Happy Birthday

My good friend is going to be 70 years old soon. Sometimes, to cheer people up when they hit these alarming decade birthdays, I send them a list of celebs who're hitting the same age around the same time. They're always so great looking that it makes us feel better about ourselves.

For instance, Mary Tyler Moore was born close to my birth date but she's much older than me.

But the celebs I found that are hitting the big 7-0 around the same time as my friend are scary looking.

Of course, you recognize Nick Nolte to the left. If you look him up you'll find that most of his recent photos are similar to this one.

Then there's Dick Cheney. My friend has some health problems but at least she doesn't have a defibrillator permanently installed in her chest.

And then there's Sam Waterston. I love Sam Waterston. He played Jack McCoy on my all time favorite TV drama, "Law & Order." (Even though it's been cancelled you can still see "Law & Order" any time you want. Just turn on the TV. It will be there.)

Now Sam's doing commercials and I still like him, but - he looks really old!

So I guess I won't send my friend the usual birthday celeb photos. She looks a thousand times better than these guys.

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I Remember Nothing

I went to my book club this afternoon. We discussed Nora Ephron's "I Remember Nothing." I was the only one who liked it. I didn't disagree with some of their comments. The book is light and probably a compilation of previously written columns and articles. The book club ladies where thinking that since her most recent book prior to this "I Feel Bad About My Neck," did so well, she probably threw this one together.

Come on, she's Nora Ephron. One of the finest writers around and part of a writing legacy.

The book is light but I found some meaning in most every chapter. The first one, specifically about memory, made me feel really good. I could relate.

By the way Nora, was the man you met at the party who had a neurological disorder and couldn't remember faces Oliver Sacks?

I love the chapter "My Life as an Heiress." (Even though I'd read it previously in the New Yorker.) Ephron gives us the three stages of inherited wealth: Glee, Sloth and Dissension.

I love the chapter "My Life as a Meat Loaf. Ephron is a cook. (After all, she wrote and directed "Julie and Julia.") Her friend opened a swanky restaurant and named the meat loaf after her. Nora's Meat Loaf. What an honor. But it wasn't her recipe in the first place, (she uses Lipton's soup mix and a gourmet restaurant would never do that) and, after chef changes, etc. it became unrecognizable and then was discontinued.

A lot of life is like that.

In the back she has a list of things she won't miss when she dies. The last one is "taking makeup off every night." I'm now compiling my own lists of things I'll miss and things I won't miss. My first list is longer.

As I said, the book made me think and is very smart and funny. My book club ladies are smart and funny too but they didn't like the book.


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Are Boomers Bad?

This year the oldest Baby Boomers will turn 65.

An article by Marsha Mercer in the AARP Bulletin quotes TV commentator Paul Begala. Calling the Boomers "The Worst Generation," he says:

Boomers are the most self-centered, self-seeking, self-interested, self-absorbed, self-indulgent, self-aggrandizing generation in American history.

Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. My two oldest children are Boomers. I was born at the tale end of "The Greatest" generation. But how can we be so great if we parented these selfish Boomers?

The truth is that I don't agree with the negative portrayal of the Boomers. If they haven't been as self sacrificing it's because they didn't have to be. They went about experimenting, discovering, designing and building for the future. I don't begrudge the Boomers their creature comforts.

Mercer says that Boomers "haven't embraced civic engagement the way they have Botox and Viagra."

I don't know about that. Most of the Boomers I know are hard working volunteers and workers. And I expect that when they retire they will continue to make great contributions to society.


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Move That Stuff

Our minister started a new series this morning called "Move That Bus" It will focus on the "stuff" we can move out of our lives to make room for God.

OK, I thought it was going to be about cleaning my the closet - but no, he started out this morning on a much deeper topic than that - as usual.

But you know how good I am about living simply. Dave too. We're constantly throwing out and giving away stuff right and left. Last week I cleaned my closet (again,) loaded up the car and drove it all to our local Goodwill Boutique. Didn't even buy anything while I was there even though they have some cool stuff.

Then last night I was getting ready for a fantastic birthday party for one of my favorite people and discovered I had no shoes. Whoops!

As you know, Dave and I try to go bagless. On Christmas morning I scored a large cloth diaper bag with my name embroidered on it. Well, it's my granddaughter's name as well. She outgrew it and I can use it, so what a great way to recycle. I now have a monogrammed shopping bag.

Even though Dr. Bob's message this morning was powerful I think, along with clearing the wrong thinking out of our heads, it's good to get rid of the tangible "stuff" we no longer need.

So this week we're cleaning the garage.

Chocolate Milk Wars

In some misguided attempt to stop childhood obesity, Florida could be the first state in the union to ban chocolate milk in public schools.



Are we crazy?



I can understand banning Classic Coke.

Here are the facts. Chocolate milk is good for you. Some studies show that when milk and chocolate are combined the nutritional benefits of each doubles.

It's rich in protein, calcium, vitamin-D and other good stuff. A glass of reduced fat chocolate milk (which is how it usually comes) has 160 calories.

Michael Phelps drinks chocolate milk to recover after a swim.

So drink up kids. I think I'll have a glass myself.

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Cookbook

Just before Christmas my church put out a cookbook. Most church cookbooks are good because folks want their best recipes included.

But this one's exceptional. For one thing we have well known chefs and caterers in the congregation. There's even a pro section call "Celebrity Chef." In it there's the recipe for Bacon, Date and Chorizo Tapas that's served at the Imperial Wine Bar. And it doesn't look hard to make.

I love seeing my friend's recipes. When my friend, Gil, retired a few years ago he spent the following couple of years making desserts for various groups. Some of his favorites are in there, including his Lemonade Cookies.

A few years ago I became acquainted with Coke Cola Cake. Oh my gosh, it's to die for. The recipe's in the book.

The one that intrigues me the most is for Perfect Prime Rib. I've never attempted prime rib. It's way too expensive to risk messing up. But Tom, the man who entered the recipe, says it's easy. It looks easy. But at one point you have to turn off the oven and "DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR" for two hours.

Don't know if I could be that brave. I might have to call Tom and have him talk me through it.

Polly has many Asian recipes in the book. She really knows her stuff. Her Kung Pao Chicken recipe looks totally yummy.

There are several recipes for Tortilla Soup and Taco Soup. It must be popular. I've never tried these soups.

John Rivers, owner and executive chef of 4R Smokehouse, a popular (by that I mean the line goes around the block) restaurant has been very generous to the church over the years. More than once he's prepared fantastic meals for over a thousand people for church celebrations.

His recipes are in the book.

Here's a menu suggestion for you:

Creamy Spring Asparagus Soup
Perfect Prime Rib and/or Miss Sally's Crawfish Pie
Potato Fennel Gratin
Radish and Cucumber Salad
Roasted Pears With Blue Cheese and Walnuts

As you must realize, I've read the book from cover to cover. Don't know if I'll actually make any of the recipes - but I certainly hope I get to eat some. Especially that Coke Cola cake.


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The Paradoxical Commandments

In our excellent Sunday school class this morning we discussed "The Paradoxical Commandments." Many people think these commandments were written by Mother Teresa because she had them on her wall but they were actually written in 1968 by Kent Keith when he was 19 years old and a student at Harvard.

Over the years he's done great work in leadership and "The Paradoxical Commandments" have become kind of a cottage industry for him.

These commandments coincide very well with the teachings of Jesus who was (and is) both paradoxical and revolutionary.

So here are the commandments to help you begin 2011.

THE PARADOXICAL COMMANDMENTS

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self- centered. Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

People may really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help them anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.


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