Posted in Books, Uncategorized

Hungry For More

Posted on by D. Parker

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Easter is here again. It means different things to different people. For some, it’s religious. For some, family, and/or the Easter bunny or all. But like so many things, it revolves around food, and plenty of it – ham, fish, roast beef, yams, hot-cross buns, cakes and cupcakes decorated like bunnies, jellybeans, Cadbury creme eggs, marshmallows peeps, chocolate bunnies, rice krispies treats shaped like bunnies and eggs, bunny bread…

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I’ve been binging, this time reading, including, the Popular Culture and Philosophy series from Open Court. Pop culture and philosophy, for me, that’s book heroin. I started with Homeland and Philosophy: For Your Minds Only, edited by Robert Arp. On some level I like this show, http://yadadarcyyada.com/2014/04/03/homeland/ I keep watching it; one thing about it really stuck with me, Brody (Damian Lewis) is compared to a cockroach, surviving no matter what, but bringing misery to others. It describes so many people, oh my, does it describe the whole human race, crawling across the planet’s face?

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My next bite was The Ultimate Walking Dead and Philosophy: Hungry For More, edited by Wayne Yuen. I nibbled on each page, snacking on deep thoughts about a deep show; delicious, but a lot to digest (chocolate-covered Daryl Dixon?).

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Then I finally gave in, read some of Sheryl Sandberg (COO of Facebook) and her Lean In self-help stuff. Same old, same old, but still good advice and catchy. It’s certainly what we want to hear, that we can succeed by embracing challenge and risk, but is it realistic? We want to believe women are moving ahead, but are they?

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We also want to think diets, shifting our body weight to the thinner side will make us happy. It’s important to keep in mind, at all times, correlation is not causation, even strong correlation. I watched the documentary, Fed Up, like Ms. Sandberg’s work, it’s catchy, but with gaping holes and I don’t just mean the to-be-counted-as-sexy-these-days-thigh-gap which I think used to be called bow-legged and wasn’t that medically uncool? I guess having your thighs catch on fire while wearing corduroy isn’t considered ‘sexy’ anymore.

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We already know the truth, we don’t need all these books, documentaries, etc. We don’t need a magic pill, that won’t fill our emptiness. We need moderation, in all things. And to stop worrying about what everyone else thinks. I’ve had a long, complicated relationship with food, now I just want to be friends.

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I wonder if our aversion to moderation comes from childhoods dominated by promises of dire consequences intermingled with lies. You know:
– Don’t swallow your gum, it’ll stay in your stomach for 7 years.
– Don’t pee in the pool  – a dye will show you did it.
– Cracking your knuckles will give you arthritis. Toads will give you warts.

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– Don’t go swimming for 30 minutes after you eat.
– I’m leaving without you. We’re almost there.
– It won’t hurt. We’ll see. I don’t know.

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– Maybe later. I always know when you’re lying.
– Your pet (insert fav pet name here) went to live on a farm.
– Coffee will stunt your growth. Milk will make you grow.

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– Just a minute. Give me a minute (a parent minute is a lot longer than the average minute).
– And the obsession with preserving your eyesight. Carrots improve your eyesight. Reading in the dark damages your eyesight. If you cross your eyes they’ll stay that way. If you sit too close to the TV it will ruin your eyes. I wonder what we’re supposed to think Google glasses, smartphones, laptops, computers, etc. will do to our eyesight?

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What about you, dear readers, any gems from childhood? I still feel guilty about stepping on cracks as a child. Sorry Mom. Walking in the rain, dodging worms, I tried to remember did we ever get told, Step on a worm, make your Mother squirm?

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I wish you all a wonder-filled Easter. No matter how you celebrate, whether you lean in, lean out, lean up, or just enjoy, I hope you have enough.

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Author:

Very me

128 thoughts on “Hungry For More”

    1. You just made my day, Teagan, chocolate covered Daryl Dixon, sigh, could it get any better than that?
      Hope you have a long, relaxing weekend, dear friend, although I hope you also have time to give us another leg of the journey of ‘The Guitar Mancer’ on your amazing blog.
      I hope your holiday brings you egg-actly what you want and more. 😉
      Hoppy Easter and mega chocolate Daryl Dixon hugs. xo

      Reply

  2. I liked the way you included a lot in this to think about. I feel that Leaning in is very important, society should not worry about who believes what, sharing the love one another philosophy or Loving neighbors as much as ourselves. I went around my auto parts warehouse today giving out candy. No, I was supposed to be working but I did it carefully, or stealthily, D.
    Happy Easter, or however you wish to celebrate. I will be with my Mom in the suburbs of Cleveland in a senior living place, my own children and grandchildren about 3 hours away. This is one “example” I set, my priority is to help my Mom have a lovely Easter, the others will have plenty with me, hopefully in the future. . .

    Reply

      1. Hahaha, yes. We are at an age now though, where they don’t buy it anymore when I told them that the 5min are over already…

  4. ‘There was an old woman who swallowed a fly, perhaps she’ll die’ – I believed that rhyme – mum swallowed a fly at a bus stop and I was terrified until we got home and she swallowed a cup of disinfectant. Brave of her to do that, looking back. Happy Easter Donna

    Reply

    1. Thank you, this had me giggling, I wish I’d found it before, I could have added it to the post, maybe next time I’m blaming our childhood for something lol 😉
      Is it? It wouldn’t be surprising…maybe.
      Hoppy Easter, hope everything is egg-actly as you like it. 🙂

      Reply

      1. What I found hilarious is that I remember saying the same things to my kids that my mother said to us — and every one of them was in that song.

        But my favorite was one that I have never said (as an insult), “it must be your father’s DNA.” That had me in stitches.

      2. I’ve really tried not to say them, but sometimes I say something and I think, oh no! 😉
        Never said that last one and he has both our DNA. It probably explains a lot. 😉

      4. I think we see things in them, good and not so good and maybe we wish we could help them overcome, or at least acknowledge stuff that held us back.

  7. It is totally religious, oh Sinny McSacrilege… the Great Bunny gave his only son, who was made of chocolate, to us, to teach us the correct and moral and only way… the one, true way… to color eggs… and yet we, being imperfect mortals, ate that poor chocolate bunny, and therefore were given a pestilence of fat thighs and bad skin… for our sins… because we worshipped the idols of Peeps, and sought to fill our divine baskets of goodness with cheap, knockoff jelly beans… okay, I am stopping right there, and high jacking… (hello, NSA)… my own words to do an Easter post… later!

    Reply

  9. Easter does seem to be a very special holiday. Thankfully, and in my opinion, far more subdued than other more commercial holidays. And it’s always on Sunday.

    Personally, I’m glad different people vary their celebratory habits. It would bore me to tears if variety wasn’t the spice of life.

    My mother that raised me emphasized having a “happy everyday!” If I wasn’t reminded, I truly believe all 365 days of my year would mell. Yet…I would still feel blessed, and share my chocolate, fluffy happiness with everyone I meet.

    Highest and Best,
    Sparky Jen

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for sharing your fluffy happiness with us, Sparkly Jen and I know if we met we’d share our chocolate too! Big sparkly fluffy chocolatey hugs 🙂

      Reply

  12. Moderation in all things is such an important lesson… I’m going to spend today totally being moderate. I’m going to moderate the sh*t out of it!

    Reply

  16. Got to get that philosophy book on The Walking Dead. My daughter and I are practically writing one together every week. Watching that show together has been the best thing ever for our friendship!

    Reply

    1. It’s excellent, it really had me thinking, even more than I do usually after watching The Walking Dead, so many write it off as a horror show, but it’s so much more. I’m so pleased to hear that about you and your daughter. My son just started watching it and ‘m enjoying discussing the details with him. 🙂
      Hope this weekend treats you well. 🙂

      Reply

  17. Hey Donna! I love thought provoking posts and this one definitely qualifies. 🙂 The biggest question for me is that most of us don’t embrace moderation because we are addicted to drama (not to mention MORE). If things calm down and seem peaceful, most of us will go out of our way to screw things up somehow. I think in many ways our parents taught us that too. After all, remember, “the squeeky wheel gets the oil?” If you were good and quiet you never got much attention, at least in my household. Regardless, enjoy your Easter Weekend! ~Kathy

    Reply

    1. Moderation isn’t dramatic, that’s for sure. You’ve really got me think, Kathy, you’re probably right. Wise words. I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend so far, with or without moderation, drama or squeaks. 😉

      Reply

  18. Rigt now I am undertaking the Deepak/Oprah Meditation challenge and I know that My eating is not a surface hunger coz I am not really hungry? Its an inner hunger and If I dont find it I continue to pick at foods and being unsatisfied with my body size. so I am not eating not because I feel like it but because I am actually hungry. Very liberating!

    Reply

    1. That is quite liberating. Food as it turns out can be a tricky thing.
      Thank you for dropping by, hope this weekend treats you well. 🙂

      Reply

  19. Thoroughly enjoyed this post Donna. Many of those cliched sayings I can identify with. Thanks for the memories. My fav is ‘Gimme a minute’, yup that proverbial minute that to a child seems a lifetime.
    Happy Easter to you. 🙂 <3

    Reply

    1. Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Debby, hope this weekend has been treating you well. 🙂
      And it was never, ever a minute. 😉
      Happy Easter! 🙂

      Reply

  22. A fabulous post, Donna. Something to think about and something to chew on. Something for everyone. Hmm. Yup. That’s your trademark. <3
    I bet I put on 20 pounds reading about all that Easter gluttony. :/
    Happy Easter to you and yours, Donna. <3 <3 <3

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Tess…I think they’re virtual calories so they don’t count, in fact, I think Easter calories don’t count either, right? 😉
      Hoppy Easter and all the best for the week ahead. 🙂

      Reply

      5. I knew it was the 31st but I didn’t associate it with the last day of the month. Yikes. Thanks for preparing me for tomorrow. April 1st and a dental appointment. Bah.

      8. I really wonder if in a modern world they couldn’t come up with a better way to do many things, including but not limited to dental appointments. Grrr.

      12. Hope things are going well, Tess…life is being a little tricky, but I’m pretending it’s honey and rolling with it and in it. 😉

  23. I think mostly what I remember is “If you don’t eat it all you’ll sit there until bedtime” … and some nights I did. I think I once even got given ‘it’ again for breakfast. Ergh.

    Not the best way to help kids have a healthy relationship with food.

    Happy Easter

    P.S. Being vegan (now) means a LOT less options at Easter and Christmas, which (conversely) makes it a lot less pressured. Starburst and Skittles and (a limited selection of) dark chocolate all round!

    Reply

    1. I vaguely remember that battle, mainly with peas. Also there was some talk of giving my food to starving children in Africa, they could have gladly had my peas. 😉

      You had me at dark chocolate. 😉

      Hope this weekend treats you kindly, Happy Easter! 🙂

      Reply

      1. LOVE peas. They’re one of my absolute favourites.

        Dark chocolate is DELISH! I’m kinda crossing my fingers someone gets me some but it might be a choc-free Easter here!

        I always think the ‘starving children in Africa’ argument is rubbish for precisely that reason lol.

        Have a good Easter yourself 🙂

      2. I like them a lot more now, but for a long time they represented dark times where I missed TV, playing, etc. while trapped at the table as peas and I had a standoff. I’m glad I finally gave peas a chance, as John Lennon said to do. 😉

        So far my Easter had been chocolate-free, but I’m hoping for some post-Easter chocolate sales. Yum.

        All the best. 🙂

      3. I can see you building a strong aversion to them. My nemesis was always mushrooms. Slimy, grey, disgusting things. I am learning to like them raw or roasted now, but never really IN things.

        Fingers crossed for some good sale-choc for you 🙂

      4. I remember the first time I was told mushrooms were a fungus, turns out the word fun was a misnomer. I can only eat them if they’re well-cooked and even then, not always.
        Thanks, counting down the hours down. lol 😉

    1. Thank you kindly, Jonathan, yes, food, glorious food indeed.
      And here’s to chocolate sales after Easter. 😉
      Hope this week treats you kindly.
      Thank you again for the lovely reblog. 🙂

      Reply
  28. Pingback: FEATURED: ‘ Hungry For More ‘ | ' Ace Social & Media News '

    1. Thank you for the lovely feature, Ian. I hope you had a good weekend and are having an even better. So far the after Easter chocolate sales haven’t picked up, but that’s probably for the best. 😉

      Reply

  30. Well, we don’t celebrate Easter, but we had some Starburst jellybeans this weekend, nonetheless. I hope your holiday went well.

    Lizzi mentioned the starving children in Africa, my mom always guilted us with the starving children in China. I also remember being told to chew each bite 32 times before swallowing. (ew)

    Reply

    1. It was quiet, but nice. 🙂
      Yes, I heard from other children that heir parents used starving children in various locations in the world, including China. Wow, that’s a lot of chewing, some foods would be pretty mushy by then, I agree, ew. 😉
      Hope this week treats you well. 🙂

      Reply

  31. I’ll zero in on one thought–my mother limited our candy and a good thing, because I love chocolate. And when I was finally away at college I ate and drank too much sweet stuff and got lots of cavities in my teeth. Later I developed low blood sugar. So yes everything in moderation. But love Easter chocolate bunny rabbits, the dark chocolate kind.

    Reply

    1. Moderation is difficult these days when we’re surrounded by so much, especially during the holidays, but if we enjoy and still be moderate, well, I think dark chocolate bunny rabbits definitely can be both. 🙂
      Hope this week is treating you kindly, Beth. 🙂

      Reply

  33. Headed over after you visited me, courtesy of Susie–thanks! Great Easter post. As for gems from my childhood: “It’s bad luck to open an umbrella in the house.” (Well, duh, you might knock over some lamps!) and “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” That last one has stuck with me for a long time, as I pointed out in this post; http://audreykalman.com/2016/01/20/gag-order-finding-the-courage-to-speak/

    Reply

    1. Yes, I got the umbrella one too, Audrey, I doubt I’ve ever opened an umbrella indoors, ever! lol 😉
      And yes, My Mom used to say the don’t have anything nice to say one…I try. I really do. 😉
      Susie sure knows how to throw an awesome wild party and it’s been a goldmine of amazing bloggers to follow!
      Thanks or sharing your post and hope this week is treating you kindly. 🙂

      Reply
  35. Pingback: * Hungry For More | Teachezwell Blog
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    1. Thank you kindly, Danny, I’m thrilled to be featured here on “Dream Big, Dream Often” (love that title and I do both).
      I’m in good company and now off to share some more.
      Hope this week treats you well. 🙂

      Reply

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