Comments on: Pleasures http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/ Sharon Astyk's Ruminations on an Ambiguous Future Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:32:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Greenpa http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-3319 Greenpa Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:45:48 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-3319 Delightful. You understand. :-) I remember being shocked when a straight-world friend of mine was overheard telling someone that I was highly unusual, very interesting "BUT - he lives in abject poverty." Wow. My internal response, immediately, was "The hell you say! There's nothing ABJECT about my poverty! On the contrary, I live in FLAMBOYANT poverty!" And my first two kids, now grown- really do understand that they grew up rich- very rich. Just without any money. Delightful. You understand. :-)

I remember being shocked when a straight-world friend of mine was overheard telling someone that I was highly unusual, very interesting “BUT - he lives in abject poverty.”

Wow. My internal response, immediately, was “The hell you say! There’s nothing ABJECT about my poverty! On the contrary, I live in FLAMBOYANT poverty!”

And my first two kids, now grown- really do understand that they grew up rich- very rich. Just without any money.

]]> By: Susan Och http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-92 Susan Och Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:54:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-92 My experience is the total opposite. I can't buy greens from the produce section of my local grocery because they just aren't good enough compared to my homegrown greens. All the prepackaged stuff looks old and dead to me. If I found it in my fridge, I'd feed it to the chickens. My experience is the total opposite. I can’t buy greens from the produce section of my local grocery because they just aren’t good enough compared to my homegrown greens. All the prepackaged stuff looks old and dead to me. If I found it in my fridge, I’d feed it to the chickens.

]]> By: void_genesis http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-91 void_genesis Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:36:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-91 I think a similar phenomenon happens with home grown produce. Sure some of it is remarkably better quality than the store bought stuff, but I think with most of it just the act of appreciating how much work went into it and actually paying attention to how it tastes make all the difference. Whenever I have had an unusual season, or if I am trialling a new variety, I have to pay extra attention to figure out how it is different. I think a similar phenomenon happens with home grown produce. Sure some of it is remarkably better quality than the store bought stuff, but I think with most of it just the act of appreciating how much work went into it and actually paying attention to how it tastes make all the difference. Whenever I have had an unusual season, or if I am trialling a new variety, I have to pay extra attention to figure out how it is different.

]]> By: Anonymous http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-90 Anonymous Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:46:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-90 who ever heard of a mango before 1997 ? who ever heard of a mango before 1997 ?

]]> By: Anonymous http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-89 Anonymous Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:56:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-89 Dear Sharon,<br/><br/>I've become a big fan of (now) both your blogs, and this entry is excellent. It's been several years now that I came to realize that in many cases "less really is more."<br/><br/>How can a treat be a treat if you have it all the time? What is a treasure if you can't even see it for all the other "treasures"?<br/><br/>Watching my kids grow up (they are now 6 and 11), and trying to stem the tide of toys and treats that continually threatens, I realize that some of their happiest times are when they are playing with a bit of cardboard and string, or setting up a "camp" in the living room, where even mommy will be spending the night in her sleeping bag, too.<br/><br/>Thanks for all your sharing!<br/><br/>Corinne in Paris Dear Sharon,

I’ve become a big fan of (now) both your blogs, and this entry is excellent. It’s been several years now that I came to realize that in many cases “less really is more.”

How can a treat be a treat if you have it all the time? What is a treasure if you can’t even see it for all the other “treasures”?

Watching my kids grow up (they are now 6 and 11), and trying to stem the tide of toys and treats that continually threatens, I realize that some of their happiest times are when they are playing with a bit of cardboard and string, or setting up a “camp” in the living room, where even mommy will be spending the night in her sleeping bag, too.

Thanks for all your sharing!

Corinne in Paris

]]> By: homebrewlibrarian http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-88 homebrewlibrarian Sun, 17 Feb 2008 22:36:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-88 I've been shifting to eating a seasonal diet now for a couple years. This means no strawberries in August or fresh green beans in January. Now that I live in Alaska where the growing season is very short, my diet has gotten quite limited. However, I do have a guilty pleasure - I'm a member of a CSA in Washington state that has year round delivery to various parts of Alaska. I still only order stuff that's seasonal but it's certainly not seasonal for here. I keep this CSA because they have organic fruit and organic fruit in good condition is tough to get up here.<br/><br/>In December, mandarins showed up on the list. I got four cute little things each a little larger than a golf ball. When I peeled the first one, it was magical. The aroma, the sensation, the sight of this beautiful fruit had me salivating. And the first bite - heaven! It had been at least a year since I'd eaten any citrus and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed that mandarin, wee tiny thing though it was. I was like Laura Ingalls Wilder getting an orange at Christmas. Even though it took two weeks to eat the other three (I wanted to savor them), it wasn't the same pleasure as it had been the first time. For that moment of pure joy, I'll gladly cut back in other ways.<br/><br/>Kerri I’ve been shifting to eating a seasonal diet now for a couple years. This means no strawberries in August or fresh green beans in January. Now that I live in Alaska where the growing season is very short, my diet has gotten quite limited. However, I do have a guilty pleasure - I’m a member of a CSA in Washington state that has year round delivery to various parts of Alaska. I still only order stuff that’s seasonal but it’s certainly not seasonal for here. I keep this CSA because they have organic fruit and organic fruit in good condition is tough to get up here.

In December, mandarins showed up on the list. I got four cute little things each a little larger than a golf ball. When I peeled the first one, it was magical. The aroma, the sensation, the sight of this beautiful fruit had me salivating. And the first bite - heaven! It had been at least a year since I’d eaten any citrus and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that mandarin, wee tiny thing though it was. I was like Laura Ingalls Wilder getting an orange at Christmas. Even though it took two weeks to eat the other three (I wanted to savor them), it wasn’t the same pleasure as it had been the first time. For that moment of pure joy, I’ll gladly cut back in other ways.

Kerri

]]> By: Susan Och http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-87 Susan Och Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:43:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-87 When we lived in Hawaii, we had a mango tree in the front yard and an avocado tree in the side yard. The challenge was to figure out how to use a bumper crop of avocado while it was in season, and to eat yet another mango smoothie. <br/><br/>Potatoes, however, were $4 a pound (in 1985) so a baked potato was a luxury item. When we lived in Hawaii, we had a mango tree in the front yard and an avocado tree in the side yard. The challenge was to figure out how to use a bumper crop of avocado while it was in season, and to eat yet another mango smoothie.

Potatoes, however, were $4 a pound (in 1985) so a baked potato was a luxury item.

]]> By: Lynnet http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-86 Lynnet Sun, 17 Feb 2008 13:35:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-86 My son's favorite birthday party was when he was eight. We invited half a dozen kids over. I baked sugar cookies (big ones) and filled plastic bags with frosting in different colors, cutting off the tip to make a frosting piper. The kids could decorate and eat their cookies. <br/><br/>I have a snapshot of him at the table, friends all studiously decorating their cookies, a look of absolute bliss on his face.<br/><br/>He's 40 now, and hasn't forgotten. Such a little bit of expense and trouble to bring so much joy. My son’s favorite birthday party was when he was eight. We invited half a dozen kids over. I baked sugar cookies (big ones) and filled plastic bags with frosting in different colors, cutting off the tip to make a frosting piper. The kids could decorate and eat their cookies.

I have a snapshot of him at the table, friends all studiously decorating their cookies, a look of absolute bliss on his face.

He’s 40 now, and hasn’t forgotten. Such a little bit of expense and trouble to bring so much joy.

]]> By: LisaZ http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-85 LisaZ Sun, 17 Feb 2008 13:21:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-85 Great post, Sharon. It reminds me to cut the bar back a bit again, too. I also thought of Amy Dacyczyn's "Creative Deprivation" article right away. Great post, Sharon. It reminds me to cut the bar back a bit again, too. I also thought of Amy Dacyczyn’s “Creative Deprivation” article right away.

]]> By: Laura in So Cal http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-84 Laura in So Cal Sun, 17 Feb 2008 02:49:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/02/16/pleasures/#comment-84 Sharon,<br/><br/>I was discussing this just today with my Mom. My almost 4 year old son gets absolutely euphoric over the thought of getting birthday cake. Why? Because he only gets some when it is someone's birthday or about 8 times/year in our family. Sweets like candy, cakes, pies, cookies are a special occasion thing only. Amy Dacyczyn wrote an article in one of her Tightwad Gazette books called "Creative Deprivation" that addressed this issue really well. I've never forgotten it.<br/><br/>Laura in So Cal<br/><br/>Laura in So Cal Sharon,

I was discussing this just today with my Mom. My almost 4 year old son gets absolutely euphoric over the thought of getting birthday cake. Why? Because he only gets some when it is someone’s birthday or about 8 times/year in our family. Sweets like candy, cakes, pies, cookies are a special occasion thing only. Amy Dacyczyn wrote an article in one of her Tightwad Gazette books called “Creative Deprivation” that addressed this issue really well. I’ve never forgotten it.

Laura in So Cal

Laura in So Cal

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