Kevin Coolidge
The crush of gravel and the whine of a fan belt announce that the wife is home. It’s almost March, and time to get the car inspected, and that means another oil change. Hope that car holds together a little longer. At least until I get it paid off.
She’s stopping at the store after her appointment. So, I pull on my boots to help carry in the groceries. I sure hope she got pork chops. I open the door.
“Honey! I’m pregnant!”
“Uh, what’s for dinner?”
When a woman discovers she is pregnant, she often accepts the pregnancy as soon as it is confirmed. She has dreamt of becoming a mother since she was a girl. She is thinking of the new life within her—a baby with ten fingers and ten toes. A man might not be thinking of that at all.
Acceptance is a major emotional task for a new dad throughout the pregnancy. First, he must accept the reality of the baby. He cannot see, feel, or touch this new life at first, and it can be a difficult task.
One man who know this is Hogan Hilling. He’s the founder of Proud Dads, Inc., a consulting firm to improve support services for dads, and the author of Rattled: What He’s Thinking When You’re Pregnant.
He understands that men and women view and react to pregnancy differently. Often the anxieties of becoming a dad can take the initial joy out of the pregnancy. It can be overwhelming. Are you prepared? Are the finances in order? How about all the things that can go wrong? A man is not as well prepared for parenthood as a woman. He has spent his childhood preparing for work, and not necessarily for being a father.
Men may find it hard to connect with an unborn baby and don’t understand the permanent connection a woman has with the baby. It’s physically impossible. A woman cannot remove herself from the pregnancy. She is always emotionally and physically there, but a man can escape by leaving the house, or spending more time at work.
The transition into fatherhood may be a slow progression. A man needs time to accept the profound responsibility of becoming a new dad. With every heartbeat heard, with the ultrasound firmly in grasp, with the feel of his wife’s swelling belly beneath his hand. Each day, the new identity comes closer to reality.
Your husband may be excited, but also flooded with worries. He may not react the way you think he should. Try giving him the space to experience the pregnancy in his own way. What he is feeling is as normal as the joy you feel in becoming a mom. He’s just going to need time to catch up. This needs to be about you and him. So, instead of you being pregnant, it can be the two of you having a baby…
Honey, I’m pregnant? Or You are going to be a dad? Drop me an email at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com and let me know. Running late? Miss a past column? Get it at http://frommyshelf.blogspot.com Going to need a children’s book? Check out “Hobo Finds A Home” a book about cat that wanted more than life on the farm…
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Welcome to Barsoom
Naked on hot, dry sand--my body aches. My skull pounds. I open my eyes to see the moon chasing itself across the sky. This is not a promising start to my vacation. The brochure used words like magical, dreamlike, adventure, and beautiful women. Right now I’m willing to settle for a strong cup of coffee, a handful of aspirin, and some sunblock.
My knuckles brush against something smooth and hard. It fills my hand--three feet of metal, cold and sharp. A hiss of metal on metal causes me to turn my head. I behold a pale, green monstrosity, easily fifteen feet high, with two pairs of arms, each holding a long straight blade. Are those tusks? I am definitely filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Well, if I survive…
Barsoom is a dying planet. You probably know it as Mars, named for the Roman god of war. It is aptly named, for it is a savage world filled with beasts, lost cities, and forgotten secrets. Men live for honor and die in brutal competition for dwindling resources. Martial prowess is prized above all, and the greatest fighting man of Mars is John Carter.
John Carter is a veteran of the American Civil War who, through mysterious means, is transported to the red planet. On Mars, he has great strength due to the lower gravity, and can jump great distances. Upon arrival, he kills a “thark”—a nomadic, green Martian.
Soon he becomes involved with the politics of the tribe, and rises in rank due to his skills in combat and the strength of his sword arm. He meets a captured humanoid princess, Dejah Thoris, and falls in love. He rescues her and vows to return her to her people.
Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars, originally published in 1912, is now considered a classic example of early pulp fiction. This first tale of Barsoom was published in All-Story Magazine as Under the Moons of Mars. Introduced in serial format, his stories quickly became popular with the reading public, and several of his formerly serialized tales were gathered and printed as novels. Altogether, Burroughs published eleven books about John Carter and his descendents over the course of thirty years.
Several American science fiction writers have been influenced by his stories. Ray Bradbury admired his stimulating tales and was inspired to write his Martian Chronicles, which used similar concepts of a dying Mars. Burroughs’ influence can also be seen in the writing of Robert Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, as well as James Cameron and his blockbuster movie, Avatar, and George Lucas and the Star Wars saga.
The fighting man of Mars will have his own movie in March of 2012, John Carter of Mars, produced by Disney studios. If you can’t wait until March, the first three of the books have been collected into a single volume. Another recent release you’d enjoy is Under the Moons of Mars: New Adventures on Barsoom edited by John Joseph Adams, an anthology of short stories inspired by the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Though better known for his character, Tarzan of the Apes, Burroughs wrote seventy action-adventure stories ranging from westerns, adventures in a hollow earth, tales of lost islands, and even historical romances. His imagination and storytelling encouraged the public to support the US Space Program, and served as the creative spark for such scientists as Carl Sagan. The Burroughs crater on Mars is named in his honor. Perhaps the last great frontier isn’t waiting for us in outer space, but is as close as our own imagination…
Wage war? Or make love? Drop me an email at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com Miss a past column? Visit http://frommyshelf.blogspot.com and catch up. Be sure to catch “The New Adventures of Hobo” in 4D. Glasses and nose filters are provided!
My knuckles brush against something smooth and hard. It fills my hand--three feet of metal, cold and sharp. A hiss of metal on metal causes me to turn my head. I behold a pale, green monstrosity, easily fifteen feet high, with two pairs of arms, each holding a long straight blade. Are those tusks? I am definitely filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Well, if I survive…
Barsoom is a dying planet. You probably know it as Mars, named for the Roman god of war. It is aptly named, for it is a savage world filled with beasts, lost cities, and forgotten secrets. Men live for honor and die in brutal competition for dwindling resources. Martial prowess is prized above all, and the greatest fighting man of Mars is John Carter.
John Carter is a veteran of the American Civil War who, through mysterious means, is transported to the red planet. On Mars, he has great strength due to the lower gravity, and can jump great distances. Upon arrival, he kills a “thark”—a nomadic, green Martian.
Soon he becomes involved with the politics of the tribe, and rises in rank due to his skills in combat and the strength of his sword arm. He meets a captured humanoid princess, Dejah Thoris, and falls in love. He rescues her and vows to return her to her people.
Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars, originally published in 1912, is now considered a classic example of early pulp fiction. This first tale of Barsoom was published in All-Story Magazine as Under the Moons of Mars. Introduced in serial format, his stories quickly became popular with the reading public, and several of his formerly serialized tales were gathered and printed as novels. Altogether, Burroughs published eleven books about John Carter and his descendents over the course of thirty years.
Several American science fiction writers have been influenced by his stories. Ray Bradbury admired his stimulating tales and was inspired to write his Martian Chronicles, which used similar concepts of a dying Mars. Burroughs’ influence can also be seen in the writing of Robert Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, as well as James Cameron and his blockbuster movie, Avatar, and George Lucas and the Star Wars saga.
The fighting man of Mars will have his own movie in March of 2012, John Carter of Mars, produced by Disney studios. If you can’t wait until March, the first three of the books have been collected into a single volume. Another recent release you’d enjoy is Under the Moons of Mars: New Adventures on Barsoom edited by John Joseph Adams, an anthology of short stories inspired by the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Though better known for his character, Tarzan of the Apes, Burroughs wrote seventy action-adventure stories ranging from westerns, adventures in a hollow earth, tales of lost islands, and even historical romances. His imagination and storytelling encouraged the public to support the US Space Program, and served as the creative spark for such scientists as Carl Sagan. The Burroughs crater on Mars is named in his honor. Perhaps the last great frontier isn’t waiting for us in outer space, but is as close as our own imagination…
Wage war? Or make love? Drop me an email at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com Miss a past column? Visit http://frommyshelf.blogspot.com and catch up. Be sure to catch “The New Adventures of Hobo” in 4D. Glasses and nose filters are provided!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
What in the World is World Book Night?
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World Book Night is coming to the United States this year, and may just be arriving on the streets of Tioga County as well. On the evening of April 23, 2012, nearly 50,000 people will go out into their neighborhoods, across the United States, armed with twenty free copies of a book they are enthusiastic about sharing with people who currently don’t read much. The goal of World Book Night is to start conversations about books, between people who have been inspired by books, and folks who may think books don’t have much to say to them.
Book givers choose one book from a list of thirty books, designated as “accessible works of enduring quality” for this year’s event. The book givers then receive twenty copies of the title of their choice. The World Book Night titles are specially-produced, not-for-sale editions, to be freely given, to foster community literacy, communication, and the kind of conversation that comes out of people talking about a story that touches them.
In looking over this year’s list of thirty books, it is obvious how the choices match the mission statement for “accessible” stories: many aren’t “literary classics” in the traditional sense, but are instead contemporary books with appealing plots, intriguing characters, and realistic dialogue, across a broad spectrum of topics. (This is not to say that we shouldn’t read, or wax enthusiastic, about “literary classics”, which is one reason these works are taught in school.) World Book Night seeks to appeal to non-readers or light readers who need other books, or places besides school, to draw them in to quality writing and the joy of books.
The choices for World Book Night USA, 2012, include female and male authors, target both young adult and adult audiences, and were published as early as 1969 and as recently as 2010. They and their authors have won several awards; some have been made into movies and TV shows; a couple are regularly banned from school curricula or libraries; a couple have been dismissed by academics as “just popular fiction”; some have been touted by talk show hosts or TV book clubs. These books cover every topic from alien invasion to anorexia, from growing up in Afghanistan to doing mission work in Africa. Chosen from every genre from memoir to science fiction, murder mystery to the history of modern genetic research, there truly is something for everyone.
The organizers of the first World Book Night were inspired by the success of “World Book Day”, a literacy celebration in the UK and Ireland, now in its fifteenth year. On the first World Book Day, more than 600,000 school children cashed in a token in exchange for one of a list of specially-chosen books. As their website states, World Book Day is a partnership of people who love and work with books, who want to inspire a love of reading in children. Every child under 18 who is in full-time education in the UK or in Ireland receives a token. These tokens can then be taken to a bookshop and used either to redeem one of eight specially-produced World Book Day books, or to receive a “1 pound” discount off a regularly-priced book of their choice. On this March 1st, over 14 million book tokens will be given out in order to get children “closer to the books and authors they already love” and to help them discover more to love for their futures.
The first World Book Night was just a little less than one year ago, on March 5, 2011, all across the UK and Ireland. Backed by big-name authors, large publishing houses, bookstores small and large, it met with huge success. This year – only the second year of World Book Night as an event – will be the first year the success and spirit of World Book Night spreads to the United States. The hope is to encourage its growth into many more countries over the next several years.
For more information about World Book Night, including a full list of the thirty books chosen, check out their website at http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/ and watch for more news in the coming weeks, as book givers are chosen from the pool of applicants, with nearly twenty-five applicants from this area!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Her Star Will Never Go Out
*by Kasey Cox, written Jan. 9th, 2012
This week marks the release of one of the most widely-anticipated young adult books of the last year or more – John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars. Green’s writing hasn’t yet received the traditional press coverage of some authors, though his fans number in the tens of thousands already. For those of us late to the party, Green’s new book is an incredible place to begin to appreciate a literary and creative career whose star will only keep rising.
The phenomenon created by brothers John and Hank Green is an energetic, idealistic, powerful, organic force to be reckoned with, but may be more or less invisible to those who (a) are not well-versed in all the possibilities of youtube and “the interwebs”, (b)aren’t currently spending a lot of time with a teen who is enamoured of said ‘interwebs’, and/or (c)have yet to spend a great deal of time alone, surfing the internet and delving into all the connections that exist amongst the many new forms of social media.
The Green Brothers have garnered an enormous following over the past four years, inviting people to join them in an open, worldwide, online community who have become known as “Nerdfighters.” This all began in 2007 when the brothers challenged themselves to communicate for one year via youtube videos, posting them as “the Vlog Brothers” [Vlog = video blog, or video web log]. The year-long challenge inspired a growing fan base, who responded enthusiastically to the combination of silliness and smart which these brothers share. Their community of fans have been inspired to “fight worldsuck” by doing things as small as pledging not to be mean and things as large as raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity in their yearly “Project for Awesome.”
As someone whose main form of entertainment, distraction, and education has always been reading, and whose philosophies lean more toward Luddite, I’ll confess, I’ve alternately rolled my eyes and scorned the young adults I know who, it seems, might as well get it over with and have the wetware installed in their brains now. To me, technology is a useful tool. A cell phone is a PHONE. I occasionally watch a funny video on youtube, and I use my facebook page to spread business news for free and to connect with old friends. Listening to a tech-savvy teenager wax enthusiastic about “vlogs” and tumblr posts is a great way to feel old before I’ve hit my fortieth birthday.
I have to admit, though, I’ve seen the ways that various forms of social media are connecting people who might otherwise remain quite isolated. Sure, we can criticize those people who seem to spend so much of their lives on the computer, especially when we stereotype “those teens” who don’t read any more, or who should be spending time outside, or playing sports, “like we did when we were young.” But what if you’re a teen who lives in a very rural area? What if you don’t have a parent who can chauffeur you to a bunch of extra-curricular activities? What if you have a chronic illness that keeps you close to home, or limits your physical and social activities?
Many in the “Nerdfighteria” community became inspired by a young woman in just that situation. Esther Earl was diagnosed with an aggressive thyroid cancer at the age of 12, with extensive tumors already metastasized into her lungs. As she endured years worth of all kinds of treatments, Esther found her way into a creative, active social life through a growing community of online friends. First connecting with other proud, self-proclaimed “nerds” through the Harry Potter Alliance, then tapping into the “Nerdfighteria”, Esther kept herself fulfilled through these social connections and charitable causes. The internet was a venue that worked for her, and she, like John Green and Hank Green, found ways to use, for good, all the power and creativity possible there.
The Fault in Our Stars gives the reader the story of Hazel Lancaster, age 17, dying of cancer, who meets an interesting, attractive new guy at her support group for kids with cancer. Suddenly, everything is that much more bittersweet and weird and difficult and angst-ridden and exciting. Author Jodi Picoult explains how this book “takes a spin on universal themes – Will I be loved? Will I be remembered? Will I leave a mark on this world? – by dramatically raising the stakes for the characters who are asking.”
Inspired by knowing Esther, all through her fight with cancer, John Green penned The Fault in Our Stars, which, while dedicated to Esther Earl, is, he insists, a fiction novel. The book is not about Esther. It is FOR Esther, and for the thousands of children like her, who find themselves trying to simultaneously live a “normal” life while coming to terms, earlier than most, with the vulnerability and mortality that is an inevitable part of being human.
Monday, January 30, 2012
The Dog Always Dies at the End
Kevin Coolidge
The Dog Always Dies at the End
“The one best place to bury a good dog is in the heart of his master.”Ben Hur Lampman
Wind and cold slap my cheeks, and makes a hard job harder. As my shovel bites into the frozen ground, I pause and wonder if it’s the right tool for the job. I don’t know where my pick is, and I don’t know why it never gets easier to bury a dog. He was a good dog, but I’ve never buried a bad dog.
He loved the fields and the searing heat of the wood stove. He loved to dig up my rose bushes, and chase the neighbor’s cat. He cost me a lot of money when a car hit him, but I never regretted a single penny. He was my buddy, my friend. I never wanted to take that last dreaded trip to the vet, but I didn’t have the heart to see him suffer. I never wanted to bury another dog, and damn if this might just be my last.
The love and loyalty of a good dog is a special gift, and losing a cherished pet is never easy, but perhaps the hardest part is explaining that death to a child. It’s part of life, and a fact, but that doesn’t make it easy. It can, however, be done well, and a book that does that is Snort’s Special Gift by Suzann Yue, beautifully illustrated by Lin Wang.
In this hardcover children’s book, Snort doesn’t pay fetch anymore. Snort is sick and in a lot of pain. It’s time to take Snort to the veterinarian and help take the aches and pains away. Savy, a little girl, doesn’t want Snort to go. She is very sad and will miss Snort, but her father explains that her memory will live forever in her heart.
Several days after Snort is gone, Savy’s father suggests that the family plant a tree in Snort’s memory. Everyone works together to plant the tree and remember special memories of Snort.
When Savy’s teacher asks the class to write a story about someone special in their life, Savy chooses to write about Snort. Sitting by Snort’s special tree, she writes of the important things she learned from Snort—such as patience, love, and loyalty.
That Christmas, Savy found a lost puppy wandering around Snort’s special tree. Her family decided to give the puppy a loving home. She named the puppy Angel, because she felt the sweet puppy was a gift from Snort. She knew that Angel would teach her special lessons too.
It’s growing dark. I carefully place the stone to mark the grave, though I doubt I can forget. It’s under his favorite tree overlooking the field where he would chase rabbits that he seldom caught. It is where he would nap in the heat of a summer’s day and the tree that the neighbor’s cat still climbs. I’m going to miss that dog, but maybe there’s still room in my heart for another loyal friend…
Dogs, cats, gerbils…the best place to bury a pet is in your heart. As long as you have a special memory, it never really has to be goodbye.
The Dog Always Dies at the End
“The one best place to bury a good dog is in the heart of his master.”Ben Hur Lampman
Wind and cold slap my cheeks, and makes a hard job harder. As my shovel bites into the frozen ground, I pause and wonder if it’s the right tool for the job. I don’t know where my pick is, and I don’t know why it never gets easier to bury a dog. He was a good dog, but I’ve never buried a bad dog.
He loved the fields and the searing heat of the wood stove. He loved to dig up my rose bushes, and chase the neighbor’s cat. He cost me a lot of money when a car hit him, but I never regretted a single penny. He was my buddy, my friend. I never wanted to take that last dreaded trip to the vet, but I didn’t have the heart to see him suffer. I never wanted to bury another dog, and damn if this might just be my last.
The love and loyalty of a good dog is a special gift, and losing a cherished pet is never easy, but perhaps the hardest part is explaining that death to a child. It’s part of life, and a fact, but that doesn’t make it easy. It can, however, be done well, and a book that does that is Snort’s Special Gift by Suzann Yue, beautifully illustrated by Lin Wang.
In this hardcover children’s book, Snort doesn’t pay fetch anymore. Snort is sick and in a lot of pain. It’s time to take Snort to the veterinarian and help take the aches and pains away. Savy, a little girl, doesn’t want Snort to go. She is very sad and will miss Snort, but her father explains that her memory will live forever in her heart.
Several days after Snort is gone, Savy’s father suggests that the family plant a tree in Snort’s memory. Everyone works together to plant the tree and remember special memories of Snort.
When Savy’s teacher asks the class to write a story about someone special in their life, Savy chooses to write about Snort. Sitting by Snort’s special tree, she writes of the important things she learned from Snort—such as patience, love, and loyalty.
That Christmas, Savy found a lost puppy wandering around Snort’s special tree. Her family decided to give the puppy a loving home. She named the puppy Angel, because she felt the sweet puppy was a gift from Snort. She knew that Angel would teach her special lessons too.
It’s growing dark. I carefully place the stone to mark the grave, though I doubt I can forget. It’s under his favorite tree overlooking the field where he would chase rabbits that he seldom caught. It is where he would nap in the heat of a summer’s day and the tree that the neighbor’s cat still climbs. I’m going to miss that dog, but maybe there’s still room in my heart for another loyal friend…
Dogs, cats, gerbils…the best place to bury a pet is in your heart. As long as you have a special memory, it never really has to be goodbye.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Parting the Veil
Kevin Coolidge
“Reality is what doesn’t go away when we stop believing in it.” Phillip K. Dick
Stories are stones. Stories form the foundations of religions, countries, and families. Stories can connect us, help us learn and retain information, create understanding and cement friendship between cultures. I just love a good story, but stories can also build walls, cast shadows, divide humanity, and turn neighbors into enemies. I don’t always believe everything I read, and neither should you.
One man who encourages rational and scientific thought is Guy P. Harrison, author of 50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True. In his introduction, he writes that, “We all believe silly things. What matters is how silly and how many.” Being a little more skeptical could help us lead safer, happier, and more productive lives.
Really? By being skeptical? But aren’t skeptics cynical and negative people lacking faith and closed to the possibility of miracles? Skepticism is really just trying to think clearly. It’s making an effort to sort out lies and misperceptions. What’s negative about that? It’s a willingness to ask those hard-to-ask questions. To seek answers based on evidence and logic, rather than on hopes and dreams.
Believing is easy and can be a lot of fun. I love the idea of Sasquatch running through the woods. I want to believe there are creatures that are still wild, untamed, and undiscovered. New species are discovered all the time. Maybe there really is a giant, hairy ape that has constantly eluded capture and discovery, but why isn’t there any real evidence? There are only poor quality photos, inconclusive hair samples and molds of footprints. Footprints have been faked so many times and by so many people, that they no longer have any credibility. My wanting to believe in Bigfoot doesn’t make it true.
Being skeptical is hard and sometimes a harsh truth. I wish the Holocaust never happened. It was more than just one of history’s many bloodbaths. It was more than attempted genocide. It was the industrialization of murder, and according to Holocaust deniers, it never happened. If almost six million Jews were not killed, where did all those people go?
‘It is all a hoax perpetrated by Jews for political and economic gain, and mainstream historians are part of the fraud,’ deniers claim. Hitler wasn’t trying to eliminate Jews? All those dead bodies never piled up in pits? Are they serious? I don’t want to believe that people could do that to innocent people, but the evidence is overwhelming.
Instead of being scared, shouldn’t we strive to educate ourselves? Shouldn’t we question why television news devotes a third of air time to crime while topics such as education is given less than 2 percent? Consider the source. Question everything. Demand evidence.
It’s an amazing and beautiful universe we live in, and you can still believe that, and still try to understand it…
The Devil’s triangle? Or Heaven’s gate? Email me at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com and let me know. Visit http://frommyshelf.blogspot.com and let us know your favorite column of 2011. Looking for a great children’s book? Check out “Hobo Finds A Home” about a kitten who decided to think for himself and explore the world, written by Hobo the cat. Don’t be skeptical, just read it and see…
“Reality is what doesn’t go away when we stop believing in it.” Phillip K. Dick
Stories are stones. Stories form the foundations of religions, countries, and families. Stories can connect us, help us learn and retain information, create understanding and cement friendship between cultures. I just love a good story, but stories can also build walls, cast shadows, divide humanity, and turn neighbors into enemies. I don’t always believe everything I read, and neither should you.
One man who encourages rational and scientific thought is Guy P. Harrison, author of 50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True. In his introduction, he writes that, “We all believe silly things. What matters is how silly and how many.” Being a little more skeptical could help us lead safer, happier, and more productive lives.
Really? By being skeptical? But aren’t skeptics cynical and negative people lacking faith and closed to the possibility of miracles? Skepticism is really just trying to think clearly. It’s making an effort to sort out lies and misperceptions. What’s negative about that? It’s a willingness to ask those hard-to-ask questions. To seek answers based on evidence and logic, rather than on hopes and dreams.
Believing is easy and can be a lot of fun. I love the idea of Sasquatch running through the woods. I want to believe there are creatures that are still wild, untamed, and undiscovered. New species are discovered all the time. Maybe there really is a giant, hairy ape that has constantly eluded capture and discovery, but why isn’t there any real evidence? There are only poor quality photos, inconclusive hair samples and molds of footprints. Footprints have been faked so many times and by so many people, that they no longer have any credibility. My wanting to believe in Bigfoot doesn’t make it true.
Being skeptical is hard and sometimes a harsh truth. I wish the Holocaust never happened. It was more than just one of history’s many bloodbaths. It was more than attempted genocide. It was the industrialization of murder, and according to Holocaust deniers, it never happened. If almost six million Jews were not killed, where did all those people go?
‘It is all a hoax perpetrated by Jews for political and economic gain, and mainstream historians are part of the fraud,’ deniers claim. Hitler wasn’t trying to eliminate Jews? All those dead bodies never piled up in pits? Are they serious? I don’t want to believe that people could do that to innocent people, but the evidence is overwhelming.
Instead of being scared, shouldn’t we strive to educate ourselves? Shouldn’t we question why television news devotes a third of air time to crime while topics such as education is given less than 2 percent? Consider the source. Question everything. Demand evidence.
It’s an amazing and beautiful universe we live in, and you can still believe that, and still try to understand it…
The Devil’s triangle? Or Heaven’s gate? Email me at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com and let me know. Visit http://frommyshelf.blogspot.com and let us know your favorite column of 2011. Looking for a great children’s book? Check out “Hobo Finds A Home” about a kitten who decided to think for himself and explore the world, written by Hobo the cat. Don’t be skeptical, just read it and see…
Friday, December 30, 2011
Last one that I forgot: remember starting out at the Farmer's Markets this spring?
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This first full week finally brings Spring to Tioga County, with the Wellsboro and the Mansfield Growers’ Markets now in full swing, every Thursday afternoon and Friday afternoon, respectively. This past Sunday, a little extra time with Mom might have gotten shortchanged for time with the lawnmower. Most moms were probably fine with that, though, appreciating the first mown lawn of the new season, and perhaps the chance to dig in the landscaping some, too. I had to laugh this week when a good friend told me that his wife always asks for mulch for Mother’s Day.
Around here, Mother Nature and the locals move into Spring with gusto: the flowering trees all burst into bloom at once, and gardens seem to go in overnight, on the magic day that will allow the plants to escape the last frost but also enjoy the longest possible growing period. Many of us have too many jobs and responsibilities that separate us from the way food gets to our tables and can nourish our bodies. I would love to reconnect with fresh food, grown by people who live around me; to feed my body the healthy variety of food that it craves. I’m tired of washing down French fries with Diet Pepsi just because I have to put something in my body to keep it going through these busy days.
When I see the freshly turned dirt, the newly fenced in squares in my neighbors’ lawns, and the announcements for the Growers’ Markets, I turn to my Moosewood Cookbooks and start scheming. The Moosewood Restaurant is a cooperatively-owned business in Ithaca, NY, which originally opened in 1973. Over the last three decades, the Moosewood Collective has published dozens of cookbooks, featuring recipes dreamed up in the Moosewood kitchens and successfully “tested” on thousands of restaurant customers. The Moosewood emphasizes cooking with healthy, fresh foods, organic whenever possible. Vegetarianism as a lifestyle was an original influence on the restaurant when it opened, and has continued to be a part of the focus on offering an eclectic, nutritious menu. The Moosewood menu and its cookbooks, however, have expanded to use American regional dishes and international cuisine alike. Sunday nights at Moosewood are now celebrated for their various ethnic menus, and there is an accompanying cookbook, Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant.
My new favorite cookbook is The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without, by Mollie Katzen, author of the original Moosewood Cookbook. A tall, cheerful spring-green hardcover with colorful drawings of vegetables on the cover, it immediately puts me in the mind of finding fresh veggies at the local markets and bringing them home to my kitchen to experiment. Thankfully, the dishes are simple, often using only three or four ingredients. Few, if any, of the recipes require the cook to make a special trip to Wegmans for some exotic ingredient. In keeping with the Moosewood tradition, the dishes are healthy, fresh and tasty. Reading the recipes feels like talking to a friend who loves to cook. Sure, it’s fun to watch the cooking shows on TV, but this Moosewood cookbook reads like someone who understands your busy life and your limited time and energy. For those of us who want to inject some new nutrition into our routine menus but don’t want to have to spend hours in the kitchen experimenting, The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without goes a long way to meeting our needs.
As the vegetable gardens go in and the fresh veggies start coming up, grab a Moosewood cookbook, a couple of eggplant, a bulb of anise, or some zucchini, and try something new! If reading through a cookbook now has you salivating to try one of these dishes, maybe you’ll be inspired to grow something new in your garden this year. Ask the folks at the Growers’ Markets, or Pag-Omar, or Hampson’s Farm & Garden, or Rockwell’s, or Owlett’s Sunshine Market, what they recommend. Ask the ladies at the West End Café what regionally-grown food they’re serving these days, and what dishes inspire them. In the spirit of the Moosewood Cooperative, a cookbook is not just a collection of recipes, it’s an opportunity. This is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with the dirt, the rain, the sun, your body … to have fun in the kitchen rather than routine … and to make new friends in the community.
Personalized service and conversation, or “Didya want fries with that?” Tell Hobo what you think, by sending him an email (He will definitely answer! Not just an automated response!) at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com or by contacting him via facebook (just search From My Shelf). Want to see Hobo’s earlier recipes for community sustainability and fixing good eats? Coming soon: Hobo’s cookbook, featuring recipes with chicken and catnip.
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This first full week finally brings Spring to Tioga County, with the Wellsboro and the Mansfield Growers’ Markets now in full swing, every Thursday afternoon and Friday afternoon, respectively. This past Sunday, a little extra time with Mom might have gotten shortchanged for time with the lawnmower. Most moms were probably fine with that, though, appreciating the first mown lawn of the new season, and perhaps the chance to dig in the landscaping some, too. I had to laugh this week when a good friend told me that his wife always asks for mulch for Mother’s Day.
Around here, Mother Nature and the locals move into Spring with gusto: the flowering trees all burst into bloom at once, and gardens seem to go in overnight, on the magic day that will allow the plants to escape the last frost but also enjoy the longest possible growing period. Many of us have too many jobs and responsibilities that separate us from the way food gets to our tables and can nourish our bodies. I would love to reconnect with fresh food, grown by people who live around me; to feed my body the healthy variety of food that it craves. I’m tired of washing down French fries with Diet Pepsi just because I have to put something in my body to keep it going through these busy days.
When I see the freshly turned dirt, the newly fenced in squares in my neighbors’ lawns, and the announcements for the Growers’ Markets, I turn to my Moosewood Cookbooks and start scheming. The Moosewood Restaurant is a cooperatively-owned business in Ithaca, NY, which originally opened in 1973. Over the last three decades, the Moosewood Collective has published dozens of cookbooks, featuring recipes dreamed up in the Moosewood kitchens and successfully “tested” on thousands of restaurant customers. The Moosewood emphasizes cooking with healthy, fresh foods, organic whenever possible. Vegetarianism as a lifestyle was an original influence on the restaurant when it opened, and has continued to be a part of the focus on offering an eclectic, nutritious menu. The Moosewood menu and its cookbooks, however, have expanded to use American regional dishes and international cuisine alike. Sunday nights at Moosewood are now celebrated for their various ethnic menus, and there is an accompanying cookbook, Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant.
My new favorite cookbook is The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without, by Mollie Katzen, author of the original Moosewood Cookbook. A tall, cheerful spring-green hardcover with colorful drawings of vegetables on the cover, it immediately puts me in the mind of finding fresh veggies at the local markets and bringing them home to my kitchen to experiment. Thankfully, the dishes are simple, often using only three or four ingredients. Few, if any, of the recipes require the cook to make a special trip to Wegmans for some exotic ingredient. In keeping with the Moosewood tradition, the dishes are healthy, fresh and tasty. Reading the recipes feels like talking to a friend who loves to cook. Sure, it’s fun to watch the cooking shows on TV, but this Moosewood cookbook reads like someone who understands your busy life and your limited time and energy. For those of us who want to inject some new nutrition into our routine menus but don’t want to have to spend hours in the kitchen experimenting, The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without goes a long way to meeting our needs.
As the vegetable gardens go in and the fresh veggies start coming up, grab a Moosewood cookbook, a couple of eggplant, a bulb of anise, or some zucchini, and try something new! If reading through a cookbook now has you salivating to try one of these dishes, maybe you’ll be inspired to grow something new in your garden this year. Ask the folks at the Growers’ Markets, or Pag-Omar, or Hampson’s Farm & Garden, or Rockwell’s, or Owlett’s Sunshine Market, what they recommend. Ask the ladies at the West End Café what regionally-grown food they’re serving these days, and what dishes inspire them. In the spirit of the Moosewood Cooperative, a cookbook is not just a collection of recipes, it’s an opportunity. This is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with the dirt, the rain, the sun, your body … to have fun in the kitchen rather than routine … and to make new friends in the community.
Personalized service and conversation, or “Didya want fries with that?” Tell Hobo what you think, by sending him an email (He will definitely answer! Not just an automated response!) at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com or by contacting him via facebook (just search From My Shelf). Want to see Hobo’s earlier recipes for community sustainability and fixing good eats? Coming soon: Hobo’s cookbook, featuring recipes with chicken and catnip.
Going back through the old...
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by Kasey Cox
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Okay, so I see that I was rather lax in making certain that my Gazette columns were re-posted here at the blog. This one was "Part Two" of the article series I wrote on ereaders back in July, so I'm especially naughty for not following through and posting it then. (In my defense, I DID put it on our website, and on the now-sadly-defunct Viewshound). ANY-way, here's "FAQs about e-readers".... some of this information, however, is now a little dated, since things are changing so rapidly in this area of publishing and technology. Nevertheless, I'll post this article as I wrote it this summer, and ask you to refer to the bookstore website for updates on how to use your newest ereader gadget. (www.wellsborobookstore.com)
What is an e-reader?
An e-reader is an “electronic reader”, an electronic device designed to be easily portable and light-weight, allowing the user to download books as electronic files and to be read on the device. An e-reader for books is comparable to the MP3 player for music: the same way that many people carry their music on the Apple ipod or Android or Zune, the electronics and publishing industries have sought a way for customers to use computer technology to carry many books in a small electronic device.
What’s the difference between an e-reader, like a ‘Nook’ or a ‘Kindle’, and a laptop computer, notebook, Apple iPad, or Android phone?
There are several e-readers on the market now – with many more to come – that are dedicated solely to the purpose of downloading and reading electronic books. These e-readers include the Nook, the Kindle, the Sony e-reader, the Kobo, and a number of generic devices. These devices differ from iPads, notebooks, “regular” computers, or Android devices because they are dedicated e-readers.
When the consumer wants to add more multimedia choices – music, games, Flash support for videos, web browsing, email, messaging, and more – then the best choice is clearly not an e-reader. The confusion comes from the fact that these multi-media devices have e-reader functions, which are heavily advertised by the companies that make them. Apple would much rather you buy an iPad than a Kindle, especially since the iPad costs considerably more (although, to be fair, it offers exponentially more applications and uses), and also encourages the buyer to use more services offered through Apple.
Okay, so what’s the difference between the e-readers? Isn’t a Kindle the best one?
If you’ve never heard the term “e-reader”, or if you’d heard it but didn’t really know what it means, you can thank Amazon.com. All the money that Amazon has avoided paying in state sales taxes in all the states where it operates fulfillment warehouses to ship stuff you order from them (but that’s a separate article) – all that money is going to hard-core advertising to convince the public that “Kindle” is synonymous with “electronic book reader.” Amazon would have the public say “Kindle” for “e-reader” the same way we often say “Kleenex” for “tissue” or “Oreo” for “chocolate and cream sandwich cookies.” Caveat emptor – just because a company has the most money to put into advertising does not necessarily mean they have the best product on the market.
The Kindle is one of several dedicated e-readers available now. To be honest, as far as dedicated e-readers go, the Nook and the Kindle are the best choices on the market right now, and both offer you several choices in price, memory size, and a few other whistles and bells. It is important for consumers to be completely aware of their options, however, and Amazon would rather that the public not do any real comparing or questioning.
One reason many people decide to invest in an e-reader is the ease on aging and/or fatigued eyes. E-readers allow the reader to adjust font-size, making it unnecessary to carry reading glasses, magnifiers, or heavy large-print books. What Amazon doesn’t want you to know is this: the “Pearl” screen with “e-ink” which is so heavily touted for its readability, is now standard on all major e-readers. So, whether you're getting the 2011 Nook or the Kobo or the 2010 Sony Reader or the Kindle, you're basically getting the same exact screen.
In your last article, you said that owning a Kindle meant I could only download e-books from Amazon. But my friend owns an Android, and my sister owns an Apple iPad, and they can both buy e-books from Amazon. So, is Kindle exclusive to Amazon, or isn’t it?
If you buy a Kindle as your dedicated e-reader, the only e-books that can be downloaded on your Kindle are Kindle-formatted e-books, exclusively from Amazon. However, if you buy one of the many available e-readers or devices that allow you to read e-books, you can buy or download a “Kindle app” (application) that allows you to download books from Amazon, as well as a myriad of other places. This application is an idea which is akin to Coke allowing you to buy a can of Pepsi from a Coke machine, giving buyers a great deal of flexibility. The Androids, the Apple iPad, even your own generic laptop – all of these allow you to download the Kindle app so you can read ebooks from Amazon as well as ebooks from your library, Barnes & Noble, and your favorite independent bookstores. The Kindle does not allow you those choices.
Paper or plastic? Tell Hobo your opinions on electronic readers versus paper books, at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com. Want to scroll through Hobo’s electronic archives? Follow his blog at frommyshelf.blogspot.com, or follow him on facebook at www.facebook.com/kcbookstore. Hobo tried to take his Nook in his little hobo sack, because it was lighter than taking a bunch of books, but it got wet when he fell in the pond. Read all about it in Hobo’s book, “Hobo Finds a Home” – proudly not available on the Kindle.
by Kasey Cox
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*
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Okay, so I see that I was rather lax in making certain that my Gazette columns were re-posted here at the blog. This one was "Part Two" of the article series I wrote on ereaders back in July, so I'm especially naughty for not following through and posting it then. (In my defense, I DID put it on our website, and on the now-sadly-defunct Viewshound). ANY-way, here's "FAQs about e-readers".... some of this information, however, is now a little dated, since things are changing so rapidly in this area of publishing and technology. Nevertheless, I'll post this article as I wrote it this summer, and ask you to refer to the bookstore website for updates on how to use your newest ereader gadget. (www.wellsborobookstore.com)
What is an e-reader?
An e-reader is an “electronic reader”, an electronic device designed to be easily portable and light-weight, allowing the user to download books as electronic files and to be read on the device. An e-reader for books is comparable to the MP3 player for music: the same way that many people carry their music on the Apple ipod or Android or Zune, the electronics and publishing industries have sought a way for customers to use computer technology to carry many books in a small electronic device.
What’s the difference between an e-reader, like a ‘Nook’ or a ‘Kindle’, and a laptop computer, notebook, Apple iPad, or Android phone?
There are several e-readers on the market now – with many more to come – that are dedicated solely to the purpose of downloading and reading electronic books. These e-readers include the Nook, the Kindle, the Sony e-reader, the Kobo, and a number of generic devices. These devices differ from iPads, notebooks, “regular” computers, or Android devices because they are dedicated e-readers.
When the consumer wants to add more multimedia choices – music, games, Flash support for videos, web browsing, email, messaging, and more – then the best choice is clearly not an e-reader. The confusion comes from the fact that these multi-media devices have e-reader functions, which are heavily advertised by the companies that make them. Apple would much rather you buy an iPad than a Kindle, especially since the iPad costs considerably more (although, to be fair, it offers exponentially more applications and uses), and also encourages the buyer to use more services offered through Apple.
Okay, so what’s the difference between the e-readers? Isn’t a Kindle the best one?
If you’ve never heard the term “e-reader”, or if you’d heard it but didn’t really know what it means, you can thank Amazon.com. All the money that Amazon has avoided paying in state sales taxes in all the states where it operates fulfillment warehouses to ship stuff you order from them (but that’s a separate article) – all that money is going to hard-core advertising to convince the public that “Kindle” is synonymous with “electronic book reader.” Amazon would have the public say “Kindle” for “e-reader” the same way we often say “Kleenex” for “tissue” or “Oreo” for “chocolate and cream sandwich cookies.” Caveat emptor – just because a company has the most money to put into advertising does not necessarily mean they have the best product on the market.
The Kindle is one of several dedicated e-readers available now. To be honest, as far as dedicated e-readers go, the Nook and the Kindle are the best choices on the market right now, and both offer you several choices in price, memory size, and a few other whistles and bells. It is important for consumers to be completely aware of their options, however, and Amazon would rather that the public not do any real comparing or questioning.
One reason many people decide to invest in an e-reader is the ease on aging and/or fatigued eyes. E-readers allow the reader to adjust font-size, making it unnecessary to carry reading glasses, magnifiers, or heavy large-print books. What Amazon doesn’t want you to know is this: the “Pearl” screen with “e-ink” which is so heavily touted for its readability, is now standard on all major e-readers. So, whether you're getting the 2011 Nook or the Kobo or the 2010 Sony Reader or the Kindle, you're basically getting the same exact screen.
In your last article, you said that owning a Kindle meant I could only download e-books from Amazon. But my friend owns an Android, and my sister owns an Apple iPad, and they can both buy e-books from Amazon. So, is Kindle exclusive to Amazon, or isn’t it?
If you buy a Kindle as your dedicated e-reader, the only e-books that can be downloaded on your Kindle are Kindle-formatted e-books, exclusively from Amazon. However, if you buy one of the many available e-readers or devices that allow you to read e-books, you can buy or download a “Kindle app” (application) that allows you to download books from Amazon, as well as a myriad of other places. This application is an idea which is akin to Coke allowing you to buy a can of Pepsi from a Coke machine, giving buyers a great deal of flexibility. The Androids, the Apple iPad, even your own generic laptop – all of these allow you to download the Kindle app so you can read ebooks from Amazon as well as ebooks from your library, Barnes & Noble, and your favorite independent bookstores. The Kindle does not allow you those choices.
Paper or plastic? Tell Hobo your opinions on electronic readers versus paper books, at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com. Want to scroll through Hobo’s electronic archives? Follow his blog at frommyshelf.blogspot.com, or follow him on facebook at www.facebook.com/kcbookstore. Hobo tried to take his Nook in his little hobo sack, because it was lighter than taking a bunch of books, but it got wet when he fell in the pond. Read all about it in Hobo’s book, “Hobo Finds a Home” – proudly not available on the Kindle.
Stocking up for Christmas 2011
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Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s that time of year again: we’re all dashing through the snow, trying to fit everything into the crazy December calendar. I know I’ve been making a list, then losing it twice. Here’s my annual column on great books that will fit a stocking but won’t put a big pinch on your rapidly-draining wallet.
The SAS Survival Guide by John “Lofty” Wiseman: A tiny little book measuring only 4.7 inches tall by 3.25 wide (smaller than most adult men’s palms), the cover touts that this newly-revised, second edition has “practical, easy-to-follow advice with diagrams and color illustrations.” Wiseman has taught survival training to special forces military for more than 26 years. This book, however, is not full of ninja-style tricks or James Bond gadgetry. This is wisdom of the essentials, from the perspective that any actual equipment you have with you is an added bonus. The book’s purpose is clearly stated several times: it isn’t for fun ‘survival games’ in the woods; it’s a reminder and an overview of all the things a person should keep in mind when faced with a true life-or-death, emergency situation. The book covers mental attitude, careful research and interpretation of the situation and climate in which you might find yourself, essential skills such as first aid, finding water, keeping warm, finding your way if you decide to move. That’s a lot of life and knowledge for less than $8.00. (Note to those who aren’t familiar with the “SAS” initials, the SAS is the Special Air Services, a sub-group of the British special forces, whose organization served as an example for the creation of special forces units all over the world.)
Now, on the flip side, for all of you who got depressed when I revealed that the SAS Guide didn’t include the James Bond gadgets: DK Publishing – publishing house especially known for thousands of great educational books on history and science for kids – now has a line of sturdy board books, shaped like a vehicle of some kind. The tractor and the dump truck, the fire engine and the sports car, all have real wheels that roll. A Velcro flap at the front cleverly holds the book together, but when opened, allows the reader to see many colorful drawings and a few quick words about the vehicle of their choice. Why not pop the silver convertible sports car in someone’s stocking? Without a doubt, lots of people like their car toys, not just little boys! Just think about the words to “Santa Baby”. It’s easier on the budget than the keys to a real one.
Another fun toy that’s a book comes from Klutz Press, who re-invented the idea of selling a book and an activity kit together. The one I like best for the Christmas stocking this year is the perfect shape for even the longest, thinnest stocking. Stop the Watch features a top-bound spiral book, with a stopwatch attached at the bottom. This is a great book to get you and your family moving, especially when it’s cold outside and we all feel sluggish from the last month or two of indulging in sweets and huge meals. It’s you against the stopwatch, as you take on the “Hippity Hoppity Marathon” (‘Put the watch in your kneepit and hop as long as you can until the watch falls out’) or the the “Speed Freeze” (Open the door to the fridge and find 3 things that begin with the letter ‘P’, then close the door. No slamming.) All the challenges give you a place to write your time for the first time you try it, your best time, and show you the best time they got at the Klutz Headquarters. There are more than 40 solo events and team events to try, which should only spark your imagination for hundreds of others.
This next series counts as several books, since it includes many gems, such as 101 Things I Learned in Business School and 101 Things I Learned in Culinary School (by Michael Priess and Louis Equaras, respectively). These books are the perfect gift for anyone curious about the featured profession, since they are written by well-known professionals at the top of their field (Louis Equaras, for example, is a famous chef from the Le Cordon Bleu program at California’s School of the Culinary Arts.) Each book gives a wealth of information, presenting a wide range of the trade. With the Culinary book, Equaras discusses everything from how to properly hold a knife to tidbits from the history of food to important tips on restaurant management. These books are a great addition and perhaps a much better overview than the “Dummies” or “Idiot’s” guides available on many subjects, and have the bonus of being more attractively packaged, at a better price.
Well, I’d better get back to trying to cover up the … uh, dark… no, I mean, crispy parts… of this batch of cookies with lots of frosting. I love that homemade confectionary sugar and milk icing; it covers a multitude of sins. I guess someone should buy me that Culinary School book...
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Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s that time of year again: we’re all dashing through the snow, trying to fit everything into the crazy December calendar. I know I’ve been making a list, then losing it twice. Here’s my annual column on great books that will fit a stocking but won’t put a big pinch on your rapidly-draining wallet.
The SAS Survival Guide by John “Lofty” Wiseman: A tiny little book measuring only 4.7 inches tall by 3.25 wide (smaller than most adult men’s palms), the cover touts that this newly-revised, second edition has “practical, easy-to-follow advice with diagrams and color illustrations.” Wiseman has taught survival training to special forces military for more than 26 years. This book, however, is not full of ninja-style tricks or James Bond gadgetry. This is wisdom of the essentials, from the perspective that any actual equipment you have with you is an added bonus. The book’s purpose is clearly stated several times: it isn’t for fun ‘survival games’ in the woods; it’s a reminder and an overview of all the things a person should keep in mind when faced with a true life-or-death, emergency situation. The book covers mental attitude, careful research and interpretation of the situation and climate in which you might find yourself, essential skills such as first aid, finding water, keeping warm, finding your way if you decide to move. That’s a lot of life and knowledge for less than $8.00. (Note to those who aren’t familiar with the “SAS” initials, the SAS is the Special Air Services, a sub-group of the British special forces, whose organization served as an example for the creation of special forces units all over the world.)
Now, on the flip side, for all of you who got depressed when I revealed that the SAS Guide didn’t include the James Bond gadgets: DK Publishing – publishing house especially known for thousands of great educational books on history and science for kids – now has a line of sturdy board books, shaped like a vehicle of some kind. The tractor and the dump truck, the fire engine and the sports car, all have real wheels that roll. A Velcro flap at the front cleverly holds the book together, but when opened, allows the reader to see many colorful drawings and a few quick words about the vehicle of their choice. Why not pop the silver convertible sports car in someone’s stocking? Without a doubt, lots of people like their car toys, not just little boys! Just think about the words to “Santa Baby”. It’s easier on the budget than the keys to a real one.
Another fun toy that’s a book comes from Klutz Press, who re-invented the idea of selling a book and an activity kit together. The one I like best for the Christmas stocking this year is the perfect shape for even the longest, thinnest stocking. Stop the Watch features a top-bound spiral book, with a stopwatch attached at the bottom. This is a great book to get you and your family moving, especially when it’s cold outside and we all feel sluggish from the last month or two of indulging in sweets and huge meals. It’s you against the stopwatch, as you take on the “Hippity Hoppity Marathon” (‘Put the watch in your kneepit and hop as long as you can until the watch falls out’) or the the “Speed Freeze” (Open the door to the fridge and find 3 things that begin with the letter ‘P’, then close the door. No slamming.) All the challenges give you a place to write your time for the first time you try it, your best time, and show you the best time they got at the Klutz Headquarters. There are more than 40 solo events and team events to try, which should only spark your imagination for hundreds of others.
This next series counts as several books, since it includes many gems, such as 101 Things I Learned in Business School and 101 Things I Learned in Culinary School (by Michael Priess and Louis Equaras, respectively). These books are the perfect gift for anyone curious about the featured profession, since they are written by well-known professionals at the top of their field (Louis Equaras, for example, is a famous chef from the Le Cordon Bleu program at California’s School of the Culinary Arts.) Each book gives a wealth of information, presenting a wide range of the trade. With the Culinary book, Equaras discusses everything from how to properly hold a knife to tidbits from the history of food to important tips on restaurant management. These books are a great addition and perhaps a much better overview than the “Dummies” or “Idiot’s” guides available on many subjects, and have the bonus of being more attractively packaged, at a better price.
Well, I’d better get back to trying to cover up the … uh, dark… no, I mean, crispy parts… of this batch of cookies with lots of frosting. I love that homemade confectionary sugar and milk icing; it covers a multitude of sins. I guess someone should buy me that Culinary School book...
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Feet of Clay
Kevin Coolidge
Soft mud, warm sun -- for a moment the rabbi could forget the terror of the past…almost. His was a deeper calling. A duty to the people, the people he had sworn to teach and protect. He would mold this clay into the shape of a giant man, a golem. With the power invested by the Talmud and the study of Kabbalah, sacred and mystical rituals that delved into the nature of the eternal and creation, he would bring forth a protector to defend those who could not defend themselves. He would bring forth life.
In Jewish folklore, a golem is an artificially created human that is brought to life with magical religious ceremony. The most famous story involves Rabbi Judah of Prague who is said to have created a golem who not only worked as a servant, but also served to protect the Jewish community from being prosecuted under the rule of Rudolf the Second, the Holy Roman Emperor.
David Wisniewski tells this story in the children’s book Golem. This animated creature, however, can be a mixed blessing. Golems cannot speak and are not intelligent, but are perfectly obedient. They will perform instructions quite literally, never stopping until commanded. It is said that the emperor begged the rabbi to destroy the golem when it became violent. He promised safety from prosecution for the Jews. The rabbi deactivated the golem by rubbing out the first letter of the word emet (truth) from creature’s forehead, leaving the Hebrew word met meaning dead. The body was then stored and hidden, where it could be restored to life if needed.
The tale is said to have inspired the German poet, Goethe, and his ballad The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. One children’s book inspired by the original legend, as well Goeethe’s poem, is The Golem’s Latkes written by Eric A. Kimmel and illustrated by Aaron Jasinski. In this story, Rabbi Judah molds clay into a giant man and brings it to life by writing a magic word on the creature’s forehead.
Rabbi Judah calls his giant Golem, which means lump. He uses the creation to paint, and dig, and do other work. One winter’s day the rabbi found much to do and little time to do it. The first night of Hanukkah would soon begin, and the house must be made ready for his guests, but he had other duties and had to meet with the emperor.
He told his housemaid to prepare for the holiday. There was sweeping and dusting, and the latkes (potato pancakes traditionally served during Hanukkah) still needed to be made! There was so much to do. It was only fair that she should have help. It was only fair that Golem should help her.
“Golem, make latkes,” she said. Golem began peeling potatoes and chopping onions. Mixing them with eggs, salt, and pepper. Frying them in a huge iron pan. Peel, chop, fry. Peel, chop, fry. Soon the latkes filled the kitchen, then the house. The latkes pushed open the door and spilled into the street.
Rabbi Judah arrived home to find latkes blocking the door to his house. He climbed a crispy, golden pile and forced his way into the kitchen. There was the golem cooking by the stove. “Golem, enough!” shouted the rabbi.
“Our guests will be arriving soon. What are going to do with all these latkes?”
“What else do you do with latkes?” said the maid. “Eat them!”
Rabbi Judah invited all of Prague to his Hanukkah party. People from miles around came to join the feast that lasted eight days and nights. When Hanukkah had ended, the latkes were gone. It is said that Golem still exists. Perhaps in a dusty attic, or a forgotten cellar. Patient, quiet, waiting until he is needed once again…
Feet of clay? Or a spine of steel? Drop me an email at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com and let me know. Hungry for past columns? Visit http://frommyshelf.blogspot.com and get your fill. Look for Hobo’s new cookbook where he slices, dices, and juliennes. Pass the ketchup and don’t pass on “Hobo Finds A Home,” a children’s book about a lost cat who found a home.
Soft mud, warm sun -- for a moment the rabbi could forget the terror of the past…almost. His was a deeper calling. A duty to the people, the people he had sworn to teach and protect. He would mold this clay into the shape of a giant man, a golem. With the power invested by the Talmud and the study of Kabbalah, sacred and mystical rituals that delved into the nature of the eternal and creation, he would bring forth a protector to defend those who could not defend themselves. He would bring forth life.
In Jewish folklore, a golem is an artificially created human that is brought to life with magical religious ceremony. The most famous story involves Rabbi Judah of Prague who is said to have created a golem who not only worked as a servant, but also served to protect the Jewish community from being prosecuted under the rule of Rudolf the Second, the Holy Roman Emperor.
David Wisniewski tells this story in the children’s book Golem. This animated creature, however, can be a mixed blessing. Golems cannot speak and are not intelligent, but are perfectly obedient. They will perform instructions quite literally, never stopping until commanded. It is said that the emperor begged the rabbi to destroy the golem when it became violent. He promised safety from prosecution for the Jews. The rabbi deactivated the golem by rubbing out the first letter of the word emet (truth) from creature’s forehead, leaving the Hebrew word met meaning dead. The body was then stored and hidden, where it could be restored to life if needed.
The tale is said to have inspired the German poet, Goethe, and his ballad The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. One children’s book inspired by the original legend, as well Goeethe’s poem, is The Golem’s Latkes written by Eric A. Kimmel and illustrated by Aaron Jasinski. In this story, Rabbi Judah molds clay into a giant man and brings it to life by writing a magic word on the creature’s forehead.
Rabbi Judah calls his giant Golem, which means lump. He uses the creation to paint, and dig, and do other work. One winter’s day the rabbi found much to do and little time to do it. The first night of Hanukkah would soon begin, and the house must be made ready for his guests, but he had other duties and had to meet with the emperor.
He told his housemaid to prepare for the holiday. There was sweeping and dusting, and the latkes (potato pancakes traditionally served during Hanukkah) still needed to be made! There was so much to do. It was only fair that she should have help. It was only fair that Golem should help her.
“Golem, make latkes,” she said. Golem began peeling potatoes and chopping onions. Mixing them with eggs, salt, and pepper. Frying them in a huge iron pan. Peel, chop, fry. Peel, chop, fry. Soon the latkes filled the kitchen, then the house. The latkes pushed open the door and spilled into the street.
Rabbi Judah arrived home to find latkes blocking the door to his house. He climbed a crispy, golden pile and forced his way into the kitchen. There was the golem cooking by the stove. “Golem, enough!” shouted the rabbi.
“Our guests will be arriving soon. What are going to do with all these latkes?”
“What else do you do with latkes?” said the maid. “Eat them!”
Rabbi Judah invited all of Prague to his Hanukkah party. People from miles around came to join the feast that lasted eight days and nights. When Hanukkah had ended, the latkes were gone. It is said that Golem still exists. Perhaps in a dusty attic, or a forgotten cellar. Patient, quiet, waiting until he is needed once again…
Feet of clay? Or a spine of steel? Drop me an email at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com and let me know. Hungry for past columns? Visit http://frommyshelf.blogspot.com and get your fill. Look for Hobo’s new cookbook where he slices, dices, and juliennes. Pass the ketchup and don’t pass on “Hobo Finds A Home,” a children’s book about a lost cat who found a home.
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