News Trend Setting Myself Free|Actual

My daughter pulled me aside and looked me hard in the eye. "A shopping ban? You're doing a year-long shopping ban? Do you really think you have a dilema with shopping?"

Well. I mean, not exactly a dilema.

My husband has been a bit puzzled about my shopping ban too. He's one frugal dude, but I can't remember a time he has ever complained about the way I spend money or asked me to cut back.

But isn't it always a good idea to cut back on purchases?

At least a year and a half ago, I bought this letter board and hung it in my garage, next to the door that we all pass through twenty times a day. My plan was to post not inspirational quotes or wacky sayings, but a list of the beverages we keep on hand in the kecil fridge that sits just to the right of the sign.

I've been turning this question over and over in my mind, twisting it this way and that like a uncooperative Rubik's Cube. I've asked myself to be totally honest about why I took on this shopping ban in the first place, and what I hope to gain from it.

Originally, I got the idea fromreading The Year Of Less, and drawing inspiration from a twenty-something personal finance blogger's journey of finding herself by buying less.

Honestly, I enjoy denying myself small pleasures in the moment and working for long-term goals.

I like putting rules and limits on my behavior and seeing what that feels like. Though surely there would be other benefits too, the shopping ban just sounded like fun.

But I soon discovered a duduk perkara. The board came with a gazillion letters, numbers, and punctuation marks, which was great. But the manufacturer's idea of a good storage arrangement was a pair of small cotton drawstring bags. Yeah, right.

My letter board hung on the wall for an easy eighteen months with the same, strategically useless message of "HELLOdanquot; while I pondered my options. Eventually I sussed outan ideal acrylic letter case on Amazon, but for one reason or another, never got around to actually purchasing it.

But then I read this article: Just buy the f**king latte.

Let me give you the gist of the piece:

According to this financial adviser, our society sends women the patronizing message that we are bad with finances, that we waste money on frivolous things like lattes and shoes,

and subtly teaches women that we should be ashamed of the ways we earn, invest, and spend our money.

All the while ignoring the deeply established gender gap in wages and benefits, and implying that men are skilled at earning and investing money but women should focus on pinching pennies.

Oh, snap.

Instantly, I felt a truth bomb explode in my toes and zip up my body to my gasping brain.

Immediately I saw myself in those words.

And I was assaulted with new insights about just how messed up my game of financial self-denial might be.

This month, I grew tired of my nonsensical deadlock.

So, in violation of my shopping ban, I broke down and spent thirty bucks on the organizer,

In light of this epiphany, here's what I've decided.

I'm still keeping my original commitment to my shopping ban.

Twelve months of extremely limited purchases, according to the rules I set out for myself.

Neurotically trimmed each symbol from the fiddly plastic racks,

But. When I recognize the need for something that will bring value to my life,

something I have thought long and hard about buying,

something I can't make do with an item found among my existing possessions,

I am going to buy it.

And tidily sorted them into their proper new homes.

Angels oleh and the sun shone all around and I now feel very happy and accomplished.

No guilt.

No shame.

No regrets.

And I'll share here about whatever it is that I decide to buy.

Best of all, I took my letter case in hand and marched out to the garage where I updated my letter board to serve its intended purpose. With my beverage inventory posted for all to see; my friends and family no longer need to kneel down on all fours to peer into the depths of the dark kecil fridge, and the asterisks help me keep track of which supply is running low.

Sirius was a bit worried about me lurking around the open garage door with a camera. But as you can see, his concerns weren't enough to knock him off his feedbag.

Because my shopping ban,

my rules in life,

should never be designed to bind me up, but always to set me free.

* * * * *

Read more about my journey to mindful consumption:

Reading Inspiration

My Shopping Ban Rules

My Decluttering Rules

The First Test

Sometimes It's Okay To Hold On

Setting Myself Free

Armed And Dangerous

A Decluttering Update: Family Photos

A Shopping Ban Update: Three Months In

Keepers

News Trend Life Of A Math Teacher: Playing With A Full Deck|Actual

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it." -Pablo Picasso

With unusual energy and good cheer, my student walked into the room where we study, closed the door behind him, and said, "I have a story for you."

As I sat at the desk, unpacking my books and preparing for our lesson, I felt this subtle shift and stopped what I was doing in order to fully listen.

And this is the story that Daniel told me.

Last Friday, Daniel was at work. No, not umpiring a Little League game, that's his other job. This time, he was working as an assistant to a carpenter, and together they were building a deck in a customer's back yard. The design featured two different angled corners, and the guys were figuring out the precise and particular measurements as they progressed.

After a bit or trial and error, it became clear that these angular cuts were gonna be tricky. Despite his years of experience and firm command of his trade, his boss was at a bit of a loss to figure out how to measure them accurately. As Daniel studied the persoalan with his boss, a glimmer of recognition began to flicker in his brain.

These angles, he noticed, looked just like the triangles in the geometry problems he's been studying this year. As Daniel pondered and puzzled, the parallels began to fall into place and he could extrapolate how to use the math to solve the deck problem. Working all the calculations in his head, he deduced the proper angles for the cuts and voila! Every piece fell properly into place, Daniel's boss was thoroughly impressed, and raved to Daniel and his parents about what a clever young man he truly is.

* * * * *

Some math teachers - and I admit I am one of them - may be tempted to wag this story in the face of every high school math student who dredges up that old complaint, "But when am I ever going to use this in the real world?" Surely, Daniel's story is a great example of how mathematics can be useful in the wild. But that's just a teacher putting a feather in her own cap, and I don't want to go there.

What is really worth celebrating in this story is a young man's ability to think on his feet, to apply abstract ideas to a seemingly unrelated hands-on challenge, and to have faith in his own ability to solve problems with his older and mostly wiser boss looking over his shoulder.

Well done, Daniel.

* * * * *

Read more stories about my life as a math teacher:

Social Distancing

Playing With A Full Deck

The (Math) Joke's On Me

Sharing Life

Little Brothers

Sweet Inspiration

My Hero

What I Do

Number 15

Christmas Edition

tiga.1415926

Buy It And Burn It

In Honor Of James K. Polk

House Tours

My Deep Gladness

Isolating The Radical

By The Numbers

Teaching My Own: High School Art And Algebra

News Trend Beyond Meat|Actual

Summer is almost upon us, people. In wild anticipation of sunshine and warm weather, I grilled up some all-American cheeseburgers for dinner tonight.

Mmm, rich and juicy, as true as the red, white, and blue. I topped my patty with some Grade A cheddar cheese, skipped the bun, and stepped up the flavors with caramelized onion and sauteed portabella mushrooms.

And, you know, ketchup.  Because that's what Americans do.

I'm happy to report that every bite was delicious.

But here's the thing. This was not a proper cheeseburger.

This was my first go with Beyond Meat, the latest cow-free plant-based meat alternative to pop up in my grocery store and pique my interest.

I'd seen the data online: in comparison with a traditional beef burger, the Beyond Burger uses

99% less water

93% less land

90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and

46% less energy

Which is exciting news for our overtaxed planet. But what about the taste?

Because here's the thing. This is not my first meat-free burger rodeo.

I've been an on-and-off-again vegetarian for decades now.

My spurts of disinterest in meat correlate quite precisely with my trips to the state fair, and more specifically, to time spent in the livestock barn. Oh, those big, soft brown cow eyes take me places that my stomach can't go.

So whenever new meat-free alternatives to the classic hamburger have rolled out into the market, I have always been game to give them a go.

Back in the 80s and 90s, I ate my share of Gardenburgers, a vegetarian patty that attempts to replace rather than replicate the traditional beef burger. They are good, in their own way. But  the Gardenburger tastes like a romp through a vegetable patch and therefore serves as no substitute for the soul-satisfying taste of proper beef. Alas.

Then came the Boca Burger. In terms of ingredients, this product is simply another twist on the veggie burger, but intentionally designed to mimic the taste of real meat, and that set it apart from its veggie-driven competitors. But for me, the flavors fell short, and once I learned that in some circles, women struggling with anorexia will nibble the edges of a Boca Burger in pretense of eating a proper meal, I lost the will to keep eating them.

Enter the Beyond Burger. After hearing the hoopla for the past few months about Beyond Meat, and then discovering their packages of plant-based burgers and sausages lying quietly among the standard trays of beef in my grocery store's meat counter, I knew I was ready to give the new guys a try.

And the results?

I'm impressed.

The patties sizzle up fast on the stove-top - just three minutes on each side.

Once cooked, the burgers take on a nice char and a medium-rare appearance.

And the mouthfeel? Quite a bit like a beef burger. Surprisingly and satisfyingly so.

* * * * *

Now, my ever-factual husband made the point that even though these plant-based burgers were pretty good,  there was still an indefinable little something that made them taste different than the real thing.

Please note that he shared this comment only after wolfing down every speck of his own Beyond Burger.

Yes. Of course. I can't argue that this plant-based product completely and perfectly captures the exact taste and texture of fresh beef.

* * * * *

But Beyond Meat makes a good run at it. Far better than any plant-based burger I've ever eaten before. With a significantly lower impact on the planet.

So trust me, my All-American family will be grilling up plenty of Beyond Burgers as this summer unfolds.

News Trend A Most Contented Dog|Actual

Ranger turned the big 1-dua today.

Yep. My baby boy is twelve years old. Which makes him eighty-four in dog years. Yikes.

To celebrate his birthday, I treated Ranger to a long, lovely walk in the late afternoon sunshine.

I know. We do that every day.

But back at home, my Irish lad was delighted and surprised when I served him a celebratory feast of ground beef, cooked to perfection and served over a bed of his usual dry dog food.

He devoured every morsel with considerable enthusiasm.

And while that may seem like a bare-bones birthday, even for a dog, the truth is this.

There's not a single thing more in this life that Ranger could want. He is, to be sure, a most contented dog.

News Trend My Homemade Cranberry Apple Crisp|Actual

Eat this crisp with a generous portion of vanilla ice cream and you will be transported directly to heaven. Well. Hopefully, just your taste buds will make the trip for now.

Oh sure. You've heard it all before.

This dessert is uh-MAZE-ing

You've never tasted anything so yummy.

Trust me, I could eat the whole thing.

I'm not even going to waste your time with those predictable accolades.

Because I've got the ultimate proof that my homemade cranberry apple crisp truly deserves a gold star. Though my family craves a batch of this crisp every other month or so, I need not lift a finger. This stuff is so soul-satisfyingly delicious, they make it themselves.

Dead serious. Maybe twice in the last decade, I've actually whipped up a batch of this lip-smacking goodness with my own two hands. But just last night, I washed out the baking dish from yet another rousing remake,

Yep. A dessert that makes itself. This one really is that good.

* * * * *

Taken from a wrinkled, creased and dog-eared page in my copy of Jane Brody's Good Food Book:

1. Mix together in a large bowl:

3 cups cranberries (That's one 12-ounce package. I stock up at Thanksgiving and keep them in my freezer year round.)

dua large apples, cored and sliced thin. (Leave the peels on. So much easier.)

1/dua cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon flour

2. Transfer the mixture to a greased, 6-cup shallow baking dish.

3. In the same bowl (no need to wash it), combine:

tiga tablespoons flour

3/4 cup rolled oats, regular or quick

1/2 cup walnuts (Half the time, we're out of walnuts, and forge bravely on without them.)

Stir and then add:

tiga tablespoons butter, melted

4. Mix together well - the mixture will be crumbly - and spoon over the top of the fruit mixture.

5. Bake in a preheated 375 degree panggang for 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Let the crisp cool for 10 minutes before serving.

And for the love of all things holy, please do not forget the ice cream.

* * * * *

Ready for more stories about my most dearly beloved, tried-and-true homemade meals?

My Homemade Lasagna

My Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

My Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs

My Homemade Grilled Cheese Sandwich

My Homemade Cold Tuna Noodle

My Homemade Beef Stir Fry

My Homemade Beef Stew

My Homemade Parmesan Chicken Nuggets

My Homemade Enchiladas

My Homemade Chicken Salad

My Homemade Cranberry Apple Crisp

My Homemade Pasta Primavera

My Homemade Pad Thai

My Homemade Quiche

My Homemade Potato Salad

My Homemade Cobb Salad

My Homemade French Toast

News Trend Patriotic Picnic|Actual

Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all.

- George Washington

For a festive Fourth of July, there is nothing I like better than a backyard picnic.

Unlike the troops at Valley Forge, we had plenty to eat.

Cheeseburgers

Potato salad

Corn on the cob

Watermelon

Baked beans

And for dessert, root beer floats.

These tried-and-true favorites satisfy my family like none other, and speak to all the best American summer holiday classics.

And you know, everything tastes more festively delicious when partaken under a patriotic banner.

I'm no Betsy Ross, but with a little inspiration, I came up with a plan.

Cut a handful of plain ol' printer paper into fourths.

Use watercolors to paint stripes on both sides.

Spread them out across a sunny trampoline and let the wind blow them about.

When dry, fold two corners together and make a angled cut.

Fold the top edge over about a cm.

Glue the pennants onto a length of twine.

Unfurl the banners and set them to snapping in the breeze.

To round out our Independence Day celebration, we discussed over cheeseburgers key dates in the American Revolution, the road to independence for other British colonies, and the quick wits of Ethan Allen.

And while I can't say whether or not General Washington had a sweet spot for cheeseburgers, I'm sure he would agree that this patriotic picnic cultivated peace and harmony aplenty, as well as a contented tummy.

News Trend He Would Look Good Wearing An Ammo Belt|Actual

And when I'm not being mistaken for a Wookie, you can find me lounging under the hydrangea bush.

We had just headed out on our daily walk when Ranger and I noticed we had company. Four boys on bikes were approaching us from behind, their indistinct, high-spirited chatter pegging them as 13-ish-year-olds. Laughing uproariously, they pedaled along, quickly closing the gap between us.

They were right behind me when I heard one say:

"Dude! If Chewbacca was a dog, that'd be him."

I grinned to myself as the boys rolled past me, single file.

Several meters up ahead, Ranger courteously squeezed himself to the right edge of the sidewalk, allowing plenty of room for the still-chortling boys to pass.

As the last one slipped by, he smiled down at Ranger and said, "Hi Chewie."

Ranger looked up at him and wagged happily.

And I laughed to myself for the rest of the walk.