No Tweaking

What’s green and red, but leaves only red behind? Pistachios! Remember the sweet, green nut with the red shell that stained our fingers red every time we ate a handful? After harvesting, food processors dyed pistachios red to hide blemishes left on the shell by the hand-picking process. Apparently, processor felt the normally beige shells need a prettier look to appeal to consumers. Today, since machines harvest the nuts, the blemishes and most of the red-dyed nuts have disappeared.   

People in the Middle East have eaten the nuts for centuries in spite of the blemishes, but we’re a nation of “tweakers.”  We love tweaking things: people with curly hair want it straight, short people want more height, young people want to be older (but not too old)—and we’ll spend a small fortune to make it happen. At Christmas time, we spruce up our houses for the holidays by displaying a few wreaths, some outdoor lighting, or window candles. Tweaks are slight improvements, but some of us take it to the limit. Have a look:

 

                http://youtu.be/wXGmhTI4S8w

 Perhaps you can persuade your neighbors to decorate like that. We spend plenty of time and money changing and improving our faces, diets, homes, and many aspects of our lives. Isn’t there something that feels just right? What wouldn’t you want to change? 

Angry Birds and the Thrill of the Chase

What’s the attraction between kids and birds? On vacation last week we visited the historic Jamestown replica of early settlers’ cabins in Virginia. Chickens and roosters freely roamed the area and not surprisingly, my child decided to stalk the rooster. The bird looked strong and healthy. It had beautiful red and brown feathers and weighed more than you might imagine. I gave warnings to leave the rooster alone while hoping the bird wouldn’t recognize who really had the upper hand—it certainly wasn’t my child.

Earlier that week, I saw a similar scene at the beach. Several kids decided to chase the seagulls that blanketed the sand. Oh sure, there’s a thrill in the chase until a horde of angry birds stops running away from you and starts running toward you! I believe this lady knows what that feels like:

I love the music. Just when the newswoman thought the mail truck had saved her, the chase continued. Did you see how the turkey sidled up to the window to bully her even after she retreated to the car? And then it ducked down and circled the vehicle like a shark! My advice to you: Stay away from angry birds!  When it comes to chases, the tables can turn at any moment and in a flash, the pursuee quickly becomes the pursuer. Are you pursuing something? What are you chasing?