(no subject)
I just thought I'd toss out two random things. Why not?
I am currently reading Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton. I recently read David McCullough's biography of John Adams. I have enjoyed both books immensely. In high school I had a fascination for the American Revolution, and this has been revived. I tend to react emotionally to the people involved and have definite opinions about them, as if they were current politicians. The appalling thing is that the warring two-party system and the grounding of grievances that led to the Civil War are all present in the early years of our country. Reading about Washington's first term in office is little different than what I'm listening to now. The two parties that were just forming rallied behind their "heroes" and supported them, right or wrong, while vilifying the other side.There were no libel or slander laws, so the newspapers acted like the Internet currently does, a podium from which opinions could be spewed forth, complete with illogic and generalizations, and without restraint. Nothing ever changes. We're repeating history. It's sad.
If anyone wants my opinion of the Founding Fathers, I'll give the brief rundown for those I actually have firm opinions about. I like and admire John Adams with all his faults for his incomparable genius (and I love Abigail); I admire Hamilton (even if he was an idiot at times) and think he was a visionary, ahead of his time, despite the faults of capitalism; I feel sorry for Washington, thrust onto a pedestal he didn't ask for and embattled so late in his life; I think Madison was a tool; and most strongly of all, I loathe and despise Thomas Jefferson, that elitist hypocrite, so much that my roomie wants me to quit reading the biographies because Jefferson makes my mood so foul.
The second thing I want to babble about is much more innocuous. In my struggle to eat more rationally, a battle that is not going well, I keep trying new things. I have three in particular that have succeeded pretty well:
I am currently reading Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton. I recently read David McCullough's biography of John Adams. I have enjoyed both books immensely. In high school I had a fascination for the American Revolution, and this has been revived. I tend to react emotionally to the people involved and have definite opinions about them, as if they were current politicians. The appalling thing is that the warring two-party system and the grounding of grievances that led to the Civil War are all present in the early years of our country. Reading about Washington's first term in office is little different than what I'm listening to now. The two parties that were just forming rallied behind their "heroes" and supported them, right or wrong, while vilifying the other side.There were no libel or slander laws, so the newspapers acted like the Internet currently does, a podium from which opinions could be spewed forth, complete with illogic and generalizations, and without restraint. Nothing ever changes. We're repeating history. It's sad.
If anyone wants my opinion of the Founding Fathers, I'll give the brief rundown for those I actually have firm opinions about. I like and admire John Adams with all his faults for his incomparable genius (and I love Abigail); I admire Hamilton (even if he was an idiot at times) and think he was a visionary, ahead of his time, despite the faults of capitalism; I feel sorry for Washington, thrust onto a pedestal he didn't ask for and embattled so late in his life; I think Madison was a tool; and most strongly of all, I loathe and despise Thomas Jefferson, that elitist hypocrite, so much that my roomie wants me to quit reading the biographies because Jefferson makes my mood so foul.
The second thing I want to babble about is much more innocuous. In my struggle to eat more rationally, a battle that is not going well, I keep trying new things. I have three in particular that have succeeded pretty well:
- I regularly have a cheese omelet for breakfast. I love breakfast food. But to cut the fat, instead of cheddar cheese I use mozzarella. And when that's too bland, I sprinkle on a little feta or a bit of salsa. Yum.
- I've been making fruit-and-veggie smoothies for lunch. Some genius came up with the idea of freezing the ingredients, so there's none of the chopping and preparing that makes it so easy for me to quit. I just toss two handsful in the blender with 3/4 C apple juice, whirrrr away, and have a treat that's good for me.
- I recently found a recipe for a side dish that I like. It's a bit of trouble to prepare, especially for a kitchenophobe like me, but it's really healthy. It's a quinoa-black bean-salsa mix. Good stuff.