Hard to believe it is already February first. Where do the days go? It has been getting warming in Charleston recently, and despite the winter storm blowing though, it will only get warmer. Hopefully then I’ll be able to take the family out for exploring downtown Charleston and all it has to offer.
I’ve been busy cooking away recently, particularly on the grill. Winter is the best season to grill because you can keep warm in front of the flames while you cook a good hearty meal. Nothing like coming in from the cold after grilling to a warm home and a hot meal, eh? I’ve grilled a few steaks, some home-made cheeseburgers, and a new favorite, miso-marinated chicken. Aichi-ken will just not let go of me, I have to get my miso fix from time to time. Speaking of Japanese food…
Daikon at the supermarket – the picture doesn’t show it well, but it is much smaller than the daikon in Japan, and more expensive too. Of course when it comes to aubergines, they are tiny in Japan and gigantic in the USA. Could it be an analogy on a standardized test? Daikon : Japan :: Aubergine : United States
So I finally saw the Avatar 3D IMAX film after hearing everyone rave about it since late December. While the story ended a little bit too happy for my tastes, the 3D effects and the virtual world they created for the film completely blew me away. I had no idea that computer graphics had progressed this far. The 3D was really interesting too, it makes you feel like you are so much more apart of what is going on. I can see the film industry splitting in two in the future, however. One will do classic film, perhaps the big name stars who refused to be computerized, as well as the art-nouveau types. Then there will be the Hollywood blockbusters and animated features that go to 3D filming. Apparently 3D television sets are due on the market soon too…anyway. Even if you’re not into science fiction at any level, go see this film just to enjoy the visual world they’ve created. It is fabulous on the big screen!
I was back in Charlotte just in time for a big winter storm. Snow was dumped all over the mid-Atlantic, and while many people groaned and whined about the winter storm, it made my year. I wish it snowed every year! The white snow blanketed the ground and made everything look nice and clean once again.
I’ve seen my snow for 2010, so I can try to be a better sport about the intense summer coming up in a few months.
So what is up with Toyota? As the proud–yet now rather embarrassed–owner of a Toyota RAV4 that will need to be recalled, I wonder if it was worth the extra money to buy from Toyota. Though visually the RAV4 looks better than the mini-SUV from Hyundai, the prices and warranties from Hyundai are much better. I bought the Toyota for the company’s reputation for quality and safety, but in trying to top GM for the #1 in sales spot, Toyota seems to have lost their magic. All they had to do was wait for GM to go bust again. My fingers are crossed that my gas pedal doesn’t get stuck anytime soon. CTS Corp. and Toyota…work overtime to build the new part and ship it to the dealers ASAP! C’mon!























