a pepper a day...

My boyfriend's family firmly believes that it's good to eat a jalapeno pepper - whole - with a meal. Like at dinner. Apparently it is good for you. Although there has been a great deal of encouragement for me to adapt this into my eating habits as well, I have yet to incorporate it as I feel like it is almost punishing myself for eating. It takes away from the enjoyable experience. So I did some looking. I wanted to know if they really are good for you. I also wanted to know if they were at all bad for you. So I went to a few different websites. And now I feel much more informed. Here's what I found: www.produceoasis.com Nutritional Information: Serving size 1 pepper (45g) Calories 20 Total Fat 0g Sodium 10mg Total Carbohydrate 3g Dietary Fiber 0g Protein 1g % of RDA: Vitamin A 80% Calcium 0% Vitamin C 170% Iron 0% Usage: Use sparingly in Mexican dishes, guacamole, and salad dressings. Selection: Good-quality Jalapeno peppers should be firm, smooth-skinned and have solid green coloring. Dry lines are not a blemish. They are signs of a mature pepper and indicate hotness. www.reipes4us.co.uk Store them in a cool dark place or unwrapped in the refrigerator crisper where they will keep for a week or so. Do not store in plastic bags or clingfilm as this will make them rot. Storage time can be increased by placing them in oil. As with most chilies, the heat is concentrated in the seeds and ribs. Remove all or some of these parts to lessen the heat, being very careful not to touch your eyes until you've thoroughly washed your hands. www.jalapenomadness.com How do you stop the burning after eating jalapeno peppers? Because of the innate hotness of all chile peppers, they can burn not only the inside of your mouth, but your skin as well. If you find that you simply can't bear the heat after eating a chile pepper, try to consume a dairy product, like milk, yogurt, or ice cream. Dairy products contain a chemical called caisen that combats the effects of chile peppers' capsicum by stripping it from it receptor site on the skin. I've also tried sugar and that seems to work in a pinch. Burning Skin Try rubbing alcohol first to remove the burning oil. Then, soak the skin in milk or another dairy product. Only use water or saline for your eyes, however, and please remember that the best way to combat the chile pepper heat is to use rubber gloves when handling peppers. So after all of this, I have come to decide that yes, these little green explosions of heat are good for you. It may take a while for me to start eating them whole. But I'd like to think that one day, just maybe. Maybe?

another lazy day

DAY 27! The appearance of the sun for the most part of today had me a bit concerned as to whether or not we would be able to top the 53-year-old record. However, my concerns were settled this evening when I looked outside and saw the trees swaying and the rain pelting the sidewalk. Tomorrow will make 28 days in a row and, since the forecast is saying rain, rain and more rain, we seem to be in good standings to break this record once and for all! Well, at least for now I guess. I couldn't be more happier. Spent some time online today looking for jobs. Here are some of the sites I was poking around. http://www.writejobs.com http://www.newsjobs.com http://www.pub-rels.com For some of you this will be completely useless information. For others it may be very encouraging. Take it as you like; I found some of it quite helpful. For those of you who can make it, my brother, Josh, - The Road Less Travelled - will be playing a show in Abbotsford at Classic Rhythm on January 20th, at 8pm. It costs $2 to get in. Come one, come all and invite anyone you like. Hope to see you there!

blog blog blog

So I'm trying to get into this whole blogging thing but I'm getting more and more frustrated. And let me tell you something else, Blogger Help is the worst Help directory I have ever encountered. anyway... Apparently we are about to break a 53 year old record for most consecutive days of rain. We stand at 24 days I believe, only 4 away from the monumental 28. I'm hopin' we make it. I think many people are getting sick of the rain, saying it's getting them down and what not. But I have never stopped loving it. I woke up the other morning and it had taken a small break. I was actually disappointed. I remember thinking, "oh, I hope the rain picks up again". My mother tells me this is the sign of a true BCite and, since we moved here when I was five and this is all I've known for the past 17 years, I suppose I am. I am still yet to decide on a topic for this blog. Should anyone have any ideas, feel free to let me know. My only viable option right now seems to be Tales from My Commute - Hwy 1 from an Insider's Perspective. We'll see though. I do kind of like the ring it carries with it...

so here's the deal: i have to start this blog as a school assignment. that's right, have to. i'm required to post at least once a week, so there is my incentive. but i have wanted to be committed to a blog for a while now. so this is good for me. things may be a bit slow going at the start, but hopefully i'll stick to it and make it worth the effort. also, i have to post 3 links each time i post so keep an eye out for interesting sites i've found or nonsensical ramblings that have caught my attention. despite this being a school assignment, i'm hoping to make it as interesting as possible. our assignment is to pick a topic and explore it over the next five weeks. i've yet to choose my topic and so will have to explore my brain for awhile. what do i write about? fish? i do love fishing. but i doubt that my love for fishing would capture many people's attention for very long. at least not the kind of people whose attention i'm after. not that i'm necessarily after people's attention. nevermind.

so i'm off to decide on a subject. good luck to me. send your brain power my way if you like, i may need all the help i can get.