ToT: Current Events

So . . . today's Together on Tuesday topics is either a wild card or your thoughts on some current events . . . namely, the Aurora, CO shootings and the Chick-fil-A drama around anti-gay marriage comments and contributions. I have a wild card formulating, but it seems kind of shallow to write about clothes--even ethically-sourced clothes--with these subjects on the table. Good grief, the whole point about this blog is how to impact and respond to society in a way that promotes justice, mercy, and humility. Plus, I'm a social worker. People usually do NOT want to hear me speak on this type of topic. I often have a lot to say, and in these cases, much of what I think, feel, and believe has already been said by others elsewhere. So, I am going to tackle both topics with the same principle in mind.

There are real people involved in these issues.

ToT: Laundry List

If you haven't noticed, my fellow Together on Tuesday bloggers are pretty busy. There have been vacations, moves, babies on the way, and just craziness in life. I have been enjoying my Monday evening blogging pomodoro as part of the rhythm of my week, and I'm pretty proud of that--though there will be some hiatus in the future. (Yep, I blog for Tuesdays on Monday. Sue me.) Anywho, in deference to playing catch-up, and with regards to the great Carla Morgan (from whom I stole the idea), I give you the Laundry List.

(Which, as we discussed on Carla's private blog, doesn't make much sense. Who lists their laundry? Then I remembered I did list my laundry . . . when Hotel Tsentralnaya washed and ironed ALL my clothes--underwear and socks too--on a visit to Kirov, Russia. So that's what a real laundry list is.)

Feeding your Veg-Head

This week, Together on Tuesday is a free-for-all. I had all kinds of lofty ideas in mind, but instead of pontificating, I thought I might continue last week's theme and offer some actual, practical help.

The hardest part of being a vegetarian for the last decade, and now being dairy-free and gluten-free, is most definitely the stress it brings to the people I love. Everyone is afraid to cook for me, despite my best efforts to be as accommodating and low-maintenance as I can. I am FINE to eat salad while others eat steak. I am not belligerent about my food choices, I try to be discreet. I've managed eating vegetarian in Russia plenty of times (though it's easiest during Lent). It's tough at work lunches or similar events when I am trying to graciously eat as much as I can but the food is truly limited, but I never, ever want my choices to be stress for someone else. Even my wonderful mother said she just got used to cooking for me as a vegetarian, and these new restrictions can trip her up.

The thing is, it's really not that hard . . . once you get into a new line of thinking. That's the hard part. So, in the interest of accommodation and collaboration, I give you, in no particular order, the Top Ten Ways to Feed the Vegetarian (Vegan, Dairy-Free, or Gluten-Free) in Your Life.

ToT on Wednesday: FOOD

So I'm late. It happens.

And the crazy part is the subject is food, one of my favorite things in the world! There is SO much I could write about from a Just Living perspective . . . I have posts started on why I'm a vegetarian, ethical food choices, all kinds of good stuff. And we are going through another food shake-up around here, thanks to little guy. Turns out his little body doesn't like cow milk--or rather the proteins in it (casein and whey)--or gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and a few other grains. He doesn't have a full-on allergy, but he does have a sensitivity. If mama eats either of those items, we see skin reactions, runny nose, and a fun assortment of digestive issues in our little fella. As it turns out, theory goes if baby has a sensitivity, mama likely does too, just undetected since I've gotten used to the effects. So no dairy or gluten for me! It's been challenging, but kinda fun because it's forced some creativity. And honestly, I feel better without it.

This started a whole host of obsessive research about food, how we eat now, how we ate historically, what has changed about the food itself, what do we really need to be healthy. I've found some enlightening stuff and a few crazies. I had been toying with the idea of being vegan for awhile, for a lot of reasons. (Mark Bittman, for one, has lots of info, and while you can read about dairy in particular here, the information applies to lots of factory farmed foods.) As it stands, I am semi-vegan--I am mostly vegan, but I am OK with eating some animal products here and there. For me, that includes honey, eggs (we get ours via Green Bean Delivery from a pastured farm in northern Indiana), and occasional fish (though fishing practices make me cringe, that is a project for another day). We also eat a good amount of organic food, though we are not psycho about it or anything. And we are working on cutting sugar around here, too. It is fun to eat, but it is kind of the devil.

So . . . I wanted to share a favorite recipe with you, at the request of my Together on Tuesday friends. And I wanted it to be something that fits the criteria above. That ruled out some of my favorite cakes, cookies, and tarts, as well as some gooey, cheesy dishes. But it leaves one of my all-time favorites that I've been making for nearly a decade, and one of my most-requested recipes: straight-up, plan and simple hummus.

Hummus

1 16 oz can garbanzos, rinsed (or about 1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzos, which is even better. BPA-free cans suggested if you go the canned route.)

2 cloves garlic

Juice of 1 lemon, or about 3 Tbsp

3 Tbsp Tahini (sesame paste)

3 tsp cumin powder, toasted

Olive Oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Sea salt 

Garnish with paprika, chopped parsley, tomatoes, kalmata olives

Toast cumin in a dry pan until scent is strong and set aside.

Crush garlic and saute in olive oil until cooked through

Add garbanzos, tahini, garlic with oil, some salt, cumin, a couple Tbsp of water, and about half the lemon juice into a food processor. Gradually stream in some olive oil and water as you process until smooth. 

(If using a blender, add liquids first and add garbanzos gradually.)

Adjust consistency by adding olive oil or water a bit at a time. 

Spread into a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper,

Extra yummy if you let it stand a day and then garnish as above. I always serve it with veggies, and pita is another popular choice.

Nothing fancy, but it's a staple around here, and it's one of my comfort foods. I hope you like it!

Check out the other Together on Tuesday bloggers, listed to the right, for more favorites.

Wednesday Wisdom: Independence Day

"Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle."

--Thomas Jefferson

ToT: Guilty Pleasures

I am not much of a movie person, and I'm not quite sure why. They are so long . . . and I am so tired . . . I would rather just sleep in my bed. My poor husband loves movies, and especially going to movies, and I don't like paying too much for something that is just ok and listening to other people's popcorn noise. Plus it's an expensive nap.

ToT Gets Personal

To my dearest cotton-headed ninny-muggins husband . . .

I don't say "Thank You" enough. Sometimes it's because of the busy-ness of life, sometimes I'm being too thick to see you well, sometimes you're being thick and I'm rolling my eyes, sometimes 9 years of wedded bliss get taken for granted. Sometimes I think of how I could never possibly thank you enough for everything you do and and for being who you are.

So . . .

Thank you for talking me into getting a second cat. And having a baby.
Thank you for cleaning out the cat box nearly every day for 7 years.
Thank you for minimal complaints about being in charge of the gross stuff.
Thank you for loving me through major grief, grad school (twice), and post-partum drama.
Thank you for taking care of yourself and working hard to grow and learn because you value our marriage.
Thank you for your campaign to be sure I learn that farts are funny. (Eww.)
Thank you for frequently demonstrating the importance of moving to a house with a second bathroom.
Thank you for your patience.
Thank you for making me more patient. Often out of necessity. :)
Thank you for finally asking me on a date, 10 years ago. After multiple hints.
Thank you for helping me slow down sometimes.
Thank you for speeding up sometimes because I want you to.
Thank you for frequent last-minute trips to the store because I'm in the middle of cooking and ran out of an important ingredient.
Thank you for taking care of me when I am sick (like right now).
Thank you for listening well, to me and to others.
Thank you for keeping your promises.
Thank you for being the world's best daddy.
Thank you for wearing the 'Best Man in America' shirt I made you on our first Valentine's Day, even if it was in secret.
Thank you for watching ridiculous food and dance tv with me, just because you like me.
Thank you for making things more fun.
Thank you for getting me to like avocado.
Thank you for indulging my silly side.
Thank you for finding your silly side when no one is looking.
Thank you for driving me crazy on a regular basis, giving me ample opportunity for character growth.
Thank you for challenging me when said character growth is lacking.
Thank you for loving my family and my friends as if they were family.
Thank you for sharing your family with me.
Thank you for calling me out and expecting my best when needed.
Thank you for cleaning like a neat-freak.
Thank you for relaxing when necessary.
Thank you for going all in when you let go and laugh your heart out.
Thank you for a pretty great courtship and proposal story.
Thank you for letting me be sentimental.
Thank you for being my home.
Thank you for loving your neighbor, at home and far away.
Thank you for following your dreams, but reshaping them to suit our family.
Thank you for going on adventures with me.
Thank you for knowing what I need, sometimes even before I say it.
Thank you for your loyalty.
Thank you for persistence.
Thank you for working hard every day as a sexy and mysterious historian.
Thank you for being solid-as-a-rock reliable.
Thank you for knowing I need a clean car for a road trip and the door closed when I shower.
Thank you for having good hygiene.
Thank you for making me laugh.
Thank you for being smarter than I am.
Thank you for being the strongest man I know.
Thank you for teaching me how to love generously, even when I don't feel generous.
Thank you for the hours of talking and sharing ideas.
Thank you for getting baby boy to sleep.
Thank you for reading stories.
Thank you for always, only being yourself.
Thank you for letting me be myself, all the time.
Thank you for remembering to get the crock pot down without my reminding you.
Thank you for reaching all the tall stuff.
Thank you for playing music with me even if it makes your head hurt.
Thank you for having handsome eye crunkles and silver hair:).
Thank you for taking my calls 30 times a day when I have something cute or silly or exciting to tell you.
Thank you for understanding that sometimes, I just have to get past the mood, and that's OK.
Thank you for being my best friend.
I love you.
Me

Check out the other bloggers this week! Charlotte, Danielle, Erica, Leah, Michelle, Nancy, and Trish

Wednesday Wisdom

"The days are long, but the years are short."

--Gretchen Rubin

Ain't it the truth.

ToT: A Day in the Life

I wish I could tell you what a typical day in our home is like. I wish we had a typical day. In my work, my days are shaped around everyone else's day . . . court, meetings, school, work, you name it. So my best efforts at predictability are thwarted regularly. I wish I could say I was used to it.

Songs for Changing the World

I thought in light of this week's Together on Tuesday topic I would share some songs that inspire me to make the world a better place.

Some of these are by artists I love, and some are one hit wonders in my catalogue, but all lift my spirit, remind me of beauty in the world, and help me see my neighbor differently.

ToT: La Musica

How has music impacted my life? More like how hasn't it.

Music is as integrated into my life as food or sleep. Sometimes it is glorious, sometimes it is a responsibility, sometimes it is hardly noticed. It has been a long time since I really reflected on music. Now, I'm thinking of all of my musical memories, experiences, and aspirations . . . oy, this could take awhile.

Wednesday Wisdom

"The end of a melody is not its goal; but nonetheless, if the melody had not reached its end it would not have reached its goal either. A parable.”

--Friedrich Nietzsche

ToT: Then and Now

I finally got around to reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  Fascinating stuff, I think.  One interesting idea Gretchen encountered on her quest to become happier was that we are happiest doing the same things we did for fun when we were children, say age 10. In theory, as adults we are either too busy to worry about being happy or we're focused on what we think should make us happy, while as kids, we just lived it. I'll buy that, and it got me thinking . . .                                                                             

Together on Tuesday: Keeping in Touch

I am so thankful to have wonderful friends. And all of my friends have wonderfully full lives. I think of my friends so often--much more often than I make contact, and certainly more often than I see them. This week's Together on Tuesday topic has me thinking about creative ways to keep in touch.

Most people think I'm an extrovert. It's been this way all of my life. I'm comfortable enough in a crowd, I apparently smile a lot (so I'm told), and I talk way. too. much. But here's the thing: I'm not. I am not, nor do I think I have ever been, an extrovert. After a big to-do, I am found at home, crashing, either in solitude or with my even more introverted husband. I need my downtime to recharge--my theory is I have a deficit after my crazy-busy high school and college years (which went on for 3 degrees!). I never feel quite like myself in a big group of people--unless I have something keeping me busy, which is why I often end up in the kitchen. I have always preferred the intimacy of one-to-one conversation or a small gathering to the boisterous fun of a party.

I think this may be one reason why my friends don't really know each other too well . . . interesting. I tend to keep in touch with my friends one-on-one, for the most part. And while I love tradition, I realize that I have very few traditions with my friends. Time to change that, I think.

Being a mom changes everything (right?). I have my lovely little guy, and we have a ton of fun together, and he takes a LOT of time. But more than that, my schedule is completely rocked . . . I am still working on getting a rhythm going, balancing part-time work and mommyhood and other tasks. And I spend a lot of time with family, which I love. These days, seeing friends is requiring more planning and forethought than ever before.

One of the best friends a gal could ask for lives about 7 minutes away and has for most of my life. I love her to bits, and her family is pretty great too. We were in a pretty solid rhythm of hanging out about once a week, often with our husbands and her kiddo. The last year brought changes neither of us could have imagined . . . some amazing, and some beyond heartbreaking. We still stay in touch every way you can think of--phone chats, email, Facebook, and every week or so we grab some time together, but life has knocked us off of our old rhythm. We'll see what happens when her twins come and rock her world even more! We'll find a way, though. We always have, even after 27 years. Lucky, lucky me.

Another great friend I've been lucky enough to have since I was 12 has also had a whirlwind of a year. We are both so busy--for once, she is more than I am--and our Saturday brunches or Sunday afternoon football games have been fewer and farther between. Time to send a quick note. Then there are my out-of-town friends. One of the best outcomes of my crazy undergrad experience was another once-in-a-lifetime friendship. We haven't lived in the same town for 10 years now, but it doesn't matter. We trade voicemails a lot, and we trade a few weekends every year--either she comes here or I go to Chicago. I'm looking forward to Peanut's first of many trips to Lincoln Park Zoo this summer.

Then there are the social worky friends, current and former co-workers, for whom I am SO grateful. In my field, you need good people around who understand the craziness and can help keep your head up. One lovely lady I worked with a few years back started a book club with another of our friends and some great people from her current job, and we get together monthly to eat, catch up, and sometimes discuss the book :). We chat throughout the month as well, about everything from our family lives to just about every topic on this blog. In fact, conversations with her sparked Just Living.

What else . . . a few of us from high school used to have a monthly dinner club with our husbands, that was pretty fun (especially when we introduced them to a true Russian dinner party!). Different friends and I have different lunch dates we tend to recycle, which is kind of like a tradition, right? Now that I've joined the mommy club, I've connected with some other mamas in various settings, and it has been fun to trade tips and watch our babies grow. And who can forget Facebook, which I was so reluctant to join (as a closeted introvert) but which has proved pretty useful in keeping up and reconnecting with good people. If it wasn't for Facebook, I might not be in this Together on Tuesday brigade!

So as it turns out, maybe I have a few more traditions than I think I do, they are just simple--which is just the way I like it. I like finding rhythm in life, too, which is why settling into more regular contact sounds quite nice, I think. I am pretty stinkin' blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life. I want to make the most of that and show them just how much I appreciate them. :)

Check out Nan, Danielle, Michelle, and Charlotte to see how they keep up with the special people in their worlds.