by Julia Glass
I picked this novel up becuase of its complex family relationships. It was above average - satrted off very well, but I found I did not care about the lives of the main characters (2 sisters) very much as I worked through the text. Perhaps a good beach book - if only it was beach weather!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
I See You Everywhere
Friday, February 20, 2009
Why Facebook is For Old Fogies
from TIME magazine..
1. Facebook is about finding people you've lost track of.
2. We're no longer bitter about high school.
3. We never get drunk at parties and get photographed holding beer bottles in suggestive positions.
4. Facebook isn't just a social network; it's a business network.
5. We're lazy. We have jobs and children and houses and substance-abuse problems to deal with. At our age, we don't want to do anything. What we want is to hear about other people doing things and then judge them for it.
6. We're old enough that pictures from grade school or summer camp look nothing like us. These days, the only way to identify us is with Facebook tags.
7. We have children. There is very little that old people enjoy more than forcing others to pay attention to pictures of their children. Facebook is the most efficient engine ever devised for this.
8. We're too old to remember e-mail addresses. You have to understand: we have spent decades drinking diet soda out of aluminum cans. That stuff catches up with you. We can't remember friends' e-mail addresses. We can barely remember their names.
9. We don't understand Twitter. Literally. It makes no sense to us.
10. We're not cool, and we don't care. There was a time when it was cool to be on Facebook. That time has passed. Facebook now has 150 million members, and its fastest-growing demographic is 30 and up. At this point, it's way cooler not to be on Facebook. We've ruined it for good, just like we ruined Twilight and skateboarding. So git! And while you're at it, you damn kids better get off our lawn too.
Humor of the day
Ben & Jerry created "Yes Pecan!" ice cream flavor for Obama. They
then asked people to fill in the blank to the following:
For George W. Bush, we should create "_________".
Here are some of their favorite responses:
1. Grape Depression
2. Abu Grape
3. Cluster Fudge
4. Nut'n Accomplished
5. Iraqi Road
6. Chock 'n Awe
7. WireTapioca
8. Impeach Cobbler
9. Guantanmallow
10. imPeachmint
11. Good Riddance You Lousy M*f**ker... Swirl
12. Heck of a Job, Brownie!
13. Neocon Politan
14. RockyRoad to Fascism
15. The Reese's-cession
16. Cookie D'oh!
17.The Housing Crunch
18. Nougalar Proliferation
19. Death by Chocolate... and Torture
20. Credit Crunch
21. Country Pumpkin
22. Chunky Monkey in Chief
23. George Bush Doesn't Care About Dark Chocolate
24. WM Delicious
25. Chocolate Chimp
26. Bloody Sundae
27. Caramel Preemptive Stripe
28. I broke the law and am responsible for the deaths of
thousands...with nuts
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Daughters of Light: Quaker Women Preaching and Prophesying in the Colonies and Abroad, 1700-1775
from Amazon: Daughters of Light by Rebecca Larson is a startling reassessment of the place of women in American colonial history. Larson's story of 18th-century Quaker women describes women's power in popular reform movements of that era, and explores Quaker women's redefinitions of marriage and motherhood. Colonial Quakers, like their contemporary descendants, believed that "the Holy Spirit had been planted in the hearts of all humans to inwardly teach them." Although Quakers had strict rules regarding women's dress, language, and behavior, Quaker women were never denied their claims of a direct connection to God. (Their Puritan sisters, by contrast, practiced a religion that idealized female submission in both the earthly and spiritual realms.) So when Quaker women believed they were called to preach--in meeting houses, courthouses, and private homes; to other Quakers, to Native Americans, and to ecumenical audiences; in the West Indies, England, Europe, and the American colonies--they were given the freedom to do so. All domestic duties were configured to account for divine demands. (The Spirit leading Quaker women, as one wrote, "was to me like a needle of a compass ... for so it pointed where I ought to go.")
Great contribution to women's history writing in general, and Quaker history as well. This book was very detailed, but very interesting. I feel proud of the Quaker's equality after reading this book!
Choices
"if i can't do
what i want to do
then my job is to not
do what i don't want
to do
"it's not the same thing
but it's the best i can
do
"if i can't have
what i want then
my job is to want
what i've got
and be satisfied
that at least there
is something more
to want
"since i can't go
where i need
to go then i must go
where the signs point
though always understanding
parallel movement
isn't lateral
"when i can't express
what i really feel
i practice feeling
what i can express
and none of it is equal
i know
but that's why mankind
alone among the animals
learns to cry"
-Nikki Giovanni
This is from a great interview with Bil Moyers - transcript/video here.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
PINK. cuz women dig PINK.
from Amazon: "I have the paperback version. This is a very nice one year devotional Bible for women. It is very portable yet still easy on the eyes. Also, the print is in pink which is somewhat unique for any Bible which makes the reading more fun. NIV readers may be disappointed as this is the NLT version though I personally enjoy both. It also contains the common "verse finder" typical of most one year Bibles. Keep in mind this is not a study Bible, and therefore, does not explain the difficult verses. This is purely a one-year devotional Bible geared specifically for women. Enjoy! "
Oh my. I am not sure if "specifically geared towards women" means merely PINK, or something else. You know I am dying to get a look at this.
I was searching in regards to a conversation at meeting, on how the bible is so inaccessible and confusing to so many people. Myself included, although I have had the advantage of a GREAT "bible as lit." class at UMASS.
Museum of African Art - Portland
We're hoping to get here in the next few weeks. I met a fascinating man last week - Oscar Mokeme, a Nigerian priest. He presented his masks and his culture at the Newburyport Public library, as a CHIME presentation. He is a very spiritual man, he had a gentle way about him that happened to calm me greatly after a week of great consternation and fear.
He offered blessings to us all, but perhaps just his presence alone was enough for me that evening. I hope we can soon get to his museum, and see the masks and him again!
Uncertainty
“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world.” The Dhammapada
Week 3: What is the image of my anger?
Week 2: What are the dead things I carry?
Week 1: Why and how do I embrace uncertainty?
LOL I do NOT embrace uncertainty. EVER. And perhaps a little step in that direction might be healthy for me. Uncertainty is often a precursor to change. Great change. Necessary change.
How many times in my life have I tried to "fix" everything, only to find the "fixed" thing was still not a path I should have ever been on in the first place?
"Does this path have heart?" - Casteneda.
Not sure yet of the details. Uncertainty. Indeed.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Six Minutes Against Torture
Brought to you by the New York Yearly Meeting of Quakers. Somehow I find this much more powerful when read in the voices of the yearly meeting members.
music lessons
It was time for a revisit to Sarah Vowell today.
How music touches us all!
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/favorites.aspx
Scroll down to "music lessons" - Sarah is about 21:00 minutes into the hour.
havin' a jubilee
In the book of Leviticus, there's a prescribed "rest period" after 50 years of toiling:
"...[Y]ou shall have the trumpet sounded throughout all your land. And you shall hallow the fiftieth year and you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you: you shall return, every one of you, to your property and every one of you to your family. That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you: you shall not sow, or reap the aftergrowth, or harvest the unpruned vines. For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you: you shall eat only what the field itself produces." Leviticus 25:9-12 NRSV
Regardless of your religious views on the bible and its messages, or who they came from or whatever - this is a pretty good lesson. The land needs a rest to become productive again. So do we.
I mention this after a very long day of trials and tribulations re: my own work situations. I've been struggling to make a home for myself in a job that might not be right for me. I began the employment as a way to reconnect with my teaching nature - and I have worked with some incredible people in the past few years. One by one, they have begun to leave. I am still in the "hanging on" mindset - preferring to suck the last bit of marrow from the drying-up bones of this job. There ain't much left. Perhaps moving on should be done when the time is right, and perhaps that's not when one is kicked so forcefully out the door?
Buddah would say get rid of the attachment, and the problem is solves itself.
I have an invitation to an all-New England Friends yearly meeting gathering in April sitting in my inbox. A Quaker hoopla of reflection. Popped into my box in a timely divine fashion. Perhaps it will be a good kick-off to my own "jubilee"?
Here's an excerpt from the meeting notes:
Jubilee is, then, a kind of laying-down of everything in order to be reconnected with the divine. It is a
kind of new beginning, to let go of old structures, old business where there may not be life, and be ready
with hands as empty as possible to receive what God is asking of us.
I pray, as part of our work together we will ask each other, what is the Spirit asking of me/us? Is the
Spirit asking me/us to move forward on this or is this a piece of work that I/we can lay aside for a time to
attend to that still small voice, the sole authentic authority for movement?
And the second part of this process is to hold ourselves accountable for acting on what insight, perhaps
vision, we are given. In order to do that, we need to be concrete and specific in naming not only what we
are called to but what we are currently doing.
Name what I am currently doing.... hhhmmm......spinning my wheels? Trying to accomidate a calling that is not a good fit? I am usually very articulate, and yet in this moment I am at a true loss for words.
So there we are. Perhaps I am not in crisis after all - I am in "jubilee". Sounds almost exciting and party-like!
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
French Toast
We love to cook around here, as you know. Our favorite Sunday morning activity is making french toast! I am also glad these days for the simple quality cooking items that we own. Glass bowls are easy to clean and to handle, and the tongs are great for dipping!
Talent is Overrated
What Really Separates World-Class Performers From Everybody Else - Colvin
Very similar (eerily so?) to Gladwell's Outliers in many ways. But a good book - references the K Anders Ericcson studies regarding practice habits/success of musicians. I must say, as someone who personally has always just relied on elbow grease, these books speak to me despite their self-helpy "you can fix your life too!" attitude. An interesting read, but I might read the Gladwell first, especially for the real-life examples.
Listening To The Light
How To Bring Quaker Simplicity and Integrity Into Our Lives - Pym
This was a good basic Quaker guide for me - Pym also considers himself a Buddhist as well as a Quaker. Added to the spiritual bookshelf!
The Wordy Shipmates
by Sarah Vowell.
A great read, as usual , from a witty and brilliant author and student of human character. I as aware of the larger historical pictures contained therein - but the anecdotes and personal touch made this book appealing. Like the fact that the John Carver Inn in Plymouth has a water slide emerging from a giant Mayflower replica? (added to the list of quirky "must sees" for this summer)
Also, good mention of Anne Hutchinson and Mary Dyer. Two unfortunate Quakers who contradicted the Puritans' sense of religious freedom with well, religious freedom.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Recount
At the height of the 2000 election season, CBS anchor Dan Rather quipped, "The presidential race is crackling like a hickory fire." Director Jay Roach (Austin Powers) recaptures that blaze in his smart HBO docudrama about the thriller in Palm Beach County. Written by actor Danny Strong, Recount bounces between the Sunshine State, Gore's Tennessee headquarters, and Bush's Texas stomping grounds. Gore adviser Ron Klain (an excellent Kevin Spacey) provides a privileged window into those weeks when the American public first became familiar with obscure terms like "hanging chad." (Since Klain has an ax to grind with the vice president, neither he nor Gore appear completely heroic.) First, the Democratic candidate pulls ahead; then he falls behind. Just as he prepares to concede, Klain's colleague, Michael Whouley (Denis Leary), spots an anomaly in the vote count, and the race continues. Enter eccentric Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris (Laura Dern, a certain Emmy nominee), who orders a recount, and former Secretaries of State Warren Christopher (John Hurt) and James Baker III (Tom Wilkinson), who oversee a process that ends up in the Supreme Court (where Ed Begley Jr.'s David Boies represents Gore). Produced by the late Sydney Pollack, who originally intended to direct, Recount skillfully integrates news footage with dark comedy, most provided by the foul-mouthed Whouley and Bush adviser Ben Ginsberg (Bob Balaban), who's still livid about JFK's victory over Nixon. If the Democrats come across as more sympathetic, the Republicans come across as more colorful--and strategically effective. --Kathleen C. Fennessy (from Amazon.com)
Great film - brought back horrible memories, but Dern as Katherine Harris is priceless.
American Wife
by Curtis Sittenfeld
Great Read. Loosley based on Laura Bush, and W's life - I probably enjoyed this book more after watching Oliver Stone's "W" - the bumbling Bush was present in this book as well.
It made me think about the life of a Presidential wife. How hard it must be to have to compromise, especially if your husband is wrecking the county.
This book's plot moved along, it was a good story in itself even without the Bush tie-in, which is not overstated. I alos enjoyed "Prep" by Sittenfeld - a good new writer on the scene.
Banking 101 - huh?(blogging resumes post sinus infection)
back again - I've been reading quite a bit, fascinated and horrified by the country's financial crisis. We've been on a saving spree here, budgeting and staying in (not hard when there's snow everywhere).
The banking crisis is overwhelming to me. I cannot believe there has been no regulation for so long - and the banks are in trouble because THEY gave bad loans to people, and even more will be defaulting on those loans still. Yes, I know it's more complicated than that - but how will this ever resolve without more financial pain and ruin?
Tom Friedman, my hero, sums it up well for me today in the NYT, with his suggestion of what Obama should do:
“Ladies and gentlemen, this crisis started with you, the bankers, engaging in reckless practices, and it will only end when we clean up your mess and start afresh. The banking system is the heart of our economy. It pumps blood to our industrial muscles, and right now it’s not pumping. We all know that in the past six months you’ve gone from one extreme to another. You’ve gone from lending money to anyone who could fog up a knife to now treating all potential borrowers, no matter how healthy, as bankrupt until proven innocent. And, therefore, you’re either not lending to them or lending under such onerous terms that the economy can’t get any liftoff. No amount of stimulus will work without a healthy banking system.
“So here’s what we’re going to do: we’re going to unclog the arteries. My banking experts have analyzed each of your balance sheets. You will tell us if we’re right. Those of you who are insolvent, we will nationalize and shut down. We will auction off your viable assets and will hold the toxic ones in a government reconstruction fund and sell them later when the market rebounds. Those of you who are weak will be merged. And those of you who are strong will receive added capital for your balance sheets, after you write down all your remaining toxic waste. I am not going to continue rewarding the losers and dimwits amongst you with handouts.”
The rest is here. Read it and laugh/weep?
Monday, January 05, 2009
Air Guitar Nation (2006)
"The axes are invisible, the chops are real"
"to err is human, to air guitar is divine"
"Tight long strums is what it's about, man"
"it's the last pure art form. (he) sees it as something that you can't commercialize, because it's invisible... you can steal some one's possessions, but you can't take away something that's invisible."
Set around the 2003 Annual Air Guitar World Championship Contest, and in particular around the first-time American participants, Air Guitar Nation plays like a tournament movie, pitting two opponents against each other, the "favorite" C-Diddy and the "relentless challenger" Björn Türoque.
This is quite a nice balance after the book about REAL guitar that I just read. Very serious musicians, albeit without any actual instruments. Enjoy!
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Practicing: A Musician's Return to Music
by Glenn Kurtz
Guitar was the young Kurtz's passion. From lessons as a child, through summers at a guitar camp where he learned aspects of performance, on to the New England Conservatory of Music in preparation for a solo career, and actually pursuing that career in Vienna, he describes the journey that led to the recognition that he wasn't cut out to be a performer. Practice is putting love into the music, he sees, and performance is sending that love to the listener. Including discussion of the history of the guitar and of the composers of music for it, he traces an odyssey that turns full circle 10 years later when he resumes playing for his own enjoyment. He bares his soul, relating his feelings during practice, audition, and performance, as well as his experiences with teachers, mentors, and other artists. Although Kurtz writes in stream-of-consciousness style, virtually everyone who is dedicated to getting the most out of music by playing it will appreciate his insights into the art of practice for the love of music. (from Amazon)
Great read for the musician in all of us. Kurtz includes substantial interesting guitar history tidbits, as well as vivid depictions of life in the practice room.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
News from off the soapbox: poverty in India
I saw Slumdog Millionaire yesterday. I thought it was great, plot devices were clever. Go see it - Roger Ebert's review is a better summary than I can give here.
It also, however, was yet another stunning depiction of the abject poverty that still happens, in this day and age, in the world. I was reminded of the following:
“To sum up, an overwhelming majority of the Indian population, around three-quarters, is poor and vulnerable and it is a staggering 836 million as of 2004-05. This includes 70 million or 6.4% who may be characterised as extremely poor with a per capita consumption of less than or three-quarters of the official poverty line. To this should be added 167 million of those who are poor with consumption not more than that fixed as the official poverty line. If this is relaxed to include those with a per capita consumption of up to 25% above the poverty line, called marginally poor here, then we find another 207 million. These three groups account for 444 million or 40.8% of the population. To this we add those with a per capita consumption between 1.25 and two times the poverty line as vulnerable and this group of poor and vulnerable comes to 836 million of Indians or well over 75% of the population.
“The next major finding is the close association between poverty and vulnerability with one’s social identity. The two social groups who are at the bottom by this classification are the SCs/STs, who constitute the bottom layer, and the Muslims, who are in the next layer. This does not mean that the other groups are far better off. The next group is the OBCs but better than the two bottom layers. Even for those who do not belong to any of these groups, the incidence is 55%.”
from ‘India’s Common People: Who Are They, How Many Are They and How Do They Live?’ by Arjun Sengupta, K P Kannan and G Raveendran in the Economic & Political Weekly, March 15, 2008
We have a LONG way to go in fixing this world. And I suppose fixing means different things to different folks: I mean making sure people are basically healthy and safe with enough to eat, and are not regularly tortured and persecuted. We as Americans are all yearning for a better 2009, it's hard to be reminded that there's so many places in this world where people quite simply do not have the ability, the means, or the luxury of even hoping for a better future. They are living moment to moment, with not many moments left.
A good place to read about India's social justice issues is at infochange.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Amesbury Friends Cuba Benefit
Amesbury, Mass. - Looking for a great way to warm up on a cold winter night? On Saturday, Jan. 10, head over to the Friends Meetinghouse, 120 Friend St., for an evening of Cuban music, dancing and food, and benefit the survivors of this past summer’s Cuban hurricanes at the same time.
Members of Amesbury Meeting are headed to Cuba. Attend the festivities if you are local!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
2009
There’s a new foot on the floor, my friend,
And a new face at the door, my friend,
A new face at the door. (Tennyson)
Happy New Year Everyone!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Lincoln: The Biography of a Writer
From Publishers Weekly
In this intriguing biography, English professor and literary biographer Kaplan (The Singular Mark Twain) analyzes Abraham Lincoln's writings, from the great civic anthems of his presidency to love letters, legal briefs, poems and notebook jottings, and finds a first-rate literary talent—a master storyteller with an earthy wit, sharp logic and an ear for poetic phrasing.
Barack Obama was seen reading this - so I picked it up. Perhaps it's his introduction to bringing us back to a world where intelligence and articulate speech was the norm? I hope so - this was a fascinating read.
Milk - a must-see film
Roger Ebert's review is best for this phenomenal film. Go see it. It may change the way you see things - it did for me.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The Mystic's Christmas
“All hail!” the bells of Christmas rang,
“All hail!” the monks at Christmas sang,
The merry monks who kept with cheer
The gladdest day of all their year.
But still apart, unmoved thereat,
A pious elder brother sat
Silent, in his accustomed place,
With God’s sweet peace upon his face.
“Why sitt’st thou thus?” his brethren cried,
“It is the blessed Christmas-tide;
The Christmas lights are all aglow,
The sacred lilies bud and blow.
“Above our heads the joy-bells ring,
Without the happy children sing,
And all God’s creatures hail the morn
On which the holy Christ was born.
“Rejoice with us; no more rebuke
Our gladness with thy quiet look.
”The gray monk answered, “Keep, I pray,
Even as ye list, the Lord’s birthday.
“Let heathen Yule fires flicker red
Where thronged refectory feasts are spread;
With mystery-play and masque and mime
And wait-songs speed the holy time!
“The blindest faith may haply save;
The Lord accepts the things we have;
And reverence, howsoe’er it strays,
May find at last the shining ways.
“They needs must grope who cannot see,
The blade before the ear must be;
As ye are feeling I have felt,
And where ye dwell I too have dwelt.
“But now, beyond the things of sense,
Beyond occasions and events,
I know, through God’s exceeding grace,
Release from form and time and space.
“I listen, from no mortal tongue,
To hear the song the angels sung;
And wait within myself to know
The Christmas lilies bud and blow.
“The outward symbols disappear
From him whose inward sight is clear;
And small must be the choice of days
To him who fills them all with praise!
“Keep while you need it, brothers mine,
With honest seal your Christmas sign,
But judge not him who every morn
Feels in his heart the Lord Christ born!”
by John Greenleaf Whittier
This was the "poem of the day" in my email. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Visions of Sugar Plums Dancing in her Head?
Christmas is exhausting! Hubby is still sleeping, after lots of late night shoveling. I think M and I will head to the mall for some holiday mayhem.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Winter Crafts
Christmas Crafts! "Gingerbread" graham cracker house was made at Laurie's house. The crafts only get better there!
This has been the first year Maille can really do crafts - she's a good gluer, and has a farly long attention span. She also loves to bake. I am really enjoying this stage!
Project Posy
Watch, listen and learn as Frederick Fennell rehearses the U.S. Navy Band in preparation of the first performance of his critical edition of Lincolnshire Posy for the 1987 Midwest Clinic. This amazing two disc DvD is presented by the Association of Concert Bands as an historical and educational tool in the hope that it provides the viewer with a lifelong appreciation of “The Posy” and a lifelong enjoyment of music making!
Go here to order (if you can)
I'm still trying to order this via the website. So exciting! Last year I recieved Brian Scott Wilson's Orchestrational Archetypes in Percy Grainger's Wind Band Music, and I was hoping there would be another Grainger treat for Santa to bring to me this year! Woo hoo!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Go Local!
Yet another plug for local goods and services. I must say, I have never felt more "at home" anywhere since Scituate - I am enjoying my North Shore existence. We tried this year to shop locally, eat local produce, and support our community neighbors for holiday and social events. I look forward to 2009, to see what new local things we can discover!
Ann's delicious cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is a large recipe, might be good to make half a batch. Also I make the cookies smaller than suggested.
350 degree oven, grease cookie sheets. Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies, or a lot more smaller cookies.
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate chips
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
Using a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Add chocolate chips and mix well. For best results press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
Scoop mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more.
Music From The Inside Out
It is the musicians themselves who come to the forefront, rather than the conductor or star soloist. Among the many memorable musicians featured are concertmaster David Kim, whose quest for a solo career ends with a life-changing epiphany that led him to the orchestra; trombonist Nitzan Haroz, who jams with a local salsa band each Thursday night; violist and artist Judy Geist, who finds connections between her painting and her music; and cellist Udi Bar-David, an Israeli who initiates a musical collaboration with a prominent Palestinian musician, in which music trumps politics.
While MUSIC FROM THE INSIDE OUT is about the many people within one musical ensemble, it is ultimately a personal musical journey. Each musician’s story reveals a struggle to maintain individuality, to test musical boundaries and to choose the path of an artist. Ultimately, the film attempts to break down the barriers that have long separated orchestra musicians and their audiences, and get to the essence of the music itself.
Terrific Film! We all know how "special" music is, etc - but nice to see all these perspectives. I rented this at our local library, I may show parts of it to the band in the spring.
Friday, December 19, 2008
All About the Butter
Or so says this article from the New York Times.
I'm planning on the traditional holiday baking this weekend. Usually cookies, but I've been unsuccessful with bread lately and I am very determined to get it right!
I think baking is so much more "scientific" than the rest of the cooking I do - and I have not got the hang of exact ingredients like I should. Or temperature/procedure for those ingredients. We'll see how it goes tomorrow!
Festival of Three Kings
Fundraiser for Cuban Quakers in
Vista Alegre, Cuba
Saturday 10 January 2009 at 7:00 pm
Amesbury Friends Meetinghouse,
120 Friend Street, Amesbury
The Amesbury Friends (Quakers) Meeting in Amesbury is
sending 8 members to Cuba for two weeks in March to help
Cuban Friends rebuild their church, which was destroyed in
Hurricane Ike. The trip has been approved by the US
government for humanitarian purposes.
Please join us for an evening of Cuban music, food,
and dancing, and a silent auction,
to raise funds for the trip and the rebuilding.
Donations (tax-deductible) gratefully accepted.
Call Edith at 978-356-6049 for more information.
Farmingville
The shocking hate-based attempted murders of two Mexican day laborers catapult a small Long Island town into national headlines, unmasking a new front line in the border wars: suburbia. For nearly a year, Carlos Sandoval and Catherine Tambini lived and worked in Farmingville, New York, so they could capture first-hand the stories of residents, day laborers and activists on all sides of the debate.
I thought this film portrayed many sides of a complicated issue, and was well done. Immigrants are people too - not just statistics. And yet in communities already overburdened by growing numbers and diminishing resources, who will pay the bill?
Monday, December 15, 2008
Questioning Faith
All his life, award-winning filmmaker Macky Alston has believed in a merciful and benevolent God. The untimely death of a close friend and fellow seminary student challenges Alston s deepest convictions. In an effort to resolve this quandary, QUESTIONING FAITH sets out on a journey of probing self-discovery. Alston sets up a network of interviews with a wildly diverse group of people in New York, to answer the pressing question: How does one believe in God in the face of so much human suffering? At stake here is not only whether or not Alston can maintain his faith, but also how human beings navigate their way through the darkest hours of seemingly senseless loss. A deeply moving and uplifting film, QUESTIONING FAITH reveals an underlying principle common to us all: the power of presence, as life calls us to be there for each other. from Amazon.com
Regardless of your religious convictions, this film is a snapshot of the human condition. It is well made and lets the participants speak for themselves.
The Outliers
Malcolm Gladwell poses a....provocative question in Outliers: why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? Challenging our cherished belief of the "self-made man," he makes the democratic assertion that superstars don't arise out of nowhere, propelled by genius and talent: "they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot." Examining the lives of outliers from Mozart to Bill Gates, he builds a convincing case for how successful people rise on a tide of advantages, "some deserved, some not, some earned, some just plain lucky." from Amazon.com
I was only mildly impressed with Gladwell's first two books - but this was terrific. Perhaps it spoke just to my experience directly. Gladwell mentions how great musicians in their later years only have hard work in common - opportunities as well that they have taken advantage of, but never just "talent" as their only path to success. What I was most struck by is the sheer amount of work it took for those successes to happen. Bill Gates, brilliant, perhaps - but also he spent hours working at a computer "club" at a time when they did not even exist in most places.
Gladwell made a fascinating point for me - those successful people in his book took advantage of opportunities. How many people do not have those advantages? What if our school systems provided those opportunities to enrich all students? What if we had the time to consider them all "gifted"?
Concert week!
Concert week! Just one more day in a long line of elementary hoopla. Quite frankly, I'm not big on the concert - it's necessary for the kids, but I'm more concerned with our overall learning in the classroom on a weekly basis. It does provide a nice benchmark for what we've achieved - and how much we will do in the spring!
http://www.wampatuckbands.com/ for all the news!
And how I am getting through the tedium:
"The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams." -- Og Mandino
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Whittier Sing at the Meetinghouse
One of our favorite fireside poets was also a Victorian American Idol. You could even call Whittier a singer-songwriter with a Quaker style. Visit Whittier’s own church and his personal home in a rare seasonal special.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
December 14
Amesbury, MA
More info here.
Coming Soon to a Theater Near You!
I also saw some great previews today - here's the list of films I can't wait to see....
Milk
Frost/Nixon
Slum Dog Millionaire
Doubt
Happy Go Lucky
David is off for 2 weeks at Christmas - I suspect we will be seeing movies in shifts! Happy Holidays!
Synecdoche, New York
I know how to do it now. There are nearly thirteen million people in the world. None of those people is an extra. They're all the leads of their own stories. They have to be given their due.
Okay, the most bizzare film I've seen in a long time. A theater director's commentary on his own life - a "play within a play".
Lately I've been driven to rent films more than go to the theater, and I'm afraid I might have shut off this slow-moving film if it was on TV. A good wy to spend the afternoon. I would recommend this film if you like dark, thoughtful films that need to be slowly digested.
First Grade
Oh my goodness - I grabbed this from facebook. This was by far my favorite year ever of school. Oh, if I only knew what was to come! It was funny to see this - I remember every kid, all about each one of them.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Decidely NOT writing an essay
I used to revel in my ability to write lengthy, esoteric essays on academic subjects at will. I'm sitting here at home, toddler napping, the smell of fresh bread wafting through the house......
not writing my academic sample essay for BU. Why do I not just submit a sample from my Master's degree? Because they are all lost to me. Four computer switches (and a marriage and combination of two households) have created their absence, and I am not ready to give up any of my solace and holiday cheer. Heavy sigh. Grammar and an articulate discussion of an academic issue calls not today. =(
Pumpkin cupcakes
We had delicious cupcakes at a Birthday yesterday, and I know I will lose this recipe if I don't write it down. So here it is.
In one bowl, blend in given order:
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups pure pumpkin (I never get 2 cups, and used just the regular sized can yesterday)
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp salt
Bake as cupcakes or in 13x9 pan. Grease and flour pan and pour batter. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes (for cake) - less for cupcakes, watch them.
We will make them later today. Maille loves cupcakes (so does mommy!)
Well-Founded Fear
An unprecedented inside look at the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), award-winning filmmakers Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini take their cameras behind locked doors, where bureaucrats decide the fates of thousands of asylum-seekers each year. To be granted asylum, applicants must demonstrate a "well-founded fear" that their lives would be endangered were they to be deported. The asylum-seekers are at once hopeful and heartbreaking, at times too slick and polished, and in other cases painfully timid. All have the same desire--freedom to stay in America. As asylum officers struggle to determine credibility, balancing sympathy with good sense and tough-mindedness, their hard-made decisions ultimately hold a mirror to the broader, quickly changing, and controversial role of the United States in the world at large.
I think my recent quest to gain new viewpoints was sparked by the presidential elections - my acquiring this film form the library was part of that process. Like The Visitor, but in a different way, this film too made me think about the immigration question as it applied to people, not just numbers and statistics. And what of the INS workers who have to make these horrible decisions? They are people too. A complicated issue, but a film everyone should see.
Dressing for Recession
As the economy takes a turn for the worse, our family has changed the way we shop for everyday necessities. Instead of shelling out $40 for the latest Janie and Jack dress or $30 for something from the Gap or Gymboree, we are treating thrift stores like fabric bazaars — buying ancient wool skirts or vibrant cotton sundresses and ripping them apart for the material.
This stay at home dad has taken to the thrift stores in the hopes of finding cheaper clothing alternatives for his family. Full story on NPR here.
I'm not a terrific sewer, I make a few things very well, but this story inspired me to stop by the thrift store next time I am in town. We have recently been rethinking the way we spend money. My husband's company has been plagued with layoffs, and while he has been safe so far, who knows what will happen down the road. Regardless of our financial circumstances, I feel better when frugal.
I've been making delicious homemade soups lately, and today we are baking bread - a practice run for the baked goods that will accompany our simpler gifts this season.
I've heard a lot of reference lately to the Great Depression. I think future generations will refer to this time as another kind of depression - one where our constant need to spend more, get more left us spiritually deficient, less creative, and less connected with our fellow beings on this planet. In a time when we are so lucky to be able to communicate with other quickly and cheaply around the world, how do we assure that we still have anything important to say?
MGA Ordered to Stop Selling Bratz Dolls
Toy giant Mattel Inc., after a four-year legal dispute with MGA Entertainment Inc., touted its win in the case Wednesday after a federal judge banned MGA from making and selling its pouty-lipped and hugely popular Bratz dolls.
"It's a pretty sweeping victory," Mattel attorney Michael Zeller said. "They have no right to use Bratz for any goods or services at all."
U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson rocked the toy industry with his order that MGA must immediately stop manufacturing Bratz. He allowed MGA to wait until the holiday season ends to remove the toys from store shelves.
rest of the story here
We're Barbie people here in our household. This case has gone on for years. I'm not sure how I feel about it, it's an established toy line that will now add more problems to a dwindling economy. The company needs to reimburse for the cost of all toys being sent back, after the holidays.
The best part of the article is the reader's comments. As usual.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Buy Local!
I am basically done with most of my Christmas shopping, save the fun and local items that I find at craft fairs, etc. This year, as the last, I am trying to buy local and handmade products. These are businesses I love to support. Some favorites so far this year (one old, one new).....
Picassic Pond Winery
This local NH company makes mead. I have always bought mead produced by far-away companies. I did not know until recently that it is made right over the border. Sold in the local wine section of the NH state liquor stores on the highways up here. They also have a spiced mead which I am eager to try.
Jewell Towne Vineyards
Their Muscat recieved the folowing rave review from TIME:
It's sweet but balanced, with some nice mineral on the finish, like a good riesling. It's not a wine that's trying too hard or is too proud of itself. It just gets the job done right. This is one of the very few wines we drank the whole bottle of. Who knew New Hampshire was better at picking grapes than Democratic nominees?—by Joel Stein
They are right over the border from Amesbury. I hope to try all their wines soon.
(on a side note - a hillarious look at a wine from eaach of the 50 states, courtesy of Joel Stein is here in TIME magazine. Check out th Massachusetts "undrinkable" selection)
Plum Island Soap Company
All that wine might make you feel a little dirty - here's an awesome way to get clean. Their products are phenomenal, and they are a local company run by nice people. I buy their products at "Soak" in downtown Newburyport, but their Plum Island factory home is a great way to get their stuff too!
The Solace of Leaving Early
The Solace of Leaving Early - Haven Kimmel
A romance evolves in the wake of a domestic shooting in Kimmel's intelligent and compassionate debut novel, which brings two friends of one of the victims together in a small Indiana town.
GREAT BOOK. I am very picky about fiction - but the language in this book makes me want to keep reading.
Listen up! These books contain information important to our future....
The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria
"This is not a book about the decline of America, but rather about the rise of everyone else." So begins Fareed Zakaria's important new work on the era we are now entering..... How should the United States understand and thrive in this rapidly changing international climate? What does it mean to live in a truly global era? Zakaria answers these questions with his customary lucidity, insight, and imagination.
Hot, Flat and Crowded - by Thomas Friedman
excerpt from his Amazon.com interview with Zakaria:
There is a convergence of basically three large forces: one is global warming, which has been going on at a very slow pace since the industrial revolution; the second--what I call the flattening of the world--is a metaphor for the rise of middle-class citizens, from China to India to Brazil to Russia to Eastern Europe, who are beginning to consume like Americans. That's a blessing in so many ways--it's a blessing for global stability and for global growth. But it has enormous resource complications, if all these people--whom you've written about in your book, The Post American World--begin to consume like Americans. And lastly, global population growth simply refers to the steady growth of population in general, but at the same time the growth of more and more people able to live this middle-class lifestyle. Between now and 2020, the world's going to add another billion people. And their resource demands--at every level--are going to be enormous. I tell the story in the book how, if we give each one of the next billion people on the planet just one sixty-watt incandescent light bulb, what it will mean: the answer is that it will require about 20 new 500-megawatt coal-burning power plants. That's so they can each turn on just one light bulb!
READ THESE BOOKS.
Friday, December 05, 2008
More Obama niceness
" The world expects us to elect pompous yahoos, and instead we have us a 47-year-old prince from the prairie who cheerfully ran the race, and when his opponents threw sand at him, he just smiled back. He'll be the first president in history to look really good making a jump shot. He loves his classy wife and his sweet little daughters. At the same time, he knows pop music, American lit and constitutional law. I just can't imagine anybody cooler. "
It feels good to be cool, and all of us can share in that, even sour old right-wingers and embittered blottoheads. Next time you fly to Heathrow and hand your passport to the man with the badge, he's going to see "United States of America" and look up and grin. Even if you worship in the church of Fox, everyone you meet overseas is going to ask you about Obama, and you may as well say you voted for him because, my friends, he is your line of credit over there. No need anymore to try to look Canadian." -Garrison Keillor
Fur Better or Worse: Gay Guinea Pigs Wed in New Children’s Book
Article here.
Notice the rabbits - I bet they are thinking lewd thoughts too! I would love to read this book - wonder which local library has it?
A terrific librarian's response to the controversy.
I think of "values" much differently now that I have a child of my own. How we will teach her to respect others? How will she encounter controversy, and form her own views?
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Meet the Press's Press
David Gregory is about to get the nod as host of NBC’s Meet the Press, reports Huffington Post. The chief White House correspondent has been a top contender for the spot since Tim Russert’s death in June. An announcement is expected as soon as today, reports Politico, giving one of TV's most high-profile franchises to a 38-year-old with a "sharp edge leavened by a youthful style and versatility."
Sources Huffington Post, Politico
I am no really happy about this. I used to like Gregory, these days not so much. He's my age? He seems older. Maybe I am just more youthful.
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