Life Symphony or Band of Bassoons

Several months ago I posted a video (theological in nature) on my Facebook, with which someone did not agree. He commented in a very condescending way about how the message of the video was wrong, which was his personal opinion. He referenced others with PhDs who shared his opinion, in order to give his argument weight.

I chose to confront his condescension.

See I am ok with a difference of opinion from my own. What I cannot stand is when someone attempts, through knowledge, education, gender, or whatever other bias they can come up with, to lord their own opinion over others in such a way to belittle them. No one needs help feeling small. We all fight for security in the knowledge of who we are in this human race.

He denied his condescension. It was a fairly simple exchange. No harsh words. No real drama. It was just a simple conversation, which included apologies.

So here is the kicker. He blocked me. No unfriending. No hiding me from his feed. He flat out blocked me. Now I admit I have had to block someone, one person, for full on harassment (very long story).  I have people hidden. I have even unfriended people, though it is rare. He blocked me for a simple exchange or maybe for a difference of opinion. We apparently do not share all the same theological views.

I am not whining about it, I promise. I knew this person when I was young and were it not for the internet we would probably never have crossed paths again. What is so strange to me is how easily the internet has allowed us to become rear-ends with one another. We have come to believe that anyone who does not agree with me should be banished, cut-off, blocked and rallied against. You can almost hear the screaming "off with their heads" over the tiniest things. When did it become so difficult to hear one another out, to have a civilized conversation, or to at least just agree to disagree. Instead we cuss out people that we don't even know, we block those that we do know, or we attempt to amass a crowd who will stand with us in our Facebook drama. It has gotten ridiculous. It reminds me of middle-school, playing on the black top. One day we were friends, the next day we were enemies. For me middle-school was 30 years ago. I say it is high time we grow up. We are different and that is a good thing. We will not always agree and dare I say that is also a good thing. We each have a part to play in this symphony called life. If we all played the bassoon, it would not be much of a symphony, just a band of bassoons.*



*If you play the bassoon please do not take offense to the use of bassoons in my example. People who play the bassoon are vital to a good symphony. :)

Sneaky Colds

This little booger is the common cold virus.

Yes I called it a booger because that is what it causes, along with a sore throat, a headache, coughing, sneezing, and a host of other ailments. I have one and it sucks. It has interrupted my life.  It snuck up on me and knocked me on my butt. It is amazing how something so tiny and kind of pretty can be so harsh.

By the way, in writing this, I learned something new. "Snuck" is not in my computer's dictionary. I looked it up online and found out that "sneaked" is the proper past tense of "sneak", although "snuck" is now also acceptable. Who knew? Not me. I have heard snuck all my life and will probably continue to use it even with this new information.

I love when new information sneaks up me. Not colds though, I hate colds.

Image source: http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/images/coldvirus.jpg

Making Applesauce Is Like Dealing With People

It is Saturday and it is quiet in my house. This is unusual. As a result I have spent a good portion of the day binge watching Once Upon A Time. Thank you Netflix and Roku.
After my long, hard day of watching TV,  I remembered I had apples still sitting on my counter waiting for me to make applesauce. The munchies got me up to work. A friend told me how easy applesauce is to do homemade and she was right. Thank you Melissa K.

Recipe:
15 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut - I used Gala apples
2/3 cup water - I added a little extra because my crock-pot cooks a little hot
1/2 cup brown sugar
I also added about a teaspoon of cinnamon

That's it. Put it all in a crock-pot on low and let it cook about 6 hours. To be honest mine only took about 4 1/2 hours because like I said my crock-pot cooks a little hot. I also stirred mine regularly but that is because I just couldn't stop messing with it.

When it's all done just use that handy dandy tool pictured below to mash it all up. The apples were so tender they mashed easily.  If you want it smoother you could use an electric beater. 

I did not even wait for it to cool off before I made a bowl for myself. And let me tell you, this was delicious!!!

There you have it: homemade applesauce. See, sometimes there is cooking here. 

In trying to think of some life lesson or words of wisdom to go with this recipe, I realized that the process I used for this applesauce is a lot like the one I use for dealing with people who come to me for help with life's stuff. First you must cut the apples apart (find out what is going on inside), remove the core, skins, and seeds (help remove that which is not helpful, useful and possibly harmful), put the prepared apple pieces back together (keep and encourage what is good), add a little sugar and spice (love and wise words), add some heat (endurance and patience while things get worked out), take a masher to it all (discipline and restructuring), and serve it up for all to enjoy (at last freedom, joy, peace, wholeness). For some I have had the pleasure of having in my life this has been a short process, for some a long one, and for others a repeated one. Nonetheless I love those who have sat with me, often at my kitchen island, and poured out their hearts while I attempted to help make their lives into something beautiful and delicious. The funny thing is, the beauty is in the apples as well as in the people. Most of what they need is already there. I simply help to bring its potential to reality.  

By the way it is not Saturday anymore. It is now 1:00 am on Sunday. Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour. FALL BACK :)

*Note:this post used to have pictures but in making some adjustments to things I lost all my pictures and I cannot find them - oh well - that's life in a digital age. :)

Welcome to Nonie's

"So, what's going on?"

This question is how most of the conversations at my kitchen island start. Someone comes in, sits down, sighs or smiles like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland,and I immediately know something is up. Someone needs to talk, or maybe someone needs to listen. 

A lot of things have happened at that island. Wisdom has been dispatched. Tears have flowed freely. Voices have been raised. Apologies have been exchanged. Questions, hard questions, have been asked. Answers have been given. Lies have been expelled and revelation has come. Laughter has rung out. Joy has abounded. And sometimes food even gets prepared and served.

No topic is off limits here in my kitchen. The kitchen island is the heart of my home because it is the place where many have made a home in my heart.

So welcome, come in, have a seat and let's talk about it.

Nonie