Mar7

“Want me to shoot you?” “Yes, please.”

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“Want me to shoot you?” “Yes, please.”

A title like that can only mean one thing: more weird Jiu-Jitu sh*t. (Sorry.)

A recent class was front attack defenses: guns, knives, and, I guess realistically it would be a baseball bat? Whatever. Rubber guns, knives, and big sticks were tossed in the center of the mat for us to practice with.

HRH and I got turns with the knives and sticks, but the guns were in short supply. When class ended, I lamented not getting much gun defense practice, so HRH, face full of compassion, asked, “Want me to shoot you?”

Naturally, “Yes, please,” was the response because #OnlyInJiuJitsu.

At one point earlier, I was looking at a 45 degree angle, talking to Instructor when HRH tried to overhand stab me with the fake knife. With zero hesitation, I stepped in and forearm blocked without looking.

Instructor said, “Daaaangg. That was instinct!” and walked over to fist bump me.

I didn’t want to tell him that was the first Taekwondo defense you learn as a white belt. I’ve done it a million times and have been teaching it to my son and others at his school as part of an after school TKD program.

I’m glad I had the opportunity to discover it had become instinctual.

And now for something literary!

Yvette at Priorhouse blog shares about the latest book in a series. 

The This Is How series explores the everyday experiences that quietly shape who we are — how we grow, how we work, and how we eat. Each volume brings together diverse voices through story, memoir, fiction, and poetry.

The newest release, This Is How We Eat, is now available on Amazon and Kindle.

This anthology moves from self to family, from kitchen to community. Seventeen authors explore how food shapes identity, memory, belief, belonging, and care. Fifteen of the contributors wrote memoir, bringing vulnerability and warmth to the collection. The result is a book filled with sensory detail, cultural crossings, quiet rituals, and yes — cakerific recipes.

Here’s a peek inside with a mini-interview: 

Q: Is this a cookbook?
Prior: Not exactly. There are no measurements or oven temperatures. But there are dumplings crossing continents, dal and chai steeped in meaning, grandmother gardens, chowder debates, and flour-based creations that show up whenever people gather.

Q: Why does flour keep appearing?
Prior: I wish I knew. Without prompting, authors kept writing about cakes, pies, pancakes, naan, banana bread, toast. Across cultures, simple ingredients return when we celebrate, remember, or need comfort.

Q: What surprised you most?
Prior: The memoir. I expected a balance of fiction, poetry and nonfiction. Instead, fifteen memoir chapters arrived — about migration, faith, body image, budgeting, paradigm shifts in eating, gardening with grandkids, staying open to new information, hospitality, scarcity, abundance, and the quiet ways we care for one another.

Some of the memoirs even weave in poetry, giving the reflections rhythm and lift. The two fiction chapters that came in were thankfully hearty enough to anchor the ending, giving readers a strong and satisfying close after so much intimate storytelling.

Q: What might readers feel while reading?
Prior: Hunger. Nostalgia. Warmth. Lemon zest. Maybe a little ache. Food has a way of unlocking memory.

Q: What do you hope readers do after finishing the book?
Prior: Call someone about and share a meal. Set the table with intention. Write about how food might have impacted their life. Save the last slice of cake for someone else. Pull up a chair. The table is longer than you think. 🙂

Super sweet–in more ways than one. Go check out the book!

And now for something not sweet…

The bulb vegetable found in the eye sockets of the mummified Ramses IV is onions. Sort of ironic, if you think about it.

New Q: What is the only state with a non-rectangular flag?

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47 responses »

  3. The title did have me thinking “how weird” until I found out why it was said, Ilsa. It’s nice to learn about “This Is How We Eat.” I guess Ohio is the only state with a non-rectangular flag.

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  4. Eyeball onions, mhmmmm! Sounds tasty!

    I have zero idea about the flag. I refuse to google it too, so I’ll patiently wait until your next post to find out 😀

    Since you are now a published, selling author, when are you going to invite all of us over to your looooooooooong table so we can scarf down expensive treats? Like steak tips and specialty mac-n-cheese and stuff?

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  7. Trick question. Any state can have a non-rectangular flag after a windstorm. Ha! I’m onto you.

    Prior interviewed me for a post once. I had no idea she put together such an interesting anthology series. I’d read it, but then I’d end up craving lemon zest, and the fridge is presently citrus-free. My bad.

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  8. I think forearm block you did was cool. My son took Tae Kwon Doe when he was a kid and got a black belt. However, he did not continue after that. I wonder if he remembers how to do that. Thank you for the interesting information and interview regarding the This is How we Eat book. All great authors.

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  9. Learning self defense is so importance and one of the values of taking Jiu Jitsu and other similar types of classes. It’s great you’re passing it down to your kids too!

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  11. I remember learning self-defense as a security guard in my early 20s. Mostly it consisted of running/hiding and getting on the radio to call for backup before the bad guys could get to you. Although I also had an instinct to run my big mount and say things like, “You get the first shot. I get the last.” That either got them laughing or running — either way it got me out of having to write a report.

    and did you know that my secret wish is to become a flag designer? So many state and national flags are so boring. Ohio has the right idea — ditch the rectangle and do something fun. Currently I’m working on new designs for the French national flag — one is a giant croissant and the other a baguette with some tomatoes sticking out of the top. Sadly the French government has not returned any of my calls yet … sigh …

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  12. my rival state o-hi-o has that odd shaped flag! and I love the natural instinct muscle memory response to being attacked with a weapon, I want that! I do have startle response, but that’s altogether different. I need to use that energy in a different way. the anthology looks great and I read and enjoy many of the authors involved -)

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  13. Your instinctive forearm block reminded me of Daniel-son in The Karate Kid – that wonderful scene where all the chores translate to karate moves in an instant. But man Ilsa, I wish you’d have kept this post to just the JJ recap. That GIANT photo of the piece of cake is killing me. My wife and I are midway through a 30-day cleanse. Eating anything at all is an infrequent pleasure, let alone something sugary/floury like cake. Easter can’t come soon enough! I can picture the triangle state flag in your trivia, but I’d have to leave like forty individual comments before I’d guess the right state 😦

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    • Hilarious about the forty different guesses! So sorry about the cake! Did it really come out giant? I see that I can make pics go from L to M, but M is always S! Either way, sorry. But good on you two! Keep on keeping on! Yes on the karate kid. I was having my TKD students do warm-up drills that translated to the steps they need for the white belt form. They had it mostly memorized before they knew what they were doing!

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  15. I just had the best idea! If we are able to meet up this summer, you must teach me that elbow block (free of charge, of course). And if you fall in love with Minnesota and decide to stay (because you really must leave that awful California), you can be my personal bodyguard (free of charge, of course).

    I’m not surprised that so many of the contributions to Prior’s book are memoirs. That’s what I’d write if given the opportunity…

    I have no idea which state it is, but I figure I have a one in fifty shot if I guess, so here goes: New Hampshire (Rationale: they march to the beat of their own very independent drum, so why shouldn’t their flag, too?)

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    • First, yes, I will teach you. Second, Hubby grew up in MN and feels he did his time. Not going back! 😜

      Further, I did my time similarly in the state with the weird flag: Ohio. Not
      going back there for keeps either. I appreciated your rationale for NH, though!

      Really hoping for swift improvement for your Hubs!!

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  17. Pingback: This Is How We Eat: Stories about Food, Culture, and Connection – Book Tour | The Showers of Blessings

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