Comments on: Living In Between

By: Bess

Bess — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 11:13:31 +0000

Your Paris Hilton comment makes complete sense to me.
My husband, nine-year daughter, and I are almost at the end of a five-month stint in Port-Gentil, Gabon. Gabon is fairly affluent and safe as Central African nations go. In comparison with it’s war-torn and politically shaky neighbors, it’s a pillar of stability and wealth. It’s still incomprehensible that there is such a vast disconnect between the start-struck US culture and the real world over here.

We were living fairly simple life before coming here and were even a little distainful of the lavish Western lifestyle for which so many in the US strive. We are looking forward to dependable running water and electricity again, but these few months have realigned our perspectives further. As our return to the US approaches, we are all having a difficult time reconciling life here and the life we will go back to in the US.

I read about a class in Seattle (our home for 10 years) for participants and their dogs. Dog yoga? I have seen people here living in poverty on a level that makes some US homeless people look like the Rockefellers and there’s people back home paying extra for *dog* yoga?!? This level of excess is reminiscent of the time immediately preceding the fall of the Roman Empire. I think every US citizen should spend a week in Africa – helping others,realizing how lucky they are to be Americans, and getting perspective on the difference between *need* and *want*. Maybe if Paris Hilton and Britney Spears went to rehab in Africa they, and the American public, would get an education on global priorities.

Thanks for what you have done for the people of Africa. Salud!

By: bekka

bekka — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 15:37:29 +0000

oh yum. and yes, i’m glad you’re not in and out of jail and rehab before your 20th b-day either!

By: Emily

Emily — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 10:31:53 +0000

Yummy, yummy, yummy!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 17:47:19 +0000

Amen. Amen, amen, amen…to tomatoes, to spending time with oneself, and to counting our blessings that we are “in between.”

By: Sonya

Sonya — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 17:41:25 +0000

Amazing and thought provoking. We are in between. It would drive you crazy to try and reconcile. Thank you so much for not only doing what you do, but sharing it with an armchair traveler (or is it computer screen traveler these days) like myself. And that tomato tart – oh-so-delicious.

By: Shelley - At Home in Rome

Shelley - At Home in Rome — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:29:34 +0000

Man, that tart looks yum. Come over here and cook some tomato stuff for me! I keep hearing it’s a popular fruit (vegetable? the debate continues!) over here in Italy.

By: beckie

beckie — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 15:33:40 +0000

My, my..You have a fun summer ahead of you (I am finally getting to all my blogs!) That pizza looks yummy!

By: jessica~

jessica~ — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 15:13:36 +0000

Yum, yum. I love that you made a catagory named June Clever. how appropriate that you talk about Paris Hilton in the same post you made a tart. Your tart, however, is soooo appealing!!

By: Gracie

Gracie — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 06:49:46 +0000

I couldn’t agree more with you on Paris Hilton! It’s really sad and frustrating to see people so fortunate in life to have it all, waste their life (and our time and resources) instead of doing good!
Could you please send me the muffins’ recipe? We’re planning a dinner with friends next saturday, and I’d really like to try them.

By: Ellen Patton

Ellen Patton — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 03:22:43 +0000

Three cheers for living the good life. And that tart looks yummy!

By: June

June — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:02:05 +0000

Your way of handling the realities of life is much healthier as well as contributing in a positive way to improving life for yourself and others.

All the tomato goodies sound yummy. You always make me hungry with your food postings.

By: meg

meg — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 23:11:21 +0000

Oh yum! That tart looks especially good; need to try that this summer.

I love your excellent balanced perspective, by the way. Brava!

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:55:28 +0000

I really think wealth handicaps young people. I think it is wonderful to retire with plenty because by that time you know how to use it wisely. But youth and money seems to be a less than perfect combination. It always frustrates me to see wealthy young people with so much potential to do good, actually do anything with their lives become stuck in less productive patterns. It’s such a waste.

Tomato party- great idea!

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:58:54 +0000

You never fail to inspire me! I love to cook, but neglect my skills. Hope you will post the tomato tart recipe. Good luck on your training.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:32:46 +0000

Both of those recipes look great! It is weird isn’t it, the headlines here in the states are rediculous. I turn on a national news network and I can’t get any headlines just silliness. Hang in there on that training, I’m going out for a walk right now, its almost 100 degrees out but what the heck!