Day 301 | Sunday, October 25 | 2009

Soccer Players...

Played another game of soccer this morning and we won 2-0! Fun times indeed. I scored a goal and it was pretty exciting. We won the game even though we were playing with five players (usually we play with 7 in this league). The other team had about five substitutes and that made it even more challenging. Still, we pulled it off!

Last night was part fun, part awkward, and part upsetting. It was a nice get together to see Boaz off (he's returning back to New York today) and about twenty people came over for dinner. The food went off well -- we had the Romanian feast I had made before but this time Leslie, Caitlin, Casey and Sarah helped out a lot and made everything possible. The awkward parts of the night were when Boaz kept on insulting Leslie. By now, I've sort of gotten used to Boaz poking fun at Leslie but somehow things just didn't seem right this time. It seemed like something deeper was going on. I could see Leslie trying to reach out to Boaz to try to communicate how she is going to miss him and how much of a friend he was to her and it was a little surprising to see him act so callously rude to her. It was as if he didn't really consider her to be a true friend -- or at least a friend that he valued very much. It all escalated as the night went on and eventually turned into a full-blown argument. Supposedly the two have been arguing online today and it saddens me to see two very good friends be so upset at one another. I can understand pieces of where each of the two are coming from but what I can't understand is both person's inability to reconcile with the other -- particularly Boaz. I wish things weren't so messed up right now.

Regardless, I have lots of work I should be doing (particularly a PowerPoint presentation that is due tomorrow that I just found out about) and I am going to get on it.

Day 300 | Saturday, October 24 | 2009

Halloween Time...

Today has been mostly good. Started off nice with a run on the bike path and then went to Kroger's with Leslie to get groceries for Boaz's going away party. We will be making the Romanian bean mash / rice pilaf that we made about a month ago for him and I hope it all goes well.

After groceries, I went and played a game of soccer and it was a really good game. We started off losing 3-0 and there was about 15 minutes left to play. Somehow, our team rallied and scored four goals in the remaining time to totally turn the game around and win 4-3. It was great. I mean, it would have been fun too even if we would have lost but it was really fun to win a game for a change. I think our record is now 1-1. We have a game tomorrow morning too to make up one of the games that was rained out.

Anyway, I'm about to get ready to make a bunch of food. Here is a picture on my way to go play soccer this morning.

Oh yeah...this is the 300th entry of Beans with Garlic. I'm kind of surprised that it's lasted this long.

Day 298 | Thursday, October 22 | 2009

Gold Day...

Another busy Thursday over here and the same old routine except that I went swimming this morning before classes.

Class in the morning, afternoon, and evening and then Reflections tonight with Boaz. It's sort of sad to see Boaz leave but I feel like maybe it's just his time. Leslie and I are throwing him a going away party on Saturday and it should be a good time.

I took this photo on my walk to school. Come this time next week (or the week after) the leaves will probably be gone.

Day 296 | Tuesday, October 20 | 2009

Bicentennial Park...

Tuesdays and Thursdays are my busiest days. I have almost all of my classes and then all of my tutoring / extracurriculars those days.

Starting soon, I'm going to put more effort into my blogging (I know I have been saying this for the past week or two but I really mean it). Time is just moving by too fast.

Speaking of which, Boaz is going to leave this Sunday and tonight is his last Vegan Cooking Workshop ever. I know that he has said this before but I think he really means it this time. I am really going to miss having him staying with me -- it's been a really special time.

Here's a photo I took between tutoring and VCW.

Day 289 | Tusday, October 13 | 2009

Boaz the Golfer...

I slept in a little bit today and then Boaz taught me yoga. It was really hard this time but I felt relaxed after it was done.

Today is a full day -- lots of class, tutoring, vegan cooking, and then more work.

I think I am going to upload all of the pictures I have not been putting up either tonight or tomorrow. I have been really lazy lately.

later: here is Boaz at vegan cooking pretending to be a professional golfer.

Day 284 | Thursday, October 8 | 2009

Boaz...

I have been meaning to get up early all week to get things done but I just keep pressing the 'snooze' button all the time. The word snooze is so stupid.

I am at loss for what to say. Today I went to Reflections and it was really enjoyable. Boaz discussed three different mental/physical/emotional/psychological types in aruvedic (sp?) medicine and it was interesting. My type is a pretty strong kapha.

Here is a photo of Boaz himself. I have been meaning to try to take more pictures of Boaz but he is so hard to photograph. I feel nervous about thinking about photographing him and here I settled for a mediocre shot.

Day 282 | Tuesday, October 6 | 2009

My Tomato-Nosed Pup...

Today was the first time that I have really ever done yoga. This morning, Boaz taught me some basic exercises and I must say that it was fantastic. I am really eager to learn more from him and to get in a regular routine. Although I think it was really difficult to maneuver and focus on my breathing, I felt extremely relaxed after all of it and could feel the immediate physical benefit with my eyes closed on the floor.

Other than yoga, today was pretty great. I had lunch with Caitlin when I took this picture of her holding a cherry tomato as her nose. She looks so cute! The rest of the day was somewhat uneventful -- more class, tutoring, and then Vegan cooking. Tonight at vegan cooking we made 'American' food -- bbq-marinated tofu, coleslaw, among other things. It was really good! I take that back. Vegan cooking was eventful and delicious.

Day 279 | Saturday, October 3 | 2009

Outside My Apartment...

Yet another great day today. Soccer game in the morning went just okay -- we lost 3-0 to a team called The Blue Meanies. It was kind of an unlucky game for us. We had so many chances but we just couldn't execute the act of scoring a goal.

Mark and Susan came today and I am very grateful (they brought me a coat to wear as the weather has gotten colder and colder.) It was so nice to spend time with them too -- we went to a couple art exhibits -- one in Baker and one in the Kennedy gallery at the Ridges. The first gallery in Baker showed some of the works of a print maker (I cannot remember his name right now) and the second gallery at the Ridges was a show of collectibles and antiques from Athens county. It was all great and then afterwords we went to eat at Casa.

When we got back to my house later Boaz, Sam, Leslie, and a group of others came by to watch The Darjeeling limited. Caitlin and I decided not to watch the movie, though, because we were so tired.

Day 278 | Friday, October 2 | 2009

Today was one of my favorite days of 2009 so far. Although it was a little cloudy today (there was a later a little burst of sunshine -- when I took this picture) and I felt discouraged after meeting with my professor, our dinner tonight was really wonderful. Boaz and Sam did most of the cooking -- we had potato rolls (think an almost flaky spiced biscuit consistency with mashed potatoes wrapped inside of them), a vegetable soup, corn on the cob, some marinated and steamed kale, and vegan apple pie for dessert. The food itself was so good that I could not believe it came from my kitchen. I made the potato rolls for the most part (although Boaz made the dough), but Boaz and Sam made everything else. I am so lucky to have them here!

The night was also special because of the great people that were there -- Leslie, Dan, Mauricio, Boaz, Sam, and Caitlin. We all sat down while we ate our dinner and shared some sort of item, thought, or memory with the rest of the group. Boaz elected to 'share' me with the group by playing a few songs on guitar and I couldn't refuse. It was about that moment when Larry came over (some of his friends then soon followed thereafter). I chose to share a short film by Mitchell Rose called Elevator World which I find particularly hilarious. Go to www.mitchellrose.com for videos. Caitlin chose to share the video from her blog of a man reading a Rumi poem, Leslie gave out cards that she had made for everyone and read a piece of her own, Mauricio shared some tokens that were important to him and explained some of his valuable memories, Sam shared a poem by T.S. Elliot, and Dan performed an absolutely mind-blowing presentation of the didgeridoo. The didgeridoo is an Australian instrument (created by native Aborigines I believe) that resonates with a constant low-pitched din. What was surprising about the way Dan played the instrument, though, was that he was able to do imitable sounds through the instrument while circularly breathing. He played for about 3 or 4 minutes straight, while intermittently interpreting the careful sonic nuances of the bark of a dingo, or the squeal of some animal one might find while strolling the Australian Outback. While Dan was playing, I looked around and noticed that everyone's jaw in the room was practically drooped all the way down the floor in amazement. Of course Dan couldn't see this because he had his eyes coolly shut, sitting like Budha on my living room floor with a five foot instrument jutting out of his mouth as if he were talking through the trunk of a tree.

Day 277 | Thursday, October 1 | 2009

Caitlin...

Today was not that great of a day school wise. I got my paper back and I got a lower grade than I expected to get. My professor's reasoning for giving me a lower grade did not seem that sound either.

I don't know what it is but I just don't feel that motivated this quarter. Last year and over the summer I had felt really focused and determined but it seems now that it is all slowly dissolving. I cannot explain it.

Other than that, today has been a great day. I went and saw Caitlin tonight at the Donkey and she was so wonderful. She played an open stage set for about 15 minutes and played about 5 songs. Everyone had a glowing review of her performance (although she will be the last person to acknowledge her own success).

Also, I spent some time at Reflections on Sacred Life (an event that Boaz leads) and it was very nice to be there. I picked up the guitar and played a few songs and it actually felt somewhat comfortable for a change.

Day 276 | Wednesday, September 30 | 2009

Afternoon Break...

Today was great. Only two classes and not a whole lot of work. Boaz made a really delicious lunch -- rice, butternut squash soup, cucumbers with lemon juice on top, and some cut up potatoes. It has been really great having him here and I feel lucky.

Not much else to say for today.

I'll add a picture later.

Took this photo between my 1 o'clock and 3 o'clock class.

Day 275 | Tuesday, September 29 | 2009

Boaz is here...

I didn't get to bed 'til late last night / early this morning. My paper turned out alright and I am glad to be done with it. I think my biggest problem with it was just time management -- I am still struggling with this! -- and I just need to work on finding better focus.

I am so glad that Boaz is here -- he'll be in my apartment for the next month because he needed a place to stay. I can't wait for all the fun we'll have and all the things I can learn from him. He is a very interesting person with a lot of things to offer the world.

Today has been a little off-color and I am not sure why. Maybe it is because I have gotten so little sleep. I was parking today on Court Street and I made a obvious error in pulling back into traffic as I was parking, almost hitting an oncoming car. The car honked at me and the driver look quite mad. I didn't think much of it and I just went inside the store I was going to and forgot all about it. When I came out of the store and then back to my car though, someone had stuck a note in between my car door that read, "Learn how to park ASSHOLE."

So again, it hasn't been the most thrilling day based on that anecdote.

On the bright side, today was the first day of vegan cooking, I got to spend time with Caitlin, and school seems to be going okay.

I'll add the picture later.

Day 274 | Monday, September 28 | 2009

Light Bed Reading...

Ha. Right.

I have a paper (albeit only 2-2 1/2 pages) that is due tomorrow in which I essentially have to compare two early 19th century Spanish plays. The task is actually relatively easy (one is a quintessential Neoclassicist play and the other is clearly Romantic) but it is utterly uninspiring. There is nothing that I would rather not be doing right now other than not writing this paper.

How's that for triple negatives?

Today is a happy day in general though. Boaz is here and I am excited for the next month. I am also excited about life in general. Lately I have been a grouch but I think that will change within the next week or so (or at least I hope so).

Day 37 | Friday, February 6 | 2009

Boaz...

This morning I spent a couple hours helping prepare and cook food with Boaz Ramos (pictured) and several other wonderful people.  These people help cook and serve Vegan food twice a week on Tuesday nights and on Friday afternoons.  The Tuesday night Vegan cooking is called Vegan Cooking Workshop and then the Friday afternoon event is called Starving Artist's Lunch.  Caitlin and I usually attend both of these events pretty much every week and it has been nice on a lot of levels.  The food is always fresh, healthy, and ... vegan!  

Vegan food entails that none of the base ingredients are made from or come from animals.  Everything is usually soy based and there is never meat, milk, or egg-related ingredients either. I myself have dabbled with veganism but it was too hard for me to maintain. My attempt at Veganism is a whole different story altogether but I generally do find peace in having a combinational diet.  At least for now...  Maybe one day I will eat a vegan diet but I have come to think that that will probably not happen.  Maybe not at least until I have my own place or house.  We'll see.

Anyways, it was really nice to help make food and the people there were very friendly.  So far, today has been a good day!

Another good and funny thing that happened today was that I got a special video recording from Caitlin's dog, Penny.  Here is the special message below:

As you can see, Penny is very adorable in a number of ways.  She might be the canine form of perfection.  However, I do believe she is misguided in being in love with me.  On numerous occasions, she has professed her love for me, despite the fact that it is an impossible love -- especially because I am happily dating her "sister" Caitlin.  Additionally, I think she is overlooking someone too.  She is overlooking someone who deeply loves her.  His name is Riley Remnant and he is Rem and Amanda's dog.  Similarly, he made a video recording to profess his love too.  Riley's video: