exactly how are you calculating "safe"?

This series of emails from the manager of our apartment complex last night really made us laugh.

Subject: Police activity
Time: 8:38 PM
There is a police presence in the [apartment general] area. There was a report of an individual with a weapon. Please stay inside your apartment until further notice.

Subject: Re: Police activity
Time: 9:16 PM
Police were unable to locate the suspect. It is ok to leave your apartment at this time.

To be fair, it did go on to say that it was because the police thought there was no real reason for concern. But still. Funny.

oh, women.

This evening, I offer to you a smattering of excerpts from my reading for Neuroscience. They are from a review of Principles of Mental Physiology, with their Applications to the Training and Discipline of the Mind and the Study of its Morbid Conditions by William B. Carpenter, M.D., LL.D., F.R.S. From 1874. That's kind of important.

"It is always wise to try the simplest explanation first, and in women the capricious is certainly more common than the biological temperament, even if the author's statistics of the latter be correct."

"The writer well remembers when going with Dr. Conolly through one of the wards on the female side of the lunatic asylum at Hanwell, Dr. C. remarked to him, 'It is my belief that two-thirds of the women here have come to require restraint through the habitual indulgence of an originally bad temper.'"

overheard

...while I was on the bus and my driver was taking a break outside. (Side note: Even though I was pretty frustrated that the first bus just blew past me while I was waiting at my stop, maybe it was worth it to hear this.)

He was on his cell phone with, I'm guessing, his wife, so the conversation below is only one half. His half was all said with an amused, with touches of incredulity, intonation. You can also imagine his great, thick southern accent.

"Wuh'd you baby?!?!"

"You got to stop!"

"Naaoooh! You just got to stop!"

"When he puts on his lights, you just got to stop! Stop in the middle of the road -- it don't matter!"

"You can pull over if you want to, but you got to do it fast! You can't just keep on driving!"

"Did you tell him you're from Russia?"

intensives

I am now five days down in the 13 days during which I will complete two classes (2 credit hours each). It feels good to have one week done, although it was pointed out that we have only had one project due during that time, so I think the second half(-ish) will feel quite busy. Overall, it has not been as bad as I was anticipating. But enough about the work side of things.

The other -- and more important -- thing that comes along with these intensives is that we get to meet and get to know the rest of our cohort! We are now a class of 32, I believe, which nearly triples our class from last year. I can't definitively say I have talked to each person, but I think nearly. We have already taken two opportunities for socializing out of class, which I have greatly enjoyed. Good times, good people, good pizza, good limoncello margaritas (really good -- they lived up to their legend!).

this weekend sent summer off in style

I know. I've been not good at posting this summer. I have had no responsibilities but have found myself to be quite busy. A very good kind of busy.

This weekend we had a mod reunion. For those of you who are not familiar with my undergrad school, a mod is a housing option with five bedrooms, a living room, and a communal bathroom. I was fortunate to live with my best friends for two years (and some of them for a third). Great times. I would say we have done amazingly well at getting together in the seven years since graduation. I'm impressed. I have not always made it, which is regrettable, but I am already looking forward to the next time I can.

However. I did not even get out my camera once this weekend. For a wonderful and entertaining overview of our weekend, please see my friend's blog. People: This post includes a baby in a mullet wig. You do not want to miss this.

On either side of the mod weekend, I (and sometimes Brian) hung out with my brother (and most times his gf). This was also a great part of my weekend. Love them. We spent some time searching for the 90s nostalgic drink Orbitz, watching some MST3K riffs, and eating some excellent food. Yum to Mi Ranchito (Ranchita?) and Orange Leaf.

Thanks again to all of our wonderful hosts! It was a blessing to spend time with so many important and loved people in my life.

what's the most trying part of mennonite cooking?

.
Dealing with all the bierock-racy.*


This photo isn't really my favorite example of my bierock adventures because this batch got more brown than I like my bierocks (first time making them with this oven and at this altitude), they've been smashed in a Ziplock in the fridge for almost a week, and, shame, the three that are left are embarrassingly mismatched in size. I'm just willing to sacrifice my pride for a good (that's debatable) joke.

Here's a snapshot of the first bohne beroggi I've ever made.


The resident Swiss Menno in our household did give his stamp of approval on the taste but suggested that they don't look quite right. I've never been taught how to make bohne beroggi. I've never even witnessed them being made. I was just going off of what the end product looks like. We hope to get some instruction in shaping them this summer. Hey, at least I didn't just make them in the shape of a bierock, which I was somewhat tempted to do.

Speaking of the shape of a bierock, what shape do my readers know them to be? One of my grandmothers made square bierocks, which I have never seen any place else, nor do I know exactly how she did that. Did she roll out the dough and cut squares rather than pinch off buns? It seems more difficult and more labor intensive to make square ones. Who knows. I should ask her.

*It's very possible I thought up that pun and then spent a few days trying to come up with a good joke to use it in...and I still may not be entirely pleased with the results, but it's as good as I got.

cherries 'r' luv

The post title says it all, albeit in a horribly annoying way. Cherries 'r' luv even more when they come at $1.27 per pound. Have I mentioned how much I love the price of produce here?