"You can't eat THAT! You're not....Jewish?".

Mark came home from work last evening, and shared with me the conversation that was held around the table as he had lunch earlier in the day.  He mentioned to one of his coworkers that he was craving "Lox & Bagles" (formerly called "New York Lox" at Einstein Bagels, for example).

To the uninitiated, Wikipedia provides a good explanation of 'Lox & Bagels" (I prefer mine on a pumpernickel bagel, but that is just a personal preference.):


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lox


After he mentioned this craving to his coworkers, one gentleman looked at him with an honest, stern look on his face and said, "What?  You can't eat that!  You're not Jewish!"


Personally, I can't resist the urge to sling back a zinger at these people, but Mark doesn't seem to share this weakness with me.


I would have snapped back at the gentleman making the comment any or all of the following:


"You eat Fries, but you're not French!"


"You eat Bacon, but you're not Canadian!"


"You eat that fake Americanized 'Chinese' take-out crap, and you tell yourself it's Chinese, but your last name isn't Chin!"


"Did you know that Baked Alaska can be made and consumed right here in the lower 48 states?  I have an even bigger scoop for you!  Mars Bars are made right here on this planet, and they are consumed by Earthlings!"

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When we went to the Missouri Botanical Garden's Best of Missouri Show and Sale, we got in the door at 8:00 AM - a Garden Member's preview.  I headed straight for the wine tasting booths.  They get crowded the quickest when the General Admission crowd gets through the gates at 9:00 AM.  
Mark said, "What?  You can't drink wine now!  It's only 8:00 AM!"  Both myself, and our friend, Anne, said to him, "The Hell we can't! Stand back and watch!"  Not only did we taste wine at 8:00 AM on a Sunday morning, but we bought 6 bottles, and had them hold the bottles in their booth until we picked them up later in the day.  (We didn't want to carry around heavy packages for several hours before we left the venue.)

The same can be said for eating certain types of food. My food (and drink!) doesn't have a 'clock' on it.  I will have breakfast food at any time of the day or night, and I will have savory food at the same time - any time of the day or night.

(Along the same lines, I don't believe sewing needles, knitting needles, crochet hooks - or nail polish, as far as that goes - has a vagina, so EITHER sex, both male or female, can take full advantage of those items virtues without fearing that they will suffer repercussions or persecution as a result of their use! You are free to roam about the cabin!) 
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I am here today to tell ya:   As long as I live, I will never, ever understand the mental and physical cages and prisons that people have, either willingly or inadvertently, constructed for themselves.  A fact that is even more sad than those self-inflicted limitations and beliefs is the fact that they feel so uncomfortable being around someone who is not bound by these beliefs that they want to make themselves feel better about their predicament by dragging the 'liberated few' into the quagmire with them!


If I could have only one request honored, it would be my plea to those self-entrapped people to either pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and get out of the hole they allowed themselves to crawl into, and join the few of us that enjoy VARIETY in our lives, or simply get the Hell out of my way!  You are cramping my style, and blocking my view!   There are no excuses.  I don't care if "That's how your mother did it!"  or "My father treated me a certain way."  Trust me when I tell you that I am living proof that you - yourself - are capable of forming your own belief system that is entirely independent of "How your were raised."


A quote from Dr. Phil:
"Rise above your raising!"


A quote from Maya Angelo:
"You did what you knew to do.  When you knew better, you did better!"


Both statements are applicable to me - and you.  I did, indeed, "Rise above my raising", and I was given the gift to know that both, way I was raised, and those people's beliefs, were screwed up more than I can ever convey in a simple blog.  Once I became an independent adult, I was bound and determined to change my entire world.  I have done so, and I will continue to do so on a daily basis.  


HOWEVER....   Once again, their efforts will not go down in flames!  If it were not for the existence of people like that, I wouldn't know any difference in my life, and I wouldn't have anything to be thankful for!  On that note:  Prathibah Vasuedevan, the next time you go to (Hindu) Temple, please say a puja for me!


Puja:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puja_(Hinduism)


- Michael