The Book(s)

Wow, has it really been almost a month since my last post???

Off the record: Vacation Time is GRRRRRREAT! What did I do, aside from spend time with my beautiful child?

I reflected, I read novels and magazines, and I considered my future. And, oh yeah, I wrote FOR MYSELF. As enjoyable as journalism is, there is nothing like the feeling of just letting words flow without worrying about who's going to read them, what they may think, and whether or not the writing is actually good. Playing with words is one of the joys of my life.

I also resumed thinking about the book project I started earlier this year, when I traveled to Nicaragua to interview people with disabilities. Just as I was feeling discouraged about the possibility of actually getting the thing published (or being PAID to write it), I stumbled upon a super-helpful post about getting published at Editorial Ass. It's amazing how just reading the info therein got my creative juices flowing, reminded me of how much I have to offer and made me see that I actually do have a chance at getting a book published!

As Moon Rat (the Editorial Ass blogger) says, "Published authors are just the writers who had the most perseverance."

p.s. Two novels I read and LOVED this summer:
"The Sound of Waves," by Yukio Mishima
"The Westing Game," by Ellen Raskin (recommended by my daughter)

Two Beautiful Words

Off the record, the 2 most beautiful words I heard last week were "It's benign."

Spoken by the surgeon who removed the left suprior parathyroid, with embedded tumor, from my mother's neck, those words sounded better than anything I had heard in a long time. It's been a busy and intense summer, in large part due to the havoc that 3 millimeter tumor wreaked on mom's health and ability to care for herself. Thankfully she is healing and regaining her strength and energy quickly!
Prior to this nightmarish experience, I had never heard of the parathyroid. I had no idea it was one of four tiny glands within the thyroid; nor did I understand the important function these glands serve in regulating calcium. Had we left this condition unchecked, my mother's bones would have become severely brittle and she would have been at serious risk for renal failure!

There is a story here for sure, and it is one that, if published in the right outlet, has the power to save lives.

OFF THE RECORD: Fair Trade = Peace

Today, I had the privilege of visiting Equal Exchange headquarters in West Bridgewater, MA for a facility tour and cupping.

(Above: Daniel & Mike explain the difference between the samples we tasted.)

First off, let me just say the coffee was incredible! Mike introduced us to three varieties; one from Bolivia, one from Peru, and one from Ethiopia. My favorite was the Peruvian, which had notes of caramel and maple syrup, and was incredibly smooth and light, even though the beans were a year old! (Harvest time is approaching in S. America, so EE will be getting new stock from their co-op partners in Peru soon!)


(Above: the Brew Crew form we filled out during our tasting)

More importantly, all the coffee we sampled, indeed all the coffee they sell, is certified organic and fair trade. In essence, Equal Exchange’s coffee (and their tea, cocoa, chocolates, and new line of snack foods) promote peace. How? By working only with farmer cooperatives that grow their product without chemicals that harm the earth, Equal Exchnage is encouraging farmers to work sustainably. By empowering farmers with knowledge that helps them improve their product and marketing efforts, and by offering the best prices possible to the farmers who supply their product, this company is keeping people out of poverty. As far as I can tell, poverty breeds desperation, which ultimately leads to fighting. Empowerment leads to peace.

Daniel, who arranged the tour and cupping, laid out the company mission for me thusly:
“We’re pretty much a social justice organization, using [coffee, cocoa and tea] as tools.”

If you’d like to participate in a tour and cupping at Equal Exchange, email Daniel (dsteinberg@equalexchange.coop)for more info. The next tour is scheduled for August 18th.

p.s. I’m also inspired by Equal Exchange’s efforts to keep their refuse out of landfills. You’ll be able to read more about that at Conscious Cow soon!

Off the Record: Communication Breakdown's Drivin' Me Mad

Hmmm... I think that's how the lyrics to Communication Breakdown go. Actually, it might not even be a song, but in my head, there's music. I just read the following quote from Deepak Chopra (who, by the way, knocks my socks off), and I just had to share it with you.

"Talking person to person can be totally misunderstood, just as on the Net. Blogs give you a chance to be misunderstood en masse - and grateful when that one sympathetic reader responds and gives you hope for the future of the mind."
~ Deepak Chopra

Off the record, I sometimes have such difficulty engaging in live interpersonal conversations. (The exception is during interviews, because I have a list of questions and it's expected I'll probe.) Deepak Chopra's words above make me laugh, because they ring true... maybe too true!

OK, sympathetic readers... your reponses are welcome!

OFF THE RECORD: This Actor Turned Author is Truly Inspiring

Friday I had the priviledge of interviewing the author of a new vegan diet & lifestyle book for a national magazine.

The book excerpts her publisher sent me were inspiring, and speaking with this author was great fun. I love interviewing people and finding interpersonal connections. In this case, our love of food and passion for health unites us.

If the woman's name was Jane Smith, I would have been excited about the interview. However, the author of "The Kind Diet", forthcoming from Rodale press this fall, is Alicia Silverstone. With all the crazy stories about Hollywood “stars-run-amok”, it's refreshing to meet someone so down-to-earth and committed to helping others. Her breakout movie role may have been the starring role in "Clueless," but Alicia Silverstone is anything but.

Off the record: I’m Obsessed with food

I love food!
I love harvesting it at my friend’s farm, and gathering it in the wild and at U-pick places. I love preparing it, eating it, and sharing it with my family and friends.

I can discuss ingredients ad nauseum, and I view the act of creating new recipes as an artistic endeavor. I have so much fun playing with food that my loved ones say it’s hard to pry me out of the kitchen. My daughter says I’m not myself without a blender in the house, so after the last cheapo blender broke; I finally treated myself to a Vita-Mix.
(When UPS delivered the big box, and I opened it to find my fancy new blender, it was like Christmas all over again!)

I also love writing about food, so it makes perfect sense many of the magazines I write for are food industry publications. From seed to sip, I cover it all and love every minute of it. Visiting produce importers at the Boston market terminals for the fall 2008 issue of BLUEPRINTS was a thrill, and I’m looking forward to writing a feature about the Boston produce industry later this year.

My latest article in FRESH CUP, one of a few publications targeting professionals in the specialty beverage industry, was perhaps my most exciting assignment to date.

I conducted the research in Nicaragua, and among other things, I tried a RAW coffee bean. (I’m convinced that raw coffee could be the next big beverage craze… but I digress.)

I’ve spent the last few weeks focused on blueberries, for two upcoming articles in FARMING: the Journal of Northeast Agriculture, and GROWING MAGAZINE. Blueberries are my favorite fruit, so this research was especially fun. I spoke with blueberry farmers and with researchers who are working diligently to help growers strengthen their crop.

I am committed to covering stories that are uplifting, and I am committed to using my words to foster peace. (You may be wondering how FOOD is connected with peace… more on that later.) Toward that end, you’ll see my seed research column and other work again coursing toward people who are empowered and empowering, and toward events that promote healing and foster peace. I’ll be focusing on things like organic food and agriculture, healthy people making healthy lifestyle choices, and creative solutions to promote environmental health. I love the publications I write for, and am excited to continue providing my editors and readers with news they can use to create the life they want.

Off the Record: Lambs Lying with Lions

As the saying goes, "When lamb and lion lie down together, joy and wonder never cease." While listening to the radio this evening, I was struck by the sense that lambs and lions are indeed beginning to do just that.

I've always been a fan of Marketplace, which airs on my NPR station weeknights at 6:30. However, I haven't tuned in for a while. Imagine my surprise when I listened in tonight and the left-leaning economics-for-idiots show produced by American Public Media announced it's latest supporter: Monsanto.

To my ears, that was the most interesting part of the broadcast, that is until Kai Ryssdal introduced the story about the bill awaiting a Senate vote that would give the FDA authority to regulate tobacco. This bill, which already passed in the House, is supported by Phillip Morris. Listen to Sarah Gardner's report here:

Off the record: lambs and lions may indeed be lying down together, but I'm not exactly sure these unions will create either joy or wonder.
What do you think?