Comments on: Cultural Identity, pt. 3 http://dailyeatings.com/2008/05/16/cultural-identity-pt-3/ rewritten by machine on new technology Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:24:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: David http://dailyeatings.com/2008/05/16/cultural-identity-pt-3/#comment-6561 David Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:17:29 +0000 http://dailyeatings.com/?p=129#comment-6561 If only that were so. You'd be surprised at the number of people who can't manage to <i>hold</i> chopsticks, much less use them to successfully manipulate bite-sized food to their mouths, to say nothing of what to do when confronted with a whole braised fish, head and tail and all. I've stopped being surprised at what people <i>won't</i> eat. It's been a lifelong source of annoyance for me; I've (unintentionally) dated a string of rather finicky and/or unadventurous-to-the-point-of-xenophobia eaters. And besides, the chopsticks are just emblematic of a greater inability (regardless of intent or earnest desire) to grok my family and cultural background to a degree which I would find necessary to maintain the sense of equitability in emotional investment that I believe is absolutely essential within the context of a long-term (read 'indefinitely long', 'married', etc.) relationship. If only that were so. You’d be surprised at the number of people who can’t manage to hold chopsticks, much less use them to successfully manipulate bite-sized food to their mouths, to say nothing of what to do when confronted with a whole braised fish, head and tail and all. I’ve stopped being surprised at what people won’t eat. It’s been a lifelong source of annoyance for me; I’ve (unintentionally) dated a string of rather finicky and/or unadventurous-to-the-point-of-xenophobia eaters.

And besides, the chopsticks are just emblematic of a greater inability (regardless of intent or earnest desire) to grok my family and cultural background to a degree which I would find necessary to maintain the sense of equitability in emotional investment that I believe is absolutely essential within the context of a long-term (read ‘indefinitely long’, ‘married’, etc.) relationship.

]]> By: Leah http://dailyeatings.com/2008/05/16/cultural-identity-pt-3/#comment-6559 Leah Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:54:07 +0000 http://dailyeatings.com/?p=129#comment-6559 PS only idiots in NASCAR tank tops don't know how to use chopsticks. PS only idiots in NASCAR tank tops don’t know how to use chopsticks.

]]> By: Leah http://dailyeatings.com/2008/05/16/cultural-identity-pt-3/#comment-6557 Leah Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:15:56 +0000 http://dailyeatings.com/?p=129#comment-6557 I think if I had an S.O. in that situation, I'd scoot down to the nearest Borders and pick up some Berlitz/Rosetta Stone texts. My friends have trouble learning the intricacies of my parents, and they're native English speakers from Tulsa/Minneapolis/Iowa/California, so you'd think all American guests to our house would find SOME common thread with them. Except Yankees. They can spend their evening elsewhere. I think if I had an S.O. in that situation, I’d scoot down to the nearest Borders and pick up some Berlitz/Rosetta Stone texts.

My friends have trouble learning the intricacies of my parents, and they’re native English speakers from Tulsa/Minneapolis/Iowa/California, so you’d think all American guests to our house would find SOME common thread with them. Except Yankees. They can spend their evening elsewhere.

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