money links

just wanted to point out that there have been some great, really introductory, explanations about basic financial concepts in the nytimes these past couple of weeks as part of a series called "what you need to know". i encourage you to check out "credit scores: what you need to know" and "income taxes: what you need to know", especially since tax time is upon us, and since credit is growing more and more scarce.

also, music to my ears, the personal savings rate increased almost 1% between november and december last year, from 2.8% to 3.6% of disposable (net) income. while i'm so thrilled people are starting to save, i'm still disappointed at how low the savings rate is overall. up until the mid-90's, the national savings rate hadn't ever dipped below 5%, and in fact in 2006, it actually went negative. (look out for an article i wrote in the next issue of sadie magazine on the importance of the personal savings rate) on the other hand, reduced spending and increased savings will only prolong this period of economic contraction, which maybe is the price we pay for borrowing and spending other people's money.

any bailout plans aside, things will continue to get a teensy bit worse, so check out this askmefi link to asses the various pros/cons of online financial tracking programs. i used pear budget, then excel, and now mint + excel, but i'm a little crazy, obv. use what works for you, but use something - please!

what i am (links)

a calamansi (philippine lime) in my aunt's garden

reading:

the history of love by nicole krauss
far more often than warranted, a book is described as beautiful or haunting. while these two words are used constantly in reviews of this book, i think the book's true spirit is better served by a quote from its own pages: "i don't know what to say about it, except that it moved me in a way one hopes to be moved each time (s)he begins a book. what i mean is, in some way i'd find almost impossible to describe, it changed me."

twilight by stephenie meyer
embarrassingly enough, i've actually read the whole four-book series. and loved every minute of the experience. they are horribly written, with poor (i'm being kind) plot development, flat characters and weird mormon overtones. as one amazon reviewer writes of the basic premise "aromatic airhead falls for vacuous vampire." but they're a *good* kind of bad, you know? a really good-teenage girl-airplane reading-kind of bad. like eating twinkies at the co-op. deeply satisfying.

watching:

the amazing race
as much as i hate tv, watching the amazing race doesn't make you feel like a couch potato. seeing remote corners of the world whizz by while teams of two attempt to not kill each other under incredibly stressful circumstances makes you feel a little smug about your cushy couch, cup of tea, and group of friends who come over to watch.

twilight
i was embarassed enough reading it, but once hooked, i had to see the movie for, uh, comparison purposes? it was triply as awful, but also triply as awesome. i'm sure it'll go down as a cult classic, at least once everyone gets wind of the vampires-playing-baseball part. (they're in costume!!)

eating:

mitzy's macarons
my love for french macarons is well documented here, and these are some of the very best i've tried. conveniently located at the brooklyn flea, and generously handing out full sized samples, mitzy and her team are well on their way to success.

butternut squash soup
i'll post about this soon, but honestly, every time i've made it, it has been totally different. what surprises me the most is how forgiving it is- i might not have enough garlic one day, so i'll throw in some ginger instead, and it still comes out creamy and tasting of fall.

kale
i know, gross right? actually, kale is super delicious when just lightly steamed and dressed with a simple combo of garlic, lemon, soy sauce and sesame oil. it is also amazing boiled, lightly pickled with some lemon juice, and it is very, very good for you. give it a shot!

making:

you'll see....! i don't want to spoil the surprises!

wanting:

a new shower head
i could get this one, which my brother became obessesed with on a family trip to hawaii. my parents splurged and got him one for our shower back home, and it literally feels like you are draining the entire pacific ocean for one shower. amazing doesn't even cover it. but, i'm cheap, so this one will have to do. from the reviews i read, it should be pretty good.

a wiry haired dachshund
my parents will be horrified to know that i'm even thinking of getting another pet (don't worry mom & dad- it won't happen any time soon!), but these little guys are so cute, and apparently so smart, and after meeting a particularly cute one and his owners the other day walking around park slope, i'm a little lovestruck.

loving:

my new coat
for the past three winters, i've made do by layering coats on top of on another. while this may sound fashionable, the end result was something more akin to "marshmallow lady is pregnant." don't laugh. so finally, i've got a proper coat. and it keeps me so warm. i am so grateful for being able to wait at a bus stop in the dead of winter without shivering- and it looks pretty too!

hammy on his birthday
he's officially no longer a kitten! but he's still as cute as ever, and for his birthday treat, he gobbled up two leftover pieces of tuna sashimi excitedly. although, since we put the christmas tree up he has been acting very very naughty. i wonder who's getting coal in his stocking?!!

cranberry sauce
up until this past thanksgiving, i'd never had it. (which is the best proof i have that i wasn't born in this country) but i've had my sauce cherry popped (sorry if that sounded dirty!), and now i know what all the fuss it about. it's GOOD.

what i am (links)

reading:
never let me go by kazuo ishiguro
a compelling, plot-driven first read from the writer of remains of the day. i can't tell if the second read will be boring, or even more revealing. a fast book to get through- it took me a week of 20 min. commutes.

sarah vowell's op-ed in the NYT about MLK
i know, everyone's read it. but it is worth a mention, partly because her book assassination vacation reminded me of the power of history.

the black swan by nassim nicholas taleb
just like "getting to yes" i think this book is a must read for anyone interested in anything. a great, reasoned argument to expose the gaps in our current cultural logic.

watching:
the diving bell and the butterfly
despite finding julian schnabel's personality off-putting
his version of this heartbreaking story deserves every praise it gets, most especially calling it "moving","humane" and "richly atmospheric".

the lives of others
the first movie in a long time that make me cry tears of both sadness and happiness. i can't believe it took me this long to watch it.

the wild parrots of telegraph hill
it is on my list for this weekend, partly to see the parrots i've heard about while growing up in the bay area, and partly for the scenery of california, which i greatly miss in the winter.

eating
pepitas
my mom used to keep a can in her car while we were growing up and would snack on them while stuck in traffic. now i can get them bulk at the co-op, salted or unsalted, and eat them all day at work. a great quick hunger buster.

pomegranates
i'm a sucker for greek mythology- my favorite poem is the painfully misogynistic (and probably fascist) leda and the swan and despite the huge hassle of eating pomegranates i can't help but be mesmerized by those glowing red seeds and thinking about persephone and how they were just so tempting. you can't blame her.

no-knead bread i made last weekend
i would be lying if i claimed a victory over bread making in accomplishing this. yes, it did turn out looking like something you'd buy in at a fancy parisian bakery. and yes, it did taste amazing, partially due to the use of some rosemary salt that i bought in sweden a couple of years ago. but. BUT. i didn't do anything. seriously. i'll post about it later, but it was truly magic.

making
key lime bars
the last time i made these i was under a serious time constraint. i had just gotten off a delayed 6 hour flight at 8pm and needed to bring some treats to work the next day. luckily they came through in a pinch. and were delicious!

wanting
something to fill the space behind the sink. those glass mason jars that are supposed to hold flour aren't cutting it.
how about this?

loving
new special band-aids
with a house full of tiny cats who don't know how to retract their claws yet, putting these on has become a daily ritual.