RE-POSTING "HER BUSINESS WAS THE BLUES"

First published on this date
2012

News of Etta James Death reached me Friday
For those who don't know her at all
some background
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etta_James

This Iconic Blues


http://youtu.be/BGUAeQJ--m0
I'm gonna tell you, so you'll understand,
About how it all got started, how it all began.
God made the heavens, God made the earth.
Made a man and a woman out of blood, sweat and dirt.
And he looked around the neighborhood.
And he said to himself: This is good.

God made the rivers, and the mountains with his hands.
God made the wind to blow the shifting sands.
He put the fishes in the deep blue sea.
Filled up the garden with flowers and the trees.
And he looked around the neighborhood.
And he said to himself: This is Good.

But the devil, he was jealous,
Took the apple in his hand.
The devil tempted woman, and woman tempted man.
God he mourned, and the tears rolled down his face.
It broke his heart to see his children fall from grace.
And on the 7th day, they say God rested,
but you know that ain't the truth.
Cause on the 7th day, God made the blues.
God made the blues.

The Blues has been around ever since that day.
Everybody gets the blues, everybody got to pay.
For the wicked things we do,
and what we put each other trough.
And on the 7th day, they say God rested,
but you know that ain't the truth.
Cause on the 7th day, God made the blues.
Cause on the 7th day, God made the blues.
God made the blues.
 

An Essay On Fear
 from Theodora Gross
pricked my thoughts Saturday:
http://theodoragoss.com/2012/01/21/thinking-about-fear/

In combination with Etta's Statement
"The Blues is my business"
it peaked my interest in this question:
What's My Business?
Being retired from the working world I don't actually have a business.  Still, what's my business in the larger sense of "What's my life about?"
I recall that Lennon lyric in a song to his young son--"Life is what happens while you're busy making plans",and think again of Ricard Matthai on happiness, remembering that the 'self' who thinks she should know the answer,
does not even exist. 

Transformation


Sunday this post from Emily Rapp
took my attention.

http://therumpus.net/2012/01/transformation-and-transcendence-the-power-of-female-friendship/

As always, your own thoughts on thoughts posed herein are very welcome, Theodora accepts comments directly at her blog about her essay, and The Rumpus does too.

Post Script

Tonight at Midnight Chinese folks worldwide

will usher in the year of the dragon.

They know just what their business is this day-

To Celebrate and Feast with others.

A new book combines the memories and culinary skills of one Chinese political dissident who lived through that time. The Cultural Revolution Cookbook was written by Sasha Gong and her friend Scott Seligman, a Washington, D.C., writer who lived for several years in China.
Here's one recipe

Tofu with Scallion and Sesame Dressing
Ingredients
1 scallion
1 cake firm tofu (bean curd)
2 tsp. sesame oil
Pinch of salt

Tofu was invented in 164 B.C. by a Chinese nobleman trying to make medicine, and it has taken its rightful place as a major source of protein in the Chinese diet. This amazingly simple dish is incredibly tasty, low in fat and high in protein. Use a firm bean curd to make it, because it will hold its shape better that way. 

Shred the scallion into very small pieces, cutting it on the bias to maximize surface area. Rinse the tofu and place it on a microwave-safe serving plate. Warm it by microwaving it on high for one minute, or simply heating it very gently in a conventional oven. Remove the tofu from the oven and, with a sharp knife or cleaver, cut it up into small pieces about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm.) long, an inch (2.5 cm.) wide and 1/2 inch (about 1.5 cm.) thick. Sprinkle the scallion, sesame oil and salt on top of the tofu pieces.

Serve while still warm.

More at the site

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/22/145468366/cultural-revolution-cookbook-a-taste-of-humanity