Storied Gifts

Things unnoticed

"It's surprising how much of memory is built around things unnoticed at the time."Barbara Kingsolver

photo by rishisensei powered by flickr
 

#19 Shanen Ebersole of Ebersole Cattle Company

David and I are getting our hosting groove down. The technical glitches are less and we are finding our footing together. Not bad when it's only been 19 shows to date.

It REALLY helps when we have great and patient guests. This interview will have you thinking differently about the beef you eat and how you want it to be raised and prepared for you. Could it be that cattle raised "the old fashioned way" can heighten the appreciation you have for what you place on your table? Find out here.

If you felt self-conscious at a social or business function, how would you overcome it?

At some point as a teenage girl when I was feeling sloppy and socially inept, my mom explained a life lesson that she had been taught by her mother. The motherism went something like, "No matter your attire, or how you may be groomed, people will look beyond these if you wear a smile."

It was a little something that stuck with me, a lesson passed from one mom to the next. I remind myself of this when I scurry off to run errands--the grocery store, the hardware store, the vet-- when I'm looking less than my best. I figure I'll either hide in the next lane at the store (ever done that?) OR wear a gleaming smile to cover up my appearance.

I enjoy being social but for some reason I tend to feel awkward in public gatherings like networking events. The conversation taking place in my head, that nagging negative self-doubting one, is really obnoxious. I'm trying, this year in particular, to remember that motherism as I go forward. And if all else fails . . . maybe thinking of everyone else naked?

How about you? If you felt self-conscious at a social or business function, how would you overcome it?

This is question #27 from The Art of Conversation Game which, by the way, are for sale here on Storied Gifts.

As an addendum: I was telling my mom about the impact this little bit of wisdom she shared with me still has today, and she couldn't really remember even telling me. We laughed about that.

photo by oberto powered by flickr

#18 Ryan Binney of Sweet Binneys

In this episode we talk with Ryan Binney of Sweet Binney's about many of the yummy pastries that can be found in his little shop located in Clive, Iowa. In addition, there are tips and lucious stories of memorable meals and baking mishaps that will take your breath away . . . or having you sighing with delight. 

On the tech front:  It's SUCH a good thing that David has taken over running the board for our show. What were we thinking of having me do it in the first place? The glitches are getting less and less, and as always the guests on our programs are fabulous.

A hug of thanks to Des Moines Local Live folks for all the work they do to make this studio available to us. It's a feather in the Des Moines, Iowa community cap.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the show here.

#17 StageWest Iowa talks food, cast of Almost Maine, too

There are are many laughs in this episode of The Delicious Story. Ron Lambert of StageWest, and actors Elisabeth Ballstadt and Jeff Mason from the production of Almost Maine are in the studio. The family memories of food and time spent around the table were particularly hilarious.

On the technical side of things . . . I had started to give up hope that we'd ever get it together but things are getting progressively more exciting in the Des Moines Local Live/ WorldWide Local Live studios with Brett Rogers on board to help with the already pumped energy of what Mac McKoy and Rooster McRoberts have launched. Look for more spit and polish in upcoming shows. We can always be found live at noon on Saturdays at Des Moines local live. Check it out and join in the fun.

Thanks for stopping by for a read. Make sure to enjoy the stories taking place around your table.

Which food do you find most off-putting?

My immediate reaction to this question is to note that whenever the words food and viscous are associated in my mind . . . I'm not going to find THAT food appealing.

Viscous is one of my favorite words to say but whenever the food is in any way gelatinous with a phlegm-like quality there is generally too much of an eewww factor going on for me to think, "Oh, I'll eat that."

This means that when I eat yogurt (which sort of falls in the gelatinous category) I have these strange preferences about how I approach it.

Yogurt rules:

1) Must be a freshly purchased container from the store.

2) Must use a virgin plastic spoon.

3) Must be raspberry flavor AE yogurt.

Now, before you judge me as petty or too particular . . . Come on. Admit it. You've got some specific taste criteria for some of your food, too. I know you do.

In conclusion, I can think of a few other food characteristics that can unnerve. Here they are in no particular order.

• Food that smells like it came from the crevice of some skin place that is moist and has not seen soap for awhile.
• Food that looks about the same as it did when it was alive . . . and is peering at me from the plate.
• Food that I actively would have to scrape from inside a bone or something.
• Any meat where I commence chewing only to discover something that works against the general texture of the food such as bone or gristle.
• Any food served up with sneeze guards. Why, by the way, is it that often certain salad bars also offer chocolate pudding? What is that all about?

All that said, I'm really not a picky eater and I appreciate I live in a place and a situation where hunger is not a part of my circumstance. I know I'm fortunate and that these preferences are arbitrary.

Your turn. As per The Art of Conversation Game and question #5. What food do you find most off-putting?

Photo by amb photography powered by flickr

Get to know me through Wordle

This is a fun way to view your writing so I thought I'd share. If you go to Wordle you can enter your text for any document and see what kind of word cloud is generated from your writing. Here is mine for a "Get to Know" piece I've submitted for our local paper about Storied Gifts. See what words are most prominent?

Nifty. Now you try. Enter something you've written or some story that's on your mind and share.

What type of club do you, or would you like to, belong to?

This question makes me think of the line I heard Woody Allen use in a movie. Was it Annie Hall? Think so. Anyway, it goes, "I never trust any club that would have me as a member." I think I spent my adolescence, 20s, and at least 2/3 of my 30s thinking just that way. Sad I know, but I was highly suspect of anything positive--good grade, kind words, praise of most any kind.

I'd be less than honest if I didn't admit that at some point in my youth I wanted to be a member of a sorority. I looked on the lives of those women with a certainty that they possessed things I did not . . .but really wanted . . . success, money, connection.

I also generally wanted to be members of clubs where the participants were of a very brainy quality. If I were in a math club I'd be good at math. If I were on the chess club I'd be blessed with logic. Alas, I was never a member of these clubs either.  

I also would have liked to be in some athletic club or group, but I didn't have the interest or drive for sports. I was one of THOSE kids who was reluctantly selected for sides on teams in gym LAST.

The closest I came to joining with the athletic set was when I took up running a few years back. By the time I was running (jogging really) a couple of miles a day, I looked upon the world with a knowing nod that I had "joined the team." I kept waiting for the adrenaline-love of running to kick in but it didn't happen for me.

Currently I belong to groups that reflect my interests and talents ---I'm an entrepreneur, gather with women for a master mind group, and am a member of the Association of Personal Historians.

I think the club I aspire to join at this point is the "older wiser woman club." I recall in college looking upon a particular professor who was all of 30 (seemed very old at 18) and thinking, "Now she is actualized! She knows herself. She is comfortable in her skin. I want to be THAT."

I have no idea if she was truly as confident as I percieved her to be, but from my vantage she looked to be much closer than I was in my youth. And still, now, I believe in that potential within each of us to achieve that place of knowing. I strive to be in that group where experience, wisdom, and authenticity are valued---and grace, serenity, and acceptance are the result. Here are some marvelous posts on the observations of aging.

Thanks for reading! Please, share your answer.

photo by sausyn powered by flickr

iPHAST meeting February 23, at 6 at Smokey Row

I'm launching a group, as part of a reach-out campaign, to help others who are working to write and record their own stories -- or in some way preserve their personal or family history. Mostly, we'll meet and encourage each other on with our projects, but I'll also suggest resources and invite in other experts in the Des Moines area.

If you've been meaning to create your own memoir, find other resources to preserve photos, or research your ancestry then please attend and see if we can offer suggestions and ideas to each other.

I decided we needed a catchy name for such an ambitious group so I've dubbed it iPHAST which, contrary to being some gimmicky diet stands for Individual Personal HIstory and Archive Support Team. Catchy or strange, at least I can remember the name . . . and hopefully you can, too.

I'll be at the Smokey Row Coffee Shop located at 1910 Cottage Grove at 6 p.m. on February 23.  There is no charge, except pick up the tab for your own coffee, ice cream, or whatever. We'll plan on an hour. Hope to see you there!

photo by churl powered by flickr

#16 Jenny Zink Talks Food Glamour

Say "cheese" pancake, I'm zooming in for a closeup! In this episode of TDS we learned from Jenny Zink of Zink photography how to make our photos look better -- especially when food is one of the subjects. Based in Grinnell, Iowa Jenny has just opened her studio and took time to talk with us from her new space. We learned photography tips and heard stories of how she took an interest and turned it into a successful business.

I'm laughing a bit much during the interview because Jenny told funny anecdotes, and also because I forgot to hit the "record" button initially. I swear I'll get my technical difficulties ironed out!

Enjoy meeting Jenny and find time to enjoy the story taking place around your table.