Marathon (literally!) conversations with my Aunt Judy and Uncle Bob this weekend were the most productive and most hopeful I've had in recent history. I learned so much from them by listening and being open. We were able to solve the world's problems by: 1) identifying, at the most basic level, what we all want; 2) finding instances of when and where this goal was successfully achieved; and 3) brainstorming a way to accomplish the same goal today.
For instance, how can we evoke patriotism in today's generation? We can show that we care about them by providing the same (more or less) path to middle class status that existed for previous generations. We could examine the patterns (e.g., compensation, taxation) and the policies (e.g., WPA, space exploration) that were successful and find parallels for today (e.g., jobs generated by updating our energy infrastructure).
This practice can be applied to my teaching and to my daily life. In class, small groups can use this model to find solutions for controversial social problems (and then present their findings). At each step in the process, group members can interview friends and family from other generations to include their insights. The end goal of the projects would be to unite around the fulfillment of basic needs rather than to divide around particular media reports, politicians or buzzwords. In my daily life, I can use this model to have rewarding and open conversations with more people.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, Uncle Bob and Aunt Judy, and for celebrating our anniversary (and yours)! Much love. B.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
'Trading Spaces' to expose my very 'inconvenient truth'
I've really struggled with my food choices since I started teaching Sociology of the Environment a few years ago. Turns out ignorance [was] bliss. In questioning what systems I want to support over the next year, I decided to turn the camera on the very 'inconvenient truth' of what I eat by 'trading spaces' with the critters behind the food.
I love soft serve ice cream. Love. It. Perhaps more than life itself. (I'm actually not kidding.) Unfortunately, even in the best case scenario of a small-scale, organic farmer, a cow is only required to have 120 days in pasture. The rest of the time could be spent like this:
I see enclosures similar to this driving in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois all the time. The mud is punctuated by poo piles, which the cows are commonly laying in. If I were to trade places with these cows, my life would look something like this:
Space constraints will eventually force me to touch/lay in my own excrement (represented here by my sock 'poo' piles) as is the case for my four-legged friends. Technically, I should also be laying in the excrement of several more people. [Get out from behind the camera and join me, Melanie!] On the bright side, I would get 120 days 'vacation' in pasture. That's the same as what I currently have between summer and winter break. Sweet. [Insert sarcasm here.]
To be honest, I wanted to do this in my bathroom with a real poo pile placed on the floor. Melanie cautioned against it for a variety of reasons (all of which just made me want to do it more). She said: "But people don't live in their bathrooms." Exactly. And: "But people will just think you have 'lost it' and really need a break." To that I would ask: Which of the following is truly a sign that I have 'lost it': 1) Questioning the reality of life for a confined animal by 'trading spaces' with it, or 2) continuing to eat the products of an industry that allows for these conditions? My answer would be the latter. That said, I thank Melanie for the constructive feedback that saved me from a 'clean up in Aisle 9' type event.
I guess I should be happy that I'm not part of large-scale, industrial dairy as I would never get a break from this:
I imagine this is the supply source for my beloved McDonald's ice cream cones. (Yes, I know my fetish is problematic on many levels, but I had to 'out' myself in the interest of full disclosure.)
If I got really 'lucky,' I could listen to classical music while being milked in my hermetically sealed enclosure as is the case for some cows in China (please consider watching the PBS video associated with this link...it's only 10 minutes long, but deeply troubling).
The equivalent experience of an industrialized dairy cow for me (restrained in place, on concrete, with no sun) might be:
I was buying 'cage free' or 'free range' from the Co-Op, but am concerned that those labels do not mean much given current guidelines and that life for these chickens often looks like this:
The human equivalent seems easy [again, insert more sarcasm here] and I've already lived it for part of one day. It was January 1, 2013, in Bangkok, Thailand. We were making offerings at the Buddhist temples on the first day of the New Year. So was everyone else in Thailand. That's me squished, and resisting a pick-pocket attempt, just to the bottom-right of the gray sign:
Now I only have to rock this for 364 more days in a row. At least I would have more freedom than a battery cage chicken (of which there are currently 255 million according to Farm Sanctuary):
The human equivalent of being in a battery cage would be spending my life confined to one space that is smaller than a sheet of paper (it's hard to tell because I would have almost no room left with my big feet, but I am standing on a white sheet of paper):
Bacon is another weakness of mine. Again, I won't lie: I have been guilty of buying pre-cooked, mass produced bacon to avoid the 'inconvenience' of dealing with the bacon grease. Assuming the worse case scenario associated with my purchase, life in a gestation crate for pigs is grim:
According to the Humane Society, the human equivalent of this would be spending my life in an airplane seat. Melanie modeled this one for me (though she gave herself more legroom than I would have and she would be on a very full flight rather than an empty plane):
I think this picture is probably a better way to feel the confinement:
My days in a gestation crate might be numbered, however. McDonald's, for instance, will only [eh hem, more sarcasm here] continue to use pigs from gestation crates for the next 2900 days or so (i.e., 8 years). Then, if I'm lucky, I might get to move to this:
To continue the airplane analogy, I think this would be like when the pilots turn off the 'fasten seat belt' sign and announce that you are 'free to roam about the cabin.' I don't know about you all, but that's typically little relief to me in the context of a long flight and a crowded cabin.
I do love mahi mahi and other local catch when in Hawaii. According to some estimates, our reliance on super trawling (see image below for why they are truly 'super') has eliminated 90% of the big fish in the sea:
If I were to put myself in this position, I would imagine peaceful snorkeling...
...interrupted by a quick snatch into a net with other dead and dying ocean critters. I would definitely end up as wasted bycatch as no one would ever be paid to 'catch' me. Just ask Melanie.... :)
I'm sure someone has already placed humans in the same positions we place animals, but I needed to go through the mental and physical exercise of 'trading spaces' for myself. I needed to expose myself to this very 'inconvenient truth.' I want to keep eating McDonald's soft serve ice cream cones. Really. Badly. I want to cling to the 4th of July bratwurst, cake, and ice cream traditions of old. But I have to let go.
While I do not feel I have to demonstrate the intelligence of any creature to justify the humane treatment of it, I do think it's worth noting that these critters are just like us (sans the ability to exercise dominion over others). Cows nurture friendships and are excited by intellectual challenges. Chickens outperform dogs and cats in cognitive assessments and can anticipate the future, which is something only humans and primates have been observed to do. Pigs can play video games (probably better than I can, but I digress...).
Frankly, the animals in my life have more sense than me. No cat I've had as a companion has ever eaten even one bite of McDonald's 'meat.' Not one taste of 'sausage ball' from a Sausage Burrito. Not a shred of 'beef' from a Big Mac. Nothing. My two cats currently, however, will beg (literally) for pieces of Tofurkey:
Beyond the premise of 'do unto others as you would have done to you,' our current food system burdens our own bodies (the 'invironment') and the environment. Not only do meat and dairy production carbon dioxide emissions (18%) surpass those of transportation (14%), but we could be feeding all of the people in the world if we were not diverting grain to feed the critters we want to eat. We've been marketed to view 'meat' as synonymous with 'protein.' As a result, we think hamburger is healthier than beans and brown rice. We've been told 'milk does a body good' though some research suggests the reverse and it is odd (as stated by Colin Campbell in Forks Over Knives) that we are the only species that drinks the milk of another animal. We are so far removed from a working knowledge of 'whole foods' (e.g., fruits, vegetables, grains) that 'newscasters' don't know what's left when told not to eat processed 'foods' by medical experts [I'm thinking here of the recent interview with Dr. Mark Hyman by Savannah Guthrie in which she asked "what's left" after being told not to eat various processed foods]. Sadly, we also don't know when we're eating something real or something processed without checking the very, very, very fine print. One insidious example are the Flav-R-Bites that replace 'real' fruit in 'blueberry' bagels or waffles, etc. As reported in Pandora's Lunchbox, these need only be 6% blueberry solids by volume in order to be labeled as 'blueberries.'
If our food system doesn't benefit most people, animals, or the planet, who is winning? Largely the answer is the corporate interests that have shaped nutrition guidelines and consolidated food production.
Am I being too reductionistic? Couldn't I just eat critters from small-scale, diversified farms that do right by their animals? Yes. I could. There are many out there.
I know, however, that the reality of 'owning' even one dairy cow could mean the decision to put the cow down when it fails to produce enough milk to pay for the cost of feed. To translate that into human terms in my 'trading spaces' exercise again: Since I am going on an unpaid leave next year, should I be put down for failing to earn enough to cover the cost of my food?
The reality is also that there would need to be a world wide, wholehearted return to small scale, diversified farming in order to meet present domestic and global demand for meat and dairy. Since that hasn't happened yet, I have no choice but to change my personal demand.
My decision to quit meat and dairy again 'cold turkey' (pardon the pun) also follows from the fact that I could not kill an animal to eat it at the end of life or otherwise. I've had fantasies of catching my own fish, but the truth is I couldn't kill one myself. My decision is a result of the clear preference of all critters to be free (see the escape artists in Chickens in the Road). It makes sense. I'd prefer not to be confined to even the most pleasant of places. Why would that not be true for any other critter?
Lastly, I'm prone to extremes. ['Balance' means what now?] It's best for me to excise things from my life and not look back lest my brain will engineer various times or reasons when indulging would be 'OK' (even though it's not).
When I last questioned my participation in conventional food systems two year ago, I found myself a 'lapsed vegan' after a few months because it was 'too hard.' I've struggled with giving up other things because they were 'too hard.' I finally realized that 'sometimes things are just hard,' but that doesn't mean I should stop doing them. I'll call it getting hit upside the head with a big ol' frying pan of Buddhism.
So, no matter how hard or inconvenient, or _________it is, I'm going to return to eating and buying vegan. I'm not trying to proselytize or to influence the behavior of others. Really. I'm not. I promise. I desperately need to let go of that artifact of teaching. Changing my own behavior will be challenge enough. I will, however, share yummy alternatives to meat and dairy. I will also share examples of people doing good with their food.
I'm already a fan of the Forks Over Knives recipes as well as Straight Up Food. Both of these resources do not use oil or additives, but are strictly whole foods, plant based. When following their guidelines during my last bout of veganism, my total cholesterol fell below 200 for the first time in my life.
That said, for my occasional treats (with added oil) when things get hard but I'm not willing to give up, I am a huge fan of these yummy cones:
Special thanks to Chantell and Val at HyVee on Locust Street in Dubuque for adding these to their Health Market offerings!
I've also found a few seriously good vegan parms:
I will need to be very mindful of budget for the next year so I will also be reporting on the costs of my 'whole food, plant based' diet. Contrary to what we've been taught by food corporations, whole foods are more nutritious than processed 'food' and cheaper, too. Just got three sweet potatoes (that's three lunches) for $1.64. I will buy from local farmers or farmer's markets as much as possible.
I also plan to grow our own food. I hope to report on many successes. My experiment in kombucha brewing has taught me that I can learn to nurture and sustain life. By the last batch, my 'mother' had grown to about 1.5 inches thick, was as wide as her container, and even had a 'baby' floating in the booch below her. Instead of my initial response of trepidation at her sliminess, I was in awe of her life.
I want to be part of food production that I believe in and to focus on the good that is out there. My cousin's efforts on her land represent some of that good. She is growing cantaloupe, peppers, tomato, corn, beans, cucumber, etc. and canning. Perhaps more importantly, she is 'growing children' who are mindful of the land and respectful of the animals. She has a teenage son who refuses to eat factory farmed fast food. She has a young daughter (only age 8) who speaks so eloquently about her own respect for their food and animals that it moves you to tears. Their good gives me hope. B.
P.S. I've completely fallen in love with:
to obtain my necessary B12. I don't know why I didn't like this stuff the last time I tried it, but I'm about ready to drink it now. It's fabulous on broccoli, sweet potato, veggie burgers (or anything else as a cheese substitute) and/or tasteless (if you wish) mixed into any other sauce.
I also continue to love this plant-based milk substitute (and it's fortified with B12 as well):
I love soft serve ice cream. Love. It. Perhaps more than life itself. (I'm actually not kidding.) Unfortunately, even in the best case scenario of a small-scale, organic farmer, a cow is only required to have 120 days in pasture. The rest of the time could be spent like this:
I see enclosures similar to this driving in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois all the time. The mud is punctuated by poo piles, which the cows are commonly laying in. If I were to trade places with these cows, my life would look something like this:
Space constraints will eventually force me to touch/lay in my own excrement (represented here by my sock 'poo' piles) as is the case for my four-legged friends. Technically, I should also be laying in the excrement of several more people. [Get out from behind the camera and join me, Melanie!] On the bright side, I would get 120 days 'vacation' in pasture. That's the same as what I currently have between summer and winter break. Sweet. [Insert sarcasm here.]
To be honest, I wanted to do this in my bathroom with a real poo pile placed on the floor. Melanie cautioned against it for a variety of reasons (all of which just made me want to do it more). She said: "But people don't live in their bathrooms." Exactly. And: "But people will just think you have 'lost it' and really need a break." To that I would ask: Which of the following is truly a sign that I have 'lost it': 1) Questioning the reality of life for a confined animal by 'trading spaces' with it, or 2) continuing to eat the products of an industry that allows for these conditions? My answer would be the latter. That said, I thank Melanie for the constructive feedback that saved me from a 'clean up in Aisle 9' type event.
I guess I should be happy that I'm not part of large-scale, industrial dairy as I would never get a break from this:
I imagine this is the supply source for my beloved McDonald's ice cream cones. (Yes, I know my fetish is problematic on many levels, but I had to 'out' myself in the interest of full disclosure.)
If I got really 'lucky,' I could listen to classical music while being milked in my hermetically sealed enclosure as is the case for some cows in China (please consider watching the PBS video associated with this link...it's only 10 minutes long, but deeply troubling).
The equivalent experience of an industrialized dairy cow for me (restrained in place, on concrete, with no sun) might be:
I was buying 'cage free' or 'free range' from the Co-Op, but am concerned that those labels do not mean much given current guidelines and that life for these chickens often looks like this:
The human equivalent seems easy [again, insert more sarcasm here] and I've already lived it for part of one day. It was January 1, 2013, in Bangkok, Thailand. We were making offerings at the Buddhist temples on the first day of the New Year. So was everyone else in Thailand. That's me squished, and resisting a pick-pocket attempt, just to the bottom-right of the gray sign:
Now I only have to rock this for 364 more days in a row. At least I would have more freedom than a battery cage chicken (of which there are currently 255 million according to Farm Sanctuary):
The human equivalent of being in a battery cage would be spending my life confined to one space that is smaller than a sheet of paper (it's hard to tell because I would have almost no room left with my big feet, but I am standing on a white sheet of paper):
Bacon is another weakness of mine. Again, I won't lie: I have been guilty of buying pre-cooked, mass produced bacon to avoid the 'inconvenience' of dealing with the bacon grease. Assuming the worse case scenario associated with my purchase, life in a gestation crate for pigs is grim:
According to the Humane Society, the human equivalent of this would be spending my life in an airplane seat. Melanie modeled this one for me (though she gave herself more legroom than I would have and she would be on a very full flight rather than an empty plane):
I think this picture is probably a better way to feel the confinement:
My days in a gestation crate might be numbered, however. McDonald's, for instance, will only [eh hem, more sarcasm here] continue to use pigs from gestation crates for the next 2900 days or so (i.e., 8 years). Then, if I'm lucky, I might get to move to this:
To continue the airplane analogy, I think this would be like when the pilots turn off the 'fasten seat belt' sign and announce that you are 'free to roam about the cabin.' I don't know about you all, but that's typically little relief to me in the context of a long flight and a crowded cabin.
I do love mahi mahi and other local catch when in Hawaii. According to some estimates, our reliance on super trawling (see image below for why they are truly 'super') has eliminated 90% of the big fish in the sea:
If I were to put myself in this position, I would imagine peaceful snorkeling...
...interrupted by a quick snatch into a net with other dead and dying ocean critters. I would definitely end up as wasted bycatch as no one would ever be paid to 'catch' me. Just ask Melanie.... :)
I'm sure someone has already placed humans in the same positions we place animals, but I needed to go through the mental and physical exercise of 'trading spaces' for myself. I needed to expose myself to this very 'inconvenient truth.' I want to keep eating McDonald's soft serve ice cream cones. Really. Badly. I want to cling to the 4th of July bratwurst, cake, and ice cream traditions of old. But I have to let go.
While I do not feel I have to demonstrate the intelligence of any creature to justify the humane treatment of it, I do think it's worth noting that these critters are just like us (sans the ability to exercise dominion over others). Cows nurture friendships and are excited by intellectual challenges. Chickens outperform dogs and cats in cognitive assessments and can anticipate the future, which is something only humans and primates have been observed to do. Pigs can play video games (probably better than I can, but I digress...).
Frankly, the animals in my life have more sense than me. No cat I've had as a companion has ever eaten even one bite of McDonald's 'meat.' Not one taste of 'sausage ball' from a Sausage Burrito. Not a shred of 'beef' from a Big Mac. Nothing. My two cats currently, however, will beg (literally) for pieces of Tofurkey:
Beyond the premise of 'do unto others as you would have done to you,' our current food system burdens our own bodies (the 'invironment') and the environment. Not only do meat and dairy production carbon dioxide emissions (18%) surpass those of transportation (14%), but we could be feeding all of the people in the world if we were not diverting grain to feed the critters we want to eat. We've been marketed to view 'meat' as synonymous with 'protein.' As a result, we think hamburger is healthier than beans and brown rice. We've been told 'milk does a body good' though some research suggests the reverse and it is odd (as stated by Colin Campbell in Forks Over Knives) that we are the only species that drinks the milk of another animal. We are so far removed from a working knowledge of 'whole foods' (e.g., fruits, vegetables, grains) that 'newscasters' don't know what's left when told not to eat processed 'foods' by medical experts [I'm thinking here of the recent interview with Dr. Mark Hyman by Savannah Guthrie in which she asked "what's left" after being told not to eat various processed foods]. Sadly, we also don't know when we're eating something real or something processed without checking the very, very, very fine print. One insidious example are the Flav-R-Bites that replace 'real' fruit in 'blueberry' bagels or waffles, etc. As reported in Pandora's Lunchbox, these need only be 6% blueberry solids by volume in order to be labeled as 'blueberries.'
If our food system doesn't benefit most people, animals, or the planet, who is winning? Largely the answer is the corporate interests that have shaped nutrition guidelines and consolidated food production.
Am I being too reductionistic? Couldn't I just eat critters from small-scale, diversified farms that do right by their animals? Yes. I could. There are many out there.
I know, however, that the reality of 'owning' even one dairy cow could mean the decision to put the cow down when it fails to produce enough milk to pay for the cost of feed. To translate that into human terms in my 'trading spaces' exercise again: Since I am going on an unpaid leave next year, should I be put down for failing to earn enough to cover the cost of my food?
The reality is also that there would need to be a world wide, wholehearted return to small scale, diversified farming in order to meet present domestic and global demand for meat and dairy. Since that hasn't happened yet, I have no choice but to change my personal demand.
My decision to quit meat and dairy again 'cold turkey' (pardon the pun) also follows from the fact that I could not kill an animal to eat it at the end of life or otherwise. I've had fantasies of catching my own fish, but the truth is I couldn't kill one myself. My decision is a result of the clear preference of all critters to be free (see the escape artists in Chickens in the Road). It makes sense. I'd prefer not to be confined to even the most pleasant of places. Why would that not be true for any other critter?
Lastly, I'm prone to extremes. ['Balance' means what now?] It's best for me to excise things from my life and not look back lest my brain will engineer various times or reasons when indulging would be 'OK' (even though it's not).
When I last questioned my participation in conventional food systems two year ago, I found myself a 'lapsed vegan' after a few months because it was 'too hard.' I've struggled with giving up other things because they were 'too hard.' I finally realized that 'sometimes things are just hard,' but that doesn't mean I should stop doing them. I'll call it getting hit upside the head with a big ol' frying pan of Buddhism.
So, no matter how hard or inconvenient, or _________it is, I'm going to return to eating and buying vegan. I'm not trying to proselytize or to influence the behavior of others. Really. I'm not. I promise. I desperately need to let go of that artifact of teaching. Changing my own behavior will be challenge enough. I will, however, share yummy alternatives to meat and dairy. I will also share examples of people doing good with their food.
I'm already a fan of the Forks Over Knives recipes as well as Straight Up Food. Both of these resources do not use oil or additives, but are strictly whole foods, plant based. When following their guidelines during my last bout of veganism, my total cholesterol fell below 200 for the first time in my life.
That said, for my occasional treats (with added oil) when things get hard but I'm not willing to give up, I am a huge fan of these yummy cones:
Special thanks to Chantell and Val at HyVee on Locust Street in Dubuque for adding these to their Health Market offerings!
I've also found a few seriously good vegan parms:
I will need to be very mindful of budget for the next year so I will also be reporting on the costs of my 'whole food, plant based' diet. Contrary to what we've been taught by food corporations, whole foods are more nutritious than processed 'food' and cheaper, too. Just got three sweet potatoes (that's three lunches) for $1.64. I will buy from local farmers or farmer's markets as much as possible.
I also plan to grow our own food. I hope to report on many successes. My experiment in kombucha brewing has taught me that I can learn to nurture and sustain life. By the last batch, my 'mother' had grown to about 1.5 inches thick, was as wide as her container, and even had a 'baby' floating in the booch below her. Instead of my initial response of trepidation at her sliminess, I was in awe of her life.
I want to be part of food production that I believe in and to focus on the good that is out there. My cousin's efforts on her land represent some of that good. She is growing cantaloupe, peppers, tomato, corn, beans, cucumber, etc. and canning. Perhaps more importantly, she is 'growing children' who are mindful of the land and respectful of the animals. She has a teenage son who refuses to eat factory farmed fast food. She has a young daughter (only age 8) who speaks so eloquently about her own respect for their food and animals that it moves you to tears. Their good gives me hope. B.
P.S. I've completely fallen in love with:
I also continue to love this plant-based milk substitute (and it's fortified with B12 as well):
Thursday, May 1, 2014
For B.
My last tattoo (literally and figuratively) was done by Steve at Crossroads Tattoo. He's a wonderful human. It reads: "Love much, Live gently, Let go gracefully" as a variation on a classic phrase attributed to Buddha.
I've been challenging myself to find my 'how to' or 'road map' in order to live the words. I've come up with the following:
Love is using the heart instead of the mind to live from the spirit.
Gentleness comes from knowing that misery is resistance to life.
Letting go comes from not clinging to the good or the bad, but rather accepting what is and being open to possibilities.
B.
I've been challenging myself to find my 'how to' or 'road map' in order to live the words. I've come up with the following:
Love is using the heart instead of the mind to live from the spirit.
Gentleness comes from knowing that misery is resistance to life.
Letting go comes from not clinging to the good or the bad, but rather accepting what is and being open to possibilities.
B.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
The result of 'taking a few steps' so far...
"Above all, I focus on moving forward- with new ideas, new challenges, new sources of energy. That way, I don't have time for pessimism to take root. The biggest enemy to optimism: standing still. So watch what happens when you take a few steps. Much of life's satisfaction comes not from looking behind you, but rather from getting jazzed about what's waiting up ahead" [Dr. Oz in Good Life Magazine, March/April 2014].
I do feel optimistic and happy when I take a step to try something new (or scary!) and remain open to possibilities. I very much enjoyed my first ice skating adventure yesterday courtesy of Jude. I am also thrilled with home life sans television and the internet. So far, I've found more time to read and I am excited to spend more time creating as well. [Read: watch out for pictures of my 'art,' which typically involves paintings of various people or critters that look like they've been exposed to the nuclear pond outside Mr. Burns's plant in Springfield].
Evenings have also been spent tending to my kombucha 'mother' who I am very proud to report is growing two children of her own. It's simultaneously disgusting and amazing. Try to imagine a foot-diameter flat disc of pancake with two pancakes growing underneath of similar size. I'll work on taking new pictures of mother and baby when Melanie can help as it's a two person job, but here's a bit of a visual from someone else's family:
Actually, it also reminds me of Grands' flaky biscuits though this person's mother seems to be moldy, which is not a good thing (on any level...):
On the bright side, I'm pretty confident I have not yet grown any cutaneous anthrax (relax, it's the most treatable kind...). On the not so bright side, I think I might have to slow down my own consumption before the acidic nature of the tea feeds on my tooth enamel. Eh hem.
My next challenge is to read about and start growing more of our own herbs, vegetables, and fruits in keeping with my desire to be a 'self-serve' household. While I could say that this will be difficult because we have limited outdoor space, the truth is that it will be difficult because I often lack the patience and precision required to cultivate life. Yeah...that didn't sound very good, but it's true. I've already killed a basil plant and watched my cilantro and kale seeds get pummeled by the recent rains.I think I may have to volunteer with some experts this summer to get the hang of things (e.g., Friendly Farm in Iowa City).
After finishing "Chickens in the Road," it's also clear to me that I need to learn how to can and dehydrate. I've been making my own 'freezer jelly' recently, but realized that doesn't protect my efforts in the event of a power loss. My 'jellies' and 'sauces' so far are always only cooked down fruit and spices, but they look like the 'real thing.' [Note to self: I really need to be less lazy and start taking pictures of what I produce.] The most recent one looks just like commercial raspberry jam, but is actually just 2 bags of frozen raspberries cooked down with one paw paw, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. The paw paw, if you're not familiar, is a mango-like fruit that can and is being grown in Iowa to produce more 'tropical' fruit of local origin:
They are very tasty lightly thawed (think mango-orange frozen custard), but are also excellent as a textural sweetener in jam. I'm thankful that a student introduced me to them. She was doing her 'individual change project' to eat locally for Sociology of the Environment and mentioned the fruit in class. She ordered hers from the Iowa Valley Food Co-Op and I was able to find them at New Pioneer Food Co-Op. My 'cranberry sauce' for the holidays is another 'fruit-only' version of the holiday classic. I cook down one orange, one bag of frozen cranberries, one bag of frozen pineapple, and the typical spices. Once it's amenable, I squish the daylights out of the cranberries and let the whole thing perk until it's gelatinous. I add a chopped apple after the sauce is cooked (and you can top it with walnuts then, too). No sugar needed in my opinion, but then again I'm also comfortable drinking kombucha tea with a ph barely suitable for human consumption so my taste buds could be a bit skewed. :)
Whew. I'm (long) winded. More on our household food choices and changes soon. Betcha' can't wait.... :) B.
I do feel optimistic and happy when I take a step to try something new (or scary!) and remain open to possibilities. I very much enjoyed my first ice skating adventure yesterday courtesy of Jude. I am also thrilled with home life sans television and the internet. So far, I've found more time to read and I am excited to spend more time creating as well. [Read: watch out for pictures of my 'art,' which typically involves paintings of various people or critters that look like they've been exposed to the nuclear pond outside Mr. Burns's plant in Springfield].
Evenings have also been spent tending to my kombucha 'mother' who I am very proud to report is growing two children of her own. It's simultaneously disgusting and amazing. Try to imagine a foot-diameter flat disc of pancake with two pancakes growing underneath of similar size. I'll work on taking new pictures of mother and baby when Melanie can help as it's a two person job, but here's a bit of a visual from someone else's family:
Actually, it also reminds me of Grands' flaky biscuits though this person's mother seems to be moldy, which is not a good thing (on any level...):
On the bright side, I'm pretty confident I have not yet grown any cutaneous anthrax (relax, it's the most treatable kind...). On the not so bright side, I think I might have to slow down my own consumption before the acidic nature of the tea feeds on my tooth enamel. Eh hem.
My next challenge is to read about and start growing more of our own herbs, vegetables, and fruits in keeping with my desire to be a 'self-serve' household. While I could say that this will be difficult because we have limited outdoor space, the truth is that it will be difficult because I often lack the patience and precision required to cultivate life. Yeah...that didn't sound very good, but it's true. I've already killed a basil plant and watched my cilantro and kale seeds get pummeled by the recent rains.I think I may have to volunteer with some experts this summer to get the hang of things (e.g., Friendly Farm in Iowa City).
After finishing "Chickens in the Road," it's also clear to me that I need to learn how to can and dehydrate. I've been making my own 'freezer jelly' recently, but realized that doesn't protect my efforts in the event of a power loss. My 'jellies' and 'sauces' so far are always only cooked down fruit and spices, but they look like the 'real thing.' [Note to self: I really need to be less lazy and start taking pictures of what I produce.] The most recent one looks just like commercial raspberry jam, but is actually just 2 bags of frozen raspberries cooked down with one paw paw, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. The paw paw, if you're not familiar, is a mango-like fruit that can and is being grown in Iowa to produce more 'tropical' fruit of local origin:
They are very tasty lightly thawed (think mango-orange frozen custard), but are also excellent as a textural sweetener in jam. I'm thankful that a student introduced me to them. She was doing her 'individual change project' to eat locally for Sociology of the Environment and mentioned the fruit in class. She ordered hers from the Iowa Valley Food Co-Op and I was able to find them at New Pioneer Food Co-Op. My 'cranberry sauce' for the holidays is another 'fruit-only' version of the holiday classic. I cook down one orange, one bag of frozen cranberries, one bag of frozen pineapple, and the typical spices. Once it's amenable, I squish the daylights out of the cranberries and let the whole thing perk until it's gelatinous. I add a chopped apple after the sauce is cooked (and you can top it with walnuts then, too). No sugar needed in my opinion, but then again I'm also comfortable drinking kombucha tea with a ph barely suitable for human consumption so my taste buds could be a bit skewed. :)
Whew. I'm (long) winded. More on our household food choices and changes soon. Betcha' can't wait.... :) B.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Pretty sure "Wall-E" was meant to be a cautionary tale rather than something to which we aspire...
I will be returning an entire rolling suitcase full of power cords, cable boxes, modems, etc. today as we disconnect our cable and internet service at home. Passenger's 'Scare Away the Dark' is a good mantra for what I'll call our experiment in the 'consciously unconsuming' of technology. :)
Don't get me wrong- Facebook is amazing for keeping in touch when it's the only option, but many nights and weekends I'd prefer to just go spend time with folks rather than experiencing them 'virtually.' I'd also prefer to start creating (e.g., painting) and growing (e.g., fruits, veggies, and my kombucha) in my free time again rather than watching television shows to 'zone out' or 'de-stress' after teaching.
I feel like part of my goal for the next year is to question how I live and who benefits from the systems I participate in. Does the technology feed my soul or does it feed the coffers of the corporations producing and marketing it? We are encouraged to abandoned working phones (even to intentionally drop them in a toilet in order to take advantage of a faster 'free phone upgrade'), but doing so benefits producers/providers of the technology at the expense of people in the 'Global South' who receive our e-waste. [And then there's the whole other can of worms related to stripping the Earth of rare minerals to produce our gadgets.] While there are some alternatives, it seems the best approach is to use our power as individuals to change our demand for goods and services.
Disconnecting from cable and the internet at home is my attempt to live in a manner more consistent with what I believe (and with what I've been preaching in class). We will still be using our existing digital devices. I'll also still be connected to a computer screen with this blog (no, the irony of a blog diatribe on technology is not lost on me!), which I've chosen over keeping a paper journal largely for professional reasons. My hope, however, is to see a lot more of you in person (or hear your voice on the phone), to rekindle my childhood love affair with the public library, to foster my own creativity, and maybe even to learn some new skills. :) B.
Don't get me wrong- Facebook is amazing for keeping in touch when it's the only option, but many nights and weekends I'd prefer to just go spend time with folks rather than experiencing them 'virtually.' I'd also prefer to start creating (e.g., painting) and growing (e.g., fruits, veggies, and my kombucha) in my free time again rather than watching television shows to 'zone out' or 'de-stress' after teaching.
I feel like part of my goal for the next year is to question how I live and who benefits from the systems I participate in. Does the technology feed my soul or does it feed the coffers of the corporations producing and marketing it? We are encouraged to abandoned working phones (even to intentionally drop them in a toilet in order to take advantage of a faster 'free phone upgrade'), but doing so benefits producers/providers of the technology at the expense of people in the 'Global South' who receive our e-waste. [And then there's the whole other can of worms related to stripping the Earth of rare minerals to produce our gadgets.] While there are some alternatives, it seems the best approach is to use our power as individuals to change our demand for goods and services.
Disconnecting from cable and the internet at home is my attempt to live in a manner more consistent with what I believe (and with what I've been preaching in class). We will still be using our existing digital devices. I'll also still be connected to a computer screen with this blog (no, the irony of a blog diatribe on technology is not lost on me!), which I've chosen over keeping a paper journal largely for professional reasons. My hope, however, is to see a lot more of you in person (or hear your voice on the phone), to rekindle my childhood love affair with the public library, to foster my own creativity, and maybe even to learn some new skills. :) B.
Friday, April 18, 2014
We're pregnant...home brew style!
I love horror movies. Total case of classical conditioning. I got to stay up late on Friday nights growing up. What was on television late on Friday nights? Horror movies. Hence, I love horror movies.
"Psycho" is definitely a classic and my favorite parts were always the creepy shots of 'mother' in the rocking chair in the highest window. Now that I've gotten into home brewing of kombucha (booch, for short), I can totally understand how my friend, Sal, from the Co-op ended up with a sketch of a booch 'mother' in a rocking chair in the highest window of a creepy house: Mother takes a lot of work and she is creepy!
Here's what she looks like:
She actually covers the entire surface area of this 2.5 gallon spigot jug (you can see the space between her and the jar on the edge). The heavier white circle is actually her new baby growing underneath. [Shiver.]
How did I get into growing a mess of fermented yeast when I've already killed (truly the cold weather did that) a basil plant this spring? I got 'mother' thanks to the very generous gift of Joey. [Although I think the true blessing was getting to see Joey again!] The new booch brewing hobby comes as part of my goal to spend the year engaged in individual change projects related to social and environmental concerns. My 'booch habit' is not only a cost I cannot afford long-term, but it's a cost to the environment in that it requires the production and transportation of heavy glass bottles. We always focus on the carbon emissions associated with travel, but travel accounts for only 14% of carbon emissions compared to the 18% associated with the production, distribution, refrigeration, etc. of our food. [Actually, 18% is only the estimate for our meat and dairy production, so the true number for food and beverages would be much higher given that the average meal travels 1,500 miles to get to our plates.]
So, in thinking about how I want to relate to the world and what systems I want to participate in, I decided to try to brew my own booch. Rather than paying $4 a bottle for booch from Beverly Hills (literally), we attended a class at the New Pioneer Co-op. I resisted my typical urge to buy a 'kit' for home brewing ($250 with heater), did some online research instead, and came up with a 'continuous brewing' system for about $60 total. So far, my new system has yielded 12 bottles (see below) so I should break even by my next batch!
Besides the fact that I'll hopefully (as long as mother doesn't get moldy, fruit fly infestation, or vinegar eels [shudder]) save myself a ton of money and the environment more carbon emissions, my new hobby has already made me feel more connected and productive.
I actually grew something! Everything above I grew from Joey's lovely gift. But I also am growing a spare 'mother' from a bottle of store-bought kombucha for a SCOBY 'hotel.' I've learned it's best to have a stack of mothers in a jar(s) in the event of said eel/mold/fly infestation [shudder, again]. She's pictured below. She's much smaller, but she's still good.
More importantly, I actually grew my connections with people. I met more people at the Co-op. I got to see Joey again. Melanie and I have worked together to maintain the temperature and health of mother and baby. I'm happy. Now as long as I don't poison us both, it's all good! :) B.
"Psycho" is definitely a classic and my favorite parts were always the creepy shots of 'mother' in the rocking chair in the highest window. Now that I've gotten into home brewing of kombucha (booch, for short), I can totally understand how my friend, Sal, from the Co-op ended up with a sketch of a booch 'mother' in a rocking chair in the highest window of a creepy house: Mother takes a lot of work and she is creepy!
Here's what she looks like:
She actually covers the entire surface area of this 2.5 gallon spigot jug (you can see the space between her and the jar on the edge). The heavier white circle is actually her new baby growing underneath. [Shiver.]
How did I get into growing a mess of fermented yeast when I've already killed (truly the cold weather did that) a basil plant this spring? I got 'mother' thanks to the very generous gift of Joey. [Although I think the true blessing was getting to see Joey again!] The new booch brewing hobby comes as part of my goal to spend the year engaged in individual change projects related to social and environmental concerns. My 'booch habit' is not only a cost I cannot afford long-term, but it's a cost to the environment in that it requires the production and transportation of heavy glass bottles. We always focus on the carbon emissions associated with travel, but travel accounts for only 14% of carbon emissions compared to the 18% associated with the production, distribution, refrigeration, etc. of our food. [Actually, 18% is only the estimate for our meat and dairy production, so the true number for food and beverages would be much higher given that the average meal travels 1,500 miles to get to our plates.]
So, in thinking about how I want to relate to the world and what systems I want to participate in, I decided to try to brew my own booch. Rather than paying $4 a bottle for booch from Beverly Hills (literally), we attended a class at the New Pioneer Co-op. I resisted my typical urge to buy a 'kit' for home brewing ($250 with heater), did some online research instead, and came up with a 'continuous brewing' system for about $60 total. So far, my new system has yielded 12 bottles (see below) so I should break even by my next batch!
Besides the fact that I'll hopefully (as long as mother doesn't get moldy, fruit fly infestation, or vinegar eels [shudder]) save myself a ton of money and the environment more carbon emissions, my new hobby has already made me feel more connected and productive.
I actually grew something! Everything above I grew from Joey's lovely gift. But I also am growing a spare 'mother' from a bottle of store-bought kombucha for a SCOBY 'hotel.' I've learned it's best to have a stack of mothers in a jar(s) in the event of said eel/mold/fly infestation [shudder, again]. She's pictured below. She's much smaller, but she's still good.
More importantly, I actually grew my connections with people. I met more people at the Co-op. I got to see Joey again. Melanie and I have worked together to maintain the temperature and health of mother and baby. I'm happy. Now as long as I don't poison us both, it's all good! :) B.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
To be fair...
The quote from "Total Recall" just happened to be the latest undeniably random, 'frying pan upside the head' sign from the universe that it was time to live in the peace that can come from following the heart. My heart has said it's time to take a leave of absence from teaching. While this might not sound like a big decision to many people, it has been very difficult for me.
As a result, I have learned a lot about about letting go (if only for a year). I have learned that moving toward both my fears and my dreams results in growth. I am learning to believe in the existence of possibilities for personal expansion. I am learning that I deserve to be able to follow those possibilities without guilt as long as doing so allows me to be of better service to myself and to others. I am learning to have faith in the universe.
I could not have written the above paragraph without what I refer to as the 'books of Dennis' (Spirit Junkie, Happy for No Reason, You Can Be Happy No Matter What) from our beloved friend. I feel gratitude beyond words (and I have a lot of words at my disposal) for Melanie's support and encouragement. I feel very fortunate to have an employer that is allowing me to spend the next year exploring solutions to the social problems I've been talking about for almost a decade. And I am thankful to Jude for suggesting I keep a record of what I find along the way. :) B.
As a result, I have learned a lot about about letting go (if only for a year). I have learned that moving toward both my fears and my dreams results in growth. I am learning to believe in the existence of possibilities for personal expansion. I am learning that I deserve to be able to follow those possibilities without guilt as long as doing so allows me to be of better service to myself and to others. I am learning to have faith in the universe.
I could not have written the above paragraph without what I refer to as the 'books of Dennis' (Spirit Junkie, Happy for No Reason, You Can Be Happy No Matter What) from our beloved friend. I feel gratitude beyond words (and I have a lot of words at my disposal) for Melanie's support and encouragement. I feel very fortunate to have an employer that is allowing me to spend the next year exploring solutions to the social problems I've been talking about for almost a decade. And I am thankful to Jude for suggesting I keep a record of what I find along the way. :) B.
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