The Novelty of Homemade

Once upon a time we lived in a world where everything was "homemade." There was no such thing as "store bought" or "freezer foods." Clothes were all individually tailored and home sewn. With the industrial revolution and continuing growth in agricultural developments, things changed and goods were more frequently produced and exchanged. But even my parents grew up in a time where it was cheaper to make your food from scratch and sewing your clothes saved money. Oh my how the tables have turned! Mass production has made it cheaper and infinitely faster to buy a bag of chocolate chip cookies than to gather and buy each ingredient, mix and measure and bake. Novelty bakeries can get away with charging the same price for one homemade cookie as that whole box of store bought cookies. And People pay top dollar for hand sewn clothing these days. The longer it takes to make something the more it costs. Today there is a price tag to the novelty of "homemade" and "hand sewn."

The first time I realized this generational swap was in elementary school. I was putting up a fuss to not have "hot lunch" anymore and bring a sack lunch from home. Most kids thought that hot lunch was for the poor kids. I tried to explain this to my dad and he did not understand. So he explained to me, "when I was in school the hot lunches were really good and more expensive and the only reason kids brought lunch from home was because they couldn't afford it." Perhaps he was putting beans in my ears but I think it was true. But hot lunches in my day had become frozen fish sticks and watery frozen vegetables. This was never as good as my mom's home-made chicken or roast beef sandwiches.

Sadly many people from my generation don't know how to cook without a freezer and a microwave! I too cop out and enjoy these easy meals sometimes. But last night I made my mom's delicious homemade chicken noodle soup. I mean really homemade! Boiling the chicken with the onion to make the broth, seasoning the broth and adding veggies and then mixing the dough for the noodles, rolling it out and slicing each individual noodle. I'm sorry but Campbell's just doesn't cut it in my book! Unfortunately we live in a world of cats and dogs trying to eat the bread made by the Little Red Hen. It certainly helps to have a few steps taken care of, like having somebody else grow and mill the grain. But I think the time and effort that goes into Homemade is totally worth every bite!

Who is it for?

Many girls get more dolled up for a girls night out than they do for a date with their boyfriend/husband. That might not seem to make a lot of sense but it's more true than you would think. Girls are kind of funny like that. Getting their nails done, make-up, jewelry, purses and frills... there's no way that all that fluff is for the guys... Admit it ladies, we often do it for each other. And when it comes to name brands or where you shop, you know that the girls will understand or recognize the details that the guys would never notice. Most men just give a thumbs up or down to the "overall look" and could care less about the fact that your earrings match your necklace or that your sunglasses were Gucci or that you had a clutch verses a hand bag which is supposed to be very in right now. However, although men won't often notice the details they like, one little item can ruin it for them- perhaps a headband that they think makes you look like a two year old or they hate leopard print so they write off the whole thing just because of your belt. This may be why it's safer to go plain with the guys and save your accessories for lunch with the girls.
I would be quite interested to take a survey and ask a spread of women to rank these three reasons of why they get dolled up, pamper, wear name brands etc... 1) It's for the guys, 2) it's for the girls, and 3) it's for me. I'm not talking about why we get dressed in the morning, obviously that's a must, and we have to wear what is appropriate for work or comfortable around the house... But what is the motivation behind why we choose what we do? Why the details? That third option, "it's for me" is for those who do it for a little self esteem boost, or to express some of their creative side. Putting an outfit together, doing hair and make-up really can be an art and despite our ability to pull it off, it's fun to be creative and in this sense you do it for you as a hobby or creative outlet. You know it's not for the guys when you wear something that you know your significant other is not a fan of... this means you are doing it for you or for the girls! On the other hand, you know it's for the guy when you wear something that goes against the fashion rules just because he said he liked it.
So who is it for? Why the braids and the bows and the bolero or the lace and the kitten heels or patten leather? Why are there hundreds of fashion magazines targeted toward women? Why are there rules about what to wear and what not to wear and why are the women always the target of the "best dressed" and "worst dressed" in Hollywood? (although I admit I have noticed an increasing male population featured in the past few years.) Women not only wear certain things hoping for compliments from each other, but their attire is often an attempt to stay out of the line or criticisms or just to blend in.
Perhaps it began in the dress-up closet as children, comparing and contrasting who is wearing what and who looks better in it? Girls can be so weird and petty and vain... And yet so beautiful and elegant and glamorous. It's interesting how trends come about but still exist within various styles. "Trendy" is not unique to frilly girls or metro guys... These same social phenomenas happen in every circle- The outdoor type with their fancy gear or flaunting labels like Patagonia and Northface. Some women socialize within a circle where being "au naturale" is the trend, and even if they wanted to wear make-up they won't do it for the very same reasons the glamor girls don't dare to be seen without it, they worry about what the others will say? There are always a couple trendsetters within the group that the followers fear the most. Even teenage boys who are trying to make a statement against fashion by shopping at Goodwill or Thriftown- find themselves caught up in the trend and bragging how cheap or old something is to each other... It's a silly game that we all play to some degree. We see, we shop, we wear and wait for some sort of feedback. Who is it all for? Perhaps it's for whoever notices, or perhaps it is to be noticed. I don't think there is really a right or wrong reason, and for most of us the reasons change depending on the day or circumstance. Most people do it without really thinking about it, it's subconscious or tied to where we came from, who and what we are exposed to. Life is interesting, we often do funny things for all the reasons we can't really explain.

Heavy Boots

I finished an amazing book last night called "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," by Jonathan Safran Foer. I read it in a week and if I didn't have company last weekend then I probably would have read it in a couple of days. I laughed and cried each time I sat down to read, and then cried and laughed some more. Even on the bus and in the courtyard on my break from work... I couldn't help it. It was cleverly written and I really identified with the random thoughts and constant "inventing" by Oskar Schell, and I got "heavy boots" from the many tragedies recorded in the book. It has certainly made me reflect and remember "the worst day." And I can't seem to stop thinking about it so I thought I would write...
I remember it was "Toga Tuesday" of Homecoming week. I was running a little late that morning and as I walked down the all from the attendance office it was silent when I expected to hear the morning announcements taking place. I walked into Mr. Flemmings' class, A.P. U.S. History and everyone was staring at the TV. But rather than seeing Christy Flury on the screen was saw the twin towers. One of them was just hit by an airplane and it was smoking... We watched everything live- how appropriate for our US History class, I don't remember learning anything else that day- but we talked about it a lot. We watched the second plane hit, the first tower tumbling and the second shortly followed... the smoke, the people, the clips of the Pentagon and wondering what else could be coming? How could this happen, how could their plan really work? It was devastating and I was on the other side of the country, I didn't know anyone who died and it still rocked my little world and made wearing a toga seem pretty lame that day. I can't imagine those who were there, who experienced it, who lost loved ones, who survived and firefighters who saved... I can't imagine. Our homecoming themes took a change that week- we changed the assembly on Friday to a patriotic day with speakers rather than skits. We had a fundraiser and sold T-shirts that had "9-11-01" on the front and I think it said, "In memory of.." on the back- all proceeds went to one of the foundations helping in the recovery. We had a candle light vigil after the homecoming game where both teams and fans from both sides gathered on the field for the national moment of silence, followed by a few patriotic songs, and most of us cried. It was a somber time but also unifying. I think this event paved the way for my graduating class to break barriers and all become friends that year. Sometimes I look back on that year that followed and remember how much people realized they loved America and wanted to protect it... Things have changed over the past seven years. People have hardened, politics have become increasingly complicated and unfortunately the wars have continued. It may not be on our soil or so close to home, but these people are suffering. So many of them have lost those they love, they can't sleep or they sleep in fear. Where we worry about losing jobs, they worry about losing lives. And they are all hurt so they take it out on each other rather than mourning together. I can't imagine it. I take this peace for granted but I pray every day for less suffering and more peace. And why the fight? What good can come from it? If it is a religious battle then I don't understand, No God would want this. Just as no father wants to watch his children fight, it must break his heart. It gives me "heavy boots" and a heavy heart...

Thinking of those who must go...

Must they really go,
And will they really stay?

And leave me here to waste away?
I'm sure I'll be fine.
Their seats will be filled and others will come,
But that hole in my heart seems here for the run.

I used to be new,
Now they are all newer than me.
Does that make me old,
When that's not what I see?

These pages turn fast and I cannot keep up.
But I'll be ok because I'm happy to live,
And enjoy what comes from each perspective.

The people will change,
But I'm still me.
But left a little bit different from their mark on my tree.

Like they say when one door closes another will open.
But moving forward means leaving behind.
I miss that imprint from my foot in the sand,
While I quickly anticipate what the next step will find.

Soon I will go,
And I hope to leave my mark,
Like they did for me
Before they had to embark.

We are all on a journey
Coming from somewhere,
Or going from whence we came.
Learn a little, leave a little,
And you'll never be the same.

We are lucky to meet,
To cross paths and share moments.
But then you must go, while I must stay.
But next time I'll be the one on my way.

Oh the books we will write...

I think just about anyone who can read and write has said at one point that they are going to write a book someday. Perhaps a story you want to tell or a theory that you have... I spent last Sunday morning sharing these ideas back and forth with my friend Meagan. Everything from Travel books to coffee table books... I went through a phase of thinking that I would no doubt be an author of children's literature if I could get an illustrator to capture my imagination. Sunday afternoon I found myself on a beautiful drive with my dad, again discussing the books he has thought about writing. Books are a beautiful thing, the creation of words put together to create worlds and people and unforgettable tales. I have thought about starting a book club... or perhaps I should call it a writing club, where we put the pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) with the ideas we all walk around with stirring in our minds. This explains my last post- I have had that intro in my head for months and figured I should write it out at least as a draft- I think it would be a series of short stories tied together from the perspective of the youngest child learning from the various experiences of her older siblings. Obviously this would be based off of some of my real life experiences but also from the observations of many other families and the various traits in birth order etc... Anyway, this is one of the many books I think about- It's hard to think that with all of the books out there, that there could still be so many stories yet to tell. I think that if I make it to heaven then one of the first things I will do is get a library card to the celestial library where I imagine a super comfy white chaise where I will sit and read to my heart's delight!

Chapter one...

Sticky fingers reaching for my face and snot dripping kisses running down my cheek. By the time number seven came around germs were antiquity in mom's book. I don't remember it but I've heard the story enough to know that I came into this world with six little smiling faces waiting for me. I've seen that picture of all seven of us piled on mom laying in the hospital bed the day I was born. So even though I was only hours old, I feel like I can remember the details of Amber's pink sweater with neon lime trim and Kelly's butchered bangs that she trimmed herself, while Micheal posed as a tough guy but mom said he cried more than anyone that day.
I had no idea what I was getting into when I decided to come to earth and be born into this family. And if somebody had warned me then I would likely still be sitting in heaven strumming my fingers. But God must have known that they needed me.
For a long time I worried about being the seventh wheel on the Tyrell P34, three boys and three girls, and then me, the extra girl who threw things out of balance. As I grew up Hank would sometimes tell me that I counted as both because I could hang with both sides, like a wild card in a full house.
I was always there and never there. Always there because I had nowhere else to go. I went to every game and recital. It seemed like I had permanent imprints on my legs from the little wire seat in the front of the grocery cart. I went everywhere with mom, running errands, folding laundry and giving rides. But on the other hand I was never there, there was so much going on that life went on the same whether I was there or not. With a family of nine, it was already too much to split the the time pie into eight pieces, let alone nine, so I was usually sharing a bite with somebody else.
You might be surprised at the wealth of knowledge that the little fly on the wall can really take in. But it's a limited perspective you know, it's all about watch and learn rather than live and learn. I don't know which is the better way, but I sure feel like I learned my fair share.

Learn something new

We have all heard the cliche, "you learn something new every day." Which is a thought that I enjoy because I love learning and I can only hope that my brain is continually expanding. However, what is it that we fill our brains with? I believe I have mentioned that I have a desk job- which means I am susceptible to the Internet for eight hours each day. Which seems a little frightening, although much of this time is just spent sifting through work emails. So I decided to take note of what I learn in a day, and here are a few things from the last 24 hours, both through Internet and people, etc....
The word "cosset" is a form of doting on somebody like a pet. Temple Square in Salt Lake City is the 16th most visited tourist site in the US. An Air France jet went missing off the coast of Brazil yesterday. On average lightning hits one airplane every three years. Massachusetts is the only and first state to have mandatory health care, and if you are not willing to pay for it then you will be penalized on your taxes. I am going to have dinner at the Carters on Wed night. Oakland Airport parking is $16 a day for economy, $22 for daily, and $32 for the hourly/day. The Tongan Monarchy is one of the Oldest continuous monarchies in history, and in the 1980's they sold Tongan passports to anyone who wanted a passport even if they could not get one in their own country. The last Titanic survivor died yesterday. INSEAD Business school is taught in English but requires a second language competency upon admission and a third language competency upon graduation. London Business School has approximately 320 students, 25% women. The Bachelorette started a new season last week. Conan is starting at a new time. Lost gets more weird every season. It is supposed to be chilly in San Fran this week but get up to 72 degrees on Sunday. My friend Amanda got a puppy last week. Another friend Sara spent the weekend in Seattle and said the best burgers she has ever had were at Red Mill Burgers. And another friend Michelle recommended the new movie Up and Up. And my friend Jill just returned home from the hospital. (I admit there is a lot of social learning through blogs/facebook.) We are getting a new sink in our apartment tomorrow. Half of the people in my office are sick with some variation of a cold. We ran out of Vitamin C and cough drops in the medicine cabinet at work. My coworker spent the weekend in Napa and drank a lot. Another coworker bought an off colored sweater on sale at Banana Republic for $3. Victoria's Secret gave away free panties to their first 100 customers who came in with the offer code yesterday. My husband can actually make pretty good spaghetti sauce all on his own now. Somebody slept in our apartment while we were out of town. Two of my husband's high school friends just got engaged...
There are plenty of other potentially useless facts that I may have absorbed yesterday but these are the ones I remembered. And who knows which are based on truth and which are opinion and what I can take for face value. But it is interesting to recount what one can learn in a day.