11:44 AM Being honest about Life and Soul

Over the last several weeks I have watched the drama over the "Ground Zero Mosque" grow to a ferver that is quite scary.  One could argue that the issue is solely about respect for those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks, but when you put the facts together about the location of the building and what the building will actually be used for, a person can see that the building will neither be a "Mosque", nor on "Ground Zero."  And so I am confused and angered over how much absolute hate has spewed over the building of a community center which strives to ease relations between Muslims and Non-Muslims.

Over the weekend, another Islamic Community Center has come under fire.  I first heard about the opposition to the Mufreesboro community center late last week on NPR.  People in the community have become emboldened by the opposition to the community center in NYC and so they think they have the duty to stop this center's expansion. I ask, what does this have to do with feelings over 9/11?  Absolutely nothing.  The attack on this center is strictly based upon prejudice against the Islamic faith.  The followers of Islam are being punished for events in which they had no part.  For attitudes they preach against.  Not only are they being falsely accused, but they are being denied their constitutional rights.  And, as of this weekend, they are being terrorized by fire and gun shots.

Last night, a prominent pastor in my own city weighed in on his opinion of Muslims.  And it was Ugly.  The generalizations and vitriol and even denial of his own faith's history were truly astounding.  Last night they made me angry.  Today, they make me cry.  Today, they make me afraid.

When pockets of anger and hate have action behind them, who is next?  Mob rule says that the law doesn't really matter.  "What is right," is all that matters.  In this instance of upset over spirituality and morality, who is to say what is, "right?"  This is precisely why we have the Constitution.  The laws of our land spelling out our freedoms are the only thing we have that can save us all from lynching each other.  How scary is that to think that in our own country, people could be shot or burned or worse for their beliefs?  It wasn't so long ago that it was happening to Jews and African Americans.  Will we allow the same thing to happen to Muslims?  There once was a time when even Catholics were looked on with mis-trust.  President John F. Kennedy was put through the ringer over being catholic.  Many people would not vote for him because of that.  Can you imagine an America who didn't have JFK as a past President?  I can't.

Many of my fellow Americans live in the comfort of being a member of the Christian faith.  I was raised a Christian and nearly all of my family is Christian.  Some of my family are heavily involved in their church homes.  I am so proud of them.  I love them for their faith.  I love them for their honesty.  I love them for the care they take for their communities.  They are the kinds of Christians that I wish everyone could be.  And I have to say that I am lucky enough to have some close friends whom I respect and love for their faith as much as my family.  But a lot of America is not Christian. 

There are so many different faiths out there and Americans exercise their right to choose where they belong spiritually.  Unfortunately, there are those of non-Christian faiths who are afraid to be honest about their lives.  They live and work alongside you.  They are your friends, your mentors, you children.  And they are afraid.  Some are afraid of your look of disappointment.  Some are afraid of being mowed down with a laundry basket full of tracts.  Some are afraid of being physically harmed.  Some are afraid of losing their jobs. Some are afraid of losing their families.  All for their faith being different.  Does this sound like a certain culture we are fighting to free from oppression?  Does this make you sad, angry, feel as though something must change?  It makes me all of the above.  And it tells me that the time to stop the hate is now.  And I can no longer stand by and simply be angry over the wrongs being committed if I am not honest with the entire world about my beliefs.  So that stops now.

Most people who know me well have an inkling of my beliefs.  There are online communities and thus people all over the world who are semi-anonymous to me who know absolutely what I believe in, but I don't openly speak about my beliefs to most people - even my family.  I don't like disappointing my family and, frankly, I never thought it was anybody else's business.  But dedicating my life to fighting religious intolerance sort of makes it everyone's business, so here goes:

I am a Pagan.  I have been a semi-practicing Brighid follower for 4 years now.  I've been interested in the mythology and lore of various pagan cultures for as long as I can remember, but as I became an adult and experienced life in all its pleasures and disappointments, I came to a point where I was finally able to understand where I belonged and who I really wanted to be.  And while I don't always understand, or even like, some of the people in my Pagan community, I realize that I am not alone, this is pretty standard with all faiths.  We all have our "crazy" elements.  And so all I can do is keep my nose clean and present myself to the world in a respectful manner in hopes that some day I won't feel like I have to hide who I am to be taken seriously.  Some day I won't wish I had stayed closeted so that I'm not harassed over my beliefs.  And so that when I stand in opposition to those who spew hate and vileness against others who are "different," I am respected enough for people to listen to me when I talk.

And so now I ask you, everyone who is reading this, to be honest about your beliefs.  To stop Allowing these hateful people to take away our dignity.  This includes those of you who are Christian and are appalled by this display of threats.  Don't let the American Terrorists turn this nation into a nation of hate.  Stand up.  Stand against intolerance and ignorance and hate and Terrorism!

4:38 PM Is the Food Network hindering our desire to cook?

Today on La Vida Localvore Jill Richardson discusses an assertion made by Michael Pollan that watching cooking shows on TV may be part of causing the opposite reaction than we would think.

Like Richardson, I was a little surprised by this idea that people who watch the Food Network aren't actually cooking. I remember very well a recent Thanksgiving where the Blessing was said and then immediately after the "amen" I pointed out that the prayer was missing an important Thank You to the Food Network for without their programming much of the bounty on our table would not be possible. I got a good laugh out of the family for that joke, but it was really the honest truth. I personally had made one dish derived from a recipe I saw on Food Network and one of my mother's crown jewels in the annual feast is Rachel Ray's Pumpkin Soup with Chili Cran-Apple Relish. That particular soup has jockeyed to the top of the Favorites list. I've even negotiated a favorite dessert omission just so we could keep the soup in one year when Mom said she had too much to make and threatened to take it out!

In my own life, I watch food oriented shows sparingly. This is not to say that I don't enjoy them. I enjoy them immensly. I most especially enjoy the PBS foodie programming. PBS is where I first met Michael Chiarello and Lidia Bastianich, two chefs from whom I have learned a great deal. Those shows specifically presented recipes that made me want to run right out and get the ingredients to cook that meal for dinner That Day. And as much as I would like to be able to say "oh, he's talking about the reality competition type shows, " even they serve as stimulating inspiration, or a provocation for research into new ingredients, tools, and techniques.

But time has slipped away from me as well. And I do understand Pollan's point that today's families just don't seem to think they have the kind of time to cook that their parents may have had. However, I find that instead of running to fast food or packaged frozen foods on a daily basis, I enjoy the challenge this time issue presents. Some days I do succumb to the spell of the frozen pizza, but most days I am able to throw together something interesting with little active cooking time, lots of taste, and that is Healthy. I have found that the lack of time issue has presented me with an interesting food puzzle. And interestingly enough, I know I am eating cheaper by home cooking, than I am by going the convenience route.

9:59 AM This is why Fresh food is important to me

I would like to point your attention to a blog that I read this morning on My Brown Thumb. The author's blog says most everything I want to say, so I won't rehash it.

More reasons not to eat processed food, as if you needed them

One thing I pride myself upon in my home is that I cook a good 80% of my meals from Breakfast to Dinner. I do have the occassional TV dinner or fast food bite when I just don't feel like cooking, and chips and crackers are my prepared food guilty pleasures. But for the most part, when I made the commitment to live a healthy lifestyle, it was primarily commitment to prepare the vast majority of my meals myself so that I could be responsible for what I was putting in my body.

While I'm happy I made this decision, it's not exactly easy business. Between the job, cat fostering, caring for my elderly dog, costuming, and joining in making the occasional short film, I'm basically running on near empty a lot. Thus my meals need to be trouble free cooking. I can't waste time slaving over prepping 30 ingredients. I can't "stir constantly" to make that perfect risoto. I have to cook things that I can either set and come back to in 10 minutes or it has to prep and cook in 5. And that's where the TV dinners get me. I can turn on the oven, take the dog out and feed the cats, then put the food in, and do some other chore for 18-30 minutes while the dinner is cooking. That's a pretty efficient deal! I will often cook soups and casseroles in bulk on a weekend when I have a weekend to cook, but those have been few and far between lately.

As much as convenience really does rule the way we eat, we have also come to find out in recent years that eating conveniently has a price. Mostly that price is our health, but in addition, convenience foods have begun to change the places we eat as well as the manner in which we eat. Thanks to convenience foods, family meals around a dinner table are a different story if they even happen at all. But I digress, the point is that if we want to be healthy, it is up to us to take charge of our own health and the contents of the food we are putting into our bodies. As is indicated by the linked blog, food companies are now trying to wash their hands of responsibility so that they can carry on as usual and just point the finger at us. So this begs the question, if we are now being hung out to dry with no one to be our health advocates, When will we stop buying this crap? And where can a person find easy, healthy, recipes to be prepared at a decent cost, especially for a single income home?

This is always my quest. And to my surprise this month I was greeted at the grocery store with an interesting new magazine prospect. I have to admit that the first thing which caught my eye was the Beautiful chocolate cupcake on the cover. After that I noticed the name of the publication, Clean Eating. Upon seeing the name, I was Immediately intreagued. Most people I've come across who "Eat Clean" are pretty serious into exercise and nutrition, so that cupcake Must be a healthy version. Holy Crap it looked fantastic! Then I looked at the cover again and saw the point which made me actually buy the magazine.

Homemade Frozen Meals

Yup, that hooked me. I cook a lot. I collect a lot of recipes. But I've yet to come across a healthy recipe designed specifically for freezing with freezing instructions. Except soup. I know all about freezing soup. There were only a few recipes for freezing, but I'm itching to try out the quesadilla recipe and now I may have a better idea on how to freeze what and for how long, etc. An added bonus is that the rest of the magazine was fabulous as well! I found many recipes that I am excited to try out soon and most of them use readily available ingredients which don't cost an arm and a leg. This is still not discount, recession menu planning, mind you, but it does fall into the price range that a single income family can afford on occasion. And the double bonus is that because the entire magazine is based on a Clean Eating diet, the recipes are as little processed as possible. Most recipes are completely made from scratch. Hallelujia! Finally a magazine with recipes that aren't half canned!!!!!

I already have a commitment towards cutting down processed foods. It sure would be nice if I could find the nerve and the will to cut out chips too!!! For now, I think I'll call this new magazine subscription my step towards upping the ante on my commitment. Maybe one day I will be entirely processed foods free, but for now I'll just to the best I can by making myself responsible.

10:15 AM Join the Urban Garden Project

Among many of the blogs I follow, I try to keep up with other folks who are gardening in the Urban Jungle. It makes me feel like I'm less of a crazy person to see others living in situations similar to mine refusing to adhere to the hard and fast apartment living rules.

Today Urban Garden Casual posted an article about joining the Urban Garden Project. I signed on as quickly as I could fire off the e-mail, haha! So maybe my little modest garden will garner new friends and we'll receive some good advice from this network of Urban Gardeners.

Speaking of my garden, I meant to take photos of my crazy plants today. I'm going to have to get that vertical climber set up soon as those little beans/peas are growing like Crazy!!! And it looks like my sage and basil are also starting to pop up as well.

9:30 AM Butternut Squash & Leek Quiche

One day last month when I was looking for healthy vegetarian dishes to present to my family for our Christmas meal (none of us is vegetarian, but each of us had prepared dishes which were either all meat, or a cheese dip or log of some sort by accident), I stumbled across this Beautiful looking recipe for Butternut Squash & Leek Quiche from the blog Girl Interrupted Eating. I won't bore you with the details of the recipe as you can find it in the link above. Just make sure you know how to convert the measurements into our American version, haha! Thank ye Gods for the Internets!

Anywhoo, the only thing I changed in the recipe was that I used phyllo dough instead of making her crust and I added just a dash of Emeril's Essence (or Tony Chacherie's) to the egg mixture. Here's the end product, I didn't take many pictures.




Unfortunately, the change of crusts wasn't a good idea. The quiche didn't hold up too well when cut. Ah well, you live and you learn. But, the quiche was GLORIOUS to taste!!!! I'm not kidding. I kind of wanted to abandon all constraints and eat the whole friggin' pie plate. I'm very anxious to see how it tastes after it's been refrigerated now.

10:28 AM Dallas Public Transportation Coming Along

Thanks to The Women's Museum's blog yesterday, I am all giddy over the news that the Green Line section of DART's public rail system is expected to be open by September of next year!

This means we'll still have to deal with the awful construction for the North Texas Irish Festival, but the State Fair of Texas can be traveled to by train. And since I've had a moratorium on concerts at the Starplex (Superpages.com center now, I'm Stubborn!) due to the $20 price tag just on parking alone, this means I can afford to start going to concerts again! Now if only the good festivals will stop going North up to Frisco, I'll be set! Ahem, Ozzfest, are you listening?????

8:15 PM Women and Self Defense

One of the blogs I watch here is Championing Ourselves Blog. You can see it's right there on my Blog List. It is a blog about physical feminisim, which is something that is rather a new idea to me. But in light of my recent fitness goals and also getting older and having an interest in being as strong on the outside as I am behind that curtain in my brain, I have rather enjoyed the entries on this blog.

Yesterday's entry was a really good one. It speaks of rape and self defence. It is a Great encouragement for any woman who has been reluctant to take self defense classes. We all need those. In fact, we all need to take classes regularly instead of once in our life as is the current trend.

Self-defense and aquaintance rape