Inventation

Yep, I just made that word up. People today are forever combining a couple words to make a new word that usually works pretty well in certain situations.

I was thinking about this today after I learned a new word last night while out to eat with a cool group of women at a funky restaurant in Iowa City. I was in town visiting a friend who so kindly offered to let me stay with her on IRA meeting eve.

Translation: the Iowa Recycling Association board meeting was today in Cedar Rapids, so I used this occasion to visit my pal Susan whom I haven't seen for any quality time for quite a stretch. I met Susan some 11 years ago (we must have been just babies then) prior to my first IRA Fall Conference. We started chatting at a meeting (actually it was a waste sort workshop) and decided (since we're both very thrifty) to room together at the Conference - and we've been fast friends ever since.

Last night, Susan had made plans to go out to eat with some other area women who are "in the biz" - recycling education, or similar type fields. Intelligent women and fun to talk to. While we perused the menu, we talked about being vegetarian. A couple are, but they haven't totally cut meat out of their diets forever. Someone said this is called "Flexitarian". I like that word!

I don't like all made up words. For example "Synergy" is overused and sounds fake. Believing that two groups are going to have more energy because they are working together is most likely a pipe dream. (I don't have a clue where that saying came from...)

Today - for lunch after the IRA meeting, a caterer from Marengo, Iowa (a small town about a half hour away from IC) prepared a gourmet pasta bar right there in the City Carton (a recycling company) break room.

The chef/owner from Phat Daddies had a gas burner and a small saute pan which he primed with a little EVOO (if you watch Rachel Ray you know that's Extra Virgin Olive Oil). Each person selected their own ingredients for the meal. I picked: Penne pasta, scallops, shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes and marinara sauce. He sauteed stuff and then mixed the sauce in and added fresh Parmesan. Bene!

The whole trip was pretty good - but I need to remember to take the GPS next time I venture to the East Side. I don't drive and find places very well.