http://tiffanysattempt.blogspot.com/2011/08/unforeseen-benefits.html
This one took a lot out of me. I didn't have 2 posts in me today. A first child turning thirteen takes a lot out of me, I guess.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
A Good Cup of Coffee
So I mentioned fair trade the other day, and as I'm drinking my coffee I am thinking this is one of the biggest changes I have made in my consumption habits. This is a bit of a tightrope to walk, because I don't want to make people feel burdened with something instead of inspired by something. I hope you will take my thoughts on this in stride, and know that I don't judge people for not taking up all of my causes or internalizing all of my convictions. Please take a free pass and don't read today's post if you would like to not analyze your morning cuppa joe.
We drink lots of coffee. Not just me and Jeff, but our nation. It's, like, a staple. One that we, as a big powerful and only recently downgraded country seek big, cheap supplies from the "Third World." When we do that, sometimes small farmers go from being able to provide a simple yet sufficient life for their families to being on the edge of starvation and disaster. A cheaper commodity can mean a slashed income for someone not exactly living in the lap of luxury in the first place. If you want an in-depth look at the coffee system, watch the documentary Black Gold.
The amount of injustices in the world are myriad, and the idea of addressing them all is overwhelming. In an effort to not become completely depressed or crazy, we make choices which battles to engage in. Because coffee is something Ineed enjoy on a daily basis, I should examine my participation in the coffee cycle. Coffee also happens to be one of those things where conscious-clearing alternatives exist. You can buy coffee with the little fair trade logo on bags in your grocery store, for instance. Wegman's store brand carries a couple of fair trade blends, as does Target's. Even Aldi is selling a fair trade blend now! A good brand sold in many stores and at Bruegger's is Green Mountain.
I buy all kinds of brands, but I have 2 favorites I must tell you about. Available online via Amazon, and possibly the best practice company on the planet is Pura Vida.
They are serious about changing business models to benefit ALL people involved and protect the environment. (Oh yeah, other benefits of fair trade coffee are not only that it is usually of superior quality, it is usually organic).
Perhaps the coffee dearest to my heart is Paramount's Rwanda Coffee .
Have you ever seen Hotel Rwanda? This coffee is Michigan State University's effort to make sure something like the 1994 war and genocide never happens again in that country. They work with farmers in Rwanda to make sure they have a market for and are paid well for their coffee. It's just an all around beautiful partnership. And good coffee. You can get it online, or if you are one of the lucky souls who lives in or around East Lansing, MI (insert my sigh of longing), you can purchase it at Goodrich's Shop-Rite or at your local Biggby's. It's what I'm drinking this morning.
Coffee may not be your passion. But there might be something else that is. If you would ever like to share something you've learned with an audience, please contact me and we can talk about an O,R guest writer spot for you. Maybe even over a cup of fair trade coffee:)
We drink lots of coffee. Not just me and Jeff, but our nation. It's, like, a staple. One that we, as a big powerful and only recently downgraded country seek big, cheap supplies from the "Third World." When we do that, sometimes small farmers go from being able to provide a simple yet sufficient life for their families to being on the edge of starvation and disaster. A cheaper commodity can mean a slashed income for someone not exactly living in the lap of luxury in the first place. If you want an in-depth look at the coffee system, watch the documentary Black Gold.
The amount of injustices in the world are myriad, and the idea of addressing them all is overwhelming. In an effort to not become completely depressed or crazy, we make choices which battles to engage in. Because coffee is something I
I buy all kinds of brands, but I have 2 favorites I must tell you about. Available online via Amazon, and possibly the best practice company on the planet is Pura Vida.
They are serious about changing business models to benefit ALL people involved and protect the environment. (Oh yeah, other benefits of fair trade coffee are not only that it is usually of superior quality, it is usually organic).
Perhaps the coffee dearest to my heart is Paramount's Rwanda Coffee .
Have you ever seen Hotel Rwanda? This coffee is Michigan State University's effort to make sure something like the 1994 war and genocide never happens again in that country. They work with farmers in Rwanda to make sure they have a market for and are paid well for their coffee. It's just an all around beautiful partnership. And good coffee. You can get it online, or if you are one of the lucky souls who lives in or around East Lansing, MI (insert my sigh of longing), you can purchase it at Goodrich's Shop-Rite or at your local Biggby's. It's what I'm drinking this morning.
Coffee may not be your passion. But there might be something else that is. If you would ever like to share something you've learned with an audience, please contact me and we can talk about an O,R guest writer spot for you. Maybe even over a cup of fair trade coffee:)
Monday, August 29, 2011
Proud Worrier
It is Monday morning. You're welcome for the reminder.
It is what we call "easing in" week at our house. The school-is-almost-here-so-we-better-practice-going-to-bed-earlier-but-more-importantly-waking-up-earlier week. So up at 6 for me. Or maybe 6:15ish. It was definitely before 6:30.
I didn't get as much done as I hoped. I did get a run in. And an important phone call to my new boss. And an e-mail I needed to send. But up to this point there's been a lot of coffee and some playing with Anna on the Wii. We snagged a new Miss Piggy Mii last night and I just had to see how fabulous she looked doing Kung-Fu. For Feminism's sake. `
I did, in spite of myself, manage to do a little morning meditation, devotion, quiet time, getting ready for the day, or whatever you want to call it. And the message in my Book of Awakenings was amazingly fitting. Today's title is "Live Your Worries Through."
Worry is a palpable feeling in our house this week. My little one did not have such a great last school year, and as this one approaches: worry. I have not worked every day, 5 days a week outside of my house where I have to dress up and be somewhere at a scheduled morning hour for years: worry. My husband's first day with students is this morning and when he got on the computer this morning, his university's entire network was down. And he's a freshman advisor. You're tired of my list already. So am I.
The author pointed out that worry is when we start running a track in our mind of all the bad things we imagine could happen. I am not a pro at a lot of things, but I am a PRO at this. You want to know all the possible things that can go wrong in a situation - come to me. I can rattle off a cool list of 20. So the invitation to live in the moment is one I often find myself longing to respond to and yet find so difficult to actually do.
Living in the moment is the only real safe place, Nepo says, because it is the place we can actually reach out for those who nurture us. This is a nice thought, and feminists would like to remind us that we women have each other to reach out to when we are feeling anxious about our new work demands, or helpless as a mother, or inadequate about the things we long to do. I like that thought too.
After the writing, Nepo always offers a little exercise. This morning, it was to open your hands until you feel the worry leave, then dwell on that feeling. This brought back to me something from The Celebration of Discipline (it's better than it sounds), when the author talked about lifting something up in prayer, physically with your hands, then with your hands, setting it down. Our associate pastor delivered a lovely message yesterday entitled "How do you hear God?" She suggested that God is often speaking and we, for several reasons, don't hear. For me, I think it's because I am so busy worrying and trying to work out the solutions to all the scary "What ifs" I've mentally conjured.
We need each other. We even need to figure out solutions to our problems. But sometimes, we just need to breathe deeply and let it go. But we think it's so important - we can't just let it go. Only Jesus makes this offer to exhausted worriers:
Matthew 11:28 ''Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest."
So I know it's not Spiritual Wednesday; sometimes you need the Holy Ghost to get you through Monday.
And to reiterate the point: I Peter 5:8 "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you." Though I think the preceding verse, at least in my case, is the key. "So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you."
What does most of my worry stem from? What do I worry about? Isn't pride the eye of many of my worry storms? Do I not hear God because I haven't humbled myself to acknowledge his power (and my powerlessness)? If I wasn't so concerned for my precious hide, or maybe more accurately, my ego, I venture to say I would worry a lot less.
We may all have different things to release. Before I hand over the worry, I need to let go of the pride. I hope you can find a way to get some rest today, even though it's Monday.
It is what we call "easing in" week at our house. The school-is-almost-here-so-we-better-practice-going-to-bed-earlier-but-more-importantly-waking-up-earlier week. So up at 6 for me. Or maybe 6:15ish. It was definitely before 6:30.
I didn't get as much done as I hoped. I did get a run in. And an important phone call to my new boss. And an e-mail I needed to send. But up to this point there's been a lot of coffee and some playing with Anna on the Wii. We snagged a new Miss Piggy Mii last night and I just had to see how fabulous she looked doing Kung-Fu. For Feminism's sake. `
I did, in spite of myself, manage to do a little morning meditation, devotion, quiet time, getting ready for the day, or whatever you want to call it. And the message in my Book of Awakenings was amazingly fitting. Today's title is "Live Your Worries Through."
Worry is a palpable feeling in our house this week. My little one did not have such a great last school year, and as this one approaches: worry. I have not worked every day, 5 days a week outside of my house where I have to dress up and be somewhere at a scheduled morning hour for years: worry. My husband's first day with students is this morning and when he got on the computer this morning, his university's entire network was down. And he's a freshman advisor. You're tired of my list already. So am I.
The author pointed out that worry is when we start running a track in our mind of all the bad things we imagine could happen. I am not a pro at a lot of things, but I am a PRO at this. You want to know all the possible things that can go wrong in a situation - come to me. I can rattle off a cool list of 20. So the invitation to live in the moment is one I often find myself longing to respond to and yet find so difficult to actually do.
Living in the moment is the only real safe place, Nepo says, because it is the place we can actually reach out for those who nurture us. This is a nice thought, and feminists would like to remind us that we women have each other to reach out to when we are feeling anxious about our new work demands, or helpless as a mother, or inadequate about the things we long to do. I like that thought too.
After the writing, Nepo always offers a little exercise. This morning, it was to open your hands until you feel the worry leave, then dwell on that feeling. This brought back to me something from The Celebration of Discipline (it's better than it sounds), when the author talked about lifting something up in prayer, physically with your hands, then with your hands, setting it down. Our associate pastor delivered a lovely message yesterday entitled "How do you hear God?" She suggested that God is often speaking and we, for several reasons, don't hear. For me, I think it's because I am so busy worrying and trying to work out the solutions to all the scary "What ifs" I've mentally conjured.
We need each other. We even need to figure out solutions to our problems. But sometimes, we just need to breathe deeply and let it go. But we think it's so important - we can't just let it go. Only Jesus makes this offer to exhausted worriers:
Matthew 11:28 ''Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest."
So I know it's not Spiritual Wednesday; sometimes you need the Holy Ghost to get you through Monday.
And to reiterate the point: I Peter 5:8 "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you." Though I think the preceding verse, at least in my case, is the key. "So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you."
What does most of my worry stem from? What do I worry about? Isn't pride the eye of many of my worry storms? Do I not hear God because I haven't humbled myself to acknowledge his power (and my powerlessness)? If I wasn't so concerned for my precious hide, or maybe more accurately, my ego, I venture to say I would worry a lot less.
We may all have different things to release. Before I hand over the worry, I need to let go of the pride. I hope you can find a way to get some rest today, even though it's Monday.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Practice What You Preach, Mama
Years ago, I started learning about how our stuff was made. Where it comes from. Who makes it. How much those people are paid. What kind of conditions they work in. How old they are. The phrase "fair trade" entered my vocabulary. (Not to be confused with free trade).
I am curious by nature. When I started getting curious about the stuff I buy, I began research on clothing companies, shoe companies, and coffee. I started making changes in our families consumption patterns. I switched from Nike running shoes to made in the USA New Balance, for instance. I stopped spending my dollars at certain stores.
But I conveniently never looked into chocolate.
Somewhere, lurking around the edges of my consciousness I knew there was an issue with chocolate. I mean, they sell fair trade chocolate. And come on, I made the very expensive diehard switch to fair trade coffee, and we are coffee addicts in my house. When one of my extended family comes to visit we easily blow through one of those 12 oz bags in a weekend.
Besides coffee, I am addicted to chocolate. As in, I will bust open a bag of chocolate chips in the pantry if I need a fix.
Have I mentioned that I love my daughter's New Moon magazine? She loves it too, and spent a large part of the afternoon waving the new issue under my nose. "Look, Mom - vegetarian recipes." "Look, Mom, this is one of my (chat) friends who wrote this poem." And then, "Mom, did you know this about chocolate? You should read this article."
Damn.
This impossibly responsible looking redheaded girl is smiling up at me from the magazine pages telling me all about how she tried to get a certain chocolate company to change their labor practices and how they wouldn't do it. About how little kids slave away picking cocoa beans for terrible pay and such. I look up and see my daughter peering into my soul. "We could buy that chocolate that comes in the colorful wrappers at Wegman's, Mom. That stuff is fair trade."
I put chocolate chips in cookies, muffins, and granola bars (and straight into my mouth). That is going to get quite expensive.
But my daughter is watching.
That's the hard part about trying to teach our beliefs to the younger generation. Whether feminist or Christian or whatever principles we find important to share, if there is a whiff of hypocrisy about us, it renders our message irrelevant.
Talk is cheap. Unlike fair trade chocolate.
I am curious by nature. When I started getting curious about the stuff I buy, I began research on clothing companies, shoe companies, and coffee. I started making changes in our families consumption patterns. I switched from Nike running shoes to made in the USA New Balance, for instance. I stopped spending my dollars at certain stores.
But I conveniently never looked into chocolate.
Somewhere, lurking around the edges of my consciousness I knew there was an issue with chocolate. I mean, they sell fair trade chocolate. And come on, I made the very expensive diehard switch to fair trade coffee, and we are coffee addicts in my house. When one of my extended family comes to visit we easily blow through one of those 12 oz bags in a weekend.
Besides coffee, I am addicted to chocolate. As in, I will bust open a bag of chocolate chips in the pantry if I need a fix.
Have I mentioned that I love my daughter's New Moon magazine? She loves it too, and spent a large part of the afternoon waving the new issue under my nose. "Look, Mom - vegetarian recipes." "Look, Mom, this is one of my (chat) friends who wrote this poem." And then, "Mom, did you know this about chocolate? You should read this article."
Damn.
This impossibly responsible looking redheaded girl is smiling up at me from the magazine pages telling me all about how she tried to get a certain chocolate company to change their labor practices and how they wouldn't do it. About how little kids slave away picking cocoa beans for terrible pay and such. I look up and see my daughter peering into my soul. "We could buy that chocolate that comes in the colorful wrappers at Wegman's, Mom. That stuff is fair trade."
I put chocolate chips in cookies, muffins, and granola bars (and straight into my mouth). That is going to get quite expensive.
But my daughter is watching.
That's the hard part about trying to teach our beliefs to the younger generation. Whether feminist or Christian or whatever principles we find important to share, if there is a whiff of hypocrisy about us, it renders our message irrelevant.
Talk is cheap. Unlike fair trade chocolate.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
But really ... Eww!
Long time, no see. Or maybe you, like me, have been too busy enjoying your summer to notice that I haven't been posting?
I'm breaking the long silence with a strange news article today. The kind that will make Jon Stuart and Steven Colbert so sad that they are off for 2 weeks. It appears that Khadaffy, Ghaddafi, or however we are spelling his name today, apparently has a crush on Condoleeza Rice.
Interesting. This man is typically associated with being a despot. Not exactly a poster child for supporting strong career-driven women. But he admires "his" darling black African woman, as he puts it, and is proud of her. A Condoleeza photo album found in his compound serves as proof.
Rice responded that the whole thing was a bit "creepy and bizarre." And let's admit, slightly humorous if you are not Condoleeza. I don't know what your opinion of Rice is, but you have to feel kind of sorry for her that one of the biggest weirdos in the world has a public fascination with her.
Why am I posting on this besides the obvious reveling in snarky humor? I find it interesting when men who, in general, do not support ideas like women's autonomy and freedom (or arguably, anyone's autonomy or freedom) have a thing for a strong, smart, independent woman. It has long been said that the intelligent and successful girls aren't boyfriend magnets. But a woman with credentials and courage has a power of her own. A woman like Condoleeza Rice, whatever you think about her politics, inspires admiration in many women for her accomplishments. Not many women have been Secretary of State. In conservative administrations, no less. Sometimes, even the most die-hard chauvinists fall for impressive women. In a chauvinistic way. I don't know if that's a victory for smart, strong, successful, independent women or not. In this case ... not.
I wonder if Steve Earle wrote this song with knowledge of the Libyan leader's love of Condi?
I'm breaking the long silence with a strange news article today. The kind that will make Jon Stuart and Steven Colbert so sad that they are off for 2 weeks. It appears that Khadaffy, Ghaddafi, or however we are spelling his name today, apparently has a crush on Condoleeza Rice.
Interesting. This man is typically associated with being a despot. Not exactly a poster child for supporting strong career-driven women. But he admires "his" darling black African woman, as he puts it, and is proud of her. A Condoleeza photo album found in his compound serves as proof.
Rice responded that the whole thing was a bit "creepy and bizarre." And let's admit, slightly humorous if you are not Condoleeza. I don't know what your opinion of Rice is, but you have to feel kind of sorry for her that one of the biggest weirdos in the world has a public fascination with her.
Why am I posting on this besides the obvious reveling in snarky humor? I find it interesting when men who, in general, do not support ideas like women's autonomy and freedom (or arguably, anyone's autonomy or freedom) have a thing for a strong, smart, independent woman. It has long been said that the intelligent and successful girls aren't boyfriend magnets. But a woman with credentials and courage has a power of her own. A woman like Condoleeza Rice, whatever you think about her politics, inspires admiration in many women for her accomplishments. Not many women have been Secretary of State. In conservative administrations, no less. Sometimes, even the most die-hard chauvinists fall for impressive women. In a chauvinistic way. I don't know if that's a victory for smart, strong, successful, independent women or not. In this case ... not.
I wonder if Steve Earle wrote this song with knowledge of the Libyan leader's love of Condi?
Friday, August 19, 2011
Shiny Happy Baby Day!
Jovie Rae (formerly known as Baby T) is here!!!! I have no pictures yet, but she's 7 pounds, 7 oz. and I am doing a happy Auntie dance over here:)
Congratulations, Kristy! (and Mike, but, this is kind of a girl blog...)
Welcome to the world, baby girl! The world is already a nicer place because you're here!
Congratulations, Kristy! (and Mike, but, this is kind of a girl blog...)
Welcome to the world, baby girl! The world is already a nicer place because you're here!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Sisters and Friends
Oh, oops - that other article dated today was supposed to run on "discuss articles" Monday. But it's there now. So I'm gonna go ahead and do a celebration post today and skip Monday:) Because my sis and her family will be here, and because you already got Monday's article.
Speaking of sisters, I love sisters. I love that I can not talk to my sisters for weeks and they don't get mad. And things are fine, and the same. I love that we are a ready-made posse. I love that we can fight but I never worry that they will stop loving me and I never think of stopping loving them. I love that they are SO LOYAL. (Loyalty is a theme with me). I love their honesty when I'm wrong and their encouragement when I'm actually getting it right. I love their sense of humor. I love their permanency in my life. I love that they get me. I love them. Tons.
I also love my friends who are like sisters. I have a few in a few different states, including NY:) A sister friend doesn't always have to be someone we've known for forever. But her friendship is comfortable. Let's be honest - female friendship can be a mine field sometimes. You wonder if that friend is offended, if this one feels left out, if they think you are neglecting them. Ugh! I don't think I am particularly good at being a friend. I can tend to forget birthdays and other important dates. I can be offensive. I can crawl into a hole and disappear for awhile. I can get in moods where I over-analyze everything. So I tend not to keep acquaintance friends very well.
But the girls who are friends like sisters - who still talk to me like it hasn't been 3 weeks, who forgive my trespasses against them, who love me for who I am, who help me be brave, who totally have my back - I love you. Thank you. Several of these girls read (and contribute) to this blog, and I just want you to know that even though this summer has been a blur and we have been slogging through our separate little piles of crap I still appreciate you and couldn't live without you. I think you are amazing, inspiring, and anyone who thinks otherwise, send them my way and I'll set them straight.
Even if we don't have sisters, or sisters who are friends, we probably all have someone who is a sister friend. And our world is inhabitable because of them.
Speaking of sisters, I love sisters. I love that I can not talk to my sisters for weeks and they don't get mad. And things are fine, and the same. I love that we are a ready-made posse. I love that we can fight but I never worry that they will stop loving me and I never think of stopping loving them. I love that they are SO LOYAL. (Loyalty is a theme with me). I love their honesty when I'm wrong and their encouragement when I'm actually getting it right. I love their sense of humor. I love their permanency in my life. I love that they get me. I love them. Tons.
I also love my friends who are like sisters. I have a few in a few different states, including NY:) A sister friend doesn't always have to be someone we've known for forever. But her friendship is comfortable. Let's be honest - female friendship can be a mine field sometimes. You wonder if that friend is offended, if this one feels left out, if they think you are neglecting them. Ugh! I don't think I am particularly good at being a friend. I can tend to forget birthdays and other important dates. I can be offensive. I can crawl into a hole and disappear for awhile. I can get in moods where I over-analyze everything. So I tend not to keep acquaintance friends very well.
But the girls who are friends like sisters - who still talk to me like it hasn't been 3 weeks, who forgive my trespasses against them, who love me for who I am, who help me be brave, who totally have my back - I love you. Thank you. Several of these girls read (and contribute) to this blog, and I just want you to know that even though this summer has been a blur and we have been slogging through our separate little piles of crap I still appreciate you and couldn't live without you. I think you are amazing, inspiring, and anyone who thinks otherwise, send them my way and I'll set them straight.
Even if we don't have sisters, or sisters who are friends, we probably all have someone who is a sister friend. And our world is inhabitable because of them.
Watch Responsibly
I came across this article via a Facebook friend. I thought of Amanda's Pull of the Moon comment about romantic comedies and the misunderstanding between Martin and Nan about romance.
So what do you think about this? What do I think about this?
While I am not a big romantic comedy fan, I must admit that on occasion I have found myself falling for the lies of romantic comedies. And even books of the Christian marriage-help variety. And have placed unrealistic expectations on my husband as a result. When he is really a great guy just the way he is. Bear in mind that he just took me on an utterly romantic Lake Placid getaway.
The pornography comparison ... do you think that's too strong? I thought she had some good points. Although, c'mon - there's a helluva lotta porn out there for men without them trying. The big Victoria's Secret ads in the mall store windows? The undergrads trotting around campus? Commercials during football games? We women can indulge in a little porn of The Notebook variety, right? I don't deny men a little bit of viewing pleasure if we get our Pride and Prejudice. Ahhhh, Mr. Darcy. Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.
I think we have to be wary of unrealistic expectations our culture cultivates in us. I think people should be appreciated for who they are, especially when they are trying their best in relationships with us. I don't think husbands should get away with being boorish, calloused jerks. But I think there is a standard that is unrealistic. You can be a little awkward about sharing your feelings, buddy, if you're ok with me not looking like Brooklyn Decker.
I'm going to borrow the Catholic phrase "everything in moderation" and add "except if you're an addict." I had never thought of there being women addicted to notions of romance. I suppose we can get addicted to anything, and turn harmless things into dangerous ones.
I catch a "chick flick" maybe once a year, so taking this out of my life would be barely noticeable. But I must say, it would be really so sad for the world to lose even the notion of something so wonderful as Mr. Darcy;)
So what do you think about this? What do I think about this?
While I am not a big romantic comedy fan, I must admit that on occasion I have found myself falling for the lies of romantic comedies. And even books of the Christian marriage-help variety. And have placed unrealistic expectations on my husband as a result. When he is really a great guy just the way he is. Bear in mind that he just took me on an utterly romantic Lake Placid getaway.
The pornography comparison ... do you think that's too strong? I thought she had some good points. Although, c'mon - there's a helluva lotta porn out there for men without them trying. The big Victoria's Secret ads in the mall store windows? The undergrads trotting around campus? Commercials during football games? We women can indulge in a little porn of The Notebook variety, right? I don't deny men a little bit of viewing pleasure if we get our Pride and Prejudice. Ahhhh, Mr. Darcy. Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.
I think we have to be wary of unrealistic expectations our culture cultivates in us. I think people should be appreciated for who they are, especially when they are trying their best in relationships with us. I don't think husbands should get away with being boorish, calloused jerks. But I think there is a standard that is unrealistic. You can be a little awkward about sharing your feelings, buddy, if you're ok with me not looking like Brooklyn Decker.
I'm going to borrow the Catholic phrase "everything in moderation" and add "except if you're an addict." I had never thought of there being women addicted to notions of romance. I suppose we can get addicted to anything, and turn harmless things into dangerous ones.
I catch a "chick flick" maybe once a year, so taking this out of my life would be barely noticeable. But I must say, it would be really so sad for the world to lose even the notion of something so wonderful as Mr. Darcy;)
Thursday, August 4, 2011
In Prison without a Cause
Maybe it's because I was just on a hiking trip or because my friend Cathy recently went to Uganda, but this article captured my attention.
What in the world is going on here? Why are these guys still being detained? The whole story is crazy and raises more questions than it answers.
It is difficult to stomach terrible things happening to people who do amazing work. It is much easier to draw a line and say "these are the good guys and these are the bad guys." It is hard to process that there are some countries in the world where being a U.S. citizen is not going to help you and can, in fact, make it worse for you. It is even more difficult to think about the numbers of people around the globe unjustly thrown in prison and staying there.
Not a happy story. Not things I want to think about with my husband planning a trip to Kenya. But when I am grappling with stories I find incomprehensible, I try to imagine how I would feel in those situations. And I think those people around the world sitting in rotten prison cells for no good reason should not be forgotten. It takes real bravery to fight for people wrongly and arbitrarily imprisoned when the stakes are ... wrongful and arbitrary imprisonment. I am not sure I could pull out that kind of courage from the depths of my soul. But some people, thankfully, can.
http://www.amnesty.org/
What in the world is going on here? Why are these guys still being detained? The whole story is crazy and raises more questions than it answers.
It is difficult to stomach terrible things happening to people who do amazing work. It is much easier to draw a line and say "these are the good guys and these are the bad guys." It is hard to process that there are some countries in the world where being a U.S. citizen is not going to help you and can, in fact, make it worse for you. It is even more difficult to think about the numbers of people around the globe unjustly thrown in prison and staying there.
Not a happy story. Not things I want to think about with my husband planning a trip to Kenya. But when I am grappling with stories I find incomprehensible, I try to imagine how I would feel in those situations. And I think those people around the world sitting in rotten prison cells for no good reason should not be forgotten. It takes real bravery to fight for people wrongly and arbitrarily imprisoned when the stakes are ... wrongful and arbitrary imprisonment. I am not sure I could pull out that kind of courage from the depths of my soul. But some people, thankfully, can.
http://www.amnesty.org/
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Recipe Swap
Do you have certain go-to recipes - ones that just keep on giving? Of course you do. Not necessarily gourmet but good.
Long ago, a friend gave me a recipe for Lentil Tacos. We ate them at her house, I asked for the recipe, she shared it. And I've not only made them countless times since, but I've also shared that recipe more times than I can remember. It is inexpensive, simple, and my whole family will eat it. It was our gateway recipe to beans. (Before that, Jeff would look at a bean dish and then ask "Where's the meat?!")
I love this about women. Around the globe, most of us are still primarily responsible for feeding our people. Sometimes it is a dreaded task to rush home and throw something together, but the best times are when we can find joy in the job. Recipe sharing sort of capitalizes on what's good about women and cooking. We stand together in solidarity and support for one another. We want to help one another, make each other's lives better. We want to share a part of ourselves with other women.
I love it when someone will post on my facebook page "I made Tiff's granola today." Or when a friend mentions that she made my pumpkin bread recipe and thought of me. Because I understand that thread of connection; I thought of Carly last week when I brought her chicken strawberry salad to a get-together.
So for today, we will be like a lot of other women's blogs out there and we will do recipe talk. I give you Lentil Tacos. (Feel free to post one of your go-to recipes in the comments). Know that this can be played with quite a bit. All except the liquid-to-beans ratio. Don't mess with that. But you can adjust seasonings or use vegetable broth or use whatever taco fixings you want.
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp canola oil
1 cup dried lentils
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add lentils and spices and cook and stir a minute. Add broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 min. (or until soft). Take cover off, mash, and cook 6-8 min. to thicken. Stir in salsa. Use as taco filling.
Long ago, a friend gave me a recipe for Lentil Tacos. We ate them at her house, I asked for the recipe, she shared it. And I've not only made them countless times since, but I've also shared that recipe more times than I can remember. It is inexpensive, simple, and my whole family will eat it. It was our gateway recipe to beans. (Before that, Jeff would look at a bean dish and then ask "Where's the meat?!")
I love this about women. Around the globe, most of us are still primarily responsible for feeding our people. Sometimes it is a dreaded task to rush home and throw something together, but the best times are when we can find joy in the job. Recipe sharing sort of capitalizes on what's good about women and cooking. We stand together in solidarity and support for one another. We want to help one another, make each other's lives better. We want to share a part of ourselves with other women.
I love it when someone will post on my facebook page "I made Tiff's granola today." Or when a friend mentions that she made my pumpkin bread recipe and thought of me. Because I understand that thread of connection; I thought of Carly last week when I brought her chicken strawberry salad to a get-together.
So for today, we will be like a lot of other women's blogs out there and we will do recipe talk. I give you Lentil Tacos. (Feel free to post one of your go-to recipes in the comments). Know that this can be played with quite a bit. All except the liquid-to-beans ratio. Don't mess with that. But you can adjust seasonings or use vegetable broth or use whatever taco fixings you want.
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp canola oil
1 cup dried lentils
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add lentils and spices and cook and stir a minute. Add broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 min. (or until soft). Take cover off, mash, and cook 6-8 min. to thicken. Stir in salsa. Use as taco filling.
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