Dig This Jive: Christine Pasalo's blog

I was on the road this morning, listening to NPR’s “Morning Edition,” when host Steve Inskeep announced the death of author and illustrator Maurice Sendak. I beat my driving wheel in exasperation, exclaiming “No!” in the prolonged way we do when we’re heartbroken by this kind of news.

Almost immediately, my mind wandered back to an afternoon more than 10 years ago when I found my beaten down hardcover copy of Pierre: A Cautionary Tale at my parent’s home. In contrast to the brownish paperback version now sold, my hard copy of Sendak’s Pierre was light blue and not unlike this photo I found on the blog “Kid Lit Storytime.”

The cover had a texture to it so that running fingernails across it would emit a sound similar to running fingernails across a taut section of woven fabric. A wobbly “Christine” was scribbled on the inside cover. Words and letters were circled indiscriminately on various pages throughout the book, cluing me in to the fact that I read and re-read the book during a time in my childhood when my mom was studying for a nursing exam (I was mimicking my mom’s practice of underlining and highlighting sections of the books she studied).

The caution of Sendak’s Pierre lies in the stomach of a lion. Pierre is a boy who answers all questions with an emphatic “I don’t care!” He doesn’t care if he goes hungry. He doesn’t care if his parents leave him alone at home. His lack of regard is so great that he tells a lion that he doesn’t care if it eats him. So, the lion does. The lion eventually gets sick of Pierre in his stomach and must be taken to a doctor to have Pierre extracted. Upon rejoining the world, Pierre changes his tune to “I CARE!”

In looking up interviews of Mr. Sendak, I’ve realized that the reason why Pierre came to mind today and why it has always stuck with me is because it taught me to care about living and what I do in life.

“My big concern is me and what do I do now until the time of my death,” said Mr. Sendak in a 2004 interview with Bill Moyers for “Now on PBS.” “That is valid. That is useful. That is beautiful. That is creative.”

In the interview, Sendak reveals that he is more concerned about living than the fact that his books will undoubtedly leave a legacy. For Mr. Sendak, the idea that his books will live on when he dies is “lovely” and “gratifying.” But when Moyers expands the idea, claiming that the books ensure that Sendak himself will never die, Sendak responds frankly: “I have news for you. I’m gonna croak. I am gonna croak.”

“I want to see me to the end working, living for myself,” Sendak said. “[W]hat is the point of it all? Not leaving legacies. But being ripe. Being ripe.”

The Wikipedia entry on Mr. Sendak has already been updated to reflect the date of his death. And though his spirit thrives in his stories, I thank Mr. Sendak for teaching me that life is about savoring the present, that life isn’t so much about what we leave behind but caring about what we can do today.

I care!

(Photo from Kid Lit Storytime.)

What it’s about: Lunch Box Blues chronicles one working dad’s effort to pack his son a fun and healthy school lunch every day.

Why I dig it: Because it has inspired me to get creative with my own lunch. Now, on the days I go into an office to work, I take a half hour in the morning to pack myself a healthy lunch that I’m excited to eat. And the fact that the author uses a variety of bento boxes and other handy-dandy containers is just the cherry on top for my inner (and outer) organization freak.

Fun facts:

• The working dad in question is AP Food Editor J.M. Hirsch.
• Hirsch has made up three Star Wars-themed sandwiches—the Obi Wan-wich, the Yub Yub, and the Jawa-wich. Don’t panic: there won’t be a Jar Jar anything in the future.
• The stainless steel bento boxes used are of the Lunchbots line. For info on the other lunch box gear used, click here.

To celebrate, I treated myself to lunch at my favorite eat-by-myself-while-staring-out-of-the-window spot in San Diego: Bread & Cie in Hillcrest.

I sat at my favorite table in the cafe–the one that has a view of the University & 4th bus stop–and I smiled to myself. I smiled the way I did two years ago when I sat at the bar in La Puerta to enjoy a frosty mug of a mojito cocktail known as the Mr. Mojo Risin’. Back then, I basked in the glow of my last day at a life-draining job. Today, over a bowl of New England clam chowder and a generous slice of apple rhubarb raspberry tart, I reveled at where the gumption to leave that job has taken me.

In 2011, I debuted in print with an article on Jane Lui in San Diego Magazine. Soon after, I published work in Pacific San Diego Magazine. And, I’ve been contributing to both magazines ever since, appearing in eight San Diego Magazine issues and four Pacific San Diego Magazine issues to date.

Dig This Jive has also continued to grow even though, I admit, my posting frequency has declined in the past months. Still, over this past year, the blog has averaged twice the number of daily, weekly, and monthly hits it averaged in 2010-2011, with notable spikes for my posts on the opening of Little Italy’s Underbelly and last fall’s Food Truck gatherings at The Epicentre in Mira Mesa. I’m also very humbled to find Dig This Jive referenced by Regal Beagle in Mission Hills, comedians Billy and Adam (of the stitch-in-side hip-hop duo, Snakes, and the sketch group known as Harvard Sailing Team), letterpress amazingness 9spotmonk, and the popular San Diego blog, mmm-yoso.

Finally, I’ve been able to cross “work for a non-profit” off of my bucket list thanks to 2011. Last June, I was invited to join Comic-Con International’s Programming Department as a recurring temporary employee. Though I started off a bit intimidated, I’ve nestled in. It just so happens that the anal-retentive tendencies that manifested when I was a kid–I loved organizing my Halloween candy by types then brands–has found a new home, one that’s occupied by great people who are flexible with my flexible work schedule and have no qualms over my affection for Microsoft Excel. I’ve got one Comic-Con badge on my metaphoric Girl Scout-ish sash and, this week, I’ll add my first WonderCon. And, I’m not impractical: I appreciate the extra income I get from my work with the organization. It makes DTJ ideas, like the one I have to conquer Convoy Street’s eats, more accessible. “Accessible” as in “I’m able to afford it again.”

Thank you to all of you who take the time to read these posts, to those of you who follow me on Twitter and Facebook, and to those who take the time to read my articles in San Diego Magazine and Pacific San Diego Magazine. You’re the reason why I feel like my writing will always have a place in this world.

Now, to 2012…

By the way: I didn’t actually finish the apple rhubarb raspberry tart. I only took a bite. Or two. I brought the rest home to share with my live-in tech support and, yes, my number one fan. This blog literally wouldn’t exist without him.

To end this week’s blitz of gift ideas, I present a list of singer/songwriters who don’t produce their music on one of the Big 3 labels—Universal, Sony, Warner Brothers—or on any of the Big 3’s affiliates. As a result, when it comes to shopping at a big-box store, it’s easier to stumble upon a copy of The Situation’s book touting tips on “Creeping on Chicks” than it is to find the CDs of these independent melodious scribes.

Help take the turvy away from the topsy this holiday season and consider gifting an album from an independent musician!

This alphabetized-by-first-name list is also pictured above from left to right (album cover photos are from each respective musician’s website):

• April Smith & The Great Picture Show. Spunky Americana dialed up with a 2010 wink. | website
• Clara C. Acoustic pop that’s as lovely and warm as a hot hibiscus tea on a frosty morning. | website
• Dirty Gold. After a listen, you’ll want to wipe the beach sand off your feet. | website
• The Donkeys. If Kerouac’s On The Road had a soundtrack, it would include their songs. | website
• Jane Lui. An artisan quilt of acoustic, electric, dixieland, choral, pop and Broadway. | website
• Josh Rouse & The Long Vacations. Straw fedoras, cobblestone streets and breezy afternoons. | website
• Katie Herzig. 2011’s Waking Sleep is cooler than Brad Pitt and Antarctica put together. | website
• Lisa Hannigan. The playful pitter-patter of rain drops on windowsills, drains and asphalt. | website
• Mattson 2. A dimly lit jazz lounge where the ashtrays always seem to need emptying. | website
• Peter Bjorn & John. Indie rockers who prove that there’s more to Sweden than ABBA. | website
• Real Estate. The flicker of old family films. Napping on grandma’s paisley-pattern couch. | website
• tUnE-yArDs. Imagine Twlya Tharp’s choreography interpreted as music. | website

Need to save time? Don’t hesitate to buy an indie musician’s MP3 album since they’re all readily available on iTunes and Amazon. Just keep in mind that, unlike their physical counterparts, MP3 albums are sent to the gift-getter in a jiff. Maybe too jiffy, actually—the album is likely to appear in the gift recipient’s inbox before Christmas. So, should you go the MP3 album route, be sure to time the purchase just right (eg. “Send” the album(s) on either December 23 or December 24).

Got some time to spare? Consider calling one of your local, independent record stores to ask if they have the album you’re interested in giving in stock. If they do, well, you’ve just upped the ante on your independent business support. (Psst! If you live in San Diego, consider reaching out to M-Theory Music in Mission Hills, Cow Records in Ocean Beach, Off The Record in North Park, and/or Lou’s Records in Encinitas.)

Once Black Friday hits, I avoid the Mission Valley area in San Diego. With its two malls a stone throw away from each other, there’s no getting in and out of that neighborhood on weeknights and weekends without cursing at people and inanimate objects alike.

Luckily, we have the internet. And equally lucky, we have Etsy.

In fact, Etsy trumps a visit to a Westfield Shopping Mall on a variety of counts. I can shop local without getting stuck in traffic or trolling for a parking spot. Plus, when I buy holiday presents from independent artisans and businesses, I’m able to provide holiday cheer on two levels: to the recipient of my gift and to the independent entrepreneur I purchased the gift from.

Pictured above are some goodies that caught my eye on Etsy, each one made by and sold from a San Diego artisan (clockwise from top left):

• A set of five chopstick rests ($14). At least once a month, my husband and I substitute one homemade meal with fresh nigiri sushi from our local Mitsuwa market. We stop in, peruse Mitsuwa’s “deli” section, make our selections, pay, and shoot back home. Sadly, while we have our own reusable chopsticks, we don’t have anything to rest them on in between bites. If you’re like us, then this small school of fish is just the ticket. Handmade by San Diego-based artist Sumiko Braithwaite, the chopstick rests are made of semi porcelain clay. (Photo from Sumiko’s shop on Etsy.)
• Not Citizen Kane’s rosebud ($10). These sweet, cherry red rosebud earrings from Acute Designs add a nice pop of color to any femme outfit, particularly if one is wearing something navy blue and/or saturated yellow. Made of lucite, they measure in at about 12mm and are securely attached to nickel and lead-free earring posts. (Photo from Acute Design’s shop on Etsy.)
• Wristwear sans the time ($28). This beautiful sable rhinestone bracelet cuff has got more drama than a telanovela (but without the harsh lighting). It’s the type of bait sure to snag a “Where’d you get that?” from strangers and the ever playful “I’m gonna steal that later” from friends. (Photo from Lucia Bella’s shop on Etsy.)
• Yes, yetis can be cuddly ($22). Known as Sweet & Sour Goodies, these plush abominable snowmen are just one of many in the felt family made by Kristine Domingo. And, what Martha Stewart likes, you should at least consider. Last year, Domingo took the yetis’ ninja cousins to New York after winning a spot at Martha Stewart’s 2010 Holiday Craft Sale. (Photo from Sweet and Sour Goodies‘ shop on Etsy.)
• A new way to spin Zeppelin ($24). Make someone’s hallway, office, or cubicle wall more interesting when you gift them a vinyl record wall clock from Records and Stuff. Owners John & Jill turn abandoned vinyls the likes of Led Zeppelin, Frank Sinatra, Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd, Bruce Springsteen and others into time pieces fit for temporary and permanent room dividers. (Photo from Records and Stuff‘ shop on Etsy.)
• Make a list and check it twice ($8). Artist Susie Ghahremani proves that notepads need not be humdrum, that productivity need not lack creativity. There are three versions of this to-do list notepad, each of which is ~50 pages thick and made from recycled paper: the pictured fox and bird notepad, an owl notepad, and a notepad featuring an octopus reading. (Photo from Boygirlparty’s shop on Etsy.)

“But ‘local’ for me isn’t San Diego. How do I shop local on Etsy if I live in LA? Seattle? Sarasota?” I got you covered. Just click here to check out my quick little online tutorial.