Gearing up for NaNoWriMo-Defining my Technique

As NaNoWrMo ebbs closer I find myself wondering what I will write, or more importantly how I will write it. I think for my first NaNo, I want to explore a writing style or technique more than just developing a story. I think that if I write that way, I may be less inclined to suffer the dreaded writers block.

Negative spaces intrigue me – like a piece of art – a writer can use negative space to explain the un-explainable. By striping down a story – avoiding the heavy back story – you can spark curiosity in your reader. Leaving the reader to ponder or question – rather than revealing the answers – is my goal (I think..?). Hopefully this won’t be like wrestling a tiger. I often find myself feeling compelled to tell the reader rather than let them agonize over missing information. I might have to write two stories – one as my primary-public story – the other as a sort of log with all the things I am omitting (it might keep things moving – to get my urges out on paper). My goal is to let go of my preoccupation with communicating everything precisely as I see it, and letting the readers have their own creative license to see or feel it. I have to give over the wheel and maybe take a ride in the passenger seat.

I’ll try to post updates in the coming month – but I am sure it will be hard. Wish me luck!

Squash-tatos!

This is a  recipe that I concocted last night after being inspired by fellow bloggers who have taken responsibility for their health and well-being.

I was in the grocery store with a friend yesterday afternoon and there was a showcase of local seasonal foods. One of them was spaghetti squash! I picked a small one up and figured I’d boil and lightly season it and call it a night. After I grabbed a couple more things I wandered back into the produce section for one more look-around. I came across some rutabagas and decided to pick up a small one. I thought to myself, I should be able to collaborate these two together… I have cooked rutabaga once before; I diced it into medium cubes and sauteed it, it turned out ok and I haven’t experimented with this root since.

When I got home I went online to research some different ways to cook rutabaga. I was going to be boiling the spaghetti squash so I figured I’d boil the rutabaga as well. That’s when I saw that boiled rutabaga makes a great mashed potato substitute. I thought to myself, Ah ha! I’ll mash the rutabaga and mix it in with the squash to make a Sqaush-tato side dish.

Here is my recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium spaghetti squash – cut in half

1 small rutabaga – diced into medium cubes

1 clove of garlic – chopped

1/3 cup of milk

1 1/2 tbps of butter

1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp of hot sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

First you boil water in a pot sufficiently big for the squash and another pot big enough for the rutabaga. Bring both pots of water to a boil. Cut the squash in half and place in boiling water, cover and cook until tender. Peel the rutabaga and dice into medium cubes (this make it easier to mash later). Chop one large garlic clove and add rutabaga and garlic to the boiling water. Cover and cook until tender and mashable :). Both were cooked over medium heat for the whole time.

Drain the squash and let it cool in the pot until you can hold it (I like to wait until I can hold it with a dish rag, pot holders are difficult to manipulate the squash and scoop out the seeds). Drain the rutabaga and and mash in the pot it was cooked in. Add milk and butter and continue mashing until desired consistency and flavor is reached. Add grated parmesan cheese and let that sit.

Remove seeds from spaghetti squash. Add spaghetti squash to the mashed rutabaga and mix well, (I used a fork because the squash was extra stringy). Then I added hot sauce, salt and pepper for some boosted flavor.

It was pretty good for a first shot! The squash was sweet and crunchy while the rutabaga had an strong earthy flavor and the two complimented each other well. Next time I might put more garlic or try some different cheeses like ricotta for a creamier texture, or feta for more zing! Also I might have added from fresh herbs if I had some on hand.

If you try this recipe, let me know what variations you used and how you liked it!

To shower or not to shower…

Most people who know me, know that I don’t shower everyday. And most of those people find it funny yet slightly disturbing. The reason they find it so funny is because I am so nonchalant about it… I embrace the fact that I haven’t showered in two days. But they still see me as ‘dirty’ and wonder how I could find this decisions appealing. I do have a select few friends who revel in how long they have gone since their last shower, and it becomes a game between us. Us girls on the go; we have got to save our time somehow!

My new habit mostly has been born out of the new natural products I’ve been trying to use. I’ve gone through many different natural shampoos, trying to find one that works well. I’ve been using natural shampoos and conditioners for a little over a year now, and at first it was difficult to adjust. I chose this switch to avoid the wide range of chemicals that are prevalent in popular hair products.

Either way, it’s been a year and my new shampoo has made it much easier for me to avoid showering. My scalp’s oil production has finally balanced out. My theory is that the natural shampoo doesn’t strip all the oil from your hair. It cleans but doesn’t strip. It has taken about a year for my hair to adjust and now it doesn’t seem to over produce oil; I can go three days without washing my hair, whereas I use to have to wash it daily to avoid that glossy sheen. I also go through way less shampoo, considering my hair is about four inches past my shoulders. (That can be a great savings opportunity!) The only downside is the amount of time it takes me to comb my hair, but overall I think the pros outweigh the cons.

I am happier not showering everyday, I have more time to do fun stuff! I usually take a 2-3 minute rinse off at the end of a busy day, but I only take a full lather-up 20 minute shower once every 3-4 days. It saves water and time, and overall I love my decision.

I wonder if we all adjusted our showering habits a bit, then we’d have a little more water to go around. Especially in a year where droughts have plagued our country, I think water conservation should be on everyone’s mind. Just some water for your thoughts 😉

What are your shower habits, do you like longer showers or are you like me and despise this time consuming task?