I've been given an award!
So, rather than waiting two more months 'til my summer vacation is over to be gracious and thank the fabulous Nicole of Destination Unknown, I'm popping back in for a quick visit. Since this award is all about the number 11, and today happens to be the 11th, it only seemed fitting. And how could I be rude and neglect Nicole until September, when she so sweetly noted in her own acceptance speech that "Yenta Mary is apparently the diva of all food. I adore this woman and her love for all things edible."? Awww, shucks.
So, since I'm as long-winded as ever - you didn't really expect absence to make me grow more terse, did you??? - let's get started without further ado. Grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine - time dependent, of course! - and linger with me awhile.
The rules of the award are that the nominee must:
- link back to whomever awarded the prize
- state 11 random facts about him- or herself
- answer the 11 questions from the award giver, and then - finally!
- nominate another 11 bloggers and devise 11 questions for them to answer.
Here goes!
11 Random Facts:
1. I love kitsch - things that are amusingly tacky. Feathered picture frames, rubber ducks and other critters in my half-bath, one lamp that resembles a handbag and another that is designed like a martini glass (complete with skewered olive that holds a red "pimiento" light bulb), even cheesy songs from the 70s. I spent too many years trying to conform in too many ways; I now embrace my tastelessness … or, rather, my sense of whimsy. Yes - let's call it whimsy! As Salvador Dali noted: "It is good taste, and good taste alone, that possesses the power to sterilize and is always the first handicap to any creative functioning."
2. I hate talking on the phone - hate, hate, hate, hate, hate it. This is partly because I can't hear as well through the phone, and I prefer to be in proximity to people to see expressions and whatnot. This is also partly because I simply hate new phones, with uneven and unreliable reception (among other complaints), even before I try to carry on a conversation on one. I want a phone with large buttons (so I can see them and so I can hit just one rather than several at once) that just makes calls - I know, what a novel concept for a PHONE. I don't want to watch a t.v. show on a 2" screen, and I don't want to turn pictures into Warhol-esque works of art with a ridiculous app. (I don't know how to take pictures with my phone anyway.) I also want to be able to prop the phone up on my shoulder while I'm doing something else at the same time as talking, rather than walking around seemingly talking to myself with a Bluetooth gizmo. The phone also brings great stress - I never know who's calling, what the crisis du jour is. I'm like the little red panda in the famous YouTube video, jumping every time my phone rings - you think I'm exaggerating, but every single one of my loved ones, as well as my co-workers, can attest to it. Make it stop!
3. I was born in New York City and lived there 'til just before I turned 16. I've been in Michigan for almost 34 years now, and have developed a great love for the state and for the Midwest (despite arriving here with that "New York is the center of the universe" arrogance!). But I still have a sense of being a native New Yorker.
4. I wish I could sing. Even my ex-husband noted awhile ago that he's never heard me sing, despite knowing me since 1985. He - and the rest of the world - will never hear me sing, unless in the midst of dementia I somehow one day fancy myself a rock star and start singing in the dining hall of my nursing home. I can't stay on key, I simply can't sing. But I would love to be able to ….
5. I remember receiving my first Nancy Drew book - I was 8, and my grandmother was visiting. I would always give up my bed for relatives, and sleep on a cot while they stayed with us. As a way of both thanking me for the gesture and initiating me into the world of mystery aficionados (my mother is one), as well as simply making sure I didn't miss this essential part of being a young girl, she gave me The Secret of the Old Clock. I finished it that day, and went on to read virtually every other book in the set. (A few were published after my time in that world was over and I'd moved on to other imaginary realms.)
6. My kitchen cabinets are bright red, a choice that only Jeremy approved of - he picked just the right fire engine shade - but which I love. (Craig did the painting and knows the color is very "me," but it's not his favorite!) My kitchen is a place of relaxation, fun, aromatherapy, experimentation, creativity, nourishment, and nurturing; it needs color, and it needs life … it needs red! Happy, happy, joy, joy!
7. I believe that cake is essentially a vehicle for frosting. At the same time, though, not every cake - a Victoria sponge, for example - requires frosting.
8. I used to be hyper-uber-organized. My closets went from left-to-right with light-colored sleeveless tops to dark-colored long-sleeved ones, then on to light skirts and dark ones, light pants and dark ones, dresses, dress-up clothes, etc. Sweaters were categorized by sleeveless, cardigan, hooded, etc.; and, of course, they too were sorted by color. Now, I throw a sweater up onto the top shelf of my closet and am happy if it doesn’t fall back onto my head, considering that this is progress over having it still sit with other clean laundry in the hamper several days after I pulled everything from the dryer. What happened??? I got married to a slob who may one day be on "Hoarders," I had a child, I acquired pets, I got divorced, I moved too many times, I got a job, I took on too many projects … sigh. I want to go back to not always feeling as though I'm playing catch-up and apologizing for clutter.
9. I am an introvert at heart, someone who is restored by time alone rather than with others. Most people don't believe that, but it's true. I was once very astutely called a "gregarious introvert," and that's pretty much the sum of it. I can chat up a storm, I can talk to almost anyone, I'm bright and festive and the girl who would likely be wearing a lampshade on her head (a bedazzled and feathered one, too - see #1!) if she were the sort to drink that much (which, of course, she's not). But I desperately need time to myself, peace and quiet and privacy, too.
10. Don't bring Cheetos or Reese's Pieces into my house, or I will eat them all in one sitting and then regret it deeply. And I will blame YOU for my failure to restrain myself, because you led me into temptation … ;)
Disco Fries with BBQ Brisket Sandwich at Meat.
11. I miss my blog, even though taking this summer vacation from it has freed up a remarkable amount of time, such that I even met two writing project deadlines early and am ahead on a few others tasks, as well. I have Disco Fries (OMG, topped with bacon gravy and cheese!) to torture you with, and indignities like frozen nacho toppings ('cause people can't dump their own cheese and peppers onto chips, but rather need to buy them pre-packaged?!?) to rant about. I want to pick a day on which all bloggers will make a recipe of Nigella Lawson's, to show her support through the turmoil with her can't-be-ex-soon-enough husband. I have so much to share and to talk about, and no other platform for it all!
Q&A
1. Favorite vacation spot of all time: I loved Homer, Alaska, which we visited in 1999 when my ex-husband did a month-long educational stint at a native substance abuse facility in Anchorage. Nearly surrounded by water, a quirky artistic community, quaint, charming …. I have only good memories.
2. Favorite book and why: If I can only pick one, I s'pose it would be Anne Tyler's St. Maybe. It's about the potential effects of our actions and our words, the unintended consequences of normal human behavior. It's about family, both via DNA and by choice. It's about faith, about hope, about a church that focuses on redemption rather than on dress code, about how we can all still be frail and fallible but rely upon each other for strength. And it's also about taking responsibility for oneself, and about atonement.
3. What is your best physical feature? Not my eyes - at 50, they're getting craggy. My lips are too thin and my smile is lopsided (extends too far on one side). Craig thinks my neck is elegant, I think it's too long. Others like my hands, especially since they're always manicured; but I think my knuckles are too big. So I think I would go with my feet - Nicole's favorite body part! - because I've got good arches, perfectly pedicured nails all year long (no winter vacation), toes that angle properly without any nudging up taller than they should. It seems like a ridiculous answer, but it's all I've got!
4. What is your go-to outfit? A colorful (usually floral) skirt, a black top for contrast, black shoes to match the top, and sparkly jewelry. I have many, many variations on this theme!
5. Describe your first crush: I had a poster of David Cassidy on my wall when I was in 3rd Grade, and was completely and utterly smitten with him. I still miss my Partridge Family lunchbox, which was my most prized possession as a child.
6. If you could go to dinner with any 5 people (dead or alive) - who? I think this one is the hardest question of all to answer - I pondered and debated it for days. I already have Jeremy and Craig around for dinner most nights. Getting together with deceased relatives or friends for bonding and/or memories is an entirely different event. I can't include my blogging buddies here, 'cause there's more than 5 and I wouldn't play favorites; we all still need to do our road trip! I don't want nitpicky food snobs or critics, but rather to share a meal with folks, like me, who simply like to eat (or, at least, talk). I also don't want people who would deconstruct recipes and dishes and analyze ingredients, although that would be fun most times; I'm looking for interesting conversation involving a wide range of topics and a total lack of predictability. I don't want contentious stress to spoil anything, so folks with whom I might like to debate under different circumstances wouldn't be receiving any engraved invitations, either. So, noting that this list is mostly contemporary and very Western Hemisphere-centric, I would invite:
- Norah Joyce, wife of James Joyce (one of my very favorite authors), who endured a temperamental creative genius, a child with mental illness, contentious lawsuits over the accusations of her husband's work being pornographic ... oy! The woman was a saint, and one whose life bears some resemblance to mine.
- Michael Wex, an authority on Yiddish who tells great stories and who, according to the bio on one of his books, also performs stand-up. He spoke here a few years ago, and was highly entertaining; I keep waiting for him to come back to Ann Arbor. Since he's currently working on a book about Jewish food, I think we'd have a bit to talk about ... :)
- Dione Lucas, the first female graduate of Le Cordon Bleu and the first woman to have her own cooking show on television; without her, there would have been no Julia Child, no Food Network. She cooked for celebrities, and would have lots of entertaining tales to tell.
- Robert McG. Thomas, Jr., who wrote legendary, poignant obituaries for The New York Times before his own early death. 52 McGs is one of the best books I've ever read - a collection of the most notable pieces. It showcases primarily unknown people, whose lives are recounted with humor, dignity, and grace. The book shows how each of us, in a unique way, is an individual whose contributions - great, small, quirky, unusual, profound, ridiculous, eccentric, whatever - are priceless, even if we may often feel like anonymous cogs who have no impact upon the universe. The world is filled with fascinating people, but sometimes we only find out about them once they're gone. Robert Thomas was one of those people, with stories to tell ... both others' and his own.
- Giorgio Vasari, considered the first art historian for his work Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects. The book was written in the 16th century and is a collection of biographies of artists, with a great deal of bias towards Vasari's friends and associates. His stories aren't necessarily entirely reliable, given to hyperbole and gossip as he was. How much fun would he be at the dinner table???
7. House is on fire - family made it out - what is the one thing you grab? (You can only grab one): Another hard one. There's the Box of Love Jeremy made for me in preschool - a 5"-square (or so) box wrapped in Valentine paper. One of our cats tore up the paper years ago, but the box has still held together. Jeremy made it at school and gave it to me, all excited. "You wanna know how I put the love inside?" he asked with his eyes wide, wanting so much to show me this neat trick. He took the box in both hands, brought it quickly up to his mouth, and smacked it with the biggest kiss his little 3-year-old lips could manage. Then he put it down and looked up at me, his smile beaming, so proud of how much oomph he'd put into this gesture and how much love he'd given me. There's also the assortment of pine cones that he used to collect on morning excursions, again while he was in preschool. I still have most of them, after 19 years and 7 moves. Sometimes he'd give me dandelions, but usually pine cones. They were such sweet gifts each afternoon when I picked him up, which he bestowed as I listened to his stories about the class' adventures as they meandered around the neighborhood. But most importantly, the pine cones showed me that even as he was having fun with his teachers and his friends, Jeremy was still thinking of me and wanted to make sure I knew how much he loved me. Each day, he gave me something special and precious and thoughtful. I don't know how I could choose among these two … I'd have to let Jeremy make the decision, though I think he'd go for the pine cones. A couple of years ago, when he was helping at my office, he went outside and then brought back a pine cone, just like in the old days. It sits at my desk, in front of my computer monitor … :)
8. Tell me about your faith: I consider myself a secular Jew and recovering Catholic. Although I meet no standards of Jewish law, I am, actually, observant ... just in my own way, rather than in any orthodox or "because God said so" fashion. Because I wasn't raised with traditions, I have to create my own; and these practices have to be infused with some meaning, some import. Granted, many of my observances revolve around food; that would make me a "gastronomic Jew," to quote a term I read recently. But I also throw bread crumbs into the river at the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, symbolically casting off sins. I light the menorah at Chanukkah, celebrating a miracle of light and salvation. I give money to the poor at Purim, which is considered an even greater mitzvah - good deed or commandment - than sharing gifts of food with loved ones. I had decided decades ago that I wasn't Catholic, and spent many of those subsequent years reading and searching - I felt a need, a loss. In each instance, I saw value in one faith or another; but each time, it was a matter of my having to adopt or adapt. When I started to look into Judaism - the more liberal branches, at least - I felt that I was reading about myself, about my beliefs, about my reality. I felt that this is where I belong, that this is who I am.
9. Use one word to describe yourself: "Flaky" comes to mind, as does "frazzled." I'm certainly resilient. But I'm going to go with "haymish," which is a Yiddish word meaning warm and welcoming. I like that one, and I strive for it every day.
10. Theme song of your life: That would likely be "I'm Jest a Girl Who Cain't Say No!" But I try to live my life by the motto: "You can never win or lose, if you don't run the race." And so, the winner is ....
11. Movie you most relate to: I love the fun, friendship, and froofiness in "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." It's about drag queens who go on a road trip across Australia and talk about everything from love to loss to longing along the way. It's a buddy movie, an adventure movie, a musical, a comedy, a drama, and completely touching even as it makes you giggle. So much of these men's lives is about artifice, and yet they are so genuine and devoted to each other - a band of people society deems to be misfits, who don't quite fit in except with each other. As someone who feels as though she fits in everywhere and nowhere, who puts on her floozie persona (very me, and yet not entirely me), and who relies upon cherished friends to escape from the stresses of real life … well, I can definitely relate to Bernadette, Mitzi, and Felicia, whose performances together are very much about their real selves, and yet still permit them to hide behind a facade. I would love to chat, be catty, listen to Abba, dance, and play in drag queen regalia with them! Really, truly, I'd fit right in ....
11 bloggers
1. Candace of Mi Chiamo Candace
2. Debra of Housewife Eclectic
3. Robin of Your Daily Dose
4. Jenn of Jenn's Food Journey (though I think she's too busy to do it, I'm giving her an award anyway!)
5. Chris of Nibble Me This
6. Carla of The River
7. Jean of Delightful Repast
8. Judy of Cranberry Morning
9. Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog
10. Mary of Go Ahead, Take a Bite!
11. Rachel of Diary of a Chocoholic
11 questions
1. What is the first thing you'll ask God when you get to Heaven? (We're all going to Heaven, we're just taking different scenic routes.)
2. What is your favorite "me time" indulgence?
3. What is the word or phrase you overuse the most?
4. What is your favorite side dish at Thanksgiving?
5. What is your most cringe-inducing, most appalling, most ridiculous dating story?
6. What has your greatest accomplishment been so far in 2013?
7. What website do you check most often throughout the day?
8. It's Christmas in July; in your letter to Santa, what are you asking him to leave under the tree for you?
9. Have you ever been to Michigan?
10. If so, when, where, why? If not, why not???
11. What is your favorite kind of pie?