1. The grandmother of one of my gymnastics girls telling me "You have the patience of Job!" It was such a great thing to say and so kind of her to express that I felt very accomplished for the rest of the day.
2. I was in desperate search for baklava, but so far from Albany Park. I walked up a few blocks and found a fancy restaurant which I knew served my very favorite dessert but felt intimidated about asking for it to go. No matter, I charged in anyway and asked the host if I could buy a few pieces. He seemed to understand my plight and replied, "NOOOO problem!"
Not only did he arrange them in a lovely box for me, but he gave me a dollar off, AND a coupon. He explained, "Because you're so kind!" but I think he was just being Lebanese about everything. My favorite thing about Arabs at large is how generous they are with food. This is a huge part of Middle Eastern culture--the sharing of food with friends and strangers--and I see it in every Middle Eastern restaurant in the city. Even the fancy ones.
3. Warm clothes on a cold night
Monday, October 12, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
No. 56
1. Me: Let's make tacos!
[4-year-olds lift their feet in the air and laugh hysterically]
Me: Let's make burritos!
[4-year-olds curl up into balls and laugh hysterically]
Me: What else should we make?
Chava, age 4: CHALLAH!
2. Cleaning the dance room by myself while listening to Tchaikovsky. Cleaning is my favorite part of work. It's relaxing, and meditative, and the smell of Swiffer spray is truly incomparable.
3. Feeling more inspiration to write.
[4-year-olds lift their feet in the air and laugh hysterically]
Me: Let's make burritos!
[4-year-olds curl up into balls and laugh hysterically]
Me: What else should we make?
Chava, age 4: CHALLAH!
2. Cleaning the dance room by myself while listening to Tchaikovsky. Cleaning is my favorite part of work. It's relaxing, and meditative, and the smell of Swiffer spray is truly incomparable.
3. Feeling more inspiration to write.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
No. 55
1. Two members of our parish died this week. I didn't know either one well--at all really--but there was a certain heaviness in the church today. Something felt amiss, and strange. But there was also a baptism today: a tangible reason to rejoice. And I think the heaviness made the joyfulness all the more light and lovely. Celebration was needed, and it felt so good to celebrate this tiny large-eyed person wearing a wonderful white dress with puffed sleeves, who softly cried as water was poured on her head and we welcomed her into our church family. She snuggled into Sarah's shoulder and resembled a little bear cub, so cuddly and at home in this candle-lit sweet-smelling sanctuary. At church it is not only helpful, but necessary, to rejoice in the midst of mourning. We rejoiced heartily with ice cream cones during coffee hour--a gentle goodbye to summer and a happy embracing of fall's arrival.
2. The surprising sight of the skyline at night. The skyline is surely one of the most spectacular man-made wonder. The Parthenon, the microchip, the skyline--they all evoke a similar awe at humankind's astounding creativity and desire for progress, and beauty.
3. A soul-enlivening conversation with 3-year-old Hana, who summarized for me the plot of "Mamma Mia" and told me that her 1-year-old brother was her hero.
2. The surprising sight of the skyline at night. The skyline is surely one of the most spectacular man-made wonder. The Parthenon, the microchip, the skyline--they all evoke a similar awe at humankind's astounding creativity and desire for progress, and beauty.
3. A soul-enlivening conversation with 3-year-old Hana, who summarized for me the plot of "Mamma Mia" and told me that her 1-year-old brother was her hero.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
No. 54
1. A sick day taken, and an afternoon at Chicago Botanical Gardens. Happy to be lazy, laughy, and warm while strolling through all this beautiful fresh life with my kindred spirit. Chicago has lifted itself out of that little dip into fall last week but I am not protesting; I know fall is coming and I will savor this sweet sunshine while it lingers, hanging on desperately to the first weeks of September when bright warmth is still acceptable.
2. The smell of my rosemary plant
3. Not missing the 5:21 train, for once in my life. A few precious free minutes before work to walk up and down a few of Evanston's mansion-lined streets, so quiet and stately in the very early morning light. Being up so early feels like being let in on a secret. I love sleep but I love to wake up.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
No. 55
1. You know you [Mari] are destined to be soul sisters with someone when:
a. you meet her at church
b. she is wearing a long red beaded necklace that she has wrapped several times around her neck
c. within 45 seconds of introducing yourself, you are already talking about:
-feminine energy in a living space
-Audre Lourde
-women's and sexuality studies in a religious context
-vintage dresses
-organic peaches
2. The taste of baked thyme with olive oil, the surprising sound of new husband and wife speaking in Arabic from the kitchen. Hannah now has an Arabic last name, Lebanese cooking utensils sent from new relatives she has never met with exotic names like Noor and Fadi, and I now have access to all the za'atar I could ever want. And I want a lot.
3. "It looks like a tornado swept through a church camp you guys."
This is how I best spend my Saturday nights, this is my kind of party: pumpkin soup and hymns, 3 glasses of pinot grigio and going home with an entire apple pie.
a. you meet her at church
b. she is wearing a long red beaded necklace that she has wrapped several times around her neck
c. within 45 seconds of introducing yourself, you are already talking about:
-feminine energy in a living space
-Audre Lourde
-women's and sexuality studies in a religious context
-vintage dresses
-organic peaches
2. The taste of baked thyme with olive oil, the surprising sound of new husband and wife speaking in Arabic from the kitchen. Hannah now has an Arabic last name, Lebanese cooking utensils sent from new relatives she has never met with exotic names like Noor and Fadi, and I now have access to all the za'atar I could ever want. And I want a lot.
3. "It looks like a tornado swept through a church camp you guys."
This is how I best spend my Saturday nights, this is my kind of party: pumpkin soup and hymns, 3 glasses of pinot grigio and going home with an entire apple pie.
Friday, August 28, 2009
No. 54
1. The way an Australian woman pronounced the word "ginger"
2. A quiet, warm morning at work. Listening to Andrew Bird and rain simultaneously. Eating orange-honey toast, drinking Sencha tea. I can feel fall on my skin already, and I relish it.
3. A tall man with long beard who topped his head with a yarmulke came pushing a stroller into the cafe. He ordered a hot chocolate [one of the most charming orders I must say], and I followed up, "Anything else?" He peered into the stroller and whispered, "Naomi, do you want anything?" The infant remained asleep. "Nope, she doesn't want anything," he told me.
Living in Rogers Park and working in Evanston, I am an instant part of a couple communities of which I am not actually a member: I live next to Loyola which unfortunately makes me feel like I'm living in a giant frat house sometimes; I work next to Northwestern which quite wonderfully makes me feel like I live in J. Crew catalog sometimes. And I particularly enjoy the Jewish community on the North Shore. I love how many times I hear the word "schlep" a day. I love the way my boss always exclaims "God bless!" whenever I do something well--"You're cleaning? God bless!" I love that meeting folks from Israel is a daily occurence. I love how many people I've met named Saul. I love how I have seen more yarmulkes in the past three months than I have in 22 previous years of life.
2. A quiet, warm morning at work. Listening to Andrew Bird and rain simultaneously. Eating orange-honey toast, drinking Sencha tea. I can feel fall on my skin already, and I relish it.
3. A tall man with long beard who topped his head with a yarmulke came pushing a stroller into the cafe. He ordered a hot chocolate [one of the most charming orders I must say], and I followed up, "Anything else?" He peered into the stroller and whispered, "Naomi, do you want anything?" The infant remained asleep. "Nope, she doesn't want anything," he told me.
Living in Rogers Park and working in Evanston, I am an instant part of a couple communities of which I am not actually a member: I live next to Loyola which unfortunately makes me feel like I'm living in a giant frat house sometimes; I work next to Northwestern which quite wonderfully makes me feel like I live in J. Crew catalog sometimes. And I particularly enjoy the Jewish community on the North Shore. I love how many times I hear the word "schlep" a day. I love the way my boss always exclaims "God bless!" whenever I do something well--"You're cleaning? God bless!" I love that meeting folks from Israel is a daily occurence. I love how many people I've met named Saul. I love how I have seen more yarmulkes in the past three months than I have in 22 previous years of life.
Monday, August 24, 2009
No. 53
1. My mom delighting with me in a recent victory for an issue very near and dear to my heart: food production. I am so very lucky to have a mother who cares so much for what I care for--who doesn't pass off my little interests or projects as youthful idealism, but takes a genuine interest in my passions. I love her so much.
2. Talking on the phone with my beautiful friend Megan for two and a half hours. She told me about her recent purchase of Georgia peaches from her farmers market in South Carolina, and observed to me that, "Peaches are really the most majestic fruit. Something about them is almost other-worldly...like they don't quite belong here. Something about their velvety skin or the color or the way they taste...I think they are a particularly royal fruit."
3. I would have never imagined Hannah's wedding ceremony taking place in the crowded basement at City Hall early on a Saturday, but there was something sacred about it despite the strange and comical circumstance. She looked lovelier than I've ever seen her, and radiated a happiness with which no one could argue.
Watching my friends turn into the people they were created to be--against my own expectations for them--has been such a gift of the growing-up process. Of course Hannah would get married in a silk blue dress, of course she would forget that she should probably have a bouquet, of course her husband would have had her ring made in Jordan, and of course right before her vows she would tell the judge, "Let's do the damn thing!"
2. Talking on the phone with my beautiful friend Megan for two and a half hours. She told me about her recent purchase of Georgia peaches from her farmers market in South Carolina, and observed to me that, "Peaches are really the most majestic fruit. Something about them is almost other-worldly...like they don't quite belong here. Something about their velvety skin or the color or the way they taste...I think they are a particularly royal fruit."
3. I would have never imagined Hannah's wedding ceremony taking place in the crowded basement at City Hall early on a Saturday, but there was something sacred about it despite the strange and comical circumstance. She looked lovelier than I've ever seen her, and radiated a happiness with which no one could argue.
Watching my friends turn into the people they were created to be--against my own expectations for them--has been such a gift of the growing-up process. Of course Hannah would get married in a silk blue dress, of course she would forget that she should probably have a bouquet, of course her husband would have had her ring made in Jordan, and of course right before her vows she would tell the judge, "Let's do the damn thing!"
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