Monday morning miscellany

[magid]

Shirley Chisholm died. I remember the first time I heard of her, in the essays Nora Ephron collected in Crazy Salad (Amazon link). An impressive woman; I wish more politicians were like her. From the obit:
'Once discussing what her legacy might be, she said, "I'd like them to say that Shirley Chisholm had guts. That's how I'd like to be remembered."'

There is something disturbing about seeing side by side windows with "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Hannukah" banners, when the windows are part of a church.

The model trains set up in South Station are a lot of fun to look at. There are two tracks, one with an Amtrak train, the other with an old-fashioned locomotive (including choo-choo-ish sounds :-), both going through a fantastic little village, complete with lit-up little houses, people, animals, cars, a funicular, a 'waterfall', a tunnel, even Spiderman hanging off one of the bridges. Entrancing for kids little and not-so-little.

Noted: a parent wheeling a suitcase along, the toddler perched on top.

Yesterday's cookery: mango-cranberry-ginger chutney (3 pints, 2 half pints). And thanks to RSC, I'm thinking of what to put in a citrus-flavored yeasted bread. I have oranges, so orange juice and zest, plus... what? Bits of walnut? Some herb or spice? I'm not sure.

Most entertaining typo yesterday: Christian morels. I assume practicing Christians would avoid eating these.

Comments

[spwebdesign.livejournal.com]

There is something disturbing about seeing side by side windows with "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Hannukah" banners, when the windows are part of a church.

Why? With all the negative press Christian churches receive, and with the shitty way the Catholic Church has treated Judaism in the past, I would think the general reaching out to the Jewish community and the small gesture towards acknowledging other cultures would be welcome, not disturbing. What am I missing?

And why do you assume practicing Christians would avoid mushrooms? I'm just curious. We have no dietary restrictions and generally (with a few small exceptions, such as Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Seventh-Day Adventists) preach moderation, not excess (gluttony) either in the positive (gorging) or negative (abstinence).

[magid.livejournal.com]

I have no problem with a Christian group reaching out to a Jewish group, for interfaith discussions, for example. However, this felt different to me. Signs at a church tell you what's going on with the church, and this seemed to be a way to get Jews into their church. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that's how it struck me, especially since in the Jewish calendar, Hannuka is a tiny holiday, not at all the same stature as Christmas in the Christian calendar. I assumed that it was an attempt to get interfaith couples to attend their church, actually, rather than a wish for me to enjoy my (weeks-past) holiday.

Also, why no other banners? There are other holidays.

As for the mushrooms, it was a typo. Humor alert. Try reading it again.

[spwebdesign.livejournal.com]

I think you're reading too much into it. :) I'm sure there was no ulterior motive in it. Most church-goers aren't astute enough to think that deeply about it; but it's a season for wishing others well. As for why no other banners: we're a bunch of Christians; most of us don't realize that Hannuka isn't the only Jewish holiday! ;)

I got that morels was a typo, where morals was intended. I guess I just don't get why we would avoid eating morels. I figured either you're referring to 'shrooms or for some reason think we wouldn't eat mushrooms. That's what threw me off. But yes, the idea of specifically Christian mushrooms, as opposed to Jewish or Muslim mushrooms, is humorous just like the idea of Christian debt relief and all the other weird "Christian" spam I get.

[cellio]

And thanks to RSC, I'm thinking of what to put in a citrus-flavored yeasted bread. I have oranges, so orange juice and zest, plus... what? Bits of walnut? Some herb or spice? I'm not sure.

Ginger and orange go well together in other foods; I haven't tried bread. (Hmm, maybe crystalized ginger?) I've also had orange-cardemom bread that was tasty.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Ooh, both sound yummy. I'm leaning towards the cardamom, just because I end up using so much ginger.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

My high school classmate Shola Lynch just wrote and directed an excellent documentary on Shirley Chisholm. You can find information at http://www.chisholm72.net.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link. I'll likely watch it at home, though, since I don't have earphones at work. I did hear the very first bit, and there's something wonderful about a woman's voice declaring she's a candidate for the presidency...