Conservative Words to Conservative Ears

I know I've been quiet on the blog since the election and New Year. There is so much to say and I have learned so much about our government, politics and activism. This might seem like a great leap but this is big given this moment in time as things keep changing every few hours in this new administration.

One of the things I do everyday now is to learn about other points of view, specifically the conservative one. It’s admittedly challenging but I feel it’s important to find connection and places of agreement.

I’ve taken a friend's advice, who used to be a political staffer, to look at Fox News on a daily basis to see how that organization frames the same news I look at on more neutral or liberal sites. There is a slant (obviously) but what is interesting is to see what is given emphasis and what is downplayed.

I have even subscribed to a Conservative podcast by Ben Shapiro who is a political talk show host and nationally syndicated columnist. To be sure, there are cringe-worthy moments but I can follow the thread of his arguments--even though I don’t usually agree with him. He is sane, he knows history and policy but most importantly he’s consistent with his values/approach. I can begrudgingly respect that.

But I am really looking at Conservatives and politicians because I am wondering if they see what I see. When some of their own begin to call out to warn of the grave danger Trump poses, are they listening? We are in uncharted territory.

Eliot A. Cohen is a respected Conservative professor and the director of the Strategic Studies Program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. From 2007 to 2009, he served as counselor to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. These are his words from a piece in The Atlantic today:

“Precisely because the problem is one of temperament and character, it will not get better. It will get worse, as power intoxicates Trump and those around him.”

“For the community of conservative thinkers and experts, and more importantly, conservative politicians, this is a testing time. Either you stand up for your principles and for what you know is decent behavior, or you go down, if not now, then years from now, as a coward or opportunist. Your reputation will never recover, nor should it.”

“There was nothing unanticipated in this first disturbing week of the Trump administration. It will not get better. Americans should therefore steel themselves, and hold their representatives to account. Those in a position to take a stand should do so, and those who are not should lay the groundwork for a better day. There is nothing great about the America that Trump thinks he is going to make; but in the end, it is the greatness of America that will stop him.”

Balls!

It's December so that means I trot out festive sweet treats that I only make this time o' year. One is my Italian grandmother's anise-flavored waffle cone cookies also known as pizzelles. Those are a throwback to my childhood and now my mom, cousin and I continue the tradition. Check out some silly photos from a 2012 baking sesh with Mom & Angela HERE.

There is a new sweet that I recently folded into my stable of holiday rituals. It's a variation on what some people call "Buckeye Balls." But I class it up with fine artisan chocolate that takes this treat to the next level. Also the addition of graham crackers gives the balls a little crunch and texture while also binding the balls together. (It's an optional ingredient though, if you are gluten sensitive.) I'll list the base recipe and provide my Pro-Baller Tips that further improve the process and the final product.

Kali's Fancy Schweddy Christmas Balls

• 2 cups Finely Crushed Graham Crackers
• 1-2 cups Powdered Sugar (adjust if you want less sweetness than a Reese's PB cup)
• 2 cups Chunky Peanut Butter (Adams Chunky recommended)
• 1/2 cup Butter (Organic Valley Pasture Butter recommended)
• 1 lb Chocolate for melting (2 x Scharffen Berger 62% Cacao 9.7oz pkgs recommended)

1. Mix together all ingredients, except chocolate

2. Freeze mixture for at least a 1/2 hour

3. Roll balls, 1 1/4" in diameter is ideal

[Tip: Use a balling tool to keep them uniform size and to keep your hands out of the peanut butter]

4. Place peanut butter mix balls on non-stick or parchment paper-covered metal sheet/flat pan 

5. Freeze for at least a 1/2 hour 

[Tip: The harder/colder the balls are, the easier it is to work with the chocolate later.] 

6. Melt chocolate over low heat in a sauce pan

7. Move pan off burner. Let it cool to lukewarm. 

[Tip: Is it cool enough that you rest your hand on the side of the pan? If so, go get the balls out of the freezer]

[Tip: Portion out the balls to only have to handle half of them outside the freezer at a time because the peanut butter balls thaw very quickly.] 

8. Using two large soup or tablespoons, scoop up some chocolate and juggle a ball between the two spoons while drizzling chocolate over it. Make sure the ball is fully covered all the way around and then set down in the pan again. 

[Level Up Challenge: If you have something to prove or are adept with proper skills, you can use chopsticks which minimize the wasted chocolate that can collect in the spoons or end up splashed on the cooling sheet.]

9. Get the chocolate covered balls back in the freezer as soon as possible to set.

10. Once chocolate hardens, store in sealed container or ziplock bags in fridge or freezer.

Enjoy!

Makes 48 balls (with baller tool)

Thoughts on a week

All of this pain and anguish and doubt

This all-consuming uncivil war. 

The fractures of differences, the recriminations of association.

I mourn the fragile webs we wove to connect unlike things

so precious, so breakable

When we choose to stand up, when we choose to sit down

When we choose to let things come to pass

Now an unknown fate awaits and

what you and I see is not the same 

and yet

and yet

and yet can we survive a moment to learn its significance?

-Kali

NaNoWriMo 2016

Been gearing up for something big, scary and exciting...

My first ever NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) where you sign up and pledge to write 50,000 words of a novel during the month of November. Mother did this last year with a Young Adult fiction project and I have been stymied by a lack of urgency and focus throughout 2016 so I believe this is just the thing I need. Luckily I have also found a writing program called Scrivener and it may not write the book for you but it is a powerful tool to help organize and consolidate all of your work in one place. I just love it.

It's a lot of words and I still have all my normal responsibilities and activities to manage, not to mention the Thanksgiving Holiday. But my story has been churning in my brain for over a year and it needs to be realized. The toughest thing is not to squander time or get distracted. Let's do this thing...