My Food Tradition

My family tradition is one that is common, however personal.  My mother is a fantastic cook and has always been for as far back as I can remember.  She would often make grand meals for benchmarks gatherings like:  New Years Day, Saint Patrick’s Day, birthdays, Thanks Giving, Christmas and many other occasions. She was able to get people from all walks of life to come to the house for the chance to taste her delicious meals. 

She instilled in me a desire to cook and be creative in the kitchen and share that desire with others.  The tradition became clear – if the foods provided the friends would come, stay, and entertain you.  Mom was legendary for fitting the food to the occasion and for attempting to make it the best you ever had.  With this mindset, I attempted to duplicate this knack she had.  I often had to be left home alone due to my Mothers work schedule and out of boredom I would take ingredients from the cabinet and attempt to create some masterpiece on my own.  I would end up with something close to wall paste or clay.   It just never seamed to work for me and was rarely something palatable.

 Over the years I was able to build my skills and make some delicious deserts and main courses.  I was able to entertain family, friends and loved ones with great food and complementary wine.  I never enjoyed wine when I was young, but when I was no longer young I absolutely loved the mix of my main dishes and many different wines to balance them out.  I will spare you the fancy wine talk, as it is not the point.

 My favorite dish to make is chicken parmesan (AKA mozzarella).  My tradition is providing a meal that you will be willing to make time for and as a result take some time out of your life to enjoy some time together.   The key for success is to inquire about their preferences and modify the dish to meet it.  It will make the company happy and the chef happier.  Bon Appetite.

Click here to take a look at my video and please,  leave a response below. 

Man With No Country

Man With No Country

This interview was of a coworker that immigrated from Peru in the late 1970’s.  Take a listen and hear what things made a difference in his perceptions of his new country and how his old country changed for him.

Carrie Mae Weems – “American Icons”

Carrie Mae Weems created the following photo series “American Icons” between 1988 and 1989.  It focuses on subtle racist figuring’s from Americas past.  They were one of many bodies of works that she focused on to portray African-American life and the racism it endured on a subconscious level.

 The first photo has a feeling of used space.  An average chair with a lit cigarette a glass of water and lamp that is on.  I found it interesting that she left the photo absent a person.  It is a freshly used space that does not place ownership.  It could indeed be anyone, but the choice is for you to make and I think it helps you better relate to the actual subject.  The ashtray has a figuring tending the leaf where the ashes are placed.  It makes a suggestion that service is what is expected, as do all of the photos in this body of work.

The second photo has African-American artists, which includes two singers displayed on the stand.  I felt that this photo represented the ironic success of African-American performers starting back in the 1920’s.  African-Americans were able to perform and ended up representing American culture in Europe.  Many African-Americans were able to flourish in their chosen art from actress to Jazz where racial oppression did not exist like it did in America.  Regardless of their success abroad they missed their families and home and had little chance of similar success back in America in any other career.

 The third photo once again depicts the role of servant and takes the step that the man moving the trunk is happy in doing so.  The possibilities are endless and I am not sure of the time frame on this figuring, however the implied message is that he is happy to take what ever you put in his trunk and will be off with it.

 The fourth, fifth and sixth photos capture how such a small figuring can play a large role in your subconscious.  Each could be in place for a generation and get paid little attention to, however it could condition you to believe that this is what is to be expected and you may not ever really be able to identify why you feel that way about a particular race, gender, religion or lifestyle.  It has just always been that way…

 As you explore each photo you may start to see that each has built-in expectations of the items in them.  You expect the lamp, record player, coffee pot and other items to function as designed and it creates the predisposition of expecting the same from the figuring.

 The reason I chose this work has to do with my grandmother.  She had her favorite figurine that was proudly displayed on her counter for several generations.  It made its place into every house she lived in until she was unable to care for herself and the job was taken over by her children.  The figurine went missing between the years that grandpa passed away and before she moved in with her youngest daughter to be taken care of until she passed.  I recalled grandmas defense of this figurine as you see in these pictures.   When I saw it I remembered one of her children told her that her prized item was inappropriate to display.  She told her daughter, sternly, that the figurine represented the only person to have ever worked harder than she did in her life.  I never heard anyone ever mention their opinion again.

The figurine was an African-American woman much like the one in the fourth photo in this work.  The figurine was a cookie jar.  When ever you asked for a cookie, grandma would ask you “What have you had done to deserve this cookie?”.  I asked her about this and she told me that she had put all of the effort into providing the cookie and she did not want me to excpect reward without effort.  This tought me to only expect what I was willing to give of myself and that you should respect the person that provides for you regedless of who it was or why they did it.

How did it get here? Will it stay?

Fog from the Pajaro River enters Coyote Lake

     This reservoir was made in the 1930’s and was one of many that would enable the “Valley of the Hearts Delight” to continue its vast agricultural empire.  It also was key in reducing the devastating flooding that would plague San Jose and wash away crops and livelihoods.  It was not designed to provide recreation, but it has done just that.  Through efforts of Santa Clara Valley Water District, Santa Clara County Parks and the budgetary support of the Santa Clara County Park Charter Fund; this open space is now used by: Hikers, walkers, bicyclist, equestrians, birders, boaters and for fishing.  It now has 25 miles of trail and views of South Valley that will amaze you.

     Do you think it’s permanent? Think again.  The Charter Fund is always being tapped for other projects and the Water District job is wholesale water.  Without continued political support funds could be diverted, staff reduced or collapse of the Charter Fund from lack of voter support.  The lake could close to boating due to an invasive mussel and stocking the lake stoped 4 years ago due to a lawsuit against Fish and Game.

     Please take a look at the attachments to see the issues and see how you can support our parks.

Review the agendas of the Santa Clara County Parks & Recreation Commission.

http://www.sccgov.org/portal/site/scc/boardagenda?contentId=dece05bcfa515310VgnVCM10000048dc4a92____&agendaType=Commission Agenda

View the Fish & Game Lawsuit information.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Hatcheries/FishPlanting/Evaluation.asp

Read about the Parks Charter Fund to undertand the funding source.

http://www.sccgov.org/portal/site/parks/parksarticle?path=%252Fv7%252FParks%2520and%2520Recreation%252C%2520Department%2520of%2520%2528DEP%2529&contentId=e0b6cb38aeb34010VgnVCM10000048dc4a92____

Help to Shape Your Park

 

Do you want to help shape your park?

 

It takes time, but you can have a major impact.  Calero County Park is currently going through the final steps of their trails master plan.  Public involvement is a must to get the best product possible in your open space. 

 

Here are 3 reasons to participate:

 

• It’s your MONEY. Your tax dollars are set aside to purchase and develop county parks through the charter fund.
• Are Your Politicians appropriately using your MONEY that is available for parks? Currently there is 4 million dollars from the charter fund in separate isolated accounts for parklands that are not yet identified.  The city of San Jose has millions in the bank from developer’s fees and has not identified a plan for it.
• Is your recreation of choice available to you? Not all parks allow the same activities.  New recreational activities come out every year.  See if you can find open space that will allow the activity you enjoy.

 

Take a look at the following and see how you can be a part of how your open space works.

http://www.sccgov.org/portal/site/parks/parksarticle?path=%252Fv7%252FParks%2520and%2520Recreation%252C%2520Department%2520of%2520%2528DEP%2529&contentId=b2fe29913180f210VgnVCM10000048dc4a92____

Bibliography: http://www.bfsla.com,  for diagram of Calero County Park trails Master Plan.  www.sccgov.org for information on the status of the Trails Master Plan

Open Space – Your Space

Volunteers unload mulch for an acorn planting to ensure future oak tree growth.

     Open space is for all of us.  A place to exercise, photograph and experience.  Often this space is taken for granted.  Most visitors are only aware of the end result, the tangible open space.  The reality is that many years will go into acquiring, planning, developing and opening an open space.  For those few people with the vision to do so, participating in the planning and use is a passion.  They may spend hundreds of hours of personal time attending meetings, gathering information and objecting to political will.  All of this will play a part in the final tangible product.  Often those people go unrecognized for their efforts.  They walk amongst us and seem no different.  They have actually given a part of them selves to see a product through. 

     I will be posting photos that show the efforts of those few people who give part of themselves for all of us to be able to enjoy our open spaces.  It is a great cause and it needs support from our youth for it to thrive.

Introduction

This blog is for my Photo 10 New Media and Social Change class.  It will include all of my assignments, projects and feedback from other students and viewers.  Current photo-based New Media is making social change by giving many of those that want to influence social change the unprecedented ability to do so at the speed of light.

It will also include photos that I have taken of scenery to inspire political and volunteer support for open spaces.