Gone Swimming

Simple Social Graces is officially closed for the next 8 days while I get my mind together without the distractions of the internet, google reader, facebook and other things I feel like I can't live without. I'm gonna read books, swim with freshwater sharks, see sea turtles lay eggs and basically try to be there then. I sure hope I come back with a renewed excitement and enthusiasm for life here now. That's always the goal at least.

DESSERT OF THE MONTH CLUB!: Rewind October: Loukoumades & Honey

DESSERT OF THE MONTH CLUB!: Rewind October: Loukoumades & Honey

How amazing is this!

Black Watch at St. Ann's Warehouse

Any description I am trying to write seems trite. Simply, see Black Watch at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn. It reminded me of my reaction to Pirandello's Henry IV at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 1988. Just totally, completely overwhelmed and thrilled. It's loud, funny, tragic, depressing, brilliantly creative and poignant. Please see it if you can.

Sink and Starve Your Cold

I'm at home sick today. Not terribly sick, but swollen scratchy throat and generally crappy feeling. Over the past few weeks I've been secretly hoping I could avoid a season and be the only one not to get a cold, but of course that was absurd. I'm really sensitive to when a cold is coming on and feel the smallest tickle in my throat about 10 hours before it blows up. Last night I could feel it around 9 PM and made my usual concoction which sometimes works as a preventative measure, but this time did not.

Here's the recipe for
BRUTAL GARLIC, GINGER, CAYENNE, LEMON, SHOYU TEA.

Chop 4 cloves of garlic and put in the bottom of your mug
Squeeze one lemon over it
add about a teaspoon of finely chopped ginger
add about a teaspoon of cayenne
add a dash of shoyu or tamari
add hot hot hot water
stir and let stand for a minute to cook the garlic ever so slightly
drink and chew at your own pace

I know some people say the garlic should basically raw but for me that's a gut buster.
It takes me about 10-15 minutes to finish this delight but when I'm done I'm so full of active enzymes I know it has to do some good. Last month when I did this I woke up with no symptoms but this time I had full blown swollen glands and scratchy throat. I might have to repeat tonight because I hate feeling this way!

Meanwhile, I'm drinking peppermint tea, sugar free cranberry juice and fizzy water and trying to take it sleazy. It's been months since I've stayed home for an entire day so there is a gift here somewhere.

The Work Ahead

I know things are different. You can FEEL the difference. This election was important on so many levels, but it really was important to me that we have elected the first African American president. I dream that some day we will have a woman president, a Latino/a American president, and Asian American president,a Jewish president, an Arab American President, a Gay president. Our stupid societal and cultural barriers are OLD NEWS. Let's get on with it baby!

And now, we don't have to worry about the supreme court nominees President Obama will make. The balance of power will be maintained and a woman's right to choose what she wishes to do with her body under any circumstances will be preserved. This is so crucial, so essential and was so close to not happening. 

So we must focus now, on what our agenda for action for the next 4 years will be. We have to take real steps towards a better America and a better world. A world where children can dream and make their dreams real. Where the food we eat is safe and healthful and scientific advancements aren't made to help corporations hurt people, but heal people. Where our education system nurtures creativity and innovation and fun and the pursuit of knowledge and exchange of ideas. Where peace is the goal and dialogue is the first step in conflict resolution.  Where our natural resources and preservation of our planet are paramount to the economic interest of a few asshole cowboys in Texas.  These are attainable things. Attainable through a lot of hard work and a lot of focus, but that's what's required now.

I'm going to be making a lot of lists in the coming weeks. Plans for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. We must help Barack Obama and Joe Biden and those of us we feel represent us in Congress lead and serve us. We've only just started and I'm ready.

Feeling history

There are rare moments in life when you know you are on the side of righteousness and today those of us voting for Barack Obama for president can feel that. 

The Powerful Spanish/Portuguese Speaking World

A scene from the Ibero-American summit just completed in San Salvador. What's striking to me, besides the obvious beauty of seeing two women heads of state, (Michelle Bachelet of Chile and Cristina de Kirchner of Argentina) is simply the number of nations represented here. Although the most controversial figures Hugo Chavez and Raul Castro chose not to attend it's exciting for me to see consistent communication between these countries.