I am a Crone
I am learning to embrace my crone-ness. Here is how I came to realize I was becoming a crone. And it definitely is a process.
Well, first, people give me more respect than I have earned. Sort of that deference to old age.
Second, I have gone through menapause (and survived).
Third, I know more than younger people. Not all younger people and not on all subjects, but enough of both to qualify.
I was teaching my business planning class last week. There is a young man in there (early 20's) who wants to open a pizza shop with video arcade -- sort of a Chuckie Cheese Grows Up -- and so he has been trying to make pizza dough, but was having some trouble with it. He was asking if anyone in the class could direct him to some help. There are several women in the class who have baked bread, so we all started to ask him questions. We couldn't quite figure out what was going wrong. Finally, I asked him what type of bread pan he was using. His mother's cast iron skillet. I asked if it was well seasoned. From the look on his face it was obvious he had no idea what I meant. So I proceeded to tell him the process for seasoning the pan. As I talked, the other women who were standing around talking, fell silent. When I finished, their comments were, "I got rid of my cast iron because I didn't know what to do when it got rusty." and "So that's how you do it." to "I never knew that step. That must be why it didn't work."
Yes, just by living longer. Amazing.
Comments
Ah, to be the son of you! I know how to season a cast iron pan and that's not all. i know how to cook and bake and it isn't because i know how to read. You have given me so much astounding direction in so many immediately useful areas that I cannot but pay homage to you. Once again, probably more respect than you feel you deserve ;)
Posted by: Mendon | February 13, 2005 8:50 PM
I have an idea. A book idea. You should write one. Or, if you're not inclined to do so, you should get someone else write one. Like me. Or Mendon; he is a writer. It would be just a big collection of stories and interviews. You'd have to edit it, but you could think about it like storytelling practice. And then, you could have your own seminar (or whatever they have) at the Story Telling Conference in TN.
Posted by: Kristen | February 14, 2005 11:11 PM
I thought of a few more qualifications. 4. I am in the final third of my life. (do the math)
5. I look the part.
I love that you think I have a book in me, or even that I have wisdom to offer, but I really don't have that much to say. (These women could have gotten the same information off the label of the frying pan -- That's where I got it.) That's why I grope so much for blog topics. I really just don't have that much to add to the conversation.
Posted by: Nannie | February 15, 2005 9:27 AM
You're being modest. How long, again, did that interview, a very brief and limited one, last? And, because you got the info straight off of the pan doesn't make that story not worth telling. It just makes it different.
I would, by the way, be careful where you throw around "crone." I didn't think of it negatively, but dictionary.com certainly does.
Posted by: Kristen | February 15, 2005 11:27 PM
Yeah, I know crone has a negative connotation in our current lexicon, but it has not always been so. And among the new-agers (especially those past a certain age) it is a title of wisdom. But I used it knowing full well its double-edged meaning. And I think both definitions probably apply.
Posted by: Nannie | February 16, 2005 10:28 AM
Alright, I admit it - I don't think I know how to season a cast iron pan. Of course, I don't have one and if I did I'd just ask Nannie...
Posted by: Mara | February 16, 2005 10:49 AM
There we go -- the name of the book or column ; "Just Ask Nannie" I like the ring of it. And I just love telling people what to do! And if they actually asked me first, well, maybe they wouldn't resent me so much. They might even appriciate me. What a concept! (lol)
Note to Nae: I tried using html to bold 'asked' but it didn't work, as you can see. Can you change my settings or whatever so html works in my comments, too? please?
Posted by: Nannie | February 16, 2005 10:55 AM
Nannie, at the bottom of each post, I believe is a box 'allow html' - just check it. Either that or it's in your settings. You can do this!
Posted by: Mara | February 17, 2005 2:35 AM
Ooo, cool. Knowledge is power!
Posted by: Nannie | February 17, 2005 9:37 AM
Make that Power!
Posted by: Nannie | February 19, 2005 12:41 AM