Food and the Holidays

I’ve got issues with both, but I’ll be there.  

Belief-wise I’m more or less a monotheist with Buddhist leanings.  Theological discussions I “win” because it’s less “winning” and more understanding my “opponent” and finding common ground.  Walking away with mutual respect, that is a ‘Win’ in my book.

So many aspects of “religion” are bound in communal attempts to get people to interact without conflict.  A big aspect of these deal with a weird thing I’ve got.  

I can’t eat non-seafood meat without hurting.  

There’s a visceral appreciation for gnawing into a venison steak that I could pick up and use to both re-target aggression, and condense into a targeted determination to take care of my current hunter-gather beta male tendencies.  (Alpha male primates are overrated.)

On to the important bit…  Food and the Holidays…  Why me?

Food is a sacrament that transcends all but community.  I’m a good guest, told a better host, but I’ll find something to eat.  I’m a competent enough cook, I’ll get creative if I have to.  Turn it into a unique experience.  

But in a spread, you need to realize, I see the fatback in the green beans, I can taste the chicken broth in the mashed potatoes, the little things that are otherwise ‘OK’, but cause me hours of suffering.  Sometimes you can hide it, but it comes back and attacks, eventually.

Add alcohol, and…  My system is VERY efficient.  It purges well.  I haven’t touched a Tom’s pizza in…

[Checked when Vampire: Bloodlines was in my hands, along with the happy t-shirt from the pre-order.  Night off, bought a cheap pizza and a six pack.]

Nine years.  I’ve got bleach stains you don’t want the particulars of.

Dominoes has chicken fat in their white sauce.  FYI.

I love food.  Anybody continuing to wonder why I’ve gotten all ghetto gourmand in the last few years?   What can be done with spices escalates the last borderline efforts of community stronger than alcohol can.  You can live without alcohol.  You can’t live without food.