How to (sort of) cook pork

We are not very good at cooking pork. It always turns out dry and just sort of overdone. Thankfully, it always tastes good...even if it's a little tough to cut and chew.

In the past, we've done the ole "stick it in a baking dish, cover it with sauerkraut and let it bake for a while" method, which is salty and delicious, but not entirely creative. So last night, I decided we would attempt this recipe from Real Simple.

Our pork chops were bone-in, and they were probably not thick enough, and of course, they turned out dry and chewy...but they were really, really good. If they hadn't been overcooked, they would have been unstoppable.

A note on the brussels sprouts: I made this recipe from memory, having seen it on the Food Network (a show called Cooking for Real, I believe). Basically, you slice brussels sprouts sorta thin, and heat 'em in a pan with some olive oil. Add dried cranberries and nutmeg at some point. Heat till it is wilted and maybe a little brown. I also added some salt and pepper. Clearly, I have great measuring skills. It was pretty tasty though, and I had some leftovers for lunch today. Excellent hot or cold. Yum!

Anyway, the question of the day: Do you have any tips on not overcooking pork? I didn't eat a lot of it growing up, so I don't have a ton of experience in the matter...the recipe said the internal temperature should be 150 degrees, but my meat thermometer was barely reading 145 when we took it out, and like I said, it was way overdone. Thoughts? Tips? Recipes?

Spotty Chocolate Chips

I make my own trail mix, and I always used to include semi-sweet chocolate chips. The last few times I've made it, the chocolate chips ended up getting...well...spotty. I took some pictures, and need your advice. The pictures are kinda neat, but I was kinda scared to eat them.

Why does this happen?

Sour Salt and Super Soap

The other night, my lovely friend Elissa gave me a little scoop of her sourdough starter. Tonight, I will start the sourdough bread. Tomorrow morning, I will bake it. I'm pretty excited about homemade sourdough. However, in order to begin this endeavor, I had to find some Sour Salt (aka Citric Acid). Elissa didn't use it in hers, but she also said her bread wasn't sour enough...and I am a fan of extra sour sourdough bread, so I definitely wanted to make sure I found some! Unfortunately, nobody has ever heard of this "sour salt" stuff. Ok, I'm exaggerating. But I called Berkeley Bowl, Whole Foods and Safeway, and none of them even knew what I was talking about. I resorted to emailing the Berkeley Freecycle list, because I only needed 1/4 tsp, and I figured maybe someone would just give me a little bit. I got a ton of responses, pointing me to Indian markets and Kosher websites ($1.99 for the bottle, $8.99 for the shipping? I think not!), which struck me as sort of funny...but I guess when you think about it, they're in the same general vicinity, geographically-speaking, so maybe it makes sense that the spice would be a crossover?

Anyway, thanks to one Freecycler's note that most Indian grocery stores would be closed on Mondays, I walked (.8 miles each way, in my Easy Tone shoes, woo hoo) down to the Indus Food Center on my lunch break. I had called in advance, and the woman on the phone confirmed that they were indeed open, and did in fact have what I was looking for. However, when I arrived, they appeared to have sold out. I guess being the only place open on a Monday means you'll sell out of your Citric Acid? Maybe? I don't know. I was disheartened, but thought it was a little funny that I had walked almost a mile to a store only to walk away empty handed. At least I got some exercise, right?

I decided on a whim to walk back to work on the busier storefront-laden street (rather than the quiet residential street). I had some extra time before I had to be back at work, and I figured I could browse around and window shop on my way back. I noticed a store called Middle East Market, and figured I might as well check it out. From the street, they looked like they might have Citric Acid...what can I say? They just looked like that kind of place. And I was right! A giant (considering how much I needed) 4 oz. bag for only 99 cents! What? Crazytalk! I purchased it right away, and the guy working at the register told me about how he and his friends used to eat it straight when they were kids. Like, dip their fingers in the bag and just eat it. He said he didn't recommend doing it though, and I will follow his advice. But hooray for Middle East Market! Love ya!

I had about 15 more minutes to kill, so I thought I would finally check out Juniper Tree, a store I've driven past many times and have always been curious about. As much as I whine about Christmas decorations starting the day after Halloween, I will admit that it was the beautifully decorated Christmas trees in the storefront that initially drew me in yesterday. It smelled so good, even from the sidewalk, and the music (non-Christmas, just good music) was inviting. I couldn't resist those sparkly trees! I'm really glad that I decided to check this place out, because they had 2 and 4 oz. plastic containers that are perfect for the bagged spices that had been smelling up my spice cabinet. Curry and Cayenne powders are delicious, but they sure do stink up a cabinet when they're just kept in plastic baggies. My new plastic containers keep things odor-free, and they look pretty too. Win-win!

I wandered around the store a bit, marveling at all the soap-making equipment and smelling the delicious soap (handmade by the lady working at the counter). They had some beautiful little ornaments and general decorations, though they were a bit out of my current price range. I will definitely be coming back here though, for soaps and containers and little gifty things. And maybe just to wander around, because it just smells so darn good in there!

Warm and Cozy

I don't have any pictures to go with this post, because I don't think I could accurately capture the coziness and warmth I feel right now. Also, I am not in the mood to take and upload pictures. But trust me, it's nice in here. Candles are burning (8 tea lights in various lanterns/holders, 2 apple cinnamon votives, 2 pumpkin spice votives), I just finished a mug of hot apple cider, and a Trader Joe's spiced apple bread just came out of the oven (I added dried cranberries). A load of towels just came out of the dryer, and I'm just feeling warm and cozy right now. Will is at hockey, but I am warm inside on this cold autumn night.

Today, I went to a couple of open houses (just for fun) with good friends. We also browsed around Anthropologie, where the abundance of holiday decor caught me off guard. Fake snow, ornaments, chunky knit hats, sweaters, tons of holiday-scented candles burning...I couldn't figure out the combination that I was smelling, so I didn't buy any (also, I don't want to spend $18 on a candle), but the store just smelled like the holidays. It was very nice. Very cozy. Also? Anthropologie? How about you either stop being so cute or stop being so expensive? I found myself saying "I don't need this! I can't afford this!" over and over...but it was still fun to look.

House Number 1 was this condo, which I have been wanting to check out for a long time. It is really neat from the outside - a fence made of car doors, a gate made of street signs..it looks really neat. The inside didn't disappoint! It was a really nice blend of sleek modern touches and earthy natural elements. Stainless steel with natural wood, raw plaster with stone tile. I wish I had taken pictures inside, but that felt kind of creepy. Hopefully the homeowner/seller will post some on the website so you can check them out. If you're interested.

House Number 2 was this house, which is my current favorite style of house: Craftsman Style Bungalow. It was only listed at $19,000 higher than the condo, and had two huge bedrooms, a medium-sized backyard, and a basement! What? A basement in Berkeley? I didn't even know that existed. Anyway, the house was built in 1927, and was recently remodeled. The real estate agent said that it was a foreclosure that was in terrible condition, and they completely redid it, keeping the integrity of the house intact. It is just beautiful. Lots of built-in cabinetry (and a built-in secretary desk!), a completely renovated bathroom and kitchen (with quartz countertops and cherry cabinets...gorgeous!), and just an all-around beautiful makeover from new paint to original etched glass windows. Le sigh...to have $539,000...

Anyway, now I am settled in on the couch, ready to snuggle up with a book and a blanket. Ah, Sunday evening!

Peacock Room

I love the colors here. Really don't like that one modern chair in the front, but I like the rest.

via Apartment Therapy

Just, um, oy.

I don't know if any of you have been following/paying attention to/unable to avoid the Carrie Prejean drama. The former Miss California, whom I believe is a disgrace to this fine state-o-mine, has been finding herself in a whopping mess of trouble ever since she told Perez Hilton that she was against gay marriage (during her Q&A portion of the Miss America pageant, in case you didn't know).

For the latest, click here (video and article about video). The video is almost too much to bear. But worth watching.

Can't her 15 minutes be up already? Jeez. I almost feel like I shouldn't write anything, because even mentioning her on my tiny little blog is giving her attention she shouldn't be getting. Alas, I could not resist sharing the video.

Wedding(s) Update

So, as I may have mentioned, I am going to be the Maid of Honor for one of my oldest and dearest friends. I haven't been posting many updates, because, well, I don't know why. The date has been set (September next year), as has the venue, and the bride has chosen a dress pattern (her mom is making it). We've started looking into flowers and such, though not too seriously yet. We're talking about bridesmaid dresses, and since she is practically the nicest person ever, she is insisting that we wear something we like and will actually want to wear again. No bridezilla here...not yet anyway (kidding, kidding). She's coming to visit in December (fingers crossed), so hopefully we'll get to do a little planning while she's here. Cupcake tasting, anyone? ;-)

In other bridey news, when I was home a few months ago, I went dress shopping with my other old and dear friend who is getting married next year (in June)...and we actually found her dress! It was a sample sale, so she even got to take it home that day. Ridiculous. Amazing. The dress is gorgeous, and just couldn't be more perfect for her. The color, the style...everything. I know they say that when you try on the right dress, you just know, but I had always been skeptical. Until that day. Man. She walked out in that dress, and I teared up. It was just...right. I'm so glad that I could be there to help find the dress, since I don't live nearby.

Also, there is this cute-looking bridal party shop near me that I always drive by on my way to Curves, and I called them for info on bridesmaid dresses today. They are so nice and helpful! Anyway, I was browsing their website, and then their blog, and I found this. GORGEOUS. Why is it so much fun to look at pretty wedding dresses? One picture below, just for your viewing pleasure. Ya know.

"Vera" dress - Wtoo by Watters

What? I mean, What???

Warning: I use the s-h-i-t word in this post. Get over it.

So, in case you haven't heard, Justin of "Shit My Dad Says" is getting a TV show. Wait. That doesn't provide enough explanation to elicit the "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?" response I was looking for. So here's the story (as far as I know it anyway):

A 29-year old dude named Justin lives with his 73-year old dad. His dad says shit. Justin posts the shit his dad says to his Twitter account, aptly named ShitMyDadSays (www.twitter.com/shitmydadsays). Now he has a sitcom deal with CBS.

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?!?

I mean, I'll admit that I am one of his 731,509 followers on Twitter, because yeah. That shit is funny. But do I think he deserves a TV show? Heck no. Maybe his dad does, but all this guy has done is capitalize on his dad's sense of humor. I guess you don't have to create the content, you just have to have the idea. And maybe I'm just jealous that I didn't think of it first (see Passive Aggressive Notes, Spam is Poetry - also here), but come on. Really. Seriously. Wow.

It's all over the internet if you don't believe me (because if it's on the internet, it's true). Oh, and I was going to say "Is getting a TV show from your Twitter account the new getting a book deal from your blog?" - you know, all snarky-like - but then I read that he is also getting a book deal.

Seriously. This sounds like an Onion article to me. But it's true. So, so, so very true. Unless it's a big ole hoax - is it April Fools Day yet?

I think this absolutely falls under the label called 'ridiculous' on this here blog. Oof. Seriously. I cannot wrap my head around this ridiculosity.

Tick Tock

Time feels like it's catching up with me lately. I don't mean that there aren't enough hours in the day (though there aren't), or that I feel stressed and rushed (I don't, really), but I do feel like WHOA. All of a sudden (sort of as of several months ago) I am 25. Isn't this that age where you're supposed to be figuring things out? My mind is a sort of jumble of thoughts and things, and I'm going to try to make it all make sense out here. Maybe you can help. I'm going to divide it into the two sections of What's On My Crazy Mind Right Now: Career and Babies. Two things all women deal with in some capacity at some point in their lives. Whether you want babies or not, and whether your career is being a mommy or a CEO, I think it's safe to say that the Career and/versus/or Babies...thing...is something all women take into consideration at a certain age. And no, this isn't a post about whether to have babies or a career or both...it just happens to focus on those two topics. Separately. But equally. Sort of.

Career (TOPIC 1):

I don't know what career path I want to be following, but I feel like this is the time where I'm supposed to be finding that path and starting out along, skipping with my lunch pail. I know that I don't want to be a career assistant, and that at some point, I have to start climbing the proverbial ladder. And I want to. I don't want to keep bouncing around from "ok for now" job to "it's not my career, but it's a job" job. I don't want to be an assistant forever. I want to grow and develop myself as a person, an employee, a contributer to society.

I have an idea of what I want to do career-wise, and I'm starting to do some research as to what it takes to make it in that field, how I might go about gaining experience to end up there, etc. but at the same time, I like my current place of work. I like my coworkers, and I like the company, and it's all groovy here. Besides, I've only been here for 3.5 months - maybe there will be long-term career/growth potential here. Who knows? We shall see...but at the same time, I am a crazy overanalytical planner, and I like to have goals and deadlines and I like to know what I'm working towards. That is hard to do when you're 25 and unsure about what the future holds. That sounded very cheesy. What the future holds? What am I, a writer for Disney cartoons? Sigh. I just want to have an end result and be able to work towards it, slowly but surely.

When we are kids, we are always asked what we want to be when we grow up. And we're expected to give one answer. Fireman, ballerina, doctor, etc. No kid says "well, I want to be an farmer, and perhaps I'll go into teaching, and then I'll transition into being a publisher." Maybe it's because of this that I always operated under that misconception that you have A Career. Like, one. My mom has had A Career - she's been a teacher since before I was born. She loves teaching, and if you are lucky enough to have been a student or parent in her class, you know that she is an amazing teacher. My dad has had a few careers, but for most of my life, he's been in the same industry. I have friends whose parents have had several and drastically different careers. I have a lot of friends who, like me, don't have that One True Passion or Career Goal. I know there is no common path, no thing that everyone does. I know I have friends who will respond to this post saying "I'm in my 30's and I still don't know what my Career is." But I still wish there was some magical career counselor to guide me through finding a "forever" kind of job...Mom and Dad? What did I want to be when I Grew Up?

BABIES (TOPIC 2):

The biological clock is REAL, people. I used to laugh about it, like "oh ha ha, I like babies, biological clock tee hee hee" NO. NO JOKE, THIS THING IS REAL! It defies logic and reason (despite "logic" being right smack in the middle of of "biological"), it doesn't listen to my bullet-pointed, fully rational arguments, and it most certainly has a mind of its own. Where did it come from?

I know a lot of people right now who are either pregnant or new parents, and I think this is significantly impacting my sudden (and undesirable) urge to procreate (except not). I know (I KNOW I KNOW) I don't want to have children right now. Not at all. My career is not at all stable (see point 1), I live in a tiny apartment (albeit with an awesome dude that I love very much), and I just have a lot of life I want to live before kids enter the picture (see: travel, and, um, living life without kids for a while). That was a lot of parenthesis. Sorry.

Anyway, I am fully aware that I don't want to have children in the next 5-10 years. But then I hold a 3-week old wee little thing, and all of a sudden I am awesome. Something just clicks, and I know what to do. The kid's mom actually called me "The Baby Whisperer" the other night. I get that warm, fuzzy feeling and can't help but think of how awesome it will be to have children. These hips were made to hold a baby, I tell you what!

Like I said, I know it's not time. Yesterday, I was all "babies babies babies" and today I'm all "babies are cute, but no way jose, not right now." Babies turn into kids turn into teenagers and once you're a parent, you're a parent for life. And I am soooo not ready for that. So for now, I'm taking my birth control pills like a good baby-free girl (so don't worry, mom), and reading mommyblogs to satisfy this weird craving I have for babies. Cause this bio-illogical clock has made its presence known and there is nothing I can do to stop it.

CAREERS AND BABIES (CONCLUSIONS):

When it comes to the baby-factor, I think it's been on my mind because I know I want to be a mom someday. I know I'm going to be a great mom, and it's a definitive thing that I expect in my future. Is it cocky to say you know you're going to be a great mom? Because I do. I can't explain it, I just feel like it's something I'm going to be really good at. I could go on about my finer qualities, but the bottom line is, I just know that as a mom? I will kick butt. And someday, if the internet still exists, my kids can Google (or whatever it is then) me and find this, and be like, yeah. Our mom is awesome. And wow - she really is psychic, because look! She knew she'd be awesome at momming! And she totally is!

Anyway, on the opposite end of the spectrum...With my career, I don't really know what I want to do, or how to get there, or whether or not I'll even be good at it once I decide. Or how many times I can "start over" in different jobs/careers/whatever before I figure it out. Babies are easy in the sense that I know how to have them, and I know what to do when they come. I'm pretty sure that if the stork dropped a baby (and enough money to support it) in my lap tonight, I wouldn't screw it up. For the most part.

Careers are harder - there are infinitely more possibilities for ways things can go (right and wrong), it's a decision that affects mostly just me, and I don't know...it's more confusing to me. Maybe because there is more active planning, and it's all about me, and it's all my decision, and there is no set path to follow. Nobody to tell you what you're doing is going to (or not going to) screw up your life plan...it's not obvious. I mean, there are no definitive answers in parenthood either, but there is certainly a bit more, well, certainty I think, when it comes to how to raise a child. Or maybe I am just nuts and this is all in my head and raising a child is going to be crazy in unexpected ways and I will be terrible at it. (Just kidding, I'm gonna be awesome at it - just not for another 5-10 years)

Regardless...right now? Babies make sense to me. Planning a career is scary.

So I don't know if this all makes sense to any of you, but this little theory of babies taking over my mind because my career is so unpredictable to me made sense in the car on the way home last night. So I'm rolling with it. Because it makes sense to me. And this is my blog.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter(s) though, so weigh in if you would! If you've read this far, thank you. Wow.

Holy Cow, Internet!

As you may or may not know, Dooce (and crew) launched an interactive community section of her website today. I haven't done much exploring, but I already think it's awesome. Basically, it's a lot of forums...where users post questions and other users answer them. At least that's what I can tell from my not-very-thorough research.

I posted a question** two hours ago, and there are already two pages of comments! What? Who are all these awesome people out there who want to share their stories with me (ok so some of the comments are me replying to people)? Some of these comments made me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants (true story, and now I've found Reasons to be Happy You Don't Have Kids), and some commenters turned out to be instant blog-friends (Hey there, Junket Juice!).

Best comments so far?

From Shood: "Maybe your clock is ticking, but your alarm just hasn't gone off yet."

From Suzanne: "I think women are wired to be a little ahead of the game at all times."

And guys, Dooce (freaking Heather Armstrong herself) commented on my question! I think my life is now complete.

So yeah, check out the new Dooce community. It's pretty fun.

**PS: if you are too lazy or timid or whatever to click the link to read my original question (and thus see proof that people responded to me, wow, I am still in shocok), here's what it was:

"For a 25 year old not planning on children for another 5-10 years, I read an awful lot of mommy blogs. I can't help it! Am I a total weirdo, or does the biological clock just start ticking whether or not you want it to?"

There are some seriously awesome people out there, I tell you what.

PS - I almost forgot to give a shout out to new blogger Suzanne, who has a lovely blog (and it's new!) -- so show her some love too.

PS - EDIT: Holy cow, my question is a featured question? How did THAT happen? Is it randomly generated? How did I become featured? Whatever; it's AWESOME.

PPS - EDIT: I tweeted this and then Jon Armstrong (Dooce's husband/partner in awesome, and author of Blurbomat) tweeted this. My life is now complete, guys.