My partner and I say a blessing every night, thanking the universe/god/goddess/higher power for the abundance in our lives -- the roof over our heads, the food on our table, the love we share, our families and friends, and our fur-babies. And at Christmastime, we are even more keenly aware of our gratitude -- thankful that we can buy a tree and a few gifts to exchange, and enough food for a filling meal and even leftovers.

We try to share our "riches" when we can. This Christmas, we both had the same idea, and didn't discover it until we opened our stockings. There, among all the chocolate treats, was a card announcing a donation to Heifer International. We had both "purchased" a flock, one of geese and the other of chickens, in each other's honor -- and even more serendipitously, we had both given an "extra" cash donation to Heifer International ... in the same amount. The extra donation is for them to put where the need is greatest.

Heifer International is one of our favorite nonprofit organizations. They are modeled on the idea that providing livestock for those who live in abject poverty, in countries all over the world, is the smartest way to help people help themselves. Instead of a one-time gift of food or toys, a gift of a flock of chicks enables a family to raise the chickens to adulthood, which then lay eggs (providing nutritious food for the family and village), and raise more chicks, which then lay more eggs, and ... you get the picture. Just $20 for a flock of chickens, geese or ducks and the family gains an ongoing enterprise and can share the chicks with family, friends and other villagers, who then get the eggs for food and raise more chicks of their own, and so on. What other charitable enterprise can enable such a small donation to still be giving years down the road?

Besides poultry, you can give a goat or a cow (hence the origin of their name) or you can contribute a share of a goat or a cow if you can't fund an entire animal (they're more than the poultry flocks), or sheep, a pig or llama or water buffalo, honey bees, rabbits, or just a general donation to be used wherever it's needed to help people become self-sufficient.

It's truly the gift that keeps on giving. If you're looking for something meaningful for that person who doesn't need another book, CD or tie, check out http://www.heifer.org/. They're open 24/7/365, so you can shop anytime, and you can print out a gift card from the website or request one to be sent.

After about 10 seconds, I yelled, “Hey, this one isn’t stopping” as I tried to push back from my desk. My chair wouldn’t budge. Binders, software manuals and books on the shelves behind my desk had fallen onto the floor and blocked my chair wheels from going backwards. So, I spun around in my chair instead and sort of launched myself over the pile of stuff on the floor. All I could think of was “get the hell away from these floor-to-ceiling windows with the panoramic view of San Francisco.”

As my feet hit the floor, the floor heaved upward and I was thrown about three feet, slamming my hip into the credenza on the other side of my office. I somehow managed to remain vertical, but as I took a few steps to try to get out of the office, the door — which was swinging wildly back and forth — whacked me upside the head.

The quake lasted about 15 seconds. My office was a mess, my computer was upside down on the floor, ceiling tiles had come down and insulation and wires were hanging out of the openings. Outside my office, the computer center looked like a tornado had hit. I turned to look out the window, and less than a mile away I could see a section of the 880 freeway that had collapsed — the Cypress Structure. I started to panic; my boss had left about 10 minutes earlier, and that was the way she drove home to San Francisco. (We heard from her several hours later; she had passed through that section about five minutes before the quake hit — and made it over the Bay Bridge just before part of it collapsed.)

After standing around for a few minutes, we decided that there was no point in trying to clean up that night. At this point, nobody knew the extent of the quake. There was no such thing as the World Wide Web, we didn’t know where a television was in the building, and nobody had a radio. We couldn’t use the elevators to get out of the building, so we collected our belongings and joined hundreds of other employees walking down the stairs to the street. I think I was still in shock, as later on I could not (and still can’t) remember climbing down those 13 flights of stairs. I found out later there was another reason why I couldn’t remember.

I was lucky to live just 10 minutes away, in North Oakland. I rushed to my car and rushed home to check on my cats, which I found safe and cowering under the bed. Relieved, I sat down on the bed — and instantly yelped from the intense, stabbing pain in my low back. There was no relief, no matter what position I tried. My head was throbbing, and I felt dizzy and nauseated, confused and disoriented. I took some ibuprofen and tried to rest, after trying to call my folks in Modesto. It took me five hours to get through, as all the long-distance circuits were busy.

Meanwhile, I watched the drama of the quake’s aftermath unfold on TV. I saw buildings burning in the Marina District of San Francisco and tried unsuccessfully to call friends who lived there. Several other friends had gone downtown to the area where the Cypress Structure had collapsed, to try to help with rescue efforts. They called and asked if I wanted to go; I did, but I was in too much pain.

The next day I could barely move. I called the doctor and luckily she could see me right away.

I was one of an estimated 3,700 people injured in the quake, some 400 or more quite severely, including a co-worker in the mailroom where the mail sorting shelves had fallen on her. She broke her collarbone and had numerous other injuries; last I heard, she was permanently disabled and never went back to work.

I began a round of doctor visits, physical therapy sessions, X-rays and finally chiropractic treatments — all covered by worker’s comp, thankfully — that lasted a year and a half. I had two bulging discs in my back, and I had a concussion from the impact of the office door. (That’s why I couldn’t remember climbing down the stairs; amnesia is one of the symptoms of a concussion.)

In 1991, the chiropractor and worker’s comp folks decided there was nothing more they could do for me and closed my case. Twenty years after the quake, my back still troubles me, but I consider myself to be very, very lucky.

What I like most about it is you can browse the recipes by region: Africa & Middle East, Asia & Pacific Ocean, Europe, North & South America, and Non-regional.

These regions have pretty much every ethnic cuisine you could possibly think of. Need a recipe for Salzburger Nockerl because your Austrian great-grandmother is coming to visit? Check the Europe/Austrian section.

Want to make some Anoushabour (Christmas pudding) for your sister's Armenian fiancé? Check the Africa/Armenian section.

Or how about a Chocolate Matzo Torte for your kosher neighbor at Passover? Just look in Non-regional/Jewish/Section 1.

Seriously, folks -- if you want to add some real variety to your culinary repertoire, this is the place to find it.

"30 days hath September,
April, June and November,
of 28 there is but one,
and all the rest have 31."

It's so easy to quickly figure out how many days there are in the current month: just remember the first 2 lines in the rhyme. If the current month is September, April, June or November, then it has 30 days. If it isn't, and it's not February, then it has 31. Simple.

And how many of us still recite the alphabet (to ourselves) when trying to find something that's filed in alpha order? Quickly now -- what comes after PQRS? T, of course.

My favorite, though, is another rhyme my dear mother taught me: "A pint's a pound, the world around." It refers to the fact that 16 U.S. fluid ounces of water weighs about one pound (in the U.S.).

Why is this useful? Well, in most cases it probably isn't. But if you're the one who always puts the new 5-gallon bottle on the water cooler in your office, you'll want to know how much it weighs. Remember there are 2 pints in a quart and 4 quarts in a gallon (you did learn these equivalents in high school, right?), so ... if 1 pint weighs 1 pound, then 1 x 2 x 4 x 5 = the weight of the water in a 5-gallon bottle: 40 pounds. Plus the bottle maybe adds another pound or so.

So remember ... 30 days hath September, T follows PQRS, and a pint's a pound. You now know everything you need to succeed in life.

New health information on the safety and health benefits of soy

(Twitter, for the novice, is an online service for sending short messages -- no more than 140 characters are allowed, hence the service is ideal for receiving text messages on a Web-enabled phone as well as online. If someone "follows" you on Twitter, that means they have signed up to receive any 140-character message you "tweet." Recipe "tweeters" enjoy the challenge of condensing a recipe to texting-type abbreviations. For those of us who need a little help, myself included, I have attempted to translate it into Recipenglish.)

MARTHA'S SUGAR COOKIES

BestSugarCookies beatLBbut &3Csug+2egg+tvanil& 1.5tSalt+5CFlour /into2wrap&chillRoll.25“Cut/15m@350F

JEN'S TRANSLATION

Best Sugar Cookies

Beat 1 pound butter, 3 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 5 cups flour. Divide into two pieces, wrap and chill them. Roll out to 1/4-inch thick. Cut into shapes. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

— 3 large, ripe bananas
— 1 1⁄2 cups chopped fresh or canned pineapple (canned in juice, drained)
— 1 1⁄2 cups calcium-fortified orange juice
— 1 1⁄2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
— 1⁄4 cup ground flax seed (optional)
— 16–18 ice cubes

Combine fruit, juice and yogurt in blender and process until smooth.

Add ice cubes and ground flax seeds and re-process until smooth.

Makes eight 1-cup servings, with 125 calories per cup, 2 g fat (0.19 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 28 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 27 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein.

Heat a grill to medium-high.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the pizza dough into large rectangles. Use a pizza wheel or knife to cut the dough into long strips, then cut each strip into roughly 5-inch lengths. Set aside.

In a wide, shallow bowl, mix 1⁄2 tablespoon of the salt, the garlic powder, pepper and onion powder.

Place the butter in a second wide, shallow bowl.

One or two at a time, place the strips of dough in the butter and turn to coat evenly. Shake off any excess butter, then lightly dredge the strips through the seasoning mix to coat. Set aside.

In a blender, combine the diced tomatoes (with any juice in the can), remaining salt, garlic cloves, honey, balsamic vinegar, oregano, thyme and hot sauce. Puree until smooth, then transfer to a small saucepan and heat over low.

While the sauce heats, arrange the dough strips on the hot grill, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Cover and grill for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the strips are puffed and lightly browned on the bottoms.

Flip and grill, covered, for another minute.

Serve the breadsticks with the dipping sauce.

Serves 8, with 257 calories per serving, 10 g fat (5 g saturated, 0 g trans fats), 19 mg cholesterol, 40 g carbohydrate, 6 g protein, 2 g fiber and 1,148 mg sodium.

The earthier flavor of this crust stands up well to more robust flavor combinations, such as black olive tapenade (instead of tomato sauce) with caramelized onions and feta cheese, or roasted garlic puree, roasted red peppers, arugula and a sprinkle of Gorgonzola.

— 3⁄4 cup lukewarm water (about 110 F)
— 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
— 1 teaspoon sugar
— 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
— 1 1⁄3 cups whole-wheat flour
— 2⁄3 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
— 1 tablespoon walnut, canola or vege-table oil, plus additional for greasing

In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the water, yeast, sugar and salt. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the yeast has bubbled and foamed. If it doesn’t foam, start again with fresh yeast and check that the water isn’t too hot.

If working by hand, stir both flours and the oil into the yeast mixture until a soft dough forms. Lightly dust a clean dry work surface with all-purpose flour and turn the dough on to it.

Knead by holding the dough with one hand, stretching it with the other, then pushing the heel of the holding hand into the mass. Knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough gets sticky, add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.

If using a mixer, attach the dough hook and the bowl to the mixer. Add both flours and the oil to the yeast mixture. Mix on medium until combined. Knead on low until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. If the dough gets sticky, add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.
Using a paper towel, coat a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 1⁄2 hours.

When ready to bake the pizza, divide and roll out the dough as desired.

Serves 6, with 160 calories per serving (without toppings), 3 g fat (0 g saturated,
0 g trans fats), 0 mg cholesterol, 30 g carbohydrate, 6 g protein, 4 g fiber and 196 mg sodium.

Heat the oven according to package directions for the pizza.

In a small bowl toss the chicken with the oil and taco (or chili) seasoning mix.

Sprinkle half of the cheese over the pizza, then top that with the chicken mixture, then the remaining cheese. Top with olives and chilies.

Bake the pizza according to the package directions.

Serves 4, with 694 calories per serving, 34 g fat (16 g saturated, 0 g trans fats), 84 mg cholesterol, 59 g carbohydrate, 41 g protein, 3 g fiber and 1,690 mg sodium.

Heat the oven according to package directions for the pizza.

In a large skillet over high, heat the oil. Add the hash browns and cook, stirring often, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the ham or Canadian bacon and herbs. Cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle half of the cheese over the pizza; top that with the potato mixture, then the remaining cheese. Bake according to package directions.

Serves 4, with 700 calories per serving, 34 g fat (17 g saturated, 0 g trans fats), 80 mg cholesterol, 60 g carbohydrate, 39 g protein, 4 g fiber and 1,902 mg sodium.…

The site is actually owned by CNet, which is owned by CBS Interactive. Chowhounds (users) are required to register, but it's free.

What I like most about Chow is that, for the most part, the writers are just plain folks who like to eat. Nothing pretentious, and there are lots of regular visitors so anything you post is sure to get a few replies (sometimes dozens). The site includes recipes, restaurant recommendations, cooking tips, blogs, videos (everything from hulling strawberries to grilling eggplant), and (my favorite) "Stories," which includes The Ten.

The Ten is just what it sounds like: Lists of Ten Things. Some recent ones include "10 Ways To Smuggle Booze Into an Event" (not that I condone that -- I don't even drink anymore -- but it's funny), "10 Canned Goods Worth Using (Don't Wait For the Apocalypse)" and "10 Food Moments From 'The Office.'" Yes, there are actually some useful lists as well, such as "10 Vegetable Seed Suppliers" (which includes where to buy exotic and heirloom seeds) and "10 Things To Cook For One (subtitled "A Bowl Of Cereal Is Not Dinner").

There's much more to keep one happily clicking away for hours. Check it out.

When I got to work Friday, I clicked the link and it took me to Amazon's package-tracking page, where I found this:

Track your package
Date/Time/Location/Event Details
May 1, 2009 08:39:00 AM EUREKA LOCAL SORT CA US Arrival Scan
May 1, 2009 08:15:00 AM EUREKA CA US Arrival Scan
May 1, 2009 07:00:00 AM MATHER CA US Departure Scan
May 1, 2009 06:31:00 AM MATHER AIRPORT CA US Arrival Scan
May 1, 2009 05:54:00 AM MATHER CA US Arrival Scan
May 1, 2009 05:22:00 AM MATHER CA US Arrival Scan
May 1, 2009 03:47:00 AM LOUISVILLE KY US Departure Scan
May 1, 2009 02:07:00 AM LOUISVILLE KY US Shipment received by carrier
April 30, 2009 08:20:52 PM Campbellsville KY US Shipment has left seller facility and is in transit

-------
Three hours later, a co-worker comes back from picking up the mail downstairs and hands me a package from Amazon. Cool.

So this is what I love about technology (most of the time):

My order is shipped about 4 hours after I place it. It flies in a plane from Campbellsville KY to Mather CA (near Sacramento) while I am sleeping. About an hour after it arrives in Mather, it's in the air on the way to Eureka. It arrives here before I finish breakfast and is handed to me before I'm even close to thinking about lunch.

Yes, I know all about vendors-from-hell experiences with ordering products online. I've had some of the worst, and some of the best. And yes, I know about, and believe in, and mostly do "buy local." I sincerely tried to find something like this in 4 local stores. Nada. Zip. Zilch. That's how I ended up at Amazon.

Gotta love technology (most of the time). My new bag and I are very happy together:

(In case you're interested, the item is the "Caselogic XNTM-1 Slim Line eSling".)