you call yourself a chinaman?

[bossymarmalade]

So when I was browsing the ol' friendslist I saw something objectionable offhandedly said about Chinese people [ETA: and since graciously amended], and I thought about sending the person a private e-mail about it, but then I remembered this one Simpsons where Marge tells Lisa, "Honey, you know I'm proud when you take a stand for what you believe in, but...you've been doing that an *awful* lot lately." So I figured I'd just take a deep breath and let it go.

Instead, I turned to The Amber Spyglass, read

"Balthamos was slender; his narrow wings were folded elegantly behind his shoulders, and his face bore an expression that mingled haughty disdain with a tender, ardent sympathy, as if he would love all things if only his nature could let him forget their defects. But he saw no defects in Baruch, that was clear. Baruch seemed younger, as Balthamos had said he was, and was more powerfully built, his wings snow-white and massive. He had a simpler nature; he looked up to Balthamos as to the fount of all knowledge and joy. Will found himself intrigued and moved by their love for each other."

...and thought, "why the hell are there gay JuC angels in this book? wtf is going ON?!?"

Anyway. silvrsolace found a place near my house that sells tamales, and I have stuffed myself with a tamale del norte and a tamale oaxaca. I feel all fulfilled, but I'd be even happier if I found a place that sells pastelles (a Caribbean version of tamales, made with ground beef, capers, olives, and raisins and wrapped in cornmeal paste and a banana leaf). Alas, there are no Caribbean markets near here, so my longing for pastelles and sorrel will go unabated.

Comments

[karabou.livejournal.com]

God, I love that book.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

*g* Lori was after me FOREVER to read them, and then I misplaced Amber Spyglass...but it turned out for the best, because I'll be traveling soon and will need something good to read. Hurrah for fate!

[karabou.livejournal.com]

That book is one of the best books I've ever read. I mean, all three as a series are awesome, but the third is my favorite.

Borrow Lori's copy of The Gunslinger, too, if you haven't read it. That is my favorite series EVER. Like, the first book isn't too terribly great (except the parts with Jake), but the second book and on are amazingly wonderful.

And where are you travelling to? :)

[leksa.livejournal.com]

why the hell are there gay JuC angels in this book?

Oh that is so perfect. It makes me want to go buy the book. But, mostly, your lj makes me hungry, dammit.

*drooling*

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

I have not yet progressed from that page in the book, but I will see them as JC and Justin for the rest of it, I'm sure. Hee!

mostly, your lj makes me hungry

My work here is done!

[trumpeterofdoom.livejournal.com]

People have been asking me to read it. Now with the relevation of JuC angels, I'm finally going to. :)

[tsamm.livejournal.com]

why the hell are there gay JuC angels in this book?

Must . . . not . . . FLAIL in joy!

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

-- as I realize that I mistyped JC as having "MARROW" wings instead of "narrow" ones like it says in the book. ahahahahah!!

I read that description, realized they were JC and Justin, and thought of you instantly, of course. I hope they have lots of sex, and maybe some pissy little fights where Balthamos gets cold and uptight and Barach wheedles and teases and eventually gives up and presses his mouth shut in that annoyed way that I find so appealing.

[stargems.livejournal.com]

I.

I might love you.

And duuuuuuuuuuuude. There is not a Latin deli anywhere for miles. Don't make me walk for some damn pastelles. God. That sounds like heaven right now.

[smaa-nisser.livejournal.com]

"why the hell are there gay JuC angels in this book? wtf is going ON?!?"

Because their love is so obvious! Yes! Or because Pullman is a secret JuC-fan.
But it's beyond cool that one of my favorite books has JuC in it *pets book*

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

ahahahah! I'll go with the "secret JuC fan" idea. Because that's funnier than hell. Hee!

[overloved.livejournal.com]

What is a tamale?

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

It's masa (cornmeal paste) spread into a corn husk; you fill it with shredded beef/chicken/pork or vegetables and wrap it all up into a little bundle, then steam it. You can also make them with banana leaves, which gives the tamales a different taste. They're utterly delicious!

Wikipedia has smarter info about tamales here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamale); the last time I had them I was in Texas and I was high on flu medication, so I was happy to see them. *g*

[overloved.livejournal.com]

Do you eat the corn husk, too?

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

Nope, you peel that part off and throw it away. Same with the banana peel. You can also steam tamales in, like, parchment paper and stuff, but the corn husk gives it a certain smoky, nutty taste that the paper doesn't. *g*

[overloved.livejournal.com]

Oh, this sounds rilly rilly good. When I can afford groceries again, I'm going to try it.

[ms-nerd.livejournal.com]

TAMALES!!! Where? Ooooh *craves Toronto* (and that's the ONLY reason to crave Toronto!!

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

El Paso has a plant on #5 Road, if you continue past Ironwood mall; there's a cantina in there, and they make Mexican food fresh every day! You can get tamales (in corn husk or banana leaf), sarapes, burritos and enchiladas, plus all kinds of fresh salsas and refried black beans and stuff like that. And the beef in the tamales is shredded and not ground beef! It's fabulous, and cheap. The only thing is that they close at 6pm on weekdays, so you can't go late!

[ms-nerd.livejournal.com]

You mean Que Pasa, right? Damn, I knew they had a plant there, but I had NO IDEA they actually sold stuff FRESH!! *loves*

I found a link http://www.quepasafoods.com/store.htm

THANK YOU! Ooooh Mexican food shall be mine - MIIIIINNEEE!!!

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

You mean Que Pasa, right?

omg ME STUPIDY. Yes, Que Pasa, you're absolutely right! And you can fax in your orders once you get to know the menu!!!

[cathybites.livejournal.com]

mmmm...tamales. I used to work with this Mexican lady and she invited me to her daughter's birthday party and we had homemade tamales and cake with dulce de leche filling. And for some reason I keep thinking you were there. I can't remember who I went with now...hmmm. Anyways, yes, tamales. And when you come and visit me again (:D) I'll take you to this place in Hampden called Holy Frijoles! that makes awesome tamales.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

homemade tamales and cake with dulce de leche filling

MADRE DE DIOS. That sounds like the best birthday meal EVER. And I love the idea of you going to her daughter's birthday party, because I keep imagining you in your pirate costume. ahahahaah!!

And when you come and visit me again (:D) I'll take you to this place in Hampden called Holy Frijoles! that makes awesome tamales.

Totally! Once I get my new job and have money and stuff, I will come see you. There are lots of people on the Eastern Seaboard I'd love to see again. ^_^

[imogenics.livejournal.com]

Our apartment is actually INSIDE the world's largest tamale. It's amazing, really. Just, you know. If that would influence your trip over here.

[throughadoor.livejournal.com]

why, yes. yes it is.

[imogenics.livejournal.com]

We got corn husk stapled to the WALLS. It's crazy up in here.

[cathybites.livejournal.com]

because I keep imagining you in your pirate costume

As if I wear it out everywhere! Because, um...I don't! No, not at all. *shiftyeyes*

There are lots of people on the Eastern Seaboard I'd love to see again

ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP!

[glendaglamazon.livejournal.com]

Oh, man. You've given me a wicked craving for tamales now. When I lived in Houston with my parents, there was a house being built across the street. All the construction workers were Mexican, and a Mexican woman used to come by every day to sell them fresh homemade tamales. She was quite surprised one day when my dad chased her down the street and asked, in his non-existent Spanish, if he could buy some from her. Overcoming her suspicion of the crazy red-haired gringo, she sold them to him. They were sheer bliss.

And, also, I clearly need to go read that book.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

That's a fantastic story! The idea of your dad running down the street after her is hysterical. *g* I'm glad the tamales were worth the effort!

[robanybody.livejournal.com]

Man, I hope it wasn't me who said something objectionable about Chinese people. I think I would've remembered if I did.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

Nope, not you. However, I have some ISSUES WITH YOUR MACEDONIAN HATE OMG.

...kidding, kidding. Frankly, I wasn't even aware that anybody called themselves "Macedonian" anymore; to me, it sounds like calling yourself an "Assyrian" or a "Cappadocian" or something. Heh.

[robanybody.livejournal.com]

Considering the country *no longer exists*, calling yourself Macedonian is very much in the vein of either wishful thinking or massive denial. Then again, according to Macedonian Girl, if you're Macedonian, you don't have to give a shit about voting in Canada because you're Macedonian (which is why she didn't vote), and you are therefore exempt from the process. So I might be wrong about the whole thing.

[thebitchtrolls.livejournal.com]

It is a country. It even has an Olympic team.

- Lennie.

[robanybody.livejournal.com]

Did not know that. I do stand corrected.

[robanybody.livejournal.com]

Actually, I don't even hate this chick because she's Macedonian, I hate her because she's a spoiled rich bitch with a better car than I'll ever have. Hating rich people = hating capitalism, which makes me an enemy of dee-mo-kra-cee.

[thebitchtrolls.livejournal.com]

But there are still Assyrians, a few million of them. They live in Iraq and Syria mostly, but they still have their own language and everything. They don't have their own country, but they're a distict cultural group.

Macedonians do have their own country. There's been a state called the Republic of Macedonia (or to us, the Former Yugoslav Republic Of,) for twelve years, since they got independence from Yugoslavia. It's not all of historical Macedonia, but it's part of it. They're currently applying for membership in the European Union.

- Lennie.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

There's been a state called the Republic of Macedonia (or to us, the Former Yugoslav Republic Of,) for twelve years

Well, shit. Shows how well up on the border-shifts I am. Thanks for the info, hon!

[trumpeterofdoom.livejournal.com]

I hope I don't mind me asking a really pointless and irrelevant question. I've been following you and glockgal for some time, and couldn't help but notice that you've written fic where JC is a tai-tai, and linked to a webpage on the NUS website. So just wondering, I know you live in Canada and all, but are you Singaporean?

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

*g* Nope. Ethnically we're East Indian, but we spend six years of childhood in Trinidad (where the parents are from). The whole tai-tai thing came about because where I live now in Vancouver has a HUGE Asian population, so by now I'm accustomed to seeing women in T&T Supermarket in the middle of the day with leather hotpants, fur coats, and accessory-dogs. Hee!

You're Singaporean, right? I think one of my cousins lived there for a while, and she loved it. And wrote me e-mails about tai-tais. *g*

[trumpeterofdoom.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I am. It's great here, but right now it's really hot and I'm not too fond of the humidity. ;)