Coast to coast burritos

There are few things that really get me going food-wise to blog about. Frankly, there are enough food bloggers out there that I really don’t feel like I need to do that to my tiny readership. But sometimes, just sometimes, I have to. This is one of those times…

When I was in undergrad, student teaching at Ghetto Middle School (it’s closing…I’m not shocked. When people hear I student taught there, they have a whole new level of respect for me. It’s that bad.), we often ordered from this place that you could get to and back in a lunch hour-Bombers Burrito Bar. The choices were a mix of traditional and oddball, and there were vegetarian options for those of us who were veggies. That wasn’t me. I fell head over heels for a pulled pork burrito…yum!

Then, I moved out west. the burritos were different, but just as good. I became a fan, through school again, of El Pollo Loco. Their burritos were just good…but not my beloved Bombers. On top of that, the west coast also introduced me to the breakfast burrito-which I have yet to find an equivalent of around here. Perfect food for on the go mornings where there was just too much to do to really eat something.

When my parents visited me on the west coast, I introduced them to El Pollo Loco and to the beloved breakfast burritos of mine. They didn’t quite get the breakfast burrito thing, but I guess you have to live it to really get it. I also introduced them to a few other traditional burrito options that I had in SoCal. Yum…but not quite my pulled pork burrito from Bombers…and that was one thing I missed from the east coast.

So, when we moved back, I tried every excuse I could to find a way to get back to Bombers for a pulled pork burrito. But, it was not in the cards for me, until they opened a location totally near my house! Doug was so sick of hearing about my burrito cravings that the other day, he kicked me out of the house, saying “would you just GO and get a stinkin’ burrito from Bombers? I’m so tired of hearing about that place! “

So, I did what any self respecting person would do in this situtaion-I went to Bombers, and got my pulled pork burrito.

That lead me to the inevitable fighting off of the small boy that happens when a new piece of food shows up in the house. I got the “you need to share” lecture from him…and how sharing was good, and how Mami needed to share her food, because it’s a nice thing to do.

Seriously? did I just get a “sharing is caring” lecture from a 5 year old?

I told him this-share your blankie and I’ll share my burrito. He wandered away for a few minutes to ponder this…as the blankie is the most prized posession in his arsenal. He came back, sans blankie and tried to scam burrito.

I wonder-is this a side effect of being in a day care center with Mexican Abuelas for the first year of his life?

Small boy food scammer aside, it’s an interesting experience eating burritos on both coasts. I think my Mexican friends would be just appaled that I’m eating bbq pulled pork burrito, and my east coasties would be just as flabbergasted that on the west side, I’d be eating something like a carnitas burrito.

heck, in my universe, I know there’s room for all of them-but here in E. Nowhere, I can’t find a decent non-east coast burrito, so I’ll stick with the ones that would make my SoCal buddies die of “that’s not a burrito!” anguish. Isaac, well…as long as he can scam some..and not give up the blankie, he’s fine.

 

It’s why I do what I do

Tuesday morning, I sat down at my computer to find an email that was sent to me from a friend… Not the kind of email that I wanted to get at oh, 8 am. 

It gave me the news that one of my favorite professors had passed suddenly. It shocked me to the core, as I had just seen him not too long ago, and he was just fine. We’d even had a few conversations about things, and he really wanted me back in the classroom, even though I’d given that up at that point. 

 

So, to Dr. Bogan-

Let me say this-

I do a lot of what I do in my classroom because of you. I make pig books-tell kids to get them going-be creative. I put stickers on papers. I hang perfect score awards on my walls. I spell pilgrim correctly. I color in one direction. I see the spark of curiosity in my students’ eyes and try to nurture that. I read stories to my classes, because you’re just never too old for that, or the stickers for that matter. I laugh at myself. I challenge myself to do better than I did the day before. I try to be fair. I challenge my students to do their best at all times and learn something new. I try to make my classroom a safe place for them to do that. I remember that some kids just do things at their own pace, and as long as that spark of curiosity is there, they’ll be JUST FINE. 

Most of all, when I need to really make sure I’ve made the right choice, I often think WWBD. What would Bogan do? That usually makes more sense in my brain than most of my other hair-brained choices. 

I’m sad that more students won’t get to know you. Know your laugh, know your jokes, hear your stories and marvel at the amount they learn because you make it so much FUN. You apply everything to the real world, not the perfect world. 

And just so you don’t get to thinking that the students you teach are the ONLY ones you make an impact on-my husband came across one of my accordion books the other day, and said to me: “Hey-what are you going to do with this Bogan project?  I can’t believe you kept it all these years! I remember the week you made this!” 

 

 

Dr. Bogan, it was an honor, and a blessing to be counted as one of your students. I’ll miss you.

 

What ever happened to camp for the sake of having fun?

For years, I did the whole summer camp thing. As a kid, summer camp was a time to chill out, make some new friends and really get away from the brain-drain that is acadamia. As an adult, working camp was a change of pace for me and again, getting away from rigors of brain drain. Plus, I got a decent tan sitting by the pool as a lifeguard. Can’t go wrong there!

 

So, this year, I think for the weeks that Isaac is off from his morning program summer session, we’re going to give him that break. He’s entering kindergarten, so a lot of places will take him at this age. Really, we’ve only got 2 weeks to account for this summer. And yes, I could so take those off, but for cripe’s sake, Isaac does tend to go batty, and does tend to need SOMETHING.

 

So, I started scouting out programs, because around here, if you don’t scout them out now, there’s most likely not going to be any room in them by the time you get around to May. So, as I’m going through the flyers and things and have noticed something that slightly alarms me-

 

Camps are now trying to compete with each other programming wise-who can have the biggest adventures, who can have the most dare-devil, high adrenaline experiences.
Really? What ever happened to having fun? Whatever happened to general camp programming? Why is it now all about the adrenaline kick? Even for FIRST graders, there is a general atmosphere of “adrenaline rush.”

 

Whatever happened to summer camp to turn off your brain and do things that are fun? Yes, there needs to be an element of trying new things-but for cripe’s sake-whatever happened to the good ol camp overnight to try your hand at cooking over an open fire? Why does it always have to be the high ropes course?

 

I don’t know. I just don’t know. I really want to know where having fun for the sake of having fun went.

 

Ya ever have just one of those mornings?

Yeah, well, I’m having one now.

I’m indecisive, tired, grouchy, just sick of the weather (when am I not-SoCal weather is much better..but I digress), sick of a cabin-fever’d 4 year old and my darling hubby who thinks video dubbing is all of our idea of fun. Yeah. right.

I’m up here watching reruns of Top Model and attempting to get inspiration to go downstairs and sew. I’ve got 2 things that NEED to get done and another 2 things that should get done..and a pair of socks to knit…

But, I’m unmotivated. I look at all of my fabric, and I peek at all of my other “stuff” and don’t care. I just can’t see anything becoming of a ball of yarn or a peice of fabric.

 

and I’m still in “confusion” mode about next year for Isaac. I’m almost positive that we’re going to suck up, pay the registration fee and go with Childtime. I don’t know if I can sit on my hands another few weeks and wait for Pineview to get back to me.  I wonder if I want to call one more time to Pineview and see what their best guess is of us getting a slot in their program…but there are other things about Pineview that I’m not so crazy about…considering they don’t do Halloween…and they don’t do a few other things that are very kid-centric because they are a fundamentalist church.

well, whatever. I figure tomorrow will be much better…and maybe I’ll get motivated to do some sewing and things.

 

What, is he DELUSIONAL?

It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of President Bush. Really. I’m not. The man won a rigged election (which happened to be a great teaching point for my students at the time…and banked one of my favorite teaching moments EVER…but I’ll talk about that another time.) and sent the country spiraling into a serious economic decline. He took a place where things were nice and even kiel, and sunk the ship. Nice, huh?

WELL, today now marks 5 years of the Iraq war. Yeah. 5 years. AND THE MAN THINKS THAT THIS HAS GONE WELL!!!

Yes, I swear he’s delusional..

If his thought process of “Going well” means countless soldiers dead, stop loss-ing soldiers so they can’t get out when their time is up, suicide rates climbing among military who have been over in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as many, many American families being left without a beloved family member…then, it IS going well.

And since we have so much money as a nation to spend on this war, why can’t we spend it on health care for everyone…increasing programs to get people on their feet because of the mess this has caused…finding ways other than checks to make the economy better. No one is going to run out and spend their checks…ok, most people won’t, most people will pay off their bills and go from there. We’ve already got plans for ours, and that doesn’t include going and blowing it.

I rarely espouse my political views here, other than encouranging people to have a voice in their government by excercising their right to vote and write their elected officials, but here’s my once in a blue moon thing…

1) we need to be out of Iraq. We no longer belong there. We don’t need to send more troops, we need to pull the ones we have out of there and make them come home safely.

2) Whichever candidate wins the election is going to inherit a raving disaster, and will most likely be a one term president. This is not for the sake of being a “good” or “bad” president, it’s the simple fact that they are inheriting a war, an economic mess and a seriously disillusioned country, to the point where so many people are apothetic about this whole thing. Cripes. I’m apathetic, and ya know, I’m NEVER apathetic about elections. I’m the first one with the map and markers sitting at the table on election night. Ok, maybe the second…only beaten out by Dad.

3)Bush has expressed no real reason to keep us in Iraq. So, can I now agree with Michael Moore who said that this is a false war?

4)We still need to vote, apathy or not. This needs to be a large voter turnout so that the elected officals see the constituancies that they represent and know that there is a voice behind those people. Me and my apathy (and Monkey) will be in line to vote. Monkey likes to flip the levers for me.

So, vote, vote, vote…it’s important.

(because I really don’t want a war, comments are off.)

 

Thoughts on Super Bowl Sunday

So, 4 years ago this weekend, I was at my friend Tina’s house in Riverside, CA (oh, man…please? Can I go back there yet? Please?) watching the Patriots play in the Super Bowl. Tina, the world’s largest Patriot’s fan had her house decked out with patriots gear and gave everyone shot glasses on necklaces with instructions to do shots whenever the Patriots scored. I was given the exemption, being oh, just slightly pregnant. Read-almost 8 months…So, I was the drink pour-er.

So, here we sit, 4 years later…with a monkey…who didn’t want to share his cars pillow, and yelled at the screen “Are you ok, football???!!!” and is begging for NASCAR season to start.  I’m still the pour-er, but tonight, I was pouring pink lemonade into a straw cup so Isaac could sit on the couch with me and do some snuggling.

It’s amazing how time flies and things change.

And how half time shows have gotten increasingly lame since that glorious wardrobe malfunction 4 years ago, that made all of the drunk football fans (and one sober pregnant me) go “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!!!!!!!”

 

And THAT’S why they call it SMALLbany

The Angel Forever and I were discussing the simple fact that this area is totally too small for its own good today. The big thing is that around here, everyone is this “big fish in a small pond” type person. I ran to LA to be the small fish in the big pond person.  I came back, and tried to STILL be the small fish. BUT, the fact that this area is so small poses a problem for that.

Here’s what’s brought me to this conclusion.

The Angel Forever and I are connected very closely with 2 huge cases in the area. In one case, she knows the now convicted, and I know the lawyer. In the other, I know the accused (he has since confessed).

Let’s discuss the current case. 3 men were shot over by my old place, you know, the one where we were living under my friend who was being beaten by her hubby? The ones where the landlords swore up and down the place was safe, but we had exposed wiring, were being charged for power the upstairs tennant was using, as well as the stairs being really rickety to the point where they were pulling away from the building itself..oh,a nd did I mention teh gaping hole in the screen door that we reported, but they ignored and then tried to charge us for when we moved out? Yeah. That one.  Well, last night, they finally released the name of the suspect, and his mug shot. I was looking at the photo…and looking at it…and the face looked ODDLY familiar. Plus, it was a name that isn’t very common…and had kind of rang a bell…

Well, I thought about it, and thought about it….and then did some looking at the article on the Times Usleless, and Oh, my lord. It was a kid I went to elementary school with. We used to sit next to each other and work together in extra help math. There were 3 of us who worked so well together that the teacher always grouped us together. After 6th grade, we went to different schools, and by 9th grade, he had gone to Street Academy (when it was being used like it SHOULD be used…) and we really never saw each other again.

How frightening that this guy..who was a really nice kid as I remember him, had the capacity to go SO bad.

and how sad that this area is so small that I’d be able to recognize someone that I haven’t seen in an eon.

Please, put me back in LA.

 

*deep breath*

You know those times when you’re just really sure of what you’re going to do, where your life is headed and then something happens to turn all of that on its ear?

Yeah. Those.

I’m having one of those moments.

I’m going to go and mull everything over…

We’ll talk about it on Tuesday. No, no questions before then. Because I don’t know how to answer any of them.

Damn. I’m so confused.

 

A rare moment

Where everything is right with the world…

Tonight, Isaac and I tried a new place for dinner. Doug is notorious for his “old standards” and me, I’m all for adventure! So, since Doug was not with us (obviously), Isaac and I ventured over to LT’s Grill.

Warning-the portions are big here…but oh, so  yummy.

Not only was the food good, but our server fell in love with the Monkey. She brought him a Sherrif’s badge, a little squishy pig and just fussed and fussed over him!

Then, they had a bluegrass band playing. This is where my night got amazing. The band was so good. Isaac was captivated. Big time. He even took the waitress’ hand and pulled her over (she’s got a ton of siblings, so she loved every second of it, and it was slow at that point..so she could.) to watch. I got up, moved our stuff, paid and we sat there for a good half hour 45 minutes just listening to the band. Amazing band. The leader, who played a mandolin, fell for the Monkey. He would play to him, let him strum his mandolin,a nd even gave him a guitar pick.

Isaac fell asleep in my arms, listening to bluegrass. Every time I tried to get him to leave, he wanted to stay and listen to more music.

Everything was right with my world. It was one amazing moment.

 

So, when did I grow up?

Here’s the thing…

Every year, I would wait and wait for the MTV VMA nominations to come out. It signaled 2 things…1) School *sob* was starting shortly, and 2) There would be some SERIOUS locker talk for the next few days because of the live broadcast.

also, the awards had the good sense to make stars out of some people and losers out of others.

Witness OKGo’s Treadmill dance from last year. It was the sole bright spot. It made them blow up all over Youtube. It’s the most original thing I’ve seen in a long time.

 The past few years, the show has broadcast,a nd I’ve said “It’s MTV awards time? When did that happen? I’m not watching…”

Even last year, I tuned in and caught the treadmill dance,a nd was instantly laughing…but the rest of the show? I turned it off 10 minutes after the treadmill dance, bcause it just wasn’t worth it.

This year, I’m like “what the….” as I flip past it. I recognize some artists (Foo Fighters, Kanye West, Gym Class Heroes..) but it just doesn’t hold the same appeal. This year, I find it just headachey to watch. I’vebeen trying to catch Foo Fighters, but that’s just been a futile task because of the jumpy-ness of the show.

My main question is when did I lose touch with what I used to hold so dear? When did I grow up? When did it happen? Was it when I had Isaac? Was it after Grad School? Was it…I just don’t know.  When did the water cooler talk change from that to Grey’s Anatomy?

Then again, considering MTV is now 90% reality shows (blah!) and not much more, it’s hard to make anyone care about videos that are sometimes the most innovative things that can launch a directors’ career.

*sigh* I’m off to flip channels again and maybe catch a bright spot on the awards that now make me flip channels instead of making me watch riveted. Maybe someone will say something like Justin Timberlake said earlier…”Show more videos! We don’t want to see anymore reality BS!”

true. True.