THANKS GIVING - FOR FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING, and ahmmm MEDICAL CARE

I'm not one to give thanks on a daily basis, but I've been thinking about my life in the United States and what I/we have to be thankful for.  It's easy to be a citizen of the United States and feel confident that we have it better than the majority of the world when it comes to food, shelter, clothing, medical care... Well, I do anyway.

Right now we are as a nation dealing with the implementation of Obamacare, as it's called, health care for well, everyone.  It's not working out too well so far.  Poor people are signing up to get the benefits that they have gone without, rich people are angry at higher rates, youth are skipping it because they can't afford it and are mostly healthy and would rather pay the IRS fine for going without.  It's government supplemental medical care for many, and the loss of insurance plans and doctors one trusts for some others.  And the illegal immigrants are going to get free medical care anyway in California so, that's got a lot of anti illegal immigration people crazy mad.

I'm thankful I'm not dealing with these choices, this transition, while sick!

As for shelter, my place is drafty and too expensive to keep warm with a single gas wall heater which costs about $20 a day just to kill the dampness, but I do wear sweaters and sometimes knit hats indoors.  (Even my dog wears sweaters and gets under the covers.)  We are thankful for the roof over our heads at a time when the average one bedroom apartment in our city goes for $1000 a month and we see so many families living in RV's, Vans, and Cars, parked in the lots of 24 hour Ralphs grocery or a big box store that has lights on at night, and thankful that six months out of the year the place is just fine without heat, and that we didn't stick like glue to the sheets in the summer when we had temperatures that convince you of Global Warming and Earth Changes, even when tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, tsunami, and storms should be enough.  We are thankful we don't live in the Philippines where they are still finding bodies in the rubble.

As for clothing (and whatnot), I was fortunate enough to put a lot of things I no longer wanted out on the sidewalk with a sign that said "FREE STUFF" rather than have a yard sale last week.  The dog and I went for our 40 minute walk around the block and by the time we came back IT WAS ALL GONE.  I was fortunate enough to take a bag of Christmas decorations I don't need to a senior center and fortunate enough to take a bag of children's toys to the Police Department, where they will be wrapped and distributed to kids whose parents can't afford gifts for them.  I have spare so I must have plenty.

As for food, guess who needs to loose ten pounds?

I'm thankful that I have so very many choices about what I eat, that I can go to a Farmer's Market that features free range chicken eggs and Organics, to Trader Joes, where I buy cheeses and their canned Turkey Chili, which I have a hankering for.  I'm making Apple Crumble with fresh apples and brown sugar for my Thanksgiving meal contribution.  My dog recently indulged in Paul Newman's Organic Chicken dog food.  Some people don't eat as well as my dog.

And you?

BEDSHEET AND BUTTER YOU'LL LOVE THIS HOW TO MAKE HUNGARIAN CHERRY STRUDEL RECIPE

Dramatic music = a sense of humor.  Hungarian Cherry Strudel according to the technique of the late Mrs. Engel of the Park View Hotel in Sharon Springs. Mrs. Engel made strudel for her guests every Sunday morning, and as a child, Ross Wassermann sometimes sat in her kitchen and watched.
Plus the person who makes this strudel has the perfect touch!  Ready to make this for Thanksgiving!

CHERRIES

THEY'RE ALL MILL HUNKS : STEREOTYPE OF HUNGARIAN - AMERICANS

 

This stereotype comes from the Industrial Revolution, the early 20th century, and the immigration of so many Hungarians who were leaving rural areas and rural work for the next new thing - factories. 

Of course, for the people, mostly men, who had been master craftsmen in Hungary, this wasn't too much of a change, because they had performed hard physical labor and were hands on and detail oriented before they left the country.  As many family story goes, they were sold on the idea that the streets here were paved with Gold, thought they would make some money and go back to Hungary, and many of these men did go back and forth to Hungary, working home farms and wineries in season.  Some came to the United States after working in manufacturing, including steel making, and had technical educations in Hungary before they came to the United States.

However, there were Hungarians in early America - some - and there were Hungarians who marched with Freemont when he came to California to claim it for the United States. 

Hungarians who spoke German, and that was the language they went to school in once Maria Theresa instituted public education during the time when Hungary was part of the Austrian empire, could find work where Germans also worked.  This was true in Texas and in New Jersey.  Perhaps it's the prevailing settlement pattern.

There is nothing negative about hard work and enterprise, it's the notion that many other Americans had and still hold in some cases that the MILL HUNK is NOT INTELLIGENT.  Despite the fact that factories required SKILLED LABOR, and that the working conditions were killing - split shifts and six day work weeks for starters - pollution and heat as well - and these men labored without the representation of Unions for some time - some people simply want to believe that others are less than them somehow.

These days the manufacturing that once was has left America.  The Steel Belt became the Rust Belt long ago when the steel making was sent to Japan.  Many sons and grandsons of MILL HUNKS have found themselves following the next new thing - computer technology.  Some remain Blue Collar Workers while others have chosen college educations and white collar careers.

Be it that he's wearing a muscle shirt or is suited up, these men "clean up nice."

We are thankful to be here because of them.

C Magyar American 2013  All Rights Reserved