mulberryshoots

November 27, 2012

embracing change . . .

You know how we hear a lot about the concept of change? The only constant in life is change, etc. etc.? Some people are wary of change and do not welcome it because they’re happy with what they think is the status quo. I think of myself as liking change because I need and want a lot of stimulation, which is why I read so much and explore new topics, poring over books, listening to CDs by musicians that I hadn’t heard of up to now. All that new stuff to think about and consider.

Today, as I was going through my stacks of magazines as part of my Unhoarding Exercise, I came across a copy of “Shambhala Sun” a Buddhist journal with the phrase, “Embrace Change” on the front. I got around to reading the article this afternoon (which is why Unhoarding takes such a long Read the rest of this entry »

November 23, 2012

un-hoarding, part 2 . . .

I wanted to note that I’m writing this post on what’s called “Black Friday,” a day of shopping frenzy stirred up by merchants for us to acquire more and more things, hopefully ones that will make the recipients (including ourselves) happier. I’m not against shopping and acquiring stuff so much as I want to be more conscious and intelligent about my own motivations. That is why the book that I talked about in the last post has been so helpful towards developing these self-insights.

I found that I had to wade through half of the book, stories of hard-core hoarders and the author’s experiences with them before I came to what appeared to be the heart and nuts and bolts of the book. There Read the rest of this entry »

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November 21, 2012

un-hoarding . . .

Yesterday, I read a column by Jane Brody in the NYTimes describing a book on un-hoarding that she said was the best self-help book she has read in forty-seven years. That’s a weighty claim to make by someone who dishes out scientific and everyday advice on a regular basis. This book supposedly approaches de-cluttering in a pragmatic way that also connects the reader with what is really going on underneath that accounts for us to hold onto things.

It could be an association or an obligation hidden in one’s psyche that one wants to memorialize. I’m not sure, but the book is due to arrive today and I’m looking forward to finally figuring out how to clear out the rest of my stuff. Read the rest of this entry »

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November 19, 2012

new normal . . .

the naked duck

This is Sunday before Thanksgiving, and usually, I will have done my food shopping for the week’s preparations: fresh turkey, not too big; a couple of pounds of chestnuts to roast, peel and add to a bread stuffing made with Pepperidge Farm herb breadcrumbs, Bell’s seasoning, fresh parsley, vidalia onions, chicken broth; potatoes to boil for mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts with bacon, peas and salad; pumpkin pie or some kind of harvest-like dessert.

So, today, I was in Whole Foods and noticed that beside the very expensive brined organic turkeys, were rows of Bell and Evans fresh duckling. Since it’s the two of us this year, I thought, well, why not have duckling instead? Peking Duck, to be exact. A simple meal with roasted duckling, carved with crispy pieces of golden brown skin, scallions, hoisin sauce smeared on homemade wrappers. When I brought up the idea with G., his face lit up and he nodded in agreement. And Read the rest of this entry »

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November 15, 2012

“advice to myself” . . .

I was reading an interview/article about Louise Erdrich, the writer today. Actually, I guess it was two articles. The first one was this morning in the New York Times newspaper that her latest novel, “The Round House” had won the National Book Award. And she had some stiff competition too.

By coincidence this afternoon, I happened upon an interview with her in the literary magazine “Poets and Writers,” a publication that I sometimes find really inspiring and many times, am as easily put off by it. Must be the frustration I have about being a better writer for myself rather than trying to beat the publishing system. Anyhow, that’s neither here nor there.

The interview in P&W came (obviously) before she won the National Book Award. It’s interesting that she thinks of herself as Native Read the rest of this entry »

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November 12, 2012

a turning leaf . . .

How many times have you decided to start your life over? You know, the “this is the first day of the rest of my life?” kind of thing? Turning the page, starting a new volume of your life’s story, whatever phrases we want to use to denote our true readiness (this time!) to make big changes within and outside ourselves.

I smile as I write this because I’m not trying to make a joke about it. In fact, I think it’s one of the greatest benefits of being American and living in a country that believes in second, third and fourth chances. A populace that forgives people who transgress (think Read the rest of this entry »

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November 9, 2012

surviving . . .

It’s a sunny morning today and I have been thinking about the concept of survival. There’s been a lot to survive these days, even more than we’re used to: Hurricane Sandy and the Nor-easter that just blew through here before we had a chance to get our snow tires on. The election with its omnipresent barrage of name-calling and finger-pointing. Now, fears of a fiscal cliff. It doesn’t seem as though the press is willing to let up for one second from pounding us into the ground with more things to worry about.

On a more personal level, there are many stories of survival as well. Those who lost their homes due to weather, but not their lives. Kevin Krim, the father of two slain children in New York, who spoke with courage and grace at a memorial service in Avery Fisher Hall to remember them with joy as well as to mourn them. Long lines of people waiting to vote, waiting to get gas, waiting for power, waiting for trains and busses. All of the folks who came from far and wide to help repair flooded infrastructure and to provide help for those in need.

There was an animated window on the New York Times website on election day which asked the reader to fill in one word that described the feeling you had on that day. Words like “hopeful,” “worried,” and “anxious” appeared. After some reflection, I typed in the word, “American,” because for all the ups and downs, disagreements and vicissitudes that we as a country have gone through and continue to endure, we survive for the most part to take on life with something to say for ourselves, another day.

Surviving used to be taken as a kind of consolation for having made it whether or not it was how you might have wanted life to be. Now, it seems to have moved more to the center and describes day-to-day life. Even so, it’s worth acknowledging and taking a moment to be grateful for all that we still have, don’t you think?

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November 3, 2012

little piano players . . .

Josie at 15 months old with me, Christmas, 2011

My daughter, M., was telling me yesterday about her experience playing Bach at the piano with her daughter, J. on her lap. J., who is going on two-and-a half plinked around on the keys, and when she finished, M. clapped, to which J. beamed a huge smile and then wanted M. to play the piano some more. This description seems like a good model for how to introduce a young child to play music.

As a pianist myself, I have been commenting for some time now that J. has perfect ‘piano hands’–wide palm, long fingers, born to play the piano. If she relishes the playing AND the applause, that’s a good sign, don’t you think?

That got me searching for and finding some truly adorable and impressive Youtube clips of little asian girls playing amazing piano that are inspiring to watch, whatever our age!

Here are a few that I hope you’ll enjoy watching:
1) an amazing 5 year old playing Bach at a sprightly clip:

2) my favorite 8 year old, because she looks so charming and plays so musically:

3) and last but not least, aimi kobayashi at the age of four and in 2008, playing in Moscow:

I hope that these little piano players fill your day with wonder and the sound of music!

October 29, 2012

just in case . . .

People are predicting that “Sandy,” the perfect storm with the lowest pressure ever in combo with cold air coming from the north and warm gulf stream air entering from the south might become the biggest storm EVER. You know it’s serious when they shut down public transportation in New York City; evacuate people along coastal states, close schools and say you can work from home. Even the Court system in NYC will be closed today.

So, what I began doing when I woke up in the middle of the night around 3 a.m. was to start cooking the ten-pound ham that is not spiral-sliced, but an old fashioned, honest to goodness semi-cooked ham. I glazed it with Poupon mustard, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar on the outside. Baked it for almost three hours in a 325 degree oven while browning baby brussels sprouts in a skillet and steaming broccoli and cauliflower in another pan.

On the stove, I rinsed out the navy beans that had been soaking the day before, sauteed vidalia onion, carrots; put in a hambone from the freezer, adding spring water and chicken broth to make a hearty bean soup. There’s a head of lettuce and three asian pears for salad to offset the ham. Oatmeal bread and rolls should hold us for ham sandwiches or peanut butter too. There’s enough to share with family next store and tenants who live in the house.

In the freezer is a ten pound bag of ice which can go in a cooler to keep all this food chilled and safe to eat for a few days in case the power goes off.

While the vegetables were simmering, I brought in the wind chime that has sturdily kept going for almost ten years out on the back landing. And piled the flower pots together in the pantry too. There are a couple of Stanley tripod torches to give us light in case the electricity goes off. If it does, there’s always knitting or reading to do, and it will be a good test of how long we can live without being online!

So, this is about all I can think of to prepare for this impending storm. Maybe we won’t need it after all. Let’s hope so. I think it’s humbling to do what we can to prepare for this potential emergency, while recognizing that the magnitude of this storm (and its impact) rests completely in the hands of Mother Nature!

Afternote (31 Oct. 2012): Unlike many less fortunate, we were spared a power outage. So yesterday, slices of ham, vegetables, rolls, biscuits and soup went to family and friends. The ten pound bag of ice waits in the freezer for another day.

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October 28, 2012

true grit . . .

Last night, G. and I watched the Coen brothers’ production of “True Grit.” Nominated for ten Academy Awards, it seemed like the movie might be interesting to watch. It was a bit slow, we thought, and the script language a mite stilted. I was struck by how tall the fourteen year old girl was who played the heroine–and how reliant her character seemed to be on the threat of legal action whenever she found herself in trouble. Was this in the original 1968 novel or a Coen brothers overlay?

Life can be like that too, don’t you think? When sometimes you feel you have to stand up for justice, as Mattie did in avenging the killing of her father. She, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) and a guy named LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) track down the villain, Tom Chaney, played by Josh Brolin.

In the final scenes, Mattie shoots Chaney, the recoil of the gun sending her down into a pit of vipers (literally!) where she is bitten by a rattlesnake. Cogburn races to bring her back to the Medicine Man who amputates her arm. Much is sacrificed in this story–the valiant horse that Cogburn rides to exhaustion and death; Mattie’s lost arm and life as a spinster. Twenty-five years later, Mattie misses a reconciliation with Cogburn by three days, taking his body back to bury on a hill nearby her home.

I was thinking about this plot later on. And I can recall times when standing up for what you believe in, no matter the onus or personal cost it extracts at the time, is still the right thing to do. There’s usually collateral damage along the way. Loss of family. Loss of a limb. Like Mattie, not knowing what the outcome might be, there’s no choice except to prevail. True Grit.

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