Luminous Heart’s Neighborhood

The world is going to hell in a hand basket. But it is no one's fault.

When we were building our house a few years ago, everytime we questioned a mistake or poor workmanship we were told that "the apprentice did that". They always blamed the youngest and newest member of the team. The last few days we have been trying to sort out financing and purchase of a company car. The excuse this time is that "we didn't get the fax". This is also an excuse I was given frequently from publishers when I worked in the Basement of Discontent. No one ever says "I made a mistake", "I didn't  notice" or "I can't locate it". The blame is always put back onto someone else, or back on you. The fax didn't arrive it must mean you made a mistake/didn't send it/whatever guilt they can apply to you.

Then you have to make a series of phone calls just to get someone to refax the damn thing. When you do, they tell you that you missed the cut of by 46 seconds and they can't do anything about it until next day. Sorry, even if it is heart transplant surgery and you are lying with your chest ripped open and your dying heart exposed waiting for the replacement, if you can't get off that table and refax your form then there is nothing they can do.

I hate being cynical, but it is all getting to much. The same people think that customer service is speaking poilitely to you, and being friendly and smiling, not actually doing their job in a speedy and efficient manner. Actually complete a simple task in the time available - they say no, no, no!

I have spent a long time in various service positions and I have always found that the easiest way to do my job was to do it efficently and as soon as possible. It actually decreased the stress in my life, and made other people happy. Win/win situation for all. Problems got attended to immediately and flexibility a given. From little things big things don't always have to grow.

So, I can't help but wonder when these same people all arrive to speak with the Big Whatever just what excuses they will give. Who will they blame? When they lie dying on their hospital bed, who will they blame for all the wrongs they did? Will the messes in their lives be thrown upon the shoulders of someone else? I suspect they will revert to habit and look for a scapegoat, but they will really know, won't they? They will know that they could have done better. And if there is any justice in the world, if the Big Whatever turns them away from the doorstep, I hope the Big Whatever just gives one shrug of the mighty shoulders and says "Not my fault, it was all up to you.".

I was 18 years old and walking home to my apartment on Franklin Avenue in Boise from work as a waiter at Plush Pippin on State Street. As I zipped along the street, Eric, who was Wendy Belcher's boyfriend (my first boyfriend Jerry and I lived with her), was playing football in the field at Boise High and he saw me passing at shouted out: "The Wall fell down, maaaaaan! Those Germans are freeeeee!"

Are you prepared in case of a natural disaster? What do your plan and preparations include?

lol, what a strange question! Are we expecting one then?

I'm obsessive compulsive enough thanks. If I start worrying about potential natural disasters I'll be a nervous wreck.

Although, we are going to Thailand at christmas time, and I must admit that the thought has crossed my mind as I run on the treadmill each morning, that'll I'll be right to run a long way up into the mountains if a tsunami hits. Maybe even carrying one small child on my back. Which rules out my kids because they're all much bigger than me. Which is good because I won't have to do the Sophies Choice thing.

Remember when everyone was freaking out about the Y2K thing? I said to Daz, maybe we should stock up on food. And when the year 2000 clicked over with no problems I looked in the laundry and we had stocked one bottle of water and a 4 pack of baked beans. It was a pretty piss poor effort really. We'd have lasted a morning.

I think to be prepared for a natural disaster the best thing you can do is forget about supplies and just stock up on weapons. Lots of guns and ammo. Thats your best bet, because you're going to have to kill a lot of crazy desperate people to get to the supermarket and the bottle shop. Maybe even zombies. I'm not sure what sort of disaster we're talking about. Oh yes,there they are,  I wasn't looking properly. No zombies, so that makes it a bit easier.

And nail polish. Stock up on nail polish. Because new nail polish always makes you feel better.

My new bottles arrived in the mail the other day.

I'm wearing blue at the moment. But I'm wishing I'd picked Calypso.

 

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This discussion and news stories have reminded me of an experience when I was a young graduate student, 40 years ago.  A group of us political science students had a special class that met in a suburban Village Hall.  The professional village manager who was the guest lecturer was a bit late, and when he finally came in, he apologized, and this is what he said as an explanation:

The toilet bowl monster

                               2008年 日常のあれこれ 

miscellaneous things 日常のあれこれ：　night lights

miscellaneous things 日常のあれこれ: violin

miscellaneous things 日常のあれこれ　　wisteria 藤の花

miscellaneous things 日常のあれこれ：　腱板断裂

国宝薬師寺展　National Treasure from Yakushiji Temple Exibition

ユリノキ　tulip tree

ブルーノ・タウトのこと

Frank Lloyd Wright の 名残り

Frank Lloyd Wright の名残り-2 The remains of F.L.Wright-2

ganesh像

自家製リキュール　home-made and home-consumed liqueur

朝鮮朝顔　datura

もうひとつの紫陽花　another life of hydrangea

エリンギューム eryngium

MINT社　塩コショウ容れ　salt&pepper containers of MINT

父の煙草入れ　my father's cigarette box

インドの小箱　indian carved wooden box

仏陀の手 と 蓮の花　budda's hand & lotus flowers

太陽の光環 corona of the sun

祭りの前　the eve of a festival in a big city

夏の終わり　the end of summer

芸術　art : 高価な空缶　expensive crashed cans

そろそろ替えないと・・・　time to replace

秋のテーブル　autumn table

りぼん ribbon

新旧　OLD & NEW

秋の到来　signs of autumn

街の空　　sky in the city

象徴・立法・司法・行政　the nation's official bodies

洞穴の空間　space in a cave

その赤-田村能里子　her red-Tamura Noriko

Kobe Jazz Street Festival 2008

神戸夜景　night view of Kobe

スキューバ・ダイビング "scuba diving" in response to the questions from my neighbor

Fuji 

晩秋　late autumn

柿　persimmon

万聖節を過ぎれば　one day after All Saints' Day

「変革の時」たった今手元に　“Change has come to America”just arrived

冬蓮陰翳　lotus in december

フェルメール展 art exhibition: Vermeer and the Delft Style

3分30秒のシンデレラ　3.5 minute cinderella

2008年12月15日　冬の落日　the setting sun of winter

季節のご挨拶　Season's Greetings to You !

2008年クリスマスあれこれ　Tidbits of Christmas 2008

寒くなってくるとあちこちにローソクの明かりが欲しくなる。ついでに美味しそうなら尚いい。

As it gets colder, I get restless without candles here and there in the house. If one is delicious-looking, the better, like this one.

Delicious-looking candle

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magnifika's other articles

 蝋燭 candle

 油絵 my gallery 　　　　　　　　

 香水 fragrance        

 クルーズ　cruise

 庭の贈物 gift from my garden

 日常のあれこれ

 miscellaneous things

 美術館 my favorite art museums

 Other Links:                                                        

プレートserving plate                                                                                                                  　

gerry malligan ｼﾞｪﾘｰ･ﾏﾘｶﾞﾝ

Is that a dragon I see before me?

Night 1:

Flamingo Dancer returns from the bathroom and Mr FD asks:

"Did you see any dragons?"

"Yes," said I. "They were bar-b-queing the yaks"

"I hope there are some leftovers for breakfast" he says and goes back to sleep.

Night 2:

Mr FD returns from the bathroom and I  ask:

"Did you see any dragons?"

"Dragons!" Mr FD exclaims. "I am sick of slaying dragons. Day in, day out, nothing but dragon slaying. At least they could keep it down to one a day." He returns to bed and goes back to sleep.

Dragons and yaks in our backyard...the neighbours are not going to be happy at all.

~

I am scared of squirrels.   Irrational I know and I'm annoyed at myself for being afraid of such a cute looking little thing. 
I'd never seen a "real" squirrel until my first day here and when I saw them I raved over their sweet little faces and bushy twitching tails. 

My second day here I met a kamikaze squirrel.  Instead of running away from me it ran straight at me and stamping feet and noise did not deter it.    It only stopped when I ran away and then, looking over my shoulder,  I swear I saw it smile. 

This fear is especially pathetic as I come from the land of more than a few of the world's top 10 deadliest snakes, the small Funnel Web Spider and the Blue Ringed Octopus. I have a healthy respect for these but am not particularly terrified of them.

But squirrels...  I give way to even if it means walking onto the roadway; I give wide berth to trees where I spot a squirrel and I never stand still in a park!

We don't have any squirrels in our little yard;  I suspect because of all the pepper (chili) plants we have around but yesterday I noticed a neighbour is actively encouraging them ....   I would never be able to leave the house if this was at my front door!

This little girl was having a feast.  Of course this was taken from well back on the sidewalk! 

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I'm trying to quit apologizing for my Vox absences; things are the way they are. Instead, I want to share our brunch recipe for this weekend. Its easy, nutritious, and delicious.

Paneer spinach chard stir fry

This dish is best made with fresh cottage cheese or paneer. Store brought paneer, fresh Mexican cheese (the kind that does not melt) and tofu will work, but do try it with fresh paneer. Its delicious!

To make about 2 cups of paneer, you will need:

A large 2 quart microwave safe glass bowl/jug
2 quarts 2% milk
1/4 cup white vinegar (Different people use different curdling agents. Using yogurt will give you a milder tasting paneer. My mother always uses fresh lime juice as a curdling agent. It gives a fresher-tasting paneer.)
A large fine-mesh sieve, or a colander lined with muslin/layered cheesecloth

Heat the milk in the microwave until it comes to a boil. In my microwave, this takes about 14 minutes. Alternatively, you can boil the milk on the stove. When it comes to a rolling boil, stir in the vinegar. You'll see the milk start to separate.

Continue heating for another couple of minutes or until the greenish whey completely separates from the curds. Drain this mixture through the sieve, using your spoon to press out the whey.

You can save the whey and use it in other recipes-remember, its a little sweet. I like to use it to make rice and smoothies.

There it is, fresh paneer. Try tasting it with a little seasoned salt or sugar.  You can also add salt, pepper and herbs to the curd-whey mixture before draining it to get seasoned paneer.

Other ingredients for the stir fry:
6 cups fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups chard, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp powdered coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 green chillies, chopped
one clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large skillet.
Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, and stir until the cumin seeds pop.
Then add the green chillies, garlic. Saute for a few seconds, and add the paneer.
Crumble the paneer with the back of your spoon and saute until nicely browned. 
Add the greens and saute until they are just wilted.
Season with salt and pepper and serve hot with naan/garlic toast/rice. Enjoy!