Priorities - Do We Have It Wrong?

I don't know what's wrong with this country (rhetorical).

In my opinion, people have totally lost sight of what's important.  A day off here and there for special events should be mandatory, not frowned upon.  Life should be a collection of experiences.  

I have much more respect for the wacky "Mame Dennis" relative than the convention followers.  This goes both for missing Work or School.

Now before I begin, I'm not talking about going all 'Ferris Bueller' (if that reference doesn't mean anything to you, go rent the movie).  I'm talking about events that come to town, opportunities that might mean missing a day of work or pulling a kid from school.

For the past decade, I worked for a fun company that very few people get to work for.  We'd have special events that we can invite people to.  These would be considered once-in-a-lifetime type things that most people wouldn't get to do or attend (OK so they usually were twice annually, but that's not my point).  Sometimes, these would mean missing a day of school if you were a kid.  These are special events that makes one's life richer in the big scheme. To NOT miss school for one day is wrong.

But OMG, the drama that could follow these requests totally blew my mind.  School is something like 180 days per year.  Missing a few of them for a "life experience" should not be a crime, but should be encouraged by the schools.  I mean, really... how much stuff is a kid going to miss in one day?  

Really?  When did our school systems suddenly get so good that the amount of knowledge gained in one day was so invaluable?

Life first.  Routine second.  Looking back on one's life, it will be the special events most likely remembered, not that Tuesday in November that you made sure you didn't miss school. 

I think I'd prefer that my kids rack up some absentee days to live life. 




[Disclaimer: No, I am not yet a parent, but I suspect my feelings on this issue will not change all that much... of course if my kid's grades suck, then the incentive to bring them up is so we can skip school from time to time.]

A Life Remembered - John Lennon

It was nearly 30 years ago today... Sgt. Pepper asked the band not to play, but to observe a moment of silence.

John Lennon had been murdered.  His voice forever silenced.

While the details of that tragic night need not be restated here, I wanted to recall my still vivid memories of that evening.

I was in the U.S. Navy, about a month out of Boot Camp and just completed my Basic Electricity and Electronics courses in Orlando, Florida.  I was out with some friends, celebrating and drinking at the club on base (I was under-21, but drinking alcohol was - and still is - legal on base for all military personnel).

Around 11PM, I stumbled back to my barracks.  In the morning I was shipping out to Naval Station Great Lakes outside of Chicago to continue my schooling.  I turned on the radio to listen to the news (I've been listening to all-talk/news radio since I was little boy as an aid in sleeping).

I staggered into the bathroom on the left, flipped on the light and began to pee.  Over the radio I heard the breaking news that John Lennon has been shot and that he was being rushed to the hospital.  In my current state, I only half heard it and only a quarter comprehended it.

After undressing, I climbed up into my top bunk a few minutes later.  The breaking news was now updated to report that John Lennon had died.  I quietly cried myself to sleep.

This entire incident only took about 15 minutes.  

The next morning when I awoke, my nightmares had been confirmed: John Lennon was dead.  It touched me very deeply as this was the first of MY icons to die.  While Elvis had died a few years early, he belonged to a different generation, but John was mine.

As I sit here now 30 years later, on what would have been his 70th Birthday - listening, enjoying and pondering his music (as I will again in two months ago on the anniversary of that tragic and senseless day), I want to again remember his legacy and his words.  While he was considered by some to be a radical, he was poet who more than anything else, proffered peace and love.

I can think of no better final thought than to remind you all of the lyrics to "Imagine":

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

"How To Bake An Apple Pie" (or, "How To Make What Looks Like A Simple Baked Good Into A Two-Hour Plus Nightmare Project With An End Result That Is... At Least Edible")

This is the Pie that inspired me.

"Hey, you know what would be fun.  I just saw this great looking recipe in a newsletter for an Apple Pie.  It looks pretty easy and since I have a dinner party tomorrow, how cool would it be to bake this pie from scratch!  The newsletter even has the recipe for the dough, which totally looks doable."

I wished someone had been around when I uttered those words so they could tie me up, lock me in my room and keep me there until the dinner party.  Let me start by saying, I love to cook.  Whipping up dinners with stuff in the fridge and the cabinet, tapping into all of the things I've seen on "Iron Chef" and "Top Chef" and "Good Eats" and even "Hell's Kitchen" over the years.  I'm a pretty good cook.

Well let me tell you... 'cooking' and 'baking' are two completely different animals.  It's probably similar to the difference between removing a tooth and removing a drain clog!  In cooking, you add what you want, taste, adjust, add more, taste, adjust... ultimately, enjoy.

In baking, you measure (did they mean this line or that line... do I pack or leave loose... what does 'by weight not volume' mean!  Isn't 8 oz in a measuring cup simply 8 oz?), you pray, you measure more, pray more, mix some (but not don't 'overwork it'), you pray again, you follow the recipe to the nth degree - but if it's so technical, why is every friggin' recipe is sooo different!

OK - let me slow down and begin at the beginning...

Shopping:  I need Apples, a Lemon, and a Pie Tin.  Everything else I have.  The recipe called for Macintosh Apples.  My market doesn't carry these, so I use my iPhone to search for 'Apple Pie Apples' (smart, huh!).  I find that the Braeburns I like are listed as suitable for Pies, so I'm golden.  As for the Lemon, it's needed for some Grated Rind.  I look for some 'packaged' rind thinking maybe it could be a good add-in for other recipes down the line.  I find some Lemon Omani (used in Middle Eastern cooking).  It is the dried rind of the Black Lemon, but nothing seems to indicate it might be good for baking or using as a substitute.  With this idea a no-go, I do waht I should have done 15 minutes ago and grab a Lemon with nice looking peel.  I find a Pie Tin and head home.

Preparation:  I clean (read: scrub and sterilize) my countertop (as I may have to roll the dough out on it later) and arrange my ingredients, including a few additions I might like to add (the Chef in me): Cocoa Powder, Ginger, Nutmeg, Vanilla.

The Dough: I mix my Flour(s) together, but I (of course) want to use Wheat Flour instead of White.  I google some info and decide to use a 50/50 blend.  I use my metal strainer as a makeshift Sifter and after removing the course Wheat Bran bits, I have a nice silky flour.

So far, so good.  I'm having fun.  In addition to some Salt (called for by the recipe), I sneak in 1/2 tsp of Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Nutmeg, 1 tsp Vanilla and 3/4 tsp Cocoa.  Why?  Because I usually find pie crusts boring and I wanted to add a bit of flavor - I forgo the Ginger, but decide to sprinkle some into the Apples later.  

I grate the Lemon Zest into the flour mixture, cube up the 2 tbs of Butter (by hand), wisk the Egg Yolks with the Ice Water and then incorporate.  I then begin to work the dough into a ball - which never happens... it's crumbly.  I google for help and find similar recipes with as much as 2 sticks of butter!  So to bring my dough together, I begin to add additional tablespoons of butter one at a time... one more... two more... feeling better.

Rolling the Dough: I take my ball of dough, lay it between two sheets of wax paper and begin to roll it out.  The edges are all cracked and crumbly.  This is not working.  OK... more butter (or run out and buy a crust).  NO - more butter.  Two more tablespoons go in (bringing what should have been 2 tbs to a total of 6 tbs).  Now the ball comes together and and I am able to roll it out and get it into the pie tin.  It ain't pretty, but 'feels' alright to me (the oh-so-novice Baker).

I assume the dark coloring is from a combination of the Wheat Flour and the Cocoa Powder.  On to the Filling!

Apples:  This should be easy!  Core and slice up the Apples and lay them in the crust.  Hey, it will be even easier as I have a new Peeler/Corer that I got for Christmas.  I used one at my Sister's for Thanksgiving to peel Apples and it worked pretty good.  I pull mine out and realize I've not used it yet, so wash it, assemble it and try to 'calibrate' it.  The first peels are taking two much apple meat with them, so more adjustments... most apples go halfway through be they stop spinning and the corer just continues through without turning the apples... and they begin 'browning' in the air, so I have to get a bowl of Lemon Juice to lay them in.  Now I have to alternate between Peeler/Corer and Hand Finishing the ones that only half core.  Now my slices are odd looking and not looking pretty... but they'll be IN the pie so no one will see them.  OK - Apples are finally laid out in their crusty tomb... er, their delicious, crusty bed.

Top Shell:  CRAP!  I forgot to save some of the dough for a top shell!  Wait... I think I saw a recipe that used a Crumble on top.  

Crumble Topping:  I find the recipe on Google (natch) and make a Crumble Topping with Flour, Oats, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Butter.  This will be fun and different.

Baking:  OK, now that I've gotten this far, the worst should be over.  I set the oven for 400° and prepare to pop it in.  Now how long does it bake for?  Oh, I see... 35 minutes at 400° by one recipe (the one that needed three times the butter!) and 375° for 60 minutes according the recipe with the Crumble topping.  OK, so I'll bake for 35 at 375° then check it... and when I do, it looks the same as when I put it in!  

Let's leave it in for another 15 minutes and google "How Do You Know When An Apple Pie Is Done" - the answer: when the crust is golden brown.  Damn - my crust started out brown due to my Cocoa and Wheat Flour additions.  In either event, this site mentions 45 minutes to an hour for the golden crust so I think I'm still on the right track.

After an hour, the pie still looks no different, but I am nervous to leave it in much longer so out it comes.  I insert a knife and the Crumble topping seems 'toasted' and the Apple insides seem soft-ish.  Apple-y smelling steam rises from my creation, so I'm calling it 'done'.  The test will be at the Dinner Party tomorrow night.  "Movie Crew" (my Dinner Party peeps tomorrow) - I did my best!

So, did I successfully bake a pie from scratch?  Did my additions, changes, quick thinkings and last minute adjustments throughout actually pay off into an edible (do I dare hope for delicious?) dessert?  

[Final Result: OK - so I taste-tested it early.  Twice as many apples as I used are needed, but what's there is tasty.  The Butter in the Crumble topping did a nice job melting down into the apples.  The Crust (with 3x the "called-for" butter) is still a bit dry and bland for me - there has to be a way (other than using graham crackers) to add FLAVOR into a crust.  Maybe adding flavor extracts and some sort of sweetener (other than sugar) that will allow the crust to retain it's flakiness, but in a more palatable manner.]

Moral:  Baking is NOT the same as Cooking.  Baking requires precision and is more of an exact science.  Cooking is relaxing and creative in comparison.  I'll stick to Cooking.

Uniqueness

As I watched a movie earlier today (the movie matters not, but it was RKO's 1936 Mary of Scotland with Katherine Hepburn and Frederic March - a strange, over-acted, pondering thing directed by the legendary John Ford)... where was I... 

Oh, yes... as I watched a movie earlier today, I noticed a candle burning center screen.  As the flame flickered, I watched the smoke slowly rise, billow and curl (that's how good the movie was!).  

As the actors came and went on screen, it occurred to me that they could repeatedly perform this scene over and over again... nothing unique about their actions; but that candle, that singular element burning unbeknownst to them on the table - that was unique.  Its actions were singular.  They were one-of-a-kind, never to be repeated.  It was the most alive and real thing on that screen.

We are always being told how wonderful we are.  How special,  how unique.  But are we?  

As I sit in my apartment, I realize that if I wasn't sitting on this couch in this apartment watching my TV and typing on my MacBook... someone else would be in this apartment.  My MacBook would have been sold to someone else and be elsewhere having other things typed on it.  My TV (which I won in a sweepstakes from "Men's Health" magazine back in 2004) would be drawing electricity from elsewhere as well, with someone else's eyes peering at it.  My burgundy couch from (the now defunct) Wikes Furniture would be in some other room somewhere else, too.


The point is, they would all still 'be' - still would have all been manufactured, shelved and sold.  Nothing unique in their existence.  Nothing as singular as that flickering candle from 1936.


Or am I wrong?  While their existence is not in any sense unique, their existence together in this one place is unique.  Is singular.  They were all brought together by me.  I am the one constant in their life and I am the one variable that, had I been changed out for another, would have resulted in a completely different end result.


The someone else who won the Sharp Aquos from "Men's Health" would most likely NOT be the same person who put the burgundy pull out couch across from it in this North Hollywood apartment.  The odds are astronomical.


The only thing that overcame those astronomical odds was me.  My existence.  My uniqueness.


I therefore must be like that Hollywood candle from over-seven decades ago.  While the scenario around me continues unaware of my place in the scene, I am there.  Center stage.  Burning brightly.

Writings from my Past

Starting tomorrow... a project that is near and dear to my heart, will finally see the light of day. The Larry Chronicles - a trilogy with a long and storied past, will be published online - one chapter per week - until the entire work is online.

What began as a 4th Grade creative writing project and bookbinding exercise back in 1973 (probably for Mrs. Dooling at Everett A. McDonald Comprehensive Elementary School - they made us memorize that! - in Warminster, Pennsylvania), grew into a trilogy. A fantasy tale with pop-culture references. Of course, leaving those 70s/80s pop-culture references in tact today, make them retro and therefore, once again relevant.

Rediscovered in the mid-80s (sadly ending mid-sentence and mid-climax without a single clue where it was heading), it was fully revised, completed, but again set aside. Dusted off a few years after I arrived in Los Angeles, it went through another complete revision in 1996... before once again neglect took hold and it was left untouched for another 15 years.

While dining with a close friend tonight (and she knows who she is), the idea to self-publish finally took hold. I therefore will endeavor to post it exactly as it was completed in 1996, but you never know... 35 years after it was originally written, it may once again get a tweak or two... or a thousand.

Oh, and The Larry Chronicles will be posted in their own blog location at http://ldweisberg2.blogspot.com/ - but as always, I'll announce each Chapter's addition on my Facebook page or you can subscribe above to 'Follow' the tale as it unfurls.