The World Class Gusher

The much amplified and high speed negativity engaged in by our generation through the miraculous power of the internet is a much discussed and sometimes over discussed topic. From internet bullying, to the need to instantly and violently verbally jump on any individual who doesn't share your views, to the need to tear to shreds human life through character slaughter is the insatiable need of our generation.
I don't really want to discuss that. I just really don't. But here's the thing, I find myself more and more pouring out compliments over social media. Don't get me wrong, I am sincere person. I am not fake, I am not a gusher, I am not a tushy kisser. But I find myself clicking that like and now love and wow, and ha ha button almost on auto pilot. I find myself complimenting in superlatives and italics and all that is EXTREME. But positive extreme. There is just to much negativity, too much violence and too much soul slaughter.
I am all in favor of activism and being passionate in what you believe in. I don't necessarily believe in being PC and polite all though I tend to be both being a child born in the 80s and raised in the 90s. But I do believe this. if you compliment one person every day, on the internet, or better yet in person; Someone you know or someone you don't know and you do it in the best way possible you are small drop of change that is much needed in the world now. Each small drop can eventually build an ocean of positivity.

Cycles

I have been getting a lot of pressure lately to place my son in gan (Israeli pre-school) in the fall. I was going to write about this. I was going to write about how my choice for my future 18 month old is financially dependent. I was going to write about how that is a cycle because my employment pre-child would not have even covered the cost of child care, therefore I left it and chose to be a stay -at-home-mom. And then came the search for employment from which I always stopped short. I am over qualified yet under qualified. I have an undergraduate degree in Biology and a plethora of entry level work experience, yet it feels I am barely qualified to bag groceries or flip burgers. I have been living in a country for 2+ years for which I understand the language and culture in my head, but am paralyzed when having to execute either field of knowledge.

And then there is my fear. Fear to send my child out into an uncertain world. A world where the newspaper reports monsters disguised at motherly day care professionals. Children shaken, neglected etc. But the worst part is another cycle. My child has inherited my fearful personality. And the threat that keeping him at home with me will only further nurture and foster this character trait lingers menacingly over my head. 

I wrote at the beginning "I was going to write". I wanted to write about something else.

Baby Talk

There is this commercial for Materna that has been circulating lately. Materna for those out of the loop is a brand of Israeli baby formula.

In the commercial two babies are standing in their diapers and like true Israelis are speaking emphatically to each other with exaggerated hand and body gestures. The catch is they are speaking baby gibberish with Hebrew subtitles.  
Now as a mother of a 14 month old whose attempts at speech become more pronounced in the height of emotion...ahh the chuckles. Right now as my little man is getting closer and closer to inteligible speech, walking and G-d willing tearing about my house I'm in awe, hopeful but also in need of the relief of therapeutic laughter. Now to get going with my Pesach cleaning:)

Come for Soup

I promised this wasn't going to be a cooking blog and it's not. BUT.....remember that fable Stone Soup from childhood?  Yes that one! The ultimate farce where selfish villagers are tricked into being hospitable, giving and kind with the promise of soup magically made from just stones!
Disclaimer: I don't make stone soup. I do however make lots of scrap broth.

Scrap Broth

The thing is we in the Kalish home love soup. It's economical, it's healthy, it's delicious. As any chef will tell you, every good soup starts with stock, a broth etc. In the good old US of A I was spoiled by Trader's Joes, Imagine and Tabatchnick boxed broths. These don't exist in Israel. What does exist is a huge variety of MSG powders in every color of the rainbow. Enter scrap broth, otherwise know as what Shulamit does with all those veg peels, tops, tails and otherwise less desirable/edible parts of vegetables instead of composting. Not that I'm opposed to composting. Composting is great. But for us in the concrete jungle of Jerusalem scrap broth just makes so much more sense. 

So come for soup, fennel soup, carrot dill soup, tomato roasted red pepper or mushroom red lentil. We're here!

The Best Mother

When my son was born, one of my sister-in-laws said "Remember, no matter what, YOU ARE A GOOD MOTHER!". I have to repeat this to myself every waking nano second of every day and some sleeping nano seconds besides.
Today for example, I sat for what seemed like the nth time, making my way home with my screaming one year old on the bus. Screaming ceaselessly because he hadn't had his afternoon nap in his crib, screaming because he had been in a stroller for too many hours, screaming because my poor little guy was just so past his limit. All I could do was sit and offer lullabies, cuddles and bottles for the duration of 40 minutes while he screamed and flailed.  I could feel the eyes of elderly grandmothers, young school girls and boys and middle aged working class men boaring into me and accusing me of ruining their ride and not being a better mother.
In reality I know this is only in my head. People are sympathetic even if overtired piercing screams are not on their checklist of a pleasant bus ride. People don't actually think I am bad mother. Heck they don't know me. Yet haven't we all had those moments. Forgoing the afternoon nap to get the grocery shopping done moments. Ice cream for dinner moments. Pajamas to the park moments. Floor that hasn't been mopped in a few weeks moments (you know, if you can't afford a cleaning lady....).  I just want to say this on behalf of us all. I am a good mother, you're a good mother. XOXO

So there is this Buzzfeed video going around (there is ALWAYS a Buzzfeed video going around), "Here are the types of Moms you meet". It's hysterical, but also sad. I am glad there is a sense of humor about the pervasive mommy culture that exists in our times, but really? It's like World War V being a woman and being a mother sometimes. There is a constant competition and judgement. How natural are you? How long did you breastfeed? Did you breastfeed? What Are your views on breastfeeding? YOU'RE BREASTFEEDING IN PUBLIC??? Ewww please cover up.....And that's just breastfeeding.... Don't get me started on which diapers you use, when you're child hit their milestones, are you enough of a helicopter mom, is everything you feed your child free range, organic, home cooked, sugar free, gluten free, nut free.....how about just free for those of us trying to make ends meet???
Why did I just write a huge run on paragraph with improper punctuation AND why can't we just support each other as women and mothers? Something to think about while we self righteously judge our fellow woman who vaccinates or does not vaccinate her child, while we self righteously proclaim our feeding, clothing and child rearing practices to be superior. Anyway, rant over for now.

I am the queen of starting projects and not finishing them, dreaming of enterprises and not acting on them, buying things with a purpose and then fearful of using and enjoying said things. This blog for example. My intention was to write a bit every day. Not a blog about anything specific because I am no expert or even amateur at things like cooking, DIY, saving money, fashion etc. Not a parenting blog, because as a first time mommy of one, I am hardly an expert at that either, in addition to the  fact that I am just not interested in contributing to current mommy culture. And what is current mommy culture? Well, that would be a topic for another post. In short though, I prefer not share my parenting practices and preferences. I've made this choice so as not contribute to a culture where we have become judgmental instead of supportive of our fellow women and our fellow people. As my MIL said to my several months ago, however you choose to mother and love your baby is the right way. I am not sure where this blog will go, but for now I'm signing off.