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My favorite part of the enitre movie-yes I’ll admit that I like, even enjoy, digitally animated films-is when the villain critic, Anton Ego, returning to critique the restaurant, Gusteau’s, takes the first bite of his meal. He is eating ratatouille, a stewed vegetable peasant dish consisting of zucchini, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and garlic.

The moment he tastes the food the shot pops into a childhood memory. A young boy, a skinned knee, a sympathetic mother, and a home cooked bowl of ratatouille. The shot then returns to the older critic stunned by the memory the dish recalled. He eats the stew with a smile on his face, unable to get enough.

I love the way food intertwines with memory. Some foods are revolting to us only because of what we associate them with. I love vine tomatoes because I associate them with my grandmother’s house. When I was little, I would walk around her house where she had tomato plants growing and bend down to look at them. I wasn’t much taller than the plants, so I would immediately smell the scent of vines and tomatoes. To this day, I always smell the vine on a tomato before I pick or buy it. It brings back that memory of toddler me in my grandma’s garden.

He started out talking about why people cone and see him, because they think he’s holy, or supernatural, or divine or endowed with healing powers. He said he wished he knew someone with healing powers because a Mongolian devotee hurt his pinkie finger during an overly affectionate handshake.

Then he spoke about happiness, compassion, affection, and forgiveness. He spoke about community and secular views about things and how humans are happiest in communities. He gave an example about baby monkeys who are happiest with their mothers and how motherless monkeys are more prone to violent outbursts. He spoke a good deal about mothers and motherly affection.

After 45 minutes or so, he took questions from printed cards read out by his translator who was a tenured professor of Buddhist Studies at UW Madison who was also a Tibetan Monk, I believe. He answered 5 questions or so about finding inner peace, Tibetan national identity, Tibetan creationism-which was cute because he said that if you didn’t believe what he said that was “fine and all good, just forget about it!” He said. He talked a little bit about China and how Tibetans like the Chinese, but they don’t like Totalitarian governments.

When he was finished he thanked everyone and said, Thank you good night! He got up and bowed to everyone and left. Everyone stood up when he stood and clapped and things. There were also a lot of Tibetans dressed in traditional costumes who bowed and prostrated themselves when he first came out.

There were also protesters outside the Arena chanting “Dalai Lama Stop Lying.” You can find out more about them here. And another article concerning their other protests here. There were monks too, a lot of American ones, women included, all with shaved heads and robes.

The whole thing was very cool. He didn’t say anything new or world changing. Just that all people want to be happy, live a good life, and be part of a community, that happiness depends on ourselves, etc.

But it was nice to be reminded of things.

Horseback Riding 054

Originally uploaded by Tea and Elephants

* I just had my second horseback riding lesson at Stone Ledge Barn in South Beloit, IL. Great lesson with no falling off this time!

How people-at least where I live-don’t dress nicely or properly.

Tattoos, visible and multiple.

The invasive species of land development and fast food chains.

The number of channels on tv, this is a good thing. 200+

I started taking horseback riding lessons at a barn about 20 miles away in a cow town.

Only fell off once!

1. Unpacked in less than one week. (Miracle)

2. Uncluttered my room

3. Started my job as a farm hand. (Picking berries, cleaning mud caked produce, boxing jams and jellies, etc)

4. Got my first paycheck

5. Started Pageant rehearsal (yes, I’m in a pageant, a county fair pageant no less. Nothing but the creme de la creme for moi)

6. Is there a 6? Probably, but I can’t think of one.