BRAVA: An Ovation For An Oven

STORIES FOR THE TIMES:

I have been cooking on a Brava Smart Oven since July 2019. To see what it is all about I direct you to their web site: www.brava.com

The Brava lives on my cooktop which I have not used for months. The extra trays and pans live in the oven. Sometimes I use the microwave in conjunction with the Brava meals.

Here is a compilation of what I have been cooking for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as a few baked goods. Done with easy management and easy cleanup. A standing ovation to my Brava for keeping me happy and healthy and well-fed.

Supremacist and Entitlement: To Be or Not To Be

STORIES FOR THE TIMES;

Please do not put me in that unfortunate category which has been much used lately: an entitled, older, wealthy, educated, white male supremacist. Do not assume that I am a bad person or that I am arrogant about who I am! I do not consider myself "better" than women or those who are less fortunate than me.

Lately, we have been hearing a lot about "supremacists" and "entitlement," whether "white" vs "black," or "male" vs "female," or "developed country" vs "undeveloped country." 

What exactly is a supremacist and who actually is entitled? Often the terms are used interchangeably. 

A Supremacist is ... an advocate of the supremacy of a particular group, especially one determined by race or sex.

Entitlement ... If someone has a sense of entitlement, that means the person believes he deserves certain privileges, and he is arrogant about it. 

Besides the incorrect inter-changeable use, neither are fair labels for all male members of our society. 

The definitions make sense and I can agree in some ways, however, I think that there is some misunderstanding as to what they really mean and to whom they are applied.

I did some research on Google to see what was being said about the concept of Entitlement, which appeared in the 1980s when Ronald Reagan was apparently the first president to use the term extensively. He may have “tired of getting beaten up every time he mentioned Social Security and wanted a broader and more neutral term,” political scientist Norman Ornstein has suggested.

The following came from the Washington Post, Robert J. Samuelson:

"Let’s get rid of (the term) entitlements."

"Let’s drop the whole notion of “entitlement.” Just eliminate it. Politicians, pundits, and academics who talk about entitlements would then have to name the actual programs and argue their merits and demerits. This would encourage clarity and candor. Of course, that’s why it won’t happen. 

"Generally, Americans don’t want clarity and candor in their fiscal debates. We blame our leaders for budget brawls — this latest was a doozy — but forget that our leaders are largely governed by public opinion, which is awash in contradictions."

"So the government is “open” and the immediate threat of default has lifted. Great. But the political stalemate remains. Americans oppose excessive government spending and persistent deficits. Yet they also support the individual benefit programs (a.k.a. “entitlements”), led for example by Social Security, that drive spending and deficits."

The most important examples of entitlement programs at the federal level in the United States would include Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, most Veterans' Administration programs, federal employee and military retirement plans, unemployment compensation, food stamps, college loans, farm subsidies, and agricultural price support programs.

Mixed in with this list are programs that are paid for by the public as part of their salaries; for example, Social Security, Medicare, retirement plans, repaid college loans, etc. So I am not sure that I would call them entitlements. The difference comes when the government seeks to alter or change benefits that we cry, "I am entitled." Maybe we are maybe we are not.

In my case, I have feelings about many situations in which I might be called "entitled." Does that make me NOT eligible to state my feelings?

I am a man. I am white. I am educated. I am old. I am financially comfortable. This does not make me a Supremacist! I like who I am and what I have accomplished with my life but I do not consider myself better than others.

Just because I am a man, that does not mean I am misogynistic or sex crazy. I respect women at least as much as I respect fellow males.

Not my fault that I am white, but I can still empathize and work towards a better life for someone who is Black or Latino!

I am old, but that is also not my fault and does not mean that I cannot identify with the youth of today and speak to their well being as well as their being somewhat spoiled. I can learn from them and believe that they can learn from me.


I worked hard all my life, paid my taxes and social security fees, paid my dues to the Teacher's Retirement System. I managed my money carefully. 

Does that make me unable to feel for those who struggle to feed their children or afford to purchase drugs for their illnesses? Am I not entitled to the various benefits for which I paid over my entire working life?

I had the opportunity to go to college and worked at getting an education which enabled me to function well in the job market as a teacher for over 30 years and to have "ideas" about how things should be. So I speak up.

I am also generous with helping others in ways that bring them up and do not engage in gossip that bring them down.

Do not put me in that unfortunate category that has been invented: an older, wealthy, educated, white male supremacist and then assume I am a bad person! This seems to be what often happens and I do resent it. Thus I have spoken up!

Life Goes On

This video came across my Facebook page today and it is important enough that I wanted to share it. I have already been experiencing some of the "slow down" that Mike Vacant talked about in this four minute video. It has motivated me to NOT want to become an "old man."

So I reaffirm my life, I recommit to healthy eating, and I revitalize my exercise and gym program.

Happy New Year - 2016

What a year this has been. Helping Gregory live as vital a life as possible at the Lieberman Center, even with my emergency appendectomy, even with Gregory's passage ... I am grateful. I am thankful. I am full. 

Life has given me many gifts, Gregory being the biggest, and has taken back, Gregory being the hardest to return. I look forward to a new year in which to learn how to keep Gregory in my heart and in my mind without the pain it now creates.

I look forward to seeing who I become on my own with the years I have left: the good I can do for others, the adventures I can find for myself, sharing my love and my life with friends and family. I look forward to my continuing to grow, experience, process, write, and understand is possible

Wishing you a very Happy 2016. May your life be one of love, health, financial comfort, and when possible happiness.

Interesting

This evening, on my way back to the condo from the gym (two floors below in my building,) I was feeling healthy and vital. It felt good to be a little sore from my workout with my personal trainer. I was thinking about weighing myself this morning and confirming that I am continuing to loose weight.

These feelings came by way of an overall mind vision of my body in relation to who I am and the choices I have made to keep in shape as I approach my 70th year of life. It came as a total picture, maybe a second or two in duration, and now I am trying to translate it into words.

I felt ... well I felt ... like I was in my early 20's. What is interesting about this is that for most of adult life I have felt like a 9 year old. I attribute my success as an elementary school teacher of grades 4-6 to being able to identify with my fellow 9 year olds! I continued to (and still do) love toys, circuses, and "playing" in general. I continued to be amazed at life and the magic it holds.

When I would go through a "down" time, I would look back at my "ways" as immature and naive and promise myself that while I would not loose my "little boy," I would try to become better at being an adult.

When Gregory was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in 2003, life got very difficult for both of us, especially me being the one now "in charge" of both of our lives. At one point I realized that I felt like I had grown up a little and now felt like a teenager, no longer a nine year old.

I hadn't thought much more about this "growing up" phenomenon until today and here I am having arrived at feeling like I am in my early 20's. Interesting again, as I am still 50 or so years behind my chronological age! I sincerely hope I never catch up!