Hello!

Wow!

Who knew you could keep these things going this long?

Been away a long time.

I'll be making up for lost time in the coming weeks.

wow.

When was the last time you really listened?

Think about that.

If you're going to say the words "talk to me, please!", then aren't you pretty much obligated to actually listen to what comes next?

It shouldn't have to be explained...

Today is so many things.

Today is a new beginning, if I need one.

Today is the accumulation of all of my yesterdays, whether I want it or not.

Today is all I have.

So today, here, now, is it.



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Laughter may not be the best medicine, but it tastes a helluva lot better than cough syrup.

The only reason any two people fight, ninety percent of the time, is because each wants the other to change their mind.

Now think about how many times you've actually accomplished changing someone's mind - truly changing their mind, not simply acquiring acquiescence - and you may start to see arguing in a different light.

Oh, and the other ten percent?  That's just because you've hurt them and they want to hurt you back until you apologize. Figure it out, for cryin' out loud.
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When you love someone, you listen to them.  
It is as simple as that.


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Sometimes it takes a long time to figure out what you really want out of life, or out of an experience, or out of a relationship.

But once you figure it out, everything becomes so much more clear.

Maybe not easier.

But clearer.

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Revisiting Women Alone / Men Alone

A long, long time ago, or so it seems, I wrote an entry about living alone and how most of my women friends seemed to do it so much better than the men I knew.

It appears I was on to something:

Happy Woman/Pathetic Man could just be a coincidence of editing, but, then, when you look at the numbers, maybe not...  It appears many more women than men are living alone, quite successfully.

Again, it plays out in my world today as my living-alone women friends still seem to thrive in their environments-of-one on a spectacular level.  Then again, these days I know great thriving living-alone men, too, thanks to the re-emergence of some old friendships.

So maybe it's just a matter of having a more emotionally healthy class of fellows around.

Yeah.  I'll go with that.

Shit may not roll uphill, but sometimes it can be pushed.

When someone has to tell you they've "been avoiding" you, and it's a total surprise to you, doesn't that mean something's seriously wrong with the supposition of a relationship between you?  I mean, really, either you are totally oblivious to the state of your relationships, or you haven't actually missed the person who has been avoiding you.

And if you haven't actually missed them, then you probably haven't tried to contact them.

So what, exactly, have they been expending all that energy "avoiding"????

Hmmmm.....

StoryCorps Is Correct

StoryCorps has it right - "listening is an act of love".

If you truly love someone you do listen to them, not out of obligation but out of interest.
Their opinion matters, even when it differs from yours.
Their interests matter, even, especially, when they are not your interests.
Their stories are to be shared and appreciated for what they contributed to the person you love today.

If you say you love someone, then listen to them.

That's what love is.

Scott, This One's For You

Scott,
A couple of observations:
1)  This blog has my name on it.  I'm not "Anonymous".  "Anonymous" is spineless, gutless and ball-less.
2)  I have opened up my home to your child on not one, but two, occasions.  No questions asked; door is open.  If you want to compare that to helping me move a couple of times - or helping my sister move once! for cryin' out loud - go ahead.  You just go right on ahead and compare the sacrifices.
3)  I took a look back at that blog entry that you called an "attack"... it was two years ago (again, for cryin' out loud) and upon re-reading it, five words sprang instantly to mind: get the f*** over it!
4)  That call was supposed to be about your daughter. Somehow, you managed to make it all about you.  Well, it isn't about you.  It's about her.
You want to know any more, you know where I am.
But I don't talk to "Anonymous".  Own your words.

What Comes Around Has Been Around

I had a day of errands yesterday.... not a bad day, just a lot of short-hop trips that really get annoying (to me, anyway) after about the second one.

Anyway, after successfully navigating through most of my "to-do" list, I treated myself to a trip to a local consignment shop very, very near my home.

What a treat!  It was the perfect little hole-in-the-wall location that I would probably never have found if not for the tip from my friend, Sylvia.  She's a great shopper, and just had to point out this little gem so close to me!

So I walked in, and the aisles were narrow and stuff was stacked up on all sorts of tables and there were dishes and mirrors and teacups and lamps and artwork and jewelry... and more.

And, yes, I did end up buying something.

I bought a necklace.

For a dollar.

That's right.  One dollar.

But the thing is, I'm pretty sure I had a necklace just exactly like this one back in my twenties.  And I'm pretty sure I paid more than a dollar for it then.

So maybe having not paid so much for it back then and waiting until the style came around again and only paying a dollar for it this time would have been the most economical choice, but it made me realize:

Everything really does come back into style if you just hang around long enough.

So my thought is, just hang onto your jewelry, ladies!  No matter how nice, or formal, or casual, or even what you might consider cheap costume jewelry -- hang onto it!

You'll thank yourself later.

Cooking (Un)School(ed)

Wow!
It's been a while, eh?
Excuse me a moment while I virtually dust the digital cobwebs off this blog.
...
There.
So, o.k., I'm a less-than-disciplined blogger.
Sue me.
Or, better yet, read on and try out some of my bizarrely successful recent cooking events (bizarre only in the fact that they were so successful!):

A couple of weekends ago my sister, Julie, came over for a pizza-and-movie night.  Here's what we ate:

Fresh, Healthy, To-Die-For Pizzas
Ready-made pizza crusts
Fresh tomatoes, sliced generously and seeded
Balsamic Vinegar
Sliver-thin sliced sweet red onions - about 1/2 of a medium sized onion
Chopped green pepper - again, about 1/2 of a medium-sized pepper
Sliced baby portobella mushrooms - we had probably about 2Cups, maybe a little less
Fresh baby spinach - two extremely generous handsful
Extra virgin olive oil
Basil, oregano, salt and pepper to taste
Shredded Asiago and Mozzarella cheeses

Preheat oven as directed for crusts (probably around 425 or so)
We started by caramelizing the sweet onion in a hot skillet with a very, very generous pouring of balsamic vinegar until they were deep, deep brown and had cooked down to half their original volume.  (Only my sister's presence stopped me from quitting right there and just calling those onions dinner!)
Into that hot skillet we then poured about a tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped green pepper and mushrooms.  (Stirred frequently!)  Just as everything was cooked down nicely we threw in the baby spinach to wilt and added basil and oregano - sadly, the dried kind as I had no fresh.  Drat! 
But we persevered, drizzling oil onto the baking sheets and even spreading a little on the bottom of the crusts.
Then we placed the sliced tomatoes (and trust me, seed them and get rid of the gelatinous goo) across the crusts to within about a half to an inch of the edges. (We had 1/2 of a 12" regular crust and one gluten-free crust which is significantly smaller than a regular one.)
The wonderful conglomeration of fabulousness was spooned onto the waiting tomato-crusts, then topped with plenty of shredded Asiago and Mozzarella cheese (read: a whole lotta cheese) and popped into the oven for about 13 minutes of intensely aromatic anticipation!
So.
Fabulous.
Well, truthfully, our tomatoes had retained a little too much gelatinous goo and slid around on the crusts, necessitating the use of forks.
But, still, lesson learned.  (Additional lesson:  make sure your garlic is fresh.  It could have added a luscious note to this pizza!)
This one is a keeper.

What else, you ask?
How about a last-minute lunch throw-together?

Let me start with the fact that I am a big fan of poaching several flash-frozen boneless chicken breasts at one time.  Then I eat chicken for several days.  But, poaching gives me the opportunity to go in very different directions with individual pieces...

Chicken Catch-a-Leftover

Layer in order:
One poached chicken breast, completely chilled, and shredded.
Cover with bar-b-que sauce (I like KC Masterpiece original)
One big handful of shredded cabbage mix ( I had Fresh Express brand 3-Color Deli Cole Slaw on hand - and use just the veggies, not actual slaw with dressing!)
Chopped pineapple - about a half-cup.

I know, I know. 
It sounds crazy.
But it was great. 
Spicy, tangy, crunchy.
Protein, fiber, and admittedly more sugar than I would have liked, but....
Tasted great.
Don't judge if you don't taste it!

And, finally:

It Worked! Cold Pasta Salad

Warning:  this is the result of leftovers and imagination:
I box rainbow rotini, cooked and cooled.
Chopped green pepper (I used the other half from the pizzas above)
Chopped onion to taste (I used considerably less than the 1/2 left over from the pizzas)
Chopped celery - about 5-6 ribs (yes, leftover from another dish)
1/2 a jar of Marzetti brand classic cole slaw dressing (obviously left over from the slaw mentioned above)
1/3 of a jar of Miracle Whip salad dressing
one heaping tablespoon dried dill
Mix together, chill at least overnight - seriously.
Now, again, don't judge if you don't taste.
The Miracle Whip cuts the slaw-tangy taste down to manageable and the dill is incredible.  The flavors of the onion and pepper obviously go well together, and the celery gives it crunch. 
Would I eat it every day?
Well, I live alone and I made the whole box of pasta, so I will for a couple days.
But that's o.k.
Because it really came out tasty.
And I could even throw in some plain shredded chicken breast for protein.

Done!

I Wonder What Would Have Happened.....

I have a confession to make:
My name is Meg, and I am a National Public Radio addict.

There.
I've said it - well, written it.

But like most addictive substances, mine has turned on me.
The news and information network that as recently as yesterday touted itself on my local channel (KWMU 90.7) as the best source for "balanced" and "fair" (and no, I am not putting words in their mouths) stories has fired one of their own for supposedly violating their "ethics". 
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20101021/cm_yblog_upshot/npr-fires-juan-williams-for-muslim-remarks-on-fox

What they've really done is fired one of their own for upholding the ethic of honesty.

Now, most people who know me know I think I have a pretty highly developed sense of "fair".  Being honest, and then getting fired for it, does not seem fair to me.

Juan Williams said he gets nervous.

I believe him.

I believe he gets nervous when he has to fly with people who are, as he describes, dressed in such a fashion as to put their (possibly radicalized) religious beliefs out there as the first and foremost impression they make.

In the very real, terrorist-filled world we inhabit today, it's an honest feeling.

He did not say he hates them.  He did not say he wants them to go away, or stop flying, or dress differently.  He did not say he, or anyone else, should take any action on his feeling.

He gets nervous.

That's all he said.

And that bastion of "balance", the fortress of "fair".....

fired him.

For admitting he gets nervous.

Now, I'm not a Muslim.  For that matter, I am not a Jew and I'm not even a practicing Catholic.  

But here's what I wonder:

1)  What if Juan Williams had said he gets nervous when he has to fly with people who wear traditional clothing identifying them as Hasidic Jews?

2)  What if Juan Williams had said he gets nervous when he has to fly with people who carry Bibles and have tee shirts identifying them with (possibly radicalized) evangelical Christian groups?

Well, I'm going to go out on a big ole thick, sturdy, solid rock of a branch here and say:

1)  Williams would have been fired - because Jews, like Muslims, are off-limits for any kind of negative comment in the politically-correct world.

2)  Williams would have been promoted - because, while it is rabidly unacceptable to give even the appearance of negativity when discussing Jews or Muslims, the constant drumbeat of Christian-bashing has become a defacto bylaw of the popular liberal media.

What Mr. Williams deserves is an abject apology from NPR and a reversal of their decision to fire him.

What NPR deserves is to have to fund their operations 100% on their own - as other radio stations and networks do.

What NPR does not deserve is one dime of support from me unless and until they admit their hypocrisy and issue said apology.

Oh, I'll still listen. 

I'm an addict, remember?

I'll just use their skewed logic and decide that while I will continue to listen to their broadcasts, giving them any financial support in return would violate some kind of "ethics".

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Not Socrates, But Still...

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"Just waking up every morning is not the same thing as living."
Meg Dunn
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"The unexamined life is not worth living."

..
Socrates was right.
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Martyrdom

Had an email chat with a friend this morning about her troubled relationship with her mother.
(NOT that I have any experience with that sort of thing!)
And, as has happened in the past, I was gifted with a response that I was fortunate enough to share:
"Laying down your life for your friend is only holy when you don't feel resentment for it afterward."
Women are all too likely to "do" more than their share - in ALL of their relationships - until, I think, they reach a certain age.  Some start setting more boundaries and putting aside time for themselves.  They replenish their own souls in order to be better friends, lovers, wives, daughters... just better people.
But some others, some moms, bypass that stage altogether and fast-forward to "it is just all about me".
Well, as Eleanor Roosevelt said so eloquently, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
And no one can force you into accepting a relationship on their terms without your consent.
That's my opinion.
And I am thankful for the gift of words with which to express it.

There's No Fool Like a Rhubarb Fool

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New favorite indulgence:
Rhubarb Fool.

Don't ask me why they call it a "fool". 

Don't know; don't care.

Quite possibly, though, it's because you can make one out of yourself eating too much of this yummy, yummy dream of a summer delight.

One pound of fresh rhubarb stalks, cleaned of leaves 
(about 9-10 stalks which comes to about 4 cups chopped up into 1/2 inch cubes)

One cup sugar

Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean

2 tablespoons of water

Bring this all to a boil in a covered saucepan. 
Then uncover and simmer on low for about 8-9 minutes so the rhubarb gets soft.

Cool it.

Puree in a food processor until smooth.

Chill in the fridge until thoroughly, thoroughly cold.

Meanwhile, whip 3 cups of heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

Fold the rhubarb into the whipped cream gently but near to completely, leaving some streaks.

Serve cold (in clear stemware for extra "wow!" appeal).

Ahh.

The perfect taste of summer.

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When Does the Next Bubble Burst?

First it was the "Tech Stock Bubble", wreaking havoc on the stock market and, thus, our economy near the end of the last century.

Then came the "Housing Bubble", and it's inevitable burst wreaked havoc - again - on our economy only this time it didn't stop with us.  The "bubble" burst all over the globe and we're all still reeling from it.

Which has me wondering about the next "bubble".

And I'm thinking it's the "Entitlement Bubble".

Because there is one common element, one thread that runs through all three of these scenarios:

People thinking that they can just keep riding a gravy train, and that it will go on forever.

Think about it.

The tech stocks were so hot they were flying. 

People were making money hand-over-fist.

And they thought it would go on forever.

And then it didn't.

And the economy tanked.

And all of America suffered because of it.

Then the housing market took off. 

House prices (those so-called "values") took off.  Real estate went sky-high.

And people thought it would go on forever.

And then it didn't.

And the global economy is tanking, largely due to this one ghastly bubble.

And now we have an "Entitlement Bubble". 

Medicare.  This "entitlement" is money you didn't necessarily pay in but that pays out for your healthcare.  And once you're on it, you're on it.  You're "entitled" to it.

Medicaid.  This "entitlement" is more money you didn't pay in, but which pays out for that part of your healthcare that Medicare doesn't.

Unemployment insurance.  Now you can get unemployment for 99 weeks.  ALMOST TWO YEARS!  You are, after all, "entitled" to it.  Sit on your a@@ for two solid years and collect money for nothing.  Go on, you're "entitled".

Lifestyle subsidies like governtment-funded daycare for children of parents who can't - or won't - afford them.  Free cellphones for those already receiving government subsidies of one or more variety.  Too "depressed" to go to work?  Get SSI Disability!  You're "entitled" to it!

Housing bailouts.  This is money you're supposedly "entitled" to if you were so stupid you thought you could affford a $300,000 house when you bring home $28,000 a year.  You made a bad deal, dude!  Oh, but wait!  You're "entitled" to your house, whether you can realistically afford it or not, so the government is stepping in with your bailout -- making the bank refinance your loan at a lower sales price, or a lower interest rate, or letting you out of your bad deal with no strings attached and no bad credit rating.  After all, you shouldn't really have to pay any penalty for your stupidity or greed.  You're "entitled" to be stupid, and greedy.

But my question is...

What happens when we all finally figure out there is no more money left with which to pay out all of these "entitlements"?

What happens when the money-for-nothing bubble bursts?

What happens when we all choose to be "entitled" to money earned by someone else, only there's no more someone elses?

What happens then?
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