Sorry I've missed the blogosphere for a couple of weeks. Trust me, I miss it. There are so many things to rant and muse about. This is going to be a short post, just to update what I've been letting lurk in my brain.
First a musing. The Republican Primary contest. So enjoyable to watch the Republicans find their own candidates a bit nauseating. Whatever will they do? Wink, wink. I read a great article in Friday's Washington Post about how the Evangelical Christians, the Republicans most solid voting block, aren't excited about any of the Republican candidates for president, not at all surprising. Many expect this voting block to sit out the general election if Giuliani is the nominee because their one voting issue, abortion, will be a wash. It's just plain fun to watch this go down.
Now a ranting. Bush's veto of S-CHIP. I haven't fallen off the planet, but just haven't had the time to blog. Meanwhile, Bush has done the stupidest thing in his years as president (yes, I really feel that way). I'm so disgusted by the lies he's told to justify his position, and the outcome! To deny health care to millions (millions!!!!) of children. I'm truly sickened by it. So much so, I really can't write anything else. However, I do highly recommend reading this Paul Krugman's Op-Ed column on the issue.
Finally, I'll update on the baby situation. All is absolutely wonderful. I'm in the second trimester and most systems are functioning really well. Last week we had our sonogram and found out we're having a boy!!! I'm so excited. I really wanted a boy, but don't ask me to explain that. I think he's beautiful. Of course, seeing a black & white picture of him made by a contraption that uses sounds to create a picture is hardly the way to judge how beautiful he is, but trust me, he is wonderful. I'm feeling him move around more and more, which is so freaky and great.
I know many of you may have questions about lesbian pregnancy, like how did you do it and who's the daddy, etc. I'm inviting you to ask any and all questions and I will answer them in great detail in a future post. Please don't be shy. Bring it on.
Coffee tip: Get back to basics. Go buy some freshly roasted beans at a local coffee distributor. Get out the grinder and make yourself a fresh pot of coffee with freshly ground beans. Then sit back, sip and relax.
Showing posts with label coffee tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coffee tips. Show all posts
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Monday, June 18, 2007
Afraid of the lights
When I was a kid, I was afraid of the dark. Who knew what horrible monster was waiting to snatch me? Now, that I'm older, I'm more afraid of the lights. What's brought on this 180? Baltimore Gas and Electric, aka BGE.
June 1st marked the beginning of the 50% rate increase BGE customers are now paying. Already expensive bills are now 50% more. Our elected officials, who spent most of last summer campaigning and promising to stop this rate increase, spent last winter doing absolutely nothing to help their constituents. I believe they were all on vacation June 1st when the rate increase took effect. I'm pretty angry about it, if that's not obvious.
Nevertheless, I'm stuck with this rate increase and now a new phobia. I've been walking around the house, turning out the lights in every room. I cook in the dark, only allowing light in the kitchen after I burn myself. Halogen light bulbs, programmable thermostats, whatever it takes. Light-Nazi.
I've put a heavy blanket over the bedroom window to prevent the sun from heating the room. The bedroom is the hottest room in the house because it gets the most exposure to the sun. Luckily the house tends to stay cooler than the temperature outside, but I keep the AC set at 80 degrees to make sure it's not running all day. Typically that setting is sufficient, but when I came home yesterday, the air was running. It was that hot!
BGE says try not to use appliances during peak hours, so I wake up around midnight to start the laundry. Also, I set the dishwasher to run in the middle of the night.
Did you know that computers are energy hogs? I've changed the settings on my laptops to reduce power usage. I don't really need to see the screen all the time anyway.
Global warming isn't helping either. It's rained maybe two times in the last two months. The drought has parched the grass and plants. And the lack of clouds hasn't given the sun a break in a long time. I've got a book on Native American rain dances. I'll be practicing that later.
Onto another topic, I have three cats. This is going to sound like a commercial, but I've struggled with litter box odor. It seems like no matter how often it's cleaned, the litter box always makes my basement stink. Since the basement is also like a den and I spend a lot of time down here (trying to stay cool), that smell drives me crazy. I typically don't like sprays because they are too perfumy and don't mix well with litter box odor. Well, I found something that works great! It's Oust Air sanitizer. I'm not kidding. It's supposed to eliminate odor and it really works. And it smells good. I bought the outdoor scent and it smells so good. It's my new favorite thing. I highly recommend it.
Finally, coffee tip #4. It's hot outside and you want a refreshing iced latte. When you make iced latte, pour the milk over the ice before putting in the shots of espresso. If you pour the espresso over the ice first, the ice will melt and water down the coffee. Or you could pour the ice into the already prepared latte, but I find that to result in splashed coffee.
June 1st marked the beginning of the 50% rate increase BGE customers are now paying. Already expensive bills are now 50% more. Our elected officials, who spent most of last summer campaigning and promising to stop this rate increase, spent last winter doing absolutely nothing to help their constituents. I believe they were all on vacation June 1st when the rate increase took effect. I'm pretty angry about it, if that's not obvious.
Nevertheless, I'm stuck with this rate increase and now a new phobia. I've been walking around the house, turning out the lights in every room. I cook in the dark, only allowing light in the kitchen after I burn myself. Halogen light bulbs, programmable thermostats, whatever it takes. Light-Nazi.
I've put a heavy blanket over the bedroom window to prevent the sun from heating the room. The bedroom is the hottest room in the house because it gets the most exposure to the sun. Luckily the house tends to stay cooler than the temperature outside, but I keep the AC set at 80 degrees to make sure it's not running all day. Typically that setting is sufficient, but when I came home yesterday, the air was running. It was that hot!
BGE says try not to use appliances during peak hours, so I wake up around midnight to start the laundry. Also, I set the dishwasher to run in the middle of the night.
Did you know that computers are energy hogs? I've changed the settings on my laptops to reduce power usage. I don't really need to see the screen all the time anyway.
Global warming isn't helping either. It's rained maybe two times in the last two months. The drought has parched the grass and plants. And the lack of clouds hasn't given the sun a break in a long time. I've got a book on Native American rain dances. I'll be practicing that later.
Onto another topic, I have three cats. This is going to sound like a commercial, but I've struggled with litter box odor. It seems like no matter how often it's cleaned, the litter box always makes my basement stink. Since the basement is also like a den and I spend a lot of time down here (trying to stay cool), that smell drives me crazy. I typically don't like sprays because they are too perfumy and don't mix well with litter box odor. Well, I found something that works great! It's Oust Air sanitizer. I'm not kidding. It's supposed to eliminate odor and it really works. And it smells good. I bought the outdoor scent and it smells so good. It's my new favorite thing. I highly recommend it.
Finally, coffee tip #4. It's hot outside and you want a refreshing iced latte. When you make iced latte, pour the milk over the ice before putting in the shots of espresso. If you pour the espresso over the ice first, the ice will melt and water down the coffee. Or you could pour the ice into the already prepared latte, but I find that to result in splashed coffee.
Friday, June 15, 2007
A few things about coffee beans
Big coffee tip #3.
Many coffee drinkers are completely unaware of how their caffeine fix comes into being. Most know that coffee originates from berries, that are defruited and roasted. But what the hell are all the names about? What do they tell me? For a good summary of coffee, look here.
But there's a few things you should know for your own preparation. First, coffee beans should have a strong aroma. The roasting process brings out the aroma of a bean. If your beans don't have a strong smell, they won't have a good flavor. It will taste like water dressed in brown.
The second is color. The best beans are dark colored. A lot of people feel that the darker the bean, the stronger the coffee, but strength is only partly about roasting. Mostly strength is a result of preparation. So stick with the darkest bean. The darker the bean, the better.
Finally, beans should be oily. Roasting brings out the oil of a bean. A well roasted bean will be oily and the oils will add body and flavor to your coffee. When making espresso, the oil results in the crema which is the light colored foam on top. A sign of good espresso is the creamy consistency of the crema.
So what does all this mean to you? You buy your beans in a bag, you can't tell what they look like until you get home, right? Well, you should take a closer look. Bad coffee beans can result in a bad coffee trip. Shaking and headaches are the result of bad beans.
For the best cup of coffee, buy your beans whole and grind them right before brewing. I'm not going to get into the different grinds here, but for regular drip, I'd grind it about ten to fifteen seconds. Then brew with cold water. The amount you use will determine the strength of your coffee. Some recommend two tablespoons for every 6 oz. cup. That's a bit too strong for me. I usually use about 1.5 tablespoons for every cup.
Achieving coffee perfection takes a lot of dedication, and time. Frankly, if you came to my house, you'd see I buy my coffee already ground. I drink Peet's coffee. This company dedicates itself to the greatness of coffee, so I leave my coffee well-being in their hands. I haven't been let down yet.
Finally, for all you flavored coffee drinkers, a little piece of important trivia. Flavored coffees are made from the weakest (as in quality) beans. Now, I'm not getting snobby here. I drink flavored coffee myself, but you should know what you're getting into when you drink that hot java. If you want to stick with a better brew, but still want flavor, add a shot of flavored syrup.
Enjoy!
Many coffee drinkers are completely unaware of how their caffeine fix comes into being. Most know that coffee originates from berries, that are defruited and roasted. But what the hell are all the names about? What do they tell me? For a good summary of coffee, look here.
But there's a few things you should know for your own preparation. First, coffee beans should have a strong aroma. The roasting process brings out the aroma of a bean. If your beans don't have a strong smell, they won't have a good flavor. It will taste like water dressed in brown.
The second is color. The best beans are dark colored. A lot of people feel that the darker the bean, the stronger the coffee, but strength is only partly about roasting. Mostly strength is a result of preparation. So stick with the darkest bean. The darker the bean, the better.
Finally, beans should be oily. Roasting brings out the oil of a bean. A well roasted bean will be oily and the oils will add body and flavor to your coffee. When making espresso, the oil results in the crema which is the light colored foam on top. A sign of good espresso is the creamy consistency of the crema.
So what does all this mean to you? You buy your beans in a bag, you can't tell what they look like until you get home, right? Well, you should take a closer look. Bad coffee beans can result in a bad coffee trip. Shaking and headaches are the result of bad beans.
For the best cup of coffee, buy your beans whole and grind them right before brewing. I'm not going to get into the different grinds here, but for regular drip, I'd grind it about ten to fifteen seconds. Then brew with cold water. The amount you use will determine the strength of your coffee. Some recommend two tablespoons for every 6 oz. cup. That's a bit too strong for me. I usually use about 1.5 tablespoons for every cup.
Achieving coffee perfection takes a lot of dedication, and time. Frankly, if you came to my house, you'd see I buy my coffee already ground. I drink Peet's coffee. This company dedicates itself to the greatness of coffee, so I leave my coffee well-being in their hands. I haven't been let down yet.
Finally, for all you flavored coffee drinkers, a little piece of important trivia. Flavored coffees are made from the weakest (as in quality) beans. Now, I'm not getting snobby here. I drink flavored coffee myself, but you should know what you're getting into when you drink that hot java. If you want to stick with a better brew, but still want flavor, add a shot of flavored syrup.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Resuscitating the Immigration Debate
When the U.S. Congress doesn't know how to solve a problem, it resorts to what it does best - nothing. Everyone can agree on one thing - illegal immigration is a problem. But the agreement ends there and rather than compromise on a solution, many agree the best solution is no solution at all.
I don't have much of an opinion on the immigration debate. Well, at least not an informed one. I feel uneasy that I want to see immigration reform and so does President Bush. Maybe that's the extent to what we have in common. I don't understand all the issues. (Maybe Bush and I have that in common too.) When the bill died in the Senate, I read the Washington Post to learn more about what happened. The Post had a great summary on the debate, but it may be a little too simplistic. I also heard an opinion from a conservative group on NPR.
What I (think I) understand is that the U.S. has approximately 12 million illegal immigrants living in the country today. Rather than putting a whole bunch of money into extracting these illegal immigrants, the bill would provide them with a legal status to live in the U.S. The compromise in the bill is that Congress and the President would also fund additional immigration measures that prevent this situation from arising again. Also, some folks in the Senate want to help the families of immigrants by providing access to the U.S. as well. Apparently, that would add up to an additional 850,000 (not an exact figure) immigrants into the country.
It seemed like there was a coalition of Republicans and Democrats working to get this bill passed, but at the last minute, Republican holdouts stalled the bill indefinitely. "We can't give a free pass to those illegals who have been living in our great country and sucking up our great services," I'm guessing was the bottom line.
I think there are good arguments to be made on both sides. The myth that illegal immigrants don't pay taxes has already been disproved. But do immigrants use more services and remain persistently poverty-stricken? The conservative think tank (Grassfire.org? Search All Things Considered) said so. They said that immigrants that have come to the country after 1978 have remained poor while those who immigrated prior to 1978 lifted themselves out of poverty.
But those who are immigrating to the U.S. are doing it to make a better life for themselves. It's not malicious. They aren't intentionally stealing our goods and services. They are seeking opportunity. And that's the spirit our country was built on.
My bottom line is that a problem still exists and those we pay to solve national problems with policy refuse to do their jobs. Maybe they should be deported.
Coffee tip #2
How often does coffee drip from your coffee cup even though it has a lid? When you buy coffee, make sure the hole you drink from on the lid is not directly over the seam in the cup. It will drip all over you.
I don't have much of an opinion on the immigration debate. Well, at least not an informed one. I feel uneasy that I want to see immigration reform and so does President Bush. Maybe that's the extent to what we have in common. I don't understand all the issues. (Maybe Bush and I have that in common too.) When the bill died in the Senate, I read the Washington Post to learn more about what happened. The Post had a great summary on the debate, but it may be a little too simplistic. I also heard an opinion from a conservative group on NPR.
What I (think I) understand is that the U.S. has approximately 12 million illegal immigrants living in the country today. Rather than putting a whole bunch of money into extracting these illegal immigrants, the bill would provide them with a legal status to live in the U.S. The compromise in the bill is that Congress and the President would also fund additional immigration measures that prevent this situation from arising again. Also, some folks in the Senate want to help the families of immigrants by providing access to the U.S. as well. Apparently, that would add up to an additional 850,000 (not an exact figure) immigrants into the country.
It seemed like there was a coalition of Republicans and Democrats working to get this bill passed, but at the last minute, Republican holdouts stalled the bill indefinitely. "We can't give a free pass to those illegals who have been living in our great country and sucking up our great services," I'm guessing was the bottom line.
I think there are good arguments to be made on both sides. The myth that illegal immigrants don't pay taxes has already been disproved. But do immigrants use more services and remain persistently poverty-stricken? The conservative think tank (Grassfire.org? Search All Things Considered) said so. They said that immigrants that have come to the country after 1978 have remained poor while those who immigrated prior to 1978 lifted themselves out of poverty.
But those who are immigrating to the U.S. are doing it to make a better life for themselves. It's not malicious. They aren't intentionally stealing our goods and services. They are seeking opportunity. And that's the spirit our country was built on.
My bottom line is that a problem still exists and those we pay to solve national problems with policy refuse to do their jobs. Maybe they should be deported.
Coffee tip #2
How often does coffee drip from your coffee cup even though it has a lid? When you buy coffee, make sure the hole you drink from on the lid is not directly over the seam in the cup. It will drip all over you.
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