Assorted

1. Vacation was nice but I missed New Orleans. I got back in time for the 5th anniversary of the shameful failure of the levees, and after some consideration I decided not to attend any of the public events commemorating it. I wasn't here before, during, or immediately after; I don't feel like I get to claim it. So I stayed home, cooked, cleaned, meditated.

2. I am going to do yoga every day in September. Yes, there will be blogging about it. I am doing this b/c a) September is my birthday month, it feels like a good present-to-self b) I have been stepping up my practice recently but want to turbo-charge it, this is how to do it c) vanity d) it's good for my mental health.

3. I made this yesterday. It meets all of my needs (cheap, healthy, tastes pretty good, suitable for bringing to lunch for the rest of the week) but not quite my main want (absurdly delicious) - maybe more spiciness? Maybe some melted cheese on top? Maybe some cilantro or salsa? Anyway, the procedure:

- Cook 1.5 c Camellia brand kidney beans til nearly soft, set aside
- Chop up and cook 2 sweet potatoes til nearly done, set aside
- Coarsely chop 1 red onion and cook in some olive oil til beginning to caramelize
- Add 1 tb or so cumin seeds and 1 diced poblano pepper
- Cook til pepper is beginning to soften
- Add beans and potatoes and some water, cook til everything is done

4. READ THE HUNGER GAMES SERIES (the last book came out on Tuesday, I bought it in Fort Collins on Friday afternoon and finished it in a hotel bathroom very early Saturday morning) OR YOU WILL REGRET IT. MOSTLY B/C I WON'T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT FOR THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE AND MY PLAUDITS WILL BE MORE INTERESTING IF YOU HAVE A CLUE WHAT I AM GOING ON AND ON ABOUT. THAT IS ALL.

5. You could also read Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis if, say, you want to laugh really hard.