Day: October 4, 2018

A Thing I Do Not Understand

There are so many things in life I don’t understand. This one is most likely controversial and will probably anger some people. But it’s something I truly do not understand.

Why cathedrals are built so big, so majestic, and filled with what man considers “wealth” when there are people who are out there who are starving? I don’t pretend to know when this propensity started, but I do know that going back to at least the Middle Ages great expense went into building temples when people could have been clothed, housed, and fed. The attitude seems to be that G*d prefers gold to people.

The Egyptian pyramids tombs were built to honor the dead that were buried within. But the famous cathedrals of Europe were built to..? The same thing happens in the US. Some of these structures are more like theaters than places of worship.

I’m not bashing any particular religion here. Ostentation comes with every creed. The pouring of resources into material manifestations of what man values seems like a sin to me. All religions preach the sanctity of life, but feeding the poor doesn’t seem high enough on many agendas, especially when they can build idols to their own wealth.

Religious institutions  should put their money where the hungry mouths are.

#UpbeatAuthors: Tips for Making It Through Hard Times

A Day Job co-worker and I were talking the other day. We’ve both been through some rocky patches in our lives. Different stuff, but life-changing events. And we both said the same thing: staying in the normal helped.

No matter what happens to you, life continues. Jobs, families, bills. Too often, the grief, the panic, the “what-am-I-supposed-to-do-now?” are overwhelming. One can feel as if one is drowning. I will never forget the waves of helplessness washing over me as circumstances seemed to conspire against me. Nightmares invaded my sleep.

During one particularly trying time in our lives, I said to my husband, “Go to the party, just like you planned. I’m going to my meeting. We can’t stop living. As long as we keep things normal for the children, we prove we’re stronger than what’s happened.”

Yes, people need to grieve. To rant, rave, vent, smash dishes, scream into pillows, or whatever else is therapeutic for that person at that moment. Then take a shower, get dressed, and go to work. Do your normal. Or find a new normal that carries you forward. Keep busy. Scrub your kitchen floor. Plant a garden.

This moment is temporary.

 

Thursday Thoughts: Meatballs

Many years ago, when I first started working in local TV, I was introduced to a small groceteria located on the first floor of a nearby high rise (for this city) apartment building.  We called it the Skyline Deli, even though that wasn’t the official name. The store hopped during the lunch hour. They carried fresh rolls from a local bakery, hands down the greatest sandwich roll ever.

The owner of the groceteria made the best meatballs I have ever eaten in my life.  “Meatball on a DiLauro with provolone” was my usual order. For over thirty years.

The store owner died. His widow and son were forced out of business when new owners of the building raised the rent. I know I am not the only person to mourn the loss of one of the best lunch spots around.

I have been on a quest to find a comparable meatball sandwich, but so far the best I’ve found is merely adequate. And let me tell you: there are a lot of substandard meatballs out there, even in a city named Syracuse. But I am having fun trying.

 

“Mexican” Stuffed Shells

I found this recipe on Facebook and have seen it pinned all over Pinterest.

It’s a lot easier to make than it sounds. Trust me.

I tend to use the mild taco seasoning/salsa/taco sauce because some people aren’t into spicy. But if you want medium or hot, go for it!

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 package low-sodium taco seasoning
4 ounces cream cheese (remember when Philly came in 4 oz packages?)
16 jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 cups salsa (I use a 24 oz jar)
1 cup taco sauce (I use an 8 oz bottle)
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese (instead of cheddar and Monterrey jack, I use a Mexican blend my supermarket has.)
For toppings:

  • 3 green onions
  • sour cream
  • sliced black olives

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • In a pan brown the ground beef;
  • add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.
  • Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted.
  • Stir together and mix well.
  • Set aside and cool completely.
    While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to package directions; drain.
  • Set shells out individually on cutting board or baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.
  • Pour salsa on bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
  • Stuff each shell with 1-2 tablespoons of the meat mixture.
  • Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up.
  • Evenly cover shells with taco sauce.
  • Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes
  • After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes with the foil removed.
  • Top with green onions or olives.
  • Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa!

 

Old Maids

Old Maids–spinsters–were one of the favorite tropes in the Gothic romances I read in my youth. Women too poor, too unattractive, or too socially unacceptable were labeled old maids and “put on the shelf.” If they were rich. If they were poor, they became paid companions or governesses, or burdens on their families. Or they were locked up. In Gothic romances, the heroines always found true love.

But fiction isn’t life.

A woman doesn’t need a man to define her. Nor does she need a label. What is a man who has never married called? A bachelor. No stigma there. But Old Maid? It still carries a pitying connotation.

So why is there such a thing as National Old Maid Day? Many internet sites try to put a positive spin on the origins of the day, but in truth, women were expected to give up their own hopes and aspirations to care for ailing parents or younger siblings. Sacrifice was demanded from them.

Here’s an interesting article from 1917.

I think this is  one holiday that can fade away without a sense of loss.