Hedgehog Dog - one year post-surgery

This week last year was Hedgehog Dog's big growth removal surgery. We had the bump on his back that he came with removed since it was getting larger. He healed wonderfully and doesn't seem to notice the difference (but I do, one less thing to obsess over). Here's some before and during pictures of the pup.

Congratulations, President Obama

So happy. Image courtesy of Doug Mills of the NYTimes

Organic living

Hopefully it is no surprise to most of you that money is tight these days. For some reason this seems to make it harder for me to purchase organic items. Back in Delaware, we were largely buying all our produce organic or at least local at the co-op and most of our household products were "green". When I first got here, I needed some things before I found the organic/co-op stores, so I bought the usual brands. Now I've used up all of those items, and it's time to buy again. So why is it so hard to be in the store and see that the eco-friendly laundry detergent cost $1.50 more than the regular stuff? Like it shouldn't make a big difference, but it does. It hurts the wallet, but does it really? What else would I really do with that $1.50? Buy a cheeseburger or more organic bananas? But you don't think like that in the store aisle surrounded by equally annoyed customers.

Still I managed to buy organic bananas, organic cleaner, organic toilet paper, and organic spaghetti sauce. If I don't save the planet, who will?

Oh yes and I got a desk, a blender, a cabinet of 4 drawers that fits under the desk, and a desk chair (used of course). And on Tuesday I get a clothes drying rack (wohoo, no more dryer usage!) and a foam mattress, all for $80. The blisters from trying to get the desk re-assembled were apparently free.

Freetime - read a book

I read a lot, usually in bed before falling asleep, but sometimes for long periods on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Hedgehog Dog fails to see the fun in this, but it means we are usually out soaking up sun rays while doing it, which fits into his favorite things to do, too. My most recent favorite author is Ursula LeGuin, but I've spent a lot of time this past year re-reading Robert Jordan's Eye of the World series. Below are some of the books I'd recommend, you'll see they mostly lean towards sci-fi.

My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki. Combine rural American life with Japanese house-wives and you get this raving satirical comedy about being a woman and eating meat. I actually like it best for introducing me to the Japanese poet Sei Shonagon. I cried and laughed.

Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula LeGuin. Try it on for size, an ice adventure plus in an almost asexual society equals new understanding of true sexual freedom?

The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin. Science meets philosophy meets alien culture. The ultimate journey has something to say about the ivory tower of science, utopia, and sharing.

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. This sucker won the Hugo and Nebula awards for a reason. I find it has a lot to say about our current situation(s) despite being over 25 years old.

The Hyperion Series by Dan Simmons. I love the first book because it is a frame story that is not the Canterbury Tales. I love the third book because of all the worlds and cultures it visits. I love the last book because it helped me see that all religions really are the same.

Freetime - I still do watch some TV

Giving up cable did not mean that I gave up TV at entirely. Unfortunately, I continue to watch a few shows on Hulu and most college football games from *various* sources. However, I watch a lot less than I did, and the commercials are almost zilch. I find myself no longer craving the new bacon-mushroom melt at Wendy's. I wonder why that is...

I hardly watched anything except the occasional football game before moving to Canada, which made watching Hulu difficult since it is only offered in the U.S. Well, let's just say that can be gotten around. I actually like watching TV this way because you can watch entire seasons in a few sittings and actually understand the characters and story lines without a bunch of riff-raff getting in the way.

The shows I'm currently addicted to, in order of MY PREFERENCE, but not necessarily quality, are:

Fringe - Dude, I like science on TV again. Forget that all the stuff they do is impossible, and just imagine if it was. Remember imagining, and laughing, and every experiment in the lab working, and not being down-trodden? I would like a cow in our lab. On the other hand, I'm glad I don't yet know who Massive Dynamics is an allegory for.

House - The medical mysteries are getting less play than they used to, but the side-show love stories sure are.

The Legend of the Seeker - Ok, this one is totally hokey. But it is soooo idealistic that it strikes a chord in me. You know the chord that equals super she-warrior who kills all bad guys while never getting blood on herself or a hair out of place. The Legend is a bad fantasy book come to life, (really, it is) where good and bad wear white and black, respectively, and battle it out with 5 stock moves, and all the characters are secretly related (but don't know it yet). It is almost like an new, alternate universe, StarTrek, where the new character is the one who always gets killed, and the lines are cheezy. The show is based on a book series, that I have not read, and would advise against reading until watching the show as I get the impression the show takes a lot of liberties with the books.

Bones - This is my CSI/Law & Order substitute. The characters are deeper and more complex than CSI, but the crimes on Law & Order are more intriguing.

Heroes - I hate myself for continuing to watch it. They have even stopped introducing characters with new, cool powers now. So disappointing. Only watch while ironing.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - One must get her action "fix" somewhere. I'd suggest getting it somewhere else, because the acting is okay, the plots are okay, but the special effects are pretty good. I watch is mostly cause the chick from Firefly is in it.

So, those are the current series I watch over the internet, but Hulu has an older sci-fi series that everyone I know who has watched it adores: Firefly Warning, watch the show before the movie.

I also like some of the documentary materials on Hulu - they had a neat one on Harvey Milk and the NOVA shows are always great (but they don't have very many of them). If you want to laugh until you cry, try It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia or the Daily Show or The Colbert Report - they are all on the site, too.

Freetime - a week of ideas on how to spend your time.

Almost 2 years ago now, Hedgehog Guy and I gave up cable TV. Hedgehog Guy promptly found fun on-line games to play with the Beefpile Clan like Eve, WoW, and originally, Counterstrike (sigh, I almost miss that one...). I turned to the radio, specifically NPR. I just like to have something else going on while I sit and sew or pay bills or play with the dog. So, below are a list of the shows I never miss, all of them have podcasts!


This American Life - a really great show about life as it is, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It might take a few shows to figure out what is going on, like it has 3-4 "halves", and Ira Glass's (the main host) style of story-telling and humor require several doses. Their shows on the recent economic downturn helped me understand a bit of the jargon and thier Iraqi war shows are stellar. Halloween shows are great too.

FreshAir - a Philly original! This one is a daily show with everything from politics to show-biz. The Stephen Colbert interviews are my favorites. Oh yes, and Terry Gross looks nothing like I thought she did.

Left, Right, and Center - Ah, my weekly dose of political nonsense.

Hedgehog Guy and I also frequent The Moth where all stories return to the mob in the end, RadioLab where odd or mundane science topics get explored in interesting ways, and a new fav, Wiretap, a Canadian public radio show now on WHYY!! For music I really like American Routes and the Thistle & Shamrock.




Like, for real, these shows have changed my life, or at least my worldview. I enjoy a broader array of music, and I have a different opinion of people of opposite political or scientific views. I understand that more is going on around me than I can see for myself or get from the media outlets. And only talking to people, and more importantly listening to them, will reveal even a tenth of it.

Happy New Year!