Wild About Books Frequently Asked Questions

1.  Lisa, you are such a good cook, why aren’t you writing a food blog?

While it is true, I am an excellent cook, I have yet to dabble in food blogging.  I really enjoyed the 2009 movie  “Julia and Julie” about a food blogger who attempted to cook everything in a Julia Child cookbook and blog about it.  Look what happened to that blogger, they turned her blog into a movie.

I’ve had people text me “what should I make for dinner tonight”, and I quickly text an easy and healthy dinner.

Put half a jar of green curry paste and a can of coconut milk into a cast iron skillet.  Add chopped up veggies cook for 15 minutes.  Serve over brown rice.  Cook a piece of meat on the grill to go with it if you want.  The End.

I’ve thought about a blog called “What’s for Dinner?” People talk about trying to come up with new dinner ideas, having gotten into a rut.  I have never had that problem, well, not since having people 18 years and younger living in my house with me.  The only thing better than cooking is eating.  Tonight I had butternut squash soup with roasted chickpeas; three big bowls.

I’m also the group cook and menu planner when I’m on Adventure Based Learning trips with High School students.  Word gets back to me through their mothers that I am a great cook.  To be fair; when you are on the road or in the wilderness or eating outside in a snowstorm; all food is amazingly good.

This past summer I did all the menu planning and most of the cooking for our annual  7 day river trip on the Salmon. These two group cooking jobs made me think about creating menus for groups as a blog.  All of my meals start out as dairy free, meat free and gluten free with options to add any of those items to the meal.  For example;  fajita night; sauté lots of mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, yellow squash and onions.  Heat up some black beans with onions and cumin.  Warm some corn, flour or gluten free tortillas.  Meanwhile on the grill cook some chicken breast.  Then serve with condiment bar consisting of green onions, cilantro, shredded cheddar, avocado and salsa.

People love it.  My menus  would have correct portions for groups of people and a grocery list and a few more instructions so that anyone in the group could be the cook.  Not sure if there is a need for this.  So, you bring up a good question that I have thought of.  Perhaps when I become a professional blogger I will add food blogging to my repertoire.

2.  Sometimes, while reading your blog, I can’t tell if you are a liberal or a conservative; which are you?

Hummm…why does this matter?  If you enjoy my blog and my writing, I’m not sure if this is an issue.  And I’m surprised that the answer to the question isn’t evident in my writing as I don’t try to hide who I am. I read an article about how we purposefully avoid talking politics when spending time with family over the holidays.  But, as the article said, why are we avoiding these conversations?  How can we understand each other if we don’t communicate and share ideas and reasons for these ideas?  If you recall Wild About Books recommended “Strangers in Their Own Land” about this division and trying to understand where everyone is coming from.  Each side strongly believes they are correct and the other side is wrong.  I listened to the senate impeachment trial last week (periodically) and I see no one budging.  53-47 every single time, no matter how many words are spoken, no matter how many people testify, no matter how much evidence is brought forward.  53-47.  If we don’t talk about politics with family at the holidays how will we ever understand? Living in a bubble with like minded people creates a delusion that the world agrees with you.  It doesn’t.  For example I often think how can we be divided about climate change?  Shouldn’t that be a 100% everyone in?   I guess not.  People believe God has a plan (read “The God Delusion”).  People believe it  is made up.  What??  They believe this as strongly as I don’t.

I believe I’ve answered your question.  I think you would all agree…..  See!…. some progress.

3.  Lisa, I’ve noticed that your writing has improved over the years.  Have you taken classes?

No, well yes.  I have taken a couple of great Adult Ed classes in Darby with Julie.  The classes themselves are more than just instruction, it’s a writers heaven in character development, dialog, and, for some, a great place to grab a quick nap. I think my writing has gotten better with classes, reading books on writing (“On Writing” by Stephen King, “Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott) listening to podcast on writing, but most importantly just writing.  Remember the Malcom Gladwell book “Outliers” that talked about doing something for 10,000 hours will make you better?  I believe that.  I think it took me that many hours to become a competent snowboarder.  My body does the work to self correct and stay upright without having to think about it anymore.  As for writing, my fingers fly across the keypad with not much thought to what might come from them.  I often surprise myself when I re-read a blog post.  “Who wrote that?” I’ll say.

4.  Lisa, I noticed that you have a giant painting of an eggplant in your office. Are you aware what that is referencing?  

A Penis.

5. Lisa, you lying sack of shit; I thought you said these post were coming out weekly now.  What’s up with the empty promise?

Oh jeez, you are correct.  I did say that.  And I even intended to act on it.  I started this post over a week ago.  And it seemed like such an easy task.  I will not give excuses.  But I will say that I will never let my writing be a stressor in my life.  It is meant to be enjoyable.  As soon as I post this one I’m going to start the next.   I was trying to make a measure for accountability.  It didn’t work.  I cook dinner every night, I make tea every morning.  Why can’t I write a blog post every week.  I’ll keep trying.  Working on once a week, but that may not happen.

6.  What are you reading now?

I am currently reading Isabel Allende’s “Daughter of Fortune”.  Really loved her books “The House of Spirits” and “Island Beneath the Sea”.  Also reading “Breaking Trail”  about a woman mountain climber who was climbing in the 1960’s and 70’s and not recognized as a climber since she was female.  Good story recommended to me in the ski lodge.  And also reading “The Incomplete Book of Running” by Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me Host Peter Sagal.  And finally, I just started “Wherever You Go, There You Are” by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

Feel free to send any questions to me for the next installment of WAB FAQ.

More book recommendations and adventures can be found at Wild About Books.