The ‘They’ Sayers

Do “They” run your life?  When “they” speak do you obey their command?  When “they all” decide how to accomplish something do “we all” need to follow?  I say nope.  If you listen intently you might hear the cracking of the shell of the egg “they” have put around us.  It is the cracking of us coming out of that shell, becoming less “they” and more, you, me, him, her, we and us.

The word Zombie has become a front of the book word recently.  Zombies in movies, zombies in games, zombies as Halloween costumes.  The dictionary, (which I can use without even leaving my chair and I can look up a word even though I cannot spell it!) well, the dictionary defines a zombie as “a corpse said to be revived by witchcraft and can be used for evil purposes…” Of course it also lists a zombie as a drink with several kinds of rum and fruit juice. I wonder if there could be a virgin zombie, uh the drink zombie for those who do not partake in alcohol, not the walking dead kind of zombie.  Of course to many real zombie drinks could make one feel zombie like.  But, again, I regress…

So this breaking out of the “they” shell has become a passion of mine.  Oh yes I remember the days of not only using they as an excuse, but also using “everyone” too.  I also try not to assume. (If you haven’t heard the saying why you should not assume, e-mail me.  It is best not told in public forum.)  But becoming a standalone person is not easy.  It is so much easier to use “they” to fall back on.  “Well they say that if you use this bright, glow in the dark, red lipstick all the men will fall at your feet.” Or, “They say Sushi is wonderful, just try it.”  If it is so good why are there hot, sweet or tangy sauces to dip the cute little colorful pieces of RAW fish in? Ah now we finally get there.  They are trying to convince us, sway us or sell us something.  They want us to believe raw fish is the way to go.  In this instance “they,” in my opinion, are nuts.

I was introduced to Sushi a few times.  The best thing I heard about sushi was that the rice wrapped within the raw fish and seaweed is the best part.  Well if you want rice, make rice. You don’t have to hide it inside of a filet-o-raw salmon, or puffer fish or octopus.  Rest assured an “All You Can Eat” Sushi bar has nothing to fear from yours truly. Moving along…

While we are on the food subject, let me add a few words about—kale!  Okay, I like iceberg lettuce.  I will not hide from the fact that I am not an out of the box eater.  I grew up on iceberg lettuce, I use iceberg lettuce in tacos, salad, on my hamburgers. That snap, crunch you get when you tear open a head of iceberg lettuce cannot be attained with a leaf lettuce.   I am not interested in trying kale, purple lettuce, endive, romaine or any variegated green leafy things that are decorative.  I am just a plain Jane iceberg lettuce kinda gal. I have heard “they” say kale is the new beef.  Again I say nope.  As do all the ranchers I know.  Kale vs. a good rib steak? Rib, all the way!

My husband likes to garden, once a farmer always a farmer. He is good at growing vegetables.  He likes to try new things each year.  This year it is kale.  I admit it grows like wild fire.  Might even look into it as a new crop in the farming community we live in. Maybe cows will take to it, me not so much. But it better not change the taste of that steak! Kale is a lettuce kind of plant with these huge dark green leaves.  The taste isn’t bad and we have had it in a few dishes this summer, but it isn’t iceberg lettuce.  Stepping outside of my comfort zone I use it because he grows it.  And he grows it because “they” say it is good for you. Yes, there “they” are again.

I’m in trouble if “they” decide kohlrabi is the new zucchini, or chocolate should be regulated or that people over 50 should not wear shorts. Just be yourself, not a “they” sayer. And not just because I say so!

Trina Machacek lives in Eureka. Her book ITY BITS can be found on Kindle.  Share your thoughts and comments with her at itybytrina@yahoo.com.