Names and faces

I've been to both the Vietnam War Memorial and Korean War Memorial  countless times - throughout my childhood and now, as a tour guide to my friends and family who pass by DC. They are so different, yet both so deeply impactful. Tonight, touring the monuments in the dark, it was hard to find the Vietnam Memorial. Suddenly, the wall came out of nowhere, and I was once again overwhelmed by the sheer number of names. The Korean Memorial was easier to find, and I got lost in the shadows and faces peering out at me. It always amazes me how both memorials depict lives lost in such different ways. 

Cat in the ceiling

Somehow, in the midst of all the Thanksgiving thankfulness and joy, my parents' cat Ella always manages to get stuck in a ceiling. No, seriously. It's the second Thanksgiving in a row where we've realized she's gone missing and frantically searched (even making sure she hasn't escaped outside), only to find that she's wedged into a tiny hole in the ceiling, staring down at us as if she's saying, "Well, it's about time you found me!"

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm grateful to all of you who actually read my rambling thoughts every day. I truly appreciate it. 

Today

Today was the day I picked out a Christmas tree (before Thanksgiving???) with my mom and put it up for the first time without my dad (he was pleased to have passed the torch :) ....

Today was the day I got to catch up with my friend while giving my nails some much needed love...

Today was the day I learned how to make half of my mom's famous pecan miniatures recipe...

Today was the day I tried bone marrow with three of my wonderful friends from high school at my friend's fabulous new restaurant...

Today was the day before Thanksgiving. Where has this year gone? 

Safe and warm

I'm currently typing in bed, with the rain pouring outside, all safe and warm. All I can think about is my 4 hour drive down here in the pouring rain and mist and incessant traffic, where I had to maintain a laser-like focus to navigate all the obstacles in my way. Right now I'm so glad the rain is outside, not right in front of me, and that I'm safe and warm inside. I'm wishing everyone who is traveling for Thanksgiving a safe, uneventful trip!

Brightening my day

It was a long, long, cold day. Yet right at the end, someone special surprised me with my favorite color of flowers. Just to brighten my day. I haven't stopped smiling.  

Christmas in November

I've always been a staunch believer that Christmas should be reserved for the month of December. I was disgusted by the fact that stores, the day after Halloween, loudly proclaimed that the Christmas season was starting. 

Yet, I have something to confess. For the first time ever, I decorated my personal Christmas tree in my apartment - TODAY. November 24th.

I know I've turned into one of those people I hate - playing Christmas songs on Pandora and decorating a tree a month early. Yet it's been so darn cold lately that to be honest, this tree really cozies up my home quite nicely. Maybe, since we're all cold, a bit of glittering lights on a tree and Christmas spirit won't hurt anyone - even if it's before Thanksgiving. 

Strolling down memory lane

I am the worst at organizing my apartment. I alternate between stuffing objects in out of the way places to deciding to (sigh) take my apartment apart and re-organize everything that I've hastily stashed away. Usually that process takes hours, and at the end I always vow to keep up my organization so I don't have to do that ever again. I succeed for a couple months, and then the whole process starts over again.

Part of the reason why I take so long to re-organize is because I stop and read over everything I've saved in the process. I save EVERYTHING. Every letter, every yearbook, every essay - well, it's either in my apartment here in Philly or at my parent's house in DC (sorry, Mom and Dad - but I learned it from you!). In a way, I guess my re-organization phases allow me to stroll down memory lane again and again.

Tonight, I was reading student notes to me in a 2011 yearbook. I laughed at the way they, as only 8th graders could, expressed exactly how they felt: 

"Tr. Julie, You mean a lot to me. I deeply respect you although I hated you in the beginning...I love you..."

"Tr. Julie, I will never forget the teacher that I was scared of at first but then turned out to be one of my favorite teachers..."

"Tr. Julie I can remember at the beginning of the year, I did something really rude to you. And the whole year I've been trying to make up for that. Aha sorry...thanks for being awesome!"

In contrast, when reading notes my 3rd graders wrote to me last year, I discovered a slightly different trend:

"Tr. Julie, You were the best English teacher ever!! I love your smile..."

"You're the best English teacher ever..."

"There will never be an English teacher better than you..."

When I taught 3rd grade, they of course immediately loved me. I mean - they loved EVERYONE immediately - it just wasn't even a question. Yet I always had to win over my 8th graders, and I loved/hated the process.

Tonight I started thinking about when in life we stop being completely open to everyone and every new experience. While we're not as blatant about it as middle schoolers, there can be a certain skepticism or cynicism when encountering a new teacher, friend, co-worker, boss, etc. If we embrace the world whole-heartedly, we are considered a bit Pollyanna-ish (which isn't always considered the most practical). Maybe living life like a 3rd grader is something to strive for.

“... there is something about everything that you can be glad about, if you keep hunting long enough to find it.”
― Eleanor H. Porter, Pollyanna

Squash night

Sometimes my friends and I like to have an evening centered around cooking one particular vegetable. One time it was eggplant. Tonight it was squash.

We had acorn squash, spaghetti squash, butternut squash and even zucchini squash (yes, zucchini is a squash). Even without meat (some people I know are shaking their heads at me right now), it was a smashing success.

Yet, even though we definitely ate very reasonable portions and had tons left over, we realized that centering a meal around something as filling as squash might not be a great idea for the future. Each of these dishes could have been a meal within themselves. Yikes.

Got a blender

A conversation in a food educator's classroom today:

Educator: "What positive lifestyle changes have you been making since our last time together?"

Student: "I told my mom I needed a blender. You know, to make those fruit smoothies - you know, to eat a rainbow? She got me a magic bullet."

Educator: "That's amazing! Do you use it?"

Student: "Every day. I'm keepin' it tight."

I've been writing curriculum for and advocating for this amazing food education program for 6 months, and today, during a site visit, I actually got to see it in action. For anyone out there who thinks a 15 year old can't make a positive, healthy lifestyle change (and make it seem cool at the same time), think again.

The tea kettle that won't sing

Lately when I put the kettle on for tea, it takes forever to boil water. It just seems to steam. There's no whistling. No encouragement that it's finally time to have my tea. I picture the tea kettle thinking, "Why even bother? I don't care if you get hot water or not, I just have to do my thing!" In my head, we have lots of sassy arguments back and forth. Tonight, I just admitted defeat and settled for not quite as hot water. I don't think I'm patient enough to wait for a kettle. Maybe I'll get one of those hot pots.  

The intricacies of the trees

Today, driving back from a conference, I noticed that fall has come to an end. No more yellow and red leaves! It made me really sad at first. After all, those fall colors are something I anticipate every year. It's always the start of something special - perhaps, constantly being on a school schedule has made the fall my own personal New Year. Now, without the leaves, it's easy to get a bit down. The days are getting shorter, it's colder, and some days even the prospect of wearing my new red coat isn't enough to get me out of my warm bed.

Yet today, I noticed something about the trees. Sure, they were barren of leaves, but my grandma has always had a different way of looking at life. I remember very distinctly a conversation we once had about bare trees. "When you don't have the leaves in the way," she said, "You can really get to see the true nature of the tree. It's so intricate, you know? When the leaves are there, you just don't get the full story."

So today, Grandma Genie, rather than seeing a stark and bitter landscape, I really took in the intricacies of the trees. Thanks for always helping me to see the deeper picture.

There's always the second impression

Today, I was in a restaurant at a hotel for a conference, trying to do some work. I was all alone, save the table of six very loud women, maybe in their 60's, next to me. My first impression was complete annoyance. Why, I thought, did they have to be carrying on and laughing uproariously at 1 pm? 

I asked the server to move me, and was even a bit snarky about it. I pulled out my laptop and set out to work, but I could still hear them. 

After a little while, I realized that they were talking about a book. My attitude softened a bit. Books always get me. A few more minutes of listening I realized they might be a book club. I couldn't resist finding out.

I went over and started exchanging book ideas with them. They were more than delighted to chat - and luckily, didn't seem to realize that I had been complaining to the waiter about them just minutes before. On second impression, I was more than happy to share the quiet restaurant with this boisterous group of ladies.

Give up, or keep going?

I worked for many, many hours this week on a project for work that seemed like it would never end. About halfway through, I was out of my mind tired. I had that defining moment where I could literally go either way. I could watch "just one" episode of How I Met Your Mother for the millionth time and squander the rest of my time, or I could push on and just get it done. Today, I pushed on and finally FINISHED.

Some space in my mind

Frequently, nowadays, my mind looks like this:

Today I was finally able to carve out some space. Space with which to write, to think, and to just - be.

5-7-5

Tonight, a haiku for you:

Sauteed greens, onions

Butternut squash, radishes

I love CSA

Bathroom buddies

A common joke revolves around the fact that us ladies always have to go to the bathroom in pairs. Little did I know that this trend apparently starts at birth...

Today, in the bathroom with my colleague's 3 year old daughter (because of course kids flock to me to take them to the bathroom :):

Me: "Alright, are you almost ready to go?" (After about 10 minutes of hanging out with not much happening toilet-wise).

Her: "Nope, I just want to sit for a while."

Me: "Well, I think maybe we should go see what your mom is up to..."

Her: "Or, we could just stay in the bathroom and become best friends!"

If her mother hadn't come in looking for her, I'm sure I would have been in there all night.

Squash soup and Steinbeck

On this cold night, my friends and I all huddled together in a cozy living room, drinking our hot tea and debating the inner human struggle between good and evil.

“We have only one story. All novels, all poetry, are built on the neverending contest in ourselves of good and evil. And it occurs to me that evil must constantly respawn, while good, while virtue, is immortal. Vice has always a new fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is.” 
― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

Usually we are pretty divided opinion-wise in book club, but this time we all loved it.

Even the cat.

One of those things is not like the other...

Today, in a convenience store, I saw a cat lounging around the aisles.

While I love cats, I hastened to alert the cashier. She (quite defensively, I might add), said, "It's the store cat, okay?!!"

Umm....bookstore cat? Totally makes sense. Art gallery cat?? Sure. Food store cat?? Something seems wrong...weigh in guys. What do you think?

Sweet, sweet turnip

Today I ate a turnip, raw, straight from the ground on a farm. In the middle of Philadelphia. Sometimes, there are perks to my job!

Parking wars? Not so much.

I've been lucky enough to borrow my friend's car for a short period of time. So many times I wish I had a car - for groceries, the opportunity to just pop out of town on a whim, etc. The only issue is that parking in Philly is tricky. During my first month in Philly, I managed to get my brother's car towed two times. So while having access to a car is amazing, the never ending problem is of course where to park it! Trying to park a car on a Sunday evening in Philly? Even more impossible.

I drove around and around the one block I could remember where I could leave a car for more than two hours, and finally was in the process of trying to parallel park in a very narrow street when....a couple walking by motioned for me to roll down my window. Great, I thought. They're going to lecture me on how I shouldn't be trying to park in that spot...which I already know! I braced myself for what I thought was going to an episode of parking wars - wasn't parking wars actually based on Philadelphia?

Instead, one of them said, "You know, we're walking to my car, and I'm going to move out of a spot - do you want to take it?" I gratefully accepted, followed them to their car (yes, I know that sounds super sketchy), and finally parked the car. All is well! Until I try to move it...

Taking a moment to get away

Saturday's Post

I consider myself to be a city girl. I grew up in the city, I get around without a car, and I love walking (to be honest, driving isn't my strongest talent). Yet, I also love the woods. I feel so at home gazing up at the sky through pine trees. So, how do I reconcile both? Every once in a while, taking a moment to breathe and just be - AWAY - is SO needed. As I gazed up at the sky through the pines, I felt right at home.

Writer's block

Okay guys, I know you're all thinking it, so I'll just say it. This week I have put out some pretty sub-par blogs. I've been struggling to really think of something substantial to blog about. My mission this year is to make each day stand out, and this week it's been like pulling teeth. So, my moment today is to just take a moment to reflect and think about how, going forward, I can make more of an effort to consciously notice my life. I don't want it passing by in a blur. I want to savor every seemingly ordinary moment. 

Expired root beer

I actually have never had root beer that's expired. That was merely my guess when playing taboo this evening.

The clues were:

- the word old, just another word for the word old

- a liquid you could drink at dinner that's usually either red or white

- okay seriously, another word for old

....and I got expired root beer.

The word was VINTAGE.

The moment when your hairdresser becomes your friend

I've known my hairdresser for 7 years. Previously, I've always gone to the Hair Cuttery, or a permutation of that ilk. One of my most infamous mistakes in college was going to a place called California Cuts, which only cost $8. I would always leave there crying at how horrible my hair looked, yet I would always go back. When I moved to Philadelphia, I sought out a more permanent solution. Now, my current hairdresser knows all about my job, my personal life, and my favorite TV shows. She's been with me through all my highs and lows over the past few years. When I gave her a hug after we were done today, I realized that, although my haircuts don't cost $8 anymore, the relationship and the lack of tears are all worth it.

The day I carried a pineapple on the bus

I headed to a meeting today, carrying a pineapple and some other fruit for one of my staff who had a cooking club later that day. As I stepped on the bus, a man yelled out, "Save some pineapple for me, sister!" All heads swiveled towards me, almost in disbelief that I would dare carry such a fruit on the bus. I didn't share.

Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate! Aack!

It would be the understatement of the world to say that I am a chocoholic. I take every and any excuse to consume the stuff. I'll even refuse deserts when they don't contain chocolate. Yes, I'm a very dedicated chocoholic.

Yet today, even I was a bit embarrassed when I stuck my hand in my jacket pocket, only to discover that the chocolate bar I had been eating (and keeping in my pocket) had started melting a bit. Upon withdrawing my hand from my jacket, covered in melted chocolate, I began to think that perhaps I have a bit of a problem.

Is ignorance bliss?

My friends and I went to a coffee and tea tasting out in the suburbs today. It was a lovely, caffeine-filled event. Yet there was one moment that I can't get out of my mind. We were having a conversation with this lovely woman (she told us proudly that she was 65 years old with three grandchildren, the youngest being 13). 

She mentioned that her daughter was the director of guidance counseling at a middle school (in a very wealthy suburban school district). Two of my friends who teach in Philadelphia said how lucky that school was to have guidance counselors at all, much less a director of guidance counseling. "You know, because of the School District of Philadelphia cuts..." my one friend said. The woman kind of gave her a blank look and kept rattling on about her daughter.

She then started bragging about that 13 year old grandson, and how well he was doing in school. "He's so smart," she said. "He asked me the other day, what was one difference between when I was growing up and today, and I said the diversity. I mean, he has an African-American friend, an Oriental friend, an Indian friend - you know, the ones with the red dots?" 

I wanted to give her a stern lecture right then and there - letting her know first of all that her family's experience in the suburbs is completely different than the children in schools only 30 minutes away. I also wanted to ask her what she really meant by diversity - did she mean that there were a few kids in that school who weren't white? And - did she really not know that calling people Oriental is offensive? Red dots? Seriously?

In that moment, I took a deep breath, and kept my lecture to myself. I didn't know if saying anything would mean she would hear it. Part of me also kind of wanted her to keep her ignorance just a bit longer. She was so happy.

Dance of joy

Saturday's Post

I could tell how sleep deprived I was on Saturday when, upon realizing I would gain an extra hour from Daylight Savings Time, I actually danced with joy. It's the little things in life!

Sad pumpkins

Today, walking around Philly, I was saddened by the state of the pumpkins in this fair city. If they weren't smashed, they were moldy. Eek. I guess I will have to start preparing for Christmas now? Halloween is SO over.