Things that make you feel old...

Found this online looking for "things that make you feel at home"

Bye, Bye Rabbit...Hello Vespa!

I realized over the weekend that I miss walking, using public transportation and not being bogged down by a hefty car payment and rising insurance and gas prices.  While my girl Maxi (my 2008 VW Rabbit) has served me well, I am contemplating a major life change when her lease expires next June 1st.

A friend of mine had a wonderful birthday gathering at Brown's Brewery which is on the other side of the Hudson River from my apartment.  Since I knew I would be imbibing I grabbed my headphones, turned on Pandora on my phone, grabbed a bottle of water and headed out.  It took me about 30 minutes as I took a more leisurely pace as I didn't want to be excessively sweaty on arrival for the festivities.  I enjoyed it so much that I even walked home though were I more intoxicated I would have taken the bus since both bridges heading to downtown Troy (and back to my apartment in Watervliet) are not heavily pedestrian anytime, let alone at midnight.

This all got me thinking and reminiscing for my Manhattan days and how much I absolutely LOVED walking everywhere and using the subway to navigate not only Manhattan but the outer boroughs.  I was also at the thinnest I have been in a decade and I owe it all to walking as a mode of transport and not solely for exercise.

I ended up checking Google maps for the bus route from my apartment to work.  I was shocked to see that the bus that picks up a block from my apartment (I can see the bustop enclosure from my bathroom window) and drops off a block from my office.  While extending my commuting time by 15-20 minutes (each way) it would eliminate all cost of my car (come next June) while low are a burden/luxury that I am willing to let go of. (A monthly unlimited bus pass costs $65 - with gas prices my 14 gallon tank costs $50 to fill and lasts approx. 2 weeks = $100/month).  Since moving back from NYC I have developed a slight version of road rage and am more than willing to give that up too!

I also live right behind a drug store, 2 block from a grocery store (Price Chopper) and have a dry cleaner and hardware store 4-5 blocks away.  While the prices are a little higher than big box stores (Target, Sam's and Home Depot), I will be saving so much money without my car that it will not be as much of an issue.  Plus my family live 1.5 miles away and am sure would take me when I need to purchase something from time to time.

Overall getting rid of my car and acquiring a bus pass will save me $400 month, totally $4800 a year and $24,000 over 5 years.  I might actually be able to save money and start paying off my students loans which have been in deferment or forbearance for 5 years.  Above all else I will be able to finally start traveling and visiting my friends all over the U.S. and the world.

So not only would I be improving my health by walking most places, but saving a ton of money.

This got me to thinking about a dream I had when living in NYC about getting a Vespa and after a little research I discovered that they are very reasonably priced.  For less than $5000 I can have a zippy mode of transportation that gets 70mpg for about 6 months out of the year here in upstate New York.  If I can save up for a $2500 down payment I should be able to get one with payments about $125/month for 2 years.

My new dream machine!

  

There are a few logistics to work out but the more I think about this, the happier I become.

Realization...

I was talking to a friend this week about finances and how significantly better her situation became once she met her husband.  While older than her, he works in the same field but makes significantly more than she does.

This got me thinking that over the past 2 years I have had several of my female friends experience the same thing.  Once relegated to living paycheck to paycheck as I now do, they no longer are in the same sinking boat with me.  And both were "saved" by their significant others who makes 3-4 times more than they do and are the same age +/- 2-3 years.  One friend works in banking and the other in multimedia production (holding a Masters in Technical Communication), so they are not in the predetermined "female chosen professions".  Which in itself angers me that those professions are deemed less valuable and shows our priorities...money and greed over education and wealth.

This gives me very little hope for myself and is pushing me even harder to finish my manuscript (yes I am writing a book...hopefully a series of them).  I would like to get to the underlying issue of why women are making so much less and are only able to lift themselves out of debt and scrimping upon meeting a man with comparable education and social standing but happens to make a shitload more money.  There seems to be something wrong with this picture.

HOT & HUMID KITCHEN

Not sure what I was thinking cooking on one of the hottest and most humid days so far this summer in upstate New York.  I had purchased the ingredients for my Veggie/Turkey Meat Loaf last Thursday and didn't want then to spoil. So here is my ode to one of my new fave video blogs: My Drunk Kitchen!

Last Fall I was researching different Turkey Meat loafs as I was preparing to work 4 weeks of 15 hour days and figured it would freeze rather easily.  But I didn't want to have to think about a side either....so I found a recipe with chopped up veggies and I was hooked.  I have altered the recipe over the past 6 months but one thing always stays the same....lots of chopped veggies.

Here is a rough estimate of what I use:

• Family size Shady Brook Farms Ground Turkey (Pic reg. size not Family)
• 2-3 Button Mushrooms
• 1 Zucchini
• 2 Yellow Squash (or one large)
• Red Onion
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 2 Carrots (optional)
• 1-2 eggs (preference)
• 2-2.5 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

I chop up (food process) all of the veggies starting with the garlic and onion, sauteing them while I chop up the rest.  I start with the hardest veggie and end with the mushrooms, adding them to the pan as I go.  I continue to saute them until their colors deepen and they soften up a little bit. 

I then let them cool off for 10-15 minutes (or pop them pan in the freezer to accelerate the cooling process).

Once cooled, I mix them in with the ground turkey, egg(s), rolled oats and bread crumbs until completely mixed.  I don't measure the rolled oats and just add them if i feel more are needed but guesstimate it's about 2 cups...start with one and add from there.  

I line my pan with foil and spray is with Pam (of a similar type spray).  This makes it easier to remove from the pan and provides a catch for the when i cut the slices.  

I cook on 425 for 1.5 hours (was shocked the first time that it took so long...don't think I ate that night until 9pm).  

I meant to take a picture of it completed but forgot. Whoop!

Afterward I let it cool for 15 minutes (after pulling it out of the pan with the foil) and cut large slices.  I cut my slices so that one is enough for a meal.  On average I get 7-8 meals and even have it for breakfast some mornings.

When re-heating do half the time on one side then flip it over for the remaining time. This prevents it from drying out.  

I imagine I won't be making this again until it cools down and am looking forward to bringing it to an Albany Jane potluck in the fall!

Better late than never...(4th of July Recap)

I must start by saying how very unhappy I am to be back at work after the long weekend.  Not because I don’t want to work but because after celebrating our nation’s independence I must put my shackles back on and run on this hamster wheel.  Prompting me to wonder when my independence will be…

I had a great weekend with old friends and making a few new ones.  Started off with happy hour on Friday at Stout, a new Irish bar in the “Warehouse District” of Albany (directly across the street from Wolff’s Biergarten on Broadway). Luckily my friends were there early and snagged a table outside though had only managed to get 2 chairs (for themselves).  Luckily I went to high school with one of the women at the neighboring table (who played Happy Birthday on the bagpipes to her friend) and as their group dwindled funneled chairs to our expanding one.  It has been awhile since I hosted a beer meetup and was not excited about going at first but ended up having a great time and meeting some truly interesting (and new) members.  While they were all fantastic, one left a lasting impression.  One woman who recently moved from Idaho, after a recent divorce and for a job doing nuclear inspections (I think), was trying to figure out how to get her Psychedelicatessen to New York.

My friend Kirby and I also checked out the new Barrel Saloon down the street.  Let’s just say it was unique and the band was amazing. If you are looking for high class this is not the place for you.  It was quite a change from Stout with their polished wood, leather upholstered stools and swanky outdoor furniture, with the most comfy iron framed chairs I have sat in.  The Barrel Saloon is a themed “dive bar” with $2 and $3 cans of beer written in grease pen on the mirror behind the bar.  Lucky for me and Kirby they did serve Blue Moon, albeit in a plastic cup which only added to the kitsch.

Saturday was a non-stop day with my 2^nd cousin (Tom’s) daughter’s (Cassandra) 5^th birthday party and my best friend’s husbands 27^th birthday BBQ.  While I didn’t get to taste the cakes at the kid party they were in line with the theme (Hawaiian) which is always a joint one with Cassie’s cousin (Bradley who is also 5) thus the 2 cakes.  One of Brenda, Tom’s wife’s sisters makes amazing cakes and always fitting to the theme of the event.  They seriously need to go into business throwing kid’s parties. 

I rested most of Sunday which was rainy and perfect for lounging around as I still needed to recover from the previous 2 months. The only thing I did get accomplished was moving stuff to my newly acquired bookcase, which is actually my grandmother's (who passed many years ago).  I finally have a place to display my shot glass collection, started and perpetuated by my brother Rob.  I also move my Vanity Fair collection to the bottom shelf and out of a room I never go into.  These are the only 2 things I collect and it's nice to finally have them "displayed".

Monday (the 4^th) got off to a slow start but I stopped by my parents in the ealy afternoon before heading to my friends Amanda and Jared who live 2 blocks from the Empire State Plaza and where the fireworks would happen. 

I am never disappointed with a visit to their place.  While a small group of about 8 of us, we partook some wine, micro brewed beer, clams, various sausages, grilled veggies and amazing corn salad made by Ilene.  The fireworks were nice but I never really get what the big deal is and think it’s something better left for kids to enjoy.  I am officially old and would rather stay home than fight crowds, unruly children and traffic…which was backed up, even after spending 45 minutes at Amanda and Jared’s enjoying the chocolate covered strawberries (provided and transported on the bus by Laura). 

Over all it was a rather enjoyable weekend.

Hope to have the update for this past weekend tomorrow!