Food and Politics

Reading: nytimes.com
Listening: "What a Feeling," Namie Amuro
Craving: a warm Mariposa popover with poha berry butter
Mood: slightly flustered, like whipped potatoes

I woke this morning to an earthquake. It was a small one, yet the first I've felt since we've been in Japan. The rumbling of the walls, the rattling of water glasses beside my bed left me with a horrible you'realoneyou'realoneyou'realone sound thumping in my chest, but after I realized that the tremors weren't continuing and I remembered that the Uno family is only a thin partition away, I fell back asleep.

The day turned out well. I met four new first-year classes today, all of whom were curious and chatty--a good combination. We had a few odd moments, where I was assumed to be Russian (?!) in one class and the girlfriend of my fresh-out-of-college co-teacher (?!) in another. Nobody could wrap their minds around the concept that yes, a girl with a Japanese face can be a native English speaker. Sad. Yet despite my appearances, in my position as ALT, I bear the title of "resident foreigner," which instantly makes me appealing, and all the girls and boys are anxious to be my friend or boyfriend. How lucky am I?

In 華道部, I had a private lesson with 先生, as the sole student member decided she had better things to do. I loved the materials selected--a deep red dogwood (水木) with breaths of white at the tips; thick dracaena (ドラセナ), its leaves striped in buttercup and cucumber green; snapdragons in the only neon yellow that I've seen in nature. And a new flower favorite of mine--nigella. Long, weedy stems support puffs of periwinkle with layers of tissue-thin petals resembling the skirt of a toy ballerina. From the center of the bloom sprawl forth tentacle-like fronds, as though a small octopus upended. According to web sources, Nigella damascena also holds the poetic name "love-in-a-mist." Not to mention "devil-in-the-bush," "lady-in-the-green," and "fennel flower."

My completed arrangement, done in saseitai-style and displayed at the entrance to the school.

先生 expects that when I return home, fresh flowers wrapped in newspaper, I re-arrange them again in the style practiced in class. Instead, I fill any random container I can find around the kitchen. I love my brown KAZE no TANI ("Valley of the Wind") bottles best, from which I chugged organic beer at the Studio Ghibli Museum. Customers aren't permitted to have the beers "to go," and I thus drank it on the spot before shoving the bottle into my bag. Lauren and Chris, good friends, contributed to the other two I have. The labels feature a wind maiden holding beer-making supplies. The illustration is beautifully done in reference to the Ghibli film Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

Tonight I watched Friends over a dinner of panko-crusted chicken with curry yogurt sauce. Served with mashed potatoes and garlic spinach. Did some laundry. My evening reading included articles in the New York Times. I was surprised to discover not one, but two articles connecting food and politics. How now, brown cow?

"What's for Dinner? The Pollster Wants to Know."

Mr. Mann [of political communications firm MSHC Partners] knows that someone who subscribes to lots of gourmet cooking magazines is more likely to be a Democrat or at least more open to progressive causes.

The polls, amusingly, do match my food tastes with my political ideals, yet the article urges readers to keep in mind that dinner choices do not determine an individual's voting position. I'll agree, but finish by saying that Dr. Pepper is for Republicans. And Ben and Jerry's endorses Obama.

"Family Recipes, Passed Down From One Site to Another."

Ohh Rachael Ray.

I'm now closing this post and eating heart-shaped veggie chips from the bag.

John was curious. トトロパン, if distributed worldwide, could very likely bring about more peace. He loves you, and is filled with creamy, creamy custard.