So do things happen for a reason? It does seem as if everything happens when you least expected it. Good and bad, only the truly meaningful unexpected things happens. When you think you were absolutely sure that you would be ready for it, and then, out of the clear blue sky, it happens, hence the surprise at the occurrence is what actually surprises you!

NOOOO, WAAAY! Did not expect that! OHHHH Sh…!. I know you’ve been there.

You realize and want people to understand that nobody is perfect and things happen in life beyond our control. We live in a kind of crazy, accidental universe where things happen according to certain laws of life, laws of attraction, laws of nature, the power of manifestation, responsibility, laws of Karma. You get what you give!…..For example, feeding a stray cat once, you might as well sign adoption papers! Hair removal cream packaged to look like shampoo. (Is your hair thinning? Just asking.) Kids and your phone! When Fed Ex drops a trailer load of goods ordered with the mighty power of the “One-Click”. Last Halloween, when you put that washable face paint on for trick or treating with the kids and you end up going to work for days with an orange face, (Not so washable!) Opening your pizza box and all the cheese is stuck to the top! Walking back into the room because you forgot what you went for! Filling up the car with $2.25 gas and when you go to pay, it’s $3.25 a gallon. Shoveling the snow and finding a crumbled $10 bill. (Good Karma?) When your friends and family show their true faces. (No comment!) Sneaking out of the house after curfew, and from below a flashlight gleaming at you being held by Dad. Lighting that one firework, and accidentally setting the whole box off. (Run, run, run). Getting $20 out of the ATM and $40 comes out.

One thing for sure-no matter how organized we are or how well we plan-you can always expect the unexpected. Most of life is unexpected, old age is unexpected. Getting a present on your birthday is not as much fun as getting a present on any other day, you respond to pleasant things more when things are unexpected. Everything happens for a reason. Right? I wonder what reason is good enough to explain why “Accidents” or “Did not see that coming” or “Really?” kind of stuff happen to some people.

Life is very unpredictable and death being the extreme end of it, is the most unexpected itself and bitter truth of life. I have no claim to know the secrets to God or the universe but am convinced no true lasting happiness can come of this world where life is fleeting, illusionary and death are the only constants. The most intriguing part of the question for me is not the unexpected thing that happens, it’s the shock that leaves us open for exploration. The unexpected allows us to see ourselves differently-because of how we deal with or how we see this, “the real shock”. The most unexpected reality of life is the speed at which decades flash by, surreal dreams and times, people coming and going, passing through in proportion to things of importance of life. How do I have memory of things from 50+ years ago and it seems like yesterday?

The truly significant realness, the once in a million thing that you never expect, the unforeseen thing, both good and what seems unspeakable, happens when we are unprepared for them and just happens. Bad things happen to good people on a regular basis, expectations lead to disappointment and when the unexpected happens, the surprise of the unknown is all joy, amazement and happiness because of the fact it astonished you and life’s fairly excruciating-painful things happen-once and you dragged yourself out, gasping for air recognizing the “OH Wow” moment you didn’t expect. We may think we know what we like, but what our brain really wants is often quite different. Guilty pleasures make up a world of complexities, surprising visual aspect, and beautiful mistakes like the smell of peppermint, frying bacon, freshly mowed grass, brewing coffee, the sound of Big Band music, cats purring, the smell of fresh rain. We all have guilty pleasures, Mama’s includes dark chocolate, oysters on the half shell, a bottle of Toscana, freshly baked croissants.

Getting caught up in daily stresses is hard to avoid which is why people watching, peering into the lives of others is a favorite pleasure of many, like a temporary escape from your worries. Others put peace and quiet at the top of their list and indulge in a warm bubble bath and zone out for a while. Simply avoiding a particular undesirable activity puts procrastination at the top of most people’s list.

Nobody sticks to boring when it comes to food. New unexpected food have taken taste buds on an adventure and become game changing. Food that when you tasted it, you were completely blown away, and you needed to have one more bite, or a way to get more, a craving of some sort…Have you tried chocolate covered popcorn? The salty-sweet combination of melted ultra processed chocolate poured over popcorn. One would say there is nothing better in the world. Fresh apple pie with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese? On the healthy side, my sister swears up and down that spaghetti squash is the bomb. Slice a squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, lightly drizzle the inside with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet, use a fork to poke holes in it, roast for 30 to 40 minutes in a preheated 400~ oven. Remove from the oven, flip your squash over, let cool to touch. Use a fork to scrape and fluff the strands from the sides. Serve with butter. You can also dress it up with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of pesto. A guilty pleasure on it’s own.

Cauliflower, a calciferous vegetable has been turned into rice and pizza crust as well. So “rice” is made by pulsing the cauliflower in the food processor until it forms into granules the size of rice and sauteed lightly with olive oil, the juice of a half of lime (to remove the bitterness), salt and pepper for 3-5 minutes. Coconut, turmeric, sesame, cilantro, lemon and Parmesan are the best spices that work well with cauliflower. On it’s own, can’t say it is as good as rice, but it’s a great starting point health-wise. When well-seasoned and used with other great flavors and textures, it will make you feel good about getting more vegetables in your diet. Unexpectedly delicious foods make us feel happy. Taking a bite of something expecting one taste and experiencing another can be enjoyable or a disgusting happening. Try it…it could become your guilty pleasure food.

As always, you can drop me a line at: scrappychef@yahoo.com. And the last words….~Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie.~ Jim Davis

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