Saying Goodbye

Posted on 14 February 2007 by Kristy Nicole

Carlton’s stepdad passed away today. He’s been in Carlton’s life for over twenty years, so it’s hard to say goodbye. Carlton’s mom has been preparing for this- her husband has been ill for quite some time. But nothing ever really prepares one for the end.

As a group of friends and family held hands to say the Lord’s Prayer with him, he breathed with difficulty. Right after the group said “amen,” he coughed his last breath and passed away among a group of people who loved him.

As he was carried from his room to the hearse, snowflakes gently fell on the cloth covering him. He loved the snow. It’s quite fitting he feel the snowfall one last time on this earth.

So goodbye, and this picture is for you.

Snow Jobs for Everyone!

Posted on 14 February 2007 by Kristy Nicole

As winter storms have gripped much of the midwest, my little corner of the world is faring well. It’s not a Nor’easter, but it’s a lot of snow for Hoosiers unaccustomed to more than a couple of inches every once in a while.

The snow alternated with freezing rain. Coupled with frequent plowing, a three and a half foot wall of ice blocked the end of the driveway. Luckily I had the forethought to bring work home with me and was able to accomplish some stuff.

Just as the fun, cozy feeling of being snowed in was transitioning to cabin fever, the doorbell rang and we were rescued by a couple of guys making a killing with their Bobcat. Please note in the picture to the right that the neighbors across the street were unable to ram through the snow/ice wall…with their minivan. You can see how far the vehicle went. Uh, I guess that thing isn’t AWD, folks.

The snow is glittering beautifully in the sun. It sure is pretty…from INDOORS.

King Kong directed by Peter Jackson

Posted on 12 February 2007 by Kristy Nicole

IMDb link

Because Carlton went with friends to see this movie in the theater, it never made it onto our Netflix queue and I never saw it. By happy accident, it was playing on HBO and we caught all but the opening 10 minutes.

I’ve heard complaints that the beast isn’t even seen until the movie’s second hour. I had no such complaint. The first hour was well crafted and extremely interesting on its own. I liked the revelation of the motivation that led each person to go aboard a less-than-luxurious vessel in search of adventure, fame, or just a paycheck. Each character’s story was well told by the actor. Jack Black surprised me with his semi-serious role. He was the weakest acting-wise; he was having trouble not mugging for laughs on every take.

I was not convinced that Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) and Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody) could be as in love as they claimed after a few days on a boat. Honestly, true attachment takes much longer, and most movies suffer from this malady. Heck, most people suffer from this malady…but I digress.

Once on the island with Kong discovered, the pace is very quick. There was one scene- the brontosaurus run- that was about a minute too long and totally implausible because everyone would have been trampled. In addition, there were a few spots where it was very obvious that actors were green-screening. Another scene- shooting insects off of people with a tommy gun- was impossible, even in fantasy movie terms. Nobody can sharpshoot that well with a tommy gun. And wouldn’t poor Miss Darrow have had a broken neck (or at least whiplash) from Kong holding her while fighting other creatures?

Imperfections aside, I was very impressed by the film. Peter Jackson produces some heart-pounding action-adventure, and does not fail to do so here. I was truly engaged with all of the characters. Kong was not a CGI terror, he was as multi-faceted as other characters; difficult to do without even speaking.

The scenes with Ann Darrow and Kong could have been intolerably boring. Instead, Watts and Serkis (and the CGI staff) deliver emotion-packed scenes that rivaled the spoken dialogue. In the dénouement, I was emotionally involved with both characters. Though I knew the ending, I was hoping that somehow it would be different.

The message I chose to pull from the movie is man’s inhumanity to animals. Kong was viewed as a commodity by Denham and everyone else. The message is as relevant now as it was when the first King Kong movie was filmed. Animals are not human. But they don’t deserve to suffer for our gain.

[rate 4]

The Negotiator directed by F. Gary Gray

Posted on 11 February 2007 by Kristy Nicole

IMDb link

I have realized that the more movies I watch, the more I can see Hollywood formulas as they unfold. This movie shows its age with the formulaic plot and predictable camera shots.

Pop quiz: what was the point of making Samuel Jackson’s hair red? I don’t know either.

The acting was executed well, considering the weak dialogue. Kevin Spacey can act his way out of almost any poor script.

Wow. I am so uninspired by this movie that I am too bored to describe the plot. I have to respect Ebert and Roeper for being able to talk at length about mediocre films. It’s so much easier to love or hate.
I enjoyed watching it, but I guess I expect more from a movie from this.

[rate 2]

As if I Didn’t Detest Ron Artest Enough…

Posted on 08 February 2007 by Kristy Nicole

What a total jerk.

Creamy Cajun Pasta

Posted on 07 February 2007 by Kristy Nicole

This is one of my favorite craves, so I looked at some recipes online and improvised based on ingredients on hand. Pretty delicious…but definitely NOT low fat!

To a spice grinder, add

1 T kosher salt
1 T cayenne pepper
1 T paprika (smoked, if available)
1 T freshly cracked black pepper
1 t Mexican oregano, whole

Buzz until all is a fine powder. This is your cajun seasoning. Set aside.

Into a large saucier, cut

8-10 dry sundried tomatoes

into strips with scissors and soak in

4 T warm olive oil

for at least 2 hours. With tongs, remove the tomato strips and heat the oil over medium high heat. Add

6 green onions, chopped white part only
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

and saute until golden and transparent. Turn heat to high; deglaze with

2/3 cup dry white wine

and reduce by at least half. Reduce heat to low-medium low and add

1 1/2 c heavy whipping cream

and reduce by half. Add about

2 T cajun seasoning
1/4 c Parmesano-Reggiano, ground to a very fine powder in a food processor

Taste; add more seasoning, if desired, to increase spiciness. Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring

1 gallon water

to a rolling boil. Add

2 T kosher salt
1 pound brass-cut fettucine;

boil 8-10 minutes or until al dente. With tongs, move finished pasta to saucier; toss with sauce. Garnish with

6 green onions, chopped, green part only

and serve immediately. Garnish with walnuts, if available.
Makes 4 servings. I actually used dry sundried tomatoes; if you can only find pre-marinated (which are much more expensive), skip the warm oil step. Use the drained sundried tomato oil to fry onions and garlic. Using brass-cut pasta will greatly improve the sauce’s adhesion to the pasta and the overall creaminess of the sauce.
Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 2.5 hours (30 minutes if using premarinated tomatoes)
Taste [rate 4]
Ease [rate 3]

A Man of Faith

Posted on 04 February 2007 by Kristy Nicole

Yesterday, while working to prepare my home to watch the Super Bowl, I was listening to some coverage of a speech given by Tony Dungy that morning. I was blown away by his ability to keep his priorities straight. Luckily, I found a reprint of his speech, and this is the line that really hit home for me: “I have a great platform and that is the number one thing that drives me to stay in football. People know we’re excited to be in the Super Bowl, but this is so small compared to what God has for me. We always have to keep perspective.???

Go, Tony. Go COLTS!

Bring Your Cat Indoors NOW

Posted on 02 February 2007 by Kristy Nicole

So it was 11 degrees F outside last night, with a wind chill close to zero. My husband noticed a small grey cat begging at our door. We put him into the garage with some food, water, and a litter box. He drank an entire can of water because he was so thirsty, ate a little food, and cried all night to be let in the house.

He has very soft fur and wasn’t very dirty; he also didn’t have a thick winter coat. This was somebody’s cat that they’d let outside during the coldest part of the year.

It makes me so angry that people do this to their animals. Yes, there is the Indianapolis-area law that states in part:

(a) Every owner or keeper of an animal kept in the consolidated city and county shall see that such
animal:
(1) Is kept in a clean, sanitary and healthy manner…
(2) Has food that is appropriate for the species in adequate amounts to maintain good health, fresh potable drinking water where appropriate, shelter and ventilation, including quarters that are protected from excessive heat and cold…

But why do we need laws to take care of our companion animals? It is so much better to keep cats indoors…for their health and safety and for your peace of mind.

Carlton and I know this first-hand. Both of our cats were abandoned. Baja (Mr. Kitty) was being tortured by a pack of cats when he was rescued; Mini (pictured at right) was on the brink of starvation when we saved him. He had four different parasitic infections and FIV.

Feeling indignant? How dare I indict you for letting your cats roam? If you think your outdoor cats are OK outdoors, it only takes one cat bite from an infected cat to give your cat a death sentence. Mini is sweet and loveable and doesn’t deserve to be so sick. If his previous owners had kept him indoors, he would not be facing a very painful death. Think I’m being melodramatic? Just look here at what he’s enduring because someone thought it was OK to leave him outside. We have to keep Mini and Mr. Kitty in separate areas of the house so there’s no risk that Mr. Kitty could become infected.

This sweet grey kitty can’t stay with us; we already have lots of animals, and don’t want to dilute our love and attention of our pets by having too many.

I’m begging you. Bring your companion animals into your warm home so they can live long, happy, healthy lives.

Farewell to my Fishies

Posted on 30 January 2007 by Kristy Nicole

This was supposed to be the post where I talk about my brand new planted aquarium. I’ve been dreaming of this aquarium for years, spent months in planning the plants/substrate/fish, and have spent the last couple of weeks on actually making my dream a reality.

Saturday, I moved my four female bettas from the bare glass, 15-gallon, filterless tank to a beautiful 33-gallon tank full of plants and of baby snails for them to eat. I was extra careful to test the water parameters so the fish wouldn’t be stressed by the move. They settled into their new digs in about five minutes and started begging for food!

I’ve had the pequeni?as (a play on a word from Speaker for the Dead) for two years. We’ve enjoyed watching them and their little hungry personalities, always crowding the upper corner of the tank because that’s where food can be found. They begged for food more than dogs!!

Female bettas are overlooked as a pet in favor of the longer finned, sometimes more brightly colored, male bettas. But females can be kept in a group if suitably acclimated and they do not display as much aggression to other community fish. On the flip side, they are less bullied because they do not have the long, flowing fins to be nipped. By Sunday night, three of the females were ripe with eggs and two had on breeding stripes. This indicates that they were adapting extremely well to their new home.

After work on Monday, I came home to pack a dinner and let the dog go outside. Standing next to the aquarium, I could feel it radiating heat. With sickness, I felt the glass. It was hot to the touch. The water was over 110 degrees F. The heater had failed in the “on” position and was cooking the tank’s inhabitants. Panicked, I looked in the aquarium. All four ni?as were long dead, suffocated by the heat. The plant leaves had already started to melt.

I spent the evening doing water changes with cold water and ice, finally pulling the temperature back to 76 F. I couldn’t stop crying about my poor fish and the horrid way they died. I wrapped them in a pink satin ribbon and disposed of their little bodies (flushing them is a very irresponsible thing to do with a fish; it can spread disease in local water systems).

Lesson learned: I’d read that it was better to have two small heaters in a tank than one larger one. That way if one fails “on,” it takes longer to reach fatal conditions and it can be stopped. I’ve ordered two new, smaller heaters that include failure switches so the heater can’t fail “on.”

I’m sure I will stop feeling sad sometime soon, but it’s hard to imagine for now. Luckily I snapped a couple of pictures of the fish in their new home just a day before they died. I’m also lucky that this happened in a tank with four fish- not 20, like I have planned for that tank.

Goodbye, sweet ni?as.

Charity of the Month: Indiana House Rabbit Society

Posted on 27 January 2007 by Kristy Nicole

I had intended to start doing this last year, but I (as usual) procrastinated. In addition to Carlton’s and my regular charitable donations, I thought I would highlight a worthy cause each month and give an extra donation. Here’s January’s winner.

The Indiana House Rabbit Society (IHRS) has a personal connection for me. My best friend has been an active member of the group for several years. One year on holiday break, she asked me to care for three of her foster rabbits. I was familiar with bunny care from helping her before so it was not totally new. But having them at my own home was new.

Two of the rabbits, a bonded pair named Honey and Felix, were loveable but not extra friendly. However, Silas was very sociable. Carlton and I enjoyed his company, letting him hop around the house (supervised) and eating greens from our hands. I found myself buying special veggies for him at the grocery. He would jump on our laps or at our feet to be petted, and would circle around us madly at pellet feeding time.

After the holiday, he moved out…and we missed him. We decided to go through the adoption process and he moved back to our home for good. He was neutered prior to adoption and, as with all bunnies, spay/neuter contributes to longer life and more even temper.

Several years later, he’s an integrated member of our animal family. His name became Silo as it’s easier to call him that way, though he has several nicknames (such as Nibbler).

House rabbits are not for everyone. They require bunnyproofing the house (they will chew cords and be electrocuted), some are very shy, and they aren’t as sturdy as dogs and cats. To anticipate his needs, we’ve put bamboo mats under the furniture where he likes to dig, we allow him to come to us for interaction, and we use careful methods when he has to be handled.

Silo is totally litter trained and is out of his cage most of the day. He likes to hang out with our cat and they will play hide-and-seek for hours. Silo jumps on the bed and puts his front paws on my shoulder (or my face!) to ask for pets. His favorite snack is cilantro, and he likes to sit on the dining room chairs, especially if Mr. Kitty sits on the opposite chair. If Sunny makes Silo mad (usually by stealing his treats), Silo will ambush her, hop on top of her and then run away, leaving the dog completely bewildered.

Silo was found abandoned in a neighborhood. Too many people think it’s OK to release a domestic bun because they see wild bunnies. Domesticated rabbits are not adapted to survive in the harsh weather and are ill-equipped to escape predation and find food.

House rabbits live 7-10 years; outdoor rabbits live 1-4 years. A rabbit in a hutch in someone’s cold back yard will never be as friendly or happy as an indoor bun. Having Silo taught me what great personalities bunnies can have. The longer he lives with us, the more and more loving and trusting he becomes.

The IHRS has volunteers who work to help find homes for abandoned bunnies, bringing foster rabbits into their homes and paying medical bills out of their own pockets. Some bunnies have been abandoned shortly after Easter, some are found abandoned in neighborhoods; the unluckiest have been neglected and abused.

That’s why I’m giving my January Charity of the Month award to the kind people at IHRS. Please consider donating too!

Nicole, Deipnosophist.

Me in the Unabridged Version

Author Archives: Kristy Nicole