First Published: 2019 January 11
In a class I took last semester, Creative Cartography, one of the ways we experimented with making maps was via timelapses. I very much enjoyed the process, and repeated it later in the making of the growing of my beard.1 When I shaved my beard, I again tried a timelapse. And, recently, I tried doing so while working on a doodle that I enjoyed.
It’s a really fun process, and it’s a good way for me personally to do activities more mindfully. If you haven’t tried making them in the past, I’d recommend trying to make one, as it’s very rewarding.
First Published: 2019 January 10
Prereading note: I’ve realized that I’ve begun to use this blog more and more as a way to remember recipes so that I won’t forget them.
Yesterday, I made tortillas.1 They were favorably reviewed.
The recipe is:
Mix flour, salt, sugar, and oil together.
Add enough water
Mix and knead
Press into small shapes
Put on a very hot pan that’s been lightly oiled
Flip often until cooked
Serve while warm
in the same way that I make almost any food: almost certainly not traditionally, but as close as I get↩︎
First Published: 2019 January 09
Today, I had the lovely pleasure of watching the 1985 classic American film Commando, staring Arnold Schwarzenegger with 20 or so other members of my team. All in all, it was a great movie for why we chose it.
The plot was straightforward enough that the chatting and constant interjections didn’t make it hard to follow. The dialogue was dumb, but punny. The set was destroyed often. There was a high body count. So, what more could you really ask for in a college men’s athletic movie night?1
that is a rhetorical question. There are a lot of things that could have been better↩︎
First Published: 2019 January 08
Today, as with most days for the next few weeks, I dove. Our goal was to run through every dive, with the added hope that I might be able to put inward two and a half back in.1 Instead, I remembered why I hate inwards.
In front category dives, I tend to have an easy time. Regardless of how I ride the board, I can generally save it.
In back dives, I just need to remember to swing my arms. And, I do that often enough.
For reverse, I always know that I’ve gotten off the board too quickly.
But, for inward, the only element I really need to throw a quickly rotating dive is a good toe drive. That is, I need to throw my feet back as they come up from the board. Throwing my feet is scary, and makes me think I might hit the board.2 So, today’s inward double attempts were interesting.
On the first, I underthrew just enough that I landed in what the lifeguard called a “perfect cannonball.”3 The second I underthrew to the point that it turned into a one and a half, because I knew I wouldn’t make it, and I’ve never been horribly fond of hurting my back.4 After recognizing this problem and addressing it through an inward dive,5 I thought myself ready to again attempt inward double. Instead of it being under, I had a wonderful toe drive. In fact, I rotated so well that I was able to kick out at the double above the board.
Unfortunately, this meant that I was over on the dive, and it didn’t feel pleasant. Had it been a leadup for inward two and a half or double on one meter, it would have been great. As it was, however, it was just painful. But, tomorrow is another day, and another chance to try again.
First Published: 2019 January 07
As those of you who’ve been following the progress of the baking competition might know, I’ve been working hard to perfect my recipe. Now that I’m at the training trip, I thought it important to try making the recipe here, as the oven and stove might behave differently. Oddly enough, the butter seems to behave differently, though that may just be my failure to cook.
I’ve learned that if you boil butter, it will eventually incorporate a lot of air. If you wait until that point to fold in chocolate, you end up with a more stable final project. It received positive reviews from all, including my alleged competition.
For the sake of not trying to remember, below is the recipe.
Combine 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon flour in a bowl.
Mix until fully incorporated
Grease a cupcake tin and wipe1
Melt 1/2 stick butter in pan, stirring often
When butter has boiled and begins to rapidly expand in size, remove from heat
Stir in 2.7 oz bittersweet chocolate pieces, and when fully mixed, add the egg mixture.
Once fully incorporated together, pour into muffin tin and cook at 350 F.
Remove from oven when the sides have begun to pull away and feel mostly solid when touched.
While still warm, flip onto plate to remove from trays.
the wiping makes the end result smoother↩︎
First Published: 2019 January 6
Isaiah 60:4A: “Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you.”
Today’s readings focus on the first time that we see people recognize the Lord in his human incarnation.1 And, as the other readings point out, this is the answer to Isaiah’s prophecy, that “[Jerusalem’s] light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon [it].”2 And, perhaps because I went to a Mass in Haitian Creole, where the priest made a point of mention that the Mass is the same in any language, other than the words themselves,3 that’s the part of the readings I’ve focused on.
The first reading tells us that all will gather and come to see the Lord. And, as the Mass is the same in every language, we can truly be a catholic4 church, one where all can join in the song.5 In this way, the message of today’s readings is especially relevant to the random happenstance of life. It’s nice when that happens.
First Published: 2019 January 05
Today was my first dive meet of the year, and also my first meet since studying abroad. Interestingly, I performed as well as I’ve ever done in the past. It may just be that the judge1 was hoping to make me feel better about myself, which is likely the answer. We’ll find out in around two weeks.
don’t ask↩︎
First Published: 2019 January 04
Today I made pizza with some friends. It came out really well, which is always satisfying. And, I reaffirmed my knowledge that I really don’t need help making bread anymore.
I tried to follow a recipe that was given to me, but realized I had nothing to measure water or flour with. I guestimated my 12 oz. of water, then just decided that I knew the right texture, so could use flour to that result. I put in too much oil and sugar, but no one seemed to notice or care. So, turns out I can make pizza dough. That’s nice, and I might never actually follow a bread recipe again. We’ll see what happens
First Published: 2019 January 03
I don’t have the mental energy tonight to figure out a real recipe. Instead, here is a recipe for boiled water. This is often used in such dishes as pasta and pasta-related dishes.
Ingredients:
Water: 1 Quart
Salt to Taste
Pour water and salt together in a large pot. Put on high heat until water begins to form bubbles that disturb the surface. Remove from heat.
First Published: 2019 January 03
For nearly 2/3 of this day, I was on a bus. While bus rides are conducive for many activities, in my experience, they tend to be very harmful to writing, especially digitally.