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| Wishing you were with us in our home this Merry Christmas. XO  |
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Merry Merry 2019
Our card this year was a fun challenge. Collaborating is always a bit of a process. It can take a minute before we figure out the vision and come to a shared understanding/goal. But when we do, magic can happen and I think this year was no exception. Special and huge thanks to Sean of course, but especially for creating our templates for cutting with exacto knife AND for scoring. Such precision would not have been possible without him. Also I could only do like ten cards at a time and have spurred on the arthritis, I am sure.
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
On the Eve
Here we are at the end. Of the project. Of the year. Of the decade. Being born in the year of a new decade, the turn of each one is always significant for me. My life doesn't necessarily look how I may have thought but then I don't think I ever had a very clear vision. But I definitely feel a turn rising. Nearing? That good ol' "at a crossroads" feeling. I've never planned very far into my future but what I'm facing now feels particularly unknown. What could this new decade possibly look like for me? I cannot even imagine. I hope that's a good or maybe even a great thing.
To close it out, here are a couple of random blips that need to be put somewhere. On Christmas Eve sounds appropriate.
This was a conversation that took place at dinner a few nights ago. I'm not sure it'll come across but it was too funny to me and I felt it important to record it:
It's just the strangest sequence of events. I could never have predicted it would go like that.
One more, because I think it's funny. I read some dumb article or thread on twitter about some dude's misogynistic views of what men and women should be. He titled it "how to be a man/woman." So I asked Julian, "what kinds of things would you list if you were describe how to be a man? Here's his list:
How to Be a Man
by Julian
1. Try not to make rude gross disgusting comments at the table
2. Be more gentlemanly
3. Make charming jokes
4. Hold your fork with your left hand
5. Walk with your head held high
6. Stop carrying kegs and "party naked" t-shirts [??]
7. Don't be awkward
8. Have words at the ready
9. Wear a simple suit with a tied tie that doesn't zip up and down [lol]
10. Make sure your hair is combed neatly so no hair horns are sticking up.
11. Don't say anything if your date is wearing super high heels that make her look like she's standing on her toes.
12. Wear deodorant.
13. Try not to spill anything on yourself when you're eating.-- that's an important one.
_______
How to Be a Woman
By Julian
1. Don't wear super high high heels
2. Ignore all the little mistakes that your date makes (I won't say "might make." He will.)
3. Walk with your head held high
4. Try not to poop when your significant other is around (this goes for men too).
5. Don't make your voice sound sing song. Or sexy either.
6. Work as a librarian.
7. Be free to feel your own feelings. Men too.
Those are all in his own words and I was MUCH entertained by them. Such good stuff. This would be a good New Year's post but since I probably won't be blogging for a while, this'll have to count. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 2019 OUT!... in a few days.
To close it out, here are a couple of random blips that need to be put somewhere. On Christmas Eve sounds appropriate.
This was a conversation that took place at dinner a few nights ago. I'm not sure it'll come across but it was too funny to me and I felt it important to record it:
JULIAN: I'm going to make a goal to be less annoying and less weird. That'll be my New Year's resolution."
JEN: Weird like what? Like talking about farts and stuff?
JULIAN: Yeah... and bombs...
JEN: Sounds good.
SEAN: But also remember to be yourself--
JEN: --on the other hand, farts and poop.... *looks pointedly at Sean* Dad doesn't know what he's saying.
JULIAN: I used to do 8's like this *draws an invisible 8 on the table* and then in first grade, my teacher showed me to do it this way. Sorry, let me turn it around so you can see. *turns invisible 8 around*
SEAN: Oh, thank you, that 8 looks more normal now...
JEN: Yeah, I didn't know what that was. *laughter*
JULIAN: *FLARP* (farts) Excuse me! *embarrassed* Geez, it's like a slide show of my life...
It's just the strangest sequence of events. I could never have predicted it would go like that.
One more, because I think it's funny. I read some dumb article or thread on twitter about some dude's misogynistic views of what men and women should be. He titled it "how to be a man/woman." So I asked Julian, "what kinds of things would you list if you were describe how to be a man? Here's his list:
How to Be a Man
by Julian
1. Try not to make rude gross disgusting comments at the table
2. Be more gentlemanly
3. Make charming jokes
4. Hold your fork with your left hand
5. Walk with your head held high
6. Stop carrying kegs and "party naked" t-shirts [??]
7. Don't be awkward
8. Have words at the ready
9. Wear a simple suit with a tied tie that doesn't zip up and down [lol]
10. Make sure your hair is combed neatly so no hair horns are sticking up.
11. Don't say anything if your date is wearing super high heels that make her look like she's standing on her toes.
12. Wear deodorant.
13. Try not to spill anything on yourself when you're eating.-- that's an important one.
_______
How to Be a Woman
By Julian
1. Don't wear super high high heels
2. Ignore all the little mistakes that your date makes (I won't say "might make." He will.)
3. Walk with your head held high
4. Try not to poop when your significant other is around (this goes for men too).
5. Don't make your voice sound sing song. Or sexy either.
6. Work as a librarian.
7. Be free to feel your own feelings. Men too.
Those are all in his own words and I was MUCH entertained by them. Such good stuff. This would be a good New Year's post but since I probably won't be blogging for a while, this'll have to count. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 2019 OUT!... in a few days.
Monday, December 23, 2019
Jenthology
YES! It's been far too long since I've portmanteau'ed my name into anything. This one is a real winner. This year I have written a collection of poems. It happened that I was just writing them because I love it but then I thought since I had a few going and since I think it's a fun way to track time and season, etc, around midsummer I decided to deliberately continue this jenthology for the remainder of the year.
It's been a fun project and has only fueled my love-fire for poetry. I hope to continue and develop this thing that has always been a thing for me ever since I could write, but it's a fun challenge to try a bit harder and make myself do more. To bring it out of myself. The thing about poetry is it is really bleeding hard. It feels like a crapshoot every time so that when/if I happen to come up with basically anything, I feel super satisfied and proud of myself even though I know it's probably junk. It's not great poetry, but poetry is effort. It's throwing your creativity into the fire and praying something decent comes out. I tried. And I don't hate 100% of it, so, good enough for me.
Also, it really makes me wonder where poetry comes from. I know that certain moments or settings or life events can inspire poetry. Visions. Feelings. But what really compels a person to do it? I feel like it's always been in my blood, life flowing unnoticed. It's a great mystery, but here you go-- a collection of poems chronologically through the year 2019, starting with some elegant prose called Dishes:
One Word
Once upon a time in college, my younger sister lived next door to me and my older sister left a message on the apartment's answering machine. She was discussing some plans and in a slightly hasty, awkward ending (as all voicemail message endings are), she blurted out, "ok, well, that'll be thanks! er..bye" and hung up. And it was funny and has been a joke ever since, and now, at long last, finally made into a poem.
I scribbled this on a post-it note one morning and then later shared it with Sean and Julian and had them guess what it was about.
Both of them: Awww, the CAT! So great! She really is the best. [continuous love expressed for the kitten...]
Jen: Um... no. That's not it. It's an ode to a poached egg.
They were 100% convinced, and it's really funny that it definitely absolutely perfectly could also be about the cat. Cats + poached eggs, my two great loves.
Twinkle
It's been a fun project and has only fueled my love-fire for poetry. I hope to continue and develop this thing that has always been a thing for me ever since I could write, but it's a fun challenge to try a bit harder and make myself do more. To bring it out of myself. The thing about poetry is it is really bleeding hard. It feels like a crapshoot every time so that when/if I happen to come up with basically anything, I feel super satisfied and proud of myself even though I know it's probably junk. It's not great poetry, but poetry is effort. It's throwing your creativity into the fire and praying something decent comes out. I tried. And I don't hate 100% of it, so, good enough for me.
Also, it really makes me wonder where poetry comes from. I know that certain moments or settings or life events can inspire poetry. Visions. Feelings. But what really compels a person to do it? I feel like it's always been in my blood, life flowing unnoticed. It's a great mystery, but here you go-- a collection of poems chronologically through the year 2019, starting with some elegant prose called Dishes:
Dishes
Dishes shmishes, if I had wishes,
I'd be in need of only one,
That all the dirty dishes shmishes
Could SNAP--just like that--be done.
Valentine
Of all the things I like to do
I like them best when I'm with you
Of all the trips and chances to take
I take them with you, for heaven's sake
Of all the shows and things to see
The art to view and new melody
The food to eat and games to play
Of all the frigging words I say
Of all the challenges, of all the chores
Of all the opening or closing doors
Of all the jokes and every prank
Of all my lucky stars I thank
I'm just so happy it's all with you
My life feels best when it's lived with you.
Favorite
Favorite, favorite, favorite boy.
Favorite friend and tickle toy.
Favorite reading buddy and nighttime talker
Favorite walk around the block-er.
Favorite prankster and co-surpriser
Favorite theorist and philosophizer
Favorite pal and my dream come true,
Yes, my favorite favorite thing is YOU.
Mountain Spring
Mountain spring, oh, what a thing!
The greenery its fountain
The emerald isle lasts but a while
Before brown becomes the mountain.
Summer
Summer days, when life's ablaze
Every morning presents its glory
The world a-bloom, the vanquished gloom
Forgone to a shiny new story
Breath begins, tho the spirit chagrins
That none of this will last
But we contend or perhaps pretend
That summer will ne'er avast.
Mid-July
You can try but you shan't defy
The blistering heat monster called mid-July
He sharpens his knives in continuous supply
And waits for you with plans to subdue
His kitchen swells until he's satisfied.
Bakes and sets and wins each time.
Nestled in the crockery tin
His stewy breath blown in your eye.
The fiery glint shows his new fry
Resigned and brined, no you can't deny
The new cook in town with a plan for pie
The new cook in charge, called mid-July
End of August
End of August, when summer hangs
Frozen in the air before you
And you watch it,
Warm and waiting and wondering
When it will fall.
It begins to ebb
In the mornings and evenings
Evaporating a little more each day
Until eventually, a midday moment
Is the only sign
It was ever there
It was ever there
At all.
One Word
There's the life I've been given, first of all
I supposed I could end this here.
But there's surely more to say, to call
As the season beckons near.
It is the body all mine
That stores my soul
And holds every organ dear.
All the little miracles, each their own
That I may never even see or hear.
It's the joy of a moment,
The luck in a step
The new thing learned or lost.
It'll be the sobering reminder
The choice to be kinder
The things we relinquish at cost.
It's you and it's he,
And it's she and it’s we,
The riches of people who share
It's beauty and thought
Ideas that are wrought
Distributed by those who but dare
And that light in the mist
Increasing the list
The One on whom everything banks
For all these things,
And all the treasured beings,
One word: that'll be 'thanks'.
Once upon a time in college, my younger sister lived next door to me and my older sister left a message on the apartment's answering machine. She was discussing some plans and in a slightly hasty, awkward ending (as all voicemail message endings are), she blurted out, "ok, well, that'll be thanks! er..bye" and hung up. And it was funny and has been a joke ever since, and now, at long last, finally made into a poem.
Morning Glory
Fluffy and white
A cloud of light
A golden sun
Just out of sight
If you're not there
After each night
There is no chance
My day will go right.
I scribbled this on a post-it note one morning and then later shared it with Sean and Julian and had them guess what it was about.
Both of them: Awww, the CAT! So great! She really is the best. [continuous love expressed for the kitten...]
Jen: Um... no. That's not it. It's an ode to a poached egg.
They were 100% convinced, and it's really funny that it definitely absolutely perfectly could also be about the cat. Cats + poached eggs, my two great loves.
Unworthy Mountain
The mountain stands to tower o'er
To tower o'er and o'er.
Its purpose dauntless to all things lower
To all things lower and lower.
Its peaks alone know the wild storms
In that stratospheric realm
That may never reach the lesser forms
Of the foothills they overwhelm.
For worthy is the upmost point
Which only sometimes decides to breach
That line where the snows disjoint
T'where the rest of us just reach.
But a mountain is still a mountain
And as reason tends to stand
We're all worthy of the storms that come
To every outstretched hand.
But a mountain is still a mountain
And as reason tends to stand
We're all worthy of the storms that come
To every outstretched hand.
The Christmas Cookie
The Christmas cookie
as any Christmas rookie
Will tell you stoutly
And no less devoutly
Is to be, on the hour,
One's goal to devour
So varied, raspberried,
And lemoned, and merried,
And shuffled and truffled,
One dines a bit harried,
But each frosted jewel
Is Christmastime fuel
And each given the honor
Of soon being a goner.
Alone
Alone is where the quiet lives
When buried thoughts return
Alone is where the magic might
Compel the soul to burn
Alone is when we introduce
The things placed on the shelves
Alone is giving time and space
To reacquaint the selves
Alone is when we introduce
The things placed on the shelves
Alone is giving time and space
To reacquaint the selves
Alone is when new things are heard
In whatever form the sound
Alone is when the work takes shape
A solo journey-bound
A solo journey-bound
Alone is creation's precipice
The crushing of the morn
Alone is where the hope is crowned
Where miracles are born.
Twinkle
The twinkle of the morning
The hush of glinting dawn
The twinkle of my night dreams
Thus dissipated yon.
The twinkle of the tree light
The highlight and the low
The twinkle of good intentions
Potential promises bestow
The twinkle of things quiet
The twinkle of things bright
The twinkle of the shifting time
As Day becomes the Night
The twinkle of the twilit blue
The sparkle of the dust
The twinkle for my heart subdued
The cradle for my trust
The twinkle of the watchkeep
To quilt a frozen sky
The twinkle of the stillness swift
And of a life gone by.
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Merry Blitzmas
Ah, that age-old tradition reminiscent of a Dickensian Christmas. The big seasonal photo blitz of all my random pics I don't know what to do with. God bless us, everyone.
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| {cat heart eyes emoji} |
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| next year's christmas card? I'm honestly considering it. it's just so beautiful. {sob} |
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| cinnamon roll! |
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| cleaning out my mom's silverware, I found SEVEN butter spreaders. Who has this many?? And why?? I attempted to lay them in order by age, starting with the original... ever. in history. |
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| A Christmas Carol, going on... 4 times? 5? A kid puked in front of us but hearing a terrifying Jacob Marley scream "MANKIND WAS MY BUSINESS" made it worth it. |
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| How Julian signs his name these days. His own personal symbol/logo? It's called an Evil Entity, just fyi. He's been drawing them since he was small and it came from a TV show, i think. At least that's what I tell myself. |
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| i think the heap of candy wrappers really adds something to this nativity scene. |
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| "Dessert charcuterie" a la our profesh chef friend. The best. Everything on here is fancy x 10. |
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| Art: In sculpture and 2D form. As Sean said, "The regular rules of clutter don't apply at Christmas." |
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| Cider's in the keg. This pot is huge. Look at Sean wassailing all over the town. |
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| Making my neighbor pal's longtime dream of caroling around a Christmas tree with a bunch of other neighbors-- a dream I made fun of repeatedly-- finally a reality. We surprised her. She cried. It was awesome. I'm sitting with an autoharp on my lap. |
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Puzzling Christmas
We've been in the midst of a Christmas puzzle blitz. It's been great fun. We had a couple of our own and I was close to buying some more online when I then had the thought, hmm.. maybe I'll check with my mom first. Turns out it was the right decision because after she brought me to her multiple puzzle cupboards, I brought home like SEVEN wintery/holiday-y puzzles. All 300 piecers which was my requirement. Puzzle swapping definitely needs to be a thing. Maybe I'll bring this up at the next staff meeting at the library... which I am not necessarily invited to.
I got a picture of all but one of the puzzles done this season. Some were more challenging than others. Some were more fun. Some were super weird, like this one:
Photoshop, USA. Everything was weird and distorted. Is that cardinal HUGE or the mailbox tiny? How far away is everything in relation to one another?? Nothing is determinable and it was kind of the best. If I were to design puzzles, it might be something like this, to cater to those puzzlers out there who also like to feel like they're in a bit of a nightmare. 7/10
The three chefs were surprisingly challenging. A lot of overlapping colors and patterns here. Mildly fun. I'd give it a 6/10.
Dress up kittens. Sadly we didn't get a pic of this one but I'd give this a 10/10. Practically perfect in every way. So good.
The one looking in the mirror gets me every time.
We have another puzzle with the edges put together. But give us a free night and we can get 'er done in one go. I'll be sure to keep you posted.
Lastly, here is a video of us finishing a most perplexing puzzle-- you know, the kind where you're at the final piece and it doesn't fit. ??? Less into the jigsaw variety, Julian was super into this puzzler because of the mystery aspect. Why would it not fit?! Someone solve it! Anyway, I'll let you watch this most exciting puzzle conclusion, dare I say the most exciting there ever was in puzzle history. That's right! Puzzle history. Also, this was actually done earlier this year but is definitely worth including. Here you go:
Happy puzzling!
I got a picture of all but one of the puzzles done this season. Some were more challenging than others. Some were more fun. Some were super weird, like this one:
Photoshop, USA. Everything was weird and distorted. Is that cardinal HUGE or the mailbox tiny? How far away is everything in relation to one another?? Nothing is determinable and it was kind of the best. If I were to design puzzles, it might be something like this, to cater to those puzzlers out there who also like to feel like they're in a bit of a nightmare. 7/10
The three chefs were surprisingly challenging. A lot of overlapping colors and patterns here. Mildly fun. I'd give it a 6/10.
Dress up kittens. Sadly we didn't get a pic of this one but I'd give this a 10/10. Practically perfect in every way. So good.
The one looking in the mirror gets me every time.
We have another puzzle with the edges put together. But give us a free night and we can get 'er done in one go. I'll be sure to keep you posted.
Also my amaryllis is out of control. It's supposed to bloom at Christmas and it was days--DAYS early. I love it though. Also I had to say it backward in my head to figure out how to spell it (sillyrama).
Lastly, here is a video of us finishing a most perplexing puzzle-- you know, the kind where you're at the final piece and it doesn't fit. ??? Less into the jigsaw variety, Julian was super into this puzzler because of the mystery aspect. Why would it not fit?! Someone solve it! Anyway, I'll let you watch this most exciting puzzle conclusion, dare I say the most exciting there ever was in puzzle history. That's right! Puzzle history. Also, this was actually done earlier this year but is definitely worth including. Here you go:
Happy puzzling!
Friday, December 20, 2019
Little Drummer Boy
I have been playing a heck-ton of music this Christmas. On the piano, that is. And otherwise. But it's been fun, challenging, and is one of my favorite ways to celebrate the season. For example:
1. I have decided I love Christmas duets. Like, Christmas is a time for piano duets. My sister and I used to play this super hard one of Sleigh Ride and we'd just bang on the piano and hope to hit one or two correct keys because it's so fast, there's no time to be careful about it. This is the best and my favorite way to do it. I am the opposite of a perfectionist but I also think it's just way more fun for a duet. You could both practice really hard and do it perfectly and that's nice, but.. where's the humor? The desperate flailing? Where's the smacking at piano keys? It just feels more right to me. I have a friend who lives near me that I've dubbed (unbeknownst to her) my duet partner. At Julian's recital this year some kids played a Nutcracker medley duet and I was like, I want that. So I bought it and yes, after what I just said, I practiced it a lot. But it was tricky for me and really would have sounded like nothing if I hadn't practiced some. Anyway, I gave it to my friend and we performed it for other friends at a Christmas book club and it was kind of the best.
2. Church choir. I'm accompanying this year and that same duet friend, also the conductor, is kind of my enemy because she chose the craziest/fastest songs! One of them is TEN PAGES. That's right, ten. Any players out there will know that's a little bit bananas. I decided to divided it into two and tape five pages together. I don't really trust people to turn my pages for me, no offense, so I've figured out a way to whip that first set away from the piano and will probably tape the other set to the piano because we accompanists live on the edge. Anyway, speaking of practicing, I have had to drill and drill these songs. It's been a good lesson to illustrate to Julian the importance of practicing. But also I'm kind of mad at my friend for choosing such crazy songs. 3/4 of them are whippersnappers. Wish me luck.
3. For his duet recital, Julian played one Christmas song and one non-Christmas. He was assigned these songs in August so since then we have been playing Little Drummer boy which is a very long time, though I have always felt like that song was bigger than Christmas.* Anyway, every year I like to come up with a new Christmas song arrangement. Just my own spin version on the piano. I never know what song it's going to be but something usually comes out and I enjoy it. This year it's Little Drummer Boy, inspired by playing with Julian. My goal is always to find a different twist in something that may have already been decided as a certain kind of song. Some hidden beauty or different vibe. I worked on this one quite a bit and implemented all my favorite techniques these days which are a) syncopation (whenever possible) b) simplicity and c) steady rhythmic patterns. I love it.
*Office quote
Here is a video of me playing the song. Get excited, it's really quite artsy:
1. I have decided I love Christmas duets. Like, Christmas is a time for piano duets. My sister and I used to play this super hard one of Sleigh Ride and we'd just bang on the piano and hope to hit one or two correct keys because it's so fast, there's no time to be careful about it. This is the best and my favorite way to do it. I am the opposite of a perfectionist but I also think it's just way more fun for a duet. You could both practice really hard and do it perfectly and that's nice, but.. where's the humor? The desperate flailing? Where's the smacking at piano keys? It just feels more right to me. I have a friend who lives near me that I've dubbed (unbeknownst to her) my duet partner. At Julian's recital this year some kids played a Nutcracker medley duet and I was like, I want that. So I bought it and yes, after what I just said, I practiced it a lot. But it was tricky for me and really would have sounded like nothing if I hadn't practiced some. Anyway, I gave it to my friend and we performed it for other friends at a Christmas book club and it was kind of the best.
2. Church choir. I'm accompanying this year and that same duet friend, also the conductor, is kind of my enemy because she chose the craziest/fastest songs! One of them is TEN PAGES. That's right, ten. Any players out there will know that's a little bit bananas. I decided to divided it into two and tape five pages together. I don't really trust people to turn my pages for me, no offense, so I've figured out a way to whip that first set away from the piano and will probably tape the other set to the piano because we accompanists live on the edge. Anyway, speaking of practicing, I have had to drill and drill these songs. It's been a good lesson to illustrate to Julian the importance of practicing. But also I'm kind of mad at my friend for choosing such crazy songs. 3/4 of them are whippersnappers. Wish me luck.
3. For his duet recital, Julian played one Christmas song and one non-Christmas. He was assigned these songs in August so since then we have been playing Little Drummer boy which is a very long time, though I have always felt like that song was bigger than Christmas.* Anyway, every year I like to come up with a new Christmas song arrangement. Just my own spin version on the piano. I never know what song it's going to be but something usually comes out and I enjoy it. This year it's Little Drummer Boy, inspired by playing with Julian. My goal is always to find a different twist in something that may have already been decided as a certain kind of song. Some hidden beauty or different vibe. I worked on this one quite a bit and implemented all my favorite techniques these days which are a) syncopation (whenever possible) b) simplicity and c) steady rhythmic patterns. I love it.
*Office quote
Here is a video of me playing the song. Get excited, it's really quite artsy:
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Snowy Day
Over Thanksgiving it snowed a good snow in these parts. Everyone tried to be like, boo, snow! But then we all secretly were ok with it because snow on a winter holiday is the only acceptable time and has a potent element of magic not held otherwise.
It snowed off and on for several days. The day immediately following this intermittence, we decided to take our snowshoes and sled into the mountains and find an adventure.
Which we did. There's something supremely satisfying about being in a place at the most perfect moment, in the most optimal circumstances. The universe sings such a perfectly harmonious tune upon you and you feel it. You can see it, you feel it, you hear it, you know it. I was certain that the mountain could not have been more beautiful. The snow was soft and new and not yet riddled with many visitors. Just glorious. Behold:
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
The Return
Just felt it important to announce that the eyebrows hat has made a returned appearance this holiday season. Now your celebrating is complete:
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| lmk if you want the high res version for download purposes |
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Oldie
I feel like I started a list like this a long time ago but then it was like, "I'm so old, I'm like an old lady, I swear! ha ha ha" when I was 28. And now I'm THIRTY-NINE and it's legit (fast-forward to ten, twenty, thirty years from now for repeats of this event). Whatever. I'm dealing with it. It's not easy but I'm dealing. One way I'm dealing is to make a list of foods I used to not like and do now, foods that are decidedly old people foods. Probably half because our palettes change over time and half because so do our bodies and their ability to tolerate certain foods. The list grows shorter or just wildly specific. I've got a lot of them and somehow this seems an important thing to record:
1. Seltzer water. Love it. It's the fun of soda without the death of sugar. It's sometimes worth it, but I don't want to drink my calories, generally. I will say, however, there are moments when I'm like, why do I feel so agitated? Oh it's because I need to eat something I LIKE. And out comes the sparkling cider whatever bottle from the basement. And it's often just the ticket.
2. Ginger. I was on a huuuuge ginger kick last year. Whenever I love something I love it hard so that I kind of OD on it. Which I did with ginger. So I'm taking a break. But for a while it was lemon ginger tea, ginger chews, chocolate-covered ginger bits. I still love it, just not so regularly these days.
3. BLACK LICORICE. I know! I knew it would happen one day. I think a seed was planted about six or so years ago when I went to the Scandinavian museum with my Scandinavian friend who showed me the ways of legit, salted Finish licorice, and I was like, "Ohhh..." Also I really want to be Scandinavian. I went to a movie once with a friend who brought a bag of assorted licorice (black, red, rope, non-rope) and we had a silent battle about it. Anyway, it happens that now, a tiny nibble of a Good 'n Plenty is not the worst thing. It almost feels more healthful for me, in a way. "Well, but it was black." That childhood original association of gross things = good for you.
4. I saw some video about a parent tax on kids' Halloween candy and I reflected on how none of it even tempts me. I'll have your Mounds or a York Peppermint Patty but only if you don't want it. Otherwise, no thank you. Except a few weeks ago we were driving home from somewhere far and we stopped in a gas station and I was like, "get all the candy bars!" We got oldschool stuff like Caramellos and Sprees and it was pretty fun, and then a little bit gross. But it was fun to debate about chewy sprees vs. regular, chewy being the obvious winner, of course. I still do like candy, I confess, but I just can't eat it. When I was in Jr. High I used to eat a pack of skittles a day. This may or may not have been a factor contributing to my current blood sugar situation.
5. Butterscotch. But I've always loved that. I'm hoping I've just mostly always been old. "That Jen.. she's an old soul," all my friends say, in my mind.
6. Rye bread. It's delicious. I discovered it earlier this year and was like, what is this rich, flavorful BREAD I'm eating? So good. And then I went to lunch with my mom and aunt who both ordered a reuben sandwich (which is on rye bread) and I was like, mm, looks delicious.
7. Grape Nuts. This is the weirdest cereal. What the he-- is a grape nut? No one knows. But they were disgusting tooth-breaking cereal pebbles that you could apparently consume and digest. They also had Grape Nut Flakes which were kind of delicious and much more palatable. I saw the nuts, though, a while back after a very long time of seeing them and I said to myself, I wonder...
I had a hunch I'd like them now. I bought a 10-lbx box home and visions of my parents eating them immediately appeared in my mind, to them pouring a small bowl (a small bowl will sustain you for three days), then they'd pour in the milk to cover the whole cereal which is ordinarily a very serious milk:cereal ratio faux pas, then leave it sitting on the counter for who knows how long. Hours. I'm not sure I ever saw them actually eat it because life had continued on by then. So this time I did the same and let those tiny rocks soak. When they were deemed somewhat chewable and almost ALL the milk absorbed, I added some honey and fruit on top and guess what, I was right: Delicious. And it was plenty sweet without the honey. Also it's sort of fun to make yourself wait for the goodness, as an old person would say.
1. Seltzer water. Love it. It's the fun of soda without the death of sugar. It's sometimes worth it, but I don't want to drink my calories, generally. I will say, however, there are moments when I'm like, why do I feel so agitated? Oh it's because I need to eat something I LIKE. And out comes the sparkling cider whatever bottle from the basement. And it's often just the ticket.
2. Ginger. I was on a huuuuge ginger kick last year. Whenever I love something I love it hard so that I kind of OD on it. Which I did with ginger. So I'm taking a break. But for a while it was lemon ginger tea, ginger chews, chocolate-covered ginger bits. I still love it, just not so regularly these days.
3. BLACK LICORICE. I know! I knew it would happen one day. I think a seed was planted about six or so years ago when I went to the Scandinavian museum with my Scandinavian friend who showed me the ways of legit, salted Finish licorice, and I was like, "Ohhh..." Also I really want to be Scandinavian. I went to a movie once with a friend who brought a bag of assorted licorice (black, red, rope, non-rope) and we had a silent battle about it. Anyway, it happens that now, a tiny nibble of a Good 'n Plenty is not the worst thing. It almost feels more healthful for me, in a way. "Well, but it was black." That childhood original association of gross things = good for you.
4. I saw some video about a parent tax on kids' Halloween candy and I reflected on how none of it even tempts me. I'll have your Mounds or a York Peppermint Patty but only if you don't want it. Otherwise, no thank you. Except a few weeks ago we were driving home from somewhere far and we stopped in a gas station and I was like, "get all the candy bars!" We got oldschool stuff like Caramellos and Sprees and it was pretty fun, and then a little bit gross. But it was fun to debate about chewy sprees vs. regular, chewy being the obvious winner, of course. I still do like candy, I confess, but I just can't eat it. When I was in Jr. High I used to eat a pack of skittles a day. This may or may not have been a factor contributing to my current blood sugar situation.
5. Butterscotch. But I've always loved that. I'm hoping I've just mostly always been old. "That Jen.. she's an old soul," all my friends say, in my mind.
6. Rye bread. It's delicious. I discovered it earlier this year and was like, what is this rich, flavorful BREAD I'm eating? So good. And then I went to lunch with my mom and aunt who both ordered a reuben sandwich (which is on rye bread) and I was like, mm, looks delicious.
7. Grape Nuts. This is the weirdest cereal. What the he-- is a grape nut? No one knows. But they were disgusting tooth-breaking cereal pebbles that you could apparently consume and digest. They also had Grape Nut Flakes which were kind of delicious and much more palatable. I saw the nuts, though, a while back after a very long time of seeing them and I said to myself, I wonder...
I had a hunch I'd like them now. I bought a 10-lbx box home and visions of my parents eating them immediately appeared in my mind, to them pouring a small bowl (a small bowl will sustain you for three days), then they'd pour in the milk to cover the whole cereal which is ordinarily a very serious milk:cereal ratio faux pas, then leave it sitting on the counter for who knows how long. Hours. I'm not sure I ever saw them actually eat it because life had continued on by then. So this time I did the same and let those tiny rocks soak. When they were deemed somewhat chewable and almost ALL the milk absorbed, I added some honey and fruit on top and guess what, I was right: Delicious. And it was plenty sweet without the honey. Also it's sort of fun to make yourself wait for the goodness, as an old person would say.
***
Monday, December 16, 2019
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Saturday, December 14, 2019
The Cookies
Cookies were a huge success this year. Mom, sisters, sean, talented niece decorating gingerbread. It was a team effort and we pulled off some big winners:
1. Sean’s quadruple chocolate bombs. Something crazy like 8 oz chopped + 2/3 c cocoa powder + big melty piece on top? So good.
2. Mom’s snicker bars. Yum.
3. Rugelaccchhhhh! Love these jammy roll-ups
4. Gingerbread. So cute and so tasty.
5. Andes mint choco-cookies, sister to Sean’s. Can’t get enough.
6. Linzer
7. Florentines? I think? Light as air lacy caramel nutty thins. It’s like you know you’re tasting something good but is there anything actually in there??
A+ all around. It was an epic day and our hard work really paid off. 🙌🏼
1. Sean’s quadruple chocolate bombs. Something crazy like 8 oz chopped + 2/3 c cocoa powder + big melty piece on top? So good.
2. Mom’s snicker bars. Yum.
3. Rugelaccchhhhh! Love these jammy roll-ups
4. Gingerbread. So cute and so tasty.
5. Andes mint choco-cookies, sister to Sean’s. Can’t get enough.
6. Linzer
7. Florentines? I think? Light as air lacy caramel nutty thins. It’s like you know you’re tasting something good but is there anything actually in there??
A+ all around. It was an epic day and our hard work really paid off. 🙌🏼
 |
| action shot |
Friday, December 13, 2019
Christmas Kid
If I were to think of the most amazing human on the planet right now, all of my thoughts might point to my son Julian. Sometimes it is so weird for me to refer to him as "my son." Somehow he feels like more than that. I can pretend though. But he is at that magical age where he's a kid in many ways and is able to enjoy the best parts about being a kid but also an interesting human as well. In fact, I just read an article in the excellent Reader's Digest about why following your dreams you had as a ten-year-old will make you happy and I love looking at Julian with that information in my mind. Who are you now? What are your dreams? He's fun and silly and still a kid and he's also able to have complex thoughts and make real goals for himself and examine things intelligently.
This article says that life satisfaction depends on "remembering who we were during that unique developmental stage, where everything that's in us shows itself for the first time." I love it. What we loved at age ten will stay with us forever. Right now he questions everything, and thoughtfully. He is a natural leader in that he actually doesn't have many close friends but seems to find them at school and drift from group to group to play whatever/whenever suits his mood. Or, he'll bring a book and read it all during recess because that's exactly what he chooses to do. Whenever we go to the school for something, kids are always saying hi to him and Sean and I are like, "do you know him?" "No..." It's such a puzzle.
This summer he made his own signs and collection boxes out of cardboard and solicited donations from passersby to give to the Primary Children's Hospital. He did it on his own. I was like, where is Julian? Oh, he's out on the corner. This was when he'd made the lofty goal of reading War and Peace so he'd bring that out with him while he waited for people to stop. He says he's socially awkward yet he has no qualms about doing what I would think would be frightening for someone who thinks so. He told me he'd listened to some kids in older grades at school make up their own business using skills they had for some entrepreneurial project. Frustrated, he said he didn't have any profitable skills but thought he could get money this way and donate it to a good cause. So I sit back and watch him do things like this and I'm like, no profitable skills, eh?
This doesn't mean his life is easy. He gets teased, left out. Kids aren't sure what to do with him. He knows it, he sees it. But man, I'll be darned if he lets it get him down. It's like.. it's like he knows his worth, or something. It's the weirdest thing. What a marvel. Here's one more example of him taking charge of his problems:
He'll tell me things like, "I was looking at something in the hallway and a kid came up to me and said 'hi, Julian!' and he tried to talk to me and I didn't want to talk, I just wanted to work on my thing. I didn't even know him. It was so annoying." So we're working on things. I told him he needs to keep reaching out to other students, being kind, trying to make a difference in at least one person's day, or do things to make the school better so that when the time comes to run for political office, he'll already have a decent following. Because this kid, I'll tell ya.
One last thing. He recently had a piano recital. Typically, at the very end, his teacher hands out awards to various students for reaching certain goals. Julian was awarded a medal with a few other students. He requested his teacher put it around his neck and then he turned around and saluted the entire crowd. Like, what? What?
To close, I just wanted to mention a couple of quotes from this morning. He's kind of a morning person and he makes them a complete joy. He often speaks in poetry and I laugh at what comes out sometimes. He's quite verbose as well so I often miss things he's saying. But he made one remark about the kitten, whom he calls Tines, nickname of Tiny:
"Oh, Tines. She's always staring off somewhere, reconnecting to heaven."
And then this one as he was packing up getting ready to head out:
"There's this girl in my class who had guinea pigs. She was so excited. It was like,
This article says that life satisfaction depends on "remembering who we were during that unique developmental stage, where everything that's in us shows itself for the first time." I love it. What we loved at age ten will stay with us forever. Right now he questions everything, and thoughtfully. He is a natural leader in that he actually doesn't have many close friends but seems to find them at school and drift from group to group to play whatever/whenever suits his mood. Or, he'll bring a book and read it all during recess because that's exactly what he chooses to do. Whenever we go to the school for something, kids are always saying hi to him and Sean and I are like, "do you know him?" "No..." It's such a puzzle.
This summer he made his own signs and collection boxes out of cardboard and solicited donations from passersby to give to the Primary Children's Hospital. He did it on his own. I was like, where is Julian? Oh, he's out on the corner. This was when he'd made the lofty goal of reading War and Peace so he'd bring that out with him while he waited for people to stop. He says he's socially awkward yet he has no qualms about doing what I would think would be frightening for someone who thinks so. He told me he'd listened to some kids in older grades at school make up their own business using skills they had for some entrepreneurial project. Frustrated, he said he didn't have any profitable skills but thought he could get money this way and donate it to a good cause. So I sit back and watch him do things like this and I'm like, no profitable skills, eh?
This doesn't mean his life is easy. He gets teased, left out. Kids aren't sure what to do with him. He knows it, he sees it. But man, I'll be darned if he lets it get him down. It's like.. it's like he knows his worth, or something. It's the weirdest thing. What a marvel. Here's one more example of him taking charge of his problems:
He was telling me about how disgusting the bathrooms are at school. And, indeed, they sounded foul. I told him to do something about it. Write a letter! I say. And so he did:
 |
| "filthy poo smear." |
Like, how is one taught to write a persuasive essay? Is it in English class? Would lesson #1 be "have strong convictions." "Be aware of injustices around you." "Know you are capable of making a difference." How is this taught?
He told me he noticed a change after-- the TP on the ceiling had been cleaned off, for example. I hope he remains encouraged.
He had been struggling socially and again, he took an offhanded suggestion and immediately put it into action (I need to be careful) and he started writing kind notes to everyone he saw. "Have a great day!" "You can do it!" "You're one in a million!" Dozens a day. He's kind of intense. He told me he started a group of Kindness Capers and he was the CEO. Another competing group was formed (or had been already and turned into a foe) and they had a bit of a rivalry going on there for a while. Elementary school is so weird. I honestly don't know what to make of most of this.
He told me he noticed a change after-- the TP on the ceiling had been cleaned off, for example. I hope he remains encouraged.
He had been struggling socially and again, he took an offhanded suggestion and immediately put it into action (I need to be careful) and he started writing kind notes to everyone he saw. "Have a great day!" "You can do it!" "You're one in a million!" Dozens a day. He's kind of intense. He told me he started a group of Kindness Capers and he was the CEO. Another competing group was formed (or had been already and turned into a foe) and they had a bit of a rivalry going on there for a while. Elementary school is so weird. I honestly don't know what to make of most of this.
He'll tell me things like, "I was looking at something in the hallway and a kid came up to me and said 'hi, Julian!' and he tried to talk to me and I didn't want to talk, I just wanted to work on my thing. I didn't even know him. It was so annoying." So we're working on things. I told him he needs to keep reaching out to other students, being kind, trying to make a difference in at least one person's day, or do things to make the school better so that when the time comes to run for political office, he'll already have a decent following. Because this kid, I'll tell ya.
One last thing. He recently had a piano recital. Typically, at the very end, his teacher hands out awards to various students for reaching certain goals. Julian was awarded a medal with a few other students. He requested his teacher put it around his neck and then he turned around and saluted the entire crowd. Like, what? What?
To close, I just wanted to mention a couple of quotes from this morning. He's kind of a morning person and he makes them a complete joy. He often speaks in poetry and I laugh at what comes out sometimes. He's quite verbose as well so I often miss things he's saying. But he made one remark about the kitten, whom he calls Tines, nickname of Tiny:
"Oh, Tines. She's always staring off somewhere, reconnecting to heaven."
And then this one as he was packing up getting ready to head out:
"There's this girl in my class who had guinea pigs. She was so excited. It was like,
Day One: 'I'm getting guinea pigs!'
Day Two: 'I'm getting guinea pigs!'
Day Three: 'I'm getting guinea pigs!'
Day Four: 'I'm getting guinea pigs!'
Day Five: 'The guinea pigs are dead.'"
I gasped, burst out laughing, and asked, "hahahaha NO! Really??" He laughed back and said it was true. It was a horrible awful story but man, the telling of it was just excellent. We both cringed and laughed and laughed and said our faretheewells.
I gasped, burst out laughing, and asked, "hahahaha NO! Really??" He laughed back and said it was true. It was a horrible awful story but man, the telling of it was just excellent. We both cringed and laughed and laughed and said our faretheewells.
Again: This kid, I'll tell ya.
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