Rainy Day Reflections

So it started raining last night.  Thunderstorms came in heavy, and the thunder woke me up from time to time.  Now that it's daytime, it's still storming on and off.  And from the looks of it, this will continue throughout the week because Hurricane Alex is approaching.  My first hurricane on my own...I hope I don't have to evacuate!

Yesterday was a really good day.  B came over and we cooked baby back ribs and corn on the cob...mmm!  It was so good.  I showed him my Crops in Pots and The Backyard Homestead books, and he seemed really interested.  I think if we ever have land he'd have no problem getting down and dirty helping me maintain plants and animals. 

Speaking of crops, today I watched another documentary, The World According to Monsanto.  This one really takes a look at how Monsanto is manipulating and controlling the national and global food and crop industry.  A real eye opener, for sure.  It's just amazing the lies and underhanded practices they get away with.  It makes me sad that corporate greed is so powerful. 

I think I may see what food plants are available at the store, and try my hand at gardening.  In fact, yes, I think that's what I'll do today.  So until next time...

Patenting Life

So I just finished watching another food documentary, "The Future of Food".  You can watch it free on Hulu here.  It's not quite as high quality as "Food, Inc.", but it presents similar information, and focuses more on the aspect of patent infringement of seeds and crops, as well as what kind of effect having such patents on life means for agriculture both in our country and in the rest of the world.  It also looks into the ethics--or lack of ethics, if you prefer--of the fact that genetically modified foods are still not labeled in the United States. 

In other news, I'm finally settling into my new life.  I graduated on May 14th, and on the 15th I moved here to my new apartment.  It's been difficult, especially with the dogs and no longer having a yard, but as I said I'm finally settling in.  I started class for my master's on June 8th, and it's going well.  It's basically a human development class, and so far everything has been a review of things I learned in my undergrad classes, but it's interesting nonetheless.  I started work yesterday, and I think I made a good impression with my new boss, so that's always a good thing I suppose.  I'm considering applying to be a resident advisor at a homeless shelter for children and adolescents, but I don't know if I have the hours that they're looking for.  I suppose I should contact them for more information.

Personal life is going well.  I haven't really made friends here yet, but one of my classmates is from my old college and we had a few classes together, so we sit together in class.  I have been talking a lot to old friends on the phone pretty much daily, and I've managed to get to see B a few times a week, since we're both in the same city now.  It still takes us 45 minutes to get to each others' apartments, but it's better than an hour and a half I suppose.

Also, I'm thinking I'm going to start a patio garden.  I'm not 100% sure what I'm going to plant yet, but I'd like to have a strawberry bush, maybe a blackberry bush, and maybe some spinach.  My friend K gave me a book called Crops in Pots, and it's given me some good ideas and tons of good tips.  Other books I've been reading about small-scale self-sufficient farming include The Backyard Homestead and Keeping Poultry and Rabbits on Scraps.  Anyway, I'll quit sounding like an advertisement now.  But they are good books, definitely worth reading.  But I think I've rambled enough now, so until next time...