currents & waves

how much fruit or vegetable is in a serving of fruit or vegetable?

2008-07-10T18:45:00Z

i've been feeding myself successfully for long enough that i rarely give much thought to things like "food pyramids" and whatnot, but recently i revisited this middle school health class favorite after a friend of mine began talking about struggling to get enough protein in her vegetarian diet. since i was raised vegetarian and continue to follow a vegetarian diet with no detectable protein deficiency, i decided to start keeping track of the protein in my diet to see where it comes...(read more)

marjane satrapi's persepolis

2008-07-01T15:12:00Z

during the achaemenid dynasty, persepolis was (as you may recall from high school world history class) the ancient riverside site first chosen by cyrus the great and then built up by darius the great to stand as the center of the persian empire. fastforward a couple thousand plus years, and persepolis is the name of the animated film that won the 2007 cannes film festival jury prize. based on a autobiographical graphic novel by marjane satrapi of the same name, the film covers her childhood and teen...(read more)

lol

2008-06-30T17:05:00Z

i just got an email from my brother that was intended for our mom (backstory: my mom is organizing and hosting an all-family birthday party for my grandpa the week of thanksgiving. and between all the grandkids scattered around, there are thousands of airfare dollars being spent. and, because no one is rich, people like my brother are trying to figure out accommodations and whatnot). anyway, from bro: "i was wondering about in-town transportation--should i plan to rent a car?--and where i will...(read more)

good reading choice

2008-06-25T21:04:00Z

i recently finished poet mary karr's memoir the liar's club and i'm writing to let you know that i liked it. this is exactly the kind of book you need if you want something literary but not plodding, non-fiction but narrative based, and fast paced but deep. and darkly comic. the story covers a series of iconic memories from a year during which karr is about 7(?) and living with her 9 year old sister, mom, and dad, in an oil town on the texas gulf coast, another year two years later in...(read more)

speed scrabble

2008-06-16T21:18:00Z

once a week me and my friends get together to play scrabble, but sometimes we have to postpone our games till the weekend because scrabble after dinner makes us stay up too late. but we finally figured out a possible solution, which we tested out this weekend: speed scrabble. we all agree ahead of time to focus on speed rather than points. we use a minute timer. shockingly, though, our scores are still in keeping with our averages. apparently the issue isn't that we take a long time to make words...(read more)

like a book by faulkner, only human

2008-05-30T20:22:00Z

i guess it's been awhile since i've done an online quiz for the sake of this blog, but that's just because the ones i usually run across seem boring. but you know what i love more than almost anything else? of course you do--books! so when i saw the "what literary work are you?" quiz i couldn't let the opportunity pass me by. the funny thing is, i just finished reading this book a couple weeks ago and have been proselytizing it's greatness ever since. although i found...(read more)

cheap thrills: things to do for under $10 (item 10)

2008-05-19T21:53:00Z

cheap thrills has finally reached its tenth anniversary! we will celebrate with chocolate cupcakes! this is probably my favorite free thing to do: make up an occasion that calls for celebrating! the truth is, once you get yourself in the mindset of a celebration, the celebration itself becomes the special occasion. get creative! make yourself a treat, invite friends, and have so much fun you forget why your get-together was called to begin with! here's a great cupcake recipe to start you off...(read more)

cheap thrills: things to do for under $10 (item nine)

2008-05-12T22:02:00Z

this is a good time of year to start thinking of cheap thrills that involve air conditioning. everyone knows about hanging out at the movie theater to beat the heat, but did you know you can go to the movies on the cheap? you can, with the dollar theater! if you're anything like me, a spontaneous trip to the movies can turn into a real budget-wrecker. first there's the admission--while some theaters have discount prices for matinée showings and/or certain weeknights showings, even with this...(read more)

movie event at tall timbers research station, saturday may 10th

2008-05-09T21:26:00Z

straight from my email inbox to my blog with no additional commentary other than this: scroll down past the description to find even details for showtimes, ticketing info and the like. APALACHICOLA RIVERKEEPER HOSTS THE WILD AND SCENIC ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL ON TOUR ~ Fundraiser at Tall Timbers to include award-winning films, seafood fest for children and families ~ TALLAHASSEE , Fla. – Patagonia, Inc. presents and the Apalachicola Riverkeeper will host the largest environmental film festival...(read more)

cheap thrills: things to do for under $10 (item eight)

2008-05-05T21:12:00Z

before i start, let me say that this item is not as achievable to as wide an array of people as some of the previous cheap thrills suggestions. this item requires access to a musical instrument. however, even if you don't have one and don't plan to invest in buying one, don't give up yet--if you have friends, you can ask to borrow one! yep! it seems like a lot of people--especially people who are parents--have abandoned and neglected instruments, and in my experience, they're often...(read more)

it's time for first friday at railroad square art park

2008-05-02T15:38:00Z

with the end of the academic year, tonight's attendees at the art park might start missing big bend contemporary's recent role as a nexus for railroad square festivities, but on the upside, as we move into summertime, daylight and twilight stretch through the first friday hours. somehow, lingering outdoors as the sky darkens is often more relaxing for me than starting the night off in the dark. but when i do head indoors to see what's new tonight, i am excited about stopping by the 621...(read more)

cheap thrills: things to do for under $10 (item seven)

2008-04-28T19:53:00Z

it's spring time! flowers bloom, birds crank up the volume, and the sun isn't quite deadly yet. and so, for the seventh idea for thrifty fun... combine a nature walk with a picnic! whether you make a day of it and explore a trail system in your area or take a short stroll around a city park, spring is an especially fun time to turn a walk into a happening. a nature walk with food can be a short as your lunch break or as extended as you want. you don't have to worry about finding a great...(read more)

cheap thrills: things to do for under $10 (item six)

2008-04-21T19:18:00Z

maybe you're looking for something to do that doesn't involve going somewhere or having people over? then this installment of cheap thrills is for you! with that, i present you: write a letter! when i was a little kid my mom would make me and my brothers each write a letter a week during summer breaks from school. we would whine about it... a lot! but by the time i was in my late teens and had friends scattered across the distances, i revived and updated this habit voluntarily. instead of...(read more)

cheap thrills: things to do for under $10 (item five)

2008-04-14T22:09:00Z

so far, cheap thrills has reported on the tallahassee rock gym, playing with the dog, reading a book, and holding a dessert+games night. today, i suggest another personal favorite: visit the municipal pool tallahassee parks and recreation has a number of public pools that offer lap swim, open swim, water aerobics, swim lessons, and even a synchronized swimming team. at a mere $3 entrance fee, you can take a friend and still not hit the $10 mark. to visit the city's website for details on pool...(read more)

this sunday at railroad square: streets of service and more

2008-04-11T21:51:00Z

this showed up in my inbox today: Good morning, Just a reminder that the Street of Service event sponsored by Volunteer Leon and the Directors of Volunteers Association is this Sunday, April 13 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM in Railroad Square. The event is in conjunction with the 1st Annual Circle the Square for Peace event. This is a great opportunity to learn about available volunteer opportunities while spending a fun filled afternoon with family and friends. This is a free event and there will be something...(read more)