Susan's Scribblings the Blog

Monthly Archives: October 2022

• Words to Confuse

  Posted at 3:56 pm by kayewer, on October 30, 2022

  

  When Thor said in Avengers: Infinity War that “all names are made up,” he was honing a conversation down to something basic. We assign letters out of our language to things in word form, and hopefully they aptly apply to them. Some words draw a picture of beauty, others not so much. Sometimes names can be confusing, because they don’t conjure an image or concept. They are just letters on a sign.

  Two businesses I passed the other day reminded me that names are not always the draw, and may even look funny on a sign. The first was a seafood restaurant satellite location called Oceancrat. And did I mention that the “A” is represented by a flame? When I saw the sign, I wasn’t sure if the flame represented an “O” or an “A,” and I took the time to look it up. That’s what writers do: learn about new words and meanings. I had hoped to learn some nautical term about crab fishing or something. there wasn’t such a definition there. “Crat” normally refers to a governing head (bureaucrat), so perhaps the name means “Ruler of the Ocean.” I think Aquaman would be a bit offended at the idea of a place serving sea creatures to diners thinks it rules the ocean. I suppose I should visit and see how the ruling class serves seafood dinners.

  The second business is a new salon named Vek. I really struggled with this name, because it gives the mouth a workout and doesn’t give any first impression of what they are. Again, I looked them up, and the salon takes care of hair and makeup with a variety of treatment options, performed by two experienced people.

  Admittedly, as I read and saw in the short definition the term Brazilian, I immediately thought they also removed hair from the bikini zone, but it’s a type of hair treatment for the head not involving removal of any kind. I sighed with relief.

  Of course I’m not one to judge, since I’m from the generation who used a shampoo called Breck. What the heck.

  Any words with V or K sounds can jar the ears, as anybody knows when cranking the volume up on the Victrola. And why we call the undead vampires and not coffincrats.

  So the question is whether I should have my hair done before going out for seafood.

  Or whether our language effectively communicates what people need to know when a new business opens.

  I’ll try to find some answers, because I’m no hypocrite. Or is that hypocrat?

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• Eat Your Greens

  Posted at 4:31 pm by kayewer, on October 22, 2022

  

  I always liked my vegetables when I was a kid. That made me a bit of an oddball, because most kids balk at vegetables of any kind. Today I watch how I eat veggies. Because transporting and stocking them is a challenge, and we want to avoid preservatives, fresh is considered best, followed by frozen and then canned (because of sodium content). Any vegetarian will tell you it’s a great way to eat, but I still like my proteins to not come from a piece of tofu, so the veggies are simply a side dish must.

  In the past year I discovered avocados. A fellow at the farmer’s market showed me how to find ripe ones, though occasionally I still accidentally try to cut into a premature clunker hidden in a mesh bag among ones which are ready to become guacamole. The best way to deal with avocados is with a medium sized spoon and sharp knife; the latter to cut and remove the pit, and the former to scoop out the joys within.

  Instead of just a slice of avocado toast, I’ve found they make good sandwiches when placed between two well-toasted slices of whole grain wheat. They don’t need much doctoring, either. A sprinkle of onion powder and pepper, and maybe some lemon juice (which also slows down the browning process).

  Another newer veggie for me is roasted brussels sprouts. They seem to be in second place to green beans in prepared meals at the grocer, and seem to pick up some pleasant flavors roasted, without having to resort to butter sauce (which is how frozen versions of those round guys often come). I ate them back in the day, but not often, because they weren’t a favorite with any of us at the table. They have a distinct flavor, and are an acquired taste.

  Other acquired veggie choices include broccolini and greens. These are a more bitter choice, so they don’t get into prepared meals as much, but they certainly are healthy and welcome in any balanced dinner. The stems of broccolini are thinner, and the crowns look rather floppy compared to regular broccoli, but still they work well.

  Green beans have become more popular, especially if they’re breaded and cooked to eat like fries. They always seem too long when whole, and try to escape the plate when cut. That’s when French style comes into play. These darlings stay put on a plate, and with a little seasoning mix on them, they’re quite tasty.

  As for the champion of green veggies–peas–may go, I prefer mine with little pearl onions. It classes them up and gives them character. You can even throw in some little mushrooms. Just keep in mind that little ones will ultimately use them to shore up mashed potato castles on the plate. Which is fine, because they’re round anyway and tend to roll around if not contained by something.

  Like gravy.

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• Pessimystical

  Posted at 4:33 pm by kayewer, on October 15, 2022

  

  Some people just can’t stop being wet blankets. No matter what the topic is, they have to do something to lessen how nice it could be. All week I dealt with nothing but Grumpy Gusses and Gerties complaining about something or other, and none of it is important enough to matter that much. In fact, a week from now, their source of complaint won’t even be around anymore. What a waste of time, just to put a negative spin on stupid things.

  TV show? It sucks. Storm cleared? The next one will be worse. New movie coming out? What a joke. I accomplished something? Here, have some snarky political malarkey.

  Yes, that really happened. I posted that, after a couple years of effort, I ranked first in an online game, and somebody came back with words of sarcasm about our current leadership climate to put a damper on it.
  
  I didn’t take the bait. Nobody will take that accomplishment away: it’s in the books. So there.

  Science has shown that the healthiest people are positive thinkers, and health problems seem to plague pessimists more. That doesn’t stop some folks from being the rain on the parade at every opportunity. I wonder what it’s like to have heartburn all the time. Pessimists have shorter lifespans. Maybe a “thank goodness” is in order? No, it’s better to wish that they would lighten up and live longer.

  Sort of reminds me of Kreacher, the house elf serving Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series. It seemed he always complained and mumbled to himself about endless bits of negativity. Even Sirius admonished him to contain his “bile” at one point. Negativity on such a level is insufferable and accomplishes nothing.

  Life certainly isn’t a bed of roses all the time, but at some point finding the good in a situation is as necessary as breathing. In some cases it can restore balance when things seem to be going wrong.

  I wish some of the grumps I dealt with this week could have taken a step back for a moment. Sometimes it lets a little more light in.

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• Two Topics

  Posted at 5:55 pm by kayewer, on October 8, 2022

  

  In the movie My Fair Lady, the said lady (in training to speak properly) was restricted to only two subjects in casual conversation, to prevent her atrocious Cockney accent from appearing at an inappropriate moment. The topics were the weather and people’s health. She was to say such carefully memorized things as “the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.” As to the subject of health, she managed to cause a controversy anyway, bringing up an ailing aunt who, in a fit of sudden strength, bit through a spoonful of gin meant to help cure her sickness.

  I have been unfortunate enough to have caused a stir on my own this past week which may have cost me an old friend, though in my defense I merely dug deeper into a topic by posing a question, and it was to somebody else and not her. She then came back at me for no real reason that I can fathom, and said that I was being a bully. Folks who know me will dispute that, and normally that would include her, so the accusation was truly out of the blue. I regret that we may never get down to the true nature of her upset, but I have placed the return volley on her side of the net, and it may well succumb to the elements before it is ever dealt with. A sad turn of events. I feel sorry for the forgotten tennis ball.

  If we all stuck to small talk, we would never get to the bottom of anything. A well handled discussion of any topic can bring about resolution or, at least, compromise, if we agree to disagree. Being censored or accused without proper backing only causes more dischord.

  My blog is designed to provide some observations and ask questions, so if I must restrict myself to things which can be discovered by watching the newscast or asking how one is feeling today, I would have no purpose in posting at all.

  The toughest issues are ones we sometimes feel we can’t talk about. We still must discuss them. I will try in the future to be less subject to scrutiny while maintaining a standard of writing which may bring you to think and examine further into issues beyond the weather and health.

  Me? It’s sunny out, and I have sore feet.

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• Curtain Call

  Posted at 4:45 pm by kayewer, on October 1, 2022

  

  It’s a new season in theatre, but Broadway is having a hard time getting back on its feet. Performance venues there (and at the local level) are all struggling to find shows, restart their schedules and attract audiences. When a production such as Phantom of the Opera closes on Broadway, you know times are tough. The wondrous show has been at the Majestic Theatre since January 1988 and will close for good just after celebrating 35 years onstage.

  The big problem–as with everything while we’re finding our way back to a new normal–is whether rows of patrons packed together in an enclosed space is safe, and can audiences return to the idea of going out for enjoyment. In a century, nobody imagined we would have had the situation we did, and when Broadway went dark, an entire industry shut down. With it went the escape of entertainment we grew to depend upon. Now that we are also dealing with the stress of socializing again, we face a new threat, as evildoing individuals bring extreme weaponry to public places to send a message to total strangers.

  Perhaps it takes bravery to get back to normal.

  We need to step out into the changes we have yet to adapt to. We need to sit within a few inches of other human beings and look ahead to that stage or screen where we all intend to share a singular experience.

  The cast and crew of Phantom will move on to other things, and another production will find its way to its new home, where it may flourish for 35 years. Whatever happens, we will certainly find a way to restore something of what we had before. Part of that is going back to the theatre.

  A new season, and a new reason. Hope to see you sitting next to me.

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  	Eden on Getting the Message
  	Eden on The Unasked Questions
  	Eden on And Her Shoes Were #9
  	Eden on The Poison Field
  	Eden on Final Tally