Happy New Year!! And a "Suspicious Incident."

I had the most adrenaline-inducing trip home tonight, between 2-3am.

Actually, before I get to that... Happy New Year! Auld Lang Syne and all that. Bring it on, 2011. Also, I had a really nice time at the dinner party put on by a friend and her family. Cheers!

Back to the scheduled programming. I hitched a ride in the Hall family taxi to the metro, and had approximately 15 stops on the subway (Thank you, TTC, for free and almost-all-night subway rides on Dec 31/Jan 1!). That part was easy. Uneventful, aside from the leftover, pungent evidence that some people had been having too much fun tonight. Yuck.

Then I got off the metro, and the short version is, had to deal with a strange, totally dodgy man following me home. I did the whole cross-the-street thing, the "back off" thing, but didn't get very far before I decided to turn around and walk back to the subway station, where the supervisor had someone else at the TTC call the cops. Then I waited.

Then the third-party TTC person arrived, and the cops almost immediately afterwards. And the very kind police officers gave me an escort all the way to my house. Actually, that makes the first time I've ever been in a police car. A very heartfelt thanks to the Toronto Police Service.

There's nothing like actually experiencing something like this to drive home the importance of knowing how to be safe. Most importantly, finding a place with bright lights, lots of people, and someone who can help.

Big Oops

I've told this story so many times I feel like my memory of the event and its subsequent consequences have been juxtaposed with the tale.

The headline: Concession Stand Bartender Requires Nine Stitches in Two Fingers

The story goes like this:
Only an hour and a half into my bartending shift on Sunday evening (this is a good thing - more on that later), as I was unscrewing the cap of a glass-sized bottle of wine, disaster struck. Instead if the cap twisting off, the top half of the neck broke off in my right hand. Naturally, when the tension released... well, it's like when you're playing tug-of-war and the opponent's tugging really hard, and you just let go, and you get that recoil... so my hand slipped right across the broken edge of the bottle that I was holding in my left hand.

I looked down, and the first thing I noticed was that I had two pieces of glass, one in each hand. Only after that did I see the blood well up from my knuckles. Holding my fingers in my other hand, I wrapped a towel around them while the stand manager called our supervisor, who took me to the ranger station. The ranger on duty wrapped my fingers in gauze and tape to await the Fire & Rescue crew, who always attend concerts, thank goodness!

Got a ride in the back of the ambulance (first time for that) to the hospital, approved for worker's comp by my employer, which is very important. I got to skip the lobby because I rode the ambulance, and sat on a cot in the "sub-waiting area". Chatted with the Fire & Rescue team while they completed their paperwork and I waited for the doctor.

The doctor stitched me up pretty quickly, but I can't say I enjoyed the process. Surprise, right? Actually the worst part was watching my fingers swell with the local anaesthetic - he put so much in my finger that it looked almost twice its normal size (aside from being mangled and bloody). After that, the actual sewing of flesh was not so bad. I read a little, because my fingers looked disturbingly gross. Anyways, what with the ambulance and getting into the hospital ahead of a rush, I spent tops 3 hours total there.

Not much pain yet - I attribute that to shock, then anaesthetic, and now... a high tolerance of pain? Though admittedly banging the stitches on my desk does hurt. And I feel handicapped. Typing with eight fingers, especially for the generations that learned "Home Keys" is intensely frustrating, and I have to put things down before I open doors. Oh yeah, and I have this huge white bandage in place of my index and middle fingers. It's hard to hide, that.

Ten days from now the stitches come out and hopefully I can go back to my normal routines.

Fruit Salad As The New Pasta (or Bread, or Couscous)

The last time I went grocery shopping, I hadn't eaten enough fruits and vegetables in recent weeks, so I found myself checking out blueberries, strawberries and bananas. I'm not a huge fan of melons, grapes (I go through phases) and all the other normal fruit-salady fruits - or what're commonly considered fruit-salady fruits, anyway - but was pleasantly surprised to find a new love: the base for my own version of the Fruit Salad. Someday I"ll add pineapples, maybe some mango... lots of possbilities exist for delicious, melon-free salads. I've been eating the combination for about four days straight. Unfortunately, am all out of both strawberries and blueberries now, but that just means next time I'll have to buy more!

So I love this idea so much that yesterday I forgot to eat any carbs for lunch, and by two in the afternoon, was starving! Had to buy some crackers and Nutri-grain bars (I fall in and out of like with those). I remembered today, but still the greater part of my lunch consisted of fruit. It has become my new must-have, cannot-live-without food staple.

My only regret is that none of these fruits are currently in season, and bananas aren't grown locally (Tropics in DC anyone? Though it might feel like it in summer, we're not even close. Though I wonder if anyone has ever tried growing bananas here...). Ever since university, I've been attracted to locally-grown produce, and the idea of eating what's available and in season locally. It cuts down on a lot of waste (think gasoline for trucks, refrigeration of those same trucks), and sometimes even the cost of the produce. It also just seems fresher. Hasn't taken a cross-country trip in a refrigerator to get to your local grocery store.

However. Alongside this preference lives the knowledge that when technology and global commerce did not allow for cross-country shipments of "fresh" produce, communities only had what was grown locally. Meaning, no bananas for DC. Ever. No oranges, except maybe at Christmas. No berries until they were in season. And one thing that has come with the global economy, is more opportunity for better health. Nobody in first-world countries worries about scurvy anymore (at least unless you're one of those people who never eats fruits or vegetables, which I find extremely sad). And that's only one example.

So I'm going to take advantage of the opportunities I have to eat exotic fruits, even if they aren't in season or available anywhere but the tropics. And I'll try to remember next winter about my passion for fruit salad (does anyone else eat fewer salads, fruit or otherwise, in winter?)

If anyone has ideas about what fruits and veggies are in season right now in the mid-Atlantic region, please share!

In other, unrelated news, the Capitals won Game 7 in the first series of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Rangers and are going on to Round 2!!! One grunge match against the Pittsburgh Penguins, coming right up. I have another favorite player as of the start of the postseason: Simeon Varlamov. What a stud!

It's Pronounced: Kra-hv Ma-GAH

So I threw a few punches last night, skinning a couple of knuckles in the process. Totally destroyed my opponent, of course.

No, really, it's not as exciting as all that. I didn't actually get into a fight, though that would make a good story. The "opponent" I so soundly defeated were actually a couple of pads held by my friend and punching partner. And by destroyed, I mean something more along the lines of "tapped".

I did go to a Krav Maga class, though, and had the most fun practicing two punching combinations, one of which involved using my elbows. For anyone who doesn't want to read through the website in the link, the short history is that it was invented by a Jewish Bratislavan who fought to create the independent state of Israel. Currently it's the official self-defense system practiced by the Israeli Defense Forces. Anyone watch NCIS? :P

We started off with an intensive workout that involved at least seven different kinds of push-ups, all of them more complicated and difficult than normal push-ups, during which I discovered how weak my core "strength" actually is. Wall-sits were next, and we stretched. I've never participated in a workout that difficult before, but even though I couldn't keep up it was exhilirating all the same. I can't wait until I can keep up.

Then began the fun part: Learning how to punch. The first punching combination our instructor called "combination 2" which begs the question, what's combination 1? Getting the hip-twisting and bringing the force up from the balls of one's feet was more difficult than throwing the punches. Although at one point I did keep getting my left and right mixed up. The second combination we learned involved elbows, too. Those are fun to throw around...

I'll be useless tomorrow, considering that I'm already having trouble lifting my arms today. I don't think I knew I had muscles right above my elbows that could ache like they do, but I'm certainly aware of them now!

Before you get the wrong idea, that I love violence and causing GBH, I don't. In fact I have trouble even imagining causing people harm. But I will feel more powerful than ever before when I finally master the techniques. Furthermore, I'll be prepared to defend myself well if the need arises (PTB willing, I'll never need to use these skills in a real self-defense situation). Not as motivating, but still important, is that this is a fun, practical way of staying fit and getting fitter.

Pretty soon, I'll be kicking butt.

Advantage: Peanut Allergy

Just read an article on Food and Nutrition in WaPo with somewhat disturbing statistics based on a telephone survey. Though I don't have to worry about the salmonella outbreak because I have a peanut allergy (one reason not to pity me for my inability to enjoy peanut products), I have also been confused about the recalled products. The article above states that only 1 in 5 people have gone to the FDA's website to find out exactly what products have been recalled. And even if you don't have much faith in the FDA's ability to regulate food safety, believing that the products on the list are truly affected is at least erring on the side of caution.

Hello, Newsies! What's New?

Ten points if you can reference that quote.

So I've been real lazy lately, which is why my last post was posted exactly two weeks ago. So here's a little update:

1. I needed new sheets, because my bamboo fiber/organic cotton ones are falling apart on me. This time, I did not buy organic. Or even sustainable. Nope, I went for the sale items.

2. HAPPY OBAMA!!! I didn't venture into DC because I hate crowds and cold weather, but saw an amazing inauguration and inauguration speech via television. Obama struck a very inspirational note, and I especially appreciated his appeal to the people, to get involved and take part in the fugure of change - change we can believe in.

3. It's still too, too cold. I've been spending far too much time indoors to avoid freezing. I must think of other alternatives.

4. The Caps, though playing a great game in my opinion, which I state as a new hockey fan, still learning the more detailed aspects of the game, gave up the game on a bad turnover followed by a very unwise penalty. Of course, I'm not attaching any blame - nobody's perfect, and if one was, one would be boring in the extreme.

5. The green in my life has not been a very bright, opaque shade of green lately. It's been more o a foggy, translucent green. Although, I have managed to keep all my houseplants alive and most of them healthy. I also still don't own a car, so I walk and take public transportation... but there have been no new efforts of late. Aside from #6, I suppose.

6. Lately I have taken to eating healthier, which includes doing my best to not ingest pesticides, and to eat more antioxidant-rich foods, and "superfruits" such as goji berries (not my favorite, though I'm sure they'd be alright in trail mix) and guava (no luck on that yet as Harris Teeter doesn't stock them).

On Drinking Water

Bottled water? Only until I buy a Kleen Kanteen or SIGG water bottle...

Filtered water? Well, I didn't drink it because the filter never gets changed in time, and they only filter out certain contaminants, not everything.

Tap water? Currently my water of choice, though I believe that will change... Generally, the standards for tap water are more strictly designed and enforced than bottled water, but I suppose the exception occasionally proves the rule. Thank you, Washington Aqueduct, for making tap water in DC and Northern Virginia the exception.

I think it's about time we changed the filter on our Brita pitcher.

Space Heater Part 3

So I bought my space heater last night!! I'm very excited. I tried it out, and my room was 68 degrees Fahrenheit! Instead of the 55 it had been before I turned it on.

Started out at Home Depot, but they had a pretty pathetic selection, so on my cousin's suggestion we went to Target, luckily not that far away. Ended up with a Honeywell, with a digital display, and it oscillates, and it was inspected and tested by Underwriters Laboratories, which I wanted in my space heater. It's reassuring to know that the heater has been tested for safety by a recommended laboratory. I won't go into it, but it had everything else I wanted, too, except maybe a remote control. How decadent would that have been.... Sigh.

Because space heaters make me nervous (and I know you're going to laugh when you read this) I also purchased a smoke detector for my room, a carbon monoxide detector (both of which I'll install this weekend) and.... a fire extinguisher! As my coworkers have just told me, Fire Marshal Bill and Smoky the Bear would be proud of me. Shiny.

Postscript: Space Heaters

Some websites to check out if you're in the market for a space heater. Besides the ones mentioned in my last post, there's also a great review on ConsumerSearch.

Then, for a cute picture and another list of top space heaters, read this. Although it's a little disappointing, because I expected the reviews to have some green basis and that doesn't appear to be the case, still it's worth a look. Some of the favorite types overlap on both websites.

Some of the reviews mentioned on both of the above websites are Amazon, Viewpoints and Epinions, for reference purposes.

Problem: Being Cold. Solution: Space Heater

I hate being cold. Period. If I'm out of doors, having fun, say playing in the snow or something, then I can tolerate it. I tolerate being cold in the winter on my walks from work. I can't stand being cold indoors. There's just something inherently wrong, in these days with heating units and indoor temperature controls.

I live in a sunroom. It's a beautiful sunroom, and warm during the day when the sun coming through the windows heats the room beautifully.

NB: If you get direct sunlight through a few windows, it might help keep a room or two warm in your house/apartment if you leave the windows clear. On the downside, when they're not covered and the sun is not shining light directly through, it will be colder. In which case, you might want to cover it with heavy curtains or plant some shrubberies outside for insulation.

So, if you're like me and you hate being cold, live in a sunroom, and don't live in the tropics, you might be interested in space heaters.

First step, in my hunt for a reliable, safe, high performance, shall we say perfect, space heater, is to research safety. And what I should be looking for in the perfect space heater. I found a brilliant website earlier this week, but managed to lose it - here is another, an article produced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in February 2001, which seems to be the latest edition.

But I'm very into this safety-of-product information, especially when such a high percentage of house fires are caused by space heaters. "For the years 1999-2002, there were about 9,900 residential fires per year and about 190 deaths per year associated with portable and stationary space heaters " (CPSC 14 Dec. 2005). Pretty scary.

Here's to being an informed consumer - Powers That Be willing, I will not burn down the apartment.