Constant Companion

This post is horribly overdue. I fell in love over a year ago and failed to post about it.

Here's the back ground. When I was working at Sea World I always brought a "spill-proof" stainless steel mug filled with tea to work. Generic brand. It had some kind of screwy cover to make it spill-proof (didn't work) which would eventually get all gunked up (tea residue, dirt). But! I could get out a screw driver and take it apart to clean it. Woo! It wasn't insulated -I could feel the temperature of the drink through it. The guys at work would often thoughtlessly lay it on the dash of the golfcart and then my tea would be gone (thanks!). Also, those guys were gross. They were often sick, and I don't know if they ever covered their mouth. So, here they are hacking all over the place and there's my cup, getting germs all over the exposed mouth part.

So, I needed something better. I had been reading the waterbottle reviews over at reuseit.com and was waffling between Klean Kanteens and Sigg bottles. Sigg had such pretty designs but Klean Kanteen got a lot of good reviews. I think I had also been looking for sippy cups (not for me!! For some friend I guess!!) and Klean Kanteen was winning out. Their winning features? A wide mouth that is easy to clean and is easy to toss ice cubes into, and pure stainless steel interior with no lining - that was a major failing point for Sigg. You can't leave liquids in it for a long time, and you can't put acidic drinks like applejuice in it. Oh, and you should clean it with special tabs. Oh, and it turns out their bpa liner wasn't bpa free. But now it is - really!

Now, I was also searching for a new travel mug. I had certain requirements. It had to be leakproof, I wanted the mouth piece to be covered so germ-boys couldn't nastify it, it had to be sturdy, easy to clean and earth friendly. And that, is how I eventually met and fell in love with Klean Kanteen.



I bought it with two lids; the regular steel topped lid and the cafe cap which is like a regular travel mug top. One for tossing in my bag and turning the bottle into a thermos, and one for drinking on the go. No, the cafe cap is not leakproof, but it is incredibly easy to clean. There are just two little parts that easily come apart. If I want it to be leakproof I put on the regular cap. No big deal. As a thermos it does an excellent job. I would come to work at Sea World some time between 4 or 6 and during the freeze in the spring of '010 it kept my tea pipping hot. It keeps liquids so hot I always add a few ice cubes in with my tea. It goes with me everywhere. Its been to the beach, to New York, Pennsylvania and now Texas. I take it through airport security empty and fill it up on the other side either with water or with tea at Starbucks. If I leave the house, it leaves the house. If I'm on a road trip and its become empty, it goes into the restaurant with me.


The wide mouth on the thermos (Klean Kanteens come in two "mouth" sizes. Wide and classic) makes it especially easy to pour in a drink from another cup. This comes in handy if you don't want to ask the waitress to fill it for you.

Of course, you know how it is, sometimes a girl has needs one kanteen just can't satisfy. Enter the 40oz classic.

You see, the insulated bottle tops out at 20oz, and I drink way more than that. Especially when I'm out playing at Canaveral National Seashore which, by the way, is a dry beach. No waterfountains, no showers, no bottle machines, nothing but a chemical toilet. In a word, the way a beach is supposed to be. And the very important fact that the "classic" klean Kanteens come in a wide array of colours. Currently the insulated does not. Plain brushed steel isn't me. You can choose to buy your Klean Kanteen with either the classic cap or sports cap (shown here with the dust cover up). I bought my 40ozer with both. Like the cafe cap, the sports cap is not leak proof. But hey, be aware and carry both. Since classic Klean Kanteens are not insulated they do sweat. I've wrapped the 40ozer in a bandanna or stuck it in a sock. For their 27ozers my mom found some old neoprene beer cozies and repurposed them for her & my brother's kanteens. Klean Kanteen does sell built brand cozies, but since they are made from petroleum based neoprene, I do not recommend them. (yes, my mom's is made from neoprene but it is being reused from the days when we didn't know it was bad) You can find all sorts of great handmade cozies on etsy though!

Since I love Klean Kanteen so much (why? because they're a good company! They bottles are ethically made [yeah, in China, fugetaboutit] and the company belongs to 1% for the planet) I bought a 27oz for my mom, dad, little brother and boyfriend. I also bought the sippy cup for my friend's baby and a thermos for another friend. You know what my mom and boyfriend said? "Do you own stock in this company?" Ha. I gave my dad his filled with iced tea. I'm actually using the boyfriend's since he doesn't really - but I bought it for his bike cage (they fit!) so its there for when he goes out again. I'm hoping other people will see them using their awesome bottles and will want one for their own.

You might be wondering, why? Whats wrong with water bottles? Well, that is a whole blog post in itself. Suffice to say; plastic is not always recycled and when it even gets in the bin, it still isn't always recycled. Secondly, plastic is made from petroleum, bp was just drilling for the oil we wanted to make our bottles with. As long as I'm using petroleum, aren't I also to blame? Lastly (for now) your not just drinking out of pure delicious oil, there's all sorts of fun chemicals in that bottle to hold it together, and they don't just stay in the bottle.

Although I'm usually fine just holding my kanteen by the loop in the cap, sometimes I want to hike ("hike" strolling through the woods is hiking right?) hands free. I didn't like the options available at reuseit or Klean Kanteen at the time (virgin petroleum products) but luckily I found a really cool sling through ChicoBag.com. Luckily reuseit & Klean Kanteen have since added it to their site. I like it because its made from 99% recycled content, rolls into a pouch, and and has a little pocket on the side for my iPhone or wallet. There's even a place on the strap for a pen or chopsticks & chapstick. My 40oz (with sock) and insulated & classic fit in it fine. Lately on my walks around Town Lake I've actually been carrying my Kanteen & using the sling to carry my pstyle, iPhone & a snack or whatever. Oh, don't take it into the beach with you. It will take forever to get the sand out of those little pockets. I'd post a picture of the sling in action but I may have met my blogger limit....

So, if your still drinking from disposable or plastic water bottles what are you waiting for? Sure they cost a bit up front, but you'll be saving money by no longer buying disposable water bottles. If your using a plastic reusable water bottle, do you feel comfortable leaving it in your hot car all day? I know nothing will leach into my Klean Kanteen if I leave it in the car - I even got their stainless steel cap just for that reason. No plastic to leach into my water.

By the way, they do make a great sippy cup. Check out their facebook page or flicker account for some cute pictures of kids drinking out of the sports cap or sippy cap. They're sturdy enough to last through all the crap kids put their stuff through. I would suggest getting a strap to attach it to a stroller since I hear many parents have lost theirs due to kids propensity for throwing things. Seriously though, plastic contains hormones that may lead to early puberty. Who wants to deal with that any earlier than you have to?

Excercise?!!

I've made an amazing revelation; I like exercise.
A revelation so amazing I've decided to once again take up the pen, er keyboard, and blog about it. I've always loved the kind of exercise that involves hiking around in the woods or playing at the beach, but now I've found that the indoor stuff isn't so bad either. I'm going to chalk this up partially to my techno/rhythm/80's/electronic radio station on Pandora. How can you not want to exercise when your'e listening to "Move it move it" or "I've got the power". But also, its because I know I'm moving closer to achieving my new years resolution. Plus, you know, chemicals and all that. Serotonin and whatnot. The elliptical in the apartment's work out room is a big help. I can move at a good pace without jarring my joints and bouncing my bits.

So, that's it. Exercise good. Make happy.
Also, it makes my legs tired.

Oh, and why am I doing this when I could just take the yoplait diet or lemonaide cleanse or maybe the cabbage diet? Because, frankly, I am weak. No way I could diet. Food and I get along well, we like each other. I like it, and it likes my butt. This way its a win-win situation. I get to eat what I consider reasonably healthy (salads but with ranch dressing & olives, chips & guac, freak'n carbs, the occasional cookie...), and I get all sorts of happy chemicals buzzing around by exercising. And, I get to keep my current pants.

Ooh, you know what else I consider part of a healthy diet? The very rare good ol' American (former)drive-through binge. The other week I ate at Huts (which is an Austin icon) and had a hamburger, basket of fries and a delicious chunky strawberry shake with whipped cream and a cherry on top. Of course, the only hard part is not doing that again for awhile...

Simple Soup

I have been meaning to try some version of tortilla soup for awhile now. Eventually I would like to make something good enough that I no longer need Qdoba's "Mexican Gumbo" (I tell them it is not gumbo, they do not listen. Its tortilla soup, or burrito soup).

This, is not a version of tortilla soup. But thinking about it got me here. It is simply a delicious simple vegetarian soup (except I used chicken broth).

I sauteed garlic, crushed pepper, dried rosemary, half a red onion (because it was started), a green bell pepper (because it needed to be used), some celery and carrots until the onion was soft and I felt it was long enough. I then added my serendipity ingredient - two big heaping soup spoons full of Newman's Own Salsa (that was not getting eaten fast enough). You see, salsa adds that slightly tomoatoey, slightly thick, spicey element to the soup. Next came 48ounces broth (I used chicken, veggie works) and some frozen okra (needed to be used!) which I brought to a boil, and let simmer. Finally, for some protein, I added a rinsed off can of garbanzo beans. When the carrots were tender I turned it off and voila!




The verdict? Despite being so utterly simple this soup was delicious. I would not call it hearty, just a simple light soup.

I could have added the potatoes waiting to be used in my fridge. Little pasta or rice or some other grain (bulgar, barley) would probably also work well.

I love this soup because it was one of those random experiments where I toss a bunch of stuff together, and hope it works. And it did! So, I now have a base to build on. I now know salsa works in brothy soups (it was so flavourful I did not have to add any salt!). Perhaps it is too simple for a blog post, but I'm so pleased with it I had to share!

Breakfast in a Hurry

I am having a harder and harder time getting out of bed. What this amounts to is; after hitting snooze several times, I just have enough time to make some tea, stumble into my clothes (set out next to my bed and waiting), brush my teeth, and grab my lunch - which I had prepped the night before. When I manage to get out of bed earlier, I usually fry an egg and make a sandwich to go. Lately I've just grabbed a granola bar and stumbled out the door. A granola bar hardly lasts me until lunch.

The perfect solution? Frozen breakfast burritos. Except, cheaper, healthier and better. I figured, if I can make my lunch ahead of time and freeze a bunch of those, why not breakfast?
I bought some multigrain tortillas (for fiber), eggs (lasting protein & something else I'm sure), frozen spinach (fiber vitamins & protein), cheese and veggie bacon.

Assembly was fairly quick and easy.

• Microwave the spinach, bacon, and tortillas (for ease of folding)
  
• grate the cheese,
• cook the eggs with garlic, crushed red pepper, Mrs. Dash.
  
• Add in the spinach.
• When the eggs are cooked put it all together. Tortilla, cheese, fake bacon & eggy mixture. Fold 'em up (mine folded horribly, I blame the multigrain tortillas), set them on a baking sheet in the freezer for a bit, then wrap them individually and freeze.

I suppose if you were going to let this sit a long time you might date them, but I only make enough for about a week - I don't know how long they'd really last in there. I microwave mine for about a minute, flip and rub (you have to rub your frozen burrito to distribute the frozen part!!) and go 30 seconds or so more. I also like to use veggie sausage in place of fake bacon because it holds up so well and has more protein - I microwave that a bit and then cook it with the eggs. About 4 sausages per 6 burritos and maybe 8 eggs. I may try frozen broccoli next time as it is supposed to have a lot of fiber & protein (both of which help keep you full longer) and I forgot jalapenos.

canned soup

I think I have perfected my potato & kale sausage soup. I was aiming for something similar to Olive Garden's "Zuppa Toscanna" and but I'm not sure what I ended up with. I knew I wanted sausage, greens and potatoes in it. I searched around the web for inspiration, bought a few ingredients and went from there.

I sauteed a lot of garlic, and crushed pepper, followed by an onion then some carrots and celery. After they seemed cooked enough I added the sausage and let that brown awhile. I then added a bunch of water (enough so that it would still be soupy after all the ingredients were in) a can of kidney beans and the potatoes. I cut up the sausage and took a shower so all the flavors would meld. When I got out the soup needed a little more flavour (I should have used stock instead of water) so I threw in two or three veggie bullion cubes. I tossed in most of a bag of collard greens (kale would work fine, I use greens interchangeably), let it cook until just soft and voila! Delicousness. I filled three of my Ball freezable canning jars (I love them!) and froze to add to my stockpile of "grab n go" frozen lunches.

Simple, delicous, hearty and adaptable. There is something wonderful about sausage potato and greens soup. Someday I shall have to try it vegetarian. Veggie sausage maybe?

the year in review, goals and resolutiuons

Wopee, another year has come and gone. Its 2010 - I still haven't heard if we're calling it twenty-ten or two-thousand-ten. Its that time of year when we're supposed to feel refreshed and start over. Its a new year! A new month, a new week, a new day...

First though, lets review the year(s) we're leaving behind. The one thing that pops into my mind, the thing that has been bothering me a lot lately, is grammar. I think the last few years have marked the downfall of grammar. I am certainly no grammar queen - I hated those sentence charts we used to have to do. I blame this on technology and social networking. Because of texts and tweets people are using a new form of shorthand, and then forgetting when it is appropriate. If you are sending me a quick text message and you have an old phone, typing "c u soon" is fine. But if your sending me an email, please take the time to write out "see you soon" and perhaps you will. I have no doubt that many elementary, high school and college teachers are dealing with these mistakes (and the often inappropriately used "lol") in many papers. Another grammar mistake that has been bothering me is using words that sound the same in the wrong place. Remember, "quick, be quiet, or I am quite sure I will quit". Not to mention "we're sure you were where we were". Its one thing when someone for whom English is their second language makes these mistakes, its another when you were born using it. Remember, spell-check is your friend, and Mozilla makes it easier by underlining misspelled words!
(now the grammarians will attack my post. "Well, you forgot an apostrophe here, and you shouldn't start a sentence with a preposition!")

Aside from grammar I think manners have also gone down the wayside. Who will teach children and adults when it is and when it is not appropriate to text message or talk on the phone? I have seen articles in Wireless magazine and heard commentaries on NPR on the subject, but how many people is this reaching? To make it easier, here are the basics. Don't talk on your cell phone when you are at a cash register - it is rude to the cashier. The same applies for when you are in line for a latte etc - are they supposed to wait for you to finish your conversation before taking your order, or skip to the next person? I personally find it rude if I am in the same car with someone and they call someone. I can not leave to avoid hearing your conversation, nor can I call someone else (as neither person would hear their conversation clearly). If you must make or take a call excuse yourself first "sorry, I have to take this/make a quick call". Also, if your having lunch with someone, don't carry one a text message conversation at the same time. If you get a text message check it, but if you'd rather carry on a conversation via texts, perhaps you shouldn't be sitting with actual humans.

Were there any improvements this year? Obama took office and I moved into my first apartment. I suppose that is it.

Now that all of that is out of the way, on to my goals and resolutions for the year. This year I intend to take steps that will help me get into the field I want to work in. If that involves moving, I mean to get a dog.

As to resolutions, um, how about I try to get out more and be more positive?
Stress less. Its important to make resolutions that you probably won't keep.
Continue to find ways to cut down on my carbon and ecological foot print.
Cut down on the amount of plastics I use by buying things that are biodegradable, recyclable and preferably made from recycled materials.
Use my purchasing power wisely by buying things that are sustainably made and with a fair wage being earned by those who make it.

An atheist at Christmas

Here is a disconnect: I love Christmas, and I am not a Christian. I was raised Christian, but life and logic, among other things, has changed my views. So, what right have I to Christmas, especially being an eco-minded individual? Are the cynics right, is Christmas just another holiday built around shopping?

Of course, Christmas is not perfect, presents make me nervous - even if its just a book I worry about packaging that I can't recycle and won't biodegrade. And I stress about getting too much stuff. Luckily I do not have the stress that comes from last minute shopping - I start thinking about Christmas presents around November, or whenever I see something someone might like. There is also the stress of being with family and reality not meeting expectations or desires.

And yet, I love the Christmas season. I love a lot of the songs (though not played ad infinitum while I'm at work... sung by annoying children). I love winter and the foods you eat and snuggling up to a fire reading Christmas stories or watching sappy Christmas movies. Snow and layering on clothes and mulled wine and spiked cider. Making and decorating cookies and finding the perfect gift and making cards. I even enjoy the Christmas Eve service at church.

This year I was not able to go home and see my friends and family, so this Christmas has been a bit lackluster for me. I managed to get some fir branches from a church that was selling trees to put in a vase, I put my few Christmas cards on a shelf, and that has been the extent of my decorations. I haven't looked at lights or gone to see the gingerbread house displays at Disney or anything else festive. The only thing I have done to celebrate the day (aside from gifts of course) is to have Christmas Eve dinner with my bosses and their family, and afterward go with them to Christmas Eve service at church. I enjoyed that. I now know why I enjoy that service; while spending time with their family at dinner and at church I was surrounded by such a warm feeling of family and community and love and peace. It did not matter that they were christian and I am not. Perhaps I enjoyed it because I was raised in a similar environment, and although it is in my past, it is still a part of me. I guess I could test this theory by participating in a Buddhist or some other religion's ceremony to see if I feel the same, or if it is too foreign.

Despite enjoying the service, I still was not sure if I had a right, as a non-christian, to the holiday. Surprisingly enough, it took a sappy Christmas song on my way home to make me realize that I do have a right to Christmas. [side note: Christians, even if you do not agree with my reason for thinking an agnostic/atheist has a right to Christmas, consider: I have as much right to take back a holiday as you did to take it many centuries ago] The song was "Do They Know Its Christmas?" by Band Aid. Maybe it helped that I was primed from listening to John Henry Faulk's Christmas Story on NPR. There might have been another song on that helped get the point across, but it was during that song that I realized that Christmas is about love - for your family and friends and neighbors, and peace and giving. Not just the capitalistic, mad rush to buy a shiny new *thing*, but giving from the heart, and charitable giving. Its about setting aside differences and realizing we are all humans, and learning to coexist peacefully. Its what the Grinch and George Bailey learned. I suppose if I had watched my favourite Christmas movies I would not have had to figure this out on my own.

Granted, these are values we should consider more than once a year, but like Valentines and Thanksgiving or Mother's Day, its good to set aside a day to remind us about these things. And, what would life be if we did not have holidays and traditions to look forward to? If each day was like the next. Or there were only part days like New Years.

That is what I feel anyways. I know I will never convince the cynics who think it is just another mass market capitalistic attempt to get us to spend. And I'm sure I would get a different response from the coalition of put the Christ back in Christmas. But at least I have figured out why I love it, and that it is ok.