Come As You Are, As You Were

Mexican Shake and Bake Chicken Thighs

We found these tortilla chips that are so freshly deep fried tasting that I couldn't waste even the last 1/2 cup of broken pieces.  

Vista Hermosa, the best Chips!

I crushed them up, mixed in corn meal flour, cumin, paprika, cayenne, garlic, onion powder and lots of salt and pepper,  for a very crispy coating. I dipped them in egg first before rolling in the crumbs and spices and baked at 450 for 25 minutes.  I'm calling this a win.

Victories come in teeny, tiny moments.  Last week I finally got my wish; an ability to use my nickname officially at work.  It may be trivial to some but for several reasons, I hate seeing and hearing my gov'mint name, as the kids say.  It's printed in bold letters on my badge, it pops up in giant font on the computer and customers will often read it aloud, as if they now have permission to ask loads of personal questions.  I immediately correct them, yet it's left me feeling they've taken something from me.  Of course I know their complete information, including address, phone number and email but I don't care, nor retain any of it and never call them by their name. There is some part of me, that feels so strongly about these things, perhaps its the American Indian in me.  

In my mind, people are something I cannot assign to words.  They're an energy blob of light and darkness, a liquefied essence, they are neurons firing in my gut. Designating a title to them masks their true identity.  I understand why we must be named, but I don't like it.  Like some gaudy jewelry you must wear forever that your folks thought was cool.  At least with a nickname you can tone down the awkwardness. 

Plus, when you name something, it takes away all of it's mystery and puts it in a box.  I wonder if we squash the imaginations of children by too quickly teaching them to define incredible miracles like flowers and animals.  This is a cat.  It goes meow.  In reality what we call common house cats are zen masters and mystical creatures beyond interpretation.   I wonder how differently a child would consider a peacock before it became imprisoned by definition? 

Regardless, I was thrilled that most likely due to our LGBTQ+ community, I finally got my wish.