Ninja JoC Fairy Welcomes You!!!

Hi, I'm Laura, and I'll be your Fairy today.

Your Joy of Cooking Fairy, Makeup Fairy, Eating Out Fairy, Knitting Fairy…Anything, really, as it occurs to me. For example:

*Right now I am watching Ancient Aliens on History Channel, otherwise known as My Stories. Preceded by Ninja Warrior 24, Stages 3&4.

*I am halfway through knitting my first shawl in a silk/wool colorway called Transnational Fury by A Verb For Keeping Warm, and I will tell you it wasn't just the automotive suggestion of this red yarn's name, it was the power it evoked to tackle the lace chart and garment.

*I just signed up for a 3-session Anthony Bourdain-founded cooking course at Sur La Table, a cookware shop in Los Gatos, California.

*I am also running a comparison of foundation brushes among 4 brands which will include photos and notes on brand, performance, price and availability.

This being my first blog post, I will explain that many times you will experience these disparate bits of information on Fiber Arts, Cooking, What I'm Watching and Reading; which will, I promise you, gentle reader, come round to a cogent (as far as possible) thought that is my life. At that moment. And several other segments including tips and comparisons on Beauty/Hair/Makeup, Where I'm Going and What I'm Eating.

My husband, GingerMan, and I have watched Ninja Warrior for the duration of our relationship, 10 years. It is a crazy Japanese obstacle course competition most closely described as a Navy Seal and Army Ranger Love Child on Acid. Today's episode of Ninja featured Takahashi-San, a long-time competitor, finally breaking through the nearly impossible third stage of demonic physical tasks. The final stage consists of a couple-hundred meters climb up a rope and a pole in a ridiculously short time. In 12 years, only 2 men have made it.

The day after I was laid off from a law firm two years ago, I walked into a local yarn shop and began a new direction in life. I have met a huge community of very cool people and found an artistic, creative side to myself I had long forgotten about. I cook more, I read more, I celebrate and travel more and do it all with my husband and friends. It's like I was constantly biffing the early stages, but now have advanced to a more challenging course.

Being just shy of 40 now, it has been brought to my attention by the Ineffable Jasmin and Gigi (of the Knitmore Girls Podcast-check them out on Ravelry or iTunes--Best. Knitting. Podcast. Ever.) that what I seem to have is a Masters in Life. I've plunged into Fiber Arts, Drawing and Painting, Housewifery, and soon Sewing. As for my Kitchen Habit, I have always cooked, and loved it. Loved food and the bits that become something that look good and taste and smell heavenly and feel good to eat and share with others. It's a jones, an itch, a Freak Flag to fly.

Oh, Ancient Aliens? It's just My Stories, don't judge.

So now I'm sharing it all here. And why the name Joy of Cooking Fairy?

**LEGAL: I claim absolutely NO connection to the writers or publishers of The Joy of Cooking, The Rombauer or Becker families or Scribner Publishing.

I do, however, claim the legacy and culture of food, of home, of people--of everything we are: Artists, Girly-Girls, Chefs, Housechicks/dudes Extraordinaire, Bad-Asses, Business Babes, Anything that we fill in the blanks with. For me, it all started with the Joy of Cooking, among other iconic American collections, and I enjoy a bizarre continuum with JoC: I own several editions from different eras. Somehow, with moves and deaths in the family, I managed to collect a couple copies of each of the newer editions.

One went to Jasmin, to inaugurate her Americana Education. Ha! One Copy set free! Then, as I cleared out my grandmother's estate last fall, another came to light in the kitchen. So I passed it on to another friend in our circle. Ta-da! Come January 2011 and the estate sale, my mother and I unpack a box from grandma's office. Another JoC. Bugger. Wait! Miss Kalendar of Brass Needles Podcast (also on iTunes!) is next on the list! The circle is unbroken! Two weeks pass, I am tidying my pantry and a two-volume paperback copy pops up. *.......* At Stitches West, Ma Chère Hélène, back from exile in Texas, is the next pledge in the sorority.

I'm now back down to four copies. I'm a bit on tenterhooks as to where the next is gonna sneak up on me, but it's already happened--

"Pssst! Hey, you got any extra JoC's yet??"

So, grab your book, your apron, and join me in the Joy of Cooking. And Life. Cheers!

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