Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024

Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024
Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Food -- Sat., Sept. 29

Oktoberfest 2006 -- Germany with Susan's relatives.
We* take food for granted AND enjoy: the tastes, textures, spices, scents, temperature, presentation, sustenance, and social aspect. 

Texas-sized pork chop on my plate. Yikes!
We abuse food: over-eat, super-size, over-salt, over-sugar, over-fat, over-process, genetically modify, become addicted. 

[*We=People in industrialized nations.]

Human beings need food to survive, although some would argue this point as I have heard about monks in some foreign land who can go years without food. I've never really studied them, so am not totally speaking from a base of knowledge, only rumor.

Different cultures have different tastes and different etiquette regarding food. Some eat with their hands, some eat only with their right hand, some use Western utensils; some use chopsticks.

In parts of the world, people hunt and gather their food; others shop and cook; some plant and raise their own food on farms; some fish, and use crab and lobster traps, and others simply dine out. By choice or by tradition, people can be carnivores, omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, follow strict religious guidelines, avoid genetically modified foods, or simply eat whatever they want. So many choices.

The one thing people seem to have in common when it comes to food is: they like to share it! Potlucks, weddings, family reunions, parties, wakes, church gatherings, picnics, cruises, vacations, family meals, eating out, community events, fairs, holidays, just about any occasion we can think of, people like to get together and eat.

Susan's family at Cheesecake Factory in Portland, Oregon. (2002)
 There's something almost primeval in our attitudes toward food. We savor it and enjoy "breaking bread" with others. Having food to eat is essential to our well-being, I'd venture to say, physically and spiritually. Sharing food is a tradition with most people. 

2009 Puerto Vallarta -- River Cafe
Sometimes you see someone eating alone. If I'm in a restaurant by myself, I feel an unspoken social stigma. "What's wrong with her?" I try to bring a book or magazine to read if I'm by myself. It's probably just me being paranoid, but hey, I try not to let it bother me.

Sharing food and socializing is a long-standing event in the human race. It starts when we're at our mother's breast. Comfort, warmth, love, caring, sharing. Some cultures take it a bit further and more than one woman may raise and suckle a baby.

So what's got me doing a soliloquy on food? I miss regular eating, that's what. With jaws wired shut everything is reduced to liquid in some shape or form. I miss eating cereal and chewing food while "chewing the fat." I don't know how long this will last. These bands and wires make me feel a bit claustrophobic too. It's impossible to yawn and very hard to sneeze, cough, spit stuff out, and talk.

A few years ago, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise did a bizarre movie called "Eyes Wide Shut." I think a new documentary should be made called "Jaws Wired Shut" which shows what it's like to live for weeks without the usual use of your mouth.  It could be very interesting. Anyway, it's a good word play.

Enough rambling, I want lamb, applesauce, beets, asparagus, chocolate, chips, cereal. I'll find out Monday what I can expect for the next few weeks. Stay tuned.

Welcome to new readers Rick and Kathy of It's About Time.

Hungry Travel Bug out.

12 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry you have to go through what you are going through! Food has always been an emotional thing with me. I wish it wasn't, but you sure did a wonderful job of explaining why it is with so many people. Hope you heal quickly, Susan!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. You got middle of the night ramblings from a hungry person with stomach rumbling.

      Delete
  2. Ohhh Susan, I'm so sorry. Gotta be just awful. I'm still whining over my break and its not nearly as bad as yours... suffering from a tad bit of self pity here. Shame on me... Do keep us posted

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    Replies
    1. I was soooo sorry to hear about your break episode. Glad you saw it with a little humor too. I can definitely understand a cooked mushroom being slippery.

      I hope we both mend quickly!

      No problem with self pity. If you can't do it now, when can you? LOL.

      Take care.

      Delete
  3. Life throws many curves our way but we have to learn how to deal with it. Hopefully Monday will bring good news your way.

    Like your post today suggests food is something that tends to be more on our minds especially when we can't have it in the form we normally enjoy it. Consider this as a look into the diets of people who are obese and have bypass surgery done to lose weight.

    After reading of your delima yesterday we ran across another blog we've been following that will make you realize you're not in this alone.
    http://jimrosietravels.blogspot.ca/2012/09/your-life-can-change-in-instant.html

    You are in our prayers and we'll be keep up with your progress. Maybe somewhere down the road we'll get a chance to meet.

    It's about time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rick & Kathy,
      Thank you for sharing Jim & Rosie's blog. What a horrible thing to happen. I'm glad she doesn't have paralysis or life-threatening injuries. The first thing I think of when someone goes down backwards like that is a subdural hematoma in the back of the brain or brain swelling. She's very fortunate.

      It reinforces our belief to enjoy life today "because you never know what's going to happen."

      I appreciate your caring post even though you don't know me. It means a lot.

      The blogging/RVing community is a wonderful extended family. I can't wait to meet more of the people I read about all the time.

      Susan

      Delete
  4. Hang in there. I can only imagine how difficult it must be. I am sure that being less active is also bothering you since you always seem to be out and about. One day in the not too distant future, you will hardly remember this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Colleen,
      As of right this minute, I do not miss being active. My body wants to recover first.

      Bob wants to take me out for a drive today and I'm not overly enthusiastic about it. For one, I don't want to be seen in public. And two, I can't wear my glasses or sunglasses with my broken nose so I won't be able to see much anyway.

      This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my whole entire life. I want to remember so I'm more careful about where I place my feet in the future.

      I'm a bit of a grump today, aren't I? Sorry about that.

      Susan

      Delete
  5. Hope you heal fast, you are in our thoughts and prayers!

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  6. It's OK to whine a little in your blog post. Getting your thoughts out can make you feel better.

    All I can say is be glad it isn't permanent! At least you know you will be normal again. How are you communicating?

    Are you writing things on paper or just mumbling until you are understood?

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  7. Hi Merikay,
    Communicating? LOL. In my blog for one.

    Seriously, I can talk pretty good using just my tongue inside my mouth. My mom says I should be a ventriloquist. Ha! So far most people I've talked to on the phone can understand me, but I may have to repeat a word or two to try to make it more intelligible.

    Bob does pretty good as long as the TV isn't too loud or the air conditioning isn't running. I'm not very loud. It's hard to "yell" through a wired jaw.

    So, it seems I'm communicating pretty well at this point.

    Susan

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  8. Here's another post of yours with which I can empathize. When I was allowed to eat solid food . .. oh man! I'm off our usual wheat /grain bread and now eating white but I tell ya what. That first piece of white bread SMELLED so good. My first solid food meal was sooooo divine - an over-easy egg on a lightly toasted piece of bread. Took me 7 minutes to eat it but it was just heaven. Hang in there!!

    ReplyDelete

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