Day 176: My Life Philosophy

Recently, I was reminded of the life philosophy I formulated when I was eight years old.

My father and I were sitting at the kitchen table and I was crying about something (Shocking– me, cry?  That never happens).  My dad said to me, “Honey, you need to wipe away your tears.  Life is like a roller coaster ride, lots of ups and downs.”

Dissatisfied with the metaphor because it did not solve my problem or make me feel any better, I said, “But the best part of the roller coaster is the nice easy turns.”

He patted my head and laughed.  “You’re going to be just fine at life.”

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Amazingly, if I were to use the roller coaster metaphor for the way I live my life, I am still pretty much sitting on the easy turns.   It’s a lovely way to ride, taking it all in.

Day 175: The West Side Market: Cleveland, Ohio

The West Side Market is a Cleveland treasure.  It is the oldest farmers market in Ohio, and over the course of the last 150 years, it has grown to become more than just a place to buy fruits and vegetables.  Whatever fresh foods your heart desires can be found in the two buildings at the corner of w 25th and Lorain, in the heart of Ohio City.  Meats, fish, stuffed olives, perogies, bread, bakery, and so much more are waiting to be purchased.  And with over one hundred vendors gathered, you are guaranteed you are going to get a good deal.

In a year where I am trying to purchase less processed foods for my family to eat, taking a weekly trip to the West Side Market seems like a must.  Just walking up to the building, I feel excited about what kind of deals I am going to find in doors.

The building was built in the early 1900s. The architecture is striking– nothing like the throw it up, everything looks the same, prefab buildings that are erected today.

Today, we were on a hunt for Golden Delicious Apples. We found a stand selling them for $1.25 a pound.

The girls were enticed by the candied apples.

Smokies! An indulgence for sure, but they are so yummy. I bought jalapeno smokies, too.

If I knew how to clean fish, I might have been tempted by these beauties.

The colors are so rich, it makes my mouth water.

One of the qualities I like the most is that there are people from all walks of life, all nationalities, and all races commingling in one place.  No one judges.  No one gauks.  No one pays attention to differences.   The spirit and friendliness of vendors and customers alike makes every shopping experience enjoyable.

I bought a three-pound London Broil from Wencek’s Meats. Who’s hungry?

Truly the West Side Market is a Cleveland landmark.  It is just one of the many attractions that makes this city great.

I walk the same aisles that my grandmother walked in the 1950s.  I walk the same aisles that my mother walked in the 1970s.

We are eating more healthy, and we are supporting the small businessman.  Hopefully, my children will someday understand how crucial a place like this is– the vendors work hard to provide a superior product at a good price, all the while, they are working for themselves, fulfilling their own American dreams.

Day 174: Movie Review: We Bought A Zoo

Damn you 20th Century Fox for making me cry!  I thought only Disney and Pixar could tug at my heart-strings, but you definitely gave them a run for their money.

This morning, Carson and I watched We Bought A Zoo.  I would like to say that this movie did not get the marketing or acclaim that it deserved.   To be honest, I think they missed the boat with the marketing of the movie.  When the movie was in the theater and the trailers were airing last December, I felt like it was being marketed to children, and to be frankly honest, my children weren’t all that jazzed to see it.  I think they should have changed the name and marketed this movie to adults.  Truly, I got way more out of it than Carson did.

Of course, it was a quaint movie about a family who bought a zoo and brought it back from virtual bankruptcy.  However, the real story is a story of loss.  It is a story of a family coming out of desperation.  It is a story of silence and trying to find a way to communicate again.  Most every adult I know has experienced bereavement; this story captures what we all have gone through– waking up to get through another day, waiting for the pain and heartache to recede and eventually stop.

At various points of the movie, I found myself swallowing back tears.  At other points, I found myself literally wiping them away.  Don’t get me wrong, the movie offered balance, offering many moments where I had a positive emotional response and I laughed as well.  We Bought A Zoo has an exquisite mixture of grieving and solace, and by the end, I wept a cathartic happy cry for the success of the zoo and for the culminating awakening of the family.

If you have not yet rented this movie because you have been skeptical, please believe me that it is worth the money.  Matt Damon is convincing as the grieving father, and he does a meritorious job growing the character through the course of the film.  Scarlett Johansson and Thomas Haden Church play excellent supporting roles.  Truly, the actor who plays the role of seven-year-old Rosie, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, will steal your heart.  If this was her first film, I expect to see more from this little cutey.

When you finally do choose to watch this film, make sure you have some tissues close by.  We Bought a Zoo will make you cry, but I promise, you will feel lighter, contented, and hopeful.