Why I ride Amtrak (and, Squirrels at Union Station!)

At Union Station you can carry your Ben and Jerry’s ice cream onto the train.

You can sit in the park outside the station, watching squirrels frolic.

Squirrels at Union Station on a Sunday eating crazy green fruit.1

Squirrels at Union Station on a Sunday eating crazy green fruit.2

Squirrels at Union Station on a Sunday eating crazy green fruit.3

Squirrels at Union Station on a Sunday eating crazy green fruit.4

Squirrels at Union Station on a Sunday eating crazy green fruit.5

Squirrels at Union Station on a Sunday eating crazy green fruit.6

Or walk to the Capitol building between train rides.

Or lay in the park and catch up on Babbitt for Humanities Scholars Program Seminar 3.

And walk onto your train.

Carrying your bag.

Not having had it opened, prodded, inspected, sprayed, swabbed, X-Rayed, glared at, shoved onto a conveyor belt, ricocheted off of other bags, zippers strained and buttons popped. And its owner yelled at by the TSA.

At Union Station you can walk through the gate to your train.

Wearing your shoes.

And not having taken them off.

A sunny day in DC

Here are some pictures I took in DC this weekend. The weather was so much better from Pittsburgh’s!

A quick note: I keep on hearing various candidates characterize DC in all of these ugly ways. Accusations of corruption and bad behavior abound. But having been an occasional visitor (who is albeit rubbing shoulders with more staffers than senators, or maybe more teachers, lawyers, maids and clerks to be more accurate) I have found a city which is full of passionate people. Normal people too, but DC is run on and by people who give a damn about how their government functions–functioning has more to do with showing up every day to do work than with pretty buzz-phrases and violent rhetoric. I am continuously impressed (and envious) of how casually close many of the people in DC are to their–our–government.

I find impressive people and interesting ideas in DC–and it would take more than a nasty pundit to make me think otherwise of our nation’s capital.

Inspirational Quote:

Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible player. -Albert Einstein

One Recipe from Thanksgiving (Pumpkin Pancakes)

Hey all,

This is very loosely based on the pancake recipe for Pancakes in the America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook–except mine’s much much cooler.

• 4 cups of whole wheat flour (I used Indian Naan flour because it’s what I had and there’s a really nice Indian food shop near CMU).
• 5 tbs of Sugar (include some brown sugar–it’s nice with the pumpkin)
• 4 tbs baking powder
• 3 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 6 tbs (tablespoons *not* tubs) butter (can be oil, but butter always tastes better)
• 2 cups of milk
• 2 cups of pumpkin
• 1 tbs pumpkin pie spice

Mix all liquids together and all drys together separately, then mix all. I used a fork but a whisk would work as well.

Notes for cooking in the hotel: I should have brought measuring cups and spoons–thus results with the above recipe will vary as I used coffee cups for cups, dining teaspoons and tablespoons for those measurements rather than more accurate measuring utensils.

Note from those who ate: more spices (maybe ginger or hand grated cinnamon) would be nice.

Bake like pancakes!

I am having tons of fun and will post more later!

Inspirational Quote:

“It would not be too much to say that what we have here is a stacked oral history sandwich on wry bread with hot mustard” After Appomattox: How the South Won the War

Thanksgiving dinner without an oven (2 of 3)

Hey all,

Here is our Thanksgiving meal schedule. Aren’t we good?

Thursday 22st of October

Lunch

Sandwiches

Bread
Avocado
Sprouts
Ham
Turkey
Cheese
Lettuce
Mayonnaise

Thanksgiving dinner

Pumpkin pancakes
Syrup
Turkey
Sourdough
Corn on the cob

Friday 23rd of October

Lunch

Sandwiches

Bread
Avocado
Sprouts
Ham
Turkey
Cheese
Lettuce
Mayonnaise

Dinner

Guajillo a Mexican restaurant (one of the party insisted)

Saturday 24th of October

Lunch

Mac’n'cheese

Red Peppers
Salad
Balsamic Vinegar
Bananas

Dinner

Hamburgers

Vegi patties
Meat patties
Hamburger buns
Cheese
Cucumbers
Apples

Saturday 25th of October

Breakfast

Pancakes

Syrup
Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Eggs
Milk
Sugar

Leftovers are important: buy Tupperware

Identified common ingredients

Salt
Pepper
Butter
Milk
Turkey
Cheese
Bread

Ideas for Desert

Desert:

Crepes,
Flour
Eggs
Milk
Butter
Salt
Chocolate,
Whipped cream
Ice Cream
Oranges

Inspirational Quote:

I work for a Government I despise for ends I think criminal.
John Maynard Keynes

PS: I’m addicted to lolcats.

Promised pictures from Amtrak Capitol Expressway trip (and DC!)

This gizmo is from http://www.slide.com their user interface is simply a joy to use. I especially like the GUI for changing the order of pictures. Enjoy!

PS: if you don’t like the interface, tell me. WordPress recomended several other Slideshow websites which I could try.

Have a great day!

Inspirational Quote:

“We know how you feel honey–and remember, when you father was your age, he was fighting the Germans”–Randy Paucshe’s Journey Speech