This is my attempt of embracing a Minnesota winter…yes, during a blizzard! During nap time, I performed an impromptu “Blizzard Dance” on our deck. Photography by, none other than, my hubby, Ashish.
Monthly Archives: December 2008
Winter Solstice Party!
Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Eid, Christmas, Samay Ki Pukar…All present and accounted for!
Today was Nishad’s last day of school before Winter Break. I recall it when I was a kid, it was called “Christmas vacation!” Times have changed, though, and I feel for the better. In order for a child to grow-up and thrive in our world, to their fullest potential, they need to be aware of ALL cultures, ALL celebrations, ALL religions…which, simply put, are now represented in the United States. It was a wonderful celebration for the children. They spoke of how they all celebrated in various ways according to their religions or culture.
I volunteered to speak about the Winter Solstice. Ashish worked from home and baby Arun was his little assistant! We met up at P.F. Changs for lunch and then headed to the Border’s to let Nishad pick out something. The weather cooperated! It was beautiful outside…which may the afternoon all the more perfect!
There were about 45 children present, though there are only 10 children in Nishad’s class. I read a book, spoke a little about hibernation, the longest day of the year, had the children act out an impromptu sunrise filled with colors, sang a song and danced with streamers in the colors yellow, orange and red- symbolic of the suns rays. Of course, I had to hand out sunglasses to all as well. We must prepare for the longer days ahead! The children also learned a Caribbean dance. That was a lot of fun!
Every time I walk into Nishad’s school I thank God that we are so fortunate to send him there.
One of the reasons we applied for Nishad to be at the school he is at, is because the children enrolled in the school reflect our global society. The world is a lot smaller now. In order for our next generation to compete in a global market, they need to know multiple languages, not just English, or even Spanish. Spanish is good in the sense that, if taught early enough, children will develop an ear for language. Spanish is limited in regards to where growth and commerce will be happening. However, the truth lies in those that will be speaking Japanese, Chinese, Hindi and French. Yet another reason why public school doesn’t make the cut. You get what you pay for.
At one time, public school may have been sufficient, but it’s time has since passed. It’s sad that in one of the wealthiest nations on earth, in order to give your child the best education, you need to pay out of pocket. I’m not talking about taxes either. I’m referring to $6,000-$19,000 a year for a top-notch program starting from pre-school until Senior year. Yes, even before you pay for college tuition, your kids are already in an academic whirlpool.
Unfortunately, so many resort to ECFE and public funded programs that offer little more than “play time” by inadequate staff. This goes for community education classes as well. Believe me, I’ve given them several attempts to redeem themselves by enrolling in different classes with my child. However, in order to get a quality gymnastics class, I need to venture to a real gym and a real swim school… 20-minutes away, paying 6 or 7 times as much. How frustrating, disappointing…and such a waste of time! I recall teaching dance and meeting new students that came from such ‘recreational’ programs. Some of them had such potential, but already, at such young ages, formed bad habits because of poor instruction through community education classes. It was double the work for them (and me) to re-teach the basics. That’s where some parents and I differ. This experience has taught me that if you do enroll your child in something, invest in them now, when they are little, so they don’t form those bad habits. Let them nail the basics, whatever the subject may be, as they can only grow and build stronger from there. It’s not about convenience…it’s about being your child’s advocate and arming them with the tools they need.
I understand that you do what you have to do, or know- and yes, exposing your child to something is better than nothing. However, there has to be a better way to educate society as a whole. I’m incredibly impressed in a pre-school in which every head teacher has their Masters degree, and every assistant, their bachelors. This on top of Montessori training.
We have our priorities in life. Our kids, and any reference to them tops that list. We make sacrifices- we must.
Bombchelle’s top 10
I came across this and had to post it. Thank you, Explosive Bombchelle! ha,ha. 🙂 It’s not that I personally “hate” Minnesota…it’s just that I find a lot of truth to be said in her words!
Top 10 things I hate about Minnesota
Although I made it well past the five years I agreed to live in Minneapolis, it is not because I fell completely head over heels about my new “home” location. Every area of the world has its own little issues that give residents reason to complain and keep the population under control. Imagine if Seattle had beautiful weather; the whole world would live there. Minnesota has many positive things going for it; however, the following list outlines the reasons why I will not retire Minnesota:
Although I made it well past the five years I agreed to live in Minneapolis, it is not because I fell completely head over heels about my new “home” location. Every area of the world has its own little issues that give residents reason to complain and keep the population under control. Imagine if Seattle had beautiful weather; the whole world would live there. Minnesota has many positive things going for it; however, the following list outlines the reasons why I will not retire Minnesota:
1. Winter-It is quite tiring to hear people talk about how easy winters are these days and how much worse they were in the early 90s, the 80s, the 70s, etc. Maybe this is how everyone deals with the miserable winters; make them out to be better then they really are. Three things make the winters in Minnesota horrible. First is the unbearable cold; there is just no way to describe the bone-chilling feeling of death that is -20F. I can still vividly recall like it was yesterday walking 6 blocks from the car to the Metrodome on an evening with a -35 wind chill reading and wishing the lord would just end the misery and take me someplace warm, and this was nearly 10 years ago. Then there is the snow which does not come until February or March, when winter is all but done in most of the world, because it is too cold to snow in January. Snow is beautiful around the Christmas holiday, not Easter. Adding insult to injury, the beauty that is fall in Minnesota, my favorite season, is cut far too short with winter coming well before the solstice and lasting beyond the Spring Equinox. The bonus issue with long harsh winters is how they destroy roads, leading to everyone’s least favorite season, construction season, when roads are closed for months on end to repair winter’s damage.
2. Mosquitoes-Jokingly known as the state bird, the lakes and humid summer conditions create the perfect breeding ground for the mosquito. Mosquitoes could easily band together and pick up small children and animals; carrying them clear cross-state. These little blood suckers grow to the size of dinner plates and their bites leave larger welts on your skin then if you were hit by a Johan Santana fastball. A good run of West Nile or worse would create a health epidemic of monumental proportions.
3. Hunting-Minneapolis is ranked as the 13th most “Humane City” in the United States by the American Humane Society. It is well above average in most animal-friendly indicators; few pet stores sell puppies (stores “stock” dogs through puppy mills), low number of fur shops and heavy regulations on “show-animals” like those for circuses. The one thing that drops Minneapolis to 13th in the rankings is the hunting culture that is prevalent across the state. I will never understand how people could kill animals for pleasure and live with themselves. I am from NY, we don’t shoot animals, we shoot each other; chances are the animal did not deserve it.
4. Minnesota Nice-Minnesotans are very nice on the outside, however, beneath the surface lies the real truth to all the smiles and niceties; Passive-Aggressiveness. Passive Aggressive is loosely defined as behavior in which damaging emotions, especially anger, are expressed indirectly through negative conduct and disguised resistance to the demands or expectations of others. No matter how upset, angered, frustrated or pissed-off a native Minnesotan gets at a person they remain stoically silent, avoid showing their unhappiness and even go so far as appearing agreeable to the person or actions that get their panties in a bunch. Locals will sit and watch a light change green a dozen times and never use their horn to wake the person in front of them up. A co-worker will make a bad decision and no one will say anything to correct them, instead complaining to others in the meeting after the meeting without fixing the situation. Any sign of directly expressing your opinion or speaking your mind is considered rude. As you can imagine, being from a passionate Italian-American New York family, where survival is based on your ability to stand your ground, makes me much (Minnesota) different then everyone around me and the transition to living amongst the passive-aggressiveness very (Minnesota) interesting.
5. I’ll be home for Christmas-I grew up in a close-knit family with my parents and two sisters, only about 2 miles away from my Grandmother, aunts and most of my cousins. Those in the family who were not within the 2 mile radius could be reached in less than 30 minutes. While most of my family still lives within an easy drive of each other, I live over 1000 miles away. I am fortunate to make it home for most major holidays and a few other visits during the year, but what I miss is Sunday dinners, popping in unannounced for coffee, meeting close friends and family for a beer at the local watering hole, random family events and casual BBQs. It is very hard to see the life you once had disappear and everyone going on without you; people all but forgetting to include you in events because they assume you will not be in town. I really cannot say I hate Minnesota, I just hate that it is so far away from those I love.
6. Scandinavian Beauties-Growing up in a community dominated by those of Southern European descent made being a 5’ 9’’ blonde with blue eyes incredibly fun. It is easy to stand out in a crowd when most of those around you are a half a foot shorter. Mostly everyone comes from a Scandinavian, Baltic or German background; they are tall, blonde, fair and beautiful. Frankly suddenly being average is quite annoying.
7. Cliques-93% of the people who are born in Minnesota die in Minnesota, with most spending all the time between their birth and death solidly planted within the state boundaries. This situation allows natives to develop incredible longtime friendships but makes it quite difficult to be a transplant. Luckily I am married to a Minnesotan and his friends have let me in their inner circle, but most are not so fortunate to have this avenue to break in and make friends.
8. Family Friendliness-To say the taxes in Minnesota are high is like saying Brittany Spears is going through a little rough patch. We pay state and local governments through the nose but in return get America’s best schools, plenty of parkland filled with playgrounds, locally subsidized after school programs and enrichment activities. All wonderful things if you have children, which I do not. So my taxes rarely support things that I could actually use like better roads (you should just see the disgrace of the street I live on), a local dog park (Minnetonka is surrounded by cities with dog parks but does not have their own!), and adequate public transportation. Just to go off a little more on the tax situation I still cannot believe that taxes do not include trash pickup (have to hire that yourself), sewers or streetlights (which we pay for additionally as well even though we have neither on our block).
9. Land Locked-Lakes are pretty, but nothing beats the feeling of water as far as the eye can see, the smell of salt and miles and miles of sandy beaches. When my life becomes overwhelming with mounting responsibilities and issues I am overcome by a feeling of claustrophobia; like the walls of the world closing in on me. My cure when living by the ocean was simple; take a walk on the beach or sit on a rock overlooking the open water and enjoy the beauty of the sea. Calmness displaces insanity the instant you breathe in the ocean air, listen to waves crashing against the shoreline and feel sand tickle your toes. Without that release, I am unable to break a feeling of entrapment.
10. Where’s the DeliOh, how I miss a good NY deli; a place where you can order a mile high made-to-order pepperoni sandwich on crusty bread with all the fixings, a good potato salad, a fresh kosher dill pickle, a pound of deli meat, piping hot knishes, homemade rice pudding, a full chicken dinner, the newspaper, a 6-pack of beer and a lottery ticket. A few places outside the northeast have attempted to call themselves a deli, but they always fall short. As a self-proclaimed “foodie” I miss both the convenience and quality of deli food the most, followed closely by Italian bakeries, pizza joints that sell amazing pizza by the slice, good Chinese food that delivers and Wise potato chips. Lucky for me alot of this is easily solved with frequent trips home and very big luggage.
El Sol x3
Artisan
“It’s okay Baby Arun, we know it’s hard to be a little guy sometimes” Mommy Beverly said. “Yes, Baby Arun and sometimes it’s hard to be a big guy too,” says a very understanding Nishad. The more they grow, the more I marvel at them…
With my last holiday card order and photo sessions complete for December, I can sit back and relax a bit. I really do love receiving cards in the mail from friends, family and clients. This year I have an added feeling of bliss as I’m also once again seeing the photos I captured of people or the cards I designed…it brings so much pure joy in my heart. Thank you to those who give me the honor of capturing the essence of family and for designing custom cards- unique as each family really is. I was finally able to work on our card as well. It was snowing out when I was working on it, so being that it’s the beginning of the season and I’ve already had enough cold weather, I decided to send everyone warm wishes. This was a rather impromptu decision, but people know exactly what my mind frame is of late. ha,ha. A card with a featured double meaning.
Ashish and I were both feeling under the weather (the kids were not affected at all- they have been fantastic). We actually decided to make our health a priority instead of pushing through commitments…Which, for me, was suppose to be a busy week of a park and recreation meeting, set-up at city hall for Santa Day and the event following on Saturday. I know that would have only made me worse and run-down. Ashish and I have never been the type of people who knowingly go out and spread germs to begin with. Even when our kids don’t feel 100%, out of courtesy and respect, we inform other parents and cancel social events. It’s not fun having a sick little one. It does amaze me how many parents ignore that their child doesn’t feel well and they drag them along anyway. I know as an adult when I don’t feel good, I don’t feel very social. I’m sure children don’t feel much different.
Last Friday I purchased a book and it wasn’t a children’s book! ha,ha. I am tickled at my new little discovery! As someone who grew-up surrounded by real bakeries and having a background of a Czech and German lineage I can confidently say, BREAD is my friend. Carbs, on the other hand, are a different story! However, who wants to pay $5.-6.00 a loaf for good bread? I’ll admit I have…but who wants to? I also missed the fresh, rustic European breads that are found in Chicagoland. I have found a few places in Minnesota that I can find decent bread- but it’s at chain stores. Behold, the answer! Artisan Bread in Five Minutes. I was so excited when I came across this book. I was ecstatic when I started reading it! I was delighted when I tasted it! So simple, so easy, so grateful to the author for sharing his secrets and for the co-author for sharing her tips and creating these user friendly recipes (for those of us who only “act” like we are trained at the Culinary Institute of America). You can mix everything up in one bowl, no kneading required. Better yet, the dough keeps in the fridge! So, everyday I can love me some bread! Furthermore, they are local authors. As an artist, I love to be able to support fellow, local artists. Check out co-author, Zoe Bakes, food blog.
I have often said I could survive on bread alone, chips and a good salsa alone. I still believe that!