Frannie's eSpace

A Virtual Stock Exchange game

My family is playing a fun year-long game called Virtual Stock Exchange. If your friends or family like an exciting game that doesn't cost a dime, go to vse.marketwatch.com and sign up to start one.

My family's game started at Thanksgiving and will last a year until next Thanksgiving. We each started with $100,000 virtual dollars and can invest it in any stock or fund we like. At the end of the year, who ever has the most money wins. We can even borrow up to $100K virtual dollars, so that give us $200,000 to invest.

I invested in some pretty bold stocks and haven't done too well yet. My husband invested $200,000 in the same stock! My lucky nephew bought some Netflix and watched it go up like crazy about a week ago. Everyone is far behind him! You can always see what your ranking is (see image to the left); and you can drill down to learn everyone else is buying.

You can learn a lot about stocks from playing as there are always some interesting articles on your homepage.

Pillars of the Earth

Am I the last person on earth to have read Pillars of the Earth? I remember picking it up several years ago, but the first scene of someone being hanged to death turned me off. The Showtime series this past summer revived Pillars' popularity, so I gave it another whirl. This time, however, I could not put the book down.

The book revolves around the decades-long effort to build a cathedral in England in the 12th century. This was an unsettling time, as King Henry had died and there was not a cut-and-dry successor. Many lives were lost in the ensuing battles and civil war. Lawlessness ruled. Earls, and even bishops, would betray or kill for more power or land. In fact, even as far as half-way through the 900+ page book I began to wonder if that cathedral would ever get built. Fortunately, there are some truly good characters as well that you root for with all your might. It's definitely a page turner.

I really liked Pillars of the Earth and learned a lot about history, especially the kings (and queen) during that time: Henry I, Steven, Maud and Henry 2. I must admit, that the violent acts of Earl William "Evil" Hamleigh toward his people, especially the women, just about did me in.  Disgusting. If anyone thinks that terrorism is something that has cropped up in the last century, then think again.

One enduring lesson: God prevails! Although men are evil and sin abounds, God ultimately turns bad into good.

Tastes like grape juice

Cycles Gladiator Syrah is an absolutely delicious wine. So smooth, and it doesn't have that initial shock to your system that some stronger wines have when you take the first few sips. Cycles Gladiator is fairly cheap too, at about $7.00 a bottle. This wonderful discovery came to me thanks to Susan, the wine lady at Kroger, who recommended it when I asked her where the Shiraz was. She explained to me that the grape in Syrah is the same grape as in Shiraz (which is my favorite type of red wine). THe difference is that Shiraz denotes the grape is from Australia wherease Syrah means it's from any where else. In this case, California. So, basically if you like Shiraz, you'll also like Syrah. And, Cycles Gladiator is one Syrah that you need to try.

I can't explain the weird brand name of "Cycles Gladiator." What's up with that?

Well, anyway, Cycles Gladiator Syrah goes deliciously with a nice broth-based soup and a toasty roll. In fact, that's what we're having for supper tonight.

The Greatest Composers

The NY Times had an article last weekend about the Greatest Classical Composers:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/arts/music/09composers.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Classical%20music%20top%20ten&st=cse

The article didn’t really list the Greatest Composers as much as it encouraged you to create your own “top ten.” The writer realizes that there is not a definitive list, and everyone would have his own picks.

Huh? You mean Bach isn't everyone’s number one pick?

Well, anyway, here’s my list:

1)      Bach – There are too many of his compositions to name. The Brandenburg Concerti, “Sleepers Wake”, “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring”, any of his Minuets, “A Mighty Fortress is our God”, any of his Fugues for Organ. I think my favorite work of Bach’s is his “Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major”. That will bring tears to your eyes, it’s so beautiful. Bach’s Toccatas are my least favorite of his works.

2)      Handel – The first cd I ever bought (back in the late 80’s) was Handel’s Water Music. That cd had his Fireworks Music too, which is just as good as the Water Music. I love his Concerti Grosso and you may have heard of his Suites for Keyboard which are lovely. When things get hectic at work, I pull out the Suites for Keyboard. Works every time.

3)      William Boyce – He’s English Baroque. Oh, my goodness: I love his Eight Symphonies. Get thee to iTunes and download thee “Trevor Pinnock’s 8 Symphonies – The English Concert.” It will soon become your favorite! Funny story: When I used to listen to cd's at work, my cd player "disappeared" twice... and both times the 8 Symphonies cd was in it. I've had to replace that cd not once, but twice!

4)      Mozart – Who doesn’t like Mozart? He’s so perky! His Prague Symphony and Jupiter Symphony are so upbeat. On the other hand, his Piano Concerto that most know as “Elvira Madigan” is so soothing. I like Mozart operas too. They are so light hearted! Finally, his Horn Concerti are good. (I love brass!)

5)      Albinoni – Once when I bought Vivaldi’s cd of the Four Seasons, it came with Albinoni’s “Adagio for Strings and Organ in G Minor” Oh my goodness. Literally, it is music to my ears.

6)      Corelli – It would not be Christmas without Corelli’s “Christmas Concerto.”

7) Strauss – I used to love playing Strauss Waltzes on the piano. “The Blue Danube”, “Roses from the South”, “Tales from the Vienna Woods!” I’m sure my family was thinking, “Enough is enough!” We saw Strauss' statue in Vienna. It was the only gold statue in the park, which is a sign of how revered Strauss is in Austria.

8)      Chopin – I love piano music.

Well, I can’t think of any more right now, but as the writer mentioned: the exercise is a good one and gets you thinking.

What happens along the way

I read a novel this weekend that has made me rethink the role of strangers in our lives. The name of the book is Flies on the Butter by Denise Hildreth. The theme of the book is how hard it is to go home after you’ve grown up and left it in the dust, as Rose, the main character has done. As a child in a small town in South Carolina, “Rosey” was raised by her mother and father and loved by her Mamaw and Grandaddy. She played day in and day out with her brother, cousins and best friend Jenny. There are probably people who would pay for a childhood as idyllic as Rosey’s. Contrast Rose’s life a generation later when she’s a high-powered stressed-out lobbyist in Washington, D.C. As you can imagine, she looks good on the surface but underneath is a mess. A family event calls her home. You can tell where the book is probably heading, can't you? And you're right.

Rose is dreading the event as it means she’ll have to interact with her mother. Something happened to estrange them later in Rose’s childhood. You don’t know what until the end. You do know that Rose is becoming more and more tense as she sets out toward home in her fancy car wearing her fancy clothes and clutching her overworked Blackberry. On the way she faces physical obstacles: rain and traffic and the quest for a “healthy” restaurant. And there's something about driving by herself back to her roots that dredge up the full laundry list of all her bad choices and the mess they've gotten her in.

What intrigued me about the story, as I alluded to earlier, is how the strangers that Rose encounters along the way sense that her life is a mess. In one case, Rose lends a hand to a lady named Lilly and her baby who are stranded along the side of the road. After Rose drops them safely home, Lilly kneels in prayer for both her own struggles as well as for Rose’s. In another case, a waitress serves Rose a good ol’ Southern lunch, much to her protest but ends up quite satiated. After Rose pays and leaves, the waitress and her co-worker slip to the back room and say a prayer for Rose.  There are numerous other occasions during the trip home, where strangers pray for Rose. The one involving Abigail is so powerful that it will reduce you to tears.

It’s making me more aware of strangers and how God places them in our lives. How many times have I missed the opportunity to pray for a stranger because I was too caught up in my own routine? Conversely, how many times has a stranger prayed for me when I was having a bad day? How many times did that prayer make a difference, and I wasn’t even aware? I vow to be more aware of strangers and pray for them, especially ones that are looking sad. I’m also going to ask God to show me and give me signs as to who to pray for.

Denise Hildreth, the author, has a clever writing style. Rose has alternating flashbacks during the drive home of happy childhood memories and unhappy adulthood events. You’re wondering what could possibly have happened to such a well-loved little girl. In that respect, the book is suspenseful. The author uses clever phrasing throughout. For example, during one flashback of 10-year old Rosey and her cousin smoking their first (and only) cigarette, the author describes the children’s hands “encrusted with dirt from their earlier project of mud pies.” I thought that was cute. Later in the book, the conversation that Mamaw and Grandaddy have that explains “flies on the butter” (the title of the book) is priceless. The love that these two old people have for each other is so apparent in their words to each other.

The ending is somewhat predictable but very satisfying.

I’m so glad my sister-in-law lent me this book! I’ll probably pick up more books by Denise.

You Tube sample

I went to Little Rock last weekend and got cultured! You Tube culture that is. My family there is very up on popular You Tube videos and taught us about these three. They really are funny. It got me thinking about how You Tube has changed lives. It has launched careers. Do you remember when it first came out in 2005? I remember thinking home videos: it's America's Funniest Videos online! Did anyone you know predict its impact?

Well, here are three for you to learn about, in case you're as out of the loop on culture as I am. Enjoy!

1) Family Feud "Naked Grandma" answer

2a) The Bed Intruder - interview

2b) The Bed Intruder - song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw

3) Pants on the Ground - American Idol interview and song

I heart Pandora

Pandora is awesome! For those of you who don't know, Pandora is a radio program that you download to your iPhone or iPad. You can customize your own radio stations. It plays right over your iPhone, and even on first generation iPhones, the reception and sound are excellent. I've been listening to it pretty regularly for the past few weeks, and it hasn't missed a beat yet.

I listen to Pandora while getting ready in the morning, and then in the car on the way to work. Pandora is giving satellite radio a run for its money. If Pandora had sports broadcasting and talk radio, then I'd probably give up the satellite radio subsription.

There are two really good things about Pandora: 1) You create your own radio station as broad or as narrow as you like; 2) You can dislike a song.

For example, I have a Rascal Flatts station, and it plays mostly Rascal Flatts, but it also adds other songs that Pandora thinks you'd like. But, if it plays a song you don't like, you can give it a thumbs down. At that point, Pandora will fast forward to the next song, and Pandora won't play the disliked song again. On the other hand, you can like a song and this will clue Pandora into your preferences. The more you like/dislike songs, the better Pandora is able to finetune your playlist.

About the only downside (and this is more related to the iPhone and IPad limitation) is that it doesn't play in the background. If you switch over to reading your email, for instance, then Pandora switches off. But the good news, is that as soon as you switch back to Pandora, the song picks up where you left off.

You can see my list of radio stations pictured above.

A couple of communication tips

We've been going to classes for the past several weeks for families who have a member with a brain disorder such as schizophrenia or chronic depression. It's been very enriching and we've met a lot of other families and have learned that we are not alone. NAMI (National Alliance of the Mentally Ill) sponsors the class.

Today's session was on communication and it was so informative that I'd like to put in writing what I learned so it'll reinforce it for me and hopefully give you some ideas too. After reading below, I think you'll agree that these techniques are not just for use with the mentally ill.

We focused on just two different techniques today:

1) The I-statement - useful in conflict resolution - This is a classic, and probably the number one communication tip that has been drilled into all of us, whether dealing with the mentally ill or not. The I-statement is way less confrontational than the you-statement. Contrast:

    I get worried when you don't return my phone calls.
            vs
    You are so irresponsible for not calling me back.

Both get the point across, but the first statement welcomes a more positive response, whereas the second statement all but guarantees a defensive response.

All you have to do is fill in the blanks:
I feel/get/am _____________________ when you do ______________.

And one note: end the statement with a period and not an exclamation point. Stay calm and don't keep going on and on.

2) Reflective Responses - useful for showing support and building rapport - This is also a classic. It shows that we are supportive and empathetic towards our loved one or friend. Maybe we don't agree, but we can validate their feelings. Contrast these two:

    You must be worn out by all those thoughts in your head telling you that you are no good.
            vs
    Can't you just ignore the negative thoughts and pay attention to the positive ones?

The first statement encourages more dialogue, but the second statement would more than likely escalate into an argument.

Good Reflective Response phrases include
    It must be rough...
    You must really feel...
    It sounds like you...

Of course, practice is the best way to master both communication styles. Fortunately, everyone one of us has lots of opportunity to practice.

Yummy kale salad

After being turned off to greens pretty much my whole life, it's official: I'm now a huge fan of kale. According to the signs at Whole Foods, kale is one of the healthiest foods that you can eat. Tons of vitamin K, A and C and some anti-cancer properties as well. In case you've never seen it, kale is a fairly thick leafy green with a hearty stem. You can find it in produce not too far from the broccoli.

Here's a very simple and highly addictive recipe for kale salad.

1 bunch of kale
1.5 T lemon juice (I use the stuff in the bottle.)
2 T of olive oil - or more (!)
a sprinkling of salt

Wash and rinse the kale. Tear into small pieces. I don't like the stems, so those get discarded. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and mix very well with your two hands. This is called "massaging the kale". See picture above. Massage with gusto! This removes some bitterness from the kale. Let the salad sit for a while; and it will taste even better. Unlike wimpier salads, it will not wilt.

Variations:

• You can add garlic, but if you do, make sure the salad sits for a while so that the lemon juice can cook the garlic a bit
• You can add anything crunchy; my favorite is bacon bits. I also like sunflower seeds and pine nuts.

This is just yummy. I make this at least 3 times a week. My husband even likes this salad.

The macrobiotic way

This summer, I went to the Kushi Conference, and it opened my eyes to a healthier "macrobiotic" way of life. Much of macrobiotics involves eating healthy food, but a lot of it involves simply being good to your body: staying relaxed, balanced, and being grateful. Let me just go ahead and get this out on the table: none of macrobiotics even comes close to replacing a healthy relationship with God. (In him we live and move and have our being.)

Anyway, as far as the food, the essence is that food is energy. It's a lot of whole grains, greens, vegetables, beans, and soy. To that, add a little Japanese influence such as seaweed and miso. The whole grain that gets the most attention is brown rice. So, if you don't do anything else, start replacing your white rice with brown. Brown rice is actually a lot chewier and has more taste anyway. Greens are good steamed or sauteed. The main green that I've latched on to is kale, and I'll share a yummy recipe in an upcoming blog. As far as beans, macrobiotic cooks like to begin with dried beans. Ha! Maybe I'll cook them that way after I retire! Vegetables are pretty self explanatory, except that macrobiotic regimes shun white potatoes.

In fact, anything "white" is shunned: sugar, milk, flour and the white potatoes. The milk surprised me, due to calcium. However, at the conference, we learned that you can get plenty of good calcium through the greens and certain veggies such as broccoli.

The most fascinating part of the conference was when cancer survivors spoke about how the macrobiotic diet cured them. In fact, the friend who invited me got involved because her sister had cancer and had given up until she saw a brochure on macrobiotics and decided to give it a try. She's in complete remission now.

Am I 100% macrobiotic yet? Hmmm... not even close! I love sugar on my cereal. I like cheese on my veggie burger, and you are not taking my butter away from me! However, I have done a pretty darn good job of adding healthy options to my diet including quinoa and barley for grains. (I already used brown rice.) I've discovered a good black bean salad and a good lentil salad. You'll love my recipe for kale, and I've started toasting seaweed. And, have you ever tried tempeh? It's a tasty alternative to chicken.