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2014 Archives

Below is a sequential listing, by month, of articles posted in 2014. For additional notes, see the site reference page.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May

January 2014

[1401.01]  

Low Carb Diet, Part 1: Prelude


Yes, I have lost some weight recently; thanks for noticing! I've been following a LCHF (low carbohydrate, high fat) diet since late July 2012. The questions I've been getting are a primary impetus for starting this blog. Read...


[1401.02]  

LCHF Microwave Brownies


I adapted the following recipe from a low carb microwave chocolate cake-in-a-mug recipe, as usual modifying it for my own taste and pantry, but mostly for my cookware (in this case corelle one-quart rectangular bakeware, approximately 6.5" by 5.25" by 2.25" high). Read...
[1401.03]  

Iceland Trip, February 2004


(this article first appeared in our 2004 holiday newsletter)
2004 was an amazing travel year for us, starting with a trip to Iceland to view the aurora borealis (northern lights). Read...
[1401.04]  

Portable Mixer Stand


Even if I had a huge kitchen, I would prefer to keep its counters clear of everything except what I use frequently. My mixer does not fall into that category. I needed something to keep it and its accessories stored together, out of the way, yet easy to use when I did have the need. Read...
[1401.05]  

4-Egg Carton


Here is a method I use to keep track of how many eggs I have in the refrigerator, using an egg carton that I've cut down to hold 4 eggs. While some might call this a "life hack", I prefer the Japanese term "urawaza". Read...
[1401.06]  

Pi on the Odometer


I captured the odometer on our 2011 Nissan Leaf full electric vehicle when it hit 31,415 miles, matching the numeric sequence for the first 5 digits of pi (photo taken 1306.28). Read...
[1401.07]  

Perfect Is the Enemy


Starting a personal blog has been on my "someday/maybe" list for years. What was keeping me from actually accomplishing it now? "Perfect is the enemy of good", as my husband Dave teased me the other day. Read...
[1401.07]  

Initial Site Creation


Initial upload to seeking42.com. Create home page, archives, about, site reference, disclaimer Add articles: Low Carb Diet, Part 1; LCHF Microwave Brownies; Iceland Trip 2004; Portable Mixer Stand; 4-Egg Carton; Pi on the Odometer; Perfect Is the Enemy . Read...
[1401.08]  

Low Carb Diet, Part 2: The Art and Science


As I mentioned in part 1, Stephen Phinney and Jeff Volek's book The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living is what convinced me to give a LCHF diet a shot. Read...
[1401.10]  

Venus Transit and Namibia Trip 2004


(this article first appeared in our 2004 holiday newsletter) On June 8, 2004, a rare astronomical event occurred. The planet Venus crossed the disk of the sun, a small dot barely visible to the naked (solar-filter-protected) eye. Read...
[1401.12]  

Praying Mantis in Cerritos


I had always thought of praying mantises as exotic, almost mythical creatures, and any in Southern California must surely be imported. Imagine my suprise to see one in Cerritos sitting on our trash can (photo taken 1310.07). Read...
[1401.14]  

Furikake Chex Mix


Furikake chex mix is a Japanese-Hawaiian-style party mix. It's sweet and buttery, a little savory, and really good. Like any chex mix recipe, it's pretty much foolproof. The key is to choose dry ingredients which taste good to you. Read...
[1401.15]  

Low Carb Diet, Part 3: Results So Far


After all my due diligence (see parts 1 and 2 of the low carb diet series), I was all set to go. I scheduled the start time to coincide with some kendo down time. I vowed to stick with it for at least 3 months, no matter how much suffering and anguish I had to endure. Read...
[1401.19]  

Site Update - add blogspot companion site


Create companion blogspot site jkodama42.blogspot.com to handle comments and social media support. Replicate all entry summaries in blogspot. Update all seeking42 entries to link to blogspot entries. Update about and site reference pages. Read...
[1401.21]  

Record Showers Bring 2005 Wildflowers


(this article first appeared in our 2005 holiday newsletter) 2005 started off wet, ending up just short of 1884’s record 38.2 inches. Newspaper articles, TV reports, and dozens of wildflower websites extolled the magnificence of this year’s wildflower blooms. Read...
[1401.22]  

Wisconsin Road Trip 2005


(this article first appeared in our 2005 holiday newsletter) In July we took a weeklong road trip through Wisconsin and environs. We found a guidebook in the library called "Oddball Wisconsin, A Guide to Some Really Strange Places." Read...
[1401.23]  

Museum Outings 2005


(this article first appeared in our 2005 holiday newsletter) We visited an above average number of museums in 2005, including Body Worlds at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, the Mustard and Spam Museums in the midwest, and the Gigapixel Project in San Diego. Read...
[1401.25]  

LCHF Chocolate Nut Clusters


I got the idea for this recipe from kendo mom Janet's wonderful yum yum cookies, made from white chocolate, crispy cereals, and peanuts. Unfortunately, none of those ingredients is particularly good for a LCHF diet. Why not simply make dark chocolate clusters using tree nuts? Read...
[1401.27]  

Foodsaver Tricks


I have an old Foodsaver vacuum sealing system that I bought at least 10 years ago. It still works like a champ, but many times when I use it I don't follow the manual (and normally I'm a stickler about following manuals). Read...
[1401.29]  

Groundhog Day Resolutions


David Seah is a blogger and visual designer whose productivity tools and forms (especially his compact calendar) have interested me for a while. But I only recently discovered David has a different take on yearly goal setting. Read...
[1401.30]  

What Is Kendo?


You may be wondering, "what the heck is this kendo thing?" The short answer: kendo is Japanese fencing. The long answer: kendo is a Japanese martial art which trains the mind and body and cultivates one's character through one-on-one combat using a bamboo sword. Read...

February 2014

[1402.03]  

Solar Eclipse over Libya 2006


(this article first appeared in our 2006 holiday newsletter) A total eclipse of the sun is one of nature’s greatest spectacles. On March 29, 2006, we joined thousands of people in Libya in the path of the moon’s shadow. Read...
[1402.04]  

The Ghost of EV1


(this article first appeared in our 2006 holiday newsletter) From 1996 through 2003 we leased several electric vehicles from General Motors. We were devastated when we had to give them up, and we weren’t alone. Read...
[1402.05]  

California Adventure 2006


(this article first appeared in our 2006 holiday newsletter) We missed Disneyland’s 50th anniversary celebration last year, so when it was continued through mid-2006 we decided to see both it and the neighboring California Adventure theme park. Read...
[1402.08]  

How to Use One Paper Towel


I recently stumbled upon a TEDx talk on "How To Use One Paper Towel", which demonstrates how to potentially save 570 million pounds of paper a year by using only one paper towel to dry your hands. My reaction was, "hey, that's my urawaza!" Read...
[1402.10]  

Hawaii Adventures 2007


(this article first appeared in our 2007 holiday newsletter) We ended 2006 and started 2007 in paradise, Maui to be exact. Norwalk Kendo Dojo also made a whirlwind tour of Oahu and Maui in August. Read...
[1402.11]  

Earth Shadow 2007


(this article first appeared in our 2007 holiday newsletter) Lunar eclipses occur when the earth comes between the sun and the moon. The one that occurred at the end of August was especially spectacular because the sun, earth, and moon were in almost perfect alignment. Read...
[1402.12]  

Comet Holmes 2007


(this article first appeared in our 2007 holiday newsletter) Comet Holmes, a periodic comet currently visible in the constellation Perseus, has been dubbed "the strangest comet to burst onto the celestial scene in our lifetime." Read...
[1402.14]  

Gobi Solar Eclipse 2008


(this article first appeared in our 2008 holiday newsletter) Solar eclipses have a tendency to occur over water or some inaccessible place on land. This year we traveled to the southern part of the Gobi desert to see one. Read...
[1402.15]  

Korea, China, and Mongolia Trip 2008


(this article first appeared in our 2008 holiday newsletter) One of the great things about eclipse touring is having the opportunity to visit places that are really "out there". For the Gobi trip we visited Mongolia, after touring Korea and China. Read...
[1402.17]  

How to Receive Feedback


There has been some recent buzz about a book that will be published in early March: "Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well" by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen. I'm interested to see it when it comes out, though I'm a little apprehensive. Read...
[1402.19]  

Balancing Goats


I'm sure you have already seen the youtube video "Chèvres en équilibre" (balancing goats), which went viral with 5 million views after just two days (as of this writing). However, did you notice what happens at time 0:45? Read...
[1402.22]  

China Solar Eclipse 2009


(this article first appeared in our 2009 holiday newsletter) We were seriously considering skipping this eclipse trip, but several items pushed us into going. First, this eclipse, lasting about 5 minutes in eastern China, would be the longest one of this century. Read...
[1402.23]  

China and Tibet Trip 2009


(this article first appeared in our 2009 holiday newsletter) Although we had already visited China several times, on this trip we were able visit many new places, including Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Tibet, culminating in a trip to Everest Base Camp. Read...
[1402.24]  

White Mountains Trip 2009


(this article first appeared in our 2009 holiday newsletter) In May we took a 300-mile trip to the White Mountains to see bristlecone pines, the oldest living trees in the world, some almost 5000 years old. Read...
[1402.26]  

Aeropress Coffee Maker


I saw a coworker using this contraption at work one day, and the more I read about it, the more I wanted to get one. The Amazon.com product description section includes a very detailed comparison of the AeroPress to other brewing methods. Read...

March 2014

[1403.05]  

Solar Eclipse and Moai 2010


(this article first appeared in our 2010 holiday newsletter) In July we went to see a total eclipse of the sun. Yes, another one! But this truly was one we could not miss, as it passed over Easter Island, home to the mysterious moai (huge stone carvings of human heads). Read...
[1403.06]  

Easter Island Trip 2010


(this article first appeared in our 2010 holiday newsletter) Easter Island (Polynesian name Rapa Nui) is one of the world’s most remote inhabited places, located about 2200 miles west of Santiago, Chile. It is shaped like a right triangle with an extinct volcano at each vertex. Read...
[1403.07]  

Santiago and Valparaiso Trip 2010


(this article first appeared in our 2010 holiday newsletter) Prior to flying to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), we stopped over in Santiago, Chile’s capital, as well as the port city of Valparaiso, about an hour and a half northwest of Santiago. Read...
[1403.11]  

LCHF Salmon Cauliflower Chowder


I like cauliflower, but it's a bit monotonous to eat a whole head steamed. I also wanted a way to use some of the 3 pounds of salmon you typically end up with when you buy fresh salmon at Costco. So I came up with this recipe for salmon cauliflower chowder. Read...
[1403.17]  

Four Aces


I just returned today from 5 nights in Las Vegas with Dave's mom, dad, and sister Joyce. Dave and I are not big gamblers, and basically go to have a good time catching up with the family. On this trip I was a luckier than usual. Read...
[1403.20]  

California-Nevada Loop 2011


(this article first appeared in our 2010 holiday newsletter) After exotic travels in recent years, we stayed totally within the United States in 2011. A trip in October took us in a huge loop through much of California and a bit of western Nevada. Read...
[1403.21]  

Techshop: Maker Heaven 2011


(this article first appeared in our 2011 holiday newsletter) TechShop is a membership workshop similar to a gym, but with shop tools instead of fitness equipment. It really is heaven for anyone who loves to make things. Read...
[1403.22]  

Segway Tours 2011


(this article first appeared in our 2011 holiday newsletter) We have written in previous newsletters about the segway, a two-wheeled self-balancing personal transporter. This year we had a chance to take two more awesome tours, in Griffith Park and Atlanta. Read...
[1403.23]  

Pudding Cream Cheese Cake


This is a simple dessert recipe with a shortbread crust and layers of cream cheese, chocolate pudding, and whipped topping. I got the recipe decades ago from one of Dave's relatives, but it turns out you can find it many places online, though with very different names. Read...
[1403.25]  

Aurora Lapland Trip 2012


(this article first appeared in our 2012 holiday newsletter) We really had not planned to leave the country in 2012, but we didn’t want to miss seeing what may be the best Northern Lights activity this decade. Read...
[1403.26]  

London Trip 2012


(this article first appeared in our 2012 holiday newsletter) Prior to Abisko, we spent several full days exploring London and its surroundings. Hotels were shockingly pricey in the city, so we stayed at a hotel at Heathrow and used public transportation to get around. Read...
[1403.27]  

Annular Solar Eclipse 2012


(this article first appeared in our 2012 holiday newsletter) Last year, we wrote about scoping out observing sites for this year’s May 20th annular eclipse. We decided then on the general region east of Reno, Nevada, and on May 19th we spent many hours searching the area. Read...
[1403.28]  

Transit of Venus 2012


(this article first appeared in our 2012 holiday newsletter) In our 2004 newsletter, we wrote about seeing the transit of Venus from Africa. Venus crossed between the earth and the sun again on June 5th, the last time it will do so until the year 2117. This time we saw it from Maui. Read...
[1403.30]  

First Lunar Eclipse


A total lunar eclipse will occur in a couple of weeks, on April 15th. I was telling Dave about seeing my first lunar eclipse as a child, and he suggested trying to figure out exactly when it occurred. It took some detective work, but I think I have it. Read...

April 2014

[1404.04]  

Flies and Stripes


A few days ago, biologists from UC Davis published their research into the question "why do zebras have stripes?" The answer: to ward off blood-sucking flies. Though more research is needed to explain exactly why stripes attract fewer flies, I can relate to the phenomenon. Read...
[1404.07]  

Death Valley 2013


(this article first appeared in our 2013 holiday newsletter) All year long we had planned to visit Death Valley in winter, to attempt to get a good view of Comet ISON. Unlike the comet, Death Valley did not disappoint! Read...
[1404.08]  

Washington DC 2013


(this article first appeared in our 2013 holiday newsletter) In March we spent a week touring Washington, D.C. I had never been, so we tacked it on to a trip I was making to attend a kendo seminar in Annandale, VA. As usual, we crammed everything possible into each day. Read...
[1404.09]  

SpaceX Launch 2013


(this article first appeared in our 2013 holiday newsletter) At the end of September, we saw a launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as it sent a weather satellite into polar orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Read...
[1404.12]  

Tissue Animals


I saw this fascinating stop action animation on imgur, and the more I looked into it the more amazed I became. It was made by the Japanese tissue paper company Nepia. Read...

 

[1404.16]  

How to Watch a Lunar Eclipse


I enjoyed watching Monday night's total lunar eclipse. For future reference, I thought I should make a few notes on what to do when the next one occurs. First, go to the NASA eclipse site and look up details for the eclipse. Read...
[1404.22]  

Chocolate Custard


I've been on the look out for desserts that don't involve adding flour and sugar, so when I saw an easy recipe for chocolate pots de creme on the Food Network, I knew I had to try it. Pot de creme is a smooth French dessert custard (literally "pot of cream"). Read...
[1404.26]  

Low Carb Diet, Part 4: Tools and References


In this installment, I'll talk about a few references, tools, and techniques I have found useful. I try to track my numbers daily, not because I'm obsessed with them, but because it might help me understand what's going on when I introduce changes. Read...
[1404.29]  

How to Cook Artichokes


The first time I ate a fresh artichoke, it had been cooked whole in a pot of boiling water. It tasted fine but did not quite seem worth the effort, especially since most of it was inedible, and it was so difficult to remove the choke (the hairy inner core) to get to the heart. Read...

May 2014

[1405.05]  

Project Seeking42, Part 1


It's 5/5, the Groundhog Day Resolutions review day for May, so I thought it would be appropriate to write about the "making of" the Seeking42 blog project, review its current state, and think about the next phase. Read...
[1405.09]  

Low Carb Diet, Part 5: The Deep End


In this installment, I'll discuss The Eating Academy, the personal blog of Dr. Peter Attia. Once you start reading the information-dense articles there, you will indeed be in the deep end of the pool and, if you're like me, loving it. Read...
[1405.13]  

Clean-Peeling Eggs


I recently read an awesome article on how to produce perfectly boiled eggs with clean-peeling shells. The secret is to boil water (in a full pot or at the bottom of a steamer), add cold eggs, then simmer or steam for 11 minutes. Read...
[1405.17]  

Dizziness and Vertigo


During the first month of keto-adaptation, I experienced some dehydration, cramping, dizziness, weakness, and other symptoms. Recently, I experienced some vertigo after starting a strength training program. Read...

June 2014

[1406.12]  

Major Site Update


Major site update to start implementing some of the changes outlined in "Project Seeking42, Part 1": revamp home page and archives, remove "self improvement" category, add "arts and sciences", add eclipse series, etc. Read...

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