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June 4, 2005

Amen

From Lani, feeling a little evangelistic...

You might not know it to look at me, but I come from a long line of preachers. My grandpa was a preacher. My father was a preacher. My mother wasn't, but only because she was raised by one preacher and married another. There's only so much one girl can take.

Me, typically, not so much. I generally feel, with limited exceptions, that the vast majority of people out there are doing a pretty good job steering their own ships and don't need my input. Unless they're getting in my way, it's really none of my business.

However, in recent months, I've had a few experiences that have been really good for me, and I have this deep desire to share these discoveries with you. So, if you're a terrible cook, having trouble managing your kids, or looking to expand your horizons in the literary sense, keep reading.

First. The cooking.

I am, and have always been, a terrible cook. I once - I kid you not - started a kitchen fire boiling water.

Boiling.

Water.

So it is with no small amount of pride that I tell you that now... I can cook. I can cook real good. And it all came from TV.

Yes. TV. The devil box which, in some opinions, is universally responsible for the downfall of humankind. Without it, specifically Food TV, my kids would still be eating Mc Crap for dinner every night. But not anymore. Here's how I did it.

I started watching two programs: Rachael Ray's 30-Minute-Meals and Good Eats; the first for recipes and how-to, the second for general education on everything I never understood about food, which was... everything. I told myself I was not going to cook anything. I was just going to watch. And watch I did. I watched for about a month. Then I tried a recipe, and not only was it tasty, but I didn't set anything on fire making it. These are two big steps for me. Huge, in fact. So then, a week later, I tried another recipe. Lo and behold, it was also good.

Now, I actually have a repertoire. Me. Okay, that doesn't sound shocking if you don't know me, but really, it's a big deal. So if you're struggling with the fact that you hate cooking, and yet are swamped in the bad-nutrition-Mommy-guilt-shame-spiral, give Food TV a chance. I'm telling you. Change. Your. Life.

Second. The kids.

I am not typically a big fan of parenting "How To"'s. For one, they tend to be trendy. Two, they tend to be preachy. And three, they tend to be useless. Which is why, despite the fact that my mother-in-law recommended this book to me ages ago, I resisted it until I was so desperate for SOMETHING to happen to keep my kids from making me COMPLETELY INSANE that I ordered it off of Amazon.

I got one word for you. Miracle. I mean, my kids are still rotten and I'm still insane, but to a much lesser degree now. I can actually see a marked difference in their behavior and my response.

Couple of caveats: The book was written in 1964 and as such much of the advice is slightly out-dated and some of it could land you in jail (such as when he recommends that if your kid slaps or bites you, slap or bite him right back, or if your three-year-old can't behave in the store, leave her in the car while you shop.) But still, tossing out the bathwater and keeping the baby, this is still by far the best ten bucks I've ever spent on parenting, with the exception of that little swing that kept the babies nice and quiet when they were infants.

Ahhh. I loved that swing.

Third. Expanding horizons.

I'm not typically a space-book kinda gal. I don't really get into fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal. It's just not my speed. That said, three of my top ten TV shows of all time are Whedon shows (as in Joss Whedon, as in Buffy) and The X-Files also makes the list. I loved The Lord of the Rings, and I've enjoyed the occasional foray into paranormal stories, but typically... not my speed. Not that there isn't great stuff out there in the genre, I'm just saying on a typical day, I'm a romantic comedy girl.

Well, that was before I read CJ Barry. If you haven't read CJ Barry, you must. She's amazing. I just finished the amazing Unraveled, and I have to say, it's adventurous, well-plotted, high-flying space fun.

And the romance? Is incredible. Reads this satisfying on both a plot and emotional level are rare. So even if this kind of thing isn't your speed, just go out and get one CJ Barry and let me know what you think. I expect a couple of converts.

And here endeth the preaching. Amen.

Posted by Lani at 5:34 PM | Comments (1)

Comments

Posted by: Lynn Daniels at June 12, 2005 1:42 AM