More on passion: Why don't I?

There are things I often lament not doing more or making more time for, but rarely feel motivated to do when it seems I do have time:

What am I passionate about?

It's a question you wouldn't think I'd have to actually ask. I mean, the answer lies within me and really, I'm the one who ought to know it. I ought to know it all the time, right? I mean, how can you be passionate about something and not know? A niggle of dread teases at my consciousness as I consider the possibility that I'm not passionate about anything. I mean, if I don't know, I must not be, right?

Well. Reading some back-dated blogs today, as I catch up on my me-time, I've decided to put the question out there, to myself and to the universe. I don't expect answers to come from readers (though if ideas come to you, I'd be interested to hear what those who know me or read what I write see me as passionate about). Simply, I felt the need to write, and to do and to write about something I'm passionate about. And since I'm not sure just now, what that is just now, the result is this: the question itself.

Foxit: A PDF reader that's less "librarian", more "university bookstore"

I was having some issues with books. I needed a way to access my important reference documents from anywhere without having to wheel a carry-on to and from work each day. PDF you say? Sure! Sadly Adobe Reader treated my PDF files like library books -- worse, like library books on CD-ROM. No marking up, no highlighting, I couldn't even use a bookmark! I need to be able to refer to these docs quickly and efficiently, without wasting time leafing through each time I open one. As people discovered prior to the updated iterations of most e-readers, if you can't make notes or mark one or more places, electronic files can be worse than useless. Getting Adobe Acrobat at $150 was, of course, out of the question, as I hadn't been paid in nearly three months (no longer the case -- woohoo)! Enter Foxit, an excellent all-round solution.

Caribana week ahead: Souse / Garlic pork with pilau (maybe)

Oddly enough, the last installment of my West Indian food theme week is the one I started first. Before I began putting together ingredients for the saltfish and bakes on Monday, I assembled and prepared the Sousing mix that would pickle pork over the course of three days. Let me tell you, leaving pork out on the counter at room temperature for three days and subsequently eating it is one of the hardest things I've ever done, where the kitchen is concerned.

But I've jumped ahead of myself. 

Caribana week ahead: Beef Patties

So for the second day in my West Indian food week, I decided to make jamaican beef patties, the kind that were so popular when I grew up as a snack or quick meal, and remain so here now.I should note that patties have never been a personal favourite of mine, but I since they are so convenient, ubiquitous, and universally acceptable, since they keep well and store easily, and since pastry is kind of an adventure for me (continue reading for more on that) I decided they were definitely warranted.