Marital Communications 501: Star Wars

One of my joys in life is exposing the Hubs to new experiences. The hotel where we spent our honeymoon had a video library. I picked out "West Side Story" and convinced Kenyon to watch it by telling him it is a movie about street gangs. I failed to mention the gang fights were lyrical, choreographed street dances.

I got him to watch "Sound of Music" by telling him it was a World War II movie (he is a WWII buff). True, that is the context of the movie, but (again) I failed to mention the singing and dancing. I used a similar tactic for "Gone with the Wind." At the end of that experience he said, "I total misjudged that movie!" He actually enjoyed the story after the multi-hour investment of time.

Our latest movie adventure is Star Wars. Yes, the Hubs is 35 years old and NEVER seen Star Wars. It came up because there was a joke referencing Darth Vader that he didn't understand. So, recently we have spent a couple of nights watching classic Star Wars movies.

I can tell you from experience that watching a grown man experience Star Wars for the first time is highly entertaining. He provides a unique perspective...to say the least. (apologies in advance to Star Wars fans)

About R2-D2:

K: What is the purpose of that rolling trash can?

I am not enough of a fan to be able to effectively defend R2-D2, but I can honestly say I did not see the resemblance to a trash can until the Hubs pointed it out.

About Jabba the Hut:

K: Why are they afraid of that fat earthworm?

I can't explain why Jabba the Hut is powerful...nor did I previously see him as an earthworm, but now I see the coloring, shape and motion do resemble a worm.

The Hubs has always provided a unique perspective.

just Sheri, enlightened

forks over knives

I had mentioned in the post "still transitioning" that Kenyon and I attended an independent film with my co-workers. I have been meaning to write about the movie we saw - Forks Over Knives. The movie is advocating a whole foods, plant-based diet. Like every documentary I have seen - it is not a comprehensive portrayal of the issue. However, it is a topic worthy of discussion and (serious) consideration.

Do I believe that diet plays a pivotal role in overall health? YES!

Do I believe that the American diet is out of whack as far as health and nutrition are concerned? YES!

Do I believe this idea is the final solution? No.

Since viewing the movie, I have had many friends from around the U.S. post about their response to the film on facebook. One is adopting the diet wholeheartedly. Kenyon was of that persuasion when we left the movie...a few weeks later he isn't quite so radical about his conviction.

We did however make some changes in our diet and I have taken the opportunity to introduce some things that before would have received criticism at the dinner table. Our new milk of choice is soy milk, rather than cows milk. The majority of our dinners are vegetarian and we eat a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Prior to watching this movie, Kenyon would not accept a meal without a meat. He once asked, "without meat, how do you get full?" I don't think he wonders that anymore.

Some recent recipes have been:

• High protein breakfast cookies: made with flax, nuts (walnut, pecan or almond), cinnamon, raisins or dried cranberries, and a secret ingredient. (Shhh! The secret is blended kidney beans as the wet ingredient) These are great (and nutritious) on your way out the door in the morning. Because they are high in protein, they keep you feeling full for a few hours. I can thank Dayna Whitlock for the recipe.
• Stuffed sweet peppers: these were stuffed with seasoned Bulgar wheat, then baked. Very filling (and tasty)!
• Lentil-apple salad: these are seasoned with curry and includes chunks of cooked potatoes. I have always loved potatoes - thus low-carb diets were never a consideration for me. Kenyon's response, "you could make that again!" He is a fan of apples.
• Acorn squash stuffed with mushrooms: I saw the squash at the market and just had to have some. My dad first introduced me to these when I was a young person still living at home. I thought they looked nasty. He insisted I try it anyway. I fell in love as a young person, but haven't cooked with these squash as an adult (mostly because I have hardly cooked as an adult).
• Black bean burgers: I made these for the first time in Mozambique, but reintroduced them recently. The beans are mashed with green peppers and onions, then seasoned with cumin and chili powder. Made in to patties and then baked in the oven.
• Summer Salad: with spinach, strawberry, pomelo (found at my favorite grocery - Global Foods), and jicama.

All of these recipes made the "eat again" rating category with my husband. These are things he would have turned up his nose at before. 

I'd like to say "thank you" to the creators of Forks Over Knives for encouraging us to experiment at the dinner table.

Some of these recipes may be the subject of future blog posts...is there one that sounds particularly tasty to you?

just Sheri, experimenting in the kitchen

Reality Check: Quantum of Solace

If you are a faithful reader, you know for entertainment Kenyon and I see a lot of movies. We rent them from the redbox, we check them out of the library, and we watch them online (only the one's for free).

Recently, we tried a new form of viewing movies. I'm still too cheap to pay $6.50 for a matinee or $9.00 regular price to see a movie in the theater. Our town used to have a $2.00 movie. We saw one movie there 310 to Yuma, then the theater closed down. I'd heard the college had a $1 cinema on campus, but we hadn't tried it until now. As our Valentine's date we went to dinner and a movie. We tried the $1 cinema on campus and they were showing Quantum of Solace - the new James Bond film. It was action packed, and I'm glad the women don't have sexual names anymore like Pussy Galore, but I didn't find it that entertaining. It seemed to be missing an element of humor that I found in other Bond movies. Here was the thing that I really found fascinating though...I've watched James Bond movies before and been wowed by his globe hopping, exotic destinations. In this movie he visited Siena, Italy during the annual Palio horse race (I was there and attended that event in 2000); then he went to London (I spent Christmas and New Year's there in 2004); then Port au Prince, Haiti (Kenyon lived there October 2008); then some place in Russia (I visited Moscow in 2008); then La Paz, Bolivia (I was there in October 2008 and will return in March 2009). Between Kenyon and I we had been to every place Bond visited (except that particular city in Russia). Instead of being in awe of the destinations we were sharing stories of our own adventures there. Ahhh, what an unconventional life we lead...and I was reminded by a James Bond movie, how strange is that?!

Has there been a movie you watched recently that reminded you of your own life?

In honor of Black History month

Kenyon and I recently rented (meaning we checked it out of the library) a movie in honor of the first Black fighter pilots - the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII.

It's a great movie about struggle and triumph, about character and will. It also highlights some of the predjudices in our society that made their story one for the record books...things like a black man doesn't have the mental capacity to fly an airplane in combat - medically proven by doctors, of course.

The best part about this success story is that it is true. To find out more click here.

Recently I had a white man from the south ask me why Obama winning the presidency was such a big deal, why all the buzz? I didn't have the time nor the desire to explain to him about the centuries of struggle the Black race has gone through trying to win equality. I did mention because it is iconic, it symbolizes something much bigger than one man. His winning the presidency is a beacon of hope to generations that follow that anything is possible with a little work. It's been a long time since there was a positive role model to look up to, and now there is a man who hardly knew his father, lost his mother and was essentially raised by his grandmother (not too uncommon), but his story didn't end there. He didn't join a gang, he didn't go to prison, there aren't stories of him womanizing. He is a father, a husband and the president of the United States - he is respectable, he speaks eloquently, he earned an education. Though, I don't agree with most of his politics I pray he brings hope to a generation starving for positive role models.

In honor of Black History month, are there other role models worth celebrating? Please share their story.

Big Business

Kenyon and I recently watched a movie titled, "TRADE." It is about the global business of trafficking women and children. Over the years I've read quite a bit about this booming business. When I did work primarily in Asia the best book I read on the topic in that part of the world is titled, "sex slaves" and is written by a professor out of the U.K. I was also aware of the trafficking of women to the US from places like the Ukraine and Russia.

The movie we watched opened my eyes to a whole other market that I had not previously known - trafficking from Mexico to the US. That's our backyard! The movie script originated from a NY Times article titled, "the girls next door." What I liked about the movie is that it wasn't titillating, it showed this business for what it is. I hear stories like this from all over the world and it never ceases to enrage me, but for some reason the thought of America being such a destination point for this type of trade insights me to anger.

How can we stop this horrible business? How can we free those enslaved by it? How can we protect the vulnerable? I don't have the answers, but I cannot stop asking the questions.

Jumper

Have you seen the movie Jumper? Kenyon and I rented it last night and watched it over at a friends house. The basic premise is, there are people on earth that can go from place to place by simply thinking about it...New York, London, Egypt...there in seconds. No flight delays, no traffic. Ahh, what a life! Dare to dream!

Recently when I was in Kenya with some of my team from Africa we were talking about inventions we wished had been invented. My answer - a teleporter. I was told by an Ethiopian (Note: Ethiopians are highly spiritual) that it was a sin for me to think that. A sin? Really? Why? Because that is a power reserved for God.

Interestingly, there is a group of "hunters" in the movie Jumper that track and kill those who can teleport themselves. Their reason is that it is a power reserved for God.

I still want a teleporter. Imagine all the time I would gain if I didn't have to travel from place to place...poof, I'm just there.

What invention do you wish for?