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Hoboslug
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Name: Seth
Country: United States
State: Oregon
Gender: Male
Interests: hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing, spending quality time with family, inventing retarded games that derive intense enjoyment, and listen to music
Message: message me
Member Since:
1/12/2006
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| Food Fighting (sort off)Can I just say that cooking is probably one of the most evil vices that has resulted as a result of the fall. Think about it before the fall, Adam and eve just had everything there and they ate and that was that. It never says and then Adam sautéed his asparagus and made some honey Dijon dressing for his salad and then had eve do the dishes. Alas, I suppose this is what we get, but I am convinced that if there were to be food in heaven it would always be in a state of prepared perfection. Anyway, I am slightly getting away from the point at hand.
Basically, I am writing this as a rant more than anything, because I have decided that officially I am taking the stance that I hate cooking. This is not to say I hate food, it is simply to clarify that I despise anything to do with food preparation. Why, oh why do you ask or more likely why are you currently leaving this particular xanga post because this is again a pointless rant of Seth’s. Well stick it out and I will let you in on the complexities that actually have led to such a powerful statement.
Ok first reasons you should hate cooking:
1) Cooking takes time, no matter how simple the meal you have to put time and planning into cooking. There is no way around this.
2) Cleaning up, when you cook there is always inevitably clean up. Generally speaking, the greater the meal the more clean up is required. I find that I spend almost as much time cleaning up a meal as making it.
3) Cooking is not worth it when you are always cooking for 1 person. This is two-fold. 1) There is no one to share a meal with once you’ve finished putting time into a good meal. Lets face it food is communal; food without community isn’t a meal it simply becomes sustenance, and 2) you can’t make good meals in small 1 person amounts, and so inevitably you end up having to eat the same meal repeatedly before it goes bad and then you just get sick off eating it. There is a significant decline in ones passion for food, no matter how well prepared.
So as a result of these more notable points cooking and myself are locked in a vicious feud. Of course let’s face it we can’t escape cooking unless we are millionaires who can hire cooks. I think the real key here is to really go back to what cooking is all about, and that is food. For myself I think I can’t stand cooking because we as a culture, and subsequently myself, have lost are connection to food. Where it came from, what it means to have good food, and why these points are important. A striking example comes from my own experiences growing the vegetable garden here at Au Sable. When I am actively participating in the propagation of my own sustenance, I can’t help but feel a strong connection to that meal and wanting to see the fruits of my labor provide nutrition for myself and others. The delight I get from munching on a fresh cucumber is phenomenal. (Seriously, I think it should be on the 1000 things to do before you die list) In today’s society, we get most of are food from thousands of miles away, and as a result of that detachment there is no real motive to take any pride in what one eats, it is impersonalized. Through this fact again you see that elements of community are vital to the process of eating.
So how do you reconcile the fact that today most everything related to food is about convenience, how quickly can my food be prepared, how easily can it be consumed and disposed of. An emphasis on eating well has simply been thrown out the window by the fast food and processed foods sector. Reconnect with food: even if you can’t grow your own garden or afford to buy exclusively from the local community just simply try to decrease the distance in which your food has traveled. Maybe this will only involve maybe once a month buying locally. Honestly, I don’t even want to hear that paying a little extra for local is too expensive, because I make jack squat and I am still able to comfortably be able to buy a number of items locally on a regular basis. It is possible; don’t simply throw it aside as out of the realm of the ordinary individual. A second theme that I believe needs to be addressed is the essential nature of community towards the food process. To be able to not only grow food with others, but then to prepare and partake of food together almost has a sacramental value to it. We see Jesus used food as a tremendous means of establishing a sacramental covenant with the disciples, and subsequently us, during the last supper. The imagery of food in this and other context throughout the bible clearly point to the enriching communion that is created when food is present. Not only is physical nourishment addressed but spiritual nourishment. So basically, food can be so much more than simply a random conglomeration of amino acids, and proteins, and other elements. Of course this does not mean we should start deifying tomatos or hamburger helper either.
So, in the end, I think I am writing this more for myself than any other of those who might come across this entry, but I hope that you will take the time to consider your relationship to food. It is such an essential part of our lives, so perhaps we can actually begin to treat it in such a manner. Try and find ways to really create a means of knowing your foods and establishing even little things that create that sense of community and connection to your meal. Cooking, growing foods, and even thoughtful purchasing can all be accomplished when real thought is directed towards achieving great meals. If you are really curious to delve into some really powerful thoughts on food and the human connection to it one should check out Michael Pollan’s, “The Omnivores dilemma.” Well apologies for the considerable lapse of time between posts. Thanks to those who have hung around long enough to actually see I do still make the occasional entry here on xanga. I will leave this post off by saying as the band the arrogant worms so aptly state, “Give peas a chance.”
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| Bringing in the New YearSo, I have to say without a doubt that this New Year’s Eve was by far the most odd occurrence I think I have been apart of in who knows how long. Firstly, I must preface this experience with a little background information so one can put the entire unraveling of events in there proper context. Situation: I am attempting to fly back to Washington, key word “Attempting” and I reach Minneapolis-Saint Paul airport at about 10:15 pm which would be fine except that my connecting flight left at 10 and so I am stuck in the airport for the evening on New Year’s Eve. Secondly, nobody is around because surprise most people are smart enough to not try and fly home on New Year’s Eve. So here are the events as follows.
11:00 pm – Sat down and watch the New York ball drop with a small group of airport employees. Some are the ground crew people; others are from the janitorial bunch. This is to say the least comical. I am sitting with people I will never talk to again, but we all are enjoying this odd little moment of community. A bunch of stranded people (in both a figurative and literal sense) who are making the best out of a not so amazing moment which eerily seems like a comparison to life, and yet we still get together and something a positive has come out of this experience.
12:00 – 12:30 am – A mouse has somehow found its way into the “F” terminal. I think he is rather perturbed that I am infringing on his normal activities. However, soon he gets over this minor inconvience and goes about picking up the small crumbs of various food items that haven’t been vacuumed up by the janitors, All in all it appears that this is quite a good evening for him. I can’t help but chuckle, but upon doing so my little friend again perks up his ears in indignation until I quiet myself and he can resume his task.
12:30 – 2:00 am – I am sitting in a little corner and a man decides he desires companionship, or more probably he wants to utilize the electrical outlet that I have discovered. (One would be surprised as how few outlets are present in airports) Then he begins to explain how he can’t get to South Bend, IN. Its not that I’m not sympathetic towards his dilemma, but this guy just couldn’t get over the fact that he could not get there. Lucky for him his flight got out of there at 6:00 am so his insanity wouldn’t have lasted too much longer.
2:00 -4:00 am – I’m not sure how many miles I have just covered but I have now completed walking through the entirety of the airport not once but twice. It has actually been a really refreshing walk. Every now and again I see a fellow stranded individual, though most of them have wisely made some kind of sleeping apparatus to pass the evening hours away. I now feel confident that I know that airport better than some of its employee’s.
5:30 am – I wake up from a uncomfortable and uneasy sleep and before me I see something so strange I think I’m still dreaming. People, yes people are walking through the airport. I don’t know how I got to this point in such a short period of time but I feel as though these people are intruding upon my place. I stumble to my feet and go grab a muffin from Caribou coffee and the day begins to break. It’s been a weird surreal evening, but an interesting adventure nonetheless. I can honestly say this has been the oddest New Year’s celebration to date, but in retrospect not a horrible experience by any stretch of the imagination.
Well, I just had to verbally express this quirky little moment in life. Perhaps even more fascinating was that fact that even a crappy situation can turn into to something enjoyable in its own off-the-wall way. Well till next time folks, hope everyone had an amazing new year’s.
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| The Christmas ListSo with Thanksgiving coming upon us with increasing nearness the inevitable question of "What do you want for Christmas?" becomes perhaps the most prevalent question asked amongst each other and this is generally followed up with the quiessential "I'll send you a list" reply. I have to say this question could quite potentially be one of the most dreaded questions to ever be presented towards a person. In fact, recent surveys indicate that it ranks a solid number three behind "what do you want to do with your life?" and "Is that a live cougar attached to your leg?"
I just never know what to tell people. Partially because it just feels wrong to me to have a list of all the things that I want and then just expecting people to find these things and get them for me. Sorry this is just one of the weirdest concepts for me to grasp. In fact I think the majority of people have the tendency to feel guilty about such a list and so we have the tendency to put it off. Furthermore, its not that there aren't things I wouldn't enjoy having in fact, I doubt if there are any of us who would deny that they wouldn't enjoy having this or that, but generally I think of these things at all other times, except when people actually want to know. Its absolutely ridiculous, a mere few hours before I will have constructed an amazing list in my head and then bam! the question comes and its all gone. I can't even recall one item from my mental list. Of course, I'm sure I'm not the only one with this particular dilemma to face and so in a effort to combat the ill effects of this occurrence. In addition to the fact that I can't think of anything I really want, a second problem comes when I finally do realize I would like something, only to realize that this particular item typically costs hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Now for those of you who might have the benefit of being enormously wealthy you can immediately cease to read this entry and go spend exactly that kind of money, but if I'm right this will likely be about 1% and so the rest of us may continue on this intrepid voyage of christmas list uncertainty. Ok, so I quickly eliminate those choice, pricey, items from the list and then begin to think of something along a more manageable line. The problem is then I hit the other extreme and everything I begin to place on my list cost no more than 7.99 and despite the fact that all these suggestions are actually things that I would absolutely love to have, nobody is willing to buy them because then they think they are cheating you out of a "good" present. Its really such a funny conundrum, because either way one feels a sense of guilt over the complilation of such a list. Alas, though simply stating this never will appease the massses and so again one must ponder over the thoughtful construction of a christmas list. So were is the remedy, obviously people want to get you something because it makes them happy to see you happy, so it rarely occurs that you can just tell everybody to forget presents altogether and they all agree. This year, I might have solved my own dilemma though, because the more and more I try and think about what I want, the more and more I simply start to think of necessities, such as necessary clothing or appliances. Its quite funny because I always hated the thought of getting someone pants or socks, or a blender. But the more and more I ponder my list the greater my desire for these things grows. I suppose this is what, inevitably happens when one face live on there own, you obviously think of yourself, but more along the lines of survival as opposed to simple luxury. Well, this was a catharthic post, coming up next, the joys of the Macy's day parade. Well till then hope you're all experience peace of mind and not letting the commercialism of the holidays get to you.
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| Seth's Love ChildSo lots of people keep pestering me about knowing exactly what I do, so today I will show you. Here is my little love child. This is the propagation bed of Roemer's Fescue that I grew and planted this fall. Yes, yes I know nerdy, but heck I'm proud of these little guy's and gals. Just as parents (meg/troy and jake/sarah) show pics of there kids, I figure these little plants are possibly the closest thing to kids that are involved in my life so thats what you get. Alright, Horray Thanksgivings almost here and then christmas huzzah. Talk to you all later
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| Pumping up with SantaSo, I'm not sure if I really am comfortable sharing this with people, but its so utterly ridiculous that it simply must be discussed amongst some parties. As many of you know the use of motivational tools when exercising has always been a popular subject, and when examining the various modes people incorporate into there daily regime the topic of music inevitably appears, generally, at the forefront of perferred methods of keeping the individual preoccupied with not thinking about the fact that they are forcing there bodies to perform more physical activity than it is use to. I my personal situation I generally like to have my Ipod handy and then I'll pick a topic of debate in which I can argue with myself while jogging around. For example today I was listening to "Pedro the Lion" and my subject of debate involved dicussing (with myself) why seclusion is bad for humans. (which is a whole other post in itself). Lately; however, I have needed a new type of music to really get me going and that my friends, much to my surprise, is listening to Christmas music. I know, I know many of you are thinking, "why are you already listening to christmas music" and "How the heck does christmas music get you motivated." Well, as many of you who know me already are aware of, I begin listening to Christmas music typically once it stops being summer. Recently, this has come earlier than I remember in my childhood and so usually by september you can see me singing in my car to the tune of Jingle Bells or Have a Holly Jolly Christmas. Up till this point though my christmas listening music was restricted to driving or writing xanga post. Then it happened, I was talking to my sister Kiersten and she shared her running secret. That she was jogging to christmas music. Believe me I thought she was crazy, but then I thought wait, this makes alot of sense. Why not barrage my auditory sense with happy music while running. 1) its happy so regardless of being tired, or cold, or any other hinderance happiness is always seeping into your mind. 2) There is something about "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" that seriously gets the blood pumping. I don't know if I just secretly love chestnuts and so my body gets excited about hearing the word or what the deal is but its fantastic. The first time you run to Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is, mark my words, going to be one of the most special moments in your life. So next time your out for a jog just remember its now statistically proven that incorporating christmas music into ones jogs will increase your lung capacity by 25%. Mainly because you want to sing with the songs so badly that you'll force your capacities to accomodate your musical inclinations. Believe me its science, or it should be anyway. So hopefully, many of you joggers will get out your rut, and for those of you who have maybe been thinking about taking up some recreational activities, but have been disuaded till now, well you no longer have an excuse because Santa is here to pump you up.
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