10 thoughts for February 12, 2014

The list is back!

1. While they're dealing with snow and ice in the East, today it was a balmy 55° F / 12.8°C.  Also, despite the current rains, there's almost zero chance that California gets rescued out of its severe drought.
2. This past snow event was quite amazing.  It was the first time since I moved here, that we got 3 days of snow in a row.  Checking the NOAA records, the last time there were consecutive days of snow was back in 1980.
3. While I'm on the subject of weather, it's actually been much warmer in Sochi than in Portland, even with this little warm up, here.  Thursday (2/13) in Sochi shows a high of 64°F / 17.8°C and a low of 50°F / 10°C, while Portland shows a high of 52°F / 11.1°C and a low of 41°F / 5°C.
4. Speaking of Winter Olympics, why can't Seattle-Portland host its own?  All they need to do is create a high-speed rail.
5. Check this out: An app that was created to allow people to virtually tour a future symphonic concert hall in Hamburg, by Herzog et de Meuron.  Well, only if you have an Android or iOS device, that is.  It is a one-trick pony, but worth checking out nonetheless.
6. I'm having trouble with the way Senate Republicans acted on the series of votes to raise the debt ceiling.  In the procedural vote to get past a filibuster, several Republicans switched their vote from a 'no' to a 'yes', to allow for a vote on passage of the debt ceiling increase.  Then they all promptly voted against the debt ceiling increase, knowing full well that Democrats had the votes to pass the bill, once past the threat of a filibuster.  You see, I think Democrats should direct a bunch of their members to stay out of town during a vote, and force Republicans to own up to the responsibility of increasing the debt ceiling.
7. I'm also having trouble with House Republicans.  Some of them wanted to attach to the bill to increase the debt ceiling, an end to the sequester cuts to veterans' benefits.  In other words, they were going to increase the debt ceiling and add more spending.  That's weird, no?  I have nothing against veterans getting their full promised benefits, but I just think it's just common sense that if you were going to restore veterans' benefits, you'd also restore emergency unemployment compensation and food stamps on an equal basis -- that, after all, is what true compromise is all about.
8. I hate headaches -- who doesn't? -- but I've had this low-grade one for four days now, and it's all from neck and shoulder strain.  I think it's stress-related.  :P  Being the mother's son that I am, I think I could be a hypochondriac.  For the last three decades she's been telling us that she's going to die soon.  Meanwhile, I've been under the fear that my headaches are either signs of an ischemic stroke, a growing aneurysm, or a tumor in my head.  Of course if you take aspirin to prevent strokes, you could induce an aneurysm, while a tumor will result in exceedingly worse headaches, and in the case of a tumor I'm probably already too late!  But because my shoulder and neck hurt, I'm quite assured that this is all stress.  (I know, I have dark humor.)  But then again, maybe Death will have the last laugh?
9. I rediscovered orange marmalade this week.  I was at Safeway (the shelves were partially empty, as a result of the snow-ice event), and having been on a PBJ obsession, I thought I should check out some of the jams and jellies.  When I saw the Smuckers marmalade on sale, all I could think of was the sweet and tangy flavor of orange rind in my mouth.  Mmm.  Tastes great when used on crepes, by the way.
10. This will sound crazy, but tonight I was munching down some vanilla-flavored Open Nature (Safeway) Greek yogurt, and it dawned upon me that with closed nose, the vanilla went away but the tartness remained, and the flavor reminded me of 4-day old poi.  Some people love their poi freshly pounded from taro; I love mine several days old.  No wonder I love Greek yogurt.