New Adventure #4: Paint Bar

Have you been to a paint bar? I think they're a brilliant. The idea is to provide a fun and social painting experience to non-painters. All the supplies are provided - paint, canvas, brushes, easel. You sign up for a session to re-create a particular picture, and an instructor guides the group through every step, telling you what brush to use, which paints to dip in, where to draw lines, shade, etc. It's very simple and structured, which was great for me since I haven't painted since elementary school. But it's also flexible enough that everyone's painting comes out unique. Some of the more experienced people were obviously improvising around the guided steps and creating something a little more their own.

Karen and I signed up for a painting inspired by Monet's "Bridge over a Pond of Water Lillies". The place was pretty crowded and it was difficult to move around, but there was a stool and easel for everyone once we got settled in. The first half hour is for finding your spot, getting a smock and paints and settling. There is wine and beer for sale, and I highly recommend getting a drink. It adds a lot to the social atmosphere. The instructor was energetic and funny. She encouraged positivity and wandered around helping and giving advice in between steps.

Here's what I created:

It's sure not a masterpiece, but I'm not ashamed to hang it in my living room. I think that's pretty awesome for my first painting experience! I'll definitely be going back, and I think I might even try painting on my own. (Huge for me - I've never thought of myself as an artist.) Another potential hobby, oh no!

Here's the website of the place we went, The Paint Bar in Newton. If you want to try it, I suggest signing up for their mailing list so you're notified when they post the next month's schedule. They're booked almost solid for months out!

http://www.thepaintbar.com/

There's a similar place in Natick. I haven't been there, but it looks from the schedule like it's a little less busy:
http://www.palettesnatick.com/
 

New Adventure #3: Zumba

So, I have a new activity...again :-)

 

After many glowing recommendations, I finally tried a Zumba class. If you're not familiar, Zumba is an aerobic dance fitness class. An instructor leads the choreography, which draws on latin, hip-hop, Bollywood, martial arts, and belly dance styles, among others.

 

Check out this video (not the class I went to, just a good example):

 

There were 6 women in my class, including me. Two looked to be in their 20s, two in their 30s, and 1 in her 60s. The teacher was a happy, friendly girl about my age. Everyone was dressed in workout clothes (yoga pants, tank tops or tee-shirts) and sneakers.

 

I had no idea what a good workout it would be! The instructor played one song after another for the full hour with about 30 seconds break between songs to rest and get a drink of water. That's a lot of dancing! Each song had its own choreography that the instructor taught as we went. My instructor favored pop-top-40 kind of songs, with some latin and bollywood thrown in. We even danced to "Gangnam Style" :-)

 

I felt really silly at first trying to mimic the instructor, but I decided pretty quickly to just embrace the silliness and really get into it. The class built up from simple moves to complicated ones, so I had a chance to get the hang of it before the choreography got hard. It was awesome fun! I think lots of my contra friends would really enjoy it. It's similarly energetic, easy to pick up, and fun!

 

Anybody want to try it with me?

 

2012 Reading Roundup

So, I didn't come close to my goal of blogging about every book I read last year, but here they are:

Title                                    Author         Date Completed
How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere    Larry King    1/8/2012
The Swerve: How the World Became Modern    Stephen Greenblatt    1/16/2012
Dune    Frank Herbert    1/30/2012
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep    Philip K. Dick    2/22/2012
Foundation    Isaac Asimov    3/10/2012
Life Itself    Roger Ebert    3/25/2012
A Quiet Revolution    Leila Ahmed    4/28/2012
Hunger Games    Suzanne Collins    5/6/2012
Catching Fire    Suzanne Collins    5/12/2012
Mockingjay    Suzanne Collins    5/13/2012
Space Chronicles    Neil Degrasse Tyson    5/22/2012
Einstein's Dreams    Alan Lightman    5/28/2012
Fifty Shades of Grey    E.L. James    6/2/2012
Fifty Shades Darker    E.L. James    6/15/2012
Illusions    Richard Bach    7/22/2012
Interview with a Vampire    Anne Rice    8/20/2012
Anne of Windy Poplars    L.M. Montgomery    9/5/2012
Anne of Ingleside    L.M. Montgomery    9/7/2012
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich    Timothy Ferriss    11/10/2012
A Concise History of the Middle East    Arthur Goldschmidt Jr. Lawrence Davidson    11/21/2012
Jonathan Livingston Seagull    Richard Bach    11/25/2012
Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking    Malcolm Gladwell    11/25/2012
The Dictator's Learning Curve    William Dobson    12/2/2012
The Poetry of Robert Frost    Robert Frost    12/31/2012

That's 24 books: 7 sci-fi/fantasy, 7 other fiction, 4 socio-political, 1 memoir, 2 history, 1 poetry anthology, 2 pop-sci. Given that the last few years' reading was almost exclusively fiction, I'm very pleased with that.

I shoot for an average of one book every two weeks. I fell a bit short this year, as I usually do, but not by too much. And these books averaged longer and more dense than most years. (Notice the spike in November when I swore off Reddit for the month :-)

The highlights were: The Swerve, Life Itself, Hunger Games (my favorite new fantasy of the year - was also impressed with the movie, The 4-Hour Workweek (a scam, an instruction manual on how to run scams, and a deeply thought provoking book on what's important in life - all rolled in one), The Dictator's Learning Curve (a fascinating examination of how repressive regimes are getting more technologically and socially savvy), and The Poetry of Robert Frost (my first foray into poetry - inspired a new fascination with the genre).

I'd love to lend any of them to you, assuming you don't mind my notes in the margins!

New Adventure #2 - Fudge!

I'd always had the vague idea that making fudge was a long, difficult process involving a candy thermometer, double boiler, and (more than likely) burnt chocolate. To my surprise and delight, I discovered that I can make a delicious fudge with just 3 ingredients and no stove or thermometer! To be sure, there are many fancier and more complicated recipes. The extra effort probably shows, but I found I was more than satisfied with my quickie recipe. This is probably the highest deliciousness-to-effort ratio of any dessert I've ever made.

Quickie Chocolate Orange Fudge

8 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

3/4 - 1 teaspoon flavor extract

Break/chop the chocolate up into small pieces and mix in a microwave-safe bowl with the sweetened condensed milk.

Gradually melt the mixture in the microwave. Microwaves vary, but I suggest starting with 30 seconds on low, stirring, then additional 15 second bursts as needed, stirring in between. Don't rush! Continue until the chocolate is almost completely melted, with just a few small lumps. Work the last few lumps in by stirring gently.

Add the favor extract and stir until smooth. I couldn't find my measuring spoons, but I estimate I added 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract. The orange was a little too strong for my taste, so I'd recommend 1/4 teaspoon instead. Try adding a little at a time and tasting as you go!

Line a small dish with tin foil. I found that a 5x9" bread pan was perfect for the amount of fudge this recipe generates. Pour the fudge batter into the lined dish and refrigerate. (Don't forget to lick the spatula!)

Let the fudge solidify for 2+ hours, cut into bites (the foil makes this easy), and enjoy! 

Store in the fridge in an airtight container after chilling to prevent the fudge from drying out. Note that this recipe generates a soft but solid fudge, definitely not the gooey type.

I'm looking forward to trying different flavorings. Coconut chocolate fudge is definitely coming soon...

New Adventures

Looking back at 2012, one of the things I'm happiest with is all the new experiences. This past year included:

My first solo vacation - to Toronto and Niagara Falls
Starting aerials lessons - aerial silks and cloud swing
Starting dabbling in other circus arts - tightrope, trampoline

Crafting as a new hobby

Baking as a new hobby
Discovering the delights of cider 
First time at Firefly
Staying the night at Arisia for the first time
First time blues dancing
First game of golf on a real course 
Golfing as a new hobby
First time kayaking 
Buying my first tablet
Watching the last presidential debate in a Toronto bar with a group of expat Americans
Visiting a conservatory
First time to an electro-swing dance
A cake decorating class 
Swimming and picnics at Walden Pond
First trivia competition
Visiting the Waltham Steampunk festival
First Broadway show 

I've decided to continue the trend in 2013. I've resolved to seek one new experience every week of the coming year. My first was yesterday, my birthday. 

I went downhill skiing at Mount Sunapee Resort in New Hampshire. 

On the lift to the lower slopes

I'd actually been skiing once or twice before, but this was my first time skiing on real powder and my first time skiing alone. I'm going to count it :)

It turned out to be quite an adventure! I managed to go tumbling three times in my first two runs, but I eventually started to get the hang of it. Two hours of skiing completely exhausted me, but I'm looking forward to going back soon!

So, I'm looking for new adventures! Can anybody suggest a fun, interesting, or challenging experience that might be new to me?

MA friends, it's time to make a plan!

Hey guys, we're 3 days out from the election, and it's time to make a plan. There's a lot more going on than just the presidential race, and it's important to know the offices and candidates ahead of time. It's also important to know where your poling place is and when you can vote.

To find your poling place, go to this handy tool and enter the address where you're registered to vote. It will give you the address of your polling station. Click "Map it" if you don't recognize the location.

Think about when you can vote! The polls are open from 7am until 8pm. What hours are you working or busy that day? Your employer is required to give you 2 hours off to vote, IF you request it. (They do not have to pay you for these hours, however). Remember, there may be lines at the polls, so don't plan to arrive at 7:50pm, or right before you're due to start work.

Who are you voting for for state senator in your district? How about sheriff? There are a number of offices on that ballot that you may not be aware of. To find a list of all the state-wide offices and candidates, as well as the ballot questions, click "My State Ballot" on the page from above where you got your polling location.

I strongly encourage you to write down your preferred candidates on this handy form and take it into the polls with you.
I found I didn't know what all of the offices were, so here's a quick explanation:

ELECTORS OF PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT: President and Vice President of the US are elected, not by popular vote, but by the Electoral College. The names of the candidates appear on the ballot, but what you're actually voting for is the electors pledged to vote for those candidates in the Electoral College. These electors were chosen by the parties.

SENATOR IN CONGRESS: MA (like all states) is allotted two Senators in the US Senate, who serve 6-year terms. Only one of them, Scott Brown, is up for re-election this year. John Kerry, MA's other Senator, will be up for election in 2014.

REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS: MA is allotted 9 Congressmen in the US House of Representatives, who serve 2-year terms. This allotment is based on the state's population.The state is split into 9 geographical districts. Your choices for Representative are based on the district in which you're registered to vote.

COUNCILLOR: The MA Governor's Council is an 8-person body that advises and provides (or withholds) consent to the Governor on issues including judicial nominations, pardons, and other issues.
SENATOR IN GENERAL COURT: The MA General Court is the state legislature. There are 40 State Senators, elected by district for 2-year terms

REPRESENTATIVE IN GENERAL COURT: The MA General Court is the state legislature. There are 160 representatives, elected by district for 2-year terms.

CLERK OF COURTS: Administrator of the Middlesex Superior Court, 6-year term

REGISTER OF DEEDS: Maintains the records of land ownership. Middlesex County has two who serve 6-year terms.

SHERIFF: Head of the Sheriff's Department, a law enforcement body with duties distinct from those of local police

Voter Registration Reminder

Are you registered to vote this November? 

Even if it's obvious which way your state will go in the presidential election, there's a lot more to weigh in on. Congressional candidates, state congressional candidates, other state offices, local officials and ballot questions will also be on the ballot. Given the current gridlock in Congress and the direct impact of ballot questions, those decisions may well be much more important the the presidential one. Your vote matters.

Reminder that if you have moved since you last registered, you must re-register at your new address.

Massachusetts friends: 

MA requires voters to register at least 20 days in advance of an election. Since the election is November 6th, your registration form must be postmarked by October 17th. Don't delay! It's really easy - you can do it right now. Print the form here

The form requires your full 10 digit zip code. I didn't know mine, but you can look yours up here by entering your street address.

I strongly encourage you to register as "No Party (unenrolled)". As far as I can tell, there is no advantage in Massachusetts to registering with a party. Unenrolled voters are not excluded from the primaries as in other states; they may vote in either primary. Studies like this one show that party affiliation can override independent judgement. In the study, self-identified liberals indicated preference for a stringent welfare proposal over a generous one when told that the Democrats supported it, while the control group of self-identified liberals chose the opposite when given no party information. And analogous for self-identified conservatives. Isn't that horrifying? Do your mind a favor - register Unenrolled. (Yes, I realize this isn't a magic bullet to eliminate cognitive biases, but I think it's a step in the right direction.)

Pennsylvania friends:

PA requires that you register 30 days in advance of an election. Since the election is November 6th, your registration form must be postmarked by October 7th. That's less than 2 weeks from now. Don't delay! It's really easy - you can do it right now.

Pennsylvania (awesomely!) allows you to look up your registration status online here

If you find that you're not registered, or are registered at an old address, you can download a registration form here

IMPORTANT NOTE: Pennsylvania now requires ID in order to vote. You can find a full explanation here

Check that your ID meets the requirements. For most of us, it's pretty easy. A current driver's license or passport is good enough. Make sure you have it with you when you go to vote.

Pennsylvania, unfortunately, holds closed primaries. You must be registered with a party in order to vote in the primary. While I dislike the idea of identifying with a party, I think it's more important to vote in primaries than avoid party affiliation.

Coming Soon:

I'm working on another post that will outline all the decisions on the November ballot (except probably the local stuff) with links to the websites of each of the candidates.