a new decade of life. today!
a lot has happened since the chargers lost the playoffs thirty years ago on the day i was born. for one thing, it's been delicious. i've fallen for the flavor of lemons, sea salt, just-shucked-oysters, achinback honey, morning's first coffee. i've fallen for people and so many places. when falling was no longer adequate, i came to devotion. i got in it for the braise.
i grew five feet and seven inches, gave birth to two babies. i took up a job in the business of making people feel good. i became a cook. all my senses surrendered to the perfume of black pepper, olive oil's sheen, huckleberries plucked from the sun. i've learned these gifts only require room.
i discovered that the more i forgive, the better everything tastes.
there was once a time i made out with a uniformed french police officer in front of my favorite fromagerie in paris. it was bastille day. the scent of brie forever reminds me. i'm glad i took care of this in my twenties.
i have not, not even for one day, been the weight indicated on my california drivers license. oh well. the cake was good.
i've unabashedly sustained myself on your smile, your pleasure. i am happy all these things happened.
i decided to spend my days writing love letters and making salad.
what do i want: to be as close as possible to the thing that makes a tomato seed and then turns it into a tomato.
who do i want to be: someone safe to talk to.
i've taken perfectly average walks through parks. lots of them. on one i became undeniably certain there is enough food/love to go around. i know it like i know how to breathe. as a very small expression of this, i invite you to share your favorite birthday meal in the comments section. for each response, i will donate the monetary equivalent of a meal for a schoolchild in need in tijuana. donations will be made to project concern international, the nonprofit organization i am working on a cookbook for this year. i can think of no better birthday gift than this and i especially look forward to reading what you eat to celebrate your special day.
my grandfather vernon could peel an apple in one long, curvy strand. he also had an uncanny knack for responding to the question "how are you doing?"
with not even a pause he'd boom, "never better!"
so if you ask me how it feels to be thirty, you'll know what to expect.
never better.