Fisher's Mom
Mother Superior
WooHoo! Here is our latest peek at one of our wonderful members - vyapti!
Tell us a little about yourself - your family or household, kids, pets, occupation, etc.
My name is Matt. I live in Eugene, Oregon with my wife and three kids, ages 15, 13 and 9. I’ve learned that kids get funner as they get older and I’m proud that they are not yet embarrassed by me. My middle girl is a budding cook herself and I do whatever I can to encourage that. I even wash her dirty dishes with limited complaint. I love to cook and garden and I recently took up baking, which is definitely a work in progress.
I spent my professional life working in non-profits. My first non-profit gig was as a temporary grant writer while I completed graduate school. I ended up quitting grad school and never looked back. I currently run a small non-profit that builds and operates affordable housing complexes for people with developmental disabilities.
I don’t eat meat, dairy or eggs. I originally adopted a vegan diet for health reasons, but as I read more and more, I became convinced that it was the right move for me for ethical and environmental reasons as well. Since giving up meat and cheese, my cooking ability and variety had increased exponentially. My roots are Italian, but I also love Indian, Thai and Hispanic cuisines as well. I’m always up to try something new. I chronicle my cooking on my vegan cooking blog (myveggiekitchen.blogspot.com).
What part of the world do you live in?
I live in Eugene, Oregon.
I grew up in rural Central Washington, which is the desert side of the state with hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters, more like Idaho than Seattle. The hydroelectric dams dotting the Columbia has made it a slow-moving lake and I spent much of my childhood on the river, in the hills or one of the lakes scattered throughout the region. The recreational opportunity was amazing the thing I miss most about old-home, except, of course for my family.
I’ve lived in Eugene for about four years, now. I think it’s appropriate that I live in the most progressive part of one of the most progressive states in the union, because I’m pretty damn hippie. I spent much of my career working in energy conservation, went to school for natural resource management and on most environmental and social issues, I’m left of the left side of the aisle.
How did you find the NCT community?
There was an exodus of people I enjoyed from another site. It took me a while, but I eventually found NTC.
Do you have any hobbies besides cooking?
I just moved into a house who’s previous occupant let half the yard die, with the other half overgrown. So, gardening and yard work are my current obsession. I also have a food blog and, because of my blog, I’ve learned to enjoy photography.
I also enjoy football and basketball, but I don’t seem to watch much anymore. The Seahawks suck, and that doesn’t help. I’m learning to like the Oregon Ducks but, in my heart, I’ll always be a Husky fan. And that’s kind of like being a Buckeye in Ann Arbor.
If you could choose any profession or occupation, what would it be and why?
My favorite job ever was the Program Director for a low-income Weatherization and Energy Education program. If that existed in a town with more than 20,000 people, I’d still be there. Aside from that, I can see myself running some eclectic-hippie-foodie hole-in-the-wall place somewhere. When the kids move away, I think I’ll take steps to make it happen. I’ll be 47 and in need of a good mid-life crisis and that sounds a good as any.
How and why did you choose your Username? What does it mean?
There’s an old Indian philosophy that did not believe that there was a causal relationship between past, present and future. I learned about vyapti there, which means invariable concomitance. These dudes believed that fire, for instance, exists invariably with smoke (when there is smoke, there is always fire) and that the fire, therefore, did not cause the smoke. I liked the word, the philosophy intrigued me, and, on the internet, vyapti is unique. I learned later that Vyapti is also a feminine name in India and I do sometimes get hit on by Indian men.
What is a typical day like for you?
Work, cook, homework overlord, surf the net, maybe some TV and a glass of wine.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I'd say my kids make me most proud, but that's kind of a cop out. Professionally, I saved a non-profit from bankruptcy and implemented some pretty neat programs.
Give us 5 words that describe you.
Determined, Consistent, Analytical, Confident, Reserved
Name 5 things that would be on your "bucket list".
I’d prefer to just not die.
Name 5 things you can't live without.
Kristen, Andie, Simona, Doug and laptop
Who is your role model and why?
I admire my mom because she fulfills her convictions in a way so much different than I do. In many ways we are diametric opposites, yet in other ways we are so alike.
Tell us one thing about yourself that people would be surprised to know.
I have very little sense of smell.
What would the child you once were think of the adult you have become?
I used to be an arrogant alcoholic with limited social skills. Teenage me wouldn’t even notice adult me. I wouldn’t be worth his time.
What is the best moment of your life so far?
I don’t think there is a moment, but the collection of little things that my kids do or say that remind me how special they all are. Really, these moments are the only thing that save them when they decide to be teenagers, well, two of them at least.
How and at what age did you start cooking?
I was probably around 10 when I started cooking. My first signature dish, after I moved out of the house, was Fettuccine Alfredo (and beer). I gained a lot of weight when I moved out.
Do you have a signature dish or one that you make especially well?
Outside of weeknight meals, I don’t often make the same thing the same way twice. On special occasions, I usually get requests to make Indian food and that usually includes pakoras, stuffed parathas and two or three other dishes.
What is your favorite spice?
I just counted and, including my blends and whole spices, I’ve got 76 spice containers plus about a dozen fresh herbs. If I had to pick just one, it would probably be cumin. Nothing beats the smell of dry-roasting cumin.
What 2 cooking tools/gadgets/appliances would you swap from your kitchen and what would you swap them for?
I’d ditch my roasting pan and my cheapo always-stick griddle. I’d swap them for a cast iron griddle and a food processor.
What is your favorite restaurant meal?
Anything Thai.
What would your last meal be if you could choose anything at all?
Biscuits & gravy with hash browns and a tofu scramble.
If you could host a dinner party with 6 well-known guests, living or dead, who would they be and what would you serve?
Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, Mahatma Gandhi, Nagarjuna, Jim Morrison, and Robin William. A collection of great minds with incredible commitments and revolutionary spirit. I’d have an eclectic collection of Tapas that could be made ahead of time.
Who would you most like to prepare a meal for and why. What would you serve?
Gordon Ramsey because I’d like him to experience a wonderful vegan meal, maybe eat his words for desert. I recently made dosas with spicy tofu-spinach filling and roasted red pepper sauce. It was delicious and about as fancy-schmancy as I get.
Who would you most like to have prepare a meal for you?
My Great Grandma Louise is the patriarch of my family. She was old-world Italian. I’d have her make Bubitzu with me, which was her biscotti recipe that was lost because she never wrote anything down. I took her for granted when she was alive.
100 years from now, how would you like to be remembered?
That I was actually a Time Lord with amnesia. Now where’d I put my tardis?
My pictures:
My middle girl, Simona with her younger sister resting before we climbed to the summit.
Doug (my eldest) a few feet ahead of us in dense fog.
Doug pointing at something. The only way to get his picture is to trick him.
Doug and Baby - Doug and my best friend's newest project. He loves kids and doesn't realize how much of a babe magnet liking babies is.
Fog rolling in - just a picture at the summit of Mount Pisgah.
Foggy Tree - just a tree in the fog, again on Mount Piagah
Kristen's Birthday - picture of of my wife, Kristen at her 40th birthday.
Me and BooBoo - me holding one of my cats.
Me and Mo - my middle girl and I wandering the summit of Mount Pisgah.
Tell us a little about yourself - your family or household, kids, pets, occupation, etc.
My name is Matt. I live in Eugene, Oregon with my wife and three kids, ages 15, 13 and 9. I’ve learned that kids get funner as they get older and I’m proud that they are not yet embarrassed by me. My middle girl is a budding cook herself and I do whatever I can to encourage that. I even wash her dirty dishes with limited complaint. I love to cook and garden and I recently took up baking, which is definitely a work in progress.
I spent my professional life working in non-profits. My first non-profit gig was as a temporary grant writer while I completed graduate school. I ended up quitting grad school and never looked back. I currently run a small non-profit that builds and operates affordable housing complexes for people with developmental disabilities.
I don’t eat meat, dairy or eggs. I originally adopted a vegan diet for health reasons, but as I read more and more, I became convinced that it was the right move for me for ethical and environmental reasons as well. Since giving up meat and cheese, my cooking ability and variety had increased exponentially. My roots are Italian, but I also love Indian, Thai and Hispanic cuisines as well. I’m always up to try something new. I chronicle my cooking on my vegan cooking blog (myveggiekitchen.blogspot.com).
What part of the world do you live in?
I live in Eugene, Oregon.
I grew up in rural Central Washington, which is the desert side of the state with hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters, more like Idaho than Seattle. The hydroelectric dams dotting the Columbia has made it a slow-moving lake and I spent much of my childhood on the river, in the hills or one of the lakes scattered throughout the region. The recreational opportunity was amazing the thing I miss most about old-home, except, of course for my family.
I’ve lived in Eugene for about four years, now. I think it’s appropriate that I live in the most progressive part of one of the most progressive states in the union, because I’m pretty damn hippie. I spent much of my career working in energy conservation, went to school for natural resource management and on most environmental and social issues, I’m left of the left side of the aisle.
How did you find the NCT community?
There was an exodus of people I enjoyed from another site. It took me a while, but I eventually found NTC.
Do you have any hobbies besides cooking?
I just moved into a house who’s previous occupant let half the yard die, with the other half overgrown. So, gardening and yard work are my current obsession. I also have a food blog and, because of my blog, I’ve learned to enjoy photography.
I also enjoy football and basketball, but I don’t seem to watch much anymore. The Seahawks suck, and that doesn’t help. I’m learning to like the Oregon Ducks but, in my heart, I’ll always be a Husky fan. And that’s kind of like being a Buckeye in Ann Arbor.
If you could choose any profession or occupation, what would it be and why?
My favorite job ever was the Program Director for a low-income Weatherization and Energy Education program. If that existed in a town with more than 20,000 people, I’d still be there. Aside from that, I can see myself running some eclectic-hippie-foodie hole-in-the-wall place somewhere. When the kids move away, I think I’ll take steps to make it happen. I’ll be 47 and in need of a good mid-life crisis and that sounds a good as any.
How and why did you choose your Username? What does it mean?
There’s an old Indian philosophy that did not believe that there was a causal relationship between past, present and future. I learned about vyapti there, which means invariable concomitance. These dudes believed that fire, for instance, exists invariably with smoke (when there is smoke, there is always fire) and that the fire, therefore, did not cause the smoke. I liked the word, the philosophy intrigued me, and, on the internet, vyapti is unique. I learned later that Vyapti is also a feminine name in India and I do sometimes get hit on by Indian men.
What is a typical day like for you?
Work, cook, homework overlord, surf the net, maybe some TV and a glass of wine.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I'd say my kids make me most proud, but that's kind of a cop out. Professionally, I saved a non-profit from bankruptcy and implemented some pretty neat programs.
Give us 5 words that describe you.
Determined, Consistent, Analytical, Confident, Reserved
Name 5 things that would be on your "bucket list".
I’d prefer to just not die.
Name 5 things you can't live without.
Kristen, Andie, Simona, Doug and laptop
Who is your role model and why?
I admire my mom because she fulfills her convictions in a way so much different than I do. In many ways we are diametric opposites, yet in other ways we are so alike.
Tell us one thing about yourself that people would be surprised to know.
I have very little sense of smell.
What would the child you once were think of the adult you have become?
I used to be an arrogant alcoholic with limited social skills. Teenage me wouldn’t even notice adult me. I wouldn’t be worth his time.
What is the best moment of your life so far?
I don’t think there is a moment, but the collection of little things that my kids do or say that remind me how special they all are. Really, these moments are the only thing that save them when they decide to be teenagers, well, two of them at least.
How and at what age did you start cooking?
I was probably around 10 when I started cooking. My first signature dish, after I moved out of the house, was Fettuccine Alfredo (and beer). I gained a lot of weight when I moved out.
Do you have a signature dish or one that you make especially well?
Outside of weeknight meals, I don’t often make the same thing the same way twice. On special occasions, I usually get requests to make Indian food and that usually includes pakoras, stuffed parathas and two or three other dishes.
What is your favorite spice?
I just counted and, including my blends and whole spices, I’ve got 76 spice containers plus about a dozen fresh herbs. If I had to pick just one, it would probably be cumin. Nothing beats the smell of dry-roasting cumin.
What 2 cooking tools/gadgets/appliances would you swap from your kitchen and what would you swap them for?
I’d ditch my roasting pan and my cheapo always-stick griddle. I’d swap them for a cast iron griddle and a food processor.
What is your favorite restaurant meal?
Anything Thai.
What would your last meal be if you could choose anything at all?
Biscuits & gravy with hash browns and a tofu scramble.
If you could host a dinner party with 6 well-known guests, living or dead, who would they be and what would you serve?
Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, Mahatma Gandhi, Nagarjuna, Jim Morrison, and Robin William. A collection of great minds with incredible commitments and revolutionary spirit. I’d have an eclectic collection of Tapas that could be made ahead of time.
Who would you most like to prepare a meal for and why. What would you serve?
Gordon Ramsey because I’d like him to experience a wonderful vegan meal, maybe eat his words for desert. I recently made dosas with spicy tofu-spinach filling and roasted red pepper sauce. It was delicious and about as fancy-schmancy as I get.
Who would you most like to have prepare a meal for you?
My Great Grandma Louise is the patriarch of my family. She was old-world Italian. I’d have her make Bubitzu with me, which was her biscotti recipe that was lost because she never wrote anything down. I took her for granted when she was alive.
100 years from now, how would you like to be remembered?
That I was actually a Time Lord with amnesia. Now where’d I put my tardis?
My pictures:
My middle girl, Simona with her younger sister resting before we climbed to the summit.
Doug (my eldest) a few feet ahead of us in dense fog.
Doug pointing at something. The only way to get his picture is to trick him.
Doug and Baby - Doug and my best friend's newest project. He loves kids and doesn't realize how much of a babe magnet liking babies is.
Fog rolling in - just a picture at the summit of Mount Pisgah.
Foggy Tree - just a tree in the fog, again on Mount Piagah
Kristen's Birthday - picture of of my wife, Kristen at her 40th birthday.
Me and BooBoo - me holding one of my cats.
Me and Mo - my middle girl and I wandering the summit of Mount Pisgah.
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