mittentime

Southern Food

2012-01-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

This month's Bon Appetit is devoted to southern food. Apparently there is a movement in this country to adopt the food of the south just as we seem to be adopting certain aspects of the politics and religion.

I prefer the food to the more conservative elements of Southern culture.

But, the food is not new to this Northerner.

I wish I could read in those pages an essay on my own Father's love of grits and black eyed peas. I wish someone had written the memoir of Dad's experimentation with spices and heat. It would be interesting to read why a man from North Dakota and California developed such an interest and affection for a cuisine so far from the one he was raised with.

As it is, I guess, I have to write it myself, but I am at a loss.

I don't know what sparked Dad's affection for gumbo and grits. He didn't pass it on. Yes, I would love to perfect fried chicken, but I really don't much love grits. I like black eyed peas fine, but prefer southwestern style beans.

Maybe it is exactly the distance between white-bread-in-milk and Gumbo by which Dad measured his life. I know there is a distance between brownies and bourbon chocolate brownies that occasionally keeps me on track. That little bit of difference. That little bit of the unusual.

Anyway, I don't mind reading about southern food. Sometimes I hanker for a gumbo...if I am allowed to skip the okra. Let me skip the bread in milk as well. I am going to think about Dad's love of southern food and see how it plays out for me.

Legwarmers

2012-01-08T14:40:00.001-08:00

As promised: leg warmers! Cascade 220 superwash. Just double rib for 8 inches. Little legs are cold no longer.

A new year

2012-01-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

Another one.
We have had an uneventful new year.

The kids are ready to head back to school and I am ready for them to go. I am teaching again in a few weeks and need to get ready for a new class and a book I have never taught from.

Also, got some good advice on managing the classroom from an old friend. I will be prepared.

Charles has an IEP meeting soon. Will has more dental work. I am making Bea some leg warmers for ballet class. I promise pictures.

We are still digging out from snow and ice and way too many Christmas presents!

I am resolving to try to be a better wife and mom, a better daughter and better teacher.

Wish me luck.

Update

2011-12-08T06:30:00.001-08:00

I confronted the student I mentioned in the previous post. After the final I chatted with her in the hallway, away from the others. I told her I wasn't mad, but that posting on Tumblr in class is rude. I told her that some instructors would be happy to publicly humiliate her. All she could say was "Okay" "Okay" "Okay".

I suspect she has no idea how I know what she was doing. I wonder if she will blame a classmate for ratting her out. I wonder.

Also, I have a new GetBorn post coming later today. Check it out. GetBorn

Polite

2011-12-02T06:34:00.001-08:00

I teach at a community college. Many of the students are well educated up to a point. I would bet that one or two have heard what I teach more than once. Some are very poorly educated. Some have trouble finding simple words to express their thoughts.

They are all adults and mostly very respectful. Every semester there are one or two who are not that respectful. One or two use their laptops to take notes. A few have their textbooks on their laptops or Ipads. I am lenient about multitasking and don't mind the laptop use, EXCEPT in the case of the person in the back row obviously not taking notes or looking at the text, and showing their neighbor what they are doing. And giggling. And being rude. To me.

A student made a rude gesture in class when I mentioned feminist art. I asked about the gesture and she said she just doesn't like feminist art. I should have been faster on my feet and had her explain exactly what she doesn't like. In my experience there is a knee jerk reaction to the word feminism and a lot of people say they don't like it. But feminist art and feminism are two different things. Related, but different.

I went on to explain the concept of inclusion. The girl in the back row continued to look indifferent and was busy on her lap top.

I googled her after class because I suspected what she was doing. There was her tumblr page. While I was explaining the concept of feminist art. She was writing this:

Art teacher gets mad at me for admitting I’m not a major fan of feminist art after being asked…..awesome

She obviously doesn't mention the rude gesture she made. And I wasn't mad. But I am now. Rather than LEARN, she chose to post to tumblr. Why is she paying for an education? I have very suddenly become less lenient of multitasking.

We only have the final left. No more chance to address this behavior. I am so irritated.

Check it out

2011-11-08T06:38:00.000-08:00

I will be taking a monthly stint over at Getbornmag. Today is my day. My post should show up about mid-morning. We are still working on the kinks, though, so keep your fingers crosses.
And check out the other posters too. There are at least 30 people involved in this project so there is a new post almost daily.