A paczki a day

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Literally doing the Homer drool over here

 Today is the day before Lent officially begins aka Ash Wednesday, when all my Catholic friends get ash crosses on their foreheads & give up something they love.  But before they head to their unreal fish frys every Friday throughout Lent, they go all out.  Be it at Mardi Gras, which I hope to partake in the debauchery some year soon, or, if they are Polish, they will gather their leftover lard & sugar & make some paczkis (poon-shkey - thought you'd like my pronunciation guide), an even better Polish version of a jelly donut:

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/fat-tuesday-paczki-mardi-gras-celebration-chicago-20110308

Paczkis are HUGE in Michigan, due to the large Polish community that exists in places like Hamtramck & Chicago.  I am actually Polish but unfortunately, by the time I came along my grandparents' Polish Culture Center parties had petered out.  I still got to hear my grandpa speak Polish to babies & animals & heard plenty of stories from him & my dad.  And dammit, I am proud all the same.

Many people, at least up North where the Polish run rampant, make fun of people for being Polish.  In fact, I had some pretty blond hair for awhile and was actually told, "Wow, you are really screwed being blond AND Polish."  Nice, right?  Well, I am here to tell all those jokesters why Polish people are even made fun of in the States in the first place.  It all started at a little place called Ellis Island when immigration was booming in the late 1800s & early 1900s.  Different cultures came in waves, one of which was a wave of Eastern European immigrants.  Eastern European languages are MUCH different than your standard romance languages like Spanish, Italian, French, English, etc. so when these Polish immigrants couldn't understand a word anyone was saying and they sounded like they were speaking gibberish, they got stuck with the stigma that they were stupid.  So there ya go.  The people who make fun of Polish people in the States are telling some OLD ASS jokes and need to get some new material.  Seriously.  It's like doing stand-up & trying to make a joke about Lillian Gish & kinetoscopes.  The only people who will laugh are Charlie Chaplin (dead) & film students who know their film history.  See?  Now who's dumb?  While you're at it, could you lay off women, homosexuals & anyone of any color other than white?  OK, great.  Yay progress.


  Let me also take this moment, brought to you by Catholics & paczkis, to point out a cultural difference between Oklahoma & Michigan.  Now, where I come from, when you are getting to know someone, within the first few times of hanging out you usually talk about what you are.  Meaning, what is your ancestry.  It's a big deal.  Most of my friends know what the majority of their genetic make up is and take great pride in it.  Like I am mostly Polish & Scottish with some English & Irish in there too.  Even if they are the twentieth generation & have never been to the country or met a single pure blooded person from there EVER, they will fight ANYONE who rips on their heritage.  Especially if they have been drinking and have even 1/16 of Irish in them.  When I asked people that question when I moved to Oklahoma, I had to first explain what I meant and then usually got, "I don't know random European stuff & Native American."  Which isn't a bad answer, I don't look down on this answer, it's just different than I am used to.  Native American culture is a lot bigger here.  Definitely part of Michigan's heritage, but the European cultures that took over the state have kind of overshadowed that heritage.  I know lots of Italians, Germans, Greeks, French, Canadian, Polish & even Middle Eastern.  I know Middle Eastern isn't European, but it's another culture that overshadows Native Americans.  I also know way more Catholics in Michigan.  But I didn't know any card-carrying Native Americans until I moved here.

The More You Know.....

pazckis, debauchery & fish frys,

bunny


P.S. If you are in the OKC area, there is a Polish restaurant in Bethany that I have always been meaning to try.  I think it is a mother & son.  They have been featured in the Oklahoma Gazette & have pretty good ratings on Urban Spoon, so you'll have to see them for yourself to try some pierogies or if you go today, maybe they'll have some paczkis.  While I'm at it, you should know paczkis only happen on Fat Tuesday.  Anyways, whenever I go to Maggie's, I will of course feature it here!

Maggie's Cafe
6315 NW 39th Expressway
Bethany, OK 73008  

One ring...

So here I am. Finally. I scoured email addresses - old, new, unused & unloved - to figure out where I created a blog before chickening out and abandoning it. Clearly, I found it. I have a journal where I collect all my ideas and handwrite some memories or thoughts, but I need somewhere that someone might accidentally stumble upon it and enjoy themselves or maybe even leave a comment. At least I think that's what I need.

I have dreams of an online (and eventually printed) independent magazine, but I have to get into the habit of writing on a regular basis first. I love to write but I never do it, for fear that it sucks. But enough of why, here's the what:

I want to give you some various thoughts that run through my brain, as well as showcase some things that go on around Oklahoma. When I was visiting my friends in Chicago (one of my favorite cities!), we walked through wonderful neighborhoods and shops and as we went along, I was constantly reminded of some of the hidden gems in OKC and Norman. I'm from Michigan, but in the three and a half years I have lived here, I have even noticed a transition from just churches on every corner to interesting shops, restaurants, galleries, festivals/events & communities being created all around the area and the state. I love Nylon magazine and all the people & places they are always uncovering and I think in many ways Oklahoma and the Midwest are comparable, so let's shine a light and celebrate it, dammit! Especially in a time where it is not as feasible for a person to up and move to a big city. You can have just as many unique connections and experiences without spending a boatload to starve on a corner like a "true artist."

So give me your thoughts, we'll see where this thing goes. I hope to have interviews and projects and play-by-plays of events, maybe even podcasts, but let's just tackle consistently writing. I'm no good at waiting for things to blossom organically, I want to be at the peak of the party, fuck the journey, so this is a learning opportunity for all of us. Including Blossom.  You never know, hats could be a part of learning here.  Anything's possible, right?

Oh, and please call bullshit if necessary.


flowers & sunshine,

bunny