Living in Nebraska, we are wonderfully blessed with the changing of seasons. Summer’s bright, hot skies and lush green trees are replaced with cooler days (and evenings), and the prettiest colors Mother Nature can create. There’s something very special about living in the Midwest and experiencing fall first-hand.

My sister moved from Nebraska to California nearly eight years ago and, sadly, doesn’t experience fall’s natural beauty and bounty. However, Katie does a fantastic job recreating fall in her tiny Anaheim kitchen with our mom’s signature Pizza Bread recipe.

I was inspired to make Pizza Breads this week after a recent Facebook posting by Katie, citing her preparations for a fall feast of her very own. The Pizza Breads are hearty and simple, warm and gooey, substantial and just plain delicious. Because of this, I just had to share the recipe and a few photos with you.

You’ll need two cans of tomato soup, onion powder (or one onion, diced), one pound of ground beef, a loaf of Italian or sourdough bread, and eight ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes. (A few additions you may toss in for extra goodness include one can of black olives, drained and chopped; and one can of sliced mushrooms, drained.)

Brown the ground beef along with the onion powder or diced onion until cooked completely. Drain the excess fat, and set aside in a large mixing bowl to cool.

Once the meat/onion mix is cool, carefully add the two cans of tomato soup, followed by the cheese cubes, and the optional black olives and/or mushrooms.

Before scooping the mixture on bread, I suggest broiling one side of the bread for a few minutes, allowing the bread to toast lightly – but be careful not to burn the bread. This will allow for a more solid base for the Pizza Bread mixture.

Scoop small spoonfuls of the delicious concoction onto the lightly toasted bread. Broil the Pizza Breads in your oven, keeping the oven door ajar to watch them closely. It only takes a few minutes for the cheese cubes to melt, the ground beef to warm, and the bread to toast just a tad more.

Browse Facebook while you wait.

Serve! This batch had a few burned edges, but still tasted scrumptious. (Perhaps I should put down the iPad while making dinner.)

A clean plate (and a full, satisfied belly) are all that remain. Happy eating, and happy fall!

During the same week Nerdy Thirty is made available for the iPad, Kindle, and other e-readers, it seems only appropriate that I also share my love of all things Apple. This essay also marks the 1,500th blog post on Do I dare/Disturb the universe?, which launched September 7, 2003.  – W.T.

My passionate love affair with Apple Computer, company CEO Steve Jobs, and all things Apple began my freshman year of college. While working toward a journalism degree at UNO, I also spent a considerable number of hours each week at The Gateway, our bi-weekly student newspaper. The newspaper hit campus newsstands on Tuesdays and Fridays each week, meaning Sunday and Wednesday afternoons and evenings were spent writing, editing, and laying out the newspaper until the wee hours of the morning.

All of this work was accomplished on the Macintosh computers sprinkled about our large office in the Milo Bail Student Center. We had older Macs and somewhat-newer Macs in our managers’ offices, in the newsroom where us lowly reporters hammered out story after story, and in the darkroom, which truly was the coolest place in The Gateway office. The advent of digital photography means darkrooms are no longer needed; and sadly, this piece of newspaper life has become history not only at UNO, but in newsrooms across the country. The oversized stereos lived in the darkroom, which meant our photographers decided what music we (they) would listen to on production nights twice a week. Classic rock was the rule – not the exception. And I truly believe my love of classic rock was born during those late nights at The Gateway.

But back to the Macintosh.

It was on those oversized Macintosh desktop machines running now-dated operating systems that I not only discovered my love of all things Apple, but my love of writing. Those computers gave me continuous opportunities to put my thoughts to “paper,” turning my interviews, observations, and experiences into articles that people read. It was an amazing and exhilarating experience I consider myself blessed to have had. So long as I kept my college classes somewhat of a priority, I could pour all of my heart and soul and energy into the one thing I discovered that I loved most: writing.

Which explains why, many years later, I lifted my shirt and lowered my skirt and paid $50 for the Apple logo to be tattooed on my lower abdomen. Many friends who learned of the tattoo chalked my gesture up to nothing short of fanaticism or even (humorous) insanity. True, I loved Apple and the Macintosh; but I also loved what the company and platform gave me: my voice as a writer.

Since my Gateway days at UNO I have exclusively owned only Macintosh laptop computers, and later added a sundry of iPods and an iPhone to my Apple family. I even waited five hours in line when Omaha’s Apple Store opened at Village Pointe in 2006. That, too, was a magical experience.

When Apple announced its first-generation iPhone in 2007, I was immediately smitten. I also was one of the many million poor saps who plunked down $500 for an iPhone. (I say poor saps because Apple announced, months later, that it was considerably slashing the price of its iPhone.) Unfair, for sure, but I paid the price us early-adopters pay: we shell out the money to touch and hold and own and experience this new piece of hardware.

Which brings me to the iPad.

Rumors have been circulating on the Internet for many years that Apple was working on a tablet-like device. With a MacBook and iPhone, I followed the conversation threads, but didn’t fancy myself someone who would actually buy this new device.

Then I saw it. Cradled in Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ well-manicured and bony hands was a thing of true technological prowess and beauty. It was called the iPad and it essentially looked like an oversized version of the iPhone I had carried for three years. The display was gorgeous, the functionality was intuitive, and the price was EXACTLY what I paid for my first iPhone.

Did I need an iPad? Of course not.

Did I want an iPad? Absolutely.

But I held out. I clenched my fists and fought every damn urge to wait in line at Omaha’s Apple Store the day this past summer they went on sale. I watched the local and national media coverage of folks who looked a lot like me, emerging from Apple Stores in cities large and small proudly suspending their new iPads in the air – akin to the manner in which Rafiki presented a newborn baby Simba in “The Lion King.” I fielded a flurry of text messages, tweets, and Facebook wall postings from folks wondering if I, too, picked up my iPad.

No, I decided to wait. I was still slightly stewing over Apple’s decision to drop the price of the iPhone and told myself the same thing could very well happen with the iPad.

Image via Wikipedia

While the price remained the same, I lusted after and longed for my own iPad from afar. I never went to see one in person, knowing all too well that I would walk out of the store with one, even though I couldn’t afford it. I got peppered with questions from family and friends about the iPad and, in most cases, couldn’t provide any answers to their inquiries.

“Have you seen one?” “What do you think of the display?” “What’s your favorite iPad app?” “What’s the battery life like?”

Summer passed and I encountered more iPads than I care to mention. That’s when I started saving my pennies. When a November trip to visit my sister in California fell through last week, I knew the extra money I set aside for a plane ticket would fund my new iPad.

My sister’s phone call about postponing my trip arrived around 7 p.m. on a Tuesday night. By 6 p.m. the next night – less than twenty-four hours since Katie’s call – I was walking out of the Apple Store with an iPad in hand, grinning like an idiot.

“I take back everything I said about you being normal and stable!” my sister said jokingly (I think) via text message when I told her about the iPad. “Enjoy your new toy, you crack addict.”

I meant to text her back with, “That’s Mac addict,” but I was distracted for the next seven hours playing with my new iPad. It was like Christmas Eve, carefully opening the packaging and installing app after app on my iPad. I awoke the next morning at 5 a.m., still buzzing from the Apple-induced adrenaline, and played with the iPad for another two hours.

It has now been six days since I bought my iPad, and I don’t regret the decision one bit. I still use my MacBook, iPhone and iPods (yes, I own three); but the iPad has quickly found its niche in my weird little world that revolves not around the sun, but an Apple.

[Originally written for the All Around Townley blog for Q98-Five.]

Let me begin by saying the past several months have been nothing short of a whirlwind with regard to the buzz surrounding Nerdy Thirty. As the book became reality, I knew I wanted friends and family to read it and enjoy it. If a few business associates and contacts on Facebook and Twitter picked up the book, all the better. But what has happened since the book’s publication back in May has been nothing short of surprising, overwhelming, and tremendously humbling. The release of Nerdy Thirty opened many doors for me, including speaking engagements, regular writing gigs, and a bi-weekly appearance on The Pat and JT Show every other Friday morning on Q98-Five. (Talk about fun!)

My boyfriend, Matt, has worked in radio for as long as we have been together, and I’ve admired his work from afar. What peeks I’ve received on the periphery have been intriguing, and I count myself lucky to be with someone so creative and entertaining. Matt has given me many pointers – whether he has known it or not – about how to be engaging while on the air. I think I’m a better on-air personality on Q98-Five due in large part to Matt, which leads me to this very exciting announcement.

Saturday, October 9 will mark my debut as a co-host on The Weekly Grind, a weekly radio program for Omaha’s young professionals. The Weekly Grind airs at 10 a.m. Saturdays on KOIL (1180 AM) in Omaha, and is streamed online. The hour-long program has been on the air for more than year now, and is the brainchild of hosts Mike Shearer and Bryan Mohr. The Weekly Grind was my very first radio interview in early May when Nerdy Thirty rolled off the presses.

Recent staff changes created an opening on The Weekly Grind, and I’m delighted to be the show’s first female co-host. The Weekly Grind will continue to discuss topics impacting Omaha’s thriving young professional community. I’m excited to interview a variety of guests in the coming weeks and weigh-in on local issues that matter to the city’s young professionals, of which, at 31, I’m proud to be a member.

I hope you’ll tune in every now and again, and even call the show when you have something to say. The Weekly Grind will continue the conversation on Twitter and Facebook, too. And I would be remiss if I didn’t encourage you to suggest topics or guests for the show. Send me a email (wendy@shaggy-money.flywheelsites.com) with your ideas. The show is only as good as the content we produce and the audience we reach.

I can’t thank Mike and Bryan enough for this exciting opportunity. Since starting my gig on Q98-Five, I have found a home on the air that feels quite comfortable and natural. Having another creative outlet on the radio will only help refine my skills, and may even provide fodder for more essays. Rest assured, I will never stop writing, regardless of how many new opportunities come my way.

To everyone who has been so supportive during the past few months, I thank you. The encouragement and well wishes have been greatly appreciated and have made the experience of publishing my first book all the more gratifying and worthwhile.

And now, on with the show!

Des Moines, Iowa, is an uneventful and rather peaceful two-hour, eastward drive from Omaha, Nebraska. I found myself making the commute last month following an invitation to speak to members of Social Media Club Des Moines – also known lovingly as SMCDSM. (Quite clever, if you ask me.) Buzz from Nerdy Thirty arrived in Des Moines by way of Josh Fleming of Ad Mavericks fame, and a flurry of emails followed, making our discussions reality.

Buzz began on Twitter a few weeks before my scheduled speaking gig at The Machine Shed, a kitschy and sprawling “down home” restaurant and gift shop that serves lunch portions the size of most families’ Sunday dinners. As the online chatter continued, a particular tweet caught my attention. Folks from Strategic America, a Des Moines-based marketing agency, would load up their thirty-year-old leather couch and bring it to the SMCDSM event.

I’m not joking.

You can imagine my delight when I arrived at The Machine Shed to see the couch I only saw in tiny Twitter pictures, alive and well and ready for some company. I mean, the couch – aptly named The Chesterfield – is not only on Twitter, but it has its own blog, for goodness sake. This couch has some personality, and several SMCDSM guests got cozy on the couch (and snapped a few photos) before my presentation.

My talk focused on social media marketing and traditional media relations for the promotion of Nerdy Thirty. The group of fifty-plus people laughed at my jokes (bless their hearts) and asked some intriguing questions. The SMCDSM board and those who attended the event were nothing short of friendly and welcoming, and I thank them for their hospitality and good will. Everyone felt like fast friends, many of whom offered the most sincere compliments after my presentation.

Just one question remains, however: When can I come back?

Image via Wikipedia

It seems only appropriate that I mention “Sunday shoes” in a blog post I’m actually writing on a Sunday afternoon. It hails from the theme song of “Footloose,” the 1984 film featuring a baby-faced Kevin Bacon with music, fashion, and dialogue from that time and place in rural America.

The recognizable song by Kenny Loggins also welcomes audiences as the curtain rises on “Footloose, The Musical,” on stage now through Sunday, October 17 at the Omaha Community Playhouse. My toes tapped while watching the production Thursday night, and the songs remained in my head long after the final round of applause echoed through the midtown Omaha theatre at 69th and Cass Streets.

I will be the first to admit that most musicals are lost on me. I find great connection and even greater entertainment in more “real life” stories and scenarios, where the only music plays lightly in the background. However, the opening minutes of “Footloose, The Musical” changed my mind completely. The passion and talent by this year’s cast was breathtaking and energetic. The dance moves and songs put forth on stage were engrossing and highly entertaining.

The actors – young and old alike – were unquestionably dedicated to their craft, and paid an homage to the original film that audiences will most certainly recognize and enjoy. Some scenes from the film were eliminated or slightly edited, but the core theme remains and is presented in a way that audiences can’t help but fall in love with those on stage.

That “breathless” feeling culminates at the end of the night, as the actors greeted attendees just minutes after performing the night’s final number. They were still in costume, still all smiles, and completely out of breath. Their eyes and faces and smiles offer sublime appreciation for those who watched their two-hour journey, and offer even further evidence of the beauty and importance of community theatre.

These untouched, unedited photos were taken a few hours ago from my front porch in Omaha. My camera was thankfully within reach as the storm clouds rolled west to east at a very brisk pace. It truly was the calm before the storm.

Higher-res storm images have been uploaded to my Flickr account.

The cooler weather in this week’s forecast has me craving Corn Chowder, a family recipe I first shared back in January. If you are hungry for a stick-to-your-ribs kind of chowder, this recipe is for you.

And if you are feeling particularly adventurous/ambitious, pair the chowder with these awe-inspiring Corn Muffins. You will not be disappointed.

The shenanigans and celebrations surrounding Nerdy Thirty continue to bloom! And with the party I’m pleased as punch to announce the launch of exclusive iPhone and desktop wallpapers, and a cute-as-a-button Twitter icon.

Previews are below. Visit the Nerdy Thirty Goodies page to download your digital treats today.

When you’re done downloading, pay a special visit to the online castle of RDQLUS Creative, whose handiwork made these four little beauties possible.

I See London … (Or, How I Spent My Summer) | By Jasmine Maharisi

I measure my self-worth by the number of miles I’ve traveled. Late last year I signed up for my university’s annual London trip, a short study abroad experience that allowed communication students to explore another first world country and its media industries. The tuition for the trip was relatively cheap, in comparison to third-party study abroad programs, and I had plenty of time in advance to make the proper financial and work arrangements. It was perfect for a student who has her plate loaded with a full-time school schedule, a part-time job and freelance writing on the side. Not to mention my several extracurricular activities and an internship.

And there was a lot of preparation that went into this trip, and times that I wasn’t sure how I’d accomplish all I needed to do before my departure from Omaha’s Eppley Airport. But I did somehow, and arrived in London on May 9, 2010.

It didn’t hit me that I was in London until the third day when our group took the tube down to Trafalgar Square and I saw the quintessential English metropolitan that I envisioned: bustling, noisy, with signs for theatre tickets everywhere. And the National Gallery. Oh, how I’ll never forget the National Gallery! To walk among the several masterpieces in the museum must be what a trip to the holy land feels like: overwhelming yet peaceful, invigorating and above all, awe-inspiring. I saw Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers,” as well as “A Wheatfield with Cypresses.” Diego Velasquez was there, too, and Rubens and Elizabeth Sirani. “Portia Wounding Her Thigh,” one of my absolute favorite pieces, was there and when I saw Vigee’s self-portrait, I had to sit down I was so struck by its beauty. All of the great works I’ve studied were at the gallery, it seemed, and they were the real thing, the same canvas the artists had worked on. It was an indescribable moment and perhaps I’m trying in vain to convey my feelings through words.

Art is a transparent phenomenon as it absorbs and is magnified by its surroundings. That’s why curators spend an immense amount of time coordinating an exhibit; balancing out intense work with a simple, minimal environment while complimenting softer work with bold setups. As a tourist, and as someone who had recently walked and observed the streets of London upon entering the gallery, I associated the entire city as the gallery. In other words, the exhibits weren’t inside a four-walled structure, they were folded within an international locale with such wealth of character and history that it almost overwhelms this New World-er.

History. Is that what makes London so enchanting?

As I go through my travel photos and arrange them for my scrapbook project, I begin to have the insight that only distance—and a bit of nostalgia—can yield. I see a city that not only has an abundance of history, but a culture that refuses to sever ties with its past. There’s no regret in England. There’s not an apologetically meek smile to cultures or persons done wrong. We’re the epitome of human civilization, London seems to say, and it took a lot of mistakes to build enough character to become this charming.

About Jasmine Maharisi
Jasmine Maharisi is a journalist, writer, and artist whose work has been featured in a variety of publications. She has received several awards including, most recently, the 2009 Best Nonfiction–Travel Writing award from the Preservation Foundation. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska, and writes for independent, alternative publications including The Reader, El Perico, and Neighborhood News.

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