Google doodles and comic books

Thank goodness for Google.
If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have seen today's Doodle, stopped everything that I was doing (cough applying for real jobs, of which there are very few cough) in order to write this post.
Marvelous Google is celebrating Hermann Rorschach's birthday by displaying an interactive Doodle that allows users to share what they see in their very own ink-blot test!  How cool is that?  Cooler still, Google and Wikipedia wanted me to know right away that yes, Rorschach does look remarkably like Brad Pitt!

From TotallyLooksLike.com

Anyway, I'm fiddling with the ink blot test and I'm seeing whales, and kissing women, and stingrays and then a face-- which immediately called to mind one of my most favouritest books of all time: Alan Moore's Watchmen.  If you haven't read this masterpiece of wordcraft and artistry, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND READ IT THIS INSTANT.  I mean it.  Drop your pens, turn off your thingamabobs, put your toddlers in their kennels (or whatever cushy cages children live in??) and RUN to your local used bookstore, your closest library, the nearest Chapter's, or at very least the closest Wifi signal that can get you to BookDepository.

Watchmen was the first graphic novel I ever read.  For those who have never trespassed into the genre before, Watchmen is a great place to start.  Part comic book, part novel and part scrapbook, Watchmen is less about the pictures and more about the words.  You aren’t able to settle into the pictures-in-boxes format before the writers throw in a few full pages worth of text; an “excerpt” from an essay, or a police records file.  So for a literature major who was expecting a worn out superhero-shtick, I was pleasantly surprised. 

From Fanpop.com

But it’s an even better book for comic book junkies to get a taste of classic literature.  Watchmen includes passages from Shelley and Blake’s poetry, and quotations by Nietzsche, Jung and Einstein.  It also is one of Time Magazine’s 100 best novels: evidence, I think, that graphic novels are becoming a more appreciated and recognized form of literature than they have been in the past.

From DCComics.com

            What’s really impressive about Watchmen is that it is incredibly introspective.  It actually analyzes the superhero formula, and pulls itself far away from the expected.  As if Superman ever sat down to think about why he wears blue tights.  You’ll still see classic art and costumes, but what I preferred was the frank exposing of the underground superhero, the retired superhero, and, the non-super hero: everyday people who become vigilantes, à la Batman.  And for those of you who need a dose of cliché, there’s even a hilarious Star Wars-esque moment of “I am your father”, followed by the hilariously drawn out “Nooooooooooo!”

Writer Alan Moore, photo from Wired.com

            It’s a well rounded philosophical action-drama that never once gets dull and makes you use your brain in new ways.  But be warned: start with the book, not with the film.

Gotta book it!

xox

-Jem  

Oat drops... of heaven!

I'VE JUST BEEN SCHOOLED.  By my dog.
 I grew up with big, hairy mutts in a busy, loud household.  We ate healthy and our dogs ate dry kibble-- the brands we could afford that seemed reasonably healthy.  We didn't do gluten-free-vegan-soy-milk-whatever and my dogs certainly didn't either.  It was well-intended pragmatism (of people and pets fortunate enough not to have dietary restrictions).
And we got lucky; if you pause to think about all the poison that is literally being shipped from sketchy factories from the developing world, lining a select few pockets with billions of dollars, we got very lucky.  Most of our dogs made it to a decent age in above-average health.
In university, my upstairs neighbor-- now in vet school-- cooked her adopted collie full-on meals of ground beefs, green beans and rice, every night.  Well, I can tell you that even unemployed and in my parents' basement, I still don't have the time, energy or money to do that for my furbaby.  Kudos to you superheroes who do.
BUT I WILL SAY THIS:
The Peanut Butter Oat Drop treats were SO EASY to make; I'm converted.

Pretty simple ingredients.

It took less than 15 minutes to whip up the mix, and I only dirtied one bowl and two beaters (if you don't own a dishwasher, you'll understand why I keep a Dirty Dish score that factors into everything I make).  Also, the recipe is freakishly similar to some diet cookies I've tried from Pinterest.

The only dirty dishes!  Not bad.

And the dogs LOVE them.  Now, my dogs aren't picky eaters, so they do chow down with gusto on just about anything edible, but I think I detected a particular zeal in their munching with these Oat Drops.
I've stored half the amount I made in the freezer, and the other half is in the treat jar-- they're three days old now and still look fine.

Monkey just woke up from (another) nap and he's so excited for his Oat Drop!

I'll probably never buy big-name brand treats again.  It's just not worth the effort (researching who's on the bad list, what those unpronounceable ingredients are etc.) or the risk, when I can so easily and cost-effectively whip these up.
IF YOU MAKE THEM: I halved the recipe, to see if it would be a success.  It took me two rounds using one cookie sheet, so I was watching the oven for about 50 minutes.  Next time, I'll make the whole batch and use two cookie sheets to speed up the process.

Make use of all the space on your cookie sheet-- they don't expand!

Don't forget, probably because there's no yeast in them, they don't rise or expand, so plop those f**kers right next to each other all crammed together nice and tight on the baking sheet.  Do what the directions say: half teaspoon drops are big enough.
Also, I used quick oats because that was all we had on hand.  It still worked out, though next time, I'll use regular rolled oats.
Finally, mine required five fewer minutes in the oven than the directions said.  Had they stayed in the entire time, they might have burnt.  So keep a watchful eye.  Do as I did; I called a dear old friend and chatted away while the treats baked.

Gotta book it!
-JEM

Happy Movember!

Happy Movember followers! In light of this month loved and hated by so many (most likely hated for the plethora of gross handlebar jokes) we thought we'd share with you some of our favourite moustashed men! P.S. - if you know someone growing for the cause make sure that they (and you!) donate: ca.movember.com.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

 

Mark Twain

Kurt Vonnegut

Friedrich Nietzsche

Ernest Hemingway

Edgar Allan Poe

Gustave Flaubert

Thomas Hardy

George Orwell

William Faulkner

Will Shakespeare

Gotta book it!
-JEM

Bow down to Banksy

Recently, the infamous British street artist Banksy took a trip across the pond to grace the skyscrapers and streets of the Big Apple for a few short weeks.  He called it an "artist's residency", Better Out Than In.  Almost immediately, New York mayor Michael Bloomberg issued quite possibly the most un-New York public statement of all time, (Sunday Morning report here) decrying him and saying “it’s not my definition of art.”

What’s more NYC than edgy art, boundary pushing and underground culture?  Isn’t that what all those infatuated artsy dreamers mean when they say “New York just has a vibe, an energy, man, like nowhere else on earth”.  Is this not what they’re talking about?  Late-night escapades, big statement art, the place where a nobody can become a somebody?

It comes down to which side of the fence you’re on.  Either Banksy is a delinquent graffiti artist, or, he’s just an artist.  His graffiti is either a crime and an eye-sore or it’s a high-impact “new” medium of art.  And I choose to straddle that fence.

As far as I’m concerned, Banksy and his art is probably the best thing to hit the streets since Terry Fox strapped on his sneakers for his Marathon of Hope.  This is a person bringing a big message to the masses in a very simple, elegant way.  I could use less flash mobs and more Banksy, because he makes my mind work.  He demands more than just the girly-grin I get when I watch my 2,358^th flash mob proposal before I turn back to my work.

From www.streetartutopia.com

But that’s not to say all graffiti is art.  I’d say most of it isn’t.  Most of it, to my eye, is cocky, self-important wannabe gangsters thinking they’re being bad-ass and “sticking it to the man” when they intentionally deface an otherwise clean or beautiful structure.  Their “art” doesn’t challenge me; what am I supposed to take away from “Brian was here” or “KZ101”?  I feel like I put more thought into it than the “artist” himself did!  It seems to me like most graffiti is a hastily scrawled assertion of one person’s existence; like a screaming baby, graffiti painters spray their names across park benches and dumpsters, hollering “I’m here!  I’m here!  Look at me!”  Take, for example, a graffiti problem that has plagued my small university town: a fraternity that calls itself “The Brotherhood” demands its pledges scribe their initials all over the place.  Thanks.  “NWAN ‘12” really added to the brick on my apartment building, the metal siding of the local photographer’s workshop and the town’s old-timey train bridge. This kind of graffiti is so obnoxious, and it’s that exact self-marketing that Banksy was inspired to work against.

If you read Banksy: Wall and Piece, you’ll see he justifies his right to put art in public spaces because corporations put their logos in public places.  If you’re walking down the street, chances are, you’re being marketed to.  The golden arches of McDonald’s, the flashing neon signs of bars and superstores, the giant billboards on the highway—nobody asked you if you wanted to see them—they’re imposed on your eyeballs.  So if visual space can be bought, and people subjected to their biased messaging, it stands to reason that someone will want to reclaim that territory and awaken the public consciousness to this issue.

Enter Banksy, whose works serve a higher purpose, rather than just to promote his name.  You can tell a lot of thought and planning have gone into each piece, in terms of the tone, the message, the design, the positioning and the location.  You might not like his message, but I know I’d rather see one of his tongue-in-cheek commentaries on the modern condition than another billboard for five dollar foot-longs.     

  

Homemade Dog Treats: Part One - The Research

This post isn't about literature (gasp!), I know, I know, BUT it is about one of WTD's other passions: dogs! We love them. A lot. This post will be filed under the DIY section. Part One is edcuational and informative and Part Two will teach you how to make your own healthy, homemade dog treats!

 

Picture of Molly taken From Toronto Animal Services's Blog "I Want a Pound Dog"

Feeding a dog in the 21^st century isn’t easy; it requires research and due diligence on the part of the owner in order to discriminate what is truly healthy for our beloved four legged friends. Despite being a dog lover my whole life I got my first dog in January of this year. Being new to the intricacies of dog ownership I have done a lot of research. There is a ton of conflicting information out there whether it’s coming from your vet, the pet store, puppy school, dog trainers or the internet it can be overwhelming for a first time owner. My advice is to be a proactive, informed owner and do what you think is best. 

Even though this post isn’t technically about dog food, what you feed your dog plays an important role in what you treat them. Harley is on Orijen’s adult dog food, which means that she is on a grain free diet. Many of the wheat-heavy treat recipes available on the internet could cause her digestive distress because they are not in line with her regular diet. When I got Harley I was shocked at the amount of commercial crap available for dogs. I decided that I needed to find a dog food I could trust. Orijen is a Canadian company that produces dog food that is natural, biologically appropriate, uses regional ingredients (sourced from Alberta), is sustainably raised and made of ingredients that are fit for human consumption. Orijen is not organic, I wish it were, however it is preservative and additive free. Being a high-end dog food, Orijen is expensive. Not everyone can (or wants to) spend that much on food. There are many alternatives. Despite all the positive factors I’ve listed, Orijen is still a kibble food which is frowned upon by many dog owners. Current alternative trends include feeding raw food, gourmet cooked meals, whole foods and natural, grain-free diets. As I said, the decision is yours as a dog owner. Do what you think is best and make sure to treat in a way that compliments your dog’s diet. What I have learned from finding a great dog food supplier is that I need to find equally responsible dog treat producers and if I can't I need to start making my own.   

Modern Dog Magazine has a helpful list of whole foods that can be fed to dogs. I don’t understand why anyone coined the term “people food” when dogs have been foraging natural food for centuries. In any case, it’s worth checking out their list before making your own dog treats and this helpful list  of foods your don’t CAN’T eat. 

The reason I’ve decided to start making healthy homemade treats is that I recently had a pretty serious dog treat scare. I also learned that pet treats are not regulated by the Canadian government and, unfortunately, the industry is importing more and more treats. When buying treats I always look for all-natural, one-ingredient treats which usually means I buy freeze dried beef liver treats. Two weeks ago I saw some all natural chicken strips at Costco. I don’t normally buy treats from large retailers but I figured hey, they’re all natural and they’re a great value. I told myself it was fine even though I had a funny feeling about it (reminder #189283 to always listen to your gut!). Last week I saw a “warning” on Facebook which led to me to find out about the on-going FDA investigation into jerky treats. Chicken, duck, sweet potato and berries are the ingredients that are being investigated in jerky type treats. The FDA’s message to pet owners in the report is pretty clear; they essentially tell pet owners to avoid feeding treats by stating: “pet treats are not a necessary part of a fully balanced diet, so eliminating them will not harm pets. All the nutrients your pet needs can be found in commercially produced pet food”. Some brands of treats were removed from shelves in January of last year because of antibiotic residue found in the treats produced in China however according to the FDA no treats have been officially recalled because of the recent outbreak of pet sicknesses/deaths. Unfortuantely, companies do not need to list the origin of specific ingredients so some aspects of a treat may be imported from China even if the packaging doesn’t say so. 

Remember that due diligence and education thing I was preaching above? Obviously, I didn’t follow through and I let my dog down by feeding her this crap from China. She only ate about four treats before I found out about the issues. My treats weren’t on the list of companies that I saw on the warning however they were in-line with the problem treats: chicken, jerky and “imported” (even though the package didn't say where from). According to a source: “based on very preliminary information, it appears that this problem is more likely to occur in small-breed dogs that are fed these treats regularly and/or in amounts exceeding the label-recommended frequency or amount.” Harley is feeling fine and it’s been about a week so I’m feeling better about the situation but it was a very real wake-up call for me as a dog owner and inspired me to learn how to make my own healthy, homemade treats.

Buying these treats, as I said, was an exception to the rule for me. Generally I buy a one ingredient treat like Purebites  liver treats or Crumps’ Naturals. Crumps’ have a message to consumers on their homepage stating: “all Crumps' naturals products are made from ingredients sourced in North America only and all our baked treats are made at our facility in Brampton, Ontario. For those concerned with all the recent news about jerky products from China, rest assured our does not source anything from China”. This announcement makes me feel better about Crumps’ and makes me want to research where other treat brands are sourced from. My favourite treats to buy are from a really awesome local company that produces liver treats within 100km of us.

Companies to Avoid in Relation to Recent Recalls/Pet Sicknesses:

Vitalife: a Canadian company that imports dog treats from Thailand. One Ontario dog who passed away (RIP Shelby) ate Vitalife chicken tender and sweet potato wrapped in duck treats every other day for six months. Upon passing away the dog’s kidney enzymes were so high it wouldn’t even read on the blood machine, which her vet says: “tells us her kidneys are irreparably damaged by the toxins in the treats”. If you want to read some total bullshit about Thailand being the “kitchen of the world” on Vitalife’s website go here: http://www.vitalifemadewithlove.com/made_in_Thailand.html

Canyon Creek: Nestle Purina has currently recalled these products. Ranch Duck Tenders were the cause of death of  a dog named Annie from Farady Township. The dog’s vet now immediately asks anyone who’s dog is vomiting or has diarrhea if they have fed their dog treats imported from China or Thailand. (Canyon Creek is imported by Nestle Purina in the States and Normerica in Canada.)

Waggin' Train: Also made my Nestle Purina/Normerica and are currently recalled.

Delmonte: Imports treats from China.

To complicate the matter further many products are made by the same companies but sold under different names. And again, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), has  no legislation requiring pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manufacture on their packaging. The list is endless. To be safe, buy local, all natural treats. If you’re like me and you’re a little thrown off from all of this information stay tuned for Part Two of my healthy, homemade treats post.

Companies to Avoid in General:
(According Roger Biduk from the website Best Cat and Dog Nutrition)
Mars Inc.: Pedigree, Cesar, Goodlife Recipe, Nutro, Whiskas, Royal Canin & Royal Canin Veterinary Diets
Nestlé SA: Purina, Purina One, Alpo, Beneful, Beneful Healthy Harvest, Busy Bone, Chew-rific, Deli-Cat, Dog Chow, Fancy Feast, Friskies, Gourmet Gold, Mon Petit, HiPro, Kibbles and Chunks, Kit ‘N Kaboodle, Mighty Dog, Purina Pro Plan, TBonz, Purina Veterinary Diets, Whisker Lickin’s
Colgate-Palmolive: Hill’s Science Diet, Hill’s Prescription Diet
Procter & Gamble: Eukanuba, Eukanuba Veterinary Diets, Iams and Iams Veterinary Formulas
Del Monte Foods: Meow Mix, Kibbles n’ Bits, 9Lives, Milo’s Kitchen, Milk-Bone, Pup-Peroni, Pounce, Gravy Train, Jerky Treats, Canine Carry Outs, Snausages, Nature’s Recipe (Cat and Dog), Alley Cat and Meaty Bone

Anyone notice that these brands are some of the most heavily advertised brands on the market? 

Further reading: check out this list of ingredients to avoid also according to Roger Biduk.

(Note: if your dog has become ill from these treats contact your vet immediately and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency or FDA. Save the treats and packaging for testing.)

Candy, a happy Boston with a homemade treat sourced from the blog Angie River.

 This is it for the research portion of my dog treats blog. I will share Part Two of my DIY healthy, homemade dog treats post as soon as I have tried out a couple recipes! If you want to prepare, go out and buy some fun cookie cutters – I got farm animals and classic dog biscuits.

An e-altar for Day of the Dead

So a very wet and dreary All Hallow’s Eve has passed: the candy has been hoarded, the jack-o-lanterns lit (if not extinguished by the rain) and the tricks have been pulled.  –Sigh--  It all goes by so fast.  I love Halloween the way other people love Christmas or their birthdays. 

I’m resisting the urge to weigh in on this year’s celebrity Halloween ridiculousness.  People were up in arms about blackface.  There was righteous indignation all around.  There was also the “obese child” letter sent to select houses by one very misguided preschool teacher.  And of course, there were hundreds of “empowered” women “proudly displaying their sexuality” by wearing self-identified “slutty” costumes.  I’m choosing not to waste my breath (or rather, my typing) on these facsimiles of Halloween.

Now that October 31 has slipped away, more important than focusing on the hangovers and the selfies, or at least, more important to me, is to honour the departed.  November 1 and 2 are All Saint’s and All Soul’s days respectively.  Mexican folklore has it that the doors to Heaven have opened and families are breiefly reunited with the spirits of the dead.  And while this year I have no colourful, bedecked shrine to display, nor even the capacity to get out to the cemeteries where my ancestors rest, I’m thinking fondly of those I’ve loved and lost.

Source: tripping.com

My grandfather; a decorated veteran who served in WWII in his late teens and early twenties.  A man with a big open face, tender heart, and mischievous smile.  I remember bouncing on his knee, swivelling in his “spinny” chair, and every year, we still turn on the trick Christmas ornament that plays a bird chirping.  He used to tell my cousins and I that a bird had gotten into the house; we’d chase it all around until he’d throw the door open.  “Oh, you missed it!  It just flew outside!”  It’s 19 years since he passed, and I feel the depth of what I missed learning from him more and more.  If I were constructing an altar, I would leave in Gramps’ honour a scrap of wallpaper (a throwback to his career), a PBR, and a child’s toy sword.  I’d also leave something red—his favourite colour.

My gand-papa; an entrepreneur and expert mechanic.  I never knew him well, but what I know of him is that he was driven, savvy, honourable, and a true Montrealer.  There were always Cheetos when we saw him, and my brother was (probably) his favourite, because they were so alike.  He wore a beret, smoked like a chimney, and, as I understand it, was the calm, quiet hitching post for the wild brumby that was my grand-maman.  For my grandpapa, I would leave out a rusty license plate, a coffee mug full of pens, and a Marlboro.  And Cheetos.  An entire bag of Cheetos.

Grand-maman; a truly excellent lady.  Loud, boisterous, passionate, musical.  She taught me French.  She was truly classy, and ever so stylish.  A fighter and an adventurer, I know I have some of her in me.  Once, she accompanied my Dad on a business trip, and she famously disappeared, leaving only a note: “R--, j’y vais a Las Vegas.”  She couldn’t steam a vegetable, but hell, she could dress a cake.  And I know for fact that I inherited her out-of-control sweet tooth.  I leave on my electronic alter for her a red velvet cupcake, a few sheets of music, and some weather-beaten postcards.

Gram; a quiet prairie girl who was adopted as a baby, she never lost her British roots.  With her, we had tea at 3pm, and every Christmas, birthday or bout of the flu, we were given books.  She was a fantastic gardener, an avid walker, and, to our entire family’s surprise, when my pet rat proved to be awesome, she got one too.  I deeply regret having lost her—I could’ve come home from university with so much to tell her, and so many books to share.  I could have consulted her when my philodendron grew stringy.  For her, I’ll leave out flowers and a handful of earth.  A bone china teacup and saucer with a hummingbird pattern, and one of her cat’s toys.      

There are more people—and pets—whom I could list, but I’ll keep that to myself.

I hope you take the time this season to reminisce, with joy, over the ones you were privileged to know, and to take comfort that, even if you don’t believe, others do, that they are on the other side, waiting for you. 

Source: randomthoughtsofacitymouse.com

Gotta book it!

-Jem

We Love to List!

It's true. We're slightly obsessed with listing. Maybe that's why we love our Pinterest so much! In any case, we've started our Books page and it's pretty fabulous so far. The concept is a series of lists that feature our all-time favourite fiction. There's a "to-read" list, contemporary and classic fiction, memoirs and auto-bio (not really fiction but we don't mind cheating a little), new and hot and, most importantly to you, a list of books our readers love! So e-mail, comment, tweet or message us with the books you want to see on our reader's picks list!

Reading something good? Want to write a book review? E-mail us your book review and we'll and we'll post it! (writersthriftersanddrifters[at]gmail.com). It's a great way to get some practice writing reviews and a way to get some online exposure! Plus, we'd love to incorporate as many voices as we can into this blog.

So, check it out here or under the "Books" tab above and let us know what you think is missing!