Whaaaaat.
Apparently, the Onion A.V. Club smells what I'm steppin' in. They are picking up what I am putting down, and clearly my VOX blog is the most important source for their articles.
Yes. I am a big deal.
Whaaaaat.
Just saw a clip from a bit of press coverage about the Blog It application for iPhone. Noticed the byline, and thought it seemed familiar, so I googled a guy I went to college with to see if it was him. It is. I guess now we are co-alumni/colleagues and there is intersection in my educational/professional life. Weird, since this is the first time this has happened (though I must note the folks I hang out with aren't uhm, really "professional." At all. Or in any real field.)
]]>Then you should know a little bit about what I care about. I mean, it's a laundry list of things, but the big one on my radar these days is food. And it has been for a couple of years now. The issue of food for me is personal, political, economic, health-related, justice-related - I can wind it up in just about any broad-based category of things that people might care about. Here are some questions I'm concerned with:
Where does our food come from? From how far away does it come? What does this mean for the environment? For community?
Who grows our food? Why don't we grow our own food anymore?
What kind of life does a food grower/harvester have? Who are they? Do I know them?
How, where, and when do we eat our food? Do we cook it or is it cooked for us? Do we savor and share? Do we eat and run?
What does food mean to me? What is the significance of eating - for necessity or pleasure?
What's in our food? How do we know what's in it?
Do I need to/should I take a multi-vitamin? Why? Why not?
Why isn't there enough food? Why is there too much food? Where? How?
And here are some sources for some answers to some of those questions.
This is a great book that is accessible for nearly anyone who wants to learn about food, food systems, food justice, food safety, and a lot of other food issues. I saw her speak with Michael Pollan last year (or maybe the year before, I forget), and the two of them have excellent insight into food and what the hell is going on in our fields and markets.
I care about what I eat because I feel that what I put into me will kill me much faster than what is around me - and this has much more to do with foreign chemicals and unnecessary ingredients than the basic "less fat, more produce" issue. Food for me has very little to do with being thin and beautiful and going on a diet.
I care where my food comes from because it's a social justice issue, and an environmental issue, and an economic issue, and and and and and...
And, if you are interested in fun and cool events that offer a lot of information, some music, some food to eat, and cool gardening stuff and are in the San Francisco area, Slow Food Nation is a collaborative event that will be held in San Francisco over Labor Day weekend this year. Check it out, maybe?
Another part of this is the fact that I grow plants (food) in a community garden near my house. I do this because it's fun, I like to play in the dirt, I like to save and utilize green space in cities, I enjoy meeting new people, and because the more I grow, the less I have to buy. Are you into community gardening? Would you like to be? Here's a list of gardens in SF.
Now, I can guess the most popular counter-arguments to food as politics as life. It does take a lot of time. I probably spend more time than you do in the kitchen, in the garden, in the market, cooking, cleaning, weeding, planting, picking, and eating. But I bet my food tastes better - sheerly because of the ingredients used. And I bet I spend more money than you at the grocery store/farmer's market. But I am proud of what I eat and what I cook, and I spend this money here instead of on clothes or bags or eating out quite so much. It really is a significant portion of my income to shop and eat locally, but it's worth it to feed myself healthy and delicious local food and goods. I make sacrifices elsewhere in order to accommodate, and I really think it's necessary. It is a political act to do so, I am voting with my dollar. Is it elitist? Maybe, at the outset, but I do not believe that the goals of food activists are elitist at all. I think people are looking for good and healthy food in fair and equitable way for people all over the world. No one is asking you to dine at Chez Panisse every night, for sure. I certainly can't afford it! And there are clever and good ways to get great food for less - it just takes more time. Which is not such a bad thing, really.
In a few words, here's an article about Alice Waters and her vision for a slow food movement. While I don't know how I feel about her (I mean that, I am really undecided), this article could serve as a manifesto for me and my relationship with food in many senses. This is a local global political economic justice freedom health issue for everyone.
I will admit that I cheat a bit by living in such a bountiful area as Northern California, and perhaps I would have a harder time with this whole issue or even be a bit less committed if I lived in a place where I couldn't get more than I could want at any time of the year. But that's also part of why I chose to live here - it makes this lifestyle/political/personal decision easier.
Here's a list of TV shows that I keep up with:
Perhaps that I have a thing for witty, sarcastic, intelligent, somewhat-to-pretty-good-looking male TV personalities?
Jeff Corwin, Alton Brown, and Mike Rowe are my boys. But I think that Alex Trebek might be a little too old to be my boy.
When I worked at my old job, I took the 6 through my neighborhood and down to market street. This bus is a colorful route filled with fascinating people no matter what time of day you ride it. It goes from my house up the hill in the inner sunset down through UCSF and Cole Valley, Ashbury Heights, and then down the length of Haight St. to Market. Really an excellent mix of riders.
Anyway, when I started my new job, I also left the 6 and started taking the N-Judah because it loops around the bay and back down to the Caltrain station, near where I work. Which is easy. But much less fun. And also, I don't get a seat by the time the N comes near my house - it's already standing room only. And really, it takes even less time to take the 6 on all the surface streets to the same place that the N would drop me off underground.
So I switched back recently.
And good lord I am glad I did.
There is a Russian guy who rides the bus and gets on very near me. He is quite terse and abrasive, but is clearly friends with the bus driver that always seems to drive the bus I'm on, and many of the other riders are familiar with him. Today, he was regaling a fellow passenger with the tragic story of how his car was stolen.
"12 years, I live in this neighborhood. Nobody touch it. Nobody. Then Friday night - STOLEN. Stolen."
"Well, did you have insurance?"
"Of course."
"Did you call your insurance company?"
"No. They give me what, 5,000 for it? Pff."
Dismissed.
Now, I was terrified of this guy at first. Not in a real I-think-he-might-harm-me-or-someone-else kind of way, but more like the way that I am just scared of a lot of people. He's very purposeful, gruff, and a bit difficult for me to approach or reconcile. Or something. He's also the type of guy who leans in real close to tell you something he doesn't want other people to hear
But really, he's the kind of guy who helps the woman with the baby and the stroller off the bus. Like she says "can you hold him?" They are not friends. I know this. They are bus riding acquaintances. She wants to hand her baby to him. I love this. Instead, he takes the stroller at her stop, gets off the bus - but leaves his bag - sets up the stroller, and makes sure she and her baby get off the bus all in one piece. And then almost misses the bus because he is being helpful. We all yell for the driver to stop so he can get back on. His kindness does not go unnoticed.
Today, a woman was sitting in the front, and a man was standing in front of her, wearing an X-Files varsity-style jacket. Apparently, the back of the jacket said "the truth is out there." Big surprise, I know. Anyway, she asks, "where did you get that jacket?"
He replied, "a catalog. It's from the X-Files TV show."
"Oh."
"Yeah, 'The truth is out there' is the slogan from the TV show."
"What does that mean?" (super sincere, all philosophical like.)
"Beats me. I guess that there are aliens out there somewhere. On earth."
Oh 6 Parnassus. You're so lovely! But I'm still taking the N home because I get a seat that way.
The girl next to me and I snicker a bit. This could be a huge and fascinating can of worms.
I think not: me and my best friend Adam in the 7x7 blog. About halfway down through the pictures.
Ugh. What happened to my face? I look like some weird puppet or doll or something. Stupid chin, cheekbones, weird eyes.
but I love myself, really!
Recently.
I think I just met my next academic/intellectual crush - Sherrie Inness. This is my shit, people! I'm so pumped! I'll surely be reading one of her books this summer (if not several), but just check out these awesomely nerdy and right-up-my-alley interests that she has:
Whaaaat. Awesome. I know. Right? Anyone else in?
Now I have to think about what life in Ohio, in a Literature department would be like. At least I have several years to drive myself crazy with this stuff.
]]>I enjoyed a lovely meal on Saturday night at Spork. It was the first time in a while that Fred and I have really gone out, for nice a leisurely meal together that promised to be delicious, etc., etc. It really was good. I had seared day boat scallops, and Fred has the mussels and pork with a spork. The best part was that his mom paid for it. Awesome.
It's good to know that in this time of economic uncertainty, the price of neighborhood punch hasn't gone up. Driving home from somewhere on Saturday afternoon, we pulled over to a punch stand staffed by two girls and a mother (sisters and their mother? who knows.) I was fully prepared to pay 50 cents for a small Spongebob Dixie cup of punch, but was pleased to find out that it was only 25 cents a cup. We paid a dollar for two cups.
This led to an interesting discussion about what those girls will be doing with their money. Fred said it freaks him out a little when he finds out that kids are saving money for things, because it's sort of a part of childhood that you spend your money on useless crap. We hoped they would buy candy. Or Pokemon cards. Or plastic toys from a vending machine. But we really hope they didn't save it. I think we need more kids buying Big League Chew and less kids begging for cell phones from their parents, personally.
Sunday we loafed and then I spent some time at the nearby Target. It was a mess. Really. I don't recommend it. No, I'm serious. Every time I go there on the weekend, I remember that I should go on a weeknight, but I go so infrequently that I always manage to forget my own wisdom. Funny how that works. Anyway, I bought some stuff I probably didn't need (I mean, let's be honest, I don't really "need" much at all. Except the toilet paper. Definitely needed that.) After that, I watched a lot of TV on DVR, mended a pair of pants, and ate a chicken salad sandwich for dinner. My favorite chicken salad sandwich. At 930pm. Oh well.
This coming week includes a short, busy week and a long weekend. This would be exciting if it weren't for Fred's impending departure on Saturday for nearly 3 months. I hope he comes back with all his fingers and toes and the limbs to which they are currently attached. Who knows what Alaska will do to him. Don't get me wrong, I'm not actually too sad about the departure part. I am sad that it is occurring during my birthday weekend, and also I have to take his ass to the airport at 6am on Saturday morning. Ugh.
I am going out with a freshly engaged friend tonight, the supporters from work tomorrow, relaxing on Wednesday, and having birthday dinner smallstravaganza on Thursday. Does anyone want to join for drinks on Friday? Let me know and I might put something together.