Christmas Present Wrapping Fun

Some years I wrap presents with pretty paper or reusable bags. I like to sew bags out of scrap fabric that can be re-used. This year I decided to do a little bit of both, but have some fun with it. I went to Value Village to see if I could find a drapey skirt or something with pretty fabric that I could make into reusable bags. Instead, I found a couple of pre-sewn aprons (how handy) for a couple dollars and these ridiculously weird vintage tea towels. There were a couple that were actually curtains (of tea towel material) with German sayings and cartoony images of pastoral life, and also a tea towel from Charles and Diana's Royal Wedding. So, I picked up those, along with a pretty scarf. 

The Royal Wedding towel was gathered at all four corners and held with an elastic band with the corners tucked to create a kind of rose. For the longer tea towel, it took some creative origami folding skills to tuck the fabric back into itself and have a nice image showing. I wrapped it in some "scrap ribbon" (an old bikini tie). 

As you can see, all gifts have a handmade gift tag; I'll get to those in a bit. The apron was the easiest to use for a small, round gift. I put the gift in the centre, gathered the corners and then used the strings to wind around like present ribbon, tied off with a beautiful bow.

The scarf looks like a weird bundle around another gift, as it is a longish pashmina, and I didn't want to cut it, etc., so, I tried to wind it around in a way that looked at least symmetrical and where I could tuck the fringe ends into the wrapped scarf at the bottom. It ended up with two kind of wound "knows" at the top. I tied a gift tag to one. Later, I added a "bow" (really just a flower I made out of fringed map pieces. I taped a safety pin to the bottom and glued a circle of map over top to hide the tape. I pinned the flower to the gift.

I also had a plain brown paper bag; it actually has a stamp on it from the place I bought the gift, but, I decided to use the other side to draw a wintery tree on with glitter glue. I stuffed it with some repurposed tissue from an Anthropologie purchase and used some leftover raffia (the place I buy flowers from ties off bouquets with it) to attach a hand-drawn gift tag. I'll get to those now- I used watercolour paper (thick card stock works to) so that it was firm and drew little designs. The third one in, I got the idea to to Christmas balls, so using coloured fine-tipped pens, I simply drew designs and cut them out. I smeared glittler-glue on some with my fingers to make them look glossy. Then, I used a safety pin to poke holes and fed raffia through to attach to the gifts. Simple, but pretty.

For the already boxed gifts, I decided to use leftover maps (GPS makes them seem kind of obsolete now, especially because they're of cities that I know pretty well, too...) to wrap the boxes. I thought of using yarn or twine as ribbon to keep it simple, but I would've had to buy some. So, instead, I used strips of map to make "ribbons" and bows. There's no real formula to how the bows were made. I cut strips of map, made loops, and stapled and taped them together in sections until I assembled something I liked. The fringe flower bows were the easiest to make. I cut different sized circles, stapled them together, used scissors to fringe them, and glued a tiny circle over where the staples went. Double-sided tape would be best to put it to the gift, but I just used a glue stick. 

And voilà, beautifully wrapped gifts using repurposed materials, underneath a "Christmas tree..."

It's Time for Rehab. Petroleum: The Invisible Addiction

Without even realizing it, it seems like I'm addicted to petroleum...

Well, I've made steps in my life to get rid of the obvious petroleum ties. For example, I do not own a car, and avoid regular transportation that involves fossil fuels. Instead I ride my bike or walk. I've also taken steps to avoid other harsh chemicals that are often derived from petroleum products. For example, I make my own cleaning products, using lemon juice, baking soda, lavender and tea tree essential oils, and vinegar. I'll get back to that part in a moment. In my young, radical days, I also used to make my own face and body products. However, this was more done as a way to ensure that my products were vegan and not tested on animals. But, making products at home can be time consuming and expensive, so it's something that I've gradually fallen out of. And, of course, petroleum-filled products have gradually made their way back onto my shelf.

Fossil fuels and petrochemicals have a detrimental effect on our environment and health. From the hazardous effects of Alberta's tar sands on animal and human populations, from the damage caused by oil spills and deep sea drilling to marine life--the effects of which are still not entirely clear--to other forms of oil exploration and drilling, which involve interrupting ecosystems, it's pretty clear how fossil fuels are detrimental to the environment. And of course, there's that whole climate change thing... Sure, driving a car and limiting the amount we as individuals use fossil fuels is important in addressing climate change, but the primary polluters are industrial manufacturers. Besides limiting the amount of fuel we use, lobbying governments, and pushing for change in other ways to address our socioeconomic addiction to petroleum, the biggest change we can make as individuals is to boycott or avoid purchasing products that contribute to pollution. The less chemical processing, the less manufacturing involved, the better. The only problem is that so many of our products contain petroleum and petrochemicals. And, beyond simply being associated with environmental hazard, petrochemicals have a detrimental effect on human health, primarily affecting hormone and endocrine function. Petrochemicals have been linked to development and mental health concerns, cancers, and lung problems (Ecology Center, 2003).

The Ecology Center's "The True Costs of Petroleum: Body Map" is a great source of online information. It lists a number of different petrochemicals and where they can be found. It lists phthalates as a common group of petrochemicals with endocrine disruption properties that can be found in cosmetics, toothbrushes, food packaging, toys, aspirin, hair spray, tampon packaging, and more. Tampons and sanitary pads can often contain synthetic fibers that are derived from petroleum. The same goes for synthetic fabrics. The pesticides and plastics involved in growing and packaging food are also huge sources of petrochemicals in our lives. However, perhaps the most common are all the lotions and potions we use on our bodies, heads, and faces.While I generally try to buy local from the farmer's market, and organic as much as possible, the food options in Peterborough, Ontario are not necessarily as plentiful as other cities. I try my best to, at least, purchase as whole of foods as possible and foods that do not involve a lot of (or any) packaging. If I had taken enough time this summer to buy some veggies in bushels and do a ton of canning and freezing, I could perhaps be eating only local this winter, to reduce my footprint. But, alas, this is not an option for me. I am stuck to grabbing whatever winter veggies I can from the market and skeptically making my way through the aisles of the grocery store. I feel like there is a great deal of politics involved in eating, and that's not just because I am writing my thesis about it. So, I won't get into what I buy here or how I justify it. I think that's another conversation to be had, but feel free to ask.

But, as I've said, what I've let go it my commitment to petroleum-free, vegan products. I know that Lush is a great place to look for natural, vegan products. Their products do contain parabens, but they are naturally derived from vegetables. However, Lush is a pretty expensive place to shop. Through all the researching that I did online and looking into products and chemicals (I still mix them up sometimes), I tend to be the most comfortable with Kiss My Face shampoos and moisturizers. Although, I have also found some other local options through small business people in the farmer's market and local health food store. I have been a big fan of using Dr. Bronner's soap for a long time. It's fair trade and eco-friendly. It's great when diluted for washing your body. You can also use a small amount diluted for your laundry, for washing your floor, and for other cleaning. I have also used it to wash my hair, but found that it was very drying. But, this can be remedied with a good conditioner. The good thing about Dr. B's is that you can buy it in huge 4 L containers too, so you save in the long run on packaging. This month I purchased a huge jar of coconut oil. Okay, not the expensive, extra-virgin, ultra-organic kind, but a regular jar. I rub it on my body as a moisturizer and I use it to moisturize my hair. I also just wash my hair less. The other big switch one can make is to using soap nuts (re-usable and natural seeds that you throw in the laundry) instead of laundry detergent, or to an old-fashioned soda-based powder detergent in a cardboard box. You can find both of these things at the health food store near you. I know that The Soap Works makes a good laundry powder. So many of the products we buy involve a ton of plastic packaging produced with petrochemicals. I have e-mailed Dr. Bronner's and Kiss My Face to ask if they take packages that are mailed back to them to be re-filled. But, alas, I haven't received a response, although, both companies do sell larger re-fill versions of their products.

Switching back to eco-friendly products was pretty easy. Well, I do kind of miss that super-minty whitening toothpaste... Sure, they cost a little more, but I also find that I don't need to wash my hair as much, or use as much soap when it's not loaded with artificial moisturizers that block my pores and make me sweat more. I've also gone back to thinking about experimenting with making my own products. But, in general, any kind of natural oil makes a great moisturizer on its own. For a lot of folks, this might be too much on the face, which is understandable. While there are some interesting recipes on the Internet, I think, for myself, personally, I'd rather just stick to buying a moisturizer from a company I trust that uses naturally derived parabens as preservatives rather than petrochemicals. For this, I like Lush, especially because they use recycled materials for their packaging! But, I realize I am in a place of privilege to be able to say I prefer lush products. So, I think when it comes down to it, we should just do the best with whatever we can afford. At first, I gulped at my first purchase of coconut oil, because it can be so expensive. But, a little goes a long way, and I use it for everything. So, it depends how we think about it.

The other big switch I made was to burning beeswax candles rather than traditional paraffin wax tea lights, which contain petrochemicals and pollute the air. Beeswax candles instead clean the air. They are very expensive, it's true, but I bought two HUGE candles, which should last for a very long time.

Finally, I was reading an article entitled "Eco-Kitchen" in the November 2011 issue of Alive magazine that pushed me into another frenzy. The article mentioned plastic containers, wax paper, plastic packaging and other petroleum-laden products that have made their way into our lives. I tend not to use any kind of plastic wrap, paper towel, etc., but rather glass jars to store my food. But, the article also mentioned VINEGAR. I use vinegar to clean pretty much everything from my yoga clothes, to my toilet, to my bathroom mirror, to my kitchen counter. It's natural... or so I thought. It turns out that most of the acetic acid in that dirt-cheap vinegar we buy at the grocery store, apart from being stored in a petrochemical-based plastic bottle, is also synthetically derived from.... PETROLEUM PRODUCTS!! This caused a giant "what the f***" moment for me. Now what am I supposed to do? I suppose I could possibly switch to cleaning with natural, chlorine-free bleach diluted in water to clean my house. Apparently there is some hope, though. "Natural" white vinegar from a health food store is apparently petroleum-free. "Oh great, so I'm doing to spend $8 on a tiny jar of this stuff when I go through maybe a jar like that a week? No thanks!" I still don't have a real solution. Lemons aren't local, so there's that whole transportation thing, when it comes to cleaning with lemon juice. And, there really is nothing else that gets the stink out quite like vinegar. I am a big fan of Benefect, which I use for cleaning sometimes. I bought it at the yoga studio (it's supposed to be a great mat spray), but I mostly use it around the house. It's more expensive that natural vinegar, so it's not really a solution. So, I haven't completely gotten rid of the petroleum in my life. But, at least I'm more aware of what's out there.

I know a few years ago when I started researching this stuff, I found it really worrying and stressful. Everything was evil. I suppose I still kind of feel that way... deep down I know there is something tricky to every choice we make as consumers. But, I suppose what's changed is my attitude. I used to have more of a militant attitude, where I needed to purge my life of all morally dubious dealings. So, every decision became an ethical crisis. I suppose now I can just say that maybe I'm just jaded. Maybe I'm a little cynical? It's not that I don't think that my actions as an individual can't make a change on the world. Rather, it's that I feel that I understand that the real problem here is the culture, the economy, the politics, and the entire social system that continues to make these particular choices available. Our ecological crisis will not be solved by consumers being guilted and coaxed into choosing one option over another. No, this is a deflection from the real problems of industrial pollution, and industries which continue to produce health-hazardous and ecologically harmful products for a profit. Sure, as consumers, we can pick the ethical, expensive option and hope that all others go out of business. Except that most folks are poor and can't afford to be spending $10 on shampoo. Heck, buying shampoo is even a luxury. So, instead, as a society, we need to re-evaluate what's important. We need to demand a certain standard from governments, businesses, manufacturers, etc. Or, we need to topple this whole system and make a better one.

Insta-Pie! (15-minute Apple Almost-Pie)

Have you ever wanted a sweet snack, maybe a quick and easy dessert to appease that mid-week after dinner sweet-tooth? Well, make sure you keep a box of graham crackers in your pantry and apples in your fridge... And- this recipe can be easily made vegan by using vegan graham crackers (Nabisco Original Graham Crackers are vegan) and oil instead of butter... it's just as good. It takes less than 15 minutes and makes a quick yet substantial dessert for 2, or a taster for six.

The best part is: you can whip up the apples while you're preparing dinner and let it sit while you're eating--or even prepare a big batch of diced apples to keep in the fridge to put on crepes or mix with granola and yogurt/soygurt--so that all you have to do is pop your delights in the toaster oven for 5 minutes when you're ready for dessert!

6 graham crackers

1-2 tbsp butter (or oil, with 1/2 a pinch of salt if vegan)

1 apple, diced

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp maple syrup (or 1/2-1 tsp brown or regular sugar)

2 tbsp grated cheddar cheese (optional, omit if vegan)

1. In a small saucepan on medium heat, brown the butter or heat the oil.

2. Sauté the diced apple in the butter for 4 minutes, until it's starting to soften, then add the cinnamon, lemon juice, and maple syrup or cinnamon. Turn heat down to medium-low continue to cook for around 5 minutes- until cooked through.

3. On your toaster oven baking sheet, arrange 6 graham crackers. Spoon apple mixture evenly (about 1 heaping tbsp. per cracker) over each cracker. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

4. Heat in toaster oven either on toast setting or at 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes, until cheese melts. Even if omitting the cheese, do this step, as the sauce over the cracker in the oven will soften the crackers slightly so that they become more like pie crust. Because the crackers are softer, make sure you use a spatula to remove them from the tray... eat immediately.

I Can't Believe It's Tofu! Dip

1 package silken tofu

1 clove garlic, minced

2-3 tsp. finely ground salt

2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin (freshly ground seeds are best)

1/2 tsp. garam masala**

1 tsp. curry powder or paste**

1/4 tsp. powdered ginger (or 1/8 tsp fresh, grated)**

1/8 - 1/2 tsp. chipotle chilli powder, to taste

3-4 tbsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. unpasteurized honey (or maple syrup)

1/2 cucumber, seeded and finely diced

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and finely diced

1/2 - 3/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped)

1/3 cup almonds, roughly chopped**

(** = optional)

1. Let the tofu drain in a mesh strainer or colander to drain excess liquid for a few minutes, with the option of pressing lightly against it with a towel.

2. Whip the tofu in a large bowl with a fork and add all the spices, the lime juice, the soy sauce, and the honey (everything that isn't diced or chopped to provide texture). Whip vigorously, or use a hand blender to get a smooth texture. You can also use a food processor, regular blender, or a hand mixer with a whisk attachment.

3. Once whipped and blended set the mixture in the freezer to thicken (for 10-15 minutes) while you chop the cucumber, apple, cilantro and almonds. Stir them in by hand with a spoon.

4. Let the dip refrigerate for at least half an hour (2-3 hours, or overnight is best) to allow the tofu to absorb the flavours.

5. Serve with sliced pita or cucumber slices.

You can easily substitute a container of natural yogurt instead of tofu if you can't have soy.

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Banana Smoothie

4 ice cubes

1-2 ripe bananas

1 heaping tbsp milled flax seeds

1 heaping tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar

1 cup unsweetened soy or almond milk (You can use cow's milk too, I guess)

1. If you are using whole flax seeds, use the pulse or ice-crush setting on your blender to mash them, then add the ice cubes and crush them. If not, simply crush the ice cubes first in your blender.

2. Add all the other ingredients and blend on the lowest setting for a few seconds until smooth.

You will end up with a very frothy and tasty treat. I like this smoothy because it's full of natural proteins from peanut butter, soy/almond milk, and even the flax seeds. You have fiber from the flax and bananas, and electrolyte replenishing potassium from the bananas. There isn't too much sugar either. Plus, the flax meal gives it a bit of body, so it's filling. If you're starving, you could add 2 tablespoons of rolled oats too. Usually I make hippie health smoothies with spinach and fruit, and nasty hemp and brown rice protein, so the fact that this smoothie is DELICIOUS, pretty filling, and isn't unhealthy, is really great. It's like a frothy chocolate, banana milkshake and the peanut butter makes it so creamy.

Eggs Polenta with Tomato Balsamic Sauce

I wanted to make brunch, and I didn't really have anything in the house except for eggs, an onion, a fresh tomato, and some garlic. Thankfully, I always have cornmeal in a canister and I have a giant brick of parmesan in my fridge. This is a play on the polenta recipe I posted recently on my blog. It doesn't take more than half an hour to whip up this awesome breakfast. The poached eggs can be omitted or substituted with fried mushrooms or tofu, or white beans cooked with garlic, salt and pepper, for it to be vegan, and the cheese and butter can be substituted for olive oil. This recipe serves 4-8 (1 or 2 per person).

Pan-Seared Polenta

1 cup corn meal, "polenta"
2 cups water
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder or a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp butter (substitute with 3 tablespoons olive oil, if vegan)
1/2 cup whole milk (omit if vegan)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
+ 1 tbsp of butter or olive oil

1. In a medium pot, boil water with a pinch of salt. Once water is boiled, turn the heat to medium and add the corn meal, stirring often. It should cook very quickly (about 3 minutes).
2. Once the polenta starts to form, whip rigorously, to avoid clumps, with a fork, and add the remaining ingredients, including the milk, butter, cheese, salt and pepper, and cayenne or chipotle. If you're vegan, salt generously and be generous with olive oil to add that creaminess.
3. Smooth your polenta into a rectangular cake or brownie pan (8x13??) with a spoon to let it set enough to slice. I recommend throwing it in the freezer for 5-8 minutes while you get your sauce together, so it'll be ready to slice and fry while your eggs are poaching.
4. In a heavy-bottomed, medium-large sauté pan, melt your remaining 1 tbsp of butter, or heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Once the polenta is set enough to slice, slice it with a butter knife into 8 (4x2). Fry the polenta slices until crispy brown, about 3-5 minutes on each side.


Tomato-Balsamic Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion or 1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp maple syrup (optional)
1/2 tsp chili flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. In a small sauté pan on medium heat, warm the olive oil and sauté the onions until translucent, then add the garlic and tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes.
2. Add the balsamic, chili flakes, maple syrup, and salt and pepper. Let the sauce continue to cook on medium for about 5 to 8 minutes until, to help the balsamic reduce. Then, lower the heat to low and continue to simmer the sauce gently until you're ready to use it.



Poached Eggs

8 eggs

3 tsp white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. In a saucepan boil water with vinegar and salt on high. You can begin boiling the water immediately after you put your polenta into the freezer, right before you're getting your tomato sauce together. Timing wise, you will begin poaching your eggs while your sauce is simmering and your polenta is frying.

2.

Once boiled, reduce the temperature to medium, so that the water is still at boiling temperature, but no longer boiling rapidly.

3. Crack eggs individually into a small bowl and slip them into the water one at a time. If you do this carefully and the water is hot enough (just below boiling temperature so that it is still), you should not need to coach the egg with a spoon. But, if your egg starts to go for a swim, just direct it lightly with a spoon. It's easiest if you put the eggs in one at a time so that they do not run together.
4. Cook each egg for around 6 minutes, or a little longer if you like it firmer (around 3-4 if you like your yolk really runny).
5. To remove your eggs, scoop each one out with a serving spoon. You can use another serving spoon to hold back the egg and drain excess water off, as if you were using a pot lid to drain a pot of pasta.

***If you're vegan, you can sauté a can of white beans or white kidney beans in some olive oil with salt, pepper, and garlic and substitute them for the eggs. Or, you can sauté a portabello mushroom cap with salt, pepper, and garlic in olive oil.

To serve...

On the pan seared polenta, place the poached egg and a heaping tablespoon of the reduced sauce. Top with grated parmesan cheese, and serve with salt and pepper to taste. If you have a side, like fruit or salad, one per person allows to serve 8. If you're just serving the polenta and eggs, 2 each makes for a very hearty brunch!!

I apologize for the terrible photo quality; it was taken with my cell phone camera.

"The Common Man" and "His" Counterparts: Poking Fun at Intellectuals

I'm not one to theorize universal categories of the "universal (hu)man," mostly because my post-modern sensibilities find this incredibly problematic. However, lastnight a friend and I were jokingly describing our mutual acquaintances and ourselves. This resulted in "types" or "categories" of people. As someone who buys into post-structuralism--the theories of Deleuze and Guattari, post-colonial theory, and critiques of universalism as imperialist--I often poke fun at theories of human nature in the liberal tradition, which imply some kind of rational essence to human beings, or some kind of universal essence to their behaviours. Yet, as a scholar, I continuously find myself placing things into predefined categories. In my defense, I was trained as a Political Scientist, where analytical thinking, and placement of events, ideas, bodies, modes of being, etc., into predefined categories is the hegemonic method. So, simply as a joke, here are my "Types of Men." I use "men" facetiously here to play back to the philosophical tradition which theorizes about "human nature" as "the nature of men."

The Man with His Feet on the Ground and His Head Upright

The Common Man. The one who is hardworking, pragmatic, rational, reasonable, and is "in touch with reality."

The Man with His Feet on the Ground

and His Head Underground

The Political Activist. The one whose feet remain in the material relations of society, the one who experiences struggle, yet burrows his head in revolutionary ideas and political theory. Many Marxists fall into this category.

The Man Underground

The Hippie Commie Anarcho Anti-Civilizationist. This is the one who has built his own counter-hegemonic world, the one who refuses to engage with society. This is also the Marxist who spends so much time in his arm chair theorizing that his feet are no longer on the ground; he is no longer rooted in material struggle, but rather theorizes about it.

The Man with His Feet on the Ground

and His Head in the Clouds

The Philosopher. This man can still relate to the Common Man, but spends his time day dreaming and idealizing. He takes joy in pondering life's philosophical questions, and then takes a break to watch the hockey game, or to go to the pub.

The Man in the Clouds

The Philosopher of Metaphysics. This is the man who spends all his time philosophizing. It is difficult for him to relate to The Common Man, as he finds his interests banal, and void of substance. The Man in the Clouds is happiest when he is in his arm chair, pondering everything but "life."

The Man with His Feet on the Ground

and His Head Up His Ass

The Art Theorist. This man has his feet on the ground enough to be a part of the world, well at least a part of the art world. He believes his interests are "too high brow" for The Common Man, and his interest in them can only be explained in the length of an essay, that only he can understand. As his head gets further and further up his ass, as his intellectual interests become increasingly narcissistic and self-absorbed, and his taste in art about which he theorizes becomes more and more obscure, this man becomes:

The Man in the Clouds with His Head Up His Ass.

The Philosopher of Avant Garde Art.

. . .

I hope it is painfully obvious that these highly offensive and stereotypical type-castings are intended to be a playful joke, poking fun at myself and intellectuals. Please do not take these seriously, or as a serious representation of my work as a scholar or of my opinions about scholarship and intellectual life. I think I have qualified as all of these "Men" at one time or another. I've painted a kind of vulgar and crude picture of philosophy here, and maybe of theory as well. Please do not think that I actually draw distinctions between "The Common Man" or that I think philosophers are up in the clouds and have their head up their ass. I don't. I value theory and philosophy, and I do not think there is even a category for what is called "The Common Man" or even "philosophy" or "theory." This is the point of creating these categories. They are futile, meaningless, and poke fun at the process of categorization in general.