laleo

By "crap" do you mean the image we had of him? Or do you mean his actions?

I don't know how complicated he was, but I think he was more of a symbol than a person. Maybe because we were young, or maybe because we had our own "issues," we each seemed to make him into whatever it was we needed him to be for that moment. At least that's how it seems to me from reading years of posts about the man. He didn't match expectations, that much is certain. Speaking for myself, I'm not comfortable attaching the label "evil" to him. He was more like an authoritarian daddy, loud and demanding one moment, protective and kind the next. Unpredictable. In hindsight, he was much more selfish and manipulative than I gave him credit for at the time, but I wonder if he knew it himself. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that he believed his own hype.

coolchef: I'm going to get right on that salmon. I love grilled salmon, but haven't found a basting sauce I like. Maybe this one will be it. I'll let you know. The pork chops sound good, too. Do you roast the sweet potatoes on the grill with the pork chops?

coolchef: What do you mean you'll try it? I got the idea from you! Never occurred to me to cook with lavender. What other recipes do you have that involve some of the herbs mentioned here?

I sauteed a portabello mushroom with an onion, chopped up some lavender, sprinkled on some tarragon, added a brown gravy mix, and served it with mashed potatoes. It was excellent. Any more recipes?

Vickles, I just like how the lavender looks and smells, especially with the tiny purple blossoms in the winter. I don't do anything with it, other than occasionally splash it with water. Yeah, the herbs grow year round. Some of them flower, some don't. Occasionally, one will inexplicably die off, so I start another. I cook more in the fall and winter than I do the rest of the year, so that's when I like having them around. I just clip pieces of them off and throw them in with whatever is on the stove. If you are going to plant your herbs indoors, you may want to keep them separated in their own pots. Each seems to need different amounts of water, or something, or maybe mine are just moody, but when I started out with them all in the same pot, they didn't much enjoy each other's company. One would take over, another would wither away. Anyway, things have worked out better now that they each have their own little space, rather than all camping out together. Also, when I plant them, I look for the ones that only grow to a foot or less. Then I stuff them into a pot, put in one of those little plant spikes a couple of times a year, point them toward the sun, and that's that. More than being useful, I like how they look and smell. Abigail: I have the same problem -- my backyard is mostly a mixture of rock and clay. Perenials do fine, weeds thrive, but vegetables aren't happy. The first few years after we moved in, I tried a vegetable garden, but after I finally found the plants that would grow here, the fruit ended up tasting bitter. I just don't have the right soil. The ones on the deck do fine, and, really, one tomato plant is plenty. Plus, without a garden, I have a reason to go poke around at the farmers' markets.

I keep my herbs indoors, on the kitchen window sill in an assortment of little pots I've collected over the years. It makes it more convenient when I want to reach for one. Right now, I have parsley, chives, rosemary, dill, thyme, oregano, some lavender, and an aloe plant. Lately, I just start them from seeds, which I keep in the freezer. If one plant dies, I just sprinkle a few seeds in the pot, and in a couple of weeks, I have another plant started. I have too much shade in the backyard for a vegetable garden, but I get enough afternoon sun on the back deck for a tomato plant, cucumber, and bell pepper that live together in the same planter, surrounded by nasturtiums, which (I hear) are not only supposed to be edible (I've never eaten them), but are also supposed to keep the rabbits away. I had a little more room in the planter, so I started carrots indoors, and I'm going to add them soon. And that's about it for my gardening this year.

Thanks, Galen. I don't think my husband heard much after I read him #2, so this whole thing definitely bears more thought. Not sure either of us are looking to make a career out of this. Actually, our neighbors would shoot us if we turned this into a rental. But I'm not so sure I like the idea of buying and maintaining a multi-family unit, either, especially as a slumlord. Good information, though. Thanks for taking the time to answer. The part that surprises me is that you live in one of your units. So when you had all those foster kids, were you in an apartment? As far as the eviction process, I know that takes months and months here. The laws definitely favor the tenant.

Now for the important stuff. What about gifts? Are you registered anywhere? Congratulations to you both. Happy to hear the news.

Anyone besides me notice how the opening post surreptitiously illustrates the shifty communication methods used by social outcasts, serial murderers, and worse? Allow me to illustrate. 1. Note the deceptive use of the passive voice, in conjunction with the omission of the subject ("they"). This tricky wordplay deflects attention from the deviant ("I"), and underhandedly suggests the duplicity of the missing "they." Very telling. Also note the understatement ("time to time"), as if the "accusation" is intermittent, hence dubious, even though the reverse is apparent. 2. Note the subtle, yet pervasive, egotism, cloaked in modesty. Enough said. 3. Misleading statement. A quick visit to Kirkus Review suggests that this writer has never even seen the aforementioned book, much less read it. 4. The writer states in line 1 that mind-reading is an "accusation," then in line 3, it is "easy," and encourages others to "try it." This obfuscation has the blatant, though hidden, intent of undermining the credibility of those who really know how to read between the lines, rather than those (like this writer) who just say they do, but never actually demonstrate their prowess, leaving the authentically talented feeling vaguely accused. 5. The interrogative at the end coyly (yet deceptively) suggests that this writer might have a talent, though no talent has been demonstrated. Very informative website. ;)-->

Cindy!, Billy Collins put together a collection called Poetry 180, which is geared for high school kids. His idea was to have a poem read each day in school as part of the morning announcements. You might find a few gems among them. Also, he has a new anthology for the same age group. I haven't looked at it, but I saw it in the bookstore window. I don't remember the title, but it was something like More Poetry 180, or something thereabouts. I'm not sure if it's just contemporary poetry, or if he included some of the classics. You might want to select poems from a variety of genres -- modern, postmodern, romantic, etc. Also, maybe include a few translations, so your kids will know what is considered poetry in China, Africa, Iran, or wherever. Let me know what you decide on. I'm interested in hearing your selections.

I think their standard was Blue Moon. Not that I was there to hear them, but I've heard about it. I sent you a PM, Lingo, with the group members.

Hey there, Oak and Susie. Hope every happiness comes your way.

You said it, WG. Geez, ex70, unless there's a lot more going on than what you're posting here, then get a grip. I can't believe you're getting any sympathy at all for this extended whine. So your wife doesn't like to cook, eh? Hoo boy, how DO you cope? And on top of that, she wants to visit with her son and his guest?!? I can see why you feel like blowing up!!! How have you kept your composure thus far?! Zix, This is isn't about lies and betrayal. He already said in his first post that his wife has been faithful, attentive toward the children, and has a good work ethic. In addition to that, she's recently had to face the sorrow of her own mortality in her ordeal with cancer. And this is all the respect she gets. Unbelievable.

Ditto to everything Sudo said. I'm glad you stopped in to explain. No wonder you'd been so cantankerous! ;)--> I hope your visits become more frequent as things settle down in your life. God bless you, too, Zix.

George, You're right, it was corny. But I loved it anyway. I'm not sure what it is, but I've seen a string of movies I've really enjoyed over the past few months. Sideways was the best -- it was funny, and sad, and silly, and intelligent -- but Ray was a close second.

I can't decide if I liked it or not. On the one hand, it was absorbing. Because of that, I didn't mind the length. It was interesting as a biography, but when it was over, I found myself asking: What was the point? Why did he tell this story?

Thanks, Cynic. I'll take a look. Whatever else can be said about Calvin, some of his stuff reads like poetry. I would have added some line breaks, but otherwise, he's incorporating a lot of poetic techniques. Come to think of it, he did author some hymns. Maybe that's already been set to music.

HCW: I was actually with you on the "accountability" stuff. But when you started talking about dirt, vomit, spit, mud, and stench, you lost me. Please be specific in your reproof. What statements on this thread are you responding to?

Thanks, ex10. Like you, I tend to look for specific people when I visit, and I miss them when they're not here. Anyway, I'm glad you're around. If we ever meet, I know I'll recognize you immediately. Congratulations on your new job. I hope you're enjoying it. Tom: If I were half as witty as some of the others around here, I'd consider launching my new, improved church. As it is, I'll have to defer to those who are far more qualified than I. Like you, for instance. How about you stepping up to the plate? Simon: --> :)--> (Just checking out the new smilies.)

Hey, Galen. I said St. John's Wort can cause high blood pressure, not that it will. But I guess I should have said may. There was an article somewhere that I ran across linking hypertension with St. John's Wort in some people, but I can't find it now. Anyway, I do have a little booklet called All About St. John's Wort by Hyla Cass, M.D. (Avery Publishing Group:New York 1998) and, while I don't feel like re-typing whole chapters, you and Bonnie might be interested in the following: Anyway, my point is that these herbs aren't innocuous. And I'm with Bonnie in having a doctor monitor her while she's taking the herb. As far as kava-kava goes, there is no mention of alcohol consumption in this advisory.

Hey, Simon, I appreciate your post. Thanks for taking the time to answer. That's a question I've asked myself too many times. Yes. Definitely yes. But that's one of the things I've liked about GreaseSpot -- being able to re-connect with that part of myself that I left behind at my last Twig fellowship, and (mostly) being okay with it, without shame or apology. By the way, did you ever live in Indiana? Sometimes you remind me of someone I knew there.

I believe the excerpts are from this article on John Juede's site:

Belle, You are correct, of course, and I didn't mean to suggest otherwise, even though I did (not intentionally). I didn't mean to speak for all people or for all experiences. There are a few people posting here now that I knew very well many years ago, and I've enjoyed connecting and re-connecting with them here, although I don't interact with them much on the forums because they get mad at me if I disagree with them. :)--> There are a half a dozen others who I didn't know well, but were in my peripheral vision back in The Way. Then there are a dozen or so people who I've met (in person) from GreaseSpot over the past few years, and they are among the kindest, friendliest, most open people I've met in a long time. And there are others I haven't met whom I consider friends, some in a limited way, but friends nonetheless. In my last post, I was speaking more generally, in response to simon "weighing the social value of an internet forum." Many of the interactions, at least initially, are between strangers. For a lurker, the "interaction" is completely one-sided. GS, I think, is unique among message boards. I don't spend time at any others -- with the amount of time I spend checking in here, if I added any more internet forums, I wouldn't accomplish anything else in my life.

Hey, simon, good to see your handle again. Where the heck have you been? Amen to your third paragraph. What have you come up with in your "weighing the social value of an internet forum versus real-life gathering places"? Months ago, I was listening to This American Life on the radio, and they had a segment on accidental voyeurs. Anyway, the first story was about someone who was flipping through television stations one night and landed on what appeared to be camera footage of an empty apartment building lobby -- probably from a security camera. As he watched, eventually a woman came into view, and she rustled through her purse for her house key, went into her apartment, and that was that. Anyway, over time, this guy became addicted to the lobby, and would watch each evening to make sure the woman got home safely. He was suddenly feeling inexplicably protective of this stranger, so night after night, sometimes for hours, he would watch the lobby on his television until she appeared. He started monitoring her comings and goings, without understanding his obsession. Then one night, she came home late with a gentleman -- well, he was hardly a gentleman because when she dropped her keys, this guy didn't even bother to reach over to pick them up for her -- and meanwhile this whole exchange (such as it was) was being monitored in another living room by someone who felt, not betrayed exactly, but somehow conflicted. It was at that point that he pulled himself together and turned off his TV, never to spy on the lobby again. Anyway, when I heard the show (which was really funny, although I've likely mangled it in the re-telling) I started thinking maybe there was something sad and pathetic and somehow wrong about spending so much time at GS, entwined in the lives of strangers I hardly knew, and would never meet, so I took a break then. What's your take now on "internet" versus "real" life? Aren't these interactions "real"? And how does having a place to socialize on the net make GS is "cultish"?