Eating from the Garden

I think this article on Michelle Obama's White House vegetable garden is interesting. Just more evidence that it's never too late to change how one interacts with food.

It really seems to me that most Americans interact with food at extreme levels of restriction or indulgence. It's no wonder that in our culture there are so many hangups for being too skinny, too fat, or quantity/quality of food eaten. In the quest to be beautiful and healthy, many people get roped into habits that take the good and the joy out of eating. There must be a way to marry healthful eating with soul satisfying food. I propose, as many others before me have, that one way is to get in touch with with food in its most basic, whole form as it comes from the garden.

Barbara Kingsolver, Steven L. Hopp, and Camille Kinsolver's Animal, Vegetable Miracle: A Year of Food Life is one examination of how we all could change the way we look at food. It's my goal to start embracing a few of the local food principles to see how it changes my life.

My Revelation

This recession is hitting us everywhere. A few nights ago I discovered that my favorite magazine domino went belly-up. (That explains the emptiness of my mailbox.) Checking Wikipedia I learned the decision was announced about two and a half months ago. Where was I? Blissfully on winter holiday form graduate school. What makes this particularly frustrating is that domino was my replacement magazine for blueprint.

The loss of two great magazines has alerted me to a greater absence. I lived vicariously through the pages of those magazines. I cannot afford the lifestyle they boasted on grad student funding. My purchase of bamboo flatware from Target is all I have to show for my hours of dedication. Since most of my friend are in their mid-twenties and are in a grad school/med school/law school limbo, I realize I am not alone. Those who are not working towards advanced degrees are entering the workforce, paying off school loans, and/or supporting spouses in graduate school. Student loans are an albatross. Rent is high. The woes of a college grad go on, and on.

I don't have all the answers. I'm very new to this adult responsibility thing but I want to do it right. As much inspiration as I've drawn from domino and blueprint, I realize that those magazines were mostly fantasy for me. I need to learn how to live with style in a way that fits my budget, my goals, my values and my needs. Besides navigating the sea of adulthood I want to live fully and wholly. I want to pursue the things that make up the essence, the contents of my life. I'm going to learn some new recipes, eat healthfully, learn to sew, learn to knit, become financially savvy, decorate my apartment, maybe pick up a hobby or two. I do hope I can inspire others to take hold of their lives and do the same.

For me, this has been a long time coming but it's time to take the plunge.

This is My life. My style. My Way.