Monday, April 18, 2005
Fight the Good Fight
We always hear the expression, “If it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger.” This usually applies to all the things we never voluntarily want to face in life…struggle, suffering, loss, pain, etc. It’s as if someone decided that even the bad stuff has to have a positive side, to make everything worthwhile.
I wonder if this is actually the case.
People who know me know that I’m not a particularly strong person. Granted, I’m probably stronger than I give myself credit for, but I’m not widely known as one of those pillar people who can always be leaned on and counted on to support others. I’m often at a loss for words in a crisis (funny thing for a writer), I’m socially awkward and I can cry at the drop of a hat. I am not a powerhouse.
Yet, I can rise to the occasion. Anyone who knows me, or has even crossed my path in the last five years, has certainly heard about my legal battle from hell. I’m loathe to get into it here, but suffice to say I tried to do the right thing over a bad purchase and as a result I’ve been dragged through courts across both Quebec and Ontario. Somehow, with no legal background I’ve managed to successfully fight every battle…and I’m up against one of the largest law firms in Canada. As my closest and dearest friend put it, “It’s their bad fortune that you’re intelligent and unemployed – a deadly combination.”
I’ve been feeling very Erin Brockovitch about the whole thing, but without all of her signature self-confidence. I feel like I’m fighting the good fight, on behalf of all the little people – except the little people don’t even know I exist. You see, this isn’t some huge crucial constitutional issue. It’s actually a regular old household item that practically everyone possesses. And even if I win, even if I emerge victorious when all of this is said and done, no one will ever even know. So what’s it all about?
Aside from learning about the law (which in some cases is just plain crazy), developing my ‘factum’ writing skills, losing tons of weight and spending many a sleepless night, I don’t really see the benefit in the fight. Okay, so it’s fodder for the blog, but that doesn’t really count.
So I’ve decided to turn this into a lesson. If I can do this, anyone can. There’s nothing to stop each and every one of us for fighting for what we believe in. Certainly, we have to pick our battles – I don’t recommend a full on engagement over the remote control – but once we’ve chosen our cause, we should follow through. Everyone throws around the word ‘principle’, but it really is a hefty word. Without our principles, what are we all about? We all need something to believe in, to get behind, to rally around and to champion.
There are things in our lives which define us – our strong sense of justice, our desire to see children fed, to see people treated equally and our basic beliefs about what is right and what is wrong. And our goals don’t have to be lofty, either. Maybe you want to drop an extra ten pounds, learn to budget more carefully, write a beautiful poem or simply live better. Some people make a fortune motivating others, calling them to action. Why can’t we motivate ourselves? We can all be our own cheerleader.
Granted, we may not win all our battles, but at least we’ll have the satisfaction of having tried. And don’t be like me – don’t beat yourself up every time you fail. I’m beginning to see that there’s no such thing as absolute failure. We always learn something. And even if it turns out badly, remember –
If it doesn’t kill you, it’ll only make you stronger.
We always hear the expression, “If it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger.” This usually applies to all the things we never voluntarily want to face in life…struggle, suffering, loss, pain, etc. It’s as if someone decided that even the bad stuff has to have a positive side, to make everything worthwhile.
I wonder if this is actually the case.
People who know me know that I’m not a particularly strong person. Granted, I’m probably stronger than I give myself credit for, but I’m not widely known as one of those pillar people who can always be leaned on and counted on to support others. I’m often at a loss for words in a crisis (funny thing for a writer), I’m socially awkward and I can cry at the drop of a hat. I am not a powerhouse.
Yet, I can rise to the occasion. Anyone who knows me, or has even crossed my path in the last five years, has certainly heard about my legal battle from hell. I’m loathe to get into it here, but suffice to say I tried to do the right thing over a bad purchase and as a result I’ve been dragged through courts across both Quebec and Ontario. Somehow, with no legal background I’ve managed to successfully fight every battle…and I’m up against one of the largest law firms in Canada. As my closest and dearest friend put it, “It’s their bad fortune that you’re intelligent and unemployed – a deadly combination.”
I’ve been feeling very Erin Brockovitch about the whole thing, but without all of her signature self-confidence. I feel like I’m fighting the good fight, on behalf of all the little people – except the little people don’t even know I exist. You see, this isn’t some huge crucial constitutional issue. It’s actually a regular old household item that practically everyone possesses. And even if I win, even if I emerge victorious when all of this is said and done, no one will ever even know. So what’s it all about?
Aside from learning about the law (which in some cases is just plain crazy), developing my ‘factum’ writing skills, losing tons of weight and spending many a sleepless night, I don’t really see the benefit in the fight. Okay, so it’s fodder for the blog, but that doesn’t really count.
So I’ve decided to turn this into a lesson. If I can do this, anyone can. There’s nothing to stop each and every one of us for fighting for what we believe in. Certainly, we have to pick our battles – I don’t recommend a full on engagement over the remote control – but once we’ve chosen our cause, we should follow through. Everyone throws around the word ‘principle’, but it really is a hefty word. Without our principles, what are we all about? We all need something to believe in, to get behind, to rally around and to champion.
There are things in our lives which define us – our strong sense of justice, our desire to see children fed, to see people treated equally and our basic beliefs about what is right and what is wrong. And our goals don’t have to be lofty, either. Maybe you want to drop an extra ten pounds, learn to budget more carefully, write a beautiful poem or simply live better. Some people make a fortune motivating others, calling them to action. Why can’t we motivate ourselves? We can all be our own cheerleader.
Granted, we may not win all our battles, but at least we’ll have the satisfaction of having tried. And don’t be like me – don’t beat yourself up every time you fail. I’m beginning to see that there’s no such thing as absolute failure. We always learn something. And even if it turns out badly, remember –
If it doesn’t kill you, it’ll only make you stronger.
Friday, April 15, 2005
Why I Love My Wooden Spoon
I love my wooden spoon. So simple in design, it’s one of the oldest and most basic of all kitchen utensils. Yet for some reason, it is still one of the most prized possessions of professional and amateur chefs alike. Indispensable for stirring and sautéing, it fits perfectly into one’s hand.
Most of all, I love the way it rests on the rim of the pot, just waiting for its next dip.
With so many new gadgets on the market, people tend to forget about the basics when it comes to food preparation. In most cases, a handful of good kitchen tools will take care of almost any task. These are the items that are worth investing in as they make your time in the kitchen infinitely more enjoyable.
In no particular order, my top ten favourite kitchen utensils are:
Wooden Spoon: A good, solid wooden spoon can be your best friend. Make sure to have two – one for sweet foods and one for savoury. It’s no fun eating brownies that taste like tomato sauce.
Chef Knife: Do the research and invest wisely. A sharp 8” (or 10”) will perform most of your kitchen tasks with ease – slicing, dicing, chopping, crushing, mincing, peeling, carving, etc. Test out a few in the store to find one that feels balanced in your hand and pick up a honing steel to keep your knife in top condition.
Paring Knife: A good pairing knife is a blessing when doing detail work, peeling and culinary decorations. Remember to use caution - a well-sharpened knife is much safer than a dull one.
Stainless Steel Tongs: These babies are a life-saver. They are perfect for pan frying, sautéing, breading, roasting over a gas flame, retrieving items from hot water, serving, etc. From the first time you pick them up they’ll become an extension of your right arm.
Zester: Zest is one of the most powerful flavouring agents you can add to your food. Citrus zest is perfect for marinades, dressings, sauces and desserts. While a grater can do the job, you have to be careful to avoid the bitter white pith. A good quality zester will ensure perfect results every time.
Whisk: A sturdy whisk allows you to whip, mix, blend, emulsify and beat. There are two types of whisks – a harder one can be used to break up masses and mash while a more flexible one is ideal for incorporating air into your dressings, sauces and cream.
Plastic Scraper: Known as ‘the enemy’ to all those who love to lick the bowl, this tool is used to scrape every last drop of batter, sauce, dressing, marinade and dough from your bowl and/or work surface, ensuring that all your ingredients are included in your final product. At around a dollar a pop, it pays for itself upon first use.
Mesh Strainer: There’s nothing worse than lumpy batter or sauces. Rather than starting from scratch, a simple fix is to pass your final product through a fine strainer. For tougher jobs, or food items which require absolute clarity (i.e.: stocks), try lining your strainer with wet cheesecloth.
Scale: More of a must for bakers and beginners, an accurate scale will facilitate measuring out ingredients and ensure proper portion sizes. Scales are indispensable for dieters and health-conscious cooks.
Heat Resistant Spatula: While a spatula is a must, a heat resistant spatula is just good sense. A spatula is the only tool that allows you to properly fold ingredients together. It’s also handy for cleaning off your mixer’s paddles. Heat resistance allows you to use it while cooking without fear of melted plastic ending up in your food. Use it when scrambling eggs, flipping crepes or pancakes and perhaps even making a pastry cream for your favourite dessert.
There are an abundance of places that sell kitchen supplies, from department stores to specialty shops. However, for the best prices and a good variety of professional quality merchandise, it’s worth checking out a restaurant supply shop – most of which are open to the public.
I love my wooden spoon. So simple in design, it’s one of the oldest and most basic of all kitchen utensils. Yet for some reason, it is still one of the most prized possessions of professional and amateur chefs alike. Indispensable for stirring and sautéing, it fits perfectly into one’s hand.
Most of all, I love the way it rests on the rim of the pot, just waiting for its next dip.
With so many new gadgets on the market, people tend to forget about the basics when it comes to food preparation. In most cases, a handful of good kitchen tools will take care of almost any task. These are the items that are worth investing in as they make your time in the kitchen infinitely more enjoyable.
In no particular order, my top ten favourite kitchen utensils are:
Wooden Spoon: A good, solid wooden spoon can be your best friend. Make sure to have two – one for sweet foods and one for savoury. It’s no fun eating brownies that taste like tomato sauce.
Chef Knife: Do the research and invest wisely. A sharp 8” (or 10”) will perform most of your kitchen tasks with ease – slicing, dicing, chopping, crushing, mincing, peeling, carving, etc. Test out a few in the store to find one that feels balanced in your hand and pick up a honing steel to keep your knife in top condition.
Paring Knife: A good pairing knife is a blessing when doing detail work, peeling and culinary decorations. Remember to use caution - a well-sharpened knife is much safer than a dull one.
Stainless Steel Tongs: These babies are a life-saver. They are perfect for pan frying, sautéing, breading, roasting over a gas flame, retrieving items from hot water, serving, etc. From the first time you pick them up they’ll become an extension of your right arm.
Zester: Zest is one of the most powerful flavouring agents you can add to your food. Citrus zest is perfect for marinades, dressings, sauces and desserts. While a grater can do the job, you have to be careful to avoid the bitter white pith. A good quality zester will ensure perfect results every time.
Whisk: A sturdy whisk allows you to whip, mix, blend, emulsify and beat. There are two types of whisks – a harder one can be used to break up masses and mash while a more flexible one is ideal for incorporating air into your dressings, sauces and cream.
Plastic Scraper: Known as ‘the enemy’ to all those who love to lick the bowl, this tool is used to scrape every last drop of batter, sauce, dressing, marinade and dough from your bowl and/or work surface, ensuring that all your ingredients are included in your final product. At around a dollar a pop, it pays for itself upon first use.
Mesh Strainer: There’s nothing worse than lumpy batter or sauces. Rather than starting from scratch, a simple fix is to pass your final product through a fine strainer. For tougher jobs, or food items which require absolute clarity (i.e.: stocks), try lining your strainer with wet cheesecloth.
Scale: More of a must for bakers and beginners, an accurate scale will facilitate measuring out ingredients and ensure proper portion sizes. Scales are indispensable for dieters and health-conscious cooks.
Heat Resistant Spatula: While a spatula is a must, a heat resistant spatula is just good sense. A spatula is the only tool that allows you to properly fold ingredients together. It’s also handy for cleaning off your mixer’s paddles. Heat resistance allows you to use it while cooking without fear of melted plastic ending up in your food. Use it when scrambling eggs, flipping crepes or pancakes and perhaps even making a pastry cream for your favourite dessert.
There are an abundance of places that sell kitchen supplies, from department stores to specialty shops. However, for the best prices and a good variety of professional quality merchandise, it’s worth checking out a restaurant supply shop – most of which are open to the public.
Bat Out Of...
I have supernatural abilities. With nothing but the sheer force of my will, I can make my worst nightmares come true. Check this out:
I live in a courtyard which has a family of resident bats. I’m okay with this, due to their penchant for eating bugs. However, my biggest fear is that one of those pesky little beasts will find their way into my home…when I’m alone.
My husband mocks this fear. It’s not his fault; he just has no way to relate to the workings of my crazy and paranoid mind.
Last summer (yes, it's been a while since my last entry) I was lying in bed at 1:00 am reading the paper when a bat flew into the bedroom. As the exterminator informed me the following day, a bat’s sonar is so highly developed there’s no chance it will ever touch me. Seems logical to the rational mind, but logic and rationale fly out the window at 1:00 am. The bat, unfortunately, did not.
I hid under the covers for a full thirty seconds before I realized no one was coming to save me. My husband was out of town, and my two otherwise feisty dogs were of surprisingly little use in a full on bat attack. So I tried to collect myself, and started chanting – I can do this, I can do this – as I slid out of bed and crawled to the dresser. I slipped on some clothes (heaven forbid the bat should see me naked!) and tied a shirt around my head.
I grabbed the two dogs by their collars and headed down the stairs. On my ass. With minimal headroom on the staircase I didn’t want to chance any unfortunate encounters. When I got to the bottom, I saw him flying low through the living and dining rooms. I opened the front door, grabbed a broom, squatted in the hallway and waited.
Did I mention the screaming? Let’s just say there was screaming.
After a while, I could not understand what was taking so long for the bat to leave. It flew past that door a dozen times. My panic was rising and I was growing hoarse. I knew there was no way to fight a bat without screaming. So I did what any other full grown woman who owns her own home would do. I called my daddy.
Talk about worst nightmares. What can be more horrifying than being woken up in the middle of the night by your screaming, frantic child? But thanks to that psychic bond between father and daughter, all I had to do was choke out one word: bat.
“Do you want me to come over?” he asked. It was 1:30 am. He was being ridiculous.
“Talk to your mother,” he said. Now, whatever bond exists between father and daughter is surpassed only by the one between mother and daughter. All my mother needed was to hear me scream. She covered the phone and said, “Phil, get over there.”
At about that time, my neighbour came home from a late night out. He passed my wide open door and spotted me on the floor in my bat-chasing get-up. Somehow, he seemed to know something was up. Again, all I had to say was ‘bat.’
We must have been quite the sight; my neighbour with his net, my father with the newspaper and me with the broom. We turned the house upside down. No bat. Convinced it had left the same way it came in, both my father and neighbour went home. I knew better.
I sat on the couch and waited. Three, two…and there it was, flying in from the second floor landing. I let out a scream for good measure. I grabbed the dogs and the cordless and ran outside. As I began to dial, I realized I was holding the remote control.
Hearing my demented whimpers from next door, my neighbour emerged once again with his net. After an exhaustive search, I finally spotted the bat on top of my window molding. My neighbour (henceforth known as my guardian angel) took one swipe with his net, trapped the bat and we went to release him outside.
And all I could think was, he’s so small.
I have supernatural abilities. With nothing but the sheer force of my will, I can make my worst nightmares come true. Check this out:
I live in a courtyard which has a family of resident bats. I’m okay with this, due to their penchant for eating bugs. However, my biggest fear is that one of those pesky little beasts will find their way into my home…when I’m alone.
My husband mocks this fear. It’s not his fault; he just has no way to relate to the workings of my crazy and paranoid mind.
Last summer (yes, it's been a while since my last entry) I was lying in bed at 1:00 am reading the paper when a bat flew into the bedroom. As the exterminator informed me the following day, a bat’s sonar is so highly developed there’s no chance it will ever touch me. Seems logical to the rational mind, but logic and rationale fly out the window at 1:00 am. The bat, unfortunately, did not.
I hid under the covers for a full thirty seconds before I realized no one was coming to save me. My husband was out of town, and my two otherwise feisty dogs were of surprisingly little use in a full on bat attack. So I tried to collect myself, and started chanting – I can do this, I can do this – as I slid out of bed and crawled to the dresser. I slipped on some clothes (heaven forbid the bat should see me naked!) and tied a shirt around my head.
I grabbed the two dogs by their collars and headed down the stairs. On my ass. With minimal headroom on the staircase I didn’t want to chance any unfortunate encounters. When I got to the bottom, I saw him flying low through the living and dining rooms. I opened the front door, grabbed a broom, squatted in the hallway and waited.
Did I mention the screaming? Let’s just say there was screaming.
After a while, I could not understand what was taking so long for the bat to leave. It flew past that door a dozen times. My panic was rising and I was growing hoarse. I knew there was no way to fight a bat without screaming. So I did what any other full grown woman who owns her own home would do. I called my daddy.
Talk about worst nightmares. What can be more horrifying than being woken up in the middle of the night by your screaming, frantic child? But thanks to that psychic bond between father and daughter, all I had to do was choke out one word: bat.
“Do you want me to come over?” he asked. It was 1:30 am. He was being ridiculous.
“Talk to your mother,” he said. Now, whatever bond exists between father and daughter is surpassed only by the one between mother and daughter. All my mother needed was to hear me scream. She covered the phone and said, “Phil, get over there.”
At about that time, my neighbour came home from a late night out. He passed my wide open door and spotted me on the floor in my bat-chasing get-up. Somehow, he seemed to know something was up. Again, all I had to say was ‘bat.’
We must have been quite the sight; my neighbour with his net, my father with the newspaper and me with the broom. We turned the house upside down. No bat. Convinced it had left the same way it came in, both my father and neighbour went home. I knew better.
I sat on the couch and waited. Three, two…and there it was, flying in from the second floor landing. I let out a scream for good measure. I grabbed the dogs and the cordless and ran outside. As I began to dial, I realized I was holding the remote control.
Hearing my demented whimpers from next door, my neighbour emerged once again with his net. After an exhaustive search, I finally spotted the bat on top of my window molding. My neighbour (henceforth known as my guardian angel) took one swipe with his net, trapped the bat and we went to release him outside.
And all I could think was, he’s so small.
