Oh Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

by Alice Feiring

A very interesting book that highlights the difference of how wines are made today and in the past. The "Modernization" of the wine making process has given the crafters the ability to create a wines that has tastes that they want and in the process, removing, what the author says, the "terroir" (earth) from the wine.

Because wines can be made to taste, wine makers are creating wines to meet one man's taste, Robert Parker. He is the wine critic who made the 100 point wine scale that is used to sell wines.

This homogenisation of wines is what Alice Feiring is fighting. I must confess, I know next to nothing about wine and use the point system to buy wines. I would be interested in trying wines with "terroir".

1- The ability to read
2- Minnesota
3- Breathing

Jan. 25: TV: 4.5 hours of CRAP!
Read: 45 min. Prisoner of Trebekistan = 45 min. (-30 min.)

Jan. 26: TV: 0 min.
Read: 15 min. Johnny Tremain
45 min. Prisoner of Trebekistan = 1 hr. (30 min)

Jan. 27: TV 0 min.
Read: 1 hr. Prisoner of Trebekistan = 1 hr. (1 hr. 30 min.)

Jan. 28: TV 0 min.
Read: 30 min. Prisoner of Trebekistan = 30 min. (2 hr.)

Jan. 29: TV 0 min.
Read: 30 min. Prisoner of Trebekistan = 30 min. (2 hr. 30 min.)

Jan. 30: TV 0 min.
Read: 30 min. Prisoner of Trebekistan = 30 min. (3 hrs.)

Jan. 31: TV: National Treasure 2 hrs. 10 min.
Read: 1 hr. Prisoner of Trebekistan = 1 hr. (1 hr. 50 min.)

Jan. 18: TV: 0 min.
Read: 1 hr. The Phantom Tollbooth
2 hrs. 40 min. The Battle for Wine and Love = 3 hrs. 40 min. (3 hrs. 30 min.)

Jan. 19: TV: 100 min. Journey to the Center of the Earth
Read: 30 min. The Phantom Tollbooth
1 hr. 30 min. Prisoner of Trebekistan: A Decade in Jeopardy! = 2 hrs. (3 hrs. 50 min.)

Jan. 20: TV: 45 min. Inauguration WOW!
Read: 30 min. Prisoner of Trebekisan = 30 min. (3 hrs. 25 min.)

Jan. 21: TV: 0 min.
Read: 0 min. = 0 min. (3 hrs. 25 min.)

Jan. 22: TV: 0 min.
Read: 30 min. Prisoner of Trebekisan = 30 min. (3 hrs. 55 min.)

Jan. 23: TV: 1 hr. 40 min. Agent Cody Banks. Its as bad as it sounds.
Read: 15 min. Prisoner of Trebekisan = 15 mi. (2 hrs. 30 min.)

Jan. 24: TV:
Read: 15 min. Mythology
30 min. Prisoner of Trebekisan = 45 min. (3 hrs. 15 min.)

One thing I have noticed this week was I felt I was looking for thing I am grateful for. At the time it was pulling me away from the moment. I am going to try to wait until Sunday to think about this New Year's Resolution.


Week Two:

1- I am grateful for my mother.
2- I am grateful for my father.
3- I am grateful for my brother.

by Michael Pollan

What brought me to read Botany of Desire was Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food, both books transformed the way I look at the world.

Botany of Desire opened my eyes to Man's place in nature. I know the role natural selection has in nature and that it had a role in human existence. But I live under the unspoken assumption that we humans control nature and manipulate it to meet our needs. This unspoken assumption removes us from evolution.

I believe this fundamental principle, that humans are the end product of evolution, stems from religion. Christianity professes that Man was created in Gods image therefore we are the end product of the evolutionary process.

What Michael Pollan did for me was to put in perspective my place in nature. I have a place, be it good or bad, but it is a place in evolution and it is not the end.

I have added another New Years Resolution.

I was listening to a podcast about Buddhism and the value of gratitude. I want to be happier, more at peace with myself and others. To do this I need to be more aware of the things around me that I am grateful for.

Therefore:

Goal: To list three things I am grateful for each week.

Details: I am going to record each week, on this blog, three things that I am grateful for. I plan on sharing these with my friend Marty at work. When thoughts of these things enter my mind I want to label them "Grateful".

Evaluation: Will monthly record thought about how my New Years Resolution is going.

Week One:
1- I am grateful to be married to Sarah.
2- I am grateful for the health of our children.
3- I am grateful for my health.

Jan 5: TV: 0 min
Read: 15 min Botany of Desire = 15 min (1 hr 50 min)

Jan 6: TV: 0 min
Read: 20 min Botany of Desire = 20 min (2 hrs 10 min)

Jan 7: TV: 0 min
Read: 30 min Botany of = 30 min (2 hr 40 min)

Jan 8: TV: 0 min
Read: 20 min Botany of Desire = 20 min (3 hr)

Jan 9: TV: 0 min
Read: 20 min Botany of Desire = 20 min (3 hr 20 min)

Jan 10: TV: 1 hr Princes Bride = 1 hr
Read: 20 min Botany of Desire
20 min Christmas Carol = 40 min (3 hr)

This is a horrible movie. I mean a terrible movie. I am serious; this movie really, really sucks! What made it even worse was throughout the agony I kept repeating to myself "I am throwing away an hour and a half of TV time for this?"

Please, please, please, don't see this movie! Don't make my time a total waste.

Jan 1: TV: 30 minutes Hockey (Chicago vs Detroit)
30 minutes Football (USC vs Penn State) = 1 hour
Read: 1 hour Botany of Desire (0 minutes)

Jan 2: TV: 0 minutes
Read: 45 minutes Botany of Desire
45 minutes of A Christmas Carol = 1.5 hours (1.5 hours)

Jan 3: TV: 99 minutes (What Happens in Vegas)
Read: 79 minutes Botany of Desire
30 minutes of A Christmas Carol = 109 minutes (1 hr 40 min)

Jan 4: TV: 120 minutes of Football (Vikings vs Phily)
Read: 90 minutes Botany of Desire
30 minutes of A Christmas Carol = 120 minutes (1 hr 40 min)