Lame.

Fellow Christians, don't be dicks, alright? Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and tip decent waiters for serving your penny-pinching behind.

Geez.

Adventures in Infusion

I like making things. When I was little, I would try to make my own perfume by putting handfuls of flowers in bottles of water and leaving them on my windowsill for weeks.

Needless to say, it always turned out GROSS.

Not to be dissuaded by the acrid stench of moldy blossoms, albeit with a better grasp on chemistry and cookery, I've been trying my hand at infusing liquors lately. I'd like to try home brewing or distilling some day, but I just don't have the equipment or space at present. So tossing bits of fruits and herbs into bottles of booze has had to suffice.

I've had some successes and some failures. I've had a small sample batch of ginger-infused gin going in my fridge for maybe 6 weeks now, and it's finally acquired a subtly spicy ginger flavor. After tasting it today, I think I need to make a full bottle of the stuff - I'm a sucker for ginger(s). I think keeping it in the fridge might have been hindering the process, but it was apparently just the right thing for a batch of jasmine green-tea gin I decided to start yesterday. After just 12 hours, it packed a powerful herbal punch, and infusing it at room temperature would likely have made it downright overpowering (using gin as a base for a tea infusion might not have been the best idea, anyway).

My coffee-infused whiskey (Equal Exchange and Jameson!) turned out devastatingly strong as well, at room temperature for one week. It would probably be a nice addition to a bit of Baileys or steamed milk, but drinking it straight is not an option - even the drop I tried was downright aggressive; bitter and sharp. I'm going to try for a lighter batch that can be mixed with more versatility. I also want to do something with whiskey that will pair well with ginger ale, because my penchant for gingers also extends to Big Gingers (as The Local calls them), or J&Gs - Jameson and ginger ale.

So, some hits and some misses, but mostly a fun and interesting learning experience.

Here's the catch: I'm not much of a drinker. I hate the taste of beer, and don't really like the taste of most alcohols much better, at least on their own (with the exception of hard cider). So I have all this flavored liquor and I'm kind of at a loss as to what to do with it. I'm sure it will be nice to have some around for guests, but I've got more than I need and I'm likely to have more as I brainstorm more things to infuse.

I hesitate to give it as gifts, since it's kind of tricky determining who will be appreciative and who will be offended, or who would enjoy ginger-flavored gin for exotic gimlets as opposed to spicy basil vodka for bloody marys.

Here's where my younger, would-be perfumer self comes to the rescue. I remember childhood parties where my friends got to make things to take home as being the most successful. So I may, in the near future, host an infusing party. Folks can try their hand at making an infused liquor that suits their tastes from a variety of base liquors and fruits/herb/spices, and maybe everyone pitches in a bit for whatever they take home with them to cover the costs of some half-decent booze. That way, I (and everyone else) can try a few different things without having a lot of leftover and largely useless spirits and not a lot of leftover cash.

If you'd be interested in attending such a party, you should definitely shoot me a line and let me know. If you'd be interested in taking some of my excess infusions off my hands in the future, you should let me know that too. I might start a batch of the aforementioned basil-pepper vodka with serrano, cilantro, and/or habanero if anyone was interested in adopting the finished product.

Ska Is Not Dead

I have a pretty extreme case of musical nostalgia at the moment. I somehow stumbled upon an old Ace Troubleshooter song (Jasmine), and... there goes my work day. In a good way.

I was looking for some other cool "vintage" bands to highlight, and though I intended to post about Tooth and Nail and 90's alt-rock, but it went in a decidedly different, ska/punk direction. I'll do another post about alt-rock and probably Celt punk later. And probably revisit swing-revival, rockabilly, and punkabilly, because there's lots more to cover. But I'll leave you with some Ace Troubleshooter background and the ska-punk basics:

Ace Troubleshooter, for the uninitiated, was a clever little pop punk outfit from Minnesota. They split before the internet music thing really took off, so if you want to listen to any of their stuff that's not crappy youtube concert videos (which, you ABSOLUTELY do), you gotta google 'em (or hit the link which'll do it for you).

And now for the ska, punk, ska-punk, pop-punk, skate-punk, 3rd wave ska, swing-revival, rockabilly, punkabilly, rock-ska-billy, etc.

The O.C. Supertones
I like Streetlight Manifesto and Catch 22 as much as the next guy, and I'm aware that most of my friends were staunch supporters of Five Iron Frenzy, but Superfly is pretty damn great.

Streetlight Manifesto
Speaking of the devil... while, for most, this is the quintessential ska band, I came late to Streetlight Manifesto via The Insyderz and the above-mentioned Supertones/Frenzy. However, after recently "rediscovering" ska, I have been rocking out to Keasbey Nights quite frequently (which, I know, is originally by Catch-22, but Streetlight Manifesto re-recorded the whole damn album). Would You Be Impressed is another favorite; I could listen to the "give it to me give it to me give it to me" line all day, and the video is an animated "papercut" animal band of murderers. I would be terribly giddy to hear a girl with a wicked set of pipes cover this one.

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Kind of a ska-rockabilly crossover, these guys are good. The Impression That I Get is quality, and I would wager you've probably heard it before (whether you realize it or not), as it's a suprisingly popular tune, for the genre, which would probably technically fall under punkabilly.

The Aquabats
Can you think of anything more fun than singing the word "applesauce" three times fast? No? That's because there's nothing more fun than the Aquabats. Super Rad and Red Sweater are my favorite songs by this ska band. "You're my girl, I'm your man, I don't care if we live in a garbage can!"

The Newsboys
Okay, almost as fun as The Aquabats was the early lyrical work of the Newsboys (perhaps influenced by the fact that they hail from a town called Mooloolaba). Take Me To Your Leader and The Breakfast Song (apologies for the crappy slideshow) are just two of many hilarious, and yet musically legit tunes from the primarily Aussie/Kiwi group which, unfortunately in my estimation, got really into worship music later in their career.

The W's
I very nearly forgot The W's! That would have been a crying shame, but an understandable mistake... the short-lived band released 2 albums, one of which went largely unnoticed, before fading into obscurity and leaving behind the awesomeness that was (very probably) the only Christian swing-revival band ever. Devil is Bad is fantastic, as are the band's bowling shirts.

The Deluxtone Rockets
I don't know much about the Deluxtone Rockets. Which is weird, because they were like one of two marginally ska outfits signed to Tooth and Nail. On the other hand, they were more rockabilly, which didn't end well for The W's either.

MxPx
Listed on Tooth and Nail's current roster because they're still touring (though, to my knowledge, they haven't released a new album in almost 4 years). Thoroughly pop-punk, though you can hear swing revival influences in, for example, the opening bassline of "Chick Magnet".

Slick Shoes
More of the Tooth and Nail pop-punk, Slick Shoes was a bit less gleefully wacky than MxPx. I mean, their name was a Goonies reference and all, but their sound was steadier and more guitar-driven and occasionally more hardcore punk. Still, they knew how to do fun stuff, as evidenced by Friday Night.

Caffeine Cocktails

I'm a 6th-year undergrad, so suffice it to say I drink a lot of caffeine, and have been doing so for years. It gets old sometimes, so occasionally I switch things up by making mixed energy drinks.

We're not talking Four Loko - there's no alcohol here. That would be insane. And counterproductive, of course. But basically insane. Nope, all I'm adding is new flavors and textures to your garden variety Rockstar or Monster.

Here are two that have turned out well after a few repetitions. They both call for a can of orange/mango flavored Rockstar Juiced, because that's my go-to energy drink.

Ginger Prankster
1 can Rockstar Juiced
1 chunk fresh ginger root
Ginger ale (a 12oz can should do it)
Ice

Put some ice cubes in a tumbler or tall glass. If you've got a Psycho Suzi's mug, this would be a great use for it. Add 3-5 oz of Rockstar (I guess it depends on how much studying you have to do). Grate maybe an inch off the ginger root over a strainer so you just get the juice in the glass. You want anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon of the liquid. Fill to the top with ginger ale and give it a gentle stir.
*Don't be fooled by the relatively small ratio of Rockstar to ginger ale. This packs a punch, and if you're not careful, it can really mess you up before you notice how much caffeine you've ingested. The added sugar also makes it better for wrapping up a tedious study session, rather than settling in for the long haul.

3AM Sunrise
1 can Rockstar Juiced (chilled)
1 LARGE scoop mango sorbet
Pomegranate flavor syrup (You can use raspberry or cherry if that's more your style, but the pomegranate goes really well with the tartness of the mango. I recommend Torani.)

Put the cold Rockstar in the freezer for 15-20 minutes so it starts to get slushy. Then, add a big scoop of mango sorbet to a glass and pour pomegranate syrup over it (I use two pumps, but if you don't have a pump, two teaspoons should do). Slowly pour the Rockstar over it. The sorbet will float to the top and dissolve into the Rockstar slush.

If you try these, or if you have suggestions for other drinks, let me know what you think!

My Favorite Thinks

I've been working with an advisor at the university to develop my own bachelors degree program (the idea of spending three more years on an undergrad education finally got to me). That's not particularly germaine, but leads me to this point:

I've recently spent quite a lot of time thinking about what I like to do. And I've realized I really like to think about things. Over the next few weeks or months, I'll probably end up listing a handful of those things here or elsewhere. But at present, here are my thoughts on the things I best like to think.

I enjoy thinking about associations: what goes together and why. This is pretty much an innate and involuntary process for me; words remind me of movie quotes and colors remind me of a specific crayon in my 64-box of Crayola (or, a specific Pantone chip, or a specific item in the produce section at the grocery store). I especially like identifying and classifying things that are difficult to articulate, like senses and experiences. I'll smell something vaguely sweet and decide it reminds me of those red-hot cinnamon candies and movie theater popcorn.

It happened to me today listening to Röyksopp's "Higher Place". The song (which I highly recommend if you're into chill, rhythmically ambient soundscapes) has these sounds that remind me of water. It's a very specific, and very immediate, association. Water, clear and simple. But then I got to thinking about why it reminded me of water; trying to break down the experience to emotional and mental cues. As it happens, the sounds are similar to what you hear a lot in movies when the scene is set in or around a submarine. My mom loves movies about sharks and other sea creatures, so I saw a lot of submarine movies as a kid, and this sound is a pretty common "bubbly distortion" scene-setter throughout the genre. I found it thoroughly satisfying to be able to break the experience down into its elements and reverse engineer my own associations, and try to then figure out how I could use that knowledge to influence how someone else might think of water, submarines, sharks, and Röyksopp.

Up until now, it has just been a thing I do, and not even consciously half the time. But I'm beginning to realize how important phenomena like these can be when you are designing products and anticipating or constructing a user's experience with the product. Incidentally, product design is the broad area I'm considering for my individualized degree, and since I have to give my degree a title, a broad area isn't going to cut it.

Being able to narrow down the elements of product design that really draw me in is quite nice. I can now add "user experience" to other concentrations such as "prototyping and product implementation," "graphic design, linguistics, and information design," and "mechanical analysis and materials selection."

The proposal for this degree is forthcoming, and will likely touch on a few more of my favorite thinks. Maybe I'll post it here once it gets approved by my faculty advisors. As for now, I have less enjoyable things to think about, namely calculus.

The Art of Womanliness

How Trying to Be a Better Man Made Me a Better Woman

I discovered the "Art of Manliness" website in fall 2010. As a sixth-year undergrad struggling with staying motivated and trying to get myself in-shape enough to try for a spot on a roller derby league, the blog's focus on recovering the lost art of being the best you can be resonated with me. I couldn't relate to the majority of self-improvement schemes aimed at fellow females, centered around being the same size and style as the music or movie mavens of the moment, or finding just the right man. Ironically enough, I found the inspiration for becoming a better woman in following the advice for becoming a better man.

No, I didn't start wearing three-piece pant suits with french cuffs and shaving my jawline with a straight razor (goodness knows my legs are trouble enough). And yes, the Art of Manliness blog does have a solid smattering of articles on how to do exactly that. However, the intent of these articles, and the primary message of myriad others, is to establish a long-lost way of thinking about oneself. The blog is upfront about the fact that their pushes towards vintage shaving supplies and timeless tailoring aims to convince men that their appearance impacts the impression they make on others. There are articles on weight loss, but they center around being healthy and spry, and managing your wardrobe during the transition, rather than idolizing often unreasonable sizes and shapes. It struck me that this was exactly what most women ought to hear.

Even more impressive than the holistic, health-oriented treatment of a touchy and usually superficial topic like weight management, was that this attitude is maintained throughout the blog over a wide variety of subjects. The guys behind it are clearly not interested in turning out dapper-looking douchebags. Other articles admonish men to strive to be better fathers, learn useful skills outdoors and in, have integrity, be knowledgeable about everything from history to whiskey, and treat others with respect be they ladies or gents.

A lot of the images and even some of the articles are blasts from the past, but this only goes to show us that behaving and living well are things that both genders have lost somewhere between the Cold War and the War on Terror. The blog is only aimed at one half of this demographic, but there are more general articles on how to foster healthy habits that are definitely "one sex fits all." Either way, I think women can learn just as much from any AoM entry about how to care for and conduct themselves.

I'm going into the new year looking forward to the past. I'm excited to try and update my increasingly dissolute outlook on a seemingly endless college career and hopeless derby career with a little old-school decorum and dandification. And just to throw a little modern into the mix, I picked up a copy of GQ before my flight. The "Look Sharp, Live Smart" tagline on the cover seems right in line with my mid-century mission for (wo)manliness. And Ryan Gosling ain't bad, either.

Recipe: Peppermint Mocha Mix

Believe it or not, I'm kind of a sucker for the holidays, and with finals coming up, I needed a little variety in my coffee consumption. Since I didn't fancy spending $5 every time I wanted a little extra flavor in my espresso, I made my own peppermint mocha mix. Assuming you don't have any of the ingredients on hand, it'll run you about $9, but you can probably make more than 20 mochas with one batch.

1 bag milk chocolate chips ($2.50)
1 can sweetened condensed milk* ($0.80)
*I recommend fat free. The texture is better, it's cheaper, and hey, it's fat free.
3tsp peppermint extract ($4.00 for a 1oz bottle; I had some leftover from a baking experiment)
1/2 cup milk (optional) ($2.00)

Add sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips to medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly (seriously... those chips will burn to the bottom of the pan faster than you can say "bitter crusty mess"). Once the chips are melted and blended thoroughly, slowly add milk for desired consistency (it'll thicken as it cools; if you lift the spoon and it drips maybe once every 3 seconds, you're golden). It's not quite as important to stir constantly at this point, but don't walk away and watch Christmas specials until the next commercial, either. Add peppermint extract to taste. I used about 3 teaspoons I THINK but you want to taste it as you go to make sure it's not overpowering. Stir well.

Let it cool and put it in a jar or bottle in your fridge. Add to coffee, pour over ice cream, drink it straight (just kidding about that last one... gross).