Lifetime Music

I'm currently working on item numero diez of my 26-For-26 list, creating a mix tape of 26 newly discovered music artists. As I sort through all the great music I've discovered lately, attempting to whittle it down to 26 favorites, I'm reminded of the mix tapes and albums of my past. Everyone remembers their first CD, some of us remember our first cassette tape. (I would say I'm dating myself, but there's no hiding my age on this blog site)

What were some of your signature albums and mix tapes? For me, several come to mind, some are pretty embarrassing, and so many of them represent a large and wide spectrum of so-called  "music." Here's a collection of some that come to mind.

Artist: Ace of Base. Album: Happy Nation 1993. Song: The Sign.

My very first cassette tape! This album was a clear indicator, or sign, of great music discoveries to come. It opened up my eyes. I remember listening to this album on my personal portable cassette player in the 2nd grade, as my classmates and I bused off to a Green Meadows Farm field trip.

Artist: Garth Brooks. Album: Ropin' the Wind 1991. Song: The River.

Likely the first album I played over and over and over and over and over.... I originally had the album on cassette, but someone broke into our home and stole my boom box, with Garth's cassette in tow. I'm still upset about it. I upgraded to a CD copy of the album several years later. (I apologize for this video version, it's a family slideshow, but it's the only video I could find that wasn't a cover. Copyright issues.)

Artisit: Alanis Morissette. Album: Jagged Little Pill 1995. Song: Head Over Feet.

My first CD! And an amazing one at that. Remember the secret song?!?!? At the height of this album, and the start of my awkward puberty stage, I was often told I looked like Alanis. I still get those comments today.... I can see it.

Artist: Korn. Album: Freak on a Leash 1998.

And that oh-so-embarrassing Korn phase. Those were the Jnco days. Ugh! I'm not including a video, sorry I just can't do it. 

Artist: Dixie Chicks. Album: Wide Open Spaces 1998, Fly 1999. Song: Goodbye Earl

Turning to more modest music, though at the same decibel as the Freak on a Leash album, I loved to belt out along to the Dixie Chicks albums in late Middle School.

Artist: Lauryn Hill. Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 1998. Song: Doo Wop (That Thing)

Another CD that was often on heavy rotation in late Middle School and early High School. Such a good album, with so much variance in themes and sound. Though this wasn't my favorite song on the album, this was the hit song that led me to discover the rest of her music.

Artist: The Darkness. Album: Permission to Land 2003. Song: I Believe in a Thing Called Love

You remember this one. A blast from the past, this one reminds me of days in the dorms. Too much fun!

Artist: Elton John. Album: Greatest Hits 1970-2002. Song: Your Song

Artist: Prince. Album: Musicology 2004. Song: Musicology

I was on a big Prince and Elton John kick in early college. No idea why. But I woke up my college roommates many a mornings, at way too early an hour, blasting Musicology, Call My Name, Bennie and the Jets, Your Song, and so many more good ones.

Artist: Tool. Album: Lateralus 2001. Songs: Parabol and Parabola

The only mix tape to ever be gifted to me was a gift from Kevin just before we started dating. Awwwww! This is one of my favorites from Kevin's CD gift "Dat Jamz." OK maybe that's a little too sappy and personal.

Artist: Bon Iver. Album: For Emma, Forever Ago 2008. Song: Skinny Love

In more recent years, my music tastes have turned to more indie folk, world, and electronic genres. I discovered this video while sharing music with my fellow volunteers during one amazing summer project in the Dominican Republic. This song kicked off a venture in exploring less main-stream music artists. It's still a favorite.

So there you have it folks, a montage of signature songs from my past. So many more come to mind, but I've got to stop somewhere. So many of them are god-awful, but others simply incredible. What are the signature songs from your past?

With a Little Help From My Friends

To my friends and family,

In mid-March I drafted up a list of 26 Things For My 26th Year. This list is comprised of (you guessed it!) 26 things, most of which I am attempting to do 26 times. This list includes creating 26 pieces of art, reading 26 books, a 26-day food challenge, 26 hikes and much much more. The kicker?? The one I'm writing you all about?!? Donating blood 26 times.

When I first signed up for this lofty goal, I hadn't yet realized that it's quite impossible for a single person to donate blood 26 times in a single year. At most, you can donate 6 times in a single year, and 6 is a far cry from the 26 I was hoping to reach. Nevertheless, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends. 

One failed attempt. I now take my vitamins daily. You should too! :)

I am determined to bring 26 donors to the blood center this year, whether it be my blood or your blood (twiddles fingers and does evil laugh).

Will you donate blood? If not for my silly 26-For-26 cause, then perhaps for the benefit of 4.5 million Americans who need a blood transfusion every year? This bit of information came to me from the Puget Sound Blood Center, where I donate regularly:

Patient Report: 12 day old infant, Children’s Hospital, post Open Heart surgery. B neg

RBC:     13 ( + 1 WB)

FFP:      4

PLTS:    1 apheresis + 2 WB platelets

CRYO:   2 units

Total donors needed to support this patient: 23

It doesn’t matter who specifically gave the B- blood that went to this infant. What matters is that throughout the year, it is through the generosity of donors that hospitals can ensure that this infant, or any other person of any age, would have what he or she needs in a moment of vital crisis.

To date, this 26-For-26 challenge has brought 11 donors to the blood center, resulting in 10 successful donations. Six of which I have contributed personally (in the form of whole blood or platelets) and the others from my boyfriend, his father (thanks so much!) and two of my coworkers. The 11th attempt of donating blood came from a good friend of mine, someone I haven't seen for a couple of years now, but think of often. She is my favorite landlady, my all-time kitchen idol, and a cancer survivor (again, thank you so much!)

I plan to donate again on January 12th. Will you join me?

For most of you, I've looked up the information for blood donation centers near your place of residence. Please see the details below. And don't forget, if and when you go to your local blood center, be sure to send me a photo of you sporting that "I Donated Blood Today" sticker. :)

Thank You!

Your Friend/Neighbor/Sister/Daughter/Niece/Cousin,

Jenn

Puget Sound Region, Western WA

Puget Sound Blood Center: http://www.psbc.org/home/index.htm

Modesto, CA:

Delta Blood Bank: http://deltabloodbank.org/

Eastern Iowa:

Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center: http://www.bloodcenter.org/index.aspx

Clarksville, TN

Tennessee Valley American Red Cross

Search by zip for Centers and Drives: http://www.redcrossblood.org/tennesseevalley

Knoxville, TN

Medic Regional Blood Center: http://www.medicblood.com/

Lake County/Orlando, FL

Florida Blood Center: http://floridasbloodcenters.org/donateNow/viewLocations.stml

(scroll by county)

Tampa, FL

Florida Blood Services

Donation Centers: http://www.fbsblood.org/html/donate/fbslocations.aspx?county=Hil

Find a Blood Drive: http://www.fbsblood.org/html/donate/drives.aspx

Space Coast, FL

Florida Blood Centers: http://floridasbloodcenters.org/donateNow/viewLocations.stml

Jacksonville, FL

The Blood Alliance

Donor Centers: https://www.thebloodalliance.com/index.cfm?group=page&pgfunction=fixedsites

Find a Blood Drive: https://www.thebloodalliance.com/index.cfm?group=op

Sumter, SC

Sumter American Red Cross: http://www.redcrossblood.org/locations/sumter-fixed-site

Boulder, CO

Bonfils Blood Center: http://www.bonfils.org/

Colorado Springs, CO

Memorial Health System: http://memorialhealthsystem.com/wps/wcm/connect/MH/Main+Navigation/Our+Services/All+Services/Blood+Donation

2011 Wrap Up

Today I welcome the start of a fresh year. I say farewell to the adventures of 2011, and think curiously of the uncertainties of the year to come. Wedding bells will ring for two of my closest friends in 2012, my parents will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary (just, wow!), and I will face unemployment come April. I have an inkling that 2012 might be one epically eventful year. Here goes!

Commonwealth Basin. New Years Eve.

In celebration of the changing year I spent yesterday snowshoeing through the beautiful forest canopy and fresh snow of Commonwealth Basin, I built my first snow man (I'm a FL girl, remember), then counted down to the new year with hundreds of others as we watched the space needle shower the city with light and color. This morning I kicked off 2012 with a splash at the Resolution Run and Polar Bear Dive. Once you catch your breath, a mid-winter plunge into Lake Washington is quite refreshing!

Happy New Year!

No new years resolutions here. My only goal is to stick to the 26 other goals I set for myself last March. So where do I stand with my 26-For-26 progress thus far? With the start of the new year comes the final stretch of my 26-For-26 challenge (2.5 months to go!).

To date, I have successfully completed 4 of my 26-For-26 challenges. It doesn't sound like much, but with a good push I'm pretty confident that I can knock out the few remaining items left to 7 of my goals, and will go about 3/4 of the way with 8 others. 19ish out of 26 ain't bad.

As I gauge my level of success so far, I realize I've still got a long ways to go on my 26-For-26 goals, but I've accomplished a lot along the way. I'm proud to now be a bicycle commuter, and no longer a fairweather one at that. I've braved some pretty cold and wet conditions, and loved every moment of it! I've discovered some new creative outlets, including dance. I've logged over 50 miles in foot races and over 115 miles in hikes. I've successfully survived downhill skiing on both a carpeted conveyor belt (haha.. you just have to laugh at yourself sometimes) and the mountain! I've gone carless, trashless, and gone loco for local food. All in all, 2011 sure was fun.

Don't I look so stoked! Resolution Run and Polar Bear Dive.  01/01/12

What about you? What were you proudest of in 2011? What are your new years resolutions?

Cheers!

Yes, I took indoor ski lessons on a carpeted conveyor belt. Go ahead, judge me.  :)

You Will Be Missed

Today I got the news that a friend has died, and I feel compelled to write.

I got the news at lunch, and at first it all felt surreal as I shared the news with today’s coworker, someone who doesn’t know Leslie. But as I returned to the office from my field work, to a place where others knew Leslie personally or knew of her, the surrealism of her death turned to reality and I soon found myself in a heavy fog. I attempted to return to office work in solitude, only to find that solitude and a larger acknowledgment of her death did all but alleviate the fog that hovered over my head.

Leslie and I weren’t the best of friends, but she is one that has really made an impact on my time here in the Pacific NW and my time with the WCC. She seemed a calm and happy soul, with a genuine smile. A genuine person, that’s what she was. Easy to like, easy to trust. She and I could easily connect, share, and laugh with one another. I’ve always been a fan.

But now she is gone. This fog about my head still exists, and I know I’m not the only one. It still seems surreal. I feel for her sister, the rest of her family and her closest friends.

To those hurting, I send a big hug!

To Leslie, I’ve always admired your strength and character, your smile and your words of truth. When I think of you I’ll always think of river rafting adventures, snowfall and hot springs, Thanksgiving celebrations, romping and stomping, your oh-so-impressive owl calls, and much more. You will be missed.

I'm Still Here

It's been awhile, but I'm still here. My busy life is evermore busy with the holiday season, but I'm still working towards my 26-For-26 as I attempt new hobbies, discover new music artists, commute by bicycle in sub-freezing temperatures, run 5k's with jingle bells on my shoes, and much much more. An update will be coming soon, but in the meantime I leave you with a few photos that I'm proud of (item #8 on my hefty 26-For-26 list).

I'm a novice mind you, so don't expect too much from the photos. But I'm proud of them, nonetheless.
Enjoy!

The Larches at their peak. Blue Lake, Methow Valley, WA.

Blue Lake, Methow Valley, WA.

The Crooked River, Smith Rock State Park, OR.

Smith Rock State Park

Smith Rock State Park

Smith Rock State Park

Juniperus occidentalis, Smith Rock State Park

Adventures of the Market, Kitchen, and Dinner Plate

Farmer's Market beauties.

A Locavore's Pantry:

Tonight was our final night of only-local grocery shopping. We returned to the same grocery store where our local-buying adventure began several weeks ago. This time around, we felt like seasoned local shoppers, as our basket filled quickly with local cheese, greens, eggs, and fruit. Very different from our last visit there, which was a long and painful shopping experience of label-reading and struggling to come up with a satisfying meal with what seemed to be a very limited selection of local goods (we were such novices). So, I write this blog with the hopes of easing some of that initial local-eating learning curve.

Produce:

Brussel Sprouts Tree! $5/6 servings.

The vast majority of our produce came from our local farmers market. Just a couple of blocks away, this year-round market was our savior throughout this local-eating endeavor. We saved our protein purchases for the local grocery store chains, as it's much more affordable there, but I'm convinced that the farmers markets are the way to go for fresh and yes, more affordable, produce purchases. With about $20-$30 you could return home with two very heavily weighted bags of delicious brusselsprouts, butter, cheese, onions, garlic, apples, the best pears you've ever eaten, potatoes of every color, locally-made ravioli, cranberries, spinach, kale, peppers, squash, you name it! You can find more info about the Seattle's Farmers Markets Alliance here.

Protein:

For our sandwiches we purchased Hempler's spiral ham and bacon at QFC or PCC. For local sausages, Whole Foods is a good option. Bill the Butcher, is also a great option for all meat products. They  make their sausages in house and know exactly where their meat products come from, most of which come from WA, OR, or MT. Local eggs can be found at any grocery store, just check the label.

Dairy:

You can find milk and locally-made cheese at the farmers market or at any of the nearby grocery stores (Beechers, Port Townsend, and Applegate are some great local creameries) but there are a few cheese varieties you won't be able to find (though the ones you can find are damn tasty).

Bread:

We did our bread-buying at Grand Central this month. Though there are plenty of local bakeries to choose from, Grand Central is very transparent with the origin of their ingredients. On their website, they've actually mapped out where they purchase their sustainably-produced and locally-sourced ingredients.

A Locavore's Night Out:

Ordering a Homegrown local meal.

Sometimes life requires a break from the kitchen. Especially during a month of all local eating, with was quite the labor, but a fun one. For a locally inspired bite out, there are a whole host of restaurants to choose from in the Seattle area, but most are pretty heavy on the wallet. Emmer and Rye, The Herbfarm, and Urbane come to mind. For a more reasonably priced local meal out, I suggest looking into one of your local pizza shops. Yep, pizza. A little to my surprise, independent pizza shops tend to be pretty local-fare-friendly. We visited Flying Squirrel Pizza a couple of times this month. They offer a seasonal menu, where they use Shepherd's Grain flour, Zoe's or Salumi's meats, and seasonally inspired vegetable choices. They also serve up local brews too, including NW Peaks, a new fave.

If you're in a lazy stay-in-your-pajamas mood, I suggest hitting up Eat Local, a store in the Queen Anne neighborhood that offers up locally-inspired meals that are prepared and frozen. You can buy frozen desserts, sides, and entrees in single-serving to 4-serving sizes. They even offer the option of buying their products in glass containers which you can pay a deposit on and then get back once you return the containers. A plus for those trying to eliminate waste or attempting their own No Trash Week like we did a few months back.

Some other suggestions of eating out locally are Molly's Salads, Homegrown, and Central Cinema (Movies+Beer+Food).

Eating locally and with the seasons is a beautiful thing, especially this time of year. It brings adventure to the kitchen and dinner plate. Tonight we enjoy our final dinner during this 26-day local eating challenge. It certainly won't be our last locally inspired meal, but I am looking forward to some Halloween candy :)

Our final Locavore's dinner? Tonight we feast on a home-made pizza with back-yard tomato sauce (the last of my tomato harvest), red onion, poblano pepper, Hempler's bacon, and kale. Delish!

Eating Like Queens and Kings

"Local month should be renamed Eat-Like-Kings month" -Kevin

Eating locally is an absolutely beautiful thing! It takes signifcantly more effort, but our meals taste significantly better. Tonight's menu features home-made mashed potatoes (a first for me), roasted brussel sprouts (another first), and some Coho salmon cooked in a tomato and basil sauce (both harvested from our backyard garden, minus the salmon, though close). All accompanied by Skagit River Brewery's IPA and 14 Hands' Hot to Trot red wine blend. I wish I had a photo to share, but I ate is so quickly.

And it's not just tonight's dinner that has been amazing. Nearly every dinner these past 2 weeks has been nothing short of phenomenal! From fresh tomatillo salsa made from backyard green tomatoes and roasted local peppers, to zucchini-potato latkes, and so much more. It's a beautiful beautiful thing.

A not-so-beautiful thing? This quote from a book I've just finished: "...sweets, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages account for almost 25 percent of all calories consumed in America. Add in salty snacks and fruity drinks, and the total reaches one-third of calorie intake. Meanwhile, Americans eat half as many servings of vegetables as recommended; 50 percent of the vegetables they do eat comprise just three foods: iceburg lettuce, potatoes, and canned tomatoes."

No iceburg lettuce or canned tomatoes in our kitchen. Just the simple (and did I mention beautiful) goodness of fresh local vegetables, fruit, and protein.