The Superclass - Definition, Comments and Reflections

They're Global Citizens. They're Hugely Rich. And They Pull the Strings.
By David RothkopfSunday, The Washington Post - May 4, 2008; B01

We didn't elect them. We can't throw them out. And they're getting more powerful every day.
Call them the superclass.
At the moment, Americans are fixated on the political campaign. In the meantime, many are missing a reality of the global era that may matter much more than their presidential choice: On an ever-growing list of issues, the big decisions are being made or profoundly influenced by a little-understood international network of business, financial, government, cultural and military leaders who are beyond the reach of American voters.
In addition to top officials, these people include corporate executives, leading investors, top bankers, media moguls, heads of state, generals, religious leaders, heads of terrorist and criminal organizations and a handful of important cultural and scientific figures. Each of these roughly 6,000 individuals is set apart by their power and ability to regularly influence millions of lives across international borders. The group is not monolithic, but none is more globalized or has more influence over the direction in which the global era is heading.

The above paragraphs were the opening of an interesting article from the Washington Post, that I sent to many of my firends and family. What it argues I have heard in conferences here in Spain and have been observing for a few years now. Scarey, truly scarey.

Below is just my own quick refelction and prediction on what will happen that I sent in an on-going e-mail conversation with my conservative uncle. It seems we are in agreement on the problem and plight. We just disagree tremendously on how to address it. (See earlier article on Proud to be a Liberal)

" The superclass exists in all of the developed parts of the world. Question is whether they really want to see wealth redistributed in a more equitable manner."

" It’s so true in the First World in general, although the social safety nets here in Europe , (health care, unemployment, training, housing help) help keep the middle class from falling into poverty levels when difficult times, like now, come. I think this difficult period is the beginning of major changes, and getting through them is gonna’ be tough, with or without the safety nets. I truly believe a major shift is coming, and the US will perhaps be a big loser. Things are so out of balance globally– the environment, our values…consume, consume, consume, to keep an economy going when other people’s food chain and supplies are declining or non-existant,, the declining value of human life for so many, the pace we try and keep up with to keep earning to keep spending, which keeps worsening the environment, which hurts the have nots more than the haves….like I said out of balance. "
Well, how did I get there? I just have been observing it from that perspective for a long time.

Mother's Day

My Daughter's and I in Paris in Feb.

I celebrate Mother's Day twice. The first celebration is for me as a mother, I celebrated it last Sunday on Spain’s Mother’s Day. I gave myself a lovely day, decided to stay home and not go out among the noisy Spanish throng of extended families, but rather, enjoy the peace and tranquility of our own garden that my husband has been working on for days. It looks so impressive, the pool is clean, the fountain’s running. So our comida, just the fours of us, on our patio was prettier than any restaurant could offer. I did a leg of lamb on our gas BBQ and served it with the new potatoes steamed with butter and parsley, green beans, baby broccoli and beets from the garden of my new organic supplier, even made a gravy with the lamb juices, MMMmmmm. I made a pear crumble for dessert and served it with ice cream. A Rioja Reserva, and a quiet afternoon. Couldn’t have asked for more! Did lots of reading in the sun in the morning and then again after lunch while my husband watched tennis and the girls, who had late nights the night before, had naps. It felt good not to have any obligation of any kind at any time. Can’t remember the last time I had a day like that…Well today is sort of like that.

Today, the second Mother's Day celebration, on America's Mother's Day I celebrate for my mother. It was the Cudeca Cancer Hospice (where I used to work) Walkathon this morning, the 6th edition. This is the first year I was NOT involved in the organization of it, so I walked as a participant. I thought it was the appropriate way of remembering my Mom who died of cancer 7 years ago. Afterwards, I sat for awhile and enjoyed the entertainment with a girlfriend, who lost her mother a few months ago to cancer, a patient of the hospice, and we talked about how the parts of the walk we did alone were important to us.

She called me later at home and told me she'd done some writing when she got home and had written something for me. Then she read me a poem in English (she's Argentinian) about how we were not alone, but how our Mom's were there, carrying us along, folding us in their silk and cotton, from both sides of the ocean. Of course tears came, and I could barely speak, but I was so touched by how insightful it was and how special a gift she gave me on Mother's Day.

I like having two days, one for me and one for her, never shining one over the other, each celebrated for all they mean independantly.

A long way to my heart

It is a long way to my heart, that phrase has been in my mind when I've thought of my journal writing lately. Why is it a long way to my heart? It seems to me that it is just under the surface, close, always open and reaching out. How can it be a long way to my heart? Is it buried? Buried under what? Under my husband and kids, under my work? Or has it run off to a distant place? Is that place my homeland, my family my roots? That must be it, since as I write these lines emotions rise up in my chest, tears well and would fall if I let them. My homeland; I often criticise it from afar, but secretly I long to know how I might feel, back in its bosom. My roots, my family; I long to see my brother -rekindle our comraderie, to enjoy his wife's optimisim. I miss his children and dream of being a more active presence in their lives. His oldest, 11, so much like him physically, is he personality wise? I don't know, but I think so. His second, 8, so determined in his quests, whatever they have been, may be and may become at each stage of his growing up. And his little girl, 5, so cute, so like my mother in her looks, has she got my mother's soul?

That must be where my heart is, in that faraway place of my homeland, my family, my roots. I soon will go after it and that other part of me, in the United States.

The Story Lady

I am the Story Lady, El Hada de los Cuentos. Last Spring while lying in bed, thinking of my creative writing workshop endeavors, a vision came to me of myself reading stories to children in the beautiful park we enjoy in the heart of our town. So I found an image that I liked, made up the name, and decided to go to the park two evenings a week to do this reading. I mentioned it to the Library Director, a friend of mine, who put in touch with proper authorities to get "permission" to do this. Of course a free, cultural, beneficial activity, received full support from the Town Hall.

I chose different children's books each week from the library, and agreed to "borrow" and return undamaged newer titles from the local book store, and set off to do my reading.

I chose peak playground days and time: Tuesdays and Fridays at 8pm (Spanish hours you know) and brought with me a beach chair for me to sit on, a blanket for the kids to sit on, a homemade easle and poster to present the endeavor. I made flyers anouncing the activity, the days and times of my reading, and the books read that week, and handed them out to all the parents with their kids at the playground.

The first day I had 6 - 8 kids.

As July progressed the crowd grew, and a following developed: kids and their parents came specifically to hear the Story Lady. I don't know who enjoyed it more: me, the kids or the parents?

This has lead to paid reading activities for both adults and kids, in both Spanish and English through the Library. Regular paid readings at local book stores, and now I'm being approached by local publisher's sales teams to work for them in their promotional activities.

With the arrival of good weather and daylight until 9pm I am back at the park one Saturday a moth and will be there once a week in the summer, this time paid by the library. This vision has become my new path, that brings me and so many others such pleasure. I love sharing with others how ENJOYABLE reading is - for all ages and of all types of books. I am the Story Lady and my following is growing.

Take Me Back - Weekend Wordsmith

Take me back to swings and mountain breeze
Take me back to grandma's pancakes and biscuits
Take me back to the comfort and security of that crackling fire

Take me back to days of long awaited homecomings
Take me back to my favourite meals and flowers on the dresser
Take me back to being cherished and spoiled

Take me back to Redskins games on cold fall days
Take me back to the warmth of your laughter and strength of your wisdom
Take me back to story time cuddled against your side

Take me back to slow summer days filled with imagination and laziness
Take me back to playing in the creek, catching fireflies, grandpapa's piano
Take me back to garden vegetables picked that day for supper, and homemade pies for dessert

Take me back to those care free childhood times
When I was loved, protected, cherished, free to be
Take me back to those warm, wonderful embraces
when time stood still and I just was.....

Menu Follow Up

The Sunday Menu:

White fish fillets pan grilled with herbs
Accompanied by a mushroom white wine cream sauce
Garlic Rice
Steamed Aspragus
Fresh Fruit Salad

All plates bread mopped clean!

Served at a properly set table with lit candle and background Spanish ballads playing, catalyst to conversation about details of weekend activities and dates, laughter about silly anecdotes from school, memories from our own teen years and plans for the week's activities.

That's why I'm still motivated to prepare and serve proper, healthy meals, they are the catalyst and foundation to family conversation and communication in a time when TV's, computers, telephones, activities, keep us all in our own individual worlds!

What's on the Menu?

Menu:

Queso y Fruta
Verduras Crudas con “dip” especial
Roscos
Vichysoisse
Ensalada del Mar
Crepes de delicias del bosque con espárragos
Postre de fruta y chocolate
Vino Blanco y Cava

I spend a lot of time thinking about “what’s on the menu.” Out of nowhere I’ll ask my husband what he’d like to eat the next day for our “comida” (our main meal that we eat between 2 and 3pm, as is the Spanish tradition). Or he’ll ask me on a night that we both lay restless in bed what I’m thinking about, and I’ll answer “what I’m going to fix for comida tomorrow.”
“How can you think about food all the time, when you’re not even hungry?”
How do I explain it’s not only the food, but also how to schedule my day in order to fix the food, that I’m planning. It’s all based on the workshops I have, the time a dish takes to prepare, if I need leftovers because I won’t be home for lunch later in the week, and finally any ingredients I might need. Well, and of course, what I feel like eating, since they usually don’t tell me what they’d like to eat when I ask.

When I pick my 15 year old daughter up from school I ask what she has eaten at school (she’s the only one who doesn’t eat at home during the week, because of her school schedule) so that I can pick our supper menu accordingly, filling in the things she missed out on, and not repeating eggs or meat. Our supper is usually like an American lunch: sandwiches, soup, maybe an omelet, a salad, or a pasta dish. Often everyone makes their own, but the proper, healthy ingredients must be there.

I put a lot of my mental and physical energy in this meal planning, and the shopping that goes along with it. This supermarket here for lowest prices, this fresh vegetable shop there where the things are locally grown and, although not guaranteed organic, are more naturally produced and more flavorful. The market with the best fish this week, the butchers with the locally grown meet next week, to stock the freezer. (Luckily all this is affordable and easily available here on the Costa del Sol.) The meals must be healthy, which means no pre-prepared, highly processed ingredients. They must be balanced, which means: at least two kinds of vegetables; not huge amounts of protein; a healthy carbohydrate, and not high in fats. (OK I know many diets say we should eat proteins and carbs separately, but I often serve them together.) And legumes at least once a week. (I learned that from my Spanish mother in law.) I try and get us all to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, not always successfully but at least it’s a conscious objective. My daughters have been hearing since they’ve been little “You have to eat your green today!”

In my planning I must keep in mind what my daughters like, so that they will fill up on this healthy meal I serve, and not the junk food they can get while they’re in town if they’ve only eaten a little because they didn’t like it. I have tried to teach them to eat everything, but…well if you’re a Mom you know how it goes.

I love to use leftovers. My challenge to myself is how to use something leftover to make a completely new and different dish. My record was at a family gathering where I used 7 things from two previous meals to make the most delicious Shepherds Pie that everyone loved.

This is the veggie pasta casserole that I made for comida this week with ground beef and chicken (broken up patties that thawed when my husband generously defrosted the freezer the night before) and sautéed zucchini and red pepper salad left over from two different meals earlier in the week, plus an array of other freshly added veggies herbs, and parmesan cheese. Not bad for making it up when I went to bed the night before trying to figure out how to feed three adults with three thin patties that had just thawed out by mistake.

And this is my version of a Greek salad I served that evening for supper, with leftover steamed green beans and broccoli thrown in that would have turned bad if I didn’t use them up quick. We had more than our 5 servings of fruit and vegetables that day!

So what’s on the menu for tomorrow? Come back and find out, I haven’t looked in the freezer (nor gone to bed) yet!