Burnt Chocolate Stories

 Many years ago, I took a course on culture when I was getting a masters degree in early childhood development. The focus was learning to appreciate differences, not just tolerate them, an idea that has so many implications. So what does that mean exactly? In the US, there are so many opportunities, it's hard to keep track of them all. Foods, Holidays, Religions, Rituals, Clothing. We're surrounded by amazing ways to embrace and enjoy our differences.  We have Italians to thank for pizza which has become a weekly staple in most households, a delicious dish that no one had heard of until after WWll. Tacos, empanadas, sushi, stir fry, hamburgers and french fries are just a few of our favorites which were imported by immigrants who came to this country to find a better life for themselves. We've all enriched our daily lives because of their pioneering spirit. But there's so much more. If you've ever been to an East Indian wedding, you know what an amazing experience th...

My training is in early childhood development, so I've been wondering lately how Mr. and Mrs. Trump produced a person like Donald. I'm sorry his parents are not here to see the bungled mess they created. That's what happens when a child intimidates and frightens his parents. When no one stands up and says 'ENOUGH!'  For one, I'm guessing they never set limits or appropriate consequences for any negative behavior. If, as a toddler, he had temper tantrums, they gave him whatever he wanted whether it was more ice cream or a toy of his brother's. They failed to provide consequences for hitting or biting another child or pulling down a little girl's pants. By the time he was in school, if a teacher called a conference because Donald neglected to hand in his home work or threw a pencil in another child's eye, Donald's parents probably got the teacher fired.  Did Donald get into trouble in high school? Probably several times. The answer for them was to ...

Steve doing his imitation of an Ultakocker at his 80th birthday party with Grandson Adam One of the best things about living in a diverse country, with many different ethnicities and cultures, is enjoying unique foods, sharing different customs and holidays, and learning words that have become commonplace but are still foreign to many.  Yiddish has a complicated history. It is a combination of several different languages - some low German, Hebrew, a bit of Polish and some Russian as well as words from the Baltic region. Early Ashkenazi Jews who emigrated from Europe mostly spoke Yiddish when they arrived but encouraged their children to learn English. Certain ultra religious Jewish groups in the United States and Israel continue to speak Yiddish as their given language. So this week, I'm going to introduce you to some of the Yiddish words that have become commonplace in America.  If you hear someone say, he's such a Mensh, it means an honorable human being you might like to kn...