Of Two Minds

Try as I might, it is impossible to create a post that ignores the "Big CV".  I find myself vacillating between curling up in the fetal position in my closet to flinging the windows open with a laissez faire spirit. Everything that should be said has quite likely already been said or perhaps shouldn't be stated at all. Human nature is certainly presenting itself as good, bad and everything in between as we respond to our individual situations. Clearly, our inner voices are nudging us to "do something." My instincts are goading me toward the following conclusions.

1) Be careful what you wish for.--Likely, many of us have made the statement, "Oh, how I wish I didn't have so much going on in my life. I am just too busy to keep up." And, now, many are stuck at home with nary a sporting event or meeting or church service to attend. The simple ritual of going out for coffee causes a person to answer a gauntlet of questions concerning availability of services, social distancing and quarantining. Working from home may have its advantages but the loss of camaraderie and established routines can wobble one's sense of well being. It is no surprise that many are craving the very thing that harbored complaints just a few short weeks ago.

2) Too much is too much.--This is true on a very basic level when we witness what happens when folks hoard everything from toilet paper to hand sanitizer to canned goods. My husband gently suggested a month ago that it might not hurt to stock up on groceries "just in case." I told him I could probably pantry dive for at least a month before we ran out of edible items. That being said, I have been augmenting my larder with a few extra staples. But, buying more than two weeks worth of goods has a selfish ring to it. If folks are unable to self-check, it may be time to return to the rationing system used during World War II. Moderation, please.

3) Keep calm and start cooking.--It is not a surprise that all the recent insanity sent me straight to the kitchen. Nothing calms me more than getting lost in the zen of chopping, measuring, preheating, sauteing and tasting. Lots of tasting. Bread, snickerdoodles, almond bars, marinated lamb chops, salmon loaf, curried carrots and colcannon are just a few of my distractions, none of which used ingredients in high demand at the grocery store. Baking my own bread does remind me, however, why my grandmothers always bought flour in 50-lb sacks. They didn't use dainty canisters to store their flour but, rather, flour bins large enough to bathe a small child in. Baking was a fact of life back then.

4) Necessity is the mother of invention.--"Flattening the curve" has had an inverse effect on creativity.  Creativity has been flaring up exponentially in response to changes in our social behavior. Entities such as restaurants, theaters, gyms and schools are giving birth to solutions at warp speed in response to problems rarely imagined. I have no doubt that some of the creative responses being implemented now will inspire improvements long after the demands of this crisis have passed.

And, finally, in the spirit of binge watching our favorite shows, let us remember the words often attributed to John Wayne, "Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway."

Giddy up, folks and stay close to the ranch.

Finally got around to using the last of the chocolate stars
from my Christmas baking supplies. Never too late. 

Mind Trips

March is National Reading Month in honor of Dr. Suess' birthday on March 2. Many librarians will don tall red and white striped cat-in-the-hats in hope of enticing the younger crowd into a world of books. Book trivia contests, celebrity read-alouds and flashy library displays will promote the theme throughout the month. In reality, every month is reading month in a library but a promotional push toward literacy spices things up a bit. And librarians love a good theme.

In honor of National Reading Month, here are a few books I have read this year, in no particular order or recommendation.

1) Travel Light, Move Fast by Alexandra Fuller--This book is a memoir revolving around the author's rather unconventional upbringing by her very quirky parents in Africa. Fuller's young life was very different from my rather traditional upbringing in the upper Midwest of the United States and I found her recollections fascinating if not a little perplexing. I did not covet her upbringing but I did wish I was a bit more adventuresome. My trip to the mailbox at the end of our long driveway as a kid was adventure enough for me I guess.

2) A Serial Killer's Daughter by Kerri Rawson--This true story is not for the faint of heart. The author's father was a notorious serial killer known as BTK (bind, torture, kill) in the Wichita, Kansas area.  Chillingly, Rawson's father committed his crimes under the noses of his wife, children and community members without being caught for over thirty years. Rawson's first inkling of her father's evil crimes happened when the FBI came knocking on her door one day. The tale is one of heartbreak, betrayal, shame and ultimately, attempts at forgiveness. The descriptions are not graphic in a blood and guts manner but the rawness of emotions will remind us all of the complexity of relationships.

3) The Impossible Climb by Mark Synnott--My fascination with mountain climbing continues with this book. The author helps us peek into the culture and history of mountain climbers while focusing on the astonishing free-solo climb of El Capitan in 2017 by Alex Honnold. The mountain climbing described in this book is not the pseudo-climbing of men and women who "climb" ascents such as Mt. Everest on the backs of Sherpas and a well-padded pocketbook. The often rag-tag climbers Synnott describes (himself included) are scrappers who have a genuine love for scaling heights and the athleticism involved in the process. He also crafts a deft description of the unwritten tenets of ethical mountain climbing. No one could be farther from such adventures than myself and I tend to be critical of what I deem to be foolishly risky behavior. Synnott's book actually wobbled my judgment of the sport. Not enough to send me looking for carabiners and crampons, but I will reserve instant judgment on all climbers, unless Sherpas are involved.

4) The Best Cook in the World by Rick Bragg--This book was quite a departure for me. The content is certainly in my wheelhouse as I love books about the culture of food and food preparation. It was the way I "read" the book that was foreign to me. I am dabbling in the world of audio books in an attempt to improve my listening skills. Okay, that is a lie. I am using audio books to help me un-numb my brain while I complete my morning exercise routine. The book is rather long so many miles can be covered along the way. Bragg brilliantly describes the essence of food preparation and dining during the very hard times and good times of his mother's family in the hilly regions of Alabama. His sense of humor and keen use of language kept me well entertained. I don't think I will ever cook barbecued pig's feet or the potentially poisonous poke salad, but the lessons gleaned from the book were definitely worth feasting upon.

Hope you have the luxury of reading a good book or two this month. It is time well spent.