It’s Tea Time!

Monday, April 13, 2009 at 9:30 am (Writing by Ear)
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A few months ago, I attended my first political rally. Just two days ago (April 11), I attended my first political protest: Pittsburgh’s Tea Party. (Actually, Pittsburgh’s first Tea Party. Another is scheduled on April 15 at noon in Market Square downtown.)

If you haven’t heard, the Tea Party movement is spreading across the country (see how many places here) in tribute to the Boston Tea Party and its protest against excessive taxation. Tea Party-goers are against the profligate, wasteful spending of our hard-earned tax dollars by an overblown government out of touch with the people who hired it. Supporting the Tea Party Movement is not about being a Democrat or a Republican — it’s about being a citizen who:

  • Is tired of billions upon billions of dollars being spent in legislation our elected officials can’t even be bothered to read
  • Believes in the individual freedoms and responsibilities upon which our Founding Fathers built this nation
  • Wants less government not more
  • Is fed up seeing the fruits of his or her labor “redistributed” and our children’s future ransomed with debt

So, Mike and I were happy to join two or three thousand other folks near Pittsburgh’s Allegheny River under a glorious blue sky to practice our civil liberties. (Tellingly, the only TV report we saw said “hundreds” of people in typically biased fashion; other newspaper reports more accurately placed the attendance anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000.)

Dr. Alan Keyes, constitutional scholar and former ambassador to the United Nations under President Reagan, was the very articulate and inspiring keynote speaker. My favorite quote from his speech, which you can watch here:

If the thing is right, then you stand for it. And you don’t wait until someone else comes along beside, because the heart that maintains liberty is not the heart of the herd, but the heart of the individual. This country was built by those who understood that the wilderness could not be opened except  by those who are willing to venture forth alone if need be. That the new idea could not be explored, the new invention could not be created except by those who are willing to break new paths of understanding. And we must understand that no herd will save this country if we are not willing to stand alone if we must for the sake of its liberty.

By the way, he spoke extemporaneously — no teleprompters or even notes.

Here are some views of the day. Loved the signs. Loved the enthusiasm. Loved seeing as many people younger than ourselves as older. Loved knowing that we are not alone in our beliefs.

Pittsburghers love our Steelers and our homes.

illpayformyhouse

We believe in the free workings of capitalism.

freemarkets

We are who we are — it’s a ‘Burgh thing.

yinz-jag-offs

Dr. Alan Keyes

alankeyes

It certainly is time.

itsteatime

It’s time to stand for what our forefathers stood for.

teabag

Thanks to organizer (and ordinary citizen) Robert Baehr and his Web site www.pennsylvaniateaparty.com. If you agree, scatter some tea — actually or proverbially — in your own life.

At the end of the day, there is only one sure bulwark of liberty:
that is the self-discipline, self-government, faith, piety, and
responsibility of every single individual who wishes to be free.
~ Dr. Alan Keyes
speaking at the Pittsburgh Tea Party
April 11, 2009

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I’m still learning

Thursday, April 9, 2009 at 12:07 pm (Writing by Ear)
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Coming back to life after spending several days battling what I thought would be a routine, annoying cold that turned into a much more annoying pseudo-flu, I’ve been itching to get back in the writing swing. After catching up on a few friends’ blogs, though, what I thought I’d say seemed so trivial. So, thanks guys, for opening my eyes and reminding me that I’m still learning…

Still learning about PERSPECTIVE. (When you feel like crap, don’t lose sight there’s still so much to be thankful for. Oh, and isn’t this perhaps the best week possible to ponder suffering?)

Still learning about EXPECTATIONS. (People won’t often do what you expected them to. Why did you expect it in the first place? What need of your own were you projecting on them?)

Still learning about INTROSPECTION. (We’re often told we’re too hard on ourselves. Sometimes that makes it too easy to dismiss what we do with a quick “sorry” or mental “oh well.” Sometimes you DO need to be hard on yourself.)

Still learning about KINDNESS. (You never know how what you say or do [or don’t say or do] will impact someone — whether stranger or friend. Be the person you wish you’d met along the way today.)

Still learning about OPENNESS. (If you dare to put yourself out there, you never know who might take you in.)

Still learning about MYSELF.

We become aware of the void as we fill it.
~ Antonio Porchia
(translated from Spanish by W.S. Merwin)

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A guiltless CCC? Practically.

Friday, April 3, 2009 at 3:52 pm (Writing by Ear)
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Kudos to Prevention magazine (March 2009) for this gem of a recipe.

Last night, after feasting on mac & cheese from a box (Mike was away; I was splurging), I was scrounging through the plastic bin that holds my chocolate for baking (as you know, one doesn’t typically do this unless one is up to no good, and ironically, the Tupperware bin was intended for holding celery and other produce) and found a half-full bag of chocolate chips. (Notice I said half full? That takes some effort when you’re talking about chocolate chips.) I was ready to stop there and nestle (Nestlé?) on the couch to watch THE VERY LAST “VERY SPECIAL” ER EVER, when I remembered seeing a recipe for “healthy” chocolate chip cookies in a Prevention magazine I had lying around.

Big appeal: No mixer needed. No butter needed. Less than ½ bag of chips needed (meaning I could just eat what was left) — no big mess or big deal. I had all the ingredients, and I had a half-hour before THE VERY LAST “VERY SPECIAL” ER EVER, so I plunged in.

It was well worth it, though I was skeptical, especially in the last step before chilling the dough when I couldn’t get the chocolate chips to actually blend into the very stiff dough. They sort of clattered around the bowl and collected at the bottom. But I kept on (what else do you do at that point?). As I was forming the chilled dough on the cookie sheet later, I just poked the unmixed chips in — kind of like planting morning glory seeds. (The dough itself was delicious, so if you didn’t actually feel like baking the cookies at that point, you’d be OK too. Don’t say I said to do that though — uncooked egg whites and all.)

I used a bit less of each kind of sugar called for. And wasn’t paying attention and used quick oats instead of old-fashioned. But the results were still great. Don’t be put off it only makes 16 cookies — these are big! Like mall cookies (which they were created to emulate in healthier form).

Try them this weekend and let me know if you like them. We sure do.

da-cookiesjpg

Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies

Work Time: 15 minutes   ::    Total Time: 45 Minutes   ::    Servings: 16

  • 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1-1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (4 oz)
  1. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk in egg whites and vanilla until smooth. Stir in dry ingredients until blended. Fold in oats and then chocolate.
  2. Cover and chill dough at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. Shape dough into 16 balls (scant 1/4-cup each) with hands, using a little pressure. Place 8 balls on each prepared sheet. With fingers, press each into a patty about 3″ in diameter, allowing about 2″ between patties for spreading.
  4. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until desired brownness (do not overbake), switching position of sheets halfway through. Let cool a few minutes before moving to rack to cool completely.

Nutritional info per cookie (4″ diameter): 218 cal, 3 g pro, 32 g carb, 2 g fiber, 10 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 162 mg sodium.

16% fewer calories, 50% more fiber, 67% less sat fat than a 2-ounce mall cookie

I am still convinced that a good, simple,
homemade cookie is preferable to all the
store-bought cookies one can find.
~ James Beard

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