In trying to convince myself to “go back to sleep” this morning, when I awakened far … too…. early. I was praying/meditating – as I do during these times….
Insight came to me, about a “should have been obvious thing” – we will call it a “well duh” moment…
Its the roaring twenties – Part 2. Literally the Roaring twenties, but we are living in the sequel. There are so many parallels to this scary, amazing time that we are in right now, to that time period that I only know of – other than history lessons, history books and a fabulous google search from this morning – from legend.
Things that happened in the 20’s worth drawing a line to the parallel – Penicillin – you know the most common antibiotic of our day and age in so many variations and varieties — was developed/marketed.
This is an incredible article about a few other notables for the 20s… Like the first “defacto” female president – the failed/laughable amendment that was put into action (prohibition) – Women voting, Racial tensions (kkk), terrorist attacks, Ponzi schemes…. It sounds alot like this year, and the decade we are in….. or atleast surprisingly a circular series events.
I guess that adage about history repeating itself is not just spot on, but surprisingly scary. Here is to hoping that the vaccine we get for this new menace comes around sooner than penicillin.
The part that I found food for thought – is that this was the good times – the 20s – except when they rounded out and ended with the great depression…… Where it was food and basic living things that were not available – not just toilet paper.
This truly is our “gift” decade of gratitude, we have so many magical wonderful things to appreciate. None of us know what the future holds, but it’s interesting to me when I get a foreshadowing that is just so so humbling like this one.
Other interesting links about the 20s:
https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/roaring-twenties-history
https://www.texasgateway.org/resource/causes-great-depression
I feel like we have more extremes now in society than it seems that they had then …. Not necessarily a good or bad thing – we have faster movement and faster advancement….. but we also have or seem to have less stopping to enjoy the roses, smell the roses, and just relax with the roses. We have so many “conveniences” that seem to actually take more time than without them.
P & I were talking about this a while back — for example “fast food” – which its easy to say “isn’t good for you” – but the truth is its also not really fast, and there is a whole argument about whether or not its actually food anymore. If I have planned, prepared and have the needed items to cook in my home – then getting in the car, waiting in a line, ordering and being dependent on someone else to do the “things” to the “food”, pay and head home to eat is NOT faster than cooking healthier things in my kitchen. Its actually often times longer, its often times more expensive, and its definitely not healthier. But the marketing around this scheme of calling it “fast food” gives a false sense that I’m saving something in the process of getting it.
Take a breakfast sandwich for example. It doesn’t take anytime to fry an egg, to add cheese — or even to fry bacon or sausage – 10 Minutes max. vs, Car–drive–restaurant– order (assuming there is no one else already doing this)-get order–drive home – circa de 20 minutes. — for a significantly poorer quality of food than my kitchen would produce.
I suppose I could chalk this up to the “ponzi scheme” parallel from my initial thought – it often feels alot like it could be this – particularly with franchises….. and marketing.
Okay enough about the bad, lets talk about the good. We have farmers markets – abundant amazing farmers markets. A place, where we can get “bootleg” food — food that is higher quality in nutrition, alot closer to the farm than anything in the store – so its a good choice if your not growing your own garden.
I think I mentioned recently in a blog about my Grandfather A – who had a garden his whole life….. When he and my grandmother moved into their “traditional modern apartment” they planted a garden outside of their porch. It wasn’t like a little porch garden – it was a “full on side of the building garden” that he had gotten the management to approve. it was this thing — that at the time, seemed to my young 20 something brain as “old logic” that I couldn’t’ rationalize a place for – although I have to say the veggies he had in it were amazing, so much flavor. Now in my 40 something logic I think to myself – THIS is what we all need. But who will teach us to do this? To make, to cultivate, to care for these gardens? I know he didn’t spend “all of his time” or even “the majority of his time” caring for this garden – so it MUST have been a faster thing for him than paying grocery store prices for less quality veggies. This is just one of those moments that I am thankful to have been exposed to this, and to see his true american ingenuity spirit at work …. because I KNOW I am in his line, and I know I got some of this spark too. Farmers markets are probably the next best choice until I figure this out.
Had a self revelation last night with P – when we were discussing a trip he clearly remembered to a place called “dateland” – when my mother and sister visited us in San Diego – and we drove to Las Vegas to see the at the time ‘Star Trek Adventure’ — we apparently stopped at this place called “Dateland” in California — and I apparently had this incredible Date shake – that I have absolutely no memory of….
I remember the trip to Vegas – I remember my mother and sister visiting – but I don’t’ recall this stop at all – its like a void in my memory. P was providing graphical details of the entire place and experience, and my mom who was on a chat with us – was agreeing and supplying her own remembrances. It clearly happened – and I’ve had years of experience to KNOW – when P tells me something happened, it happened, even if I don’t recall it.
The revelation is more that for alot of my history – I have this weird thing of not remembering. I have memories, I remember some things — but for the most part I only remember if there is a traumatic or dramatic event. – most of which in my memory reserves are negative.
This is not to say, that I don’t have positive memories, quite the contrary – I have loads of those, but for much of my life the stronger memories are the negative. I remember things because of something traumatic about them. I’m working on rewiring this, and also delving into focused memory exercises, because I know that those times are there, I know I have the memories, they are just locked up for save keeping in file cabinets that have keys stored somewhere else.
There are a few periods in my personal history that are NOT like that, where the memories are less “file unavailable” – one that I remember surprisingly well is the time when I went to visit my Great Aunt in DC. I remember so so many good things about that trip – the people, the experiences, the sites, the doings – the time with family both my mothers, and my fathers… the history — but I also feel that the tying factor that makes these memories more available is that my Maternal grandfather died during this time — Its an interesting revelation that the overlying sad event has allowed me to retain the beautiful happy memories …. things like Cherry Blossom Tries, the Volksmarches with my aunt and my cousin – walks for long miles of exploration – long walks to and from work up hill in the snow 🙂 – touring around on foot thru DC and finding hidden treasures. Seeing the amazing and free museums, and just roaming thru them and exploring so many sights and sounds. Traveling and exploring thru bus and metro. Being self sufficient without a car. Getting hired for my short term temporary job at CVS because of my name being greek 🙂 Meeting an amazing co-worker who showed me the ropes and went on many adventures with me… Eating healthy and being exposed to healthy recipes and foods I’d never had before – Salmon Cakes. Learning about taking responsibility for my actions. (a lesson I’m still working on mastering – yes sometimes I’m slow to do this… I feel this is a life long one)
I’m not sure where or why I got wired to remember the bad, the trauma so so more vividly. They can play out in my head like movies – cautionary tales really, where as the good memories are like snap shots and pictures that I can step into. I do know that I’m going to change this, and this is something I’ve been working on the past — well over a year now. Conscious decision. I have alot of movies of good things from the past year. Times that I have actively chosen to take mental movies of to be able to have them play out like peter pan movies in my head.
I can fly, I can fly, I can fly.
😘