Stupid Americans

While some bloggers wonder why the American populace isn't carrying pitchforks and torches down to Wall Street to protest, I'm amazed they think Americans capable of such a thing.

Chances are, if you buy stuff, you've gotten screwed, recently, and probably frequently.

• Bought an appliance (it died or had parts stop working within 5 years). Screwed.
• Flew coach on an airplane (you're made to give up hours of your life, get squished into teeny weeny seats, accomodate some hellish bureaucracy, and possibly never get where you're going). Screwed.
• Ate packaged food from a grocery store (your atmosphere was polluted, resources used up, and workers just like you were exposed to toxic chemicals and/or dangerous factory conditions). Screwed.

But who do we get mad at?

Not the corporations using planned obsolescence or inhuman conditions to guarantee the bottom line. Not the governments which fail to regulate or limit corporate "rights" to profits at the long-term expense of the populace. But individuals.

That's right, in America, there is no "we," there is only "I." And individuals, perceived to be making individual choices over which they are fully in control.

Didn't want to die? Shouldn't have gotten sick then. It's your own fault.

I haven't flown on a commercial airline in over five years now, because the experience has gotten so unpleasant. I'm a normal-sized woman, even a bit short, and I was squished, as the airlines moved seats closer and closer together. I was frustrated, waiting on the tarmac for 2+ hours with no food and no bathroom breaks and no information as to wtf was going on.

I opted out. Because I could.

Others have chosen to get angry, not at the airlines creating these conditions, but at fellow passengers who seem to be "getting away" with something they, themselves, are not allowed: taking up space.

If you want to see how stupid Americans are, read the comments under this post about an obese man on a flight. And remember, this post is on the very liberal Huffington Post.

Surprise! Your kids might make you angry

In another "no duh" survey pointing out the obvious, Scott Schieman, at the University of Toronto, apparently found that:

"Having children was also associated with angry feelings and behaviors, such as yelling, particularly in women... "

Thanks, ObviousMan!

No rotting pumpkins here!

I just watched my first episode of Hoarders, and my first reaction was, "wow, I guess my house isn't so bad after all."

If you haven't heard of it, the show profiles people in crisis because of a mental illness that causes them to "hoard" stuff - useful stuff, unuseful stuff, broken stuff, dangerous stuff. They send in a professional organizer, a team of cleaners, and someone who specializes in hoarding (a therapist, an organizer with training in this, etc.). The goal is to get them past the crisis moment (usually eviction, house being condemned, etc.) and on the path toward recovery.

It's painful to watch. And, also, strangely compelling. In the same way as the show Intervention, where addicts are asked to come out of denial and take a step into a new life, we're coming in at a turning point for these people, where their problems are no longer private. Can't be private.

These people have such a fragile sense of self that they have to prop it up with external stuff, even when that stuff is dangerous to their health or well-being.

The next time you're having trouble getting motivated to clean the house, watch an episode. You'll either get super-motivated or decide you can wait a whole lot longer before you hit worst-case scenario.

Smallpox pie

Since I'm not allowed to read from James Loewen's works at the family Thanksgiving dinner, perhaps I will show my true feelings about the day ala Marge Simpson, via my food prep:

Smallpox pie

1. Prepare one recipe Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle
2. During assembly, insert small plastic dolls/figures and fresh cranberries into the trifle
3. Dot top with fresh cranberries

Present with a flourish, announcing that the one who raids the most native graves (ie., finds the most doll parts) while avoiding contracting smallpox (eating a cranberry) wins.

Circle of Life

Last week, just before Shabbat, I finished a really beautiful rock garden in an empty space between our living room windows and the carport.

I moved roughly 500 pounds of stone (pavers, rainbow pebbles, three river rock - which has lots of purple in it, Mexican black pebbles, and frontier river stones) 3 or 4 times each - onto the pallet, into the car, out of the car, into the right place in the garden, then lifted and reset flat/etc.

I was very proud.

And very tired.

Roughly 15 hours later (Shabbat morning) the outside cat who thinks we belong to her decided to throw it a garden-warming party.

She brought the entertainment.

Which also quickly turned into the food.

Needless to say, the todder and I spent a chunk of Shabbat talking about carnivores, life and death, where meat comes from, hunting instincts, why we don't eat the feathers (and neither do the cats), what bird feet might taste like, etc.

He was very cool about the whole thing.

Bad Cohen, on the other hand, was a little unnerved, and quietly read the newspaper in the other room while we watched the feast.

Jewish Mama Meme

Amy Meltzer of Homeshuling tagged me with this, so I finally have something to write about. ;)

One menorah, or several?

So far, one modern glass menorah for me, a really ugly old one that belongs to Bad Cohen that I keep meaning to "misplace," and one unassembled train menorah for the toddler, which will remain unassembled (used as a train, instead of a menorah), because Bad Cohen pointed out - "fire, on wheels?" Oh. Yeah. Duh.

Do you buy your children gifts for every night of Chanukah?

Nope, but what with all the relatives, he generally gets at least one per night. Don't know how to make that stop, wish I could. Relatives. Ugh.

Do you and your spouse/partner or any other adults in your life exchange gifts?

Yes, small things for the whole extended family, which is really, really, big now so we have to get creative to save money.

Special family chanukah traditions?

Ooh, that's a good question. I've been trying to institute the annual Hannukah Smorgasbord but it's been slow to catch on. Herring! Beans! Rye bread! Booze! (sounds like Shabbat in Monsey)

Latkes or sufganiyot? If latkes, sour cream or applesauce?

LATKES, baby, latkes. Applesauce only for me, but BC sometimes adds sour cream, the lactose-intolerant hypocrite. (Or is that masochist?) HOWEVER - we did make tiny donuts last year for the first time, and oooohh, SO yummy. May have to repeat it, if I can find a way to keep the house from smelling of oil for days afterwards.

Favorite chanukah book?

"Chanukah Lights Everywhere" by Michael Rosen came from the PJ Library last year, and the toddler has wanted it as a bedtime story about once a week ever since. I love it that each day has the correct number of lights in some form (stars, lamps, flames on the gas stove), as well as the right number of CATS to match the night (with a partial cat - ear, tail, etc. - moving in or out of the picture standing for the shamash). So freaking fun.

Do you actually play dreidl? If so, what do you use for counters?

Haven't since BC's cousin was 4, but we might now that the toddlers are getting older.

What relationship, if any, do you have with Christmas and all things Christmas-y?
Grew up with it, love the family-ness (in my family, it was all about Jul - Yule, to you non-Swedes), and miss some parts. We usually have X-mas day dinner with my parents, and let the toddler help them decorate. We're about "helping" other people we care about celebrate their holidays, just as we invite non-Jewish family members to our Sukkah, etc., but I try to keep December holiday crap to a minimum. Have been wrestling with feeling assaulted by X-mas stuff for several years now. Less grumpy about it now than I was the first two years after converting.

Want!

How to turn your dining room table into a playhouse

OM-Freaking-G

PERFECT for those rainy Oregon days.

Kitchen redo - from country ick to modern chic

Over at Apartment Therapy, a reader has written in to ask for help with ideas on redoing a horrible oak/country kitchen on a budget. Here's my take.

The original (I've blocked out the current owners' horrible country dining set):

The redo:

What's the same? Fridge, cabinets (structure), woodwork (placement), backsplash, countertops.

1. Strip and restain the cabinets and wood trim in a dark cherry finish. Time and labor intensive, but not too expensive.
2. Replace the current linoleum with either dark slate tiles or dark grey linoleum (about $350-600 for slate, based on my guess about the room size)
3. Repaint - dark charcoal below chair rail on empty wall, and a nice warm creamy color everywhere else. (About $40-$60 for paint)
4. New light fixture, modern, chrome, black -whatever fits their tastes and budget
5. New cabinet hardware - I used Hickory Hardware's Loft Satin Nickel Black Pulls
6. Black and chrome/modern dining set - the ones here are from Target, and fairly inexpensive: the black leather Parsons chair ($119 each), and the Vernicia dining table $250.
7. As they havethe budget, they can replace the current appliances with stainless steel ones to match. The picture above shows a new stove and the current fridge.