Journal Entry – Wed Nov 18

We were out and back from the hospital within ninety minutes, Matt and I. He has to go back next year, same time. Likely he was born with nerve damage in his left ear. 

There are tiny hairs on the cochlea that transfer sound to the brain (I think). Technically we hear with our brain. I cannot wait to start Understanding The Brain (hopefully it’s straight forward. Unlike trying to understand our dark side 🙂 )

Anyway, if he were to get a hearing aid, he’d need one that transfers the sound from the left ear into the right. This might do more harm than good because they believe he’s already learned to navigate the world with one ear. What he hears is “normal” for him. The aid cannot discern what it should and shouldn’t transfer, and transferring all sounds may very well interfere with his ability to hear effectively in his right ear. (the right ear works right.)  

I thought we had new neighbours. There was a woman at the elevator that I didn’t recognize. But then I remembered, I never leave the house that early, and before COVID, I would have been gone by 6:30 am – 7:00 am. We would have missed each other regardless. What I am trying to say is that she could have been here for years, assuming her schedule didn’t change.

Today I put my character development info in a grid that will work better for me, I think. It’s all an experiment right now. BTW: Judy Blume has a Masterclass. I read a few of her books as a child. 

My Character Development Grid:

Craving alcohol … Supposedly cravings, any craving, only lasts ~ 20 minutes. Wish me luck!

I bought a new book, Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal. I feel lost to a part of my heritage that missed out on learning to cook these parts. I remember pig feet and tripe (ewww, I’ve never liked that). There’s a recipe for Oxtail Ravioli. I don’t think I will get to the point where I will be adventurous enough to try cooking testicles or brains – but if I do, André will be standing by to taste test 🙂 . I’ve had enough tongue, prepared in different ways, to know that I will never acquire a taste for it.

I’m liking this book so far – a mix of recipes, shopping advice and origin and chef stories. I already learned something new, Sweetbread is the thymus gland of young animals, calves and sometimes lambs. The term has also expanded to include the inferior pancreas. (I don’t see me eating those parts right now or brains.)

The last time I went home, I stared down at the head of a cow in the backyard sink, feeling sorry for both of us. I had to scrub it in preparation for Souse. Or having to rinse intestines and mix blood into cooked rice for Black Pudding. In knowing the preparation, you’d never think the dishes would be so tasty. I don’t know how to cook Pepper Pot or Jalebi or Pickled Pork. I’d love to cook like my Mom, my Maternal Grandmother, my Dad’s brother, Uncle Eddie and his sister, Auntie Sandra. 

I came to Canada too young. 

Just finished a few episodes of Psycho-Pass (2012) on FUNimation. Tomorrow I will tell you about Lecture 16 – Varieties of Ignorance and maybe also Lecture 17 – Weakness of Will