Bibliotheca: Food

 It's the Bibliotheca post, the first one since August. Sorry for dropping off the map-- I finish (this round of) grad school in two weeks, so all my writing motivation was directed either towards that or to writing materials for historic interpretation at work. Luckily, food is one of the things I best relate to, so the theme came as a relief.

Lolita and food go hand in hand to me: they're two of the things I care about most. 

I am very loudly Jewish, and our holidays are, like me, very food oriented. Friday nights are marked by challah and wine, Hanukkah has us celebrate oil through latkes and sufganiyot (jelly donuts), Rosh Hashanah is full of sweet honey, apples, and round challah, and Passover has the entire seder, replete with food, wine, and the inimitable gefilte fish. The only holidays that don't have food are fasting days like Yom Kippur. 

Growing up, my understanding of the passage of the year, the traditions that distinguish my family, and the expression of love were all tied to food. By making chutney, or blintzes, or even just a spruced-up mix cake, I learned to show my affection for others through a method they can taste and feel. 

I also don't go out to restaurants much at all-- the last time I had more than a coffee and a muffin at a restaurant was when I was working from 11 to 9 for a Halloween theme event. I am the high adjudicator of "we have food at home", and so going out to eat with someone is a supremely strange event. 

Luckily for me, in my comm, many lolita events revolve around food. Whether it's a casual brunch, snacks at a swap meet, or an actual tea party, food and lolitas are never far afield. This seems odd for people coming from costuming-- a theater's costume maven would never allow anything messier than clear water. However, these are our clothes, and they're meant to be worn and lived in. Plus, that's what aprons and oxyclean baths are for. 

So when I go out for a meal, show up with snacks, or suggest a restaurant, it really means something. It's the same as giving a little gift or writing a nice letter, just in a language shaded by culture and flavored with life experience. I am dedicating my senses and stomach to that moment and those people, and that's something that I try to share with people close to me. Even with virtual tea parties, when I could only prep food for myself, I tried to share relevant details to give my fellow guests a taste of my life.

I'm finishing this MLIS in a couple weeks, so it's finally time to stop procrastinating on living. I also have a couple jobs that might take me on, so I'll be able to work fewer weekends and schedule more events further in advance. Right now, the area comm is semi-dormant, but I care too dang much about this community and these people to let it stay that way. 

So, bon appetit, and I'll talk when this degree is done and dusted.