Though the back cover says “Fiction,” I would almost say it has the feel of a “Historical Fiction” novel. The title?  Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages.

Cover of the novel. (Image courtesy of Vanitha Sankaran's website)

Written by Vanitha Sankaran, a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering and M.F.A. in creative writing, this book enfolds you in the world of Auda, a papermaker’s daughter living in early 14th-Century France. Being a papermaker was no easy feat in those times, since few people wanted to buy it. Parchment was the stationary of choice among those who knew their letters. However, with parchment prices high, some of the nobility turned their thoughts to a cheaper alternative. That is, so long as it was just as durable, dependable, and nice-looking as parchment. (As a side-note, since the characters re-used scrap linen and not the hides of animals, it was more eco-friendly!)

With the Church, a high influence over local politics, decried the use of paper, it became dangerous. Especially so when heretics, enemies of the Church, were using it to spread unholy, twisted, improper interpretations of the Holy Book.

Poor Auda has another reason to fear the Church’s Inquisitors. She was born an albino. White hair, white skin, reddish-pink eyes, and a petite frame all gave her the appearance of a “White Witch.” Someone to be hunted down and burned in such superstitious times. An added burden? She knew her letters and had her own stories to tell… stories not looked kindly upon by the Church. When heretics burn in neighboring towns, will she be safe?

Now that I have set the stage, you will have to read the book for the rest.

A well-written novel, Watermark details the politics of the times, and the dangers of mixing ignorance and superstition. Perhaps the story tells more than the tale, but a lesson to be applied to current times. And a fun, easy read.

I’ll admit that there are some liberties taken in the historical aspect of the novel. This is, after all, fiction. I hope this inspires you to do some research on your own about the times, however, and leads you to learn new things.

My current obsession has been cleaning. Unfortunately, I let my space get to a certain level of uncleanliness, then it bugs the heck outta me until I turn around and furiously clean. Well, I have been doing more furious cleaning than letting it get to a cleanliness-challenged state lately. I realize this is a good thing. I also realize that I should not let myself get so frustrated with it in the first place, and perhaps just try to keep it clean instead. We shall see.

Oh, right, this blog post is supposed to reflect my newly acquired status! I am now no longer amongst the unemployed! I have been given a job offer, and hope to be starting soon. I have to say, it was an interesting process.

It started back in early November, when I applied for the same job. Well, they had actually decided on their candidates when I had submitted my resume and cover letter. Recently, however, a person in the Receptionist/Office Assistant position has been promoted to a different position within the organization, so they needed to fill the spot. They pulled my resume and cover letter! (Oh, I didn’t know this part till after my first interview)… so I get asked to an interview. I attend, dressed in nice slacks, a white button-up shirt, and black jacket. It went well, in my opinion. After that, I anxiously waited. They said they would be calling people starting the next day… I was thrilled to be offered a second interview.

I wore a nice gray skirt and a fave top of mine to the second interview. I intended to be there early, but due to my car breaking down, I was afraid I would be late! What did I do? I called as soon as it happened (one hour before my interview) and told them I might be late. Thank goodness I wasn’t! I was dropped of with three minutes until my interview.

I must say, being interviewed by four people, one of which being your potential boss, can be a bit intimidating. I tried to be less nervous by joking a bit. Hopefully that was a good thing, right? Well, they asked me a bunch of tough questions, including what my weakness/challenge/need-to-work-on might be. I answered honestly: being 23 years old, recently out of college, and with only two internships under my belt, I am still learning professionalism in the workplace. I understand healthy boundaries and professionalism, but am still learning how best to put them in practice. Much to my frustration, when I asked what they were looking for “understanding of professionalism and boundaries” was near the top of the list, after dependability and the ability to do the job. Needless to say, I left the interview feeling less than confident. My family (birth and chosen) inspired me to continue smiling, despite being scared. If I didn’t get the job, it was a great opportunity and I learned something out of it. They were all very confident I would get the job, so much more than I was.

Shortly thereafter, I received a phone call requesting my references, which I happily gave. I tentatively took it as a good sign I was still in the runnings. I was then asked to fill out an application. I wondered if this was a good sign, or if they just needed it to put on record whether or not I did get the job. I waited… and waited…

Yesterday I was very excited to get the call. I was offered the job! I just needed to fill out some background check information and complete a UA (Urine Analysis, the standard drug testing procedure). Not entirely sure when I start, but I am so very excited to have the job! I will now, once again, be a part of the working class. I will have an income again!

I do wonder, though, since I admitted to a MAJOR weakness… did they just appreciate my honesty and willingness to learn/work on it? Or did they decide that I was worth the effort to try despite my shortcomings? I guess I also wonder if I was their first pick, or someone else was offered the job and turned it down… like they were given another offer already or something. But, whatever the reason, I am pleasantly hired.

Image courtesy of google.com

The film was released in 2007, and was the 32nd Annual American Indian Film Festival Winner in the Best Film category. It tackles the difficult issues of minorities in the current white American society and spirituality in the modern world, but doesn’t focus on it. It instead focuses on the occult, ghostly images that the main character encounters. What is this film, then? A review by “Variety” on the cover calls it “an old-fashioned ghost story with a Native American twist.” And it is, a ghost story. A compelling story, with excellent cinematography. And they even speak a real Native American language!

I will admit to not liking thriller, ghost, or horror films, as my friends can attest to, but I enjoyed this one. It takes place where many Native American films do: the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. It follows the journey of Shayla Stonefeather, played by Tonantzin Carmelo. After a trying court case, Shayla returns home to Pine Ridge to find apparitions and hauntings, which she believes to be connected to her missing brother. After that? Well, you will just have to see. I really don’t want to spoil it for you. I want you to take the adventure for yourself.

Better yet? Watch the trailer.

Interested yet? I sure hope so. And I hope you enjoy the film when you watch it.

For Christmas my mother-in-law gifted the family a film called Older Than America, a movie featuring Native-American actors and about the Native people. We had never seen it before, but there are a good number of great actors.

Image courtesy of Google.com

The lineup includes Tantoo Cardinal, Adam Beach, and Wes Studi, all well-respected Native American actors. Tantoo Cardinal has been in Dances with Wolves, Smoke Signals (playing Arlene), and a great deal of other films. For her full filmography and bio, click on her name. It will direct you to the IMDB page for her. You may recognize Adam Beach from Smoke Signals (playing Victor), Wind Talkers, and the recent Cowboys & Aliens. Dances with Wolves also featured actor Wes Studi. He also starred as Sphinx in Mystery Men, and can be found in a variety of films as both a comedic character and a serious one.

The film was well-done, with a compelling story, wonderful cinematography, and relate-able characters. Older Than America also discusses some very sensitive, difficult subjects that, quite honestly, some people wouldn’t touch with a ten-meter pole. Yes, I said ten meters. There are people who wish to deny the existence of some of these issues.

Issue One: “Indian Boarding Schools.” These schools were where woefully misguided people believed that it was better to “Kill the savage, save the man” in order to civilize and save children. These children were taken from their homes, their clothing burned, forbidden to use their Native tongue, and suffered physical, emotional, spiritual, sexual, and inter-generational trauma. The film takes into account both oral and written histories of the events that occurred in the schools.The inter-generational trauma still exists in the minds and beliefs of Native Americans youth today. The elders remember it. These schools were mandatory for Native American children as recently as 1975. Yes, that is the late 20th century!

Issue Two: Medical diagnosis within the ideals and confines of the Native American spirituality. Commonly, when discussing a variety religions, including many recognized “world religions,” it is difficult to say whether visions and visitations are symptoms of a psychological disorder or not.  I won’t give anything in the film away, but it does question the balance between reality, mental illness, and spiritual encounters.

It has a similar feel to Imprint (never heard of it? Click the link). It isn’t a depressing film. For a story going into a painful and difficult history, it is actually quite uplifting. Like I said, it is a strong, compelling story. I would highly advise giving it a watch.

Remember, the title is Older Than America.

Happy watching.

Yes, I said Eggnog. I would like to start out by saying that I strongly dislike store-bought eggnog. There is one recipe that I have found that I enjoy, and that is my mother-in-law’s family recipe.  If you do not like Eggnog, I would recommend that you find people who do and make a small batch (half this recipe). Then, you can try it. And, if you don’t like it, there are people who will drink it.

Eggnog
~16 8-oz servings

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1 c sugar
• 1/2 gallon milk
• 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
• nutmeg (optional)

• YOU WILL NEED: 1 punch-size bowl, 1 large mixing bowl, hand-mixer (or wisk), something to cut or scoop ice cream.

Directions

1. Set out ice cream to soften, about 10-20 minutes, depending on freezer temperature.
2. Separate eggs (yolks in punch bowl, whites in mixing bowl)
3. Add the sugar to the egg yolks and cream together.
4. Mix a small amount of milk into the yolk and sugar mixture and stir until fully incorporated. Then, slowly stir in the rest of the milk.
5. Cube ice cream and put in eggnog mixture.
6. In your large mixing bowl, mix the whites until very stiff (electric mixer works best)
7. Fold the egg whites into the eggnog mixture
8. Sprinkle with nutmeg (optional, Nutmeg sometimes disagrees with me, so I tend to skip this step)
9. Serve and ENJOY!

There you have it. It is the Burks/Bruno family Eggnog recipe. It is by far my favourite and is something I adore making.

If you have leftover eggnog after your event, don’t fear! Put it in a container in the freezer and it becomes similar to eggnog ice cream (emphasis on the ice part…). That is an absolutely delicious treat for any day.

For Those who don’t like the idea of consumning raw eggs: They DO sell pasteurized eggs at the store, you just have to look for them. If you don’t feel like spending a little more for these eggs, you can pasteurize eggs yourself! BRIEFLY cook the eggs, in shell, in boiling water. Briefly, here, is approximately 30 seconds… you don’t want cooked-egg bits in your eggnog.

Thanksgiving 2011 has come and gone. I ended up having three celebrations this year with family…. On the weekend before thanksgiving, my side of the family (plus hubby) took the three-hour drive north to visit my grandfather for the family Thanksgiving. My Auntie and cousins were there, too. I helped mamma create the traditional feast and for the first time did about half of the work. Meep! There is a lot of work going into that one feast.  It was kind of funny, though, since we were working on the deviled eggs and couldn’t stuff them fast enough. It was a nice dinner, and it was great to see family. At the same time, though, it was sad. This trip north marked three years since I had last seen my grandmother, and I spent some of the weekend in quiet reflection. I remembered quite a few great times spent together, and couldn’t help but tear up a bit. I really miss her.

Thanksgiving day I helped my mother-in-law cook the dinner here at the house. I am grateful for the in-laws for letting hubby and I stay in their home while I look for work. We made a delicious stuffing with apples, craisins, and walnuts in it. I had never had something like that before, so it was a new experience that I was glad to have tried. When we had our early dinner, we made sure to first serve up a spirit plate.

Yes, a spirit plate. It is a plate that is made up for those who have passed on, or who may not have made it home for the holiday. You usually put a little bit of everything on a plate, and then place it out for them. One tradition is to have a specially-set table for them, complete with napkins, candle, silverware, etc. A Native tradition is to set it outside so that the spirits can enjoy it in peace, and perhaps share with the local wildlife. Thanksgiving day we did the latter, and as I carried out the plate I thought of my daddy’s mother, my mom’s parents, my uncle, and all of the people who have taken the journey across the rainbow road. Again, I teared up. I really missed them this holiday.

After that, we went up to my parent’s house (only about 10-15 minutes away), and had dessert. We played a ridiculously long game of monopoly (which I left early…after 4 hours I was just done) and then did a family craft together. I loved the crafting part, and seeing my family.

Overall, it has been a reflective season. I missed people who have passed on, and enjoyed time with the people that are still here. I am very thankful for a home, a good relationship with my in-laws, and a life full of love. And I give thanks for my life every day.

I did, however, get annoyed with the fact that poor Thanksgiving gets overlooked. With all the hype over “Black Friday” and Christmas, the holiday of thankfulness is swept away by commercialism. I actually shouted about it in the store when Halloween ended and Christmas stuff went out. I saw that and asked “Where’s Thanksgiving?!” really loudly.

I am thankful for you, dear reader, for peeping in from time to time and making sure I am still throwing my thoughts into the void for you to ponder.

My most recent endeavor has been vending at a conference. it was the Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest Inc.’s Spirit of Giving Conference. The conference started the day before Halloween with a Boo Bash and Halloween Powwow. It was a lot of fun.  After that, I got to listen to the General Sessions (wonderful speakers, all of them!).  One of the speakers was Arnold W. Thomas, suicide survivor and motivational speaker. You really should check out his website and see if you can listen to his CDs sometime.

Of late, I have been job-hunting and helping my sister out by babysitting my nephew a couple of days a week.  Boy, that 13-month old boy has me turned in circles now that he runs and gets into everything.  He also eats everything, but being a boy he will likely never stop doing that.

I have been debating starting a food blog again, since there are a ton of recipes I want to post. I doubt anyone would read it, though. And I doubt I will keep up with it very well, since I cannot post frequently in the two blogs I already have!  I think I need to set up a schedule to do this better.

But… I wonder.

How many people do read this blog? Who is interested in the thoughts that run through my mind, run down my arms and through my fingers to the internet. So… are you out there?  Anyone?

Hoping I am not sending my thoughts into the nothing, and trying to make sure to find time to update.

~N

At the most basic level it is a gathering of Native Americans (and non-Natives) in festivities that include drumming, singing, dancing, vendors, contests, raffles, and food… But it really is so much more than that. I guess you can kind of relate it to a giant family reunion. Every time I go to this particular powwow I get to see my cousins, my uncle, and some of the “family” that the warm community of team members and vendors has created. There are a number of vendors that I quite enjoy visiting with. I also have run the powwow at WU for the four years, and thus am very attached to the people running the powwow.

There are a few important people to note at the powwow, besides the people putting it on. They are really important, but generally easy to spot and you know their role already.

First is the Emcee. This person gives the announcements, explains what is going on, and often tells stories that enhance the attendee’s experience. This person also tends to joking with those present to keep them engaged in what is going on. Not only does the Emcee tell you what is going on, they let you know when things are not allowed. Not even people putting on a powwow are allowed to photograph or record some of the special songs and dances, so please listen for when you should refrain from such things. They will also invite you to join in, so please do.

Second is the Arena Director. This person makes sure that everything on the dance floor goes according to plan, according to tradition, and makes it all run smoothly. He (or she) works in tandem with the Emcee. When the Arena Director tells you to do something, you really should listen.

Third is a group: The drummers and singers. They provide the beat that drives the entire event. One thing about Native drum-beats: they are supposed to mimic the heartbeat. I am totally serious. If you listen, you will notice your heart beats in time with the drum, your movements fall into step, and you miss the music when it stops. Listen to this song and you’ll see. It is even greater at the event when the music echoes across the venue and wraps itself around you. It is quite the experience.

Four: The Dancers. This is one category I tend to fall in. These are the people wearing the fancy outfits. We call them our “Regalia,” and it is like dress-up clothes for dancing. There are various categories of dancing, for both men and women. There are also “intertribal” dances, which is where you get to join in! Good thing is, no one cares if you don’t know the steps, just follow along and enjoy the experience.

Five: Vendors! I tend to fall into this category. These people make amazing things! Even better than just being able to look, you can buy. Not only that, but they are willing to trade, and sometimes willing to work with you on a price. We really aren’t a bad lot. I have found a lot of friends in the vendor circles, including my “Tribe in a box” family on Etsy. They have been inspirational. These people commiserate with you when there is bad, when you are sick, or when you are sad. They help bring a smile to your face as they tell you about births, weddings, sales, and good days. They always wish you the best, pray for you (if you want it/need it), and are there for you. I have found this at almost every powwow I have been to (and on my Etsy community). Here is a pic of Mother-In-Law at the booth. Her stuff is all the pretty beadwork; the baskets are mine.

Six: YOU! Yes, you are one of the most important people at the powwow.  It is difficult to share belief systems and cultures when there aren’t people to share them with. People in my family are always looking to expand our circles, make new friends, and create lasting friendships.

Seven: Staff and volutneers. Yes, they are as much a part of it as anyone else. These people tend to be behind the scenes, and don’t stick out as much as the other six categories. Still, without them, there would be no Powwow. They plan the location, work with the various other groups, set the place up, and clean the entire location after the event. Please take the time to thank powwow staff and volunteers when you see them. They put a lot of hard work into it.

Like the synopsis? Well, here is a powerpoint that goes a little more in-depth, and even gives a little bit of a lesson on powwow etiquette. I have used it to explain powwows to a variety of people from differing backgrounds and walks of life. It even works for people new to English (I have given this at a Japanese exchange school and they seem to understand pretty darn well.) There is a longer version that goes into the different types of dancing (feel free to email me to request a copy).

NOTE: All external sources are credited where credit is due. Thanks to Youtube and various photographers online for the video and some of the images.

My Teachers! From Left to Right, Pat Courtney Gold (basket weaver), Lillian Pitt (multimedia artist), and Ed Edmo (storyteller).

Each of these people has touched my life and taught me a skills I use on my path through life.

I learned a number of the crafts I do at the Oregon College of Art and Craft, which holds the Journeys in Creativity program.

Pat Cortney Gold taught me the basketry around which I base my small hobby-business (currently found on etsy). She has been featured on Craft in America, has art in a variety of stores all over the US and abroad, and has pretty much revitalized the art of basket-weaving in her tribe.  She teaches basketry classes, some of which I want to take in the near future.

It was Lillian Pitt who taught me etching and how to make ceramic masks based on Native American lore.  She has been featured on Oregon Art Beat, has had her art in the Hallie Ford Art Museum (at my college Alma Mater), and also has wares for sale across the nation.

Ed Edmo re-sparked my interest in the old stories. Most of the stories I know have come from his vast store of knowledge. I love sitting and listening to him.  He helps people become storytellers, and encourages them.

All three of these Native American artists encourage the younger generation to learn their crafts. Not only that, they encourage their students to share, and teach, the skills.

I owe so much to these lovely people. I look forward to seeing them again soon.

~N

Post-Script– sorry for the poor image quality, I am still learning how to work this camera.

Ingredients:
2T Butter
2T Olive oil
1T Minced garlic (more is great!)
1/2 sm onion, diced
1 bunch swiss chard (We used rainbow! Stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately from stems)
1/2c dry white wine (we used chardonnay)
1T fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2T freshly grated parmesan (feta works great, too!)
salt to taste if needed

Directions:
Melt butter and olive oil together in skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 20 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine. SImmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook till wilted (takes about 30 seconds. Too long = slimy!). Finally, stir in lemon juice and cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.

Hubby and I decided it would be excellent to add chicken (Cut into 1 inch pieces). My mamma-in-law and I discussed doing that the first time, but wanted to try the recipe on its own first. We put the chicken in before the onions and garlic and cooked it most of the way first (with a touch extra oil and butter). After that, we followed the recipe (but added a little more wine and cooked it a touch longer). It was amazing over rice.

Sadly, no pics this time. You will just have to trust that it was delish. I might put a little less lemon, just for my own taste.

Recipe mostly from allrecipes.com, given to me by a lovely vendor at the farmer’s market two weeks ago.