Open Thread - Friday, November 24, 2017

open thread.jpg

We know that a peaceful world cannot exist one-third rich and two-thirds hungry. If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one. You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them.

It is a funkin' pie for breakfast day!

I acknowledge how lucky I am. Warm, plenty to eat and a strong support network. Thank all of you for helping me work through life's challenges.

Thing1 (M28), Thing2 (F24), Thing2_boyfriend and I had a small Thanksgiving dinner. Sue and I came from big Hunky families that bonded over food, and have passed on the trait.

Cinnamon, brown sugar and just a tiny sprinkle of nutmeg and cloves. Don't forget the graham crackers.

I hope everyone has the day off and avoids the materialism indoctrination. Go outside and play, it is good for the soul.

Thanks Sue, I miss you, everyday.

Have a great weekend! The thread is OPEN.

Share
up
0 users have voted.

Comments

mimi's picture

food, music and quotes? You just luv 'em, admit it. A toast to lady Sue, who loved NCTim. She chose wisely.

I wished I had chosen as wisely as she did ... Sigh. Life is tough, isn't it? Especially after having no Thanksgiving dinner with my thing1.

How can one be homesick, if one doesn't know where to be at home?

up
0 users have voted.
Centaurea's picture

@mimi

How can one be homesick, if one doesn't know where to be at home?

That's almost like a Zen koan. Seriously. You've pretty much summed up one of the big conundrums of my life. Actually, I think it may be one of the conundrums of the human condition, but most folks don't allow themselves to be aware of it. Like much of what self-awareness shows us, it can be darned scary and challenging to look at.

I have this page-a-day calendar with quotes related to Buddhism. There have been a couple recently that talked about "home" in ways that spoke (loudly!) to me. I've got them on my fridge door so I can think about them every day and let them percolate into my consciousness and see what develops:

But your solitude will be your home and haven even in the midst of very strange conditions, and from there you will discover all your paths.

~Rainer Maria Rilke

"I have arrived, I am home" is the shortest dharma talk I have ever given. "I have arrived, I am home" means "I don't want to run anymore." You need that insight in order to be truly established in the here and now, and to embrace life with all its wonders.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

up
0 users have voted.

"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi

"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone

NCTim's picture

@Centaurea I am not sure, but I am inclined to say the home state is a form of contentment.

What if consciousness is not what drives the human mind?

Our minds present the home state when we are comfortable and contented, which in turn is induced by ambience, social interaction and the pleasures of the flesh.

up
0 users have voted.

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

divineorder's picture

@NCTim a tent.

up
0 users have voted.

A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

Arrow's picture

@NCTim . and going home. I always think of sitting on the SEPTA platform in Trenton at 3AM. Headed home.

Thanks NCTim and have a great day all.

up
0 users have voted.

I want a Pony!

NCTim's picture

@mimi I had been thinking about the holidays and social isolation. I know the kids need to forge their own way, which could result in my being alone. Luckily, I am a good cook.

up
0 users have voted.

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

mimi's picture

@NCTim
with me and kicked me quite a bit. Now I have a dent in my butt and just jump into unforeseen directions.

You said in another comment:

Our minds present the home state when we are comfortable and contented, which in turn is induced by ambience, social interaction and the pleasures of the flesh.

So true. Simple and straight forward.

And Centaurea quoted Thich Nhat Hanh:

"I have arrived, I am home" means "I don't want to run anymore."

My thing1 (btw. thanks for the link explaining where you got that expression from. When I read the "thing1" and "thing2" thing for the first time in your comments, I thought you are a little weird, may be a little cold-hearted - ok I was wrong, so sorry, what else is new) doesn't want to run (fly) anymore, which makes the ambiance and social interactions thingy a little hard, when one lives on an isolated island in the middle of nowhere. I think we will have to walk over the water ... Jesus-like.

So, what do you cook for Christmas Eve in your corner of the world? As everyone dies away around me, I was asked to think about cooking something with vegetables for the third widow, who will host our Christmas Eve dinner. So strange, in my parts of the wood, we have either a carp or a roast saddle of venison (that's what the dictionary translated for the German word "Rehrücken"). So, my vegetable contribution kind of gives me a headache. Which vegetables go with carp? And which ones with a roast saddle of venison?

Enjoy the left-overs.

up
0 users have voted.
orlbucfan's picture

What does the "thing" word mean? No snark, I'm just curious. I've noticed you and several others using it in reference to your kids. Hubby, I and Toto the wonder Dobe had our usual quiet Turkey Day. We come from small families and are childless by choice. We're set financially so we are thankful. Smile

I'm finishing an excellent biography of the great southern soul singer, Otis Redding. The book also is a historical read. It traces the history of rhythm and blues which, along with jazz, are American music genres. He gets into a solid discussion of racism and Jim Crow. This happened 50-60 years ago. The book came out in 2017. Sadly, very little has changed. This country has seriously regressed in more ways than one. Sad

On a positive note, this is one of his tunes that epitomizes the best in R & B. Enjoy it and the rest of this holiday weekend.

Rec'd!!

up
0 users have voted.

Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

NCTim's picture

@orlbucfan @orlbucfan

http://seuss.wikia.com/wiki/Thing_One_and_Thing_Two

up
0 users have voted.

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

orlbucfan's picture

up
0 users have voted.

Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

NCTim's picture

@orlbucfan One of these Fridays we'll have to have Soul Friday.

up
0 users have voted.

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

orlbucfan's picture

@NCTim

up
0 users have voted.

Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

NCTim's picture

@orlbucfan Sue and I went to Tedeschi-Trucks and Black Crowes, they did an Otis Redding medley.

up
0 users have voted.

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

divineorder's picture

@orlbucfan but we come from large families.

up
0 users have voted.

A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

Wink's picture

@divineorder
of seven kids (six siblings). The seven of us, including 4 sisters, have cranked out a grand total of nine kids. Not too bad a "footprint." Two sisters, plus me = zero kids. I think after growing up with six siblings in one small (1100 sq ft) house, 1 bathroom, that that was enough of a "family experience" to last a lifetime.

up
0 users have voted.

the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

divineorder's picture

@orlbucfan the day. Thanks for the review.

up
0 users have voted.

A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

Raggedy Ann's picture

We traveled to our friends in Silver City on Wednesday and made it to Safford AZ yesterday. We got three marvelous hot spring soaks and had a lovely spaghetti (my homemade sauce) and shrimp dinner. Today we'll soak go hiking, soak, go to dinner, soak, sleep, arise, soak, go back to SC, and head home Sunday.

Happy to hear you enjoyed a day with the people you love, that love you, and could embrace Sue's spirit, together, on this first holiday without her physical presence. I celebrate you.

Have a beautiful day free from the stresses of the upcoming consumption holiday, everyone! Pleasantry

up
0 users have voted.

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

NCTim's picture

@Raggedy Ann I could use a good soak. I have been achy lately.

My kids young adults do not care for turkey, so I made a rib roast, and got an assist on the baking.

up
0 users have voted.

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

divineorder's picture

@NCTim Since we were not with our families who all live in other states this year jb decided on a vegetarian Three Sister Stew.
http://www.vegkitchen.com/recipes/three-sisters-stew/

She sustituted her own home ground Chipotle powder for the standard Chile powder the recipe called for to give 7t a smoky flavor.

We have a teeny tiny apartment conversion condo with no oven. Well, it had the original apartment appliances in it when we bought it and they were a mess. When we first bought it 10 years ago we purchased a new energy efficient fridge. Got it home and meh, it was too tall to fit under the built in cabinets next to the raunchy stove. Heh. Oh well.

We have some remodeling experience so we trashed the old stove and built a baker's hutch. WE ordered a two burner glass cook top and bought a hybrid microwave/convection oven. The oven part never has worked properly. This week we finally broke down and bought an expensive french 'Smart' toaster oven that is small but had good reviews .

Jakkalbessie put it to the test by making some cornbread with roasted New Mexico chile. She laughed because I gobbled three pieces with the stew.

Afterward we went kayaking on a reservoir surrounded by an Indian Pueblo ' reservation lands 20171123_152156-1741x3095.jpg( Temps are running 15-25 degrees above normal this week highs in 60's. Hello climate change). We were the only ones out paddling, had good bird sightings including flock of bluebirds make a wish.

Had the stew again for dinner and more roasted green Chile corn bread. Great stuff!

We are going to take your advice and get out on our bicycles.

Have great day all!

up
0 users have voted.

A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

riverlover's picture

@divineorder Still have half a pie plate. Not hungry yet today.

up
0 users have voted.

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

divineorder's picture

@riverlover My mother would eat leftover cornbread in milk the next day.

up
0 users have voted.

A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

karl pearson's picture

I haven't heard the term "Hunky" since my dad passed away. During the 1920's when he was a child, he was called that name since his parents were born in Poland. Neighborhood kids of other Eastern European backgrounds were called the same. What's funny now is that some descendants of those Slavic people are quick to call newer immigrants derisive names. Many Americans don't want to admit it, but they are very class conscious.

up
0 users have voted.
enhydra lutris's picture

as usual, not to mention being full of good tunes.

We had a small gathering, and possibly the best food we've served yet, same old stuff, same old recipes but it all was just a bit better, can't say why. That's cooking, never the same twice.

Tons of cleanup today, probably an hour or more just for the weber. (Turkey gets a rub and is kind of smoked in a weber kettle, it would be roasted, except I keep loading freasly picked herbs on the coals to produce herb smoke. The drip pan is full of port to evaporate and keep it moist and it gets basted with a mix of port and powdered herbs. The kettle and custom home brew drip pan are a total mess by the time it is done.

Stock making day as well.

up
0 users have voted.

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

detroitmechworks's picture

I've been in any house for the last 15+ years. It's a great feeling to finally have what I think of as a real home.

Course, I sometimes feel like I am just barely hanging on. Had a discussion with my SO that we could never get married until my kids were grown and out of the house. Not because I don't love her, but because if we had to count her income I'd lose every benefit, and we'd both be worse off.

The sad reality of being poor. If you make money, the creditors will take it, and yet society thinks you have money now, so you lose all benefits.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L63ET8UTA8I]

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

divineorder's picture

@detroitmechworks 30 years but was only recently that they 'tied the knot!'

up
0 users have voted.

A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

SnappleBC's picture

Yes, that's the cry of the minority of voters left who still attach themselves to one of the two major parties. And nowhere did I read see this in evidence moreso than at TOP today.

Question: So whats your line on what someone is allowed to get away with and still hold office?

Answer: If it’s a Democratic Senator from a swing state at a time when Republicans control every branch of government and their ability to unleash hell on Earth hinges on a handful of Senate votes, I would support keeping the Democratic in office no matter what his or her prior crimes were, as long as they are not likely to affect his/her ability to keep voting against Republican legislation.

There ya have it folks. It's not like we already all didn't know that given the list of crimes tallied up against Obama and Clinton. But I can't recall seeing it written out quite so plainly.

up
0 users have voted.

A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard