Month: November 2012

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Of Twinkies and Fruitcakes – Hostess Holiday Fruitcake

A few weeks ago nutritionists everywhere must have rejoiced to hear of the sinking of Hostess Brands, makers of Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Cup Cakes, and Wonder Bread, amongst many other titles. It is almost impossible to conceive that the rights to produce these iconic products will not be picked up by someone else, however bad that might be for the obesity epidemic. I wonder, though, no pun intended, whether anyone will choose to pick up Hostess Holiday Fruitcake?

I got the cake above in a overstock store for the low, low price of $1.49. And, the verdict. Well, I must say that I was surprised at how decent it actually was. The consistency was just right, with a good selection of fruit. With some additional spices (nutmeg to name one) and some brandy added it would actually be quite good. Shock and surprise.

I have written about fruitcake at greater length here.

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St. Dalfour Earl Grey – A Tea as Delicate as its Name

I have long enjoyed Earl Grey tea but only recently have begun to notice some of the nuances of different brands. Some like Bigelow are, for lack of a better descriptor, almost musky and strong. I have been enjoying some delightfully light and refreshing varieties recently, though. Ahmed Earl Grey is one of these, and can be bought relatively cheaply at my international food store. I found one bag of Earl Grey by St. Dalfour the other day (sorry housemate to whom it belonged) and this tea was amazing, light and fresh and zesty. And I do love the way these utilitarian, though nicely shaped glass mugs display the color of tea, particularly in the autumn light.

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A Sonnet for Smeagol – In Anticipation of the Hobbit Movie Part I

S M E A G O L
My dear Smeagol, indeed, you still are dear
To me, my son, please hear me if you may.
Turn from the dark, from things that crawl in fear
Of light into the earth. Look to the day,
Though it may hurt you for a while. Repent
Of whatever deed it is that chills your heart.
Warmth will return; the daylight is not spent.
My son, see light again. Come take your part
Again in wholesome meals, in wholesome talk
Around the table. I will make amends
If you will but start; just begin the walk
Towards your healing. There are much worse ends
My dear son, than to feel chastising pain.
Smeagol, repent. Come back to life again.
G O L L U M
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If you have had a blog a while, it is interesting what things your stats page, which shows what searches led people to your site, will turn up from time to time. Here is a sonnet from 2004. Why republish? For more exposure, yes, but also a blog and its readers are like a river. You never step into the same river twice 🙂 I have changed one word and removed some capitalization.

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2009 Intro
Imagine. Smeagol returns from the river carrying Deagol claiming he has drowned (I do not remember what the books say about when Gollum’s relations know he had murdered him). It soon becomes apparent, however, that all is not well, as Smeagol begins to isolate himself in the dark and transform into Gollum.

Imagine. Perhaps somewhere during this time, his mother speaks to Smeagol, prefiguring Gandalf’s and Frodo’s after him rather more severe, but still merciful approach to Gollum many years later, which is really a remarkable aspect of the books and films, all the more tragic for Gollum’s ultimate refusal to accept the offer.

Admittedly, I have rather spiritualized the plight of Gollum. However, though he is a far greater and subtler craftsman, do not think that Tolkien did not have such dynamics in mind, not allegorically (he steadfastly denied LOTR was allegory) but thematically speaking.

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2004 Intro
For a seminary class I took on Tolkien, we were permitted great latitude for our final project. It could be a formal paper or something more in the realm of creative writing. I chose to write poems on the Ringbearers in the the Lord of the Rings. In the Lord of the Rings, not counting the Elder Days, there are four ringbearers. Three we are familiar with because they are are the heroes; Bilbo, Frodo, and Samwise each bear the ring for a time. The saddest “ringbearer,” though, is Smeagol. He does not “bear” the ring out of goodness, as his desire to possess it for himself that rules him. However, in a very real sense he bears the ultimate effects of the ring in ways that the others only begin to feel. The true cost of the ring is borne out tragically in his spirit, mind, and body.

For Bilbo, Frodo, and Samwise, I crafted two sonnets each, one for before they took the burden of the ring and one for after they had endured and its destructive pull. For Smeagol, there was no “after” sonnet, but only the descent into Gollum and death. In the Lord of the Rings, we get whispers that Gollum may still be able to be redeemed. When I first read the books, I so hoped he would be. My sonnet envisions an imaginary speech either given to him by his mother after he first acquired the ring or perhaps a pleading by Gandalf in his firm but benevolent imprisoning of him.

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Beautiful Inefficiencies – A Video Produced for Catapult Magazine – On Cooking a Pumpkin

I get a few video segments mixed up, sound almost stoned in others, call a cappuccino a latte, and have other assorted errors, but I am quite pleased with this video essay. Video work is quite the challenge compared to taking and editing stills or even writing essays in print alone, and this project combined them all. Enjoy a final piece of pumpkin on this Thanksgiving night.

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And the Results are in…..Autumn, Then Winter Haiku Contest

First, an apology for those of you who may have checked out this blog several times today looking for results. I am sorry for not keeping my promise. The cynical may view it as a plot to up my blog hits for the day 😉

At any rate, at long last the results are here!

And, dear reader, if you live in the United States, I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and were able to enjoy some good food, some better fellowship, and to be able to take a moment to be thankful for the blessings in your life (which we can do no matter where we live). In fact, I need to take some do that right now! Amongst too many things to mention (I am a very blessed man), I am thankful for you, my readers, who encourage me to keep honing away on various avenues of creativity.