Going postal

I don't go to the post office all that frequently but when I do, I always go to the post office in my own neighborhood. For this reason, I don't know if what I observe there is a post-office specific - and therefore unique - experience or if it is a universal truth in post offices around the country.

First off, there's always a line. I don't mean one or two people waiting when I walk in. I mean an actual, legitimate line of people. A minimum of 5 or 6 people. It doesn't matter what time of day it is or what season it is, there is always a line. It is a reliable truth. It's one I don't necessarily understand but one I have come to accept.

Secondly, I think you enter an invisible magical vortex when you cross the threshold into my neighborhood post office and get in line with the rest of the poor souls there at any given moment. Everyone who enters (except me of course, I'm immune!) automatically loses all ability to follow directions, read instructions, or utilize any common sense that may have been present prior to entering. I'm serious. When did we as average members of this society lose the ability to mail things? People don't know how to address envelopes anymore. People don't know which envelope to use, how to fill out forms, which forms to fill out, how to pick up packages, you name it.

Of course, the wonderful people who work at my neighborhood post office have devised a brilliant plan to address this situation: They maintain an unwavering, unbreakable pleasantness with every single idiot customer they come in contact with. It is truly impressive. They explain what said idiot needs to do to properly complete their task, then they tell that idiot to come right back to them - "don't wait in line again, just come right back to me!"

It actually seems to work pretty well. I did watch several of these idiots get back in line once they had completed their tasks, although a couple of them had to be sent away multiple times to redo what they were told the first time.

Do people use the post office so rarely that they legitimately don't know what they are doing? If that's the case, I'm confused about the ever-present line of people. If everybody is a first-time postal user, there aren't enough people in my neighborhood to warrant such persistent and long lines over time. So that can't be the case. Since everybody cant 'be a first time user, what's the problem? At some point, don't we learn how things work? The only logical explanation is the invisible magical vortex described above.

For my part, I've decided to be amused by the scene rather than be annoyed like everyone else seems to be in these situations. I don't go that often and I know what to expect since I've been witnessing this phenomenon for the past five years.

It does make me wonder though...

Other people don't know how to travel

Traveling can be fun. You get to see all kinds of new and interesting things and you get to meet all kinds of new and interesting people. But there are also those things/people you would rather not come across.

Recently, I experienced two of these. The first was that person who, no matter how obviously you do not want to engage in conversation keeps talking to you: I took the airport express bus from my hotel to the airport in (beautiful & amazing) Toronto. As I was waiting for the bus, a lady asked - fairly - whether she was in the right place for the bus to the airport. She kept talking to me even though I was obviously engrossed in the article I was reading. Once the bus came I thought I would have to make the decision whether I would appear rude and not sit with this stranger on the bus or sacrifice my quiet time to be friendly - i.e. not rude and sit next to this woman. I took the only seat available that was not directly next to her but across the aisle from her on the bus. I immediately got comfortable and closed my eyes to take a nap. However, every time I did, she would ask me a question, like I was the expert on her trip. What time would we arrive at the airport? How much time would she have before boarding her flight? Would she be able to change her seat on the plane if she didn't like it? Seriously? Every time I turned and closed my eyes, she asked another question. ARGH! When someone is trying very obviously not be be interrupted, don't interrupt them! Don't be this person.

The other annoying person you encounter while traveling is the one that decides to chat up the customers official, the security people, really whomever they can. This has effect that everybody behind them has to wait and a line forms while the talker tells this poor unsuspecting airport worker the life story of her son/granddaughter, whatever. That customs official/security agent/gate agent doesn't care about your grandson who just won an award for being the best quiet sitter in 2nd grade. And, believe me, the people behind you really don't care about this. They do however care that you are making their lives a little more annoying and their already frustrating travel experience that much more frustrating. Don't be this person either.

Adventures in Travel

So I travel a lot. I have mostly gotten used to it. I have noticed though that my annoyance level has increased when it comes to inexperienced travelers at the airport: those who take forever to get through the security line because they have stuff in their pockets or they have giant bottles of lotion in their purses and then they don't know how to board the different airlines?

But I have also noticed  something about my own traveling lifestyle.

You know how you buy certain things at certain stores? You have a special brand of something that you really like and so you purchase it at a specific place. Right? Well, I do that too. Except, here's what I realized the other day: As I was planning my travel day, I built in an extra 10 minutes at a certain airport because that's where I buy my make-up at that little spa in that one terminal. Incidentally, there is also a specific airport for rain gear (I bought my last rain jacket there after I built in an extra 15 to 20 minutes for that purchase!) and there's a specific airport for gifts for any occasion.

I could probably find places to purchase these things locally or online. But I have a routine and it works for me so for now, I'll keep doing what I'm doing.

-

In other news, I overheard the strangest conversation on a plane yesterday:

Passenger A: "It's ironic. Both of my parents were doctors but I have just never believed in medicine or the power of medicine to do anything. That's why I never go to the doctor. It just doesn't make any sense."

Passenger B (after what seemed like an uncomfortable silence in which he was trying to think of a way to respond): "What do you do?"

Passenger A: "I work for a group of health insurance companies doing sales."

Passenger B didn't respond to that one.

A couple of things:

1. Wait, what???? Who doesn't "believe" in medicine? I know there are people who, for religious reasons refuse medical treatment and care but they still believe that medicine exists and does something, right? This person doesn't believe in the power of medicine, as in, medicine doesn't do anything. Even those who refuse medical treatment do so because they believe it does something.

What kind of doctors were her parents? What kind of parents were her parents??

2. Seriously????? How can you reconcile these two statements? You don't believe in medicine but you sell health insurance to people? Huh?. How? Why? I... I don't understand.

People are weird.

Anyway, that's the latest from the road.

Happy travels!

Packing done right!

I have so much catching up to do! Since my last post, I took that train trip up to Seattle, I went on a trip to South Africa/Zimbabwe/Zambia, I've seen some terrible fashion choices on which I had some very clear opinions (if you can't walk in them, your heels are too high!), but now I'm about to embark on another adventure and I figured it was time to at least check in.

So, I'm going to Guatemala and Costa Rica. And I'm going there TONIGHT! I've never been to Central America and I'm excited for a serious vacation. I will be hiking, fishing, exploring, and beach sitting. I'll read, sleep, doze, laugh, and have a really amazing time. (At least that's what I'm expecting!)

In the meantime, I have to post some pre-vacation pictures because, lets face it, I'm not getting any work done today!

Ok, anyone who has traveled with me knows I take pride in my packing abilities (2 1/2 weeks in South Africa and I almost only packed one carry-on bag) so here's today's packing success:

4 pairs of pants (+1 pair of jeans because someone forgot to pack his jeans)
3 sun dresses
3 swim suits (because, why not? I'm going to be spending some serious time on the beach.)
7 T-shirts/tank tops (I'm overpacking on this one)
3 other shirts
3 pairs of shoes
underwear
socks
wine and chocolate for the people I'm staying with
hair products, including a curling iron (you never know when you need to look cute!)
sunscreen, mosquito repellent, etc.
chargers, other electronics
a baseball cap (because someone also forgot to pack his baseball cap)
band-aides and other 1st aid stuff

in one small, carry-on sized bag, which I will be checking. My actual carry-on is a tiny little day backpack. And I'm not at all concerned about having room for stuff I buy there because I'll make room by giving away the chocolates and the wine and besides, I have the ability to get a bag of some sort there if I need one.

I'm so proud of myself!

Happy Holidays!

Tis the season, right?

Right.

Although, I had decided not to decorate my place this year. It didn't make sense to decorate, I'm not going to be here anyway. Actually, I'm leaving today and I'm very excited about it! (Next post will most certainly be all about my train travel adventure!)

So, I'm leaving today. Apparently in my world this means that today is the day I need to decorate my apartment. What? Yup. That's the logic of my brain.

I think it has something to do with how dreary it is outside and I know I'll be coming home late next week to a dreary day and there's something about a little sparkle and twinkle that brightens up dreary winter days.

And so...

I give you Happy Holidays in the form of an avocado tree, a dwarf lemon tree, and a bay window:

The full view of the living room with lights and everything!

This poor sad avocado tree is my Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. It's where the presents are waiting for me to open when I return next Friday.

The lemon tree. It smells really good!

And remember this guy? The whole reason I created this picture window was to be able to change it seasonally. Seemed appropriate to actually do it.

Thanks to Julia and David for my coke-can angel on top!

Fall... beets... cupcakes!

It's fall in Northern California. That means that the days are a bit shorter and cooler, the nights chillier, the leaves yellow and brown and crunchy under foot. It's lovely. It also means it's the season for root vegetables and I love root vegetables. I especially adore beets.

So naturally, I made cupcakes.

Okay, I'll explain. I was inspired by a recipe I read in Sunset magazine which I have recently mysteriously begun receiving. It had a recipe for red velvet cupcakes colored not with food coloring but with roasted beets. I thought that was brilliant! And so I set out to make them.

Being me, I couldn't just follow the recipe exactly. First, I decided to make mini cupcakes instead of full sized ones. Then I used whole wheat pastry flour instead of the cake flour, I used truvia instead of sugar, being diabetic and all. I also changed the buttercream icing to a more lactose-intolerant-friendly vegan cream cheese icing with a dash of grapefruit bitters for extra flavor.

They turned out alright. Next time, I will not bake them as long as they got a bit dry. They are still pretty tasty though and I like that they aren't super sweet. They are a really pretty red color though, which is great for Halloween!

Anyway, here are some pictures and the recipe. Original is from Sunset Magazine, Northern California edition, October 2012.

roasted beet puree

finished batter

Adding icing.

 And here's the recipe:

Red velvet cupcakes with orange buttercream

Makes 12 cupcakes (32 mini cupcakes)

Cupcakes
1 lb. red beets (3 medium), scrubbed

2 cups sifted cake flour

1 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. kosher or fine sea salt

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup plus 2 tsp. granulated sugar (or 3/8 cup truvia or other similar brand if doing sugar free)

3 large eggs, beaten to blend

2/3 cup canola oil

¾ tsp. vanilla extract

Orange buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar (10 tsp. truvia if doing sugar free)

½ tsp. pure orange oil (or zest of 1 orange)

¼ tsp. vanilla extract

• 1.       Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350. Wrap each beet in foil, put on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until tender when pierced, 1 to 1 ½ hours. Let cool. Peel, cut into chunks, and puree in a food processor. Measure 1 ¼ cups puree.
• 2.       Line a 12-cup muffin pan (1/2 cup size) with paper liners. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• 3.       Whisk together beet puree, granulated sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. With a plastic spatula, stir in flour mixture one-third at a time just until smooth.
• 4.       Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each almost to the top of the liner. Bake until cupcakes spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in center of one comes out with a couple of moist crumgs clinging. 25 to 30 minutes (15 – 17 minutes for mini cupcakes). Let cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely.
• 5.       Make buttercream: Beat butter with a mixer on high speed until very smooth. Add powdered sugar, orange oil, and vanilla; beat on low speed to blend, then on medium until fluffy and smooth.
• 6.       Spread a thick layer of buttercream on cupcakes, swirling it decoratively. Or pipe frosting from a pastry bag, using a star tip.

Per cupcake: 481 cal. 29 gram of fat, 53 g. carbs, 176 mg sodium, 94 mg chol.

Per mini cupcake of sugar free: not sure of the calories but it’s much less, 10 g. of carbs.

President McKenzie

Ah, yes. President McKenzie. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? 

It's not what you think. Really. It has nothing to do with politics or countries or clubs (or country clubs for that matter). Instead, it has everything to do with my new company and the fact that I have accepted the position that I offered to myself. That position is as President of the company. 

I'm also the CFO, the Secretary, the gofer, the marketing department, the payroll department, and several others that I'm sure I don't even know about yet.

Regardless, I went through a lengthy meeting with my lawyer doing the official things a board, a president, a CFO, and the secretary of a company do.  And after I signed my employment agreement with McKenzie Solutions, I signed a lot of documents as Kate McKenzie, President.

I thought that was pretty neat.  

And now I'm terrified I'm going to do something to get in trouble! Yikes!