pitted, skinned avocado with the other guacamole ingredients, except tomatoes. When the chips are finished you can mix the tomatoes in (or not, if you don't like tomatoes). Remove the chips from the oven, put in a bowl, and serve with guacamole! It is so fresh and subtly flavored.
For Stuffed Papaya:
Cut papaya in half, remove the seeds and then refrigerate. Preheat the oven to 350°. Mix crumbles, tomato and onion in a deep skillet with canola oil. Cook for about ten minutes on medium heat, smooshing tomatoes with a fork. Add the other spices, mostly to taste. If you like spicy, as I do, add more. If you like bland flavors, add less. Keep in mind the papaya is sweet, and the mix of spicy and sweet is what makes this dish so good; so don’t be too stingy with the spices! Cook mixture for an additional ten minutes, stirring frequently. Take papaya halves out of the refrigerator, and put in a baking pan. Fill the pan with water up to about one inch from the papaya top. Fill each papaya half with half of the “meat” mixture (see below if you’d like to top with cheeze, and do so before baking). Put the papaya in the oven. After thirty minutes, remove the stuffed papaya from the oven and serve. Bon appetit.
For Cheeze:
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp Cornstarch
dash of salt
dash of garlic powder
1/4 c water
1 tsp margarine (Earth Balance)
1 tsp wet mustard
Mix dry ingredients in a saucepan. Then, add water. Whisk together ingredients. Turn burner to medium heat. Bring to boil. Cook for thirty seconds. Whip margarine and mustard with the rest of the mixture. Allow to thicken slightly for about thirty seconds. Then pour the cheeze in a zig-zag shape on the stuffed papaya.
The first dish is a simple asparagus stir-fry with brown rice.
Makes 1 or 2 servings
Ingredients:
Stir-Fry
2 Tbsp Canola oil
1 c Asparagus, chopped
2 c Broccoli, chopped
1 c Green beans
1 medium Red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 large Carrot, chopped
1 tsp Garlic powder
2 Tbsp Lime juice
1/2 tsp Salt
Brown Rice
2 c Brown rice
2-1/4 c Water
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Butter, Earth Balance (optional)
Instructions:
Prep ingredients: Cut broccoli, red bell pepper, onion, carrot and asparagus. Put canola oil in a wok or non-stick pan (I prefer a wok) with the burner on low-medium heat. Add garlic powder, salt, limejuice and chopped onion to the oil. Stir ingredients. In another pan, bring the water for the brown rice to a boil with salt (and Earth Balance butter, if desired). Add remaining vegetables to the stir-fry, while waiting for the water to boil, stir ingredients. Add brown rice to boiling water and continue stirring the contents of both pots, for about five minutes. Turn down the heat for the rice to medium, cover and simmer. Raise heat for the stir-fry to medium. Continue stirring the stir-fry. The rice and stir-fry will be done in five minutes. Add rice to stir-fry in wok (or pan) and mix thoroughly. Serve and enjoy!
The second dish is not as simple, because I chose to make everything myself. You could easily just buy the tortilla chips and guacamole.
Ingredients:
Tortilla Chips
2 c Whole-wheat Flour
1/2 c Soymilk
1-1/2 tsp Baking powder
2 tsp Olive oil
1 tsp Salt
(You might want to have a pump-spray can)
(or you can use paper toweling.)
Guacamole (single bland serving)
1 Avocado
1/4 Red onion, minced
1/2 small Tomato, diced
1/2 Tbsp Fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp Sea salt
A dash of Pepper, fresh grated
1 tsp Chives, chopped
Stuffed Papaya
1 Papaya, halved and seeded
1 medium Tomato, diced
1 (12 ounce) package Crumbles (Morningstar Farms)
1 Tbsp Canola oil
1 small Onion, chopped
1 Tbsp Garlic powder
1 Tbsp Garlic pepper
2 Tbsp Cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 Tbsp Chili powder, or to taste
1 Tbsp Seasoned salt
(Add any other spicy spices to taste)
Instructions
For Tortilla Chips and Guacamole:
I'd suggest making the tortillas first, and make them much earlier in the day than you want to eat them. Start by stirring together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix soymilk and olive oil in a separate bowl (or cup). Gradually add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients. The fun part comes next: use your hands to work the mixture into dough on a lightly floured cooking board. Continue kneading until the dough is no longer sticky. Put the dough into a bowl, then cover it with a damp cloth; allow it to sit for ten minutes. Divide the dough into eight equal balls, return to the bowl and re-cover with a damp cloth. After twenty minutes have passed, uncover the bowl. Preheat a skillet to medium heat. Dust a pastry board with flour and press the dough into a circle with about a five-inch diameter. Use a rolling pin to flatten the circle to less than quarter of an inch high. Put the flattened circle into the preheated skillet. Cook for about thirty seconds on each side. Repeat these steps for each ball, separating finished tortillas on a plate with paper toweling. Put the tortillas in the refrigerator. When you are about to make the guacamole, take out the tortillas, cut into fourths, or desired chip size, put on a cookie sheet, spray each side with canola oil (this is why I recommend having a pump spray can. You can also use Pam, or you could put canola oil on a paper toweling and lightly brush it on each side of the chips.) Put in the oven at 350° for ten minutes. While it is in the oven, mix the pitted, skinned avocado with the other guacamole ingredients, except tomatoes. When the chips are finished you can mix the tomatoes in (or not, if you don't like tomatoes). Remove the chips from the oven, put in a bowl, and serve with guacamole! It is so fresh and subtly flavored.
For Stuffed Papaya:
Cut papaya in half, remove the seeds and then refrigerate. Preheat the oven to 350°. Mix crumbles, tomato and onion in a deep skillet with canola oil. Cook for about ten minutes on medium heat, smooshing tomatoes with a fork. Add the other spices, mostly to taste. If you like spicy, as I do, add more. If you like bland flavors, add less. Keep in mind the papaya is sweet, and the mix of spicy and sweet is what makes this dish so good; so don’t be too stingy with the spices! Cook mixture for an additional ten minutes, stirring frequently. Take papaya halves out of the refrigerator, and put in a baking pan. Fill the pan with water up to about one inch from the papaya top. Fill each papaya half with half of the “meat” mixture (see below if you’d like to top with cheeze, and do so before baking). Put the papaya in the oven. After thirty minutes, remove the stuffed papaya from the oven and serve. Bon appetit.
For Cheeze:
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp Cornstarch
dash of salt
dash of garlic powder
1/4 c water
1 tsp margarine (Earth Balance)
1 tsp wet mustard
Mix dry ingredients in a saucepan. Then, add water. Whisk together ingredients. Turn burner to medium heat. Bring to boil. Cook for thirty seconds. Whip margarine and mustard with the rest of the mixture. Allow to thicken slightly for about thirty seconds. Then pour the cheeze in a zig-zag shape on the stuffed papaya.
3.23.2009
Comprise vs Compose
In short: whole comprises parts; parts compose whole.
In case that didn't make sense to you,
below there are some examples.
The United States comprises fifty states.
Twenty-four hours compose a day.
See, it's easy.
Love,
Nathan
In case that didn't make sense to you,
below there are some examples.
The United States comprises fifty states.
Twenty-four hours compose a day.
See, it's easy.
Love,
Nathan
The Respectful Prostitute
[A pause.] Say I haven't done anything, ma'am. Tell the judge; tell the newspaper people. Maybe they'll print it. Tell them, ma'am, tell them, tell them!
I was rereading The Respectful Prostitute and this portion stopped me. I've read it about a hundred times since. It really says a lot in so few sentences. Period pieces usually give me culture shock, but I think more than by the contrast, I'm surprised by the comparison. Replacing "some nigger's goin' to die" with "something bad is happening" the statement would hold true today. Why are we so individualistic and independent? Is it a bad thing? I'm all for individualism, but has it started to inhibit our expression with strangers? Do we need negative excuses to talk to strangers? When we're given someone to hate as a community, does it not bond us more than when the community presents a uniter—a person we can all like? For example, on September 11th we were given a common enemy. It brought us together in a way that rivals, opposes and demolishes the campaign of Obama—a uniter—in competition. Why is it that we cannot bond over love, but can easily do so over hate?
Just something to think about.
Why I Write
Writing is a cathartic experience for me. I'm not very good at it, but I don't do it for other people. You know how people say they've found their callings? I feel that way now. I don't feel I'm destined to be a writer, but I do feel destined to write. For myself, and forever. I used to go a very long time without writing, but now I've taken it up again, and I'm doing it so much it's twelve-step-program-worthy. I can't go a day without adding some pages to my stories or my scripts or poems.
I used to keep a journal, which I wrote in habitually for about a year. Then my entries changed from fact to fiction. But it wasn't just any fiction, it was my own personal fiction. My personal fiction was based on me, my life, real events and some other real people. That was my transition: my journal changed from a diary to a manuscript.
Lately, I've been writing three stories and one script. I like all of them, but there's so much of me in them, I'm not sure if I'd be able to share them. I'll be like Ray Johnson; none of my stories, as his paintings, will be available or worth anything until I'm dead. Hah. That's true for many artists, though.
It's an interesting feeling, thinking things you make will last longer than you. The foresight is personal even though I know I won't be alive in that portion of the future, between my death and the extinction of my creations.
I used to keep a journal, which I wrote in habitually for about a year. Then my entries changed from fact to fiction. But it wasn't just any fiction, it was my own personal fiction. My personal fiction was based on me, my life, real events and some other real people. That was my transition: my journal changed from a diary to a manuscript.
Lately, I've been writing three stories and one script. I like all of them, but there's so much of me in them, I'm not sure if I'd be able to share them. I'll be like Ray Johnson; none of my stories, as his paintings, will be available or worth anything until I'm dead. Hah. That's true for many artists, though.
It's an interesting feeling, thinking things you make will last longer than you. The foresight is personal even though I know I won't be alive in that portion of the future, between my death and the extinction of my creations.
If you were older...
So, I was talking to an ex-boyfriend, Jacob, who told me if I were older we could still be together. He didn't have a problem with it when I was thirteen and he was sixteen, but seventeen to twenty is a big deal? I thought the difference between ages became less significant as the people got older? Actually, I know that's the case. Regardless, he must have forgotten I dumped him for being immature. And I swore I wouldn't get back with him. He was kind of a jerk around the end.
Many other people have told me how mature I am for my age. Such as a certain someone, about whom I've written many poems and prose, and swooned pathetically. Oh man, when I fall, I fall like a ton of transplant hearts (en route to the hospital, which is tragic, because the patients really need the transplants).
Love,
Nathan
P.S. Artists are Boring is stuck in my head.
Many other people have told me how mature I am for my age. Such as a certain someone, about whom I've written many poems and prose, and swooned pathetically. Oh man, when I fall, I fall like a ton of transplant hearts (en route to the hospital, which is tragic, because the patients really need the transplants).
Love,
Nathan
P.S. Artists are Boring is stuck in my head.
3.17.2009
Gay Books
So, here is a link to a list of a few of my favorites:
Right here!
3.06.2009
W.
W.
is a pretty great movie. It almost made me feel bad for Bush. I knew he had Daddy issues, but I didn't realize how bad they were. I don't have any illusions of the movie being completely factual, but I believe it was fairly accurate.
The character Colin Powell was portrayed impressively. Dick Cheney was great, in an I-love-to-loathe-him way. And the movie overall had an interesting tone.
is a pretty great movie. It almost made me feel bad for Bush. I knew he had Daddy issues, but I didn't realize how bad they were. I don't have any illusions of the movie being completely factual, but I believe it was fairly accurate.The character Colin Powell was portrayed impressively. Dick Cheney was great, in an I-love-to-loathe-him way. And the movie overall had an interesting tone.
Self-Exploration
I've been dabbling in a bunch of new-age thinking and religious studies lately. I have looked at some of the precepts, not the supernatural, of the Bahá'í Faith, Christianity, Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. I've been cherry picking the portions I like of each, and combining them into my own worldview.
This is a big change for me. I'm still an atheist, but I now regard religion differently. To be honest, I used to think the people who believed in gods, whether it be the YHWH or some of a polytheist religion, were at least a little crazy. I wouldn't say I felt higher than them, but I definitely didn't understand how so many people, many of them smart, could believe in such unbelievable myths. And even though I still don't agree with them, on a purely religious basis, I understand now why some of them believe. I didn't really get it when I was a "believer," because I was never very devout, especially with regards to the supernatural aspects. Now I see that to be a Christian doesn't necessarily imply they believe in God (Some of you are probably thinking, what?!). Well, it's true.
Right now, I would have no problem calling myself a Christian, because I do believe in the teachings of Jesus. I don't know if he existed (or exists). I don't know if God exists. But I know there is a book that presents a code of morals which I do accept as being a good deontological base. I do not believe the infanticidal, filicidal, genocidal, ethnic-cleansing, megalomaniacal, egomaniacal, xenophobic, homophobic, racist, misogynistic, sadistic, controlling, jealous, petty, unforgiving, vindictive God of the Bible is good moral role model. But the teachings of Jesus are better, albeit contradictory to God's actions, and serve as a good basis for morals.
I'm making a few commitments because of my new views: I will meditate daily. I will give as often as I can. I will not regret. I will not hate. I will not forgive, because I will not blame. I will not objectify people. I will be aware of my judgments and attempt to minimize them. I will appreciate nature daily. I will not make exceptions for my vegan livestyle. I will reflect each day. I will learn as much as I can. I will value knowledge. I will practice moderation. I will thank food for providing nourishment. I will honor my body. I will be aware of harbored feelings, and attempt to cleanse myself of them. I will practice detachment from desire. I will not do anything I do not want to do. And most importantly, I will live now, not in the past and not in the future.
This is a big change for me. I'm still an atheist, but I now regard religion differently. To be honest, I used to think the people who believed in gods, whether it be the YHWH or some of a polytheist religion, were at least a little crazy. I wouldn't say I felt higher than them, but I definitely didn't understand how so many people, many of them smart, could believe in such unbelievable myths. And even though I still don't agree with them, on a purely religious basis, I understand now why some of them believe. I didn't really get it when I was a "believer," because I was never very devout, especially with regards to the supernatural aspects. Now I see that to be a Christian doesn't necessarily imply they believe in God (Some of you are probably thinking, what?!). Well, it's true.
Right now, I would have no problem calling myself a Christian, because I do believe in the teachings of Jesus. I don't know if he existed (or exists). I don't know if God exists. But I know there is a book that presents a code of morals which I do accept as being a good deontological base. I do not believe the infanticidal, filicidal, genocidal, ethnic-cleansing, megalomaniacal, egomaniacal, xenophobic, homophobic, racist, misogynistic, sadistic, controlling, jealous, petty, unforgiving, vindictive God of the Bible is good moral role model. But the teachings of Jesus are better, albeit contradictory to God's actions, and serve as a good basis for morals.
I'm making a few commitments because of my new views: I will meditate daily. I will give as often as I can. I will not regret. I will not hate. I will not forgive, because I will not blame. I will not objectify people. I will be aware of my judgments and attempt to minimize them. I will appreciate nature daily. I will not make exceptions for my vegan livestyle. I will reflect each day. I will learn as much as I can. I will value knowledge. I will practice moderation. I will thank food for providing nourishment. I will honor my body. I will be aware of harbored feelings, and attempt to cleanse myself of them. I will practice detachment from desire. I will not do anything I do not want to do. And most importantly, I will live now, not in the past and not in the future.
1.21.2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)