Sunday, January 9, 2011

Cupcakes and Common Ground

Sometimes, you just have to drop everything and make a batch of cupcakes.

Yesterday was grim as far as national news. It was one of those days that makes you want to grab your loved ones into a bear hug and not let go for at least twelve hours. It was a day that makes you question and yell, cry and wonder, and turn off the TV because you can only take so much sad, twisted reality before you need to escape into something else. In my case, I escaped into chocolate cake, pink frosting and sprinkles.

Recently, Pasadena Star News editor Frank Giradot gave me a lovely holiday shout-out. He included me in a group of political bloggers he thought were making a difference in our region -- and he included me precisely because Glimpses of South Pasadena is not a political blog. I don't think I've ever been more flattered because in our age of name-calling, finger-pointing, fear-mongering and tut-tutting there is a hell of a lot of political nonsense getting in the way of any real understanding.

I remember when those across the aisle were people you wanted to challenge, engage and convince -- not destroy. I wonder what is going to happen if we keep ratcheting up the gears of hate and hyperbole. There will certainly be more malfunctioning cogs -- like the lunatic who shot all those people in a grocery store in Arizona yesterday. Who knows, with enough rhetoric and vitriol, we might shut down this complex machine of ours altogether.

Instead of retreating into our corners, turning on whichever cable news station parrots our beliefs and logging onto Facebook or Twitter to spew self-righteous clichés in all caps, I believe we need to figure out how the two sides of our country can manage to live together in peace without tearing each other to shreds. I don't have any answers, but maybe a conversation over a cupcake is a good start.

19 comments:

Mary Ann said...

Thanks for posting this. I like it, and agree that the world could use more cupcakes, more conversations.

Mister Earl said...

And blogger picnics! I dare say that a lot of the congeniality on the local blogs is because we know each other, we're actually friends in real life. When we really get to know each other, we find out that we're really all the same (although some are taller). As a senior city father of South Pasadena recently told me, "Although we may differ on various issues, remember one thing: we all care."

Nice blog for a sad day. When things aren't going well, eat!

Mike said...

Brilliant. I like the yin yang cupcake on the left.

Anonymous said...

I agree, Laurie. I can not watch news on cable anymore because the ones on my side are just as obnoxious, rude an unyielding as the ones on the other side. Plus, when did news shows start being about taking sides, anyway? It's hard to even get any information without filtering all of the opinion stuff.

This is a wonderful post. We all need to talk to each other more to figure out how to solve the problems we all share.

Michelle

Laurie Allee said...

Thanks, you guys. And I'm glad Mike noticed the yin yang cupcake. Jon decorated that one!

Gunn said...

This is a very good and meaningful posting!!

My thoughts have gone to America more today than on an average day, because of the woman, the politician who got shot in her head..... read about it in todays Sunday papers here in Norway.

I agree with you in all what you wrote!
And the cup-cakes looks Yummy!:)

dbdubya said...

The people who have been in the shouting match on Karin's Altadena Patch column over greyhound dogs need to read this. They all need some cupcake therapy.

Judy Williams said...

Love the yin-yang as well.

Cupcakes could really bring peace to the world. There is just something about a delicious treat that you can hold in your hand. You don't have to cut it. You don't have to even use a plate or fork. Just peel down the paper and inside is something satisfying and heart-warming. Maybe that is a metaphor for what lies inside all of us.

Yikes - getting too deep.

I too am a total cupcake person. I don't do pies or candy. But man I make a mean cupcake. I think to honor all of the fallen and recovering, we need to all bake a batch and decorate them with fervor.

Although Marie Antoinette was misquoted and NEVER said it - I do: Let them eat (cup)cake!

Cafe Observer said...

Btw, I expect you to make the next blogger picnic in March. But don't leave without your cupcakes!

Anonymous said...

Amen!

Mister Earl said...

I've got cupcakes up the yinyang! I thought the yin yang cupcake was just someone walked too close to the cupcake tray!

WV: efings - I've got efings cupcakes up the yinyang.

Petrea Burchard said...

Laurie's cupcakes and Earl's sense of humor might just solve the problems of the world.

Mister Earl said...

We try.

Shanna said...

I must go back and look at Jon's yin/yang cupcake, although I must say that the two of you together...need I continue?

Anonymous said...

This is a beautiful sentiment. Thank you.

Sally said...

You really should have a national syndicated column.

Margaret said...

Glad to see you recognized this way. You deserved that Shout out!

Laurie Allee said...

Thanks, everyone.

TheChieftess said...

Where is Walter Kronkite when we need him???