Pessimistically Optimistic

"Whether you are a glass half-empty person or a glass half-full person really depends on whether you are doing the pouring or the drinking."

I think that I read that on the back of a bathroom stall door....or somebody's Facebook wall...sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. But, the point is that it resonated.

Last week at a community event, a friend lost her leather coat. She had placed it over the back of a chair and when she went to retrieve it, somebody had walked off with it. Given that it was a startlingly cold night, and we were in a room filled with upscale Jewish Canadians in November, half the people in attendance, both men and women, were wearing black leather jackets or car coats. As she worked the room stealthily trying to link the offending party with her now missing jacket, her husband was raging. "How could anybody be so careless?" "Don't people pay attention?" My friend preferred to view it as the unfortunate accident that it most probably was, and was certain that the transgressor would realize the error and return it in kind. My friend and her husband saw the same event through very different lenses. I am loathe to label one as optimistic or the other as pessimistic, but rather they were two sides of the very same coin that both had equal validity. But, does every action or thought have an equality? Aren't there just some things that are patently wrong? Why must we give equal time to bullshit?

It is no secret that I am thrilled with the outcome of last evening's election. I am a fan from afar of the president, but I am also very aware of his failings. He has work to do in convincing a good many unimpressed Americans that his ways and ideas are best for the country, but I feel that he has the intellectual heft and abilities to do just that. My issues with this campaign weren't as much about my disdain for Governor Romney, but rather with the bat-shit crazy elements of his party to which he openly pandered. I can have an intellectual discussion as to whether or not their economic policies are correct. (I happen to disagree with most of them, but I can see the other side.) But, I cannot and will not ever find value in any person's platform that uses women's reproductive rights as a political tool. I cannot and will not ever find value in the candidate that thinks rape is just another method of procreation that could lead to an unexpected pregnancy. I cannot and will not dismiss science, math, intellectual curiousity, or climate change as elitist and anti-God. I will never see the equality in any policy that segregates and demonizes my gay and lesbian friends and family. I will never understand nor will I support the supposed societal ethics or laws that say it is ok to stop somebody on the street simply because the colour of their skin makes them suspicious. In my mind, there is no equivalency on these settled issues; no other side that I could ever find palatable.

Last night President Obama was doing the pouring and a majority of Americans were drinking. Today I  join them as a newly minted optimist.

(By the way-my friend found her coat!)

An Outsider's View of Election Day

When I was a teenager I served for several years on the regional board of NELFTY (today known as NFTY-NEL), the youth branch of the Reform Jewish movement. In those days, we board members took responsibility for the planning, oversight, and execution of many of the events and conclaves that occurred annually. The first of these regional events always took place for a week at the end of August up in northern Ontario, and was affectionately known as NELFTY camp. It was the board's job, with the aid of our rabbis, educators, and advisors, to plan the workshops, study sessions, interest groups, and meetings that would help to develop the next batch of upcoming youth group leaders within our region. Since it was also camp, it also fell to the board to act as de-facto cabin counsellors to oversee the "goings on" of a bunch of hormonally charged teenagers (in which we also claimed membership) so as to "keep things under control" after lights out. We were all assigned a sh'mira or watch duty night with a partner whereby we had to patrol the campgrounds for several hours after lights out and shepherd the wayward back to their bunks. A kind of putting the wolves in charge of the hens scenario. On the evening of one of my sh'mira sessions, my friend and I were wandering the cold August night when we happened to come across my rabbi's wife and her friend. They were obviously having a fun evening as they were giggling and warm from a glass of cabernet or two. Nothing dangerous. Just two friends enjoying their time together. As my friend and I passed them on the path, the rabbi's wife asked me if I would mind stopping by her cabin and asking her husband (the rabbi!) for something that she had left behind. I headed down to their cabin, knocked on the door, and entered when beckoned to find my childhood rabbi sitting on his bed cross-legged wearing a pair of pale blue polo pyjamas. (Imagine these in blue and you will get the idea!)

Needless to say that my embarrassment knew no bounds. My rabbi to his great credit, was great about it. He knew that both of us had been set up by his "happy" wife as was evidenced by the regale of laughter outside the door. He simply handed me whatever it was that his wife had asked for, and wished me good evening.

Red-face and mortification aside, that was the day my illusions died. I never again was able to look at my rabbi with the same eyes of childhood hero worship and wonder. You see, I saw the man behind the curtain. The wizard was just a guy like any other sitting on the bed in his pyjamas. But, he was still my rabbi. A man that I still admire and respect deeply, but just a man all the same.

That story accurately describes how I have come to feel about today's American Presidential elections. We have seen the candidates in their pyjamas and what we have viewed isn't pretty. But, the stakes are too high to abandon the process just because we have lost our childhood illusions. My American family and friends aren't just headed to the polls today for their own interests. They are voting for all of us around the world who have a stake in the outcome but cannot cast a ballot. Like it or not, we are a global community and what happens in your country has a ripple effect in ours. You may hate the pyjamas, but you need to find respect for the men in them. You need to get out and vote no matter how taxing it seems, no matter how miserable the weather, no matter how tired you are, no matter how disillusioned you may be. We in the rest of the world are counting on you.

Meatless Monday

As a vegetarian, the question that I am most often asked from the incredulous meat-eater is "Don't you get tired and bored of your food?" It is surprising to most people that anyone could actually enjoy a completely meatless menu. Frankly, I never even think about it. Like anybody else who cooks, I am always searching for new recipes and ways to make our meals exciting, but I do so within the sphere of vegetarianism. We are not vegans. We do eat eggs and dairy products, but the health concerns of consuming too much of these foods does weigh heavily on our eating choices as well. That said, every so often I search for a treat that will appease both The Husband and me that will satisfy our palettes  while still maintaining our integrity.

There is a wonderful restaurant that came out of South Florida called Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza. Anthony's has always been a family favourite whenever we visit the Southern Home simply because it serves delicious food. Nothing fancy. Pizza and chicken wings. But it is to die for. My boys always need to make a stop there when they come down, as do most of my friends. The Husband and I are quite content with a veggie pizza and the wonderful salad. But last year, Anthony's introduced a new menu item; a roasted cauliflower pizza. Oh my! To say that we were in heaven is an understatement. It was nothing short of nirvana and it got me to thinking how I might duplicate this at home. 

Cauliflower is a funny vegetable for some. It is an either love it or hate it food, but in this house it falls definitively on the favoured side. Here is my attempt at Anthony's masterpiece. It wasn't the same. I couldn't even attempt to figure out what they put into the crust and I only have a standard oven not a coal-fired job, but it was pretty damn close. 

Our crust was a pre-prepared whole wheat fresh dough purchased at our local grocer. Any crust will do.

1. Cut a head of cauliflower into florets and place in a large bowl with 7-8 cloves of smashed garlic. (as much or as little as you want, but I should tell you that the garlic makes the flavour.)

2. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and mix well. 

3. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 425 degrees for 1/2 hour.

4. Once crust is spread out on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil. 

5. Add the cauliflower/garlic mixture. 

6. Sprinkle with a mixture of seasoned breadcrumbs and freshly grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. 

7. Add shredded mozzarella and bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. (I am not a huge cheese lover, so I take it easy on the mozzarella. As well-all of our cheese was lactose free to accommodate me.)

Et Voila.....

10 Things You Will Never Hear Me Say (Well....Probably Never!)

It is still fairly early in this blogging marathon and it occurred to me that some of my visitors may not have a great handle on where the randomness of the internet has landed them. I thought it prudent to perhaps give some of the newbies to this site a better grasp on who I am and what I am all about, even if I am still not certain myself. Hence I offer up 10 Things You Will Never Hear Me Say, although never is a very long time and I hate to restrict myself ad infinitum....so probably.

1. "Mmmmmm......I really feel like eating eggplant today." 
2. "Let's go Yankees!!"
3. "Yes... Of course! I am a huge fan of reality television. I especially love all of those singing and dancing shows. The talent there is truly astounding!"
4. "Hey Husband.....Let's plan our next vacation to a ski resort!"
5. "Pantyhose and high heels are mankind's greatest inventions since toast!"
6. "8 hours of sleep? Of course I get a solid 8 hours of sleep every single night, and I wake up refreshed and happy and raring to start my day!"
7. "I'm just fine with that seven letter bingo that crossed the triple-word space and scored you 112 points in our Words With Friends game. And, of course it doesn't matter that I have never heard of the f*@#ing thing even though you tell me that it means a weapon used by a pygmy tribe in sub-Saharan Africa. It's all good!"
8. "Mick Jagger.....mmmmmm.....sexy!"
9. "Cats rule, dogs drool."
10. "Mitt Romney has it all going on. He and his party just make so much sense for women of a modern age. I truly wish that I had a vote in this election so that I could cast it for him and all of those forward thinking men."

A clarification on number 10.........I can honestly say that one is pretty much set in stone as something I would NEVER say.

My father the philosopher always told me that the world is diverse and that is why they make chocolate and vanilla. I certainly don't expect you all to agree with my list, but I would love for you to add your own. C'mon....something that I would never hear you say. Comments are open.

Shabbat Music Break

I want to maintain the integrity of Shabbat during this blogging marathon. In that vein, all of my Saturday posts will once again be Shabbat Music Breaks that allow you the reader/listener to experience some of my favourite artists. You can find links to last year's Shabbat Music Breaks here, here, here, and here.

This week's featured artist is the incredibly gifted Susan Werner. I have been a huge fan of this multi-dimensional singer, songwriter, and musician for many years now, and I am often struck by the poignancy of her lyrics and the diversity of her musical styles. She is an incredible live performer and if she is anywhere near your area I highly recommend purchasing a ticket or two. Manhattan Kansas is a haunting story that is off of her most latest release Kicking the Beehive. I hope that you enjoy and Shabbat Shalom to all who observe

A Prayer

I am not much for inspirational quotes and sayings. We all know the type of which I speak. The stuff that regularly clogs up my Facebook timeline posted by well-meaning friends, but would better be off remaining in the belly of a fortune cookie. I am certainly not trying to belittle the good intentions behind these little nuggets of wisdom, but please understand that it takes more than a quotation pulled out of the ether to move me to reevaluate the course that my life is on. Those revelations and ass-kickings are usually provided by transformative events; sometimes those that are intensely personal and sometimes those viewed from a distance. Such were the effects of Hurricane Sandy.

We here in my area of The Great White North were also bombarded by the superstorm, but the aftereffects are not nearly to the extent of what our neighbours along the American Eastern Seaboard are attempting to deal with. We all are counting ourselves amongst the very fortunate as we clear our yards of debris all the while knowing that the damage to both life and property could have taken a far greater toll. We mourn with our friends who live in the direct path of Sandy's wrath, and we struggle to find meaningful ways to help. A donation to the Red Cross  is so vital, and yet it seems like so very little. 

All week I have struggled with the dichotomy that exists between the sense of relief that I feel for my own good fortune and the absolute helplessness I experience for those left in tatters. I have schizophrenically alternated between emotions of elation while marvelling at the leadership and cooperation being displayed by so many, and that of utter despair while sadly viewing those crying out in desperation. And while I am a firm believer that action must come first in these situations, I am never so self-centred as to believe that a prayer or two couldn't help the fallen. In my mind, prayers are the most personal of inspirational quotes. It is why I was so comforted when I received the following from the Union for Reform Judaism yesterday.

"We pray that those who suffer find comfort through their faith in You and through the loving kindness of those emergency workers and volunteers who have come to their aid.

We pray that those who have lost so much have the fortitude to rebuild their lives. Let us seek out ways to help them build their tents anew and make of them, once again, havens of healing and hospitality. May all who have been battered by this storm discover many hearts and hands open to them. None of us stands alone in times of trouble.

Baruch Atah, Adonai, magein Avraham v’ezrat Sarah.


Blessed are You, Adonai, shield of Abraham, help of Sarah.

 

Baruch Atah Adonai, ozer Yisrael b’guvrah:

Blessed are You, Adonai. You are the Source of our strength."

Allow me to add one more of my own. 

Blessed are You Adonai, who has shown us the power of nature. May we never again forget the delicate balance of the universe and our place within it.

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, Shenatan lanu hizdamnut l’takein et ha olam.

Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, Ruler of the universe, for giving us the opportunity to mend the world.

Shabbat Shalom to all who observe.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like......

Curse you November!

You the most hated of months. The magnificence of October's colours and glory has dissolved into your blandness and grey. You toy with us, November. You tease a few flurries and remind us that winter is fast approaching whether or not we have cleared the fallen leaves from our gutters or put the snow tires on our cars. Your darkness is pervasive and your bone chilling falling temperatures enough to induce the creation of my hermitage. Frankly November, I kind of loathe you. Your only saving grace is that you contain only thirty days rather than thirty-one.

Your endless nature is why I have once again chosen to participate in National Blog Posting Month. The discipline of creating and writing every day provides the perfect counterbalance to the dreariness that is November. It keeps my mind and spirit occupied while the first effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder begin to ravage my body. But....the pressure to be witty, original, and readable can be immense. I am already experiencing night sweats just at the thought of thirty fresh posts.

When I asked The Husband what he thought of my diving into this project for a second consecutive year, his answer was an unqualified "Are you out of your f*@#ing mind?" He complained vociferously about my driving him to more drink in a desperate search of ideas for postings. So, in other words, he has found a way to make my project all about him! And he wasn't the only one. Younger Son's Young Lady told me with tongue firmly planted in cheek, that she would only read if I wrote about HER. I told her that we would play a "Where's Waldo"-type of game. I would insert her somewhere in each post and she would have to figure out where. I'm not certain if I have that kind of cleverness in me, but we shall see.

I will be bringing back some of last year's favourites such as Meatless Monday recipes for my vegetarian brethren and the Shabbat Music Breaks for Saturday's listening pleasure. Yes it is a cop-out, yes I am fundamentally lazy, and yes it takes two days out of every week where I don't have to stress all that much about posting. But, those two features were actually amongst my most popular and most widely read. It just proves my assertion that most blog readers have the attention span of a three-month old puppy in a yard full of squirrels.

So here we go again November. I refuse to let you beat me. You may suck big-time as a month, but you offer up a challenge that I cannot decline. It's either you or me, November. Only one of us can emerge victorious. Game on!