Hey all.

This will be short and sweet.

I was running the other day, listening to This American Life.  The story was about a construction worker who, for some reason, began collecting Lewis and Clark books.  Not reading them, initially, just collecting them.  After a few decades he had the biggest L&C collection in the world.  Finally he started reading them - devouring them, actually.  The part of the story that really got to me was his description of a day in which he realized that he, a man who never finished high school, had become a world respected academic.  He started crying.  I started cheering.

It gave me an idea.

One thing that I love about our human condition is our ability to empathize.  We can share joy, pain, sadness, enthusiasm, or excitement.  I want to tap into this innate ability with a collection of stories or thoughts on joy and inspiration.

So

What I ask of you (all of you) is a story.  A short story, a long story.  It could be a paragraph, 10 pages, or even just a line.  They should be stories of a time when you were so happy you could hardly contain it.  Or stories of slivers of joy in a desperate desolate place.  Or stories of inspiration.

I want to then de-identify these stories and publish them, somehow, someday.  Of course I will ask permission at the time.  Don't worry - nothing gets published without consent.

So.

Please think, revel, and write.  I look forward to them all.  :)

I just learned how to add pictures.  I love technology!  This is the view from my office, BTW.

This is what happened  for 4th of July.  Please note the giant baked macaroni and cheese gracing table center.  It has a dorrito crust.  :) 

Love
Always

Ahora estoy enfermo otra vez.  No es terrible, solo gripe, pero es un gripe un poco feroz.

He dormido por mucho ayer, porque no pude levantarme porque mis músculos eran tan cansados.  Yo comí solo un pan con mantequilla de maní hasta cena, cuando mi amigo Juan me cocino una cena de verduras y fideos.  Era, lo más amable que era posible.  

Este blog será corto, porque todavía estoy cansado, pero voy a explicar lo que he aprendido durante mis primeros días enfermos.  Tal vez esos serán “hyperbolic,” pero estoy enfermo, y por eso debes disculparme.

1) Si alguien ha hecho algo que es afuera de su responsabilidad pero te ayuda mucho, debes reconocer esta persona con agradecimiento.  Usualmente la persona no va a quejarse, pero reconocimiento es una amabilidad, y una vida sin reconocimiento es humil pero también sin un sentido de apreciación.  No creo que es necesario, pero claro que si es una amabilidad.
2) Personas no son como perros.  Siempre tenemos esta escena en las películas: si un perro está en peligro pero no quiere dejar el lado de su dueño, el dueño tiene que dañar su perro para convencer el perro a salir.  Cuando dices “no estas necesario” a alguien para convencer esta persona a salir, estas diciendo uno de dos cosas: 1) la verdad, y esta persona es “expendible,” o 2) estas mintiendo y hay otro razones.  Tal vez estas motivado a cuidar a su amigo, su trabajador, o los demás.   Cualquiera de las razones, no debes mentir.  Debes explicar realmente que están sus razones.
3) No sé cuánto veces voy a aprender esta cosa, pero casi nadie va a pedir o saber exactamente lo que necesita, pero exactamente que va a sentir bueno es compañía y el sentido que estas tan importante a alguien que esta persona va a gastar un poco de su precioso tiempo por tu cuidado.
4) El otro lado de esta móneda es este: si quieres demostrar, con sus acciones, que tú cuidas por alguien solo tienes que gastar tiempo por esta persona.  
5) No debes caminar 10 horas cuando tienes gripe.  Pues, solo si quieres seguir con gripe por tres días más.
6) Siempre vale la pena a hacer algo muy duro por ellos que te aprecian.  Es la marca de una persona buena a hacer algo por ellos que no saben que estás haciendo.  Es la marca de un sirviente verdad a hacer algo muy duro, y seguir haciendo lo, por ellos que saben que estás haciendo pero no te aprecian.
7) Debes expresar su apreciación cuando la sientes – nuca sabes cuando alguien la necesita.


Hasta luego.

amor/amar

siempre

Stewart

_____________________________________________________________

Now I'm sick again. Not terrible, just flu, but flu is a bit fierce.

I slept for much yesterday because I could not get up because my muscles were so tired. I ate only bread with peanut butter until dinner, when my friend John cooked me a dinner of vegetables and noodles. It was the kindest thing that was possible.

This post will be short, because I'm still tired, but I will explain what I learned during my first sick day. Maybe those are "hyperbolic," but I'm sick, so you must forgive me.

1) If someone has done something that is outside their responsibility but it helps you a lot, you should recognize this person with some thanks. Usually the person will not complain if you do not, but recognition is a kindness, and a life without recognition is humble but without a sense of being appreciated. I do not think it is necessary, but of course it is a kindness.

2) People are not like dogs. We always have this scene in movies: if a dog is in danger but will not leave the side of his owner, the owner has to hurt his dog to convince the dog to leave. When you say "you're not needed" to someone to convince this person to leave, you're saying one of two things: 1) the truth, and this person is "expendable," or 2) you're lying and there are other reasons. Maybe you're motivated to care for your friend, your workers, or others. Whatever the reasons, you should not lie. You should explain what your reasons really are.

3) Do not know how often I'll learn this one, but almost no one will ask or know exactly what they need, but exactly what is going to feel good is company and the sense that you are so important to someone that this person will spend little of their precious time for your care.

4) The other side of this coin is this: if you want to demonstrate, through your actions, that you care for someone you just have to spend time on this person.

5) Do not walk 10 hours when you have a cold. Well, only if you want to continue with a cold for three days.

6) It always is worth it to do something very hard for those who appreciate you. It is the mark of a good person to do something for those who do not know what you are doing. It is the mark of a true servant to do something very hard, and keep doing it, for those who know what you're doing but do not communicate appreciation.

7) You should express appreciation when you have it - you never know when someone needs it.

Later.

love

always

Stewart

Well, I figured that if I cannot give you pictures of the dinner, I would give recipes:

ORANGE SALAD

As many types of greens as you can handle/wash appropriately

3 oranges

Pepper

Slice oranges and place delicately on top of tossed salad.  Sprinkle or grind pepper lightly on top.   Serve with orange vinaigrette dressing, candied nuts, and pickled onions (recipes found below)

ORANGE VINAIGRETTE SALAD DRESSING

Juice of three oranges

2/3 cup vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

lemon pepper

sugar

Mix that ish up.  Dump it on things you want to taste good.  

CANDIED PEANUTS

2 cups peanuts or other nut

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

Wax paper or silpat

Place wax paper or silpat on flat surface.  This will be the cooling location.  In large frying pan dissolve sugar in water.  Add all peanuts (or other nut) and stir constantly as sugar mixture reduces until there is no more fluid.  Immediately dump nuts on cooling surface and spread out, breaking up and chunks.  Cool completely and serve.  

NOTE: If using in salad serve separately as a garnish: long exposure to dressing will melt off the candy coating.  

PICKLED ONIONS

1 lb red onions (about 2 med or 1 large), thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups white vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

10 cloves

2 bay leafs

Dash red pepper flakes

Soak red onions in for 2 minutes. Drain in colander.

In a separate saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add drained onions to the vinegar mixture. Simmer for 1 minute.

Transfer to a glass jar. Allow to stand until cooled. Will keep several weeks refrigerated.

SUSHI Makes 6 large sushi rolls.  

Rice:

2/3 cup rice

1 1/3 cup water

4 tbsp vinegar (preferably rice)

1 tsp Salt

Wash rice until water runs clear.  Bring appropriate amount of water to boil, add rice, reduce to covered simmer.  When water has disappeared (via the magic of evaporation) transfer to flat surface (cookie sheet) to cool.  Once warm to touch mix in vinegar and salt.  Let cool completely.

Sushi:

Nori

Cup of water

Suggested fillings:

Carrots

Cucumber

Green onion shoots

Avocado

Tempura’d sweet potatoes

Slice fillings to 1/2 cm wide strips which are as long as your nori.  

Putting two and two together:

Use fingers and hands to smear Nori with thin layer of rice, leaving only 2 cm open at the top of the nori.  near bottom of the roll start stacking your fillings.  Roll gently, using a cup of water to dampen the open nori so that it will stick.  Slice with wet, sharp knife to serve with soy  sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger.

NOTE: if serving sushi with tempura’d anything it is best to prepare and serve immediately so that the texture is present.   

TEMPURA SWEET POTATOES

Batter:

1 1/2 cups seltzer water

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp Cornstarch

Salt to taste

Turmeric

Pepper

Oil for frying

Paper towels for drying

Prep:

For batter:  Essentially just mix everything together well and salt/spice to taste.  

For edible delight: Scrub and slice Potatoes as long as possible (hotdog style!).  They can certainly be thick cut - boiling oil will, in fact, cook anything.  Coat them lightly in tempura batter and lay gently in about 1/2 cm of oil.  Turn judiciously, place on paper towels to dry/try.  

NOTE: a number of sources use an egg in the batter as well - this supposedly makes for a fluffier dough.

PICKLED GINGER

2 lb fresh young ginger (shin shoga)

2 tsps salt

3 cups rice vinegar

2 cups sugar

Prep: Peel ginger.  Slice THINLY.  Salt ginger. Leave salted ginger slices in a bowl for about one hour. Dry the ginger slices with paper towels and put them in a heat-resistant container/jar. Mix rice vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot mixture of vinegar and sugar over the ginger slices. Cool them. Pickled ginger changes its color to light pink. (If you are using old ginger, it might not turn pink naturally.) Cover the jar and store it in the refrigerator.

PAPAS RELLENAS Makes 5 large Papas

1 kg potatoes

2 tbsp butter

2-3 eggs

Flour

Salt, pepper, cayenne other seasonings to taste.

Fillings:

Carrot

Tempura’d sweeet potato

Green onion shoots.  

Prep: slice potatoes into 2-3 cm chunks.  Boil until just soft enough to mash (IMPORTANTLY, do not over boil - they will get overly mushy and hard to work with later).  Vigorously mash them, adding butter and spices.  Let cool, then mix in eggs.  If they seem too mushy (as happened to happen) add flour until you reach a consistency that you believe to be workable.  Later, with floured hands, hold a clump of potatoes in one hand and lay filing on top.  Slap on another mound of potato and form into a ball/oval/tube/whatever shape you like.  Roll the finalized shape in flour and lay in pan with hot oil to fry, rolling/turning to fry all sides evenly.  

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP Serves 6

Adopted from: http://www.cookbetterthan.com/2013/04/04/tomato-and-carrot-curry-soup/

9 whole small tomatoes

3 regular carrots

2 medium onions

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

(½ cup white wine) - not used in Peru

2-3 cloves of garlic

½ tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp butter

Salt and pepper to taste

A smoky spice, like chipotle or smoked peppers

(Sour cream or Greek yogurt for garnish) - not used in Peru

Prep: On a large sheet pan put the whole tomatoes, peeled carrots and the peeled and halved onions, drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Let them roast underneath a broiler or in oven as hot as peru-possible (400 degrees F max)  for about 30-40 minutes giving them a flip halfway through (turn tomatoes frequently to “burn” all sides).

Once the veggies are tender and nicely roasted, don’t be afraid of them browning, that’s flavor. Put them in a soup pot on the stove. And add the wine, broth and spices.  Allow the pot to simmer until the carrots are very tender, about 10-15 mins.  Blend and add spices to taste.  Don’t forget to garnish each bowl with chives/parsley and a dollop of sour cream.

NOTE: we caramelized the onions with the spices, boiled some broth in the carmely stuff to get all the delicious bits off the bottom, then added the roasted tomatoes and carrots.  

GARLIC BREAD

Bread

Butter

Garlic - liquidy

Basil

Chives

Prep: slice bread into thin strips, squaring off the ends.  Save end pieces to make croutons.  Mix garlic into butter along with various desired spices.  Spread garlic butter mixture onto both sides of cut bread and pan fry on medium heat.  

LEMON PEPPERED CROUTONS

Leftover bits from above garlic bread

Butter

Lemon pepper

Prep: melt butter with spices, drizzle over bread crumbs.  Pan fry on low heat until dry.  

PAN FRIED POLENTA Serves 20

Loosely based on: http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/soft-polenta-dinner-fried-polenta-cakes-bento

As prepared in Peru:

6 cups corn flour

9 cups water

3 large onions

1/2 kg cheese (preferably parmesan but andean does well here)

Cheese

4 tbsp butter

Garlic

Salt

Pepper

8x13 baking dish x 2

Wax paper

(NOTE: in well equipped grocery stores you should find medium grain corn meal and use a meal:water ratio of 1:3 or 4 instead of 2:3).

Prep: begin by slicing onions thinly and caramelizing with garlic.  Set aside.  Cube/grate cheese and set aside.  dice chives and set aside

Add flour and water to large pot, bring to boil while stirring constantly.  Once boiling reduce to simmer and continue stirring until grains are thoroughly cooked.  The polenta should be thin enough that your spoon stands up easily when left.  Add butter and season to taste with pepper and salt (polenta will neutralize salt so you may end up with more than you think).  At this point stir in grated/cubed cheese, chives, onions.  

Once well mixed transfer to baking dish which has been lined with wax paper and cool in refrigerator overnight.  On day of service slice into 2-3 cm thick slices and fry in 1 cm of oil until both sides are crispy.  

Serve covered in some sauce or another.  

ROASTED RED PEPPER COULIS

As prepared in Peru:

9 large red bell peppers

3 large onions

1 L broth or salty/tasty water

Garlic

(OPTIONAL: replace 1/2 of broth with white wine)

Prep: core and seed bell peppers.  pace on cooking sheet with pepper and oil and roast under broiler or in hot oven until nicely wrinkled and browned.  Set aside, do not peel.  

While peppers are roasting caramelize thinly sliced onions with garlic.  Set aside.

When peppers are roasted add to large pot with broth, wine, and onions.  Boil until all are tender, blend like crazy.  Serve as topping to fried polenta cakes, as described above.   

PEANUT BUTTER CORN CAKE

???

Voy a escribir algunos blogs hoy día. Primeramente yo escribiré sobre mi cumpleaños.

Por mi cumpleaños cada año yo preparo una cena. Se llama una “cena de servicio,” y el proposito es a servir a los demás. En Perú tengo 2 amigos con casi lo mismo cumpleaños que yo, y ellos estaban de acuerdo a participar también. Yo empecé esta cena hace algunos años para ser un ejemplo del servicio que yo espera de todo de los demás. Yo creo, con todo mi corazón, que porque somos humanos tenemos que vivir con humanidad y humanitarismo. Para mí, este significa una obligación muy fuerte a servir los demás.

Para servirlos bien, he aprendido algunas cosas.

Primero: Para servir tienes que prepararse a dar lo que tienes. Es muy importante a dar cuenta que cada cosa es un recurso, y por eso una persona puede tener una falta de cualquiera cosa: desde comida a dinero, aliento a voz, fuerza a confianza.

La cena es para demostrar esa principio de servicio – que puedo servir a los demás con mi dinero (yo pagé por todo, menos la torta), con mi tiempo (yo y mis 2 amigo gastamos más que 10 horas preparando y cocinando), y con atención (durante la cena ellos con un cumpleaños trabajamos como camareros).

El discurso era para explicar esa principioy pedir su aplicación.

He copiado el texto abajo, pero en resumen hay 3 puntos clave.

1) Cada persona, en cada situación, tiene algo que puede ofrecer a los demás. Cuando reconoces que cada cosa es un recurso vas a reconocer que en cada situación, si pagas atención, puedes pensar en algo con que puede mostrar amor, amistad, y servicio a los demás. Es algo muy importante: cuando tú reconoces que tiempo puede ser tan valioso como dinero, reconocimiento puede ser tan deseable como comida, siempre puede encontrar algo que puedes ofrecer.

2) Para servir mejor, tienes que buscar oportunidades a servir. Algunas veces hay oportunidades obvias. Usualmente tu tienes que intentar a servir en vez de solo estar listo a servir cuando hay una oportunidad obvia. Hay dos razones que los oportunidades pueden ser escondido:
a. La mayoría de personas no van a pedir directamente por lo que necesitan o quieren porque no quieren parecer menesteroso ni exigente.
b. Muchas personas no saben exactamente lo que necesita o lo que ayudará.
c. Las excepciones son los casos que son usualmente obvios, como hambre, dinero, sed, etc.

d. La cosa que tienes que recordar es que en el mundo hay SIEMPRE oportunidades obvias a servir, pero SIEMPRE hay oportunidades escondidos alrededor de tu. Si estas un sirviente verdadero, vas a buscar oportunidades escondido y no vas a ignorar las oportunidades obvias.

3) Finalmente, y tal vez lo más importante, debes reconocer que tiempo es la móneda más importante en el mundo. Si tú no sabes que ayudará una persona, o que esta persona necesita, puedes dar tiempo. El conocimiento que una persona ha dado su tiempo a ti es algo casi mágica. A estar pensado sobre es como sentirse importante a una otra persona. A veces tú presencia, tú tiempo que indica que tu cuidas, es un tratamiento suficiente a curar una tristeza. Mas, piensen en esto: si alguien sabe exactamente que tú necesitas, este es un indicación que esa persona conoce a tu y entiende a tú, ¿sí o no? Para mí, eso es una indicación que tu amigo ha invertido tiempo en su relación contigo. Para mí, este conocimiento es tan poderoso como su regalo o ayuda perfecto.

Con estas tres realizaciones (que puedes ayudar alguien con cualquier cosa, que siempre tienes que pensar activamente en cómo puedes servir, y que expresiones de tiempo son lo más importante) puedes amar como debemos como humanos. Es nuestra obligación, y es lo que espero. Yo estaré decepcionado si yo fracaso, y también si tu fracasas. Claro, yo será decepcionado mucho, porque es imposible a ser perfecto. Pero, espero que estaré decepcionado menos y menos cada año que pasa.

Amor/Amar
Siempre

Stewart

__________________________________________________________


I'll write some blogs today. First I will write about my birthday.

For my birthday every year I prepare dinner. It's called a "dinner service," and the purpose is to serve others. In Peru I have 2 friends with almost the same birthday as me, and they agreed to participate as well. I started this dinner a few years ago to be an example of service that I expect from all of the others. I believe with all my heart that we are human because we have to live with humanity and humanitarianism. For me, this means a very strong obligation to serve others.

To serve them well, I learned some things.

First: To serve you have to be prepared to give what you have. It is important to realize that everything is a resource, so a person can have a lack of any thing from food to money, encouragement to voice, strength to trust.

Dinner is to demonstrate the principle of service - that I can serve others with my money (I paid for everything except the cake), with my time (me and my 2 friends spent more than 10 hours preparing and cooking), and with attention (during dinner those with a birthday worked as waiters).

The speech was to explain that principle and ask for its application.

I copied the text below, but in summary there are 3 key points.

Every person, in every situation, you have something you can offer to others. When you recognize that everything is a resource you will recognize that in every situation, if you pay attention, you can think of something that can show love, friendship, and service to others. It's very important when you recognize that time can be as valuable as money, recognition can be as desirable as food, you can always find something you can offer. 

To better serve, you have to look for opportunities to serve. Sometimes there are obvious opportunities. Usually you have to try to help rather than just be ready to serve when there is an obvious opportunity. There are two reasons that opportunities can be hidden: 

Most people will not ask directly for what they need or want because they do not want to appear needy or demanding. 

Many people do not know exactly what they need or what will help. 

The exceptions are the cases that are usually obvious, such as hunger, money, thirst, etc. 

The thing you have to remember is that in the world there is ALWAYS obvious opportunities to serve, but there are ALWAYS hidden opportunities around you. If you are a true servant, you'll find hidden opportunities and can not ignore the obvious opportunities. 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you must realize that time is the most important currency in the world. If you do not know that will help a person, or what that person needs, you can give time. The knowledge that a person has given his time to you is something almost magical. To feel thought about is like feeling important to someone else. Sometimes just your presence, your time indicating that you care is sufficient treatment to cure sadness. But, think about this: if someone knows exactly what you need, this is an indication that the person knows you and understands you, right? To me, that is an indication that your friend has invested time in their relationship with you. For me, this knowledge is as powerful as your perfect gift or perfect help.

With these three realizations (that you can help anyone with anything, you always have to actively think about how you can serve, and expressions of time are the most important) you can love how we as humans are supposed to love. It is our duty, and that's what I expect. I will be disappointed if I fail, and if you fail. Sure, I will be very disappointed, because it is impossible to be perfect. But, I hope I'll be disappointed less and less each passing year.

love
always

stewart

____________________________________________________

Speech:

I want to take this opportunity to tell a story. This is about a friend of mine. This friend does a thing that impresses and inspires me, and this is what I want to share with you.

This friend serves. He gives. But he does it in the most impressive way. First, he understands that all things are resources. From time to money, strength to voice, encouragement to acknowledgement. All of these things can be missing from someones life, so all of these things can be given. He understands that two of the most universal human desires are being thought of and being understood. So he makes sure you feel thought of. He does his best to understand those around him, and rather than passively he does this actively, intentionally.

The second thing is that he does is pays attention to those around him. I cannot stress this enough. This is a practiced and purposeful part of his daily life. This doesn't just happen, he intends to do it. As a result he can see those service opportunities that aren't so obvious. He doesn't just give when the opportunity is clear. He seeks out ways to serve, ways to be thoughtful, ways to show love. He listens to what you say and pays attention to what you do. He listens to what you do not say and notices the things you do not do.

The third thing is perhaps the most important, as well as the most rare. He doesn't give only when it is convenient or when it aligns with his daily goals. He gives when it hurts. He gives when it distracts him, when it spends his time and derails his plans. He gives when it is difficult to do so. He knows that the best life is that of service.

I am constantly amazed by him. By his purposeful thoughtfulness, by his selfless generosity. And remember, generosity of ANYTHING. I keep thinking to myself "I wish there were more of him in the world." then I realized that wishes require action. That is why we are here tonight. I decided to act as much like him as I can. I'm not very good at it, because it is hard and demanding, but I can tell you that it is worth it. It is worth it to serve with every resource you have, especially when it is hard or demanding or painful. I think that we can all agree that the world would be better off with more people like my friend. I stand here today to ask you to live like him, not because it is easy but because it is the best way to live. I ask you to constantly ask of yourself "what then can I give," I ask you to desperately seek opportunities to serve, in small ways and big. I know that you often do this already. We are all here, after all. But this is not just big decisions, this is every day. Every minute of every hour. I believe that our social norms drive our decisions to an immense degree. I also known that social norms are driven by shared expectations. I know that there is always more to do. More to give. More ways to serve. I expect this selflessness from myself, and even if it means I am disappointing often this expectation is a wonderful burden. I encourage you to begin expecting this of each other. This is what I want for my birthday: an army of servants, filling every corner of the earth.

Thank you.