SEPTEMBER 2021
Wednesday 2021.9.29
Ode to Technology
Sometimes I am very thankful I live in this technological age. Having read Bob Woodward and Robert Costa's book Peril, I started another book, I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump's Catastrophic Final Year by Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker.
When possible, I like to have the audiobook to listen to while I am reading. I follow along with the narration. The local library system has four copies of the audiobook, which are available to download on loan, usually for two weeks. I checked. There were dozens of holds. The waiting time was estimated to be about 19 weeks. That would be February.
Enter "Text to Speech" (or "Convert Text to Speech"), a free app available on the Microsoft Store. I have the book in EPUB ebook format, so creating a basic audiobook is as simple as copying and pasting text from the book into the app. Then save as an MP3 audio file. I usually do one chapter at a time.
It isn't perfect. If the app is unfamiliar with a word, such as a name, it will attempt to pronounce it phonetically. A name like Jared Kushner would probably sound very different from the pronunciation we hear on the TV. However, the app includes a pronunciation editor that, with a little practice, can be used to make the speech more accurate.
The important thing is, I can lie on the sofa or sit outside with my eReader, my MP3 player and a cup of coffee and enjoy reading a book while following along with the narration. As I said, it isn't perfect, but it's a lot better than nothing — or waiting 19 weeks.
Another bit of technology I have been enjoying lately is the live feed of the volcano in La Palma on the Canary Islands. It's amazing to watch, especially at night when explosive eruptions hurl bright hot lava hundreds of feet into the air. The bad news is the damage. More than 650 homes have been destroyed so far.
Reading
As I said above, I finished Peril; now I'm reading I Alone Can Fix It. The writing style couldn't be more different. Woodward and Costa write short paragraphs and each chapter is three to seven pages. Leonnig and Rucker write long paragraphs and each chapter is around 20 pages.
I like Woodward's books; they're easy to read. But I am enjoying the Leonnig/Rucker book more because it is filled with lots of information I never knew before. That's one reason I like books. On TV we get short sound bites, maybe an opinion or two. Books go into depth, giving us all the details the news shows can't cover.
Cooking
I've been experimenting with potato pancakes lately. I'm ashamed to admit I've had a box of dehydrated mashed potato mix on the shelf in a closet for a very long time. The date on the package says, "Best before 2016 Nov 25." I probably bought it in 2014 or 2015. However, I don't detect anything wrong with it. The box contains sealed cellophane envelopes, each with eight servings when water, milk and butter are added. The mix is dry; so no fear of mold. Also, there is no fat in it; therefore, no oils are going rancid.
So far I'm realizing a slightly drier mix is preferred. Add an egg, some onion powder and a little garlic powder, maybe some grated Romano cheese. Shape into pancakes and fry in a hot skillet with plenty of oil, three minutes on one side, two minutes on the other. Serve.
When I was a child my mom used to make potato pancakes with mashed potatoes left over from Sunday dinner. She loved them, but I never saw them as appetizing. Recently, however, the idea appeals to me. I'm enjoying them, especially as a late afternoon snack.
Another potato treat I've been enjoying is roasted potato wedges. I might have mentioned them in an earlier blog. I use my recipe for Seasoned Potato Wedges, but I avoid all the seasoning. Just salt and maybe a little pepper. I don't like ketchup, but I do enjoy fried potatoes with a little ketchup on the side.
Sunday 2021.9.26
Getting Old?
It was one of those days. I had a lot on my mind. Besides having a new toy to play with — my Kobo Libra H2O ereader — I had a video to edit (which I didn't like — more on that in a bit) and my video camera's LED screen stopped working (more on that in a bit too). In the wake of it all I forgot to upload Wednesday's blog I wrote. When I got out of bed Thursday morning I remembered. I did the upload immediately, before I even made my cup of coffee.
I don't think it's advancing age, the onset of dementia, nor anything possibly worse. Everyone has a little lapse of memory occasionally, especially when they are dealing with multiple issues that weigh upon the mind.
About the Video
As planned, I shot the video of the unboxing of my new ereader. After the initial editing it came in at more than 25 minutes in length. That's way too long. The sweet spot for me is around 12 minutes, give or take a little, depending on the complexity of the content. What to do?
I decided to do some heavy editing. Those who watch my Kitchen Vlogs might have noticed that most have no edits. I try to shoot the entire video in one take. No cuts. No cross dissolves. Using a teleprompter really helps. I simply read from my script while trying to look as natural as possible. In this latest video the cuts will be noticeable. I cut 10 minutes out of it. That's a lot.
About the Video Camera
My first thought was maybe the coin battery needed to be replaced. The user's manual says to replace it every year. The camera is 11 years old and I don't recall ever replacing the battery. It was indeed low, but evidently good enough to maintain the camera's settings. I replaced it with a new battery anyway. That didn't help.
I noticed something odd though. If I slowly slid out the video screen to its working position, it lit up and stayed on. Do it too quickly and it goes out. That means a loose connection or a wire that is almost broken. What to do?
When the camera was new 11 years ago it cost $6,300. Other than that one screen, it works well. I've never had a problem with it. And I can use the little screen in the viewfinder to frame and focus my shots. So, probably the best thing to do is nothing. Limp along without the LED screen for as long as possible and when something catastrophic fails, then either look for a new camera or retire from doing videos. But then…
I don't mind taking apart something inexpensive that I can easily replace. Actually, some things have been superseded by newer and better models. If I were to replace my camera today, a new one would cost less than half the amount I originally spent and the camera would be better.
There are only two tiny phillips screws holding the cover on the back of the LED screen. I carefully removed the cover and looked at the guts inside. The parts are well made, a bunch of connecting wires that go into the camera are very thin, almost like hairs. I gave every connector a little nudge to make certain they were well seated. Sometimes the gradual expansion and contraction due to temperature changes over time can work a connector loose. The screen came back on like normal again.
I'm not sure how long things will last, but I'll handle the camera very gingerly from now on (I never handled it roughly), lest I shake something loose again.
Taking Advantage
Friday morning I went to the sink to wash my hands and the water was off. I've been waiting for that to happen. Take advantage of a bad situation. It was the opportunity I needed to change my whole house water filter.
I have a shutoff valve for my home. I could have taken advantage of that. But since the water was off anyway…
The new filter is white. The old filter was a dark red, like maroon. That was rust.
The pipes in the park where I live are mostly galvanized pipe. They rust out. The water was off because there was another leak elsewhere in the park. Without that filter, the rust would be in my wash water. I do have a reverse osmosis filter system under my kitchen sink to provide clean drinking and cooking water when I need it. The whole house filter eliminates a lot of the particulate matter before it gets to my kitchen sink filter.
The Sky
Friday morning I woke up to a dark morning with a yellow/orange hue in the air. That usually means smoke. I checked the news several times during the morning and no fires were reported in the area. I even went outside to see if the air smelled of smoke. Nothing. But it had to be smoke. What else would produce that color?
Finally, a little before 3:00 in the afternoon a local news agency reported on it. The color was due to wildfires burning in California's Sierra Nevada range. The smoke is high in the atmosphere, not low enough to cause a health hazard. But it does change the color of the sunlight.
And, Finally, Reading
Saturday evening I finished reading Bob Woodward and Robert Costa's book Peril. It was easy to read. I finished it in four days.
The problem with so many advance copies being sent to reporters and cable news stations is that all the good sensational stuff is reported before the book is released to the public. One bit I found new and amusing: Lindsey Graham has been trying relentlessly to get Trump to admit defeat and move on, looking forward to the 2022 and 2024 elections. Trump refuses to budge.
Wednesday 2021.9.22
How Could It Be Wednesday?
I has been a weird morning. Maybe it's my age. First, I woke up during the night because there was a cold breeze blowing on me. It lasted several seconds. I got up and checked all the windows. They were closed. Then, this morning, I would have bet my savings (well, maybe not all) that it was Tuesday. When I saw the word "Wednesday" on my computer, I checked a few of my clocks. It's Wednesday.
Happy Autumn
Today is also the Autumn Equinox, the first day of fall. (I'm glad it didn't miss that.) It's officially soup weather now. Speaking of which, I thought I had used all my frozen chicken trim to make those 28 cups of stock I wrote about on Sunday. Yesterday I cleared out the bin in the bottom of my freezer, wondering if there was anything that should be discarded. I kept all but a little bag of broccoli trim that I had saved for making Cream of Broccoli Soup (or its alternative, Cheddar Broccoli Soup). I found two more bundles of frozen chicken trim. It's time to make more stock.
My New Ebook Reader
On Sunday I also wrote about having ordered a Kobo Libra H2O ereader. It arrived yesterday. I also procured Bob Woodward and Robert Costa's book Peril. I've read 15 chapters and so far all the hype about it in the news was about the information in the prologue. Chapters 1 through 15 have been about Biden considering a run for the presidential election in 2020.
There was some new information — at least new to me — that made the reading interesting, but nothing groundbreaking. There are 72 chapters plus an epilogue; so there is still plenty of time to impress me. The thing about a presidential election, especially one involving Donald Trump, is that every item of possible interest is covered in the news, daily. In fact, one of the reasons for Biden's success was supposedly because people were tired of hearing about Trump everyday.
As for the ereader itself, it's a pleasure to use. As is true of all e-ink displays, the text is easy to read in full sunlight. In low light settings the reader has its own light for illuminating the text. The on/off button on the back has two functions. Press and hold to completely shut down the device. Give it a quick click to put the reader into sleep mode, in which it displays the front cover of the book currently being read (along with the word "sleeping"). Click the button again to return to the last page being read.
I didn't mess with the settings much. However, there is one that isn't mentioned in the user's guide, but which I found to be important. While I was reading, a number would occasionally appear along the right edge of the text. It wasn't in the margin; it was in the text, obscuring it a little. It didn't affect understanding, but it was distracting. I went back to the Settings menu and in the Reading settings page there is an option: "Show Adobe EPUB page numbers" with a checkbox. I deselected it and the annoying page numbers went away. I can't help but wonder what other settings might not be mentioned in the manual.
Overall, however, I am quite satisfied with my purchase. It's lightweight (under 7 ounces) and easy to hold. If I had to name one complaint, it's not easy to pick up from a flat surface. There is no easy grasp point unless I can get a fingernail under an edge.
An End of an Era?
Something unexpected happened this morning. The LED screen on my video camera went black. I was wiping it clean with a dry cloth and it suddenly went out. The little screen in the viewfinder works, but I never use that. I suppose I could. I probably should. Most people use it when they video something. If that doesn't work for me, then what? Buy a new camera? Probably not — which might be the end of my video pastime.
I'll talk with a friend about it. He helped me select this camera 11 years ago. He'll have some ideas.
And, Finally, the Unboxing Video
I shot the video yesterday. The video is way too long. I'll do some editing, maybe a lot of editing, and if I end up with a video I like, I'll upload it to YouTube.
Sunday 2021.9.19
A Not So Brilliant Idea
As I wrote in Wednesday's blog, I had a brilliant idea that was destined not to go anywhere. Inspired by the TV show LEGO Masters, I've been having a little fun building a few LEGO sets. I even built one car in a Kitchen Vlog video. Wouldn't it be a great idea to build more sets on YouTube, and maybe include a commentary about something important or relevant? Well, no.
I did a "proof of concept" video — actually, two. Neither was any good. I thought I might do a running commentary while I assembled a LEGO car. It didn't work, kind of like trying to walk and chew gum at the same time. Then I silently did the build again, planning to add a voice-over later. The build alone took 33 minutes. With the tightest of editing I might get it down to under 30 minutes. That's too long. And I was assembling a simple kit with fewer than 200 pieces.
There is another issue. For each video I would need to purchase a kit. Many are inexpensive, but as the complexity increases so does the price. Unless the channel is monetized and unless each video makes more than, say, $25, it would be too expensive to consider.
It costs me nothing to record a Kitchen Vlog video; so I don't mind the fact that none of them earn any revenue. Even my Mobile Home Gourmet channel isn't lucrative. The latest video, uploaded nearly a month ago, has earned less than $10 and the channel doesn't earn enough each month to purchase even one of the more expensive LEGO kits. My SmoothieTube channel isn't monetized either, but at least I enjoy a delicious beverage, sometimes two, after each video.
And so my LEGO idea, like so many others, was abandoned. I have one more kit to build, actually two cars in one box. I'll probably do most of one build and then complete the last few steps in a Kitchen Vlog video. I want to vlog about reading Jon Meacham's book (mentioned in Wednesday's blog) again. I have a few more chapters to read.
Another Ebook Reader
It's no secret that I read books. Once again, I've been looking for an electronic device for reading ebooks. I had a Nook, which worked well for a while, but all too soon the battery began to degrade. A single charge should last for weeks. It lasted only a few days. When the battery wouldn't charge at all, I tossed the device into an electronics recycling bin. That was the second Nook I discarded.
I still have my old NookColor tablet/ereader. It's eleven years old. It still holds a charge and it works well. However, it's bulky and heavy (439 g/15 oz.), making long periods of reading unpleasant. It's even heavier (638 g/23 oz.) in its leather case, but that has an easel, allowing me to prop it up on the desk for hands-free reading.
This time I ordered a Kobo Libra H2O in black. Like the Nook, it is supposed to hold a charge for weeks. It has an e-ink display, which resembles a printed page and it can be used outdoors in full sunlight. The "H2O" evidently means it's supposed to be waterproof. You can read next to a pool with confidence.
I've been using my Samsung Tab-A tablet with an ereader app, but because of its large, fully lit color display it must be charged everyday. It's also heavy (517 g/18 oz.). No complaints from me though because I also use it in my teleprompter with an app I downloaded and a foot pedal controller for scrolling. Many of my newer Kitchen Vlogs have been done using my teleprompter.
The Kobo is scheduled to arrive this week. I'll shoot an unboxing video, charge the device, and then sideload a book into it to review the device's quality. I already have the user's manual in PDF format, which I've been reading; so I should be ready to start using the Kobo fairly quickly. And it's lightweight (192 g/7 oz.).
Oh Joy, Oh Rapture
It isn't autumn yet — that will change on Wednesday — but the nights are getting cooler and it's beginning to feel like soup weather again. And so on Thursday I made my first pot of chicken stock for the season, this time using one of my favorite stovetop cooking vessels, my Kuhn Rikon (KR) pressure cooker. On Friday I made two more batches for a total of 28 cups (7 quarts/6.6 liters) of strained and skimmed chicken stock.
There's a story about my pressure cooker. Always a story. Many years ago I saw some pressure cookers in Costco. The price was only about $40. I bought one. How does that saying go? "You buy cheap, you buy twice." After only a few uses the pressure valve began to leak. No wonder. It was made of plastic.
I bought the KR to replace it. I did save the bottom and the lid (with the pressure regulator removed) of the old pot to use as a pasta pot, which works great. The KR is a beauty. The pressure regulator is stainless steel, as is the pot and lid. They're expensive, currently around $240 on Amazon, but you get what you pay for. It's a pleasure to use and it works perfectly.
However, unlike my Instant Pot, it does require monitoring. It's not set-and-forget automatic. The volume is larger though, 7.4 quarts (7 liters) compared to my IP's 6 quarts (5.7 liters). I had onions, carrots and celery on hand, along with plenty of chicken trim in the freezer; so it seemed like a good time to make stock.
Some people are reluctant to use a pressure cooker. They feel like they have a ticking bomb in their kitchen. Yes, many years ago there was a rush to get pressure cookers onto the market after World War II. The demand was high and a few unscrupulous manufacturers sold poor-quality cookers. Yes, they did explode. Actually, the lid popped off, scattering liquid and solids all over the stove and elsewhere in the kitchen, or the gasket blew out, with the same results.
Today's pressure cookers are built with multiple safety features to avoid such mishaps. But, again, you get what you pay for. Buy a good cooker and learn how to use it. You'll have nothing to worry about and it will serve you well for many years, like a good cast iron pan.
Mine has a pressure indicator that rises up as the pressure inside increases. When two red bars appear, the pot is at full pressure. I move it to the smaller simmer burner at the back of my stove and set the flame to medium-low. I check it occasionally to make certain it is maintaining full pressure. It only takes 20 minutes of cooking time for chicken stock; I usually go 30 if I use a large clump of frozen trim. Then I let the pot depressurize naturally, which takes 20 to 30 minutes. No need to cook 1 to 2 hours. Let it cool until comfortable to handle, then strain. I use my chinois. Finally, skim off the fat. Some people save the chicken fat for cooking.
I have a few dozen 1-cup plastic containers with lids that I use to portion the stock and then freeze it.
First Soup
Yesterday I made my first batch of seasonal soups. This was split pea and lentil soup. I ate one bowl for lunch and put five others in the freezer. If you're interested, you can use my recipe for Split Pea Soup, but substitute half the split peas with dry lentils.
Some Brief Good News
The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Thursday: California now the only state that has advanced out of the CDC's "high" transmission category. Shortly thereafter the state went back into red status.
And yesterday the news reported the rally in Washington, D.C. was without incident.
Wednesday 2021.9.15
Some Thoughts After Yesterday's Newsom Recall Vote
Probably the biggest takeaway is the ebbing of Trumpism. Larry Elder tried using it, and it didn't work. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, eyeing a 2024 presidential run, is trying it (and well he might because Trump lives in his state). There are still plenty of Trump enthusiasts out there, but the base is getting smaller. One news headline I remember from a while ago said something like: People are getting tired of seeing Trump's name at the top of the news everyday. I certainly was.
As expected, the Republicans, especially Larry Elder, are claiming voter fraud. Actually, they started making their claims well before the vote. I assume they knew in advance they would lose, so get the conspiracy theories out into the public domain as quickly as possible. Will there be an insurrection at the state capital building in Sacramento? I probably shouldn't say that, lest I give anyone any ideas.
Feeling like I really need a perspective reset, I started reading Jon Meacham's book, The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels again. I'm feeling discouraged about America's future right now. Meacham said there were worse times in American history — look at the Civil War — but the pendulum always swings back the other way, eventually. But here's the thing: Each time the pendulum swings to the right, it seems to go a little further, and each time it swings to the left, it doesn't go quite as far.
The political shifts in Texas are one example, and not surprising. Meacham introduces his book by writing about the motivating force of fear. It was how the Ku Klux Klan got started — fear that the Catholics, Jews, and Blacks might gain too much power in the country. In 2020 there was talk about Texas possibly becoming a blue state as shifting demographics brought in more Democratic voters. Fear of losing their control and power, the Texas Republicans have been repressing voting rights and drawing new district lines to make certain they will maintain control of the state.
Now there is another protest rally scheduled for this Saturday in Washington. I don't wish to be a pessimist — but c'mon, let's get real — I expect there to be violence again. They probably won't enter the Capital building, but I expect there to be unrest in the streets, especially if the right wing kooks encounter stalwart lefties.
Personally, I blame Trump. He made civil disobedience seem okay, even desirable, even legal. The January 6th insurrection at the nation's capital is proof of that.
How About Another Brilliant Idea (destined to go nowhere)?
If you've seen my last few Kitchen Vlogs, you know I enjoy playing a little with LEGO kits. I am definitely not a LEGO Master. In fact, I rarely touched the bricks during my lifetime. Only recently did I buy my first few sets for use in videos.
LEGO channels are popular on YouTube. I saw one video in which the builder said nothing; he silently assembled a kit. There was audio. I could hear him pressing the pieces together. But he never said anything. I want more.
I am thinking of converting one of my unused YouTube channels into a LEGO channel and assembling a set while I'm doing a non-LEGO commentary about something, like maybe politics or whatever. I'll run the idea past a friend who is totally into LEGO to see what he thinks.
And here's an OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) thing: For the first build I arranged all the bricks on trays in the order in which I will need them to do the build. No searching for bricks in the pile. Meanwhile, I've been taking a few notes for talking points as I read Meacham's book and why I feel I need to read it again.
So, meanwhile, I did a test run earlier today. It did not go well. I can't talk about one of the books I am reading while trying to assemble a LEGO kit. So here is yet another idea. Do the assembly without talking. Then, using my teleprompter and a script, record a separate audio track to be used as a voice-over. Duh! I've seen that done so many times in cooking videos, why didn't I think of that before doing the awful test run?
I'll try again this afternoon.
Dream Biscuits
I like biscuits. I've been wanting to make them again, but summer doesn't seem like the best time to bake. Now that the weather is beginning to cool a little, I decided to turn my attention again to my oven.
When I was looking around on YouTube I saw a video for Dream Biscuits from American's Test Kitchen. I always trust them, even though they disappointed me once or twice. The recipe is from Dan Souza. I trust him a lot.
The oddity about these biscuits is that they go against the rules. Normally the ingredients are cold — like refrigerator cold. Instead, Souza warms the cream in the microwave to a temperature between 95° and 100°F (37 to 38°C). The idea is to melt the butterfat in the cream, making it flow more liquidly (that's a word; I had to look it up).
I've been making biscuits off and on since my college days, following a recipe on the side of a can of baking powder. Whether warm and slathered with butter or spread with butter and honey, biscuits make a satisfying snack, especially on cold winter days when the heat of the oven is a welcome pleasure. But I never heated cream in a microwave.
It works. The result is a soft dough that is close to a batter. And the biscuits were light and fluffy, and just as delicious. Look it up on YouTube: America's Test Kitchen Dream Biscuits. They're good, and they're also easy.
Sunday 2021.9.12
Another Plan Carried Out
Last month I mentioned having a Breville Big Squeeze juicer. I wasn't able to use it much in the past year because of the pandemic. I was too paranoid to go to the store to buy fresh fruits and vegetables for squeezing. Most of my groceries I ordered online. I allowed myself one trip to the grocery store each month.
Now that I am fully vaccinated and everyone is wearing a mask in the stores again (they're really good about that here in SoCal), I feel safe going shopping. I bought nearly five pounds of red seedless grapes on sale — 99¢ per pound, regularly $2.49/lb. After rinsing them well, I juiced the entire lot. I put six cups (in 1-cup containers) in the freezer and half a cup in the refrigerator. The plan was to use the fresh juice for making smoothies.
I also bought more bananas, 49¢/lb., regularly 65¢/lb. Those I'll chop up when they're fully ripe and freeze, like I did the last bananas I bought. And I bought some apples, oranges, and nectarines. Again, I'll use them for smoothies.
However, Poor Planning
I wanted to shoot another smoothie video on Friday, but I noticed an ant on my kitchen counter; so I placed one of my bait packets near it. Within an hour the ants found it. It takes a good 12 hours for the ants to carry the bait back to the nest and eradicate it. So, a video was out of the question, which wasn't a total loss because I was also hoping to photograph an ant carrying a little morsel of bait. That would be for another Kitchen Vlog I was also planning.
However, trying to photograph a scurrying ant with a morsel of bait in its clutches proved to be too tedious a task. When my back began to hurt from bending over my camera, I quit. On the positive side, I saw where the ants were coming from (under my kitchen sink); so I moved the bait packet to there and washed the counter well. That made it possible to shoot a video.
And why a bait packet? Why not just sprinkle the bait where the ants will find it? The bait is finely chopped chicken meat mixed with some boric acid powder. If scattered, it would dry out quickly and might not interest the ants. By placing it in a small plastic packet, it retains its moisture long enough to fulfill its intended purpose.
My Kitchen Vlog
Yesterday I uploaded another Kitchen Vlog video. I unboxed and demonstrated the Vitamix stainless steel blender jar I mentioned in last Sunday's blog. Not surprisingly, it works fine, like any good Vitamix accessory would. I also showed my latest LEGO kit a friend sent me.
I thought about buying the food processor attachment for the blender, but I changed my mind when I learned it operates at only one speed. The Vitamix base senses the processor and sets the speed. That was disappointing. However, I have a really good Cuisinart "Limited Edition Metal" food processor, and that works fine. And where would I store another food processor?
SmoothieTube
This morning I uploaded another video to my SmoothieTube channel on YouTube. It was one "from the vaults," an older one I deleted when I planned to remove the channel altogether. As I said last Sunday, I'm devoting some attention to the channel again because it is demonstrating a little interest. It's not a popular channel. It has only 260 subscribers. And it generates no revenue. However, I enjoy making and drinking smoothies; so why not video them and add them to the channel?
You might have noticed I'm switching to the same thumbnail format I use on my Mobile Home Gourmet channel. The plan is to eventually replace all the original smoothie thumbnails with this format. I'm hoping the brand recognition might get me a few more views.
Wednesday 2021.9.8
What To Do?
I was on the horns of a dilemma this week. A neighbor asked me to do him a favor — pick him up at the hospital later this month after he has a minor surgical procedure done. Actually, he told me rather than asked me. He's not the kind of guy to bark orders. "Hey, Dennis, you're going to do this for me." I've helped him so often in the past, he probably assumed I'd do it again. No need to ask. Yeah, but back then there was no Coronavirus.
Here's the thing: The virus here — mostly the delta variant — is spreading. Each Friday I receive a report in my email about the number of people infected, the number who died, etc. The numbers have been increasing. During the past several weeks the numbers of dead were 1–2–4–4–3–6. The county is slightly better than 50% vaccinated. That's good, but it's not enough.
Where are these sick people? They're in the hospital. So he is going to be in there with them for part of a day and then he'll be in my car with me. I'm vaccinated. So is he. But there is still the potential for getting sick. I like to say the vaccine is not a hazmat suit. It doesn't shield us from the virus, but it does help the body prepare to fight an infection. Vaccinated people can still get sick — you've heard of breakthrough infections — but it is highly unlikely we will end up in the ICU or, worse, dead. We can recover at home.
You probably follow the news. It's difficult to avoid it. Everyday they are reporting on COVID‑19. It appears we are well into another surge. Many schools are open again. I've been watching college football games. It concerns me to see the stands so full of people cheering loud, their mouths wide open. Are all those people vaccinated? I'm sure many are. Some colleges and universities are requiring their students to be fully vaccinated before returning to school. What about family and friends? Hopefully the officials at the gates are asking for proof of vaccination before allowing the spectators into the arena. The coming weeks will tell.
And so, after days of working on it, I carefully worded a response to my neighbor's request. I expressed my concern for my age. I'm 70 now. It seems like too large a risk to take at my age, even if we both wear a mask in the car.
Where Are the Ants?
Where are the ants when I need them? Today my 8-ounce blender cups are supposed to arrive for my Vitamix. I ordered them to chop up small amounts of chicken breast meat to make bait packets to kill ants. (The blender jar is too large.) I was hoping to do a Kitchen Vlog unboxing the cups and also shoot a photograph of the ants carrying away little morsels of poisoned chicken. But there are no ants in my kitchen. (But they'll be back, eventually.)
Here's a trick I've done before. When a package arrives I want to use in a video, I open it from the bottom first to inspect the contents inside. No surprises. Then I tape the box closed and open it from the top in the video. It's not always necessary, but when in doubt, open the box from the bottom first.
The cups won't be used exclusively for making ant bait; therefore, I won't put the boric acid powder in with the chicken meat. I'll combine the two on a piece of parchment paper that I can then toss in the trash. I'm not sure what else I'll use those cups for, but it's one of those situations in which you have something and after a while you find other uses for it — kind of like having a Vitamix to make smoothies and then figuring out you can use it to prepare ant bait.
Another example is my impulse heat sealer. I bought it, with poly tubing, to make Minute Meals to take to work. Now I use it for so many things, I need to order another huge roll of poly tubing. My ant bait packets are made with poly tubing.
And One More Thing
Yesterday I was unable to access the internet most of the day. I have a cable modem and the TV channels were working, but no internet. It's strange how isolated and cut off from society one can feel without internet access. There is something important about that, but I don't know what it is, and maybe I'd rather not know. By evening everything was back to normal again, or at least this "new normal" we're all trying to live with.
Sunday 2021.9.5
Happy Three-Day Weekend
Here in the USA and also in Canada tomorrow is Labor Day, a day to honor the workers. It's always the first Monday in September. In other countries it might be May 1st. I used to be a working person. Ten years ago I retired with a pension; so I like to claim I am now gainfully unemployed.
And speaking of labor…
Tedious Work
Have you ever tried to remove or add a link to a metal watchband? I own a really nice Casio Pathfinder watch. It's a good one. I haven't worn it since well before the pandemic. Back then I had lunch with friends and I kept track of the time. They had the time on their phones, of course, as did I, but looking at my watch seemed so much easier. And I like wearing a watch.
Let's just say I filled out a little during the pandemic. Too much sitting in front of the computer or TV and not enough getting outside to walk or ride my bike. My watch was too tight to wear. I have the parts and the tools, but adding a link to the band is really tedious work. Some of the parts are so tiny. However, this past week I decided it was time to get it done, even if I have no immediate need to wear my watch again. Despite the difficulty, I succeeded.
Smoothies Again
Almost three years ago I conceived the bright idea to create a new YouTube channel dedicated to smoothies. I called it SmoothieTube. It was never monetized; it doesn't generate any revenue, and probably never will.
Things didn't go well. I wasn't expecting an overnight success, but I was hoping for more than a dud. There was almost no growth during the following year. Subscribers remained low and the number of views limped along feebly. After 18 months and 42 videos I abandoned the project. I made my last SmoothieTube video on June 18, 2019.
Feeling like a failure, I started removing the videos from YouTube with the plan to eventually delete the channel and thus hide my shame. However, some of the videos were somewhat popular; so I spared those. Of the 42, 14 remained in place.
The years passed. The channel still isn't doing well, but once or twice each month I receive an email message saying someone subscribed to the channel. There are now 259 subscribers and the channel has accumulated 11,300 views — hardly something to brag about. Nevertheless, I decided maybe I should revive the channel. At best, I can gradually upload the former videos, maybe one every Saturday, and see what happens, if anything. And it might give me something to do if another wave of COVID-19 crests this winter. Besides, I like smoothies.
To be honest, my first smoothie looks disgusting because my old blender didn't grind up the ingredients into a smooth beverage. I donated that blender to a charity thrift store and bought a Vitamix. It works much better.
Meanwhile, this week I ordered a new blender jar for my Vitamix. It's made of stainless steel, with a clear lid for watching the process inside. I also found something I had forgotten — a set of three mini ice cube trays. Each tray makes 60 small ice cubes and they are supposedly ideal for blenders. And they look cute in a video.
How many mini ice cubes are equivalent to one standard ice cube? I knew I'd need to figure that out if I wanted to use the ice in a video. "I'm using (number) of these mini ice cubes, which are equivalent to (number) of standard ice cubes." Not everyone will have one of these trays.
Four ice cubes from my standard trays equal ½ cup (4 fl. oz./118ml). One mini ice cube tray holds 6 fluid ounces; so if a recipe calls for 4 ice cubes or ½ cup cold liquid, that would be 40 mini cubes. Or 10 mini cubes equals 1 standard cube. Is that important? I don't know, but it might be important in a video.
And also maybe worth mentioning: I bought the ingredients to concoct another smoothie. This one will be banana, pomegranate juice, Greek style yogurt and some other stuff. If it turns out okay, I'll upload it on Saturday.
Perfecting the Ant Bait Packet
There were ants in my kitchen again. And I should mention my kitchen is really clean. This past week I took everything off the counters and gave all the surfaces a good scrub. I cleaned the stove and washed the floor too. My kitchen is clean.
I've written about my bait packets before. Chicken cut up really fine and mixed with boric acid powder works well to eradicate ants. It is better than the scrambled egg I used to use. The trick is to get the chicken chopped fine enough. This time I put some in a blender jar and pulverized it, then transferred it to a paper plate to mix with the boric acid. I made half a dozen packets using poly tubing and my impulse heat sealer. However, I punched holes in only one. The others went into a ziplock bag and into the freezer.
That sent me onto Amazon to find those little blender cups made by Vitamix. They would be easier to work with and clean than the large jar. And that's how I discovered the stainless steel blender jar I ordered.
As for the ants, it's almost amusing to see the little guys carrying tiny particles of baited chicken back to the nest. In less than 24 hours the ants are gone, until next time.
College Football Concerns
I've been watching football games and something concerns me. The arena is filled with fans again. Are all those people vaccinated? If not, that looks like a series of super-spreader events. I hope colleges and universities don't return to distance learning this winter after the football season ends.
Wednesday 2021.9.1
Another Pizza Experiment
This time I used some of the dough I made earlier, letting it ferment in the refrigerator more than 24 hours. It's supposed to taste better, but to be honest, I didn't notice any improvement.
I was trying for a more crispy crust. So after browning the bottom in the griddle pan first, I transferred it to a pizza peel and then slid it onto a rack in the upper part of the oven. The broiler (grill in some countries) was heated in advance. The hope was that the crust, being exposed to the dry heat of the oven rather than being protected in the griddle plan, would be more crisp. Again, I didn't notice any difference.
I have one more portion of dough in the freezer, enough for another thin crust. I'm not sure how I will experiment next. I am beginning to feel I tested all the options, or at least the ones worth trying. I think these latest pizzas are about as good as I can get in a home kitchen.
Power Outage
A little after 8:00 Monday evening all the lights went out. I went outside to look around. There were yellow blinking lights on the street. Up the road the lights were on, but everything in the opposite direction was dark. I couldn't help thinking this was some sort of planned maintenance and either we weren't notified of any outage, or I didn't get the memo.
Half an hour later the power came back on again. Meanwhile, it gave me an opportunity to use my oil lamps. I've heard warnings not to use flames for lighting, especially candles. However, I like my oil lamps. They give a pleasant glow to a room, and for many years people used them as their primary source of light. Some might complain they contribute to global warming by burning fossil fuel; however, I think they do far less damage than the cars those complainers drive everyday.
Afghanistan
Now that the last of the troops are out of Afghanistan I feel somewhat relieved that an unpopular war has ended, at least for the USA. I'm old enough to have been of draft age back during the Vietnam war. I had very strong feelings about America's involvement in that war. My lottery number was too high to be drafted the year I was eligible; so I avoided going into the military and Vietnam.
I feel somewhat the same about our involvement in the Afghanistan war. My feelings are not as strong this time because there is no conscription. Since Vietnam the USA has been operating with an all-volunteer military. No draft. Like many armchair quarterbacks, I have my uninformed opinions, even though I follow the news more closely than many Americans. This country should stop trying to Americanize other countries. That region has had a tribal culture for centuries. Rather than trying to make Afghanistan more like the USA, maybe the USA should do something about its own tribes — the Republicans and the Democrats.
College Football
It all hits the fan on Saturday. The season officially began this past Saturday, but there were only three games on TV. This coming Saturday there will be 14, and those don't include the games on subscription channels. I'll watch one or two games and I'll record two or three. With so many games on TV I'll switch channels to find the most entertaining.
And, as if that weren't enough, between today and Friday there are five games. I fear I will be overly saturated with football by Sunday.
The most pressing question is what to make to eat during the games. Maybe another pizza?