Middleager

by wil — Mar. 11, 2010

So I’m taking a video/film class — Film 130: Video Production I. “Film” just sounds so much better than “video,” doesn’t it? “Video” evokes crappy home movies, crappy public-access cable programs, crappy crap. “Film” evokes auteurs creating art. But I digress. The other day, during a class discussion, three students — all of whom happen to be 26 — said they felt “old.” I’m 38. If 26 is “old,” what does that make me? Ancient? Decrepit?

I’ve been thinking about my age recently, and the possibility of starting a new career (in film). Let’s face facts, shall we? I’m middle-aged (I’m not one of those people that refuses to use the term “middle-aged”, as if that somehow negates the difference between 18 and 38). If I live to 75 (avg. lifespan), I’m almost exactly at the halfway point. Hmm…you might say it’s the perfect time to start something new. You might also say:

  • You tried to reinvent yourself once before, as a writer/novelist, and failed spectacularly
  • You’re a dreamer, who doesn’t always follow up grandiose visions with necessary action
  • The film industry is an insular, LA-based industry, and you don’t live or want to live in Los Angeles
  • Film-making requires massive amounts of time and energy, and you’re not exactly a workaholic

All good points.

Let me respond (to my own inner critic):

  • You tried to reinvent yourself once before, as a writer/novelist, and failed spectacularly
    • True, but that doesn’t mean I should just give up.
  • You’re a dreamer, who doesn’t always follow up grandiose visions with necessary action
    • True, but sometimes I do.
  • The film industry is an insular, LA-based industry, and you don’t live or want to live in Los Angeles
    • LA is not the end-all-be-all of movie-making. Just take a look at MovieMaker’s 2010 “annual ranking of the country’s best cities in which to be an independent moviemaker.” #1 on the list? Albuquerque, NM
  • Film-making requires massive amounts of time and energy, and you’re not exactly a workaholic
    • It’s just possible, having discovered something I’m really excited about, I’ll be having so much fun I just won’t want to stop.

So maybe I’m not “young and hungry,” but I’m not “old and satiated” either. I’m middle-aged and ready for something new. Brace yourself world. I’m coming out swinging.

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posted in musings, work
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Raw milk diatribe

by wil — Feb. 28, 2010

Raw milk should not be consumed by anyone for any reason,” said John Sheehan, head of the FDA’s dairy office. “It is an inherently dangerous product.”msnbc
Who should avoid raw milk? Everyone should avoid raw milk and products made with raw milk.CDC (PDF)

Pretty scary, huh? Let’s take a look at some numbers and see just how scary…

From 1993 to 2006, 69 outbreaks of human infections resulting from consumption of raw milk were reported to CDC. These outbreaks included a total of 1,505 reported illnesses, 185 hospitalizations and 2 deaths.CDC

1993-2006 is 14 years (inclusively), so let’s divide 1,505 by 14 and 2 by 14…and we get:

  • 108 illnesses/year from raw milk
  • .14 deaths/year from raw milk

Hmm…that doesn’t sound too high statistically speaking. How does that compare to foodborne illnesses/deaths in general?

We estimate that foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year.CDC

Wait, wait, wait…“foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses…and 5,000 deaths” and raw milk causes 108 illnesses and .14 deaths each year, yet the FDA singles out raw milk “an inherently dangerous product”? It sounds like food in general is a far greater danger to the American public.

But what about pasteurized milk? It’s completely safe, right?

Well…No.

A review of the cases DHS [California Department of Health Services] cited in their Report, p. 4, shows 156 individual cases attributed to raw milk from 1973 until 1992, but no outbreaks or epidemics attributed to raw milk. If that figure were valid…there were only 5.6 cases yearly (156 cases 19 years = 5.6 cases) attributed to raw milk. That is the lowest case incidence of any animal product produced. However, there is extensive evidence showing that pasteurization is a great health risk to the public. Pasteurized diary caused numerous epidemics. In the years 1978-1997, 232,485 people suffered due to outbreaks from pasteurized milk. (SR p. 8-10.) If we were to disregard all of the other outbreaks from pasteurized milk and consider only those listed on pages 5-8, we have: 232,485 cases ÷ 19 years = 12,236 people affected each year by pasteurized milk products. In almost all cases, CDC reported that investigation showed proper pasteurization.Report in Favor of Raw Milk (PDF)

I couldn’t find national figures for pasteurized milk, but the CDC covers numerous outbreaks. Here are just a few:

Between June 11 and July 29, 1982, a large interstate outbreak of enteritis caused by Yersinia enterocolitica occurred. Epidemiologic investigation implicated milk pasteurized at a plant in Memphis, Tennessee, as the vehicle of infection. One hundred seventy-two culture-positive Y. enterocolitica infections were identified…. Most patients required hospitalization, and 17 underwent appendectomies.

Between March 22, and April 8, 1985, over 1,500 culture-confirmed cases of salmonellosis in northern Illinois have been reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Investigations have linked the outbreak to 2% pasteurized milk (”Blue Brook” brand) from one processing plant.

Outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes Infections Associated with Pasteurized Milk from a Local Dairy — Massachusetts, 2007…. In all, five cases were identified, and three deaths occurred. CDC

Hmm…it seems pasteurization is not a panacea.

So maybe raw milk isn’t as “dangerous” as it’s made out to be, but why would you want to go out of your way to drink raw milk?

There are lots of reasons!

COMPARISON CHART BETWEEN RAW AND PASTEURIZED MILKS
Category Compared Raw Milk Pasteurized Milk
1) Enzymes: All available. Less than 10% remaining.
2) Protein: 100% available, all 22 amino acids, including 8 that are essential. Protein-lysine and tyrosine are altered by heat with serious loss of metabolic availability. This results in making the whole protein complex less available for tissue repair and rebuilding.
3) Fats: (research studies indicate that fats are necessary to metabolize protein and calcium. All natural protein-bearing foods contain fats.) All 18 fatty acids metabolically available, both saturated and unsaturated fats. Altered by heat, especially the 10 essential unsaturated fats.
4) Vitamins: All 100% available. Among the fat-soluble vitamins, some are classed as unstable and therefore a loss is caused by heating above blood temperature. This loss of Vitamin A, D, E and F can run as high as 66%. Vitamin C loss usually exceeds 50%. Losses on watersoluble vitamins are affected by heat and can run from 38% to 80%.
5) Carbohydrates: Easily utilized in metabolism. Still associated naturally with elements. Tests indicate that heat has made some changes making elements less available metabolically.
6) Minerals/elements: All 100% metabolically available. Major mineral/elemental components are calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur. Vital trace minerals, all 24 or more, 100% available. Calcium is altered by heat and loss in metabolism may run 50% or more, depending on pasteurization temperature. Losses in other essential minerals, because one mineral usually acts synergistically with another element. There is a loss of enzymes that serve as leaders in assimilation minerals. (Ex: phosphatase is essential for the absorption of calcium and is plentifully present in raw milk but completely destroyed by pasteurization.)

Src: Report in Favor of Raw Milk (PDF)

Plus, it just tastes great! It’s rich, creamy, and delicious. If you live in a state that allows the sale of raw milk, I urge you to give it a try. And if your state doesn’t allow it, I urge you to support your local Alliance for Raw Milk organization and advocate for change.

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posted in food and beverage
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Softly, softly, catchee monkey

by wil — Feb. 23, 2010

Last night, we watched Mysterious Mr. Moto, starring Peter Lorre. It was entertaining in a campy, 1938, politically-incorrect way. Peter Lorre — who is Austrian/Hungarian — plays a Japanese international police agent tracking the sinister League of Assassins!

Here’s a movie clip of Lester Matthews as Sir Charles Murchison of Scotland Yard reading aloud the ridiculous phrase: “Softly, Softly, Catchee Monkey.”

In other news, I’m still enjoying my video production class. I’m learning lots, experimenting with my new camcorder, getting acquainted with Premiere Pro, reading (and enjoying) The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide, etc. I hope to shoot something worth sharing in the near future.

I’ll leave you with this quote from The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide:

Plenty of people have bright ideas. Plenty of people are geniuses, but will never know it, because they don’t execute.Fat Joe, from the documentary Paper Chasers

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posted in books, movies
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Toy Story

by wil — Feb. 4, 2010

Melanie is currently running a guest-post series titled “Toy Stories.” Stop by her site and check out my post.

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posted in blogging
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January review

by wil — Jan. 30, 2010

January’s almost over, so I thought I’d take a look back at my goals and see how I’m doing, reassess (wow, “reassess” really has a lot of s’s, doesn’t it?) if necessary, etc.

  • Cut out sugar/sweets for a month (January): I lasted about a week without sweets, but I’m happy to say I reduced my refined sugar intake by about 75% for the month — and it was actually pretty painless — so I plan to just stay at this one-quarter sugar level for the foreseeable future.
  • Have kid(s): not yet (this is more like a five-year goal, so no rush)
  • Write a polished/publishable work of fiction (short story, novella, screenplay, etc.): My wife and I have been working on a screenplay. We have lots of notes, outlines, ideas, scene kernels. Now we just need to carve out some time and write an actual, honest-to-goodness scene from start to finish.
  • Visit Nepal (or Bhutan or northern India): not yet (this is also more like a five-year goal)
  • Get in touch with the really real — continue my fledgling meditation practice: Hmm…meditation? I should really do some of that.
  • Continue to swim/exercise regularly: I haven’t really been exercising regularly. A partial excuse: my back went out mid-Jan. and is only now returning to normal (this is actually the third year in a row that my back has gone out in either Jan. or Feb. — weird)
  • Go backpacking/camping at least once a year: not yet
  • Sit less: yes, a bit less
  • Say “yes” more: yes, a bit more
  • Be the change I want to see in the world: This one’s a bit amorphous — I’m working on it.

And my Year of Creativity goals:

  • buy a high-quality amateur camcorder: I’ve been researching camcorders for a few weeks now. I plan to order one today or tomorrow.
  • film a short (or two or three…): not yet…soon!
  • write a screenplay together with my wife: we’re working on it (see above)
  • take “Video Production I – Film 130” at the local community college: I had my first day of class this week. I think it’s going to be fun.
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posted in musings
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Pssst…hey buddy…

by wil — Jan. 12, 2010

Know where I can score some raw milk?

Sunshine Farms was our past source for raw milk, but they had to close down because they couldn’t realistically comply with new, stricter state regulations.

But word on the street was, there was a new player in town, and by “in town”, I mean here in Santa Fe, not an hour-and-a-half away in Bosque Farms.

So we get in touch with the new dealer (a.k.a., the Milk Man), who tells us he doesn’t live in Santa Fe, but drives into town once a week to deliver the goods. Sweeet! All we have to do is purchase a cow share — because if you own the cow, you’re allowed to drink the milk. As it turns out, we’re headed his direction for Christmas. We just need to stop by and sign a bit of paperwork. Only we don’t know his exact address and now we can’t get hold of him.

Thankfully, after several tries, we get in touch and he gives us directions to the farm. So I drive out and meet his wife and the cows and pay for my cow share and even purchase a couple of gallons of raw milk, but I don’t sign a contract. That’ll be emailed to me.

A few days go by. We receive the contract. I’m supposed to print it out and mail it back to them, only I don’t know their address (I have directions to the farm, but no address). So I email them. A few days go by. They email back, and I send it off.

A week goes by. We’re running low on the good stuff and we don’t want to go back to ultra-pasteurized skank milk and we haven’t heard anything from our dealer. We call. We email. A few days go by. We receive an email from a Susan M. (name changed to protect the innocent) about a Sunday, 1pm delivery. We’re excited, but there’s no mention of a drop-off/pick-up location. So we email. We call. No response. We start looking through the phone book for a Susan M. — and find one. I think it’s a long-shot, but my wife’s willing to call, so she makes the call, and lo and behold, Susan M. is a raw milk devotee. She set up the mailing list for the Milk Man (so Susan M. is both a real person and an email alias for the Milk Man), and she knows the drop-off/pick-up location.

So we’re set. Only the drop-off time is changed at the last minute from Sunday, 1pm to Monday, 5:30pm. So last night, at twilight, I follow the instructions given to me by the real Susan M. I find the house. There’s a plain-white van parked in the gravel drive and 7 or 8 people forming a line. I get in line. The Milk Man announces there’s no cream or butter (it’s been too cold, the cows aren’t producing much), but he’s got milk. And now I have it (exactly one month from first contact), and I’m drinking it, and loving it.

Thank you Milk Man.

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posted in food and beverage
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Year of Creativity

by wil — Jan. 4, 2010

I dub 2010 the Year of Creativity. I really want to be more creative this year — particularly in the “making of stuff” sense.

It’s very easy for me to think creatively (imaginatively), but just sort of cruise along and not actual produce much of anything.

I’d like to change that.

And I’d like to thank my parents for their out-of-the-blue, over-the-holidays, get-your-ass-in-gear encouragement. Thanks Mom & Dad!

I’ve always been interested in film (aren’t we all?), so I’m going to pursue that. It may or may not lead anywhere, but I won’t really know unless I give it a try — and I’m sure to have fun along the way. So, in keeping with this new goal, I’m going to:

  1. buy a high-quality amateur camcorder (Red One will have to wait)
  2. film a short (or two or three…)
  3. write a screenplay together with my wife (we’ve already begun writing)
  4. take “Video Production I – Film 130” at the local community college

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.Henry David Thoreau

Stay tuned…

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posted in musings
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Igloo #2

by wil — Jan. 2, 2010

Last February, my older brother, my dad, a family friend, and I built a 2/3-man igloo. It took ten hours. We finished well after dark, and by then I was too tired/cranky/cold to want to sleep in it.

On the First Day of Christmas (Dec. 26, St. Stephen’s Day), my old brother built his second igloo, a 7-ft. one-man, by himself, in three hours.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas (Dec. 29), my older brother, my younger brother, and I drove up to the Ski Santa Fe parking lot, parked our cars, and hiked into the woods. The car thermometer read 17° (-8° C). We thought maybe two of us could cram into the one-man igloo, and my older brother would sleep outside in his super-warm winter bedroll. But after perusing the interior, we decided all three of us might be able to fit. So we rolled out our sleeping pads, blocked the entrance with a backpack, lit a candle, and stretched out as best we could. It was actually pretty warm inside the igloo — so much so that we ended up not getting in our bedrolls. We just kept on our winter clothing and spread our bedrolls out on top of us as blankets.

We blew out the candle around midnight and tried to get some sleep. But it was pretty cramped, and sometimes chilly (somehow I ended up with my feet sticking out the door of the igloo), and there was snoring and the occasional drip of water from the ceiling. So it wasn’t a great night’s sleep, but it was an adventure.

Would I sleep in an igloo again? Definitely. But preferably not a one-man igloo packed with three grown men.

Arrival. My older brother kneeling near the doorway. Gear strewn about.

igloo

The branch-and-snow-capped ceiling (with candle lantern, goggles)

igloo ceiling

Departure. ~6:45 am, 13° F (-10° C)

igloo

Woods

woods

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posted in the great outdoors
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New Year, New Decade, New Goals

by wil — Dec. 29, 2009

Some of these are goals for 2010, some are goals for the 2010s, some are lifetime goals. I’m writing them here so I’ll see them and you’ll see them; thus, the whole universe will be watching my progress. I’ll try to keep you updated at semi-regular intervals regarding said progress.

I forgot to have children.

  • Cut out sugar/sweets for a month (January)
  • Have kid(s)
  • Write a polished/publishable work of fiction (short story, novella, screenplay, etc.)
  • Visit Nepal (or Bhutan or northern India)
  • Get in touch with the really real — continue my fledgling meditation practice
  • Continue to swim/exercise regularly
  • Go backpacking/camping at least once a year (seriously, do not let another backpack-less year pass by!)
  • Sit less
  • Say “yes” more
  • Be the change I want to see in the world

Shout-outs to Ponies and Unicorns, Not Your Average Ordinary, and Profound Nonsense. Thanks for the inspiration.

P.S. Happy New Year!

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posted in musings
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2009: Books

by wil — Dec. 22, 2009

I finished 21 books this year (one more than last year) — 12 fiction (including one book of poetry), 9 non-fiction.

The Raw Shark Texts

Fiction Fave: The Raw Shark Texts

Upon finishing The Raw Shark Texts, I seriously thought about just starting back at the beginning and rereading the whole thing. It’s mysterious, ambiguous, hopeful, heartbreaking, and lots of fun.

Talking to the Dead

Non-fiction Fave: Talking to the Dead: Kate and Maggie Fox and the Rise of Spiritualism

Talking to the Dead chronicles the lives of Kate, Maggie, and Leah Fox, and their rapid rise to fame as 19th-century mediums. It’s part paranormal activity, part family drama, part how to cope with sudden fame, part women’s role in Victorian society. Their story is fascinating.

Biggest Disappointment: Perdido Street Station

I find there’s only so much of this sort of writing one can take:

…like a dirty smear, like a slab of carrion thronging with maggots…houses which dribble pale mucus…

Currently Reading: Cloud Atlas has been highly recommended by quite a few people, so I thought I’d give it a try.

What have you been reading?

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posted in books
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