My Valentine's Day Cards, 2014

     One Hundred Eighty-Five.
     If you've been reading this blog for a year or longer, you may remember that I make homemade Valentine's cards every year. I mentioned this in a blog last February. I've been doing it for about 25 years or so and every year at about this time I go a bit nuts.
     Right now, my living room is a complete mess, with supplies everywhere and bits and pieces of crud on the floor. It's not normal card making crud either. This year's cards will be made out of metal mesh, felt and cord. There's no typical "pretty card paper" to be found, In fact, I haven't made a Valentine's card out of "pretty card paper" in years (1999?). And the last time I did, it was watercolor paper which had an original painting on it. My cards are often made out of all sorts of household materials typically unintended for greeting card usage. Sometimes, I will make cards on canvas: meaning oil paintings or some type of 3-D design which needs to be affixed to a perfectly flat surface. Usually though, my cards are overgrown, migraine-inducing projects for me. (Who can ever forget the year I commissioned a metal shop on Cleveland's west side to precut metal plates out of steel? Then I glued on tiny glass beads into the shape of a heart.) These cards are as much work as building a full-size Eiffel Tower out of wooden sticks in my backyard.
     If I survive the ordeal, in your mailbox, you'll find the large envelope which contains the artwork, some chocolates and a child's store-bought greeting card intended for the third-grade classroom: One Direction, Superman, Scooby Doo, Justin Bieber, Charlie Brown or whatever is currently popular. Recipients love the entire package and that feels wonderful. (Over the years a few husbands have thanked me for sending their wives, my old friends, these cards. The husbands claim I takes the pressure off them.)
     Every year I send out 5 or 6 dozen of those things and the mailing list is constantly evolving. New friends are shocked when these unknown packages arrive in the mail. (You see, I don't tell new friends in advance about them.) They phone me, expressing some form of mixed appreciation/shock/glee. I've been accused of "having waaaaaaay too much time on my hands" And, as this is the real world, others do fall of the list. People who may have been art of my life 10 years ago, but whom I no longer have an active friendship with, no longer get cards. Unless, of course, they phone me on February 15th screaming, "WHERE'S MY GODDAMN CARD?" Then I do resume them the following year. (This has happened.) But I just cannot make 200, or more, of those things and mail them out every year. I wish I could, but I can't. I don't have the money or time. This year's list is just under 60 and that was with ruthless editing, which I unfortunately must employ. As it is, cards go to Europe and 10 states besides Ohio.
     I began making these cards while studying art in school, but not as an art project. They're simply a creative outlet for me. Today, everyone who knows me well, knows that my regular artistic endeavors are: hairdressing, commercial window design, creative writing, food prep and Valentine's Day cards. That's probably enough. But who knows what the future holds?

      Valentine's Day card made by me, 2013. Heavy, rigid plastic, cut and spray-painted gold. Wrapped in Saran Wrap and eyelash yarn.    

If You Always Do What You've Always Done...

     Page One Hundred Eighty-Four.
     There's an old saying, "if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got". I think some people don't always realize the implications of that axiom. No matter how much we may want change, and allegedly make a decision to change, if we don't take the actions to change the freeway we're on, we're going to continue down that road with nary a twist or turn.   
     I think a lot about decision-making without action-taking. That's where so many of us get stuck. It is very difficult to make different actions than we're used to making. But when those actions are improvements or evolutions over old ones they eventually feel so good. We wonder why we didn't do it sooner.
     New jobs, new relationships, new eating habits; improved lifestyles, improved ways of dealing with stress, improved inner security... and all which increase our ability to contribute to society, are ours for the taking. All we have to do is follow-up our healthy decisions with actions.
     How easy.

Cleveland Heights, Ohio In The Winter

  

A Superbowl Meal

     Page One Hundred Eighty-Three.

       Superbowl Sunday is in a couple of days. I'll probably watch the game with my Indian roommate in tow. Superbowl Sunday is the #1 pizza day in America, literally. But I'm so sick of pizza after my pizza party last week that I'm boycotting it for a little while. I'm thinking of making homemade chicken pot pie. It's neither fast nor easy but it is tasty. However, as mentioned prior in this blog, my roommate's biggest complaint about American food is it's lack of spicyness. Well, chicken pot pie pretty much epitomizes that. However, mine is extra flavorful, I'm proud to declare. So, perhaps he'll like it.
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     My favorite Superbowl memory dates to the mid-90's. A very close friend, Meryl, phoned me at the Star Spangled Banner and we stayed on the phone through the entire game. I hadn't spent that much time on the phone since those wacky teenage years. But it was too fun. It was like having a close friend over, but without the clean-up when they leave. Also, I was able to watch TV in my underwear. Always a plus.

On Studying The Book Of Job

     Page One Hundred Eighty-Two.
     I've been invited to join a monthly Bible study group. Typically, 10, 12 or so people attend this decades-long affair. It's led by a now-retired minister with another retired minister one of the attendees, along with 2 former nuns (now Protestants) and assorted husbands, wives, various tag-a-longs and now, me. I love my life. Positively adore it.
     I think I've been invited because I'm often seen as someone who brings a new or original insight to whatever spiritual or religious issue is being discusses. I suspect my Jewishness played some into the decision to invite me, but not heavily. I'm just immensely curious about the Bible and what it has to say. And, people who talk with me about religious or spiritual subjects pick up on that really fast.
     I disagree with much of the Bible's teachings and am fairly open about that. I also disagree with much of the history which is taken as Biblical fact. But I think what strikes people quickly is my knowledge. So many people who disagree with this verse or that don't really know much about the Bible itself. I do know it critically; though admittedly nowhere near as much as these retired ministers or nuns, but some. Probably more than the typical church/synagogue attending American, in fact. I'm so intensely interested in it.
     It's human nature to have issues with beliefs or attitudes which affect you negatively or disagree with the way you were raised. But that's where most people stop. They choose to get angry and then stay in the anger without speaking with those people or reading and studying the books which these people quote. I, on the other hand, was raised to believe in educated dialogue. Not debate or argument, mind you, but friendly, open and educated discourse. Subsequently, if I have an issue with, say, the occasionally held 18th and 19th century belief that slavery is sanctioned by the Bible, then I better find out all I can about the entire book and even more about those specific verses which are quoted by those believers. And this is just one example.
     So the first class I'll be attending,

The Book Of Job

in a few weeks, will be on the book of Job. I know a little about that book, but not much. I was told that's perfectly fine and not to worry about my lack of education. Well I can't help it. There's a massive over-achiever in me that won't always stay camouflaged. I've already taken down some books from my bookshelf and begun studying. That is one seriously fascinating book.
     And, maybe most importantly, dinner is included. You know those old church ladies can cook. This hostess is allegedly a magnificent cook, too. I'm not allowed to bring a thing. (They specifically told me that.)  A free Protestant meal, and all I have to do is show up and be contrary. Yum, Yum, Yum!!!

On Feeding An Indian Roommate

     Page One Hundred Eighty-One.

Nainital, India

Nainital, India. Evening.

     I currently have an Indian roommate. He's finishing up medical school back home and he's here, in Cleveland, doing a medical rotation as part of his education. Raja's only here for a few months, but is hoping to come back and start his residency in 2015 at University Hospitals of Cleveland, the hospital he's doing his short rotation at right now. I've been driving him around and showing him the sites, museums and so forth (in spite of our Cleveland winter, God help me). 

     He's enjoying his time here very much but does complain that American food is difficult to get used to. He thinks it's, well, for lack of a better word, "flat". His home region, Kashmir, is known for their flavorful dishes in the first place and apparently his mother really pushes her spice usage over the edge. So, of course, when you've been eating that style for 23 years, hamburger and french fries can seem a bit bland. (He will eat beef.) His uncle, who's a doctor in Las Vegas loves American food. But Uncle has also been here for a couple of decades and has gradually acclimated to our flavors. Raja realizes that and is looking forward to acclimating too. He's being a trooper though. While I was perfecting my homemade pizza dough and pizza sauce for the pizza party/bridal shower last week, I did lots of taste tests. Raja was gleefully happy to aid with that dubious chore. I also make myself lots of rice & bean dishes to which I add Tabasco sauce and other extra stuff. One day I splashed some Tabasco into a spoon and gave it to him. He was impressed by its fire.

    I've made Indian cuisine a few times over the years, but am not at all fluent in it. So, I'm not yet comfortable offering to make him "food like Momma used to make". I have been blessed by being an extremely quick study in the kitchen, though. So perhaps I should offer one of these days. I think Indian food is all about the sauce. If that sauce is correct, you just pour it over lamb or chicken and white rice and call it supper. Unless, of course, you're dealing with a vegetarian. Then simply pour your sauce over lentils and rice. Either way, just stabilize that sauce and you're home free.  

     Raja is staying until early March. But, he's recommending me to a med school buddy back in India who's also coming to Cleveland for a rotation. That buddy is arriving just as Raja's leaving. So the buddy wants to move into my place for the month he'll be here. That's fine with me. I can't stand looking for roommates.   

     I can just see my place turning into an annex of the Cleveland India Community Center (which is 1/2 mile away). But if this does happen, I really should become a gracious host and learn their cuisine preparation. It would make all these ridiculously young medical students feel warm and cozy on the inside.

Meanwhile, Back At Williams-Sonoma...

     Page One Hundred-Eighty.
     So, I went into the 'ole place to drop off my receipts for the bridal shower food. They want me to start teaching cooking classes on a regular, weekly basis. This job won't pay the rent just yet, but who knows what the future holds? 

A Few Non-Sequitors

     Page One Hundred Seventy-Nine.
     Three days ago I catered an event at Williams-Sonoma. They were having a bridal shower in the store and hired me to come on in and make all the food. It was a headache. It was a pizza party for 30 so I made 10 pizzas with all the usual variety of toppings. Plus there was the salad, raw vegetable shish-ka-bobs and chocolate-dipped strawberries. In fact, I demonstrated the shish-kas and choco-berries, so I was technically the entertainment at this bridal party. (The second time in my life when that's happened. But, the first time is a separate and somewhat inappropriate story.) I made all the dough and sauce the day before. My back hurt by the time the whole thing was over on Saturday night.
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     The next day, was Sunday and to relax post-pizza, I decided to take in a church double-feature. I haven't done that in a while. By "church double-feature" I mean that I attend one church service at 9.30 and a different one at 11. Please don't question this. It all makes perfect sense in my Jewish universe. I figure if I'm going to attend a different religion's house of worship at all, why not do 2 in one day? I have copious numbers of friends in both of these particular churches and the senior minister of one is sort of like my spiritual advisor. So it really is quite an enjoyable morning.
     They're both United Methodist, a denomination which I know is undergoing difficult evolution and transition. So, it's doubly fascinating as an outsider for me to watch them evolve, but from within. I knew that they'd be celebrating Martin Luther King Day in their respective services, in one form or another. Subsequently, I correctly assumed that their current struggle with gay civil rights would come up.
     The United Methodist denomination has a poor record with embracing civil rights for all people in the first place. However, 1 of the 2 churches which I attend is somewhat willing to engage in dialogue about it's history. For the record, United Methodism wasn't established with civil rights of any form in mind, anyhow. It was established in the 18th century solely to spread the word of the Christian Gospel to the needy of the world. So it makes sense that it would have a slow record on embracing human rights issues still today. Human rights has simply never been it's priority. Converting the poor to Christ through hope and prayer has been.
     This, as opposed to a denomination like The United Church of Christ which was established almost exclusively for civil rights issues back in the 17th century; and, subsequently began ordaining black people to their ministry in the 1820's, females in the 1890's and homosexuals in the early 1970's. The Congregationalists (the former name of United Church of Christ) practically invented the abolitionist movement. That's simply how they identify themselves. They'll also admit that they use the Bible as a "reference" book.
     I'm learning that different Christian denominations are really like different schools. Would you go to MIT and expect to get a degree in Art History? So really... come on. Why be surprised when a certain denomination (Methodism) that didn't even acknowledge MLK's assassination in 1968 at it's services on the Sunday following the shooting, would struggle with gay rights?
     I'm like a Jewish Mr. Spock. I find the whole situation fascinating. (Tel Aviv, Israel is currently the #1 vacation destination in the world for gay travelers. Jews love the gays. Just love 'em. Even Orthodox Jews, our version of Southern Baptists have begun embracing homos.)
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     My job with the kid is coming to an end again. He's switching schools right now so I'll no longer be needed. Anybody have a job to offer me?