Essay And Review

I am posting some writings on Patreon. You can read the papers I presented in New Mexico and Memphis for the Cormac McCarthy Society. I'm also adding essays that branch off of those presentations.and movie reviews I've extended that briefer versions were published in the monthly bulletin of The Buddhist Temple of Chicago. Here:

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2765203&ty=h&alert=1

Poet, Easter

Patti Smith did another Easter weekend of concerts, her second annual, at Old Town School of Folk Music. What an incredible show. She is so spiritual and funny and down to earth. Two of my friends from Toronto came down to see Saturday nights show. So we all had a wonderful visit including a great supper on Friday at Gather Restaurant.

I got very choked up when she introduced then sang the following song....she introduced it by saying it was written in three levels, one for Fred, one for God and one for the people listening.

What Kind Of Recipes?

 We have made all kinds of hot meals. Beef Stroganoff, chicken potato soup, shapers pie, pumpkin soup, and lots of bagged lunches. We also have had a lot of donations this winter. Like my in-laws donated hats and scarves....brand new! Iris and her boyfriend donated gloves, and personal hygiene supplies. We had a lot of personal hygiene supplies donated and we would put them into ziplock bags with hand warmers, hand sanitizers, travel size soaps and shampoos, and baby wipes as some examples. The hygenine bags are very popular and welcomed! In above pic is Karl, Daryl and I...looking like a real professional team!

 Here have set up a table and small stove. This means we can serve the hot food very warm...despite Chicago's terrible winter snows and wind. We are planning on doing some bbq meals like grilled chicken, vegetable kabobs and burgers. once the weather gets warmer!That's Daryl, Stagg, Karl and I.

 In the above photo find Annette, who I know from Old Town School of Folk Music. Then Stagg at the stove, then Karl, Daryl and Iris...holding eggs? No wait, she' holding up mushrooms! They are making Beef Stroganoff. We also have a lot of fun working together!We have a variety of people come in to work, we are using the Buddhist Temple of Chicago's kitchen and although most of us serving are Buddhists we also have folks who are secular or not with the Temple at all.

 We experimented without the table and stove....but it got uncomfortable crouching down to serve.

 Sometimes a group or family comes in....they fulfill the grocery list for a given recipe...then help prepare the meal. Also a lot of fun. Sometimes it's difficult to find activities for kids to help homeless people that goes beyond giving money. This service allows kids to see the process of getting food organized and going directly to feed people less fortunate.

"What's Your Paper About?"

I have been writing a lot lately and I am building up a series of papers that are becoming chapters. A lot of people ask me "What's your paper about?" and I thought I would make my writing available to read and comment....at a Patreon Page....it's free to read. I just created my page there so it's still growing. I should post a couple more things there this week. Hope you get a chance to visit it and check it out!

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2765203&ty=h&alert=1

Corned Beef And Cabbage

 Last Wednesday got together and made Corned Beef and Cabbage in honor of St.Pat's Day for the residents of Tent City.

 We are a group of people who are dedicated to serving the residents of the "Uptown Tent City" Wilson, Lawrence, and Foster viaducts. Each Wednesday evening, we meet at the Buddhist Temple of Chicago (please note that not everyone is affiliated with the temple) to cook a warm meal and distribute it to whoever is hungry. To the best of our ability, we use fresh, organic, responsibly-sourced ingredients. Message us or leave a post if you are interested in volunteering or offering a donation. Here is our Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CookItForward/

Feeding Tent City

 A group of us, sometimes five, sometimes 7 or 8 make fresh warm food and take it down to the residents of the Wilson viaducts (and Foster and Lawrence). Three weeks ago we made an African Peanut Stew as well as a creamy chicken stew.