The Value of a Donation

I do hate to be a dissenter. But all I've been doing lately, it seems, is dissenting. Most of the dissenting I do in my head, but some of it I do on my blog.

Let's get it out of the way:

Dissenter! Dissenter!

This dissention has come about in the usual way: Something was brought to my attention, and it made me think. Outside the box, if you will. And while what I've come up with may not be a popular opinion, in my experience popular opinions are usually those most worth examining.

I'm not very good at wording things thoughtfully. Often I offend people unintentionally, probably for the same reason other folks unintentionally offend: I'm passionate. About everything. So when I come to a conclusion after much careful thought, I'm often passionate about that opinion.

That's my disclaimer. Now for my thoughts.

I've heard much talk recently about donating to tsunami victims. There has been a veritable outpouring of support, as there should be. On the surface, this is a wonderful example of the good hearts and decency and charitableness that Americans have proven time and again to possess at their core. This is a good country. We know it. As September 11 reminded us, when the shit hits the fan, we, as a people, know how to pull together--even across party lines, at least for a moment.

But I ask you, whether you've already donated or plan to, please think about matching that donation with a local one. Why? The same thing is happening right now that happened after September 11. The bigger tragedy has outshone the smaller, ongoing tragedies in our own neighborhoods. I have a friend on the board of a charter school in Los Angeles that relies heavily on donations. This school is well worth supporting, folks. As my friend wrote:

The school uses the model developed by KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) which entails extended school days (7:25 am to 5 pm) and Saturday school 2 times per month. Much is expected of the students who are granted admission on a first-come, first-served basis. The goal is to send these kids to college - no small task considering that 95% of their parents did not attend college and for many English is a second language. The kids also look at our school as a way to escape gangs in the area, which use the only local middle school as their recruitment post.

So far, the school has proven its worth. In just the first year, it outperformed all of the surrounding district schools on standardized test scores, 57 and 39 percent higher in reading and math, respectively, after starting the year well below the district's average.

Unfortunately, the school is now in unexpected financial trouble, because two sizeable donors backed out, diverted by the tsunami.

Right now, this is happening all over America. Nonprofit entities, themselves grieving for the tsunami victims, now have to find ways to stretch what little money they may have far further than they expected to.

This school will be getting my would-be tsunami money. I'm not suggesting it should get yours. But please consider the worthy charities in our own country and in your own neighborhood before sending your donations elsewhere. In no way do I mean to belittle the horror that has besieged these folks on the other side of the world. I can't even begin to grasp the magnitude of the toll it has taken. But natural disasters are eligible for large sums of government money. Most of what we have to contribute is small in comparison. Yes, every dollar counts. But rather than put my $20 or $50 or $100 in the shadow of hundreds of millions of dollars, I'd like to put it where I know it can make a difference locally, especially since so many worthy causes are experiencing their own depletion of resources.

I just ask that you think about it.

Things I Learned In 2004

I'm going to do my Mondo Beyondo, et al, lists in spurts. Here's one.

Things I learned in 2004:

That I'm not a liberal--or at least not by today's definition.
That my opinions are just as valid as everyone else's, even if they're sharply different than what I've always been conditioned to believe was "right."
That I could love being a Mom to a newborn.
That I could love being a Mom even more than I thought I did.
That I feel more whole and worthy when I have a paying job.
That I hate pregnancy and post-C-section recovery with the heat of ten thousand suns.
That as a result of above, I am done with pregnancy.
That life with the perfect husband isn't always perfect.
That, in fact, there is no perfect husband.
That vacations with the family--even the family you adore--can surprise you into being the best time ever.
That it's possible for the ocean to be warm.
That all those times I thought I was fat? I wasn't.
That Ryan Adams is no Brent Best.
That my favorite band can release an album and I can say "eh."
That it's possible to spend an entire day with my entire immediate family with no bloodshed, no screaming, and only two small fights.
That I want to be happy more than I want to be right.
That only I have the power to prioritize my life.
That how stressful I feel is my own choice.
That I can decorate a room. Better than I thought, in fact.
That ending relationships isn't always a bad thing and can be, in fact, a symbol of growth.
That in order to be sane, I must not give up pleasure reading. Ever.
That I really really miss having friends more than I ever thought possible.
That my mother honest-to-God did the best she could with what she had and what she knew.
That it's OK to spend money on things that matter.
That marketing to kids is insidious and should be outlawed.
That I can be far more patient than I ever thought possible.
That I can always be more patient.
That I can eat onions if they're cooked right.
That I can improvise quite expertly when cooking. Yeah bay-bee!
That I'm still pretty selfish. Ouch.
How to mop.
What baseboards and trim and chair rails are.
That a lot of published writers are actually pretty sucky, and I can kick their ass with my keyboard tied behind my back.
That I'm not nearly as good of a writer as I've always thought. I've found plenty to emulate.
That, sadly, the word "panties" cannot remain expunged from one's life when you're a potty-training mom.

Inaugural Cleansing

11:30 PM, January 3.

Toddler sleeping, baby just ate and is dozing. Tell my husband: I'll be in the bathroom. I'm going to take a bath. First bath in my new tub, so big that I can't reach across it to get something on the fiberglass shelf without losing my balance, so must step all the way into the tub to reach my bubble bath. I've showered in it about a dozen times, but now comes the bath. Good way to usher in my birthday. Start water. Squeeze in bubble bath.

What I need is a candle. And a book. And a drink. Candle, check. Yankee, in a jar. Plumeria. Nice to place it on fiberglass as opposed to porcelain. Less worried about glass breakage. Must dust it off first though. Got it over four years ago. Now book. Fiction or nonfiction? Hmmm. Escaping's the name of the game, isn't it? Fiction it is. What to drink? Into the pantry to the wine rack. Shit. No wine. Opened the last bottle -- shiraz -- on Christmas Eve and stupidstupidstupid left it out all night. No more wine. Pregnancy and nursing have diminished alcohol purchasing. Hmmm, head to bar. Open up bar. Wow, light goes on when you open it. Got a mirror inside. Nice piece of furniture. Ask my husband where he got it. Came from an auction, he says. Siblings gave it to him for Christmas one year. Marvel that it's been here all four years I've lived here and I've never really noticed how cool it is. Anyhow. Bottle of Bombay Sapphire, my favorite. Completely empty. Why put away empty bottle??? Lots of Maker's Mark. Bourbon. Jack Daniel's. Not exactly my style. Anyway, I have no mixers. Not interested in drinking any of it straight. Hmmm. Bailey's. Had this as a cordial on a plane to London once. Might have to do that. Shot of Bailey's to sip. But wait! Forgot lower cabinet. Ah-ha! Cuervo 1800 tequila. Yes, I can drink that straight. Sip it slowly. Reminds me of the first days meeting my husband. But wait. Further back, bottle. Wine. Score! Oh no, White Zin. And it's at least four years old. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. Get corkscrew, attack cork. Dry as a bone. Cork falls into wine. Worse, discover that cork pieces small enough to fit through strainer. Will not get cheesecloth, not for White Zin. Pour wine down sink. Tequila it is. Back to bathroom. Forgot running water!!! Wow, big tub. Any other tub would be overflowed by now. Shit, no matches. Back to kitchen for matches. Almost burn finger twice, three times lighting candle. Clearly, way out of practice.

Settle into tub with book. Read a chapter. Wish water was hotter. Nevertheless, start to sweat, but overlook it for the moment. Sip tequila. Lose reality for a few minutes. Iffy on whether I want to find it again.

Baby cries.

Close book. Step out of tub, grab new Egyptian cotton towel. Reach for candle, blow it out. Put cover on and place on shelf in cabinet, out of kids' reach.

12:05 AM, January 4. Back to life. Happy birthday.

OK, So The Dialogue May Be A Bit Hipper Than Thou ...

There may be a wrapped gift with my name on it in the pantry, but my birthday present to myself will be trekking to my in-laws' down the road to view the prime-time showing of "Gilmore Girls," leaving my husband responsible for both kids. For some reason my DirecTV does not offer the Dubya-Bee, so I've been Gilmore-free since it began. But thanks to ABC Family, it now lives in my TiVo in reruns. That 4-5 PM timeslot -- even just knowing it's there, being recorded -- is the highlight of my day.

Yes, I really am that lame.

Wicked Simple Recipes

These days, for obvious reasons, what qualifies as a primo meal in this household is the kind you can make in ten minutes. Preferably, five. I still want to avoid the nasties and food with ingredient labels that look like a chemistry test, but I daresay I may be lucky that the nearest fast food is 40 minutes away. If it were closer, Boss Girl just may have become more acquainted with Happy Meals (one to my knowledge) and tater tots (thank you daycare) than she already is.

But no sense wishing. We're solitary creatures here. If I want it, I must make it. Meal creation is a neverending marathon here. Lately I've come across some winners that successfully marry speed, semi-wholesomeness, and damn good taste, and they excite me so much I wanted to share.

Picante Chicken

1. Put a few boneless chicken breasts in a baking dish.
2. Mix a small bottle of picante* with 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar.
3. Dump it over the chicken.
4. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

You're done. I serve it with rice and corn.

Rice Noodle Stir-Fry

1. Boil water and soak half a package of rice noodles, as per directions, in the boiling water. (You can get these right in the international aisle of any large grocery store.)
2. While noodles are soaking, heat wok oil in wok (or really big frying pan).
3. Dump in things like:
frozen stir-fry mixture
pre-cut veggie mixtures from produce
pre-sliced mushrooms
celery
bell peppers
zucchini
pre-cooked shrimp or chicken**.

4. Add a few dashes of soy sauce and a teaspoon of sugar as you cook. We also add Emeril's Asian seasoning. Add more soy sauce to taste.
5. After a few minutes, add drained noodles to the stir-fry. Cook a few minutes more.

You're done. This can be served on its own.

Breakfast Burritos
I recently discovered that instead of cooking all the elements of this separately, I could do most of it in one big pan and it comes out just as tasty. Remember, breakfast burritos are not just for breakfast.

1. Heat oil in large frying pan, a couple Tbsp. or so.
2. Add shredded potatoes -- you can buy them at the grocery store in the frozen food section, though I prefer the refrigerated kind, "Simply Potatoes."
3. Mix up a bunch of eggs (we usually do four for two adults and a toddler) with a bit of milk and some seasoning (for this we use Emeril's Southwest seasoning and Nature's Seasons).
4. After potatoes are more than halfway cooked, pour in egg. Mix.
5. Add whatever else you want: chopped bell pepper, shredded cheese, canned green chile peppers. Mix some more.

You're done. Serve mixture in heated tortillas rolled up burrito-style. I often add bacon, which we cook in the microwave on our super-cool can't-live-without-it microwave bacon tray.

* If you're worried about the heat of picante -- as I, the spice wuss, was -- stop. If you can eat salsa, you can eat mild picante no problemo.

** If you're working with raw chicken or fish, cook that first, then remove it while you cook the veggies. Add it back in at the end.

What Is "The Most Random Post I Could Come Up With"?

I didn't do the holiday posts -- no wishing readers their own joyous holidays (and I hope yours were divine) or spewing forth with the Happy New Year. I'm not feeling very sentimental these days, or if I am, it's not when I'm sitting at the keyboard. It's probably when I'm marveling at Dubya's leg strength as I'm changing his diaper or pointing out Texas to Boss Girl in her new United States floor puzzle or kissing Dubya's head while he sleeps on my chest (and stealing a sniff of that baby scalp). But rest assured, memorable times were had, if not fairytale-like. The homemade ravioli we made Christmas Eve was too doughy; the overnight oatmeal I slow-cooked for Christmas morning was overdone. Boss Girl, overstimulated and overtired, had a molten meltdown in the midst of opening the presents from the extended family (a stash which, I observed, dwarfed Santa's now-meager offerings). The only surprise present I got -- that is, that wasn't on my Amazon wish list -- was in the form of a web site printout asking me to place the order myself because I needed to choose the color. Except they're all back-ordered.

I got Seinfeld's Season 1 and 2 on DVD in my in-laws' Dirty Santa/Yankee Swap and I chose it fully consciously over the Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture DVD game. Why, you may ask? Wasn't I just saying that I was done accumulating DVDs? True, except for DVDs that are well worth watching and re-watching. Seinfeld qualifies. And the game would have done me no good -- board games are only valuable when you have someone to play them with, so I surrendered it to my brother-in-law who figured his girlfriend back in Philly would really like it. We did get to run through one game before he flew back home, where I both impressed and disgusted my fellow players by knowing the name of Dawson's favorite director.

Even though I know money doesn't mean value when it comes to gifts, the ratio of the money my husband spent on me versus what I spent on him was about five to one. I got him a bunch of small things for Boss Girl to give him, including an eBayed coffee mug with the likeness of one of his heroes, plus a framed and matted speech (authored by said hero) that I designed myself on the computer. Good Golly but is that man hard to buy for. I've already given him the engraved flybox, the vintage Bugs Bunny cartoons, the preferred shave cream from England, and the calfskin magnetic wallet twice. I'm outta ideas.

It was quite a nice holiday, in fact; the above may sound like it's full of complaints or dullness but it's not. It's just real life, which while not exactly visions of sugarplums, is still far more interesting and eventful.

I also haven't posted about the tsunami. Others have, and better, if we were to compare my hypothetical words with their existing ones. I'll tell you a secret: I have not read one news story on this devastation beyond the first day it happened and I still have not seen one second of TV coverage. Not at all. And it's not because I'm soulless or that I don't feel. It's that I do.

But anyway. This isn't a holiday post or a tsunami post. This was supposed to be a post about Jeopardy. One of the things I like to do on TiVo is investigate upcoming Biography shows on A & E to see which ones I'd like to record. Lots of times they have cool topics like the history of the Kellogg cereal guys or the life of Alfred Kinsey, the sex researcher recently played by Liam Neeson on the big screen. Both were fabulous. The one I watched today was on Jeopardy, the show. The show revolved around Ken Jennings and past big champions, but it also gave insight as to how to become a contestant. And you know what? I'm going to do it. Be a contestant. Not today, not tomorrow, and likely not this year or next. But I'm going to put it in my Mondo Beyondo list (thanks to Toni's blog for introducing me).

This Mondo Beyondo thing is frickin' cool. (Though I admit I've been a little flummoxed by the name -- I spent an entire day thinking it was a cool way to say "the world beyond" until I reminded myself that "world" in Spanish is acutally "mundo.") Check it out yourself. I haven't had time to do it yet. I've been up to my non-baby-caring, non-toddler-chasing ears in my new job and another big project. But I will soon. I'm already thinking about it. If you do it, share it with me. I'm interested.