Did Ben Franklin really say that?

“beer is proof that God loves us, and wants us to be happy.”

this quote is attributed to Benjamin Franklin. I dunno if he said it or not, but it is a true sentiment. sort of like the one I heard in a sermon this morning while getting ready for work from my old priest in Nashville about Jesus turning water into wine being his first miracle. (whoo, run on sentence) and the fact that this first miracle is representative of Christ bringing joy to the human condition. which wine represents.

*not grape juice people, wine.

Anyways, I digress.

Yesterday after church and a visit while people were eating brunch, I and my co-worker Ting and her husband took a trip out to Chester County PA to the home of one of the neuromuscular attendings– and learned how to brew beer.

This man is one of the coolest doctors I know. He looks like a football player, is a wealth of knowledge about every gene in ALS, all the nerves of the body and all the muscles, AND beer making. (did I also mention that he is a good cook and baker?)

At any rate, I have worked with him numerous times over the years and he invited me out to meet his family and neighbors and eat some yummy food and get a crash course in beer brewing.

it took me almost 3 years to do it. but I did.

The two beers on the list were a chocolate peanut butter porter and a belgian pale ale. he and his neighbors had these huge cauldrons and gas tanks and a big heater out on his deck. I learned about mash, and mashouts. hops and when to add them to the pot. how to change the aroma and the flavor. what an IBU is. how a beer is “balanced”. It was so fun! complete nerdy chemistry fun.

AND I got to sample a few of the beers that were ready to try.

Thankfully I also had on ear warmers, lined mittens, and a neck warmer. (it was freezing!)

I’ll be back when the porter is ready. Who doesn’t love something with chocolate and peanut butter?!

Labels. do they stick? also, why I love Donald Glover.

It’s MLK Day. I don’t have this day off. of course. 

I also watched The Amazing Spiderman this past weekend with Sarah and thoroughly enjoyed it.

But then this morning, I happened upon a REFINERY 29 Article on Season 2 of Girls, and apparently (I don’t have HBO to go) Donald Glover is Lena Dunham’s love interest currently and a discussion of race and the idea of hipster racism cropped up.

This then led me down the rabbit hole to a Donald Glover interview about his craft, and the backlash he experienced when the possibility of him being the new Spiderman was on the table.

He mentions that he expected for people to be pissy, that even nerds are racist, and that being called all sorts of choice words was not a surprise. However, he got a very polite letter from a dissenter who said, “There are no black kids like Peter Parker, and therefore it is not believable.”  This remark was the one that infuriated him.

And boy. That angers me too. 

I’m sure everyone remembers the ugliness when The Hunger Games came out in theatres, and how all of these tacky teenagers were angry that Rue was black.

And then people say that we live in a post-racial world. 

It can be exhausting to have labels thrust upon you by other people and your own people and feel like you are suffocating underneath them. It is obnoxious for people to assume that they know about you and your culture from their voyeuristic observations. 

 

No, I do not talk “White.” I happen to like the English language as it ought to be spoken. 

No, your ability to do a body roll or sing in a gospel choir does not give you a “pass.”

And never start a statement, with “no offense.”

People say, “it’s 2011. is this even relevant?”

well apparently if the powers that be STILL freak out about a Black Spiderman (how does an orphan living in Queens who likes science make that not possible?!) or a Black James Bond, or a cute little girl from a district in Panem, we haven’t gotten too far.

Life imitates art. or is it the other way around…the lines blur so much.

 

*And just because it pisses me off so. Hipster racism is so rampant. All their friends look alike, but they want to listen to all the underground hip hop. They claim to be so progressive, but that stops when it’s no longer condescending to the “minority poor” and actually calls for friendship amongst equals. 

okay. i’m done.

Donald Glover, when your penchant for Asian Girls decreases, let me know. 

Sing Me A Song

So when I had facebook, I would post an annual post about the music that I loved/discovered/helped maintain my sanity over the past year. Since I left at the early part of December, I didn’t get to do it before deleting my account, and I honestly forgot about it until driving into work this morning.

It’ll be unconventional–songs, albums and thoughts about them.

 Frank Ocean- Channel Orange

breakout songs- Pink Matter, Pyramids, Thinkin’ Bout You

of course everyone knows the last song. Reminds most of us of our first love and all of the discovery and angst. and Ocean’s falsetto. but Pink Matter with the help from Andre 300…that’s the truth.

The XX- Coexist

breakout songs- Chains, Reunion, Sunset

I actually prefer the songs I listed to the single Angels. The melancholy and the bass. This band gets me. I feel like I should be at some obscure lounge in NYC or London drinking alone with a lot on my mind while listening to this album.

*Phantogram- Night Life (EP)

– this came out in 2011, but I just found it. super super good.

Polica- Give you the Ghost

if Bon Iver says your his new favorite band, well, I’ll listen.

Ellie Goulding- Halcyon

*Hanging on– you know, insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Stars- The North

Breakouts- hold on when you get love; walls; die together

Canadians are awesome. that is all. GO SEE THEM IN CONCERT!

Metric- Synthetica

Emily Haines can do no wrong. The band says the album is about what is true and authentic in the midst of counterfeits. The song Gimme Sympathy is an instant classic. “Come on baby give me something, like “Here Comes the Sun.””

Santigold- Master of My Make Believe

breakouts- God from the Machine, Disparate youth, The Keepers

I am still irritated I missed her in concert.

Good times. Enjoy everyone. 🙂

on living simply or the myth of the rich doctor

so finances will be tight for the start of 2013. courtesy of the monopoly that is the board of medical examiners, I have $2700 to pay by february 15 for my neurology boards that I do not take until September. 

they of course take credit cards. bastards.

in other news, i also have to sign up for an unrestricted medical license to sit for the boards. now i’m not one to tout the need for bigger government, but this is a time when i which that states had a universal fee to pay for a license to practice medicine. 

especially since the PA license cost $35 and the NY license cost $735 (gag). and there is a vicious rumor that the CA license is $1000 plus. enough incentive to not move west. sheesh.

I would love to know where these people think money is coming from. at any rate, there will be a paucity of movie going, concert attending, any sort of shopping, eating/drinking out for the next few months. 

did i mention i am moving in 6 months too, so I have to somehow put aside some money for that too. <hits head against a brick wall repeatedly>

so I said I wanted to learn how to live simply. how to learn contentment and gratitude for what I already have. 

Thanks God. I appreciate the gift. 

while this is not necessarily the most fun lesson to learn—you know, wanderlust is seducing me, and I feel that a lot of social things include money, I know it is a good one. 

And the key is to sacrifice things that I want, while being intentionally generous to other people in the midst of this. Keep giving, being more thoughtful, etc.

It’ll be good for the soul.

AND as I tweeted today, Necessity is the muse of ingenuity. I plan on looking around in the pantry and using what i’ve got. cooking/baking/experimenting more. writing more actual letters/notes/cards. 

maybe sittng on my couch and enjoying music more or re-reading and reviewing old books and movies. 

…..anyway, I’ve got a research project to work on anyway. and I can invite people over more.

a work in progress. stay tuned.

Happy New Year!

arbitrary. but true.

when I am home, I’ll see if I can round up some NYE photos to post.