On January 8th I was taping the psychological consultation section of my natural foods cooking show Qué Rico when all of a sudden...EARTHQUAKE!!!!!!! To say the least it scared the living daylights out of me. My father is the clinical psychologist of my show and right in the middle of telling him the story of the television viewer we were literally shook up. My Dad initially started swerariing in Spanish and then reapeatedly said "Calma" which means "Let's keep calm." He said it eight times and the earthquake stopped! The thing is he didn't sound very relaxed as he said it! I called the news program of my channel to tell them I had the best taping of the moment. They were so busy with the emergency that they didn't pay any attention to me. I called them three times but they didn't pick up the cassette which was right there in the channel.

 

As I understand, Costa Rica has not had a earthquake of this proportion for many many years. There were no damages in our studios or in my home but one area of Costa Rica suffered insurmountable damage and 20 deaths due to landslides that buried people alive. Apparently many people are missing and the families will not be able to recuperate the bodies of their loved ones. This has been very sad for the country. The news repeatedly puts on the victims, showing their anguish and desperation.

 

I waited a week and decided to post the moment of the earthquake on our channel at You Tube. That was two days ago. All of a sudden this video is internatinally famous. There has been, as of today, more than 60,000 views of the video. The video appeared on the Latin News Show PRIMER IMPACTO which airs in the United States and many Latin American countires. We were on the Channel 6 and Channel 7 Costa Rican news plus newspaper interviews here in Costa Rica. There are more than 400 comments posted about the video on You Tube.

 

People mostly laugh when they see the video and many say it was a much needed relief from so much tragedy. Some say they laugh and feel guilty because they know people have suffered terribly from this event. Actually thousands have been affected because they were obligated to leave their homes, animals, belongings etc. because the Costa Rican government declared the area as a risk zone.

 

I'm really shocked though at the enormous response to this video. My father's book WE'RE HAVING SEX RIGHT NOW! appears on the screen because precisely the material of the book is what we discuss on this section of the program. The book proposes real solutions to better our lives as individuals and in society. This book can make a real difference for everyone but people seem to be more interested in shocking and tragic circumstances than in their selves and their own self-understanding. And on and on we go...but where? Maybe this is an opportunity to call some attention to calming down and learning about waht really makes us tick.

 

Here's the link if you want to see what nature is capable of doing:

Tonight I'm inspired to reflect on how us human beings can develop meaningful relationships.

 

Recently I witnessed a disgusting TV show here in Costa Rica. Young girls were vulgarly dancing on a platform while an encrazed spokesman continually incited them to do more outlandish movements and to lift their already mini-skirts, and unbutton their low-cut jeans or blouses. The most vulgar, prostitute-like young girl would win a bottle of licor if she did so. All five "women" willfully participated with weird smiles on their faces. Frankly it was an awful thing to look at. These girls may have been around 18-25 years old. Some may already be mothers and I shudder to think they would be mothers of the future. You're probably thinking..."Boy this is nothing! Haven't you seen hard porn? If you think that's bad you ain't seen nothin' yet!"

 

So, with this in mind where do we stand in terms of relating to one another? Who are we going to relate to? Who will be our friends, wives and husbands? Who will be the friends, wives and husbands of our children?...the children of those girls I saw in the show ?...or maybe the children of the hard-porn stars?

 

What about those who are wrapped up in the rat race? "Hi! Bye! Oh, that's great! See you later! Have a nice day! Nice to meet you! You look great! Get out of my way asshole! Look where you're going! Next. The test is tomorrow. You have to qualify. etc. etc. etc.

 

As a daughter of a psychologist I have learned from my father that we are attracted to others who are similar to our mothers (both men and women are attracted to people that remind them of their earliest days ...see my dad's book We're Having Sex Right Now!). So, we are subconsciously destined to desire a certain kind of relationship or non-relationship with our fellow humans.

 

As far as I can see, the only hope for developing meaningful relationships with others would be to One: Know what the hell a human being is all about and therefore be able to understand ourselves. Then slowly and calmly...maybe at first on an intellectual level and eventually on a feeling level, have the capacity to relate to one another (we always have feelings--the kind that trigger off; I'm refering to working through that part and then going from there) . For that we need calmness, quiet, decent conditions (you can't do this on a noisy-busy-dangerous city street), time, desire and continuous self-study. If this was possible do you think we'd have so many constant threats to our lives? Would we be so willing to contaminate ourselves with pollution, awful food, awful activities, and awful TV shows? Would we want to take drugs, vandalize, abandon our kids, kill ourselves and each other?

 

Do you take the time to realate to yourself? I think that's the answer. The more we are able to relate to ourselves...the more we can relate to one another.

 

 

 

 

Since the end of last year I have been involved in many interesting projects that need my intense concentration. To my satisfaction, things are coming along. I do plan to write again for my blog in the near future...but as the saying goes...First things first. I do check in once in a while to see if anyone has visited. Thanks to those who drop by to say hello. I hope by next month to have a little more time.

It's been quite a while since I've written here on my blog. This has been due to one main reason: I DIDN'T WANT TO. It just became kind of last on my list of priorities. Since I returned from my trip to Miami I have had an increase in work responsibilities and the need to think things through and develop new projects. All this requires dedication, discipline and channeling my energy to where I want it to count...so writing on my blog became less important and less rewarding than the other things I'm working on.

 

I decided to start this blog in the first place for various reasons. One was to try out my writing in English. All my activities, friends, and business associates are Spanish speaking. English is my mother tongue, although I do dream and sometimes even have a hard time speaking "pure" English (it comes out like Spanglish), so I figured I'd look for a space to enjoy communicating in my mother tongue. On that score I have enjoyed the experience. I was also curious and looking forward to developing new contacts and making new friends. On that score...I would say I feel so-so. I have found that as long as things are kept on a superficial level...everything is fine. As soon as one tries to get to know the other person a little more or if I offer a different point of view, I sense a withdrawl from the others or an interest to just keep it up as long as it doesn't mean anything.

 

In my case the relationships that I have most enjoyed in my lifetime and that have had the most meaning for me are those where I was able to work on a mutual project with the other people...something that we could develop together, share ideas on, make it go, join forces for a productive end. In a way I think that's how life used to be in general before we all got so overwhelmed with tecnology, cars, television, the need to "make money" in order to survive (at least we think we have to), and then of course "how much money do we have to make" to have the life-style we want (without considering what kind of people we are), etc. etc.  Before this gobbledygook of modern life took over societies around the world in the form of globalization, people depended on one another for survival, education and entertainment. Not so now-a-days. Human life is no longer valued as it was before. There is a feeling in the air that no one is indispensable (divorce, robots instead of people, internet instead of face to face conversation, TV watching instead of living life...

 

 I have found that the main purpose of blogs is for one's own enjoyment. I will confess that I get a kick out of my own writing and have also enjoyed the writing of others. In terms of people that have visited me here I have enjoyed interchange with them, even when we don't agree. 

 

Recently I started to develop my website and anounce it on my television show. I'm getting a lot of feedback and many many visits from my TV viewers. My father writes articles on psychology and I write about good eating and post my recipes as well.

 

So that's what I was thinking about today in terms of this blog. Let's see what's next...  

Boy, things have changed a bit. I have been evacuated from my hotel that I was really beginning to enjoy and have been "safely" placed in another hotel that is not quite to my liking. All this because of a supposed hurricane that is about to blow Miami away, at least a little bit. But...so far it hasn't been worth one shot for my show. Who wants to see a couple of palm trees blowing "peacefully" in the wind? So far there is no sign of anything strange; we have been totally uprooted and I had two filming appointments cancelled because of the hurricane threat. I'm going to have to wait this one out for another day even if nothing happens. I'll probably go to the gym and look around to see if I can bump into anything interesting to tape for the mean time. No one wants to make appointments until they see if there will actually be a hurricane and if there will actually be any damage.

 

This is the most boring hurricane I have ever seen. Oh well, hope there's a change in the weather in more ways than one!

Dear Blog Friends,

At this moment I'm not in my accustomed surroundings. I'm taping for our television programs in Miami. We've been here for two days and so far so good. Tonight we just got back from taping at a very busy and popular restaurant called Ortanique on the Mile. The owner and chef, Cindy Hutson prepared a special Seared Tuna and Delicious Green Salad for us according to my strict specifications about no sugar and no salt. The plate was carefully and skillfully prepared and was "Scruptious"! This restaurant is one of the top ten of Miami and is full every night. It was exciting to be in the kitchen where all the action is and the people that work there are cheerful and colorful! They make everything taste even better! If you're in Miami you must go there. It's well worth it.

 

The hotel we're staying at is also a pleasure. It is the Conrad-Hilton where the hospitality and attention are superb. There are many details I'm thoroughly enjoying like having Internet in my room; bottled water, ice, and chocolates, every night at the foot of the bed; snuggly, soft slippers and bathrobes for lounging around the room and when you're fresh out of the bath or shower; newspaper delivered every morning, left hanging on your doorknob; great variety of beauty products in the bathroom like special hair shampoo and conditioner, body gel and soothing skin cream; minty mouthwash, nail clipper, cotton swabs, cu-tips, shoe shine cloth, shower cap, dental floss, needle and thread, nail file...these details make the difference for rushed packers like me who forget to bring these practical and very needed items. All the people that I have encountered that work here are a real pleasure. In terms of their nationalities so far I've met personel from China, Dominican Republic, Africa, Honduras, Ecuador, England, Argentina, and the United States. There are many other pleasant details about the hotel that I will fill you in on as my trip progresses.

 

More to come! Qué Rico! 

I've been really busy lately working on organizing a filming trip to Miami for our television shows. That's why it took me so long to write the sequal to my last entry. I know you've all been at the edge of your chairs just waiting to know what exactly it is that bran does inside your body so I won't keep you in suspense not even for one more minute!

 

Eating natural bran is one of the best things you can do in favor of better health for life. People of all ages should enjoy the benefit of having a normal digestion and believe me, most people don't. Our digestive process should take a maximum of 17 hours which means you should go to the bathroom at least once a day. Just yesterday a television viewer called me and asked me: "What is bran?"...although I've been talking about it, using it and explaining about it on my show for the last twenty years! 

 

Bran is the outer covering of the grain of wheat. When white flour is produced the bran and wheat germ are discarded, leaving us with a substance full of calories and empty in terms of nutritive value. Not only that, it clogs up the digestive process because all the fiber has been removed. If you like to eat glue, go ahead and eat white flour. It will glue-up your intestines. Don't you remember? When you were in kindergarden didn't you mix white flour and water together to make glue?

 

Bran is what is referred to as vegetable fiber. It cannot be digested. It goes right through the intestines acting like a broom...moving things along...cleaning things out...and preventing all kinds of undesirable processes from ocurring. People who have enough fiber in their diets don't buy deodorant for their bathrooms. You don't need it. You bowel movements won't smell bad becasue you're not allowing everything to rot inside you.

 

People who eat lots of refined foods like white rice; white bread, cakes and pastries; most packaged processed foods, etc. are inviting terrible health problems. When digestion is slow dangerous bacteria form in the intestines which can eventaully lead to diverticulosis and even cancer.

 

All of this was discovered by a group of scientists from England who studied the diet of some primitive African tribes. After 20 years, they found out that the reason these Africans did not suffer the chronic diseases that the English fell prey to so easily, was due to a very high-fiber diet.

 

In case you have something against wheat bran, there are other sources of fiber, but for me wheat bran is the best. You can eat seeds and skins of fruits and vegetables, oat bran and rice bran, and certain fruits and vegetables have some fiber.

 

Basically you will benefit by having a better overall feeling, better smelling breath, better skin complextion, no constipation, no varicose veins--and if you already have them consuming bran will prevent more damage and complications of the existing VVs; no hemorroides or relief of pain from existing hemorroides; less propensity towards obesity; relief of pain and complication of diverticulosis, and a great step toward preventing heart attack and cancer...and much, much more!

 

So for a very small price, eating bran every day can help to keep the doctor away!

 

P.S.: Make sure you drink an adequate amount of water when eating a high-fiber diet (6-8 glasses a day).

 

Questions:

1) Would you be willing to give this a try? (I've been eating bran every day for the past 32 years with great results!) 

 

2) Would you like for your entire family to eat bran as well? (This can be accomplished openly or secretively! I put bran in the majority of my recipes. My friends, business associates, and acquaintances that drop by for herb tea and high-fiber pastries would never guess that they were eating bran!)

 

 

First I'd like to satisfy Mochamomma's curiosity about how to make your own soy milk. It is so easy and so exciting because soy milk acts like cow's milk. You can make ice cream with it, cheese (tofu), all kinds of delicious "milk" shakes, and what ever else your imagination can think of!

 

 

Soak two cups of soy beans overnight (or for 8 hours)  in water at room temperature. When the soy beans have been soaked, prepare your blender by wrapping it in aluminum foil to insulate it. Put some water to boil.  Put one cup of soaked soy beans in the blender. Add three cups of boiling hot water to the soaked beans and immediately top the blender and blend on the highest speed for two minutes. Strain the hot soy milk in a cheese cloth or similar kind of cloth. Let it cool a little and squeeze the cloth and its contents to get all the milk out of it. Repeat process until all the beans have been used up.  Once the soy milk has cooled off, keep refrigerated and use as you like.

 

Note: Do not throw away the left over soy pulp from the cloth! This "dough" can be used for a multitude of delicacies. Add some honey, coconut, an egg, a little bicarbonate of soda, and a little yogurt. Make balls and flatten on a greased cookie sheet...bake...and you'll have some really delicious soy cookies.

 

You can also add to this soy dough some chopped onion, chopped green pepper, minced garlic, an egg,  basil, thyme and you'll have a delicious soy burger. Serve with homemade tomatoe sauce and enjoy!!!!

 

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I can boast that I rarely get sick...not even a cold. I attribute this to having learned to express my feelings and eating a wonderful, natural diet. I'd like to pass some of my dietary practices on to my blog friends so they can join me in being healthy for life.

 

Do you eat bran every day? I don't mean Super Duper Bran Flake Cereal  or Fancy Fiber Fantasy Mix  that come in a box and are watered down versions of real bran. I'm talking about plain old natural bran. If you don't, you're cheating yourself out of an excellent preventive medicine for apendicitis, cancer of the stomach-rectum-and colon, varicose veins, heart attack, and many other common ailments and killers of modern life.

 

It's really very simple. If you've never eaten natural bran before, I recommend to start out with about three tablespoons a day for an adult and one tablespoon a day for children. It is very important to drink sufficient liquid when you consume bran. Six to eight glasses of water a day is just fine, and for kids about half this quantity. I like to eat "brananas" which is a mashed ripe banana with the bran mixed into it. Tastes delicious. Bran by itself tastes kind of like cardboard. I also like to liquify bran with papaya and chug-a-lug it down.

 

After a week or two of 3 tablespoons a day, if you are not excreting at least once a day you must gradually increase your bran intake. Go slowly, adding one tablespoon at a time. After each addition wait a day or two, and if your bowel movements are not at least one a day, add another tablespoon of bran. You will notice that you really feel great when your digestive process normalizes thanks to bran.

 

On another ocassion I can explain what exactly happens inside your body when you comsume bran, but for now you'll just have to trust me. Do yourself a favor, eat bran every day, for the rest of your life and I'll see you in our wild dance party when we're 125 years old!

 

 

On my last post I finished up at about age 17. Now I'd like to jump to age 26 when I began to appear on television in Costa Rica. I started out on the government owned channel 13. Qúe Rico (Scumptious) aired once a week at 6:00 P.M.-6:30 P.M.. I had a musical director being that I sang on every show, I cooked a totally natural foods diet, my father participated with psychological commentaries and a section called Dr. Paer in the Streets whereupon my father would walk up to someone and have them try the recipe of the day, plus a multitude of guests that came to cook, eat and have a good time!

 

I'd like to dedicate this post to what I started to teach about eating a good diet on my show. My tactic is to say YES. I like to tell everyone what they can eat to be in great shape. I'm going to point out what I call the Six White Poisons  but I won't leave you with just "Don't Eat Them!" I'll add what you can substitue them with so you can really enjoy yourself.

 

1) WHITE FLOUR

White flour has no nutritive value. When white flour is produced, the bran and wheat germ are removed which are the most valuable parts of the grain of wheat. When you were in kindergarden do you remember making glue out of white flour and water? Well that's exactly what eating refined wheat flour does to your intestines...it "glues them together"  making it tough for an agile digestion. Substitute white flour with WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR.

 

2) WHITE RICE

Same problem as with white flour. White rice has its outer skin removed where all the richest nutritive value is found. White rice has almost no nutritive value whatsoever. Since the industrial revolution, the human diet has been drastically damaged. The machines made it easy to produce refined flour and rice, therefore affecting a much larger proportion of the population. In the Second World War a doctor discovered the valuelessness of white rice. In Switzerland there was a time when food was scarce. In a hospital patients were on a diet of only white rice being that there was nothing else to eat. The brown rice (thought to be an inferior product) was given to the chickens in the hospital yard. Patients began to develop beri-beri but the chickens were doing just fine. A doctor noticed this and experimented by giving brown rice to the beri-beri affected patients. The patients recovered (Brown rice has a good quantity of vitimin B while white rice lacks it. The deficiency of this vitimin causes beri-beri). Substitute white rice with BROWN RICE.

 

3) SUGAR

Sugar is sucrose and is not found as such in nature. When you eat pure sucrose you blood sugar rises immediately (sucrose is coverted into glucose). That's why when people have a coffee break with a donut they feel an energy jolt. This "false energy" quickly turns into a dull thud when the pancreas secretes insulin to normalize the blood sugar level. Most people eat sugar 10 times a day, so ten times a day your pancreas has to do the job. Eventually this organ gets sick of being overworked and can go crazy. That's the beginning of diabetes. There's a lot more to say about the bad of sugar but for the moment I'll recommend you substitute with: Honey, dried fruits, bananas, ripe plantain bananas, and sweet potatoes. Later on in this blog we can see how you can use these ingredients to make sweet delicacies that won't make you fat!

 

4) MILK

Cow's milk is great for cows! They have four stomachs that are made to digest their cow mother's milk. Humans are made to drink human milk. The composition of the two are vastly different. Cow's milk has much more salt and fat than mother's milk. It is very hard to digest compared to breast milk. Many people have a hard time with cow's milk, especially babies. When breast milk is changed for cow's milk most babies can't hack it. I do suggest you consume NATURAL YOGURT.  Yogurt made with cow's milk is three times easier to digest than regular milk. Also it contains valuable bacteria needed for excellent digestion and a healthy intestine. You can also make yogurt from goats milk although it doesn't have as creamy a texture as cow's milk yogurt.

 

5) SALT

I don't add any salt to my cooking. A human being needs three grams of salt a day to maintain excellent health. We easily get those three grams from a balanced diet. When you eat a lot of salt you retain much extra, unnecessary water in your body. This could even turn into edema. Coronary diseases, overweight, hiperactivity and nervousness are all related to high salt consumption. Substitue salt with: GARLIC, RED PEPPER, BLACK PEPPER, ALL AROMATIC SPICES (oregano, bay leaves, savoury, thyme, etc.), MUSTARD, CUMIN, etc. etc.

 

6) FAT

I don't add fatty foods or just plain old fat-lard-and even oils of all kinds to my recipes. I use a little olive oil so that things don't stick to the pan and in salad dressings, but besides that I don't add extra fat to my recipes. I never deep fat fry anything I eat. Substitue with BOILING, BAKING, and COOKING WITH VERY LITTLE OLIVE OIL. You'll never regret it!

 

So there you have it! I strictly go by these rules and others as well and I am enviously healthy!

 

Questions:

 

1) Do you think the diet you eat is affecting the way you feel?

 

2) Are you interested in trying some of the above suggestions?

 

3) Which one do you consider the hardest to eliminate from you diet and apply the substitutes?

 

 

 

In Costa Rica soccer is called "futbol" and is pronounced football. Till a very few years ago, Costa Rican soccer players played ball because they had "futbol fever". In other words they loved the game. Professional players were paid very little and everyone had lots of fun at the games. There was no significant violence in relation to the fans. Once in a while a few drunks would start a fight, and were immediately removed from the stadium.

 

Now-a-days Costa Rican soccer players receive important salaries, are "top models", pose in different outfits for front pages of magazines, are talked about for every little thingy they do and who they are going out with...just like they do on the gossip shows about celebrities. I must say though, I have always considered this, no matter what country it comes from, as absurd-stupid nonsense. But...in Costa Rica it is more absurd becasue it is a cheap copy of what others do. The biggest problem is that the C.R. soccer players fall for all of it and lose their center. They start looking goofy or like old ladies.

 

The result of all this in the World Soccer Championship is that Costa Rica has been disqualified, representing a huge loss of time-energy-and money. Today Costa Rica played Ecuador and lost 3-0. The game was extremely boring and Costa Rica showed a total lack of EVERYTHING. No creativity, no spunk, no joy...goofy-old ladies pouncing around on the field.

 

Being that I've lived here for 31 years and know personally many of the players...I attribute this not so much to their physical preparation but to their mental non-preparation. The coach is also another old lady and that doesn't do any good either. The press covered their presence in Germany showing them going to amusement parks and getting on all the rides! Going to fairs and being welcomed and honored here and there! Staying in five star hotels! Oh my gosh!!!!! And then crashing into an abismal nothing on the field. Many of the players are very talented, but they were turned off, dull, and lack-luster this time around. They were not being themselves. They were not in tune with their beginnings, their roots, their real selves. Results...humilation.

 

I comment on this so that all of us can take a  look at ourselves.

 

Questions:

1) Have you ever had an interesting opportunity that you simply let go by, or that you buckled under and didn't take advantage of, or that your "back went out" right at the moment of truth?

 

 

 

 

Just a brief break from the stories of my life...Tomorrow Costa Rica is playing Germany in the world soccer championship games. All of Costa Rica is involved in this...even me! We just produced a parody on a show they call The Technical Zone (Zona Técnica), whereupon they discuss details about every player,  referee, and game results in general. We called our show The Tragic Zone (Zona Trágica) due to Costa Rica's so far really awful performance in the pre-heat games. Basically here in Costa Rica everyone thinks we're going to lose even if they say they don't think that. I must say that I am disappointed with the attitude of our players. They pretty much all come from humble beginnings and they're trying to act like big-shots. They seem to be depressed and like fish out of water. Costa Rica has something really special and when they try to be like people from develloped countries everything goes right down the tubes.

 

Questions:

1) Do you change and act nervous when you are in  the presence of someone "famous" or someone who is known to have "lots of money and power"?

2) Are you eastily intimidated by others who are "said" to be important?

3) If your answers are yes to the above questions...do you try to pretend that you don't feel that way and therefore become depressed and start having muscular pains and general physical discomfort?

 

My guess is that number three applies to our players...tomorrow we'll see what happens!

 

 

This morning all of Costa Rica was on stand-by because of the opening game of the World Soccer Championship. Government workers were given time off, all private businesses had a television on for their employees...and I too watched the game with my dad and some friends. ... ... ... ... We lost 4-2. I know our players could have done a better job. Something is missing. It seems like they have no plan of attack. They are not out of the picture as of yet, but from what I saw today I was not impressed. I wasn't impressed  with Germany either.

 

Questions:

1) Do you like to watch soccer or play soccer? (I like to play more than watch.)

2) Do you have a favorite team? (Yes, Brasil.)

3) Did you see this opening game? (Yes.)

4) How do you feel about sports in general? (My favorite sport is baseball. I like to play rather than watch.)

So, the story continues...You may be wondering...verterinary medicine...piano...so how the hell does nutrition and cooking get in there?

 

When my parents divorced I had to go live with my mother in New York. It was a very rough time for me being separated from my father by force. My mother refused to allow me to visit him. I decided to refuge myself in school. I was in the nineth grade and we had a class called Home Economics.   My teacher was Mrs. Matuza (of Greek decent), a very tall woman with dark black hair and big everything; especially her hands. She would teach us different recipes and talk about her husband and her personal life with us in a loving way. I had never known anyone like her. She was soft spoken but at the same time had a firm, confident manner. I was very impressed with the way she talked about her husband. She always spoke well of him and how she loved to cook for him. It was soothing to me to hear her speak this way being that I was always around my unhappy mother saying...Your father "this" and your father "that". I thought my father was a pretty good guy and it was relieving for me to see that not all women hate their husbands.

 

One day in class we were making apple pie. Mrs. Matuza came over to me and said: "Jill, you know you have a special way in the kitchen! You're going to be an excellent cook." I couldn't believe she had said this. I had never had any instruction and very little exposure to cooking. I remember being somewhat fascinated by those cake and bread mixes that came in a box..."Just add water and, voilá!" One time, when I was about 9 or 10 years old, I insisted that my mother buy me an instant bread mix. She said (as usual in her positive and very supportive syle) "It will never work. You can't make bread. It's too hard." ...but the instructions said...just add water...it couldn't be that hard. Anyway I tried to make the bread and it came out kind of deformed and pasty. I think my mother cursed it. But that didn't totally discourage me in terms of cooking.

 

When finally I went to live with my father in California I had more freedom to experiment in the kitchen. At that time my father was treating people who were trying to stop smoking. Although he is a clinical  psychologist he recommended they make some dietary changes to make them feel better and have more chances of success in their treatment. He told them to incorporate fiber in their diet to help eliminate toxins. The patients responded surprisingly well to the dietary recommendations. Their skin started to change from a grey color to a more normal complextion. My father had a high percentage of patients who successfully stopped smoking due to the combination of psychology with nutrition.

 

My dad said one day..."Kids, we're going to start eating fiber every day. It's doing wonders for my patients and we should get in on the benefits!" From that day on I became much more interested in the effects of food on our bodies. My dad bought me my first cook book--The Rodale Cookbook. It explained a little about eating natural foods and the importance of this for your health. I had never cooked anything (except those few recipes I made with Mrs. Matuza) and much less on my own. So I adventurously dove into this cookbook to see what would happen. My first try was a big success! It was like magic. I followed the instructions in the cookbook and it actaully worked! This was very exciting to me and to shorten the story I made every single recipe and ate them as well. My family was happy as a lark with my cooking.  I was on my way.

 

One day an Armenian woman, an acquaintance of our family, was telling me of special Arab recipes she would prepare. She was quite a character, very jovial and passionate about food.  She said..."Put a little of this and then put a little of that." I said..."Hey, wait a minute I want to write the exact measurments down." She said..."Just follow your instincts. Before you know it you'll be inventing your own recipes! I can tell, you're going to be a very good cook."

 

Now this was the second time a woman  had said that to me, so I started to believe it. At first it was unconscionable to me to cook without following each measurment to a tea. But then, little by little, I began to loosen up and experiment. It was amazing! I started to gain confidence in the kitchen. It was a whole new, exciting world for me...but I had no idea how exciting...

 

to be continued...

 

Questions for my friends:

 

1) How do you feel about food? It is an important part of your life or could you care less about how and what you eat?

2) Do you eat a natural foods diet?

3) Do you like to cook?

So there I was studying toward two careers...verterinary medicine and piano. Upon entering both universities I became quite disillusioned. In the National University I was enrolled in four basic courses that were obligatory in order to go on to vet school. I found the university atmosphere undesirable in terms of my teachers and my classmates. My teachers were not enthusaistic and gave me the feeling they had their post, were there to get their salary; and could care less if they gave a good lecture, a bad one, or none at all. My fellow classmates didn't seem to mind. All they had on their minds was to pass, get a degree, get a salary, and could care less if they knew what they were doing with their lives or not.

 

I hated to do group projects. We would organize and each person had to be responsible for a certain investigation and write-up. When we would get together at the time when everything had to be typed-up, I couldn't believe what they were going to hand in! It was awful, inadequate, badly done...TERRIBLE! My name was going to be on the work and I couldn't stand the idea of being associated with something so badly done. So I took everything and went and did the whole job myself. We got an "A". The second time around the same thing happened and again because of my extra effort the whole group got an "A". The teacher suspected something because one day she asked me straight out: "Jill, are you doing the whole thing?" 

 

On the other hand, I was also unhappy in the Conservatory of the University of Costa Rica in piano. I continued to have lessons with my teacher who I respected and liked. The part I couldn't stand was 12 hours a week of complementary courses that I was forced to take. My class was made up of people who knew nothing whatsoever, people like me who didn't know but were in the process of figuring things out, and one musical genious. The teacher would pass practically the whole two hour class speaking "Greek" with this genious student. Some of us tried to stop them and we would ask questions, but I felt I was wasting my time there. The class was theory and I thought I could learn much more on a private basis with my teacher. I told her about the frustration I was having but she refused to have me as a private student.

 

At the same time my father began to give a course in Psychology and Nutrition. One day he asked me to come with him to help translate. He was doing pretty good with his Spanish but at times when his students spoke fast he couldn't get the jist of it. I accepted. I learned a lot  listening to my dad's lectures and helping out with translation. The students, who were mostly women, thought it was nice that we worked as a team. I was only 17 at the time. One day my dad said: "Why don't you offer one of your natural food recipes in the nutrition part of the class?" I did, and the women loved it. I kept getting more and more involved with the course and unlike my feelings about going to the university, I was having a good time.

 

We started to give "Psychology and Nutrition" in other towns of Costa Rica and every time it was totally full. Our schedule was too. One day I told my dad I wanted to quit the university and continue giving nutrition/cooking classes. Both universities were helping me to make this decision because I couldn't stand them.  My dad suggested to not jump the gun and to finish out the year reasoning that in case I regretted my decision, I would have credit for the courses and could resume my studies at any time.

 

I did quit the conservatory because I really didn't want to develop a career in piano. My love for music was a part of me that would never disappear, but I wasn't willing to undergo so much tedium in relation to something I had always enjoyed. I decided to keep the piano as a pleasure activity and forget about a career as a pianist. This was not an easy decision to make and till this day, at times I think of taking up the piano again.

 

I finished my first year towards vet school with excellent grades and went on to giving the Psychology and Nutrition courses with my dad. We went to practically every town in Costa Rica, so not only was I developing my skills as a public speaker in Spanish, but I had the privilege of going to each town once a week for seven weeks in a row. I was getting an education in Costa Rican culture at the same time. The students of our courses were so thankful. Every time the course ended they presented us with special gifts and sometimes even organized a celebration with delicious tortillas, cheese, and agua dulce (a special Costa Rican drink)! At times we were exhausted from traveling all week long, but I felt very satisfied and happy with what we were doing.

 

And then...     to be continued

 

Here's my questions for my friends:

 

If you are studying towards your career at this moment, how do you feel about the education you are receiving?

 

If you already graduated, how do you feel about the education you received?

 

If you never went to school, how did you learn  to get where you are today? Did you do it on your own? Did someone help you? Are you frustrated at this time in your life? Are you happy about where you are?

 

  

And now...the rest of the story

 

So, I graduated high school in Costa Rica. Just a parenthesis...I have such a fond memory of my high school graduation dance. It was thrilling, not only for me, but for my whole family. I graduated from Colegio La Salle and we celebrated in the Costa Rica Country Club. I went to a seamstress, well actually a seamstresser (he was a man that made women's clothes, which was unusual for Costa Rica) and I designed my graduation gown with him. The images that went along with this are not what you think. He worked out of a hole in the wall in what today is one of the most dangerous neighborhoods of Costa Rica, Barrio Cristo Rey. The gown came out just as I had imagined and I looked really beautiful in it!

 

 All the families were there (about 200)...parents, brothers and sisters, cousins...all relatives of the graduates. The atmosphere was so supportive of us students. Everthing was to celebrate our accomplishments and to wish us a successful future. Everyone danced together, ate together...the atmoshpere was so nice that I even received my first romantic kiss that night. Now, back to the rest of the story...

 

In order to be a veterinarian in Costa Rica I had to enroll in basic university studies first for one year. The following year I would go to veterinary school. I visited the verterinary installations with my father whereupon we spoke to one of the professors. Upon conversing he explained  that the emphasis in Costa Rica for verterinarians was basically the cattle business. Upon graduating, in order to earn a living I would have to work out in the country, sticking my arm up a cow's asses and probably getting kicked now and then. He said very few women were enrolled. I explained to him that my interest was much more towards treating dogs and cats. He said I would die of hunger because NO ONE would pay to have their dog, and much less their cat examined. It was a miracle if they vaccinated their dogs and cats, and basically Costa Rican's just didn't value their pets as a worthwhile investment at that time. It wasn't that they didn't love their pets, it was just that they tried to cure them at home and considered it frivolous to pay a vet.

 

Just because of this conversation I wasn't going to give up my plans to be a vet, nor was I ready to give up the piano. I had invested six years of my life practicing every day, and I had talent. When we first arrived in Costa Rica I was told that Sara Weinstock was an excellent teacher so I went to her home and asked her to accept me as a student. She said she gave no private lessons, but I begged and pleaded and she found this to be quite amusing. She asked me to play for her and afterwards gave the same verdict on my playing as those in the University of Cincinnati. "Jill you have such a special way of interpreting the music. You really put your feelings into it, but you need more technique. I will accept you as my student under one condition...You must enroll next year in the university to study piano as your career." I accepted and did as she said. She taught me at her home, which I really enjoed. She was going to be my teacher in the university, so I enrolled in order to continue with her.

 

I was studying for two careers at the same time. Simultaneously I went to the National University going towards verterinary medicine and in the University of Costa Rica, towards a future with the piano.

 

This is turning into something like one of those soap operas where they keep telling you to tune in tomorrow, etc. I'm out of time and have to go edit today's promgram, so until the next one...

 

Here's my question for my friends: What do you think is the best thing to do when you have more than one interest, or more than one talent in terms of a career?

1) Specialize in only one and keep the other as a hobby?

2) Go ahead with both?

3) Drvie yourself crazy about this and don't do either one?

 

Looking forward to your responses.

Of all the things in the world, if you would have asked me when I was a little girl if I thought I would end up having a natural foods cooking show on television in Costa Rica, I would have said..."You've got to be out of your mind!"

 

Since I can remember I always thought of myself as a future verterinarian. The first animal we ever had was a dog. Her name was Leonard (yes, she was a girl dog with a guy's name). I got along so well with her, although she was partial to my father. She never liked my brother which was a sign of her good intuition. After that, my dad bought me two hamsters and from there I built up my menageríe. I loved taking care of my animals, training them, breeding them, and curing them when they were ill. My teachers agreed that I definitely would be a verteranarian...or something in the entertainment world.

 

From a young age I studied piano which I also enjoyed. My Japanese teacher Mrs. Schricker,  in Cincinnati, Ohio, believed in me and enrolled me in important piano competitions. Once I obtained first prize...well actually I tied for first prize and had to split the $50.00 award with another kid. He won for his technique and I won for interpretation (feeling). I also wanted to be in the school band and chose the clarinet, also doing well to the pont of becoming the first clarinet in my high-school band (New York).  

 

Not only that but I was a talented singer, recognized for this in my elementary school, and then in high school, playing María in The Sound of Music in the high school drama club.

 

Then I received a big blow. My parents divorced and I was obligated to go with my mother to New York where her family lived, even though I wanted to go with my father to California. We went to live in my Aunt's house in East Meadow, New York and if I hadn't thrown the biggest fit of my life, I would have had to abandon all my animals. My Aunt was totally opposed to allowing my animals to move into her home, but my fit was stronger than her dislike of my furry friends. I was relegated to putting them in the basement, but that was better than not being able to have them at all.  All the development of my talents was stifled momentarily, basically because I was in shock and had been totally up-rooted. 

 

Finally I was able to "win custody" of my dad and I went to live with him in California...animals and all. After two years in San Diego, California we moved to Costa Rica (animals and all). Everything kept veering towards my future career in Veterinary Medicine. When I graduated high school at the top of my class I was excused from taking the final exams. Instead, the school orienter asked me what I was interested in studying for in order to do a practice period. I was sent to Dr. Lutz's Veterinary Hospital to get hands on experience. I felt right at home there, except for the first day when I almost fainted in a surgery. Eventually I got over my fainting spells and was convinced that the way to go was the veterinary way...and then  

 

Tune in next week...same time...same channel for the rest of the story!

 

By the way friends. How did you arrive at your decision as to what your career would be? Are you still ambivalent as to where you are going? Do you regret the choice you made? 

Costa Rica has strongly influenced my personality. When I first moved here I couldn't believe that such a benevolent country existed on the face of the earth. Compared to what I was used to priorly; the soft spoken, "everything is going to work out (and actually did) atmosphere" sunk into my soul. I learned that a smile, sitting down and having a cup of coffee, a little gift...was always enough to solve just about any problem whatsoever. When you are treated this way for ten or so years, you get used to it and depend on it as a way of life.

 

I had been told by others that sometimes in Costa Rica things are not so easy going...but of course that was for other people and would never happen to me.

 

After living here for twenty years we opted to acquire the lots behind our home in self-defense. The empty lots had become a fire hazzard, a garbage dump, and because of the giant grass, was even used as a hideaway for thieves and secret lovers. What a job! It took us about a year to clean up the place. Finally, once we had built a wall around the property, we made accomodations for goats, chickens and rabbits. Goats are really lovely animals to have around and the milk they give is soooooo delicious. After about a year of having my  goat; about 20 rabbits and 20 chickens; my dogs and cat; there was a knock at the door. "We're from the water company. We have been informed that you are robbing water for the zoo you have installed and will have to tear up the sidewalk to check it out." And that's exactly what they did...I asked who had done this so called informing and they said that was confidential. They found nothing and left a big hole in my sidewalk which wasn't fixed for about a month and a half.

 

The following week...knock, knock, knock. "We're from the Municipal Offices. We have been informed that you have a zoo and we've come to investigate." Now I was getting a little bothered. Of course I let them in and they said there was no problem. Knock, knock..."We're from the MINAE (they protect plant and animal life in Costa Rica). We have been informed that you have wild animals that are ilegal to possess and we've come to investigate." Now I was really getting angry. I told them I had already undergone two investigations and refused a third. They insisted I let them in and got huffy with me, so again my home was entered. By now I had found out that a neighbor was responsible for these accusations and I told the official from the MINAE about the situation. He of course said everything looked just fine and told me to not get too angry at my neighbor, being that just recently one neighbor had shot and killed another because of their differences.

 

Knock, knock...This time it was the Ministry of Health. "We have received an acusation that you are contaminating the neighborhood with snakes, rats, bad odors, and that you have an ilegal zoo in your backyard. Open up, we're here to investigate." So again I was invaded...the inspector looked around and found nothing except some very clean, nice smelling, nicely kept animals. I explained to him that we cleaned up the neighborhood by eliminating many contaminants and that we deserved a prize of some kind rather than an investigation.

 

This time they didn't just go away. Apparently the neighbor killing case was getting a lot of publicity on the news. This neighbor of mine, not a Costa Rican, was a real trouble maker. So instead of informing him that everything was fine with us, I received an order from the Ministry of Health to rearrange all my installations, cramping all my animals into the center of my property. They figured that would calm him down. This was the most stupid thing I had ever heard of and being that the law permits that one protests, I did so in writing. Immediately afterwards  I received and order to elimiate every animal from my property! Now I had to investigate what the rules were and what did the law actually permit and not permit. I found out that my rights were being violated and that everything I was doing was fine. But the weight was on my shoulders to prove that. I called in the head veteranarians of Costa Rica, the head protectors of the environment, I had all my animals tested by a laboratory to show their immaculate healthy conditions, and much, much more. No matter how much evidence I produced in my favor I always got the same answer..."Get all your animals off of your property!" This was too much. How could they tell me what I can or can't have if I'm not violating any law? I refused to move one hair on my goat's body.

 

Out of desperation, I spoke about the case on television and received phone calls, letters and nothing but positive support from my fans! Ring, ring...it was the channel telling me I was in big trouble. Why, I asked? The neighbor had presented himself at the channel asking I be fired and demanding that he receive equal time on the air about the case. At first the channel told me I had to go tape him, put him on my program, and give him exactly the same amount of time as I had spoken. How humiliating! No way! Impossible! So they told me to bring the piece where I had spoken for examination by the channel's lawyer . I did so and after seeing it he said, "Good job! You didn't even say your neighbor's name. He has no right to equal time and is actually confessing to be the one responsible for the whole situation." I was so relieved! This enfuriated my neighbor and he went to the Ministry of Health and made a huge scene bringing with him a gang (10 or 11 others) all speaking against me.

 

Knock, knock..."We are serving you with these papers. You must present yourself in penal court for being disobediant to the government. This is very serious and you must come with your lawyer." Now it was beyond belief. I was going to go to jail for having a goat? My father jokingly said, "Don't worry Jill, we'll film your show directly from the jail."

 

I went to court without a lawyer and complained. I refused to spend not even one colon (the Costa Rican money) on a lawyer because I was totally innocent. The court official told me I had to have a lawyer because the issue could be penalized with a jail sentence if I was found guilty. I still refused to hire a lawyer so the court assigned me one. The next time I went to court I met with my lawyer. I showed him all the documents that had to do with two years of fighting for my right to have my property how I wanted it as long as I did no harm to anyone else. He looked things over and found many faults on the part of the Ministry of Health. He assured me that because of a technical mistake on their part, that the case would not proceed.

 

Knock, knock..."We're informing you that for the moment, the case will not proceed...but don't be surprised if it starts all over again. All they have to do is correct their mistake and they'll be back."

 

Since they last knocked on my door several years ago, they haven't come back with reference to this case. God helped me out with my neighbor and he no longer lives in this neck of the woods. I still have all my animals and I love them.

 

One thing's for sure...the whole ordeal was very time consuming and emotionally draining. But you might say...well at least you defended your rights and justice prevailed. But for sure I was left with the bad taste of having been unjustly harrassed for over two years.

 

Knock, knock...I'll be back later, someone's knocking at my door... 

I have lived many wonderful experiences in Costa Rica for the past 31 years, but I have also lived the dark side. That's reality. When you hear a politician, a high-school principal or any government paid employee from any country in the world say: "This is the best country in the world. We are better than ever. We're number one!", you can count on the fact that he or she is a lier. I prefer to tell the whole story. Being able to see and tell things how they really are makes for trust.

 

I have stated previously that Costa Rica has no army...so what could possibly be Costa Rica's most dangerous weapon? On one occasion the late G. W. Villalobos, one of Costa Rica's best comedians of all times, came to my father's  Saturday night, television talk show. He had a large black bag with him and said on cameras that within that bag was Costa Rica's most deadly and dangerous weapon. My father asked him if he was going to show it to the public. He nodded affirmatively and slowly began to open the big black bag. My father was cringing and little by little G. W. pulled out... a saw...yes, I said a saw. "El serrucho" definitely is Costa Rica's most dangerous weapon.

 

In Costa Rica there is an unwritten law that if someone discovers you are making money, getting a lot of attention for your good work, or doing better than "they" consider you should be doing...they will apply "the saw--el serrucho". The saying is:  "Me serrucharon el piso." (They sawed the floor out from under me.) "El serrrucho" is sabotage or an intentional effort to do you harm, to "put you in your place" or "lower you to their level".

 

Sometimes "el serrucho" does damage that can never be repaired.  El serrucho is always present and you have to watch out for it and as we say... mind your P's and Q's.

 

A couple of examples of how I have felt the effects of "el serrucho" are:

 

a) When my cooking show first came out it was an immediate success. It was the first show on the government channel to get ratings.  I was almost taken off the air immediately because the biggest candy company of Costa Rica complained to the Board of Directors. They threatened to take  their advertising off the channel if I kept saying that refined sugar was bad for your health. The board of directors  ordered that the show be reviewed (my camera director gave them a different show where I didn't speak against sugar). Being that they saw no reference against that white sweet stuff, my show continued on that channel until...

 

b) my father wrote a song that was recorded with the backing of members of the National Symphony Orquestra of C. R., two of the best singing voices of Costa Rica--Cristina Gutiérrez and Omar Briceño in the Spanish version; and my father interpreting the English version called, "How Can It Be...that people in this world do harm to the children" (Cómo Puede Ser...que alguién maltrate a un niño). "Unfortunately" the song had a big impact. My dad was invited to the Costa Rican Telethon, to the 7:00 o'clock news, to a series of variety shows, the song was on the radio, Colgate-Palmolive sponsored the song to be on 4 television channels simultaneously, etc. etc. This was too much for the president of the Board of Directors of the channel who proceeded to get rid of my father by not renewing his contract (he had the most popular commentary on three times a day called "In Favor of the Person", and the only one that was sponsered by the National Bank) I wrote a letter to the major newspaper, defending my father and telling the inside story. The letter was published and shortly after, I was off the air as well. Soon after that, the president of the Board of Directors was fired!

 

There is a saying in Costa Rica "No hay mal que por bien no venga." Translation: For every bad thing that happens, something good is around the corner. And that's how it worked out for us in Costa Rica. After being taken off the government channel we went to a privately owned channel and enjoyed 10 years of being the highest-rated, nationally- produced program on that channel.

 

I have been through some very good times and some very tough times here in Costa Rica. I have learned from every one of them and always have come out wiser and stronger. Once, for defending what was right, I was almost put in jail. That's my next story...

 

Have you ever been affected by EL SERRUCHO...the deadly, sawing the floor out from under you saga? If so, how did you come out?

I've been describing the Costa Rica I found 31 years ago when I arrived and how things have changed. I can sight one thing that has not changed.

 

Besides being the only Central American country without an army, Costa Rica has no street names. It was that way when I arrived and is that way till this day. So in that case, how will you find me when you come to visit? Very simple. I'll give you my address:

 

First you go the the Friendly Park, the one on the west side of town. It's a park with strange trunks on one corner and a basketball court. You'll see on the right hand side of the street a beauty center and some offices of a variety of professionals. Turn right at that corner and continue going straight for about four blocks until you see a giant, concrete building. That's the old A.I.D. building that the United States built and then donated to Costa Rica, but that's not what it's called now. Now it's the Franklin Chang building. Keep going until the building ends and turn right for one block until you see a park with a guard's house on the corner. Sometimes he's in good humor and sometimes not. Turn left at the park and go two and a quarter blocks to the north. My house is on the right hand side of the street and has flor de itabo trees planted in front and guachipelín tree trunks on the balconies.

 

In the center of town they have numbered some of the avenues and streets. When someone gives you and address like 12th avenue, 4th and 6th street...no one knows how to get there. They always want you to tell them something like...Remember the old Civil Court Building? Well now it is a dance hall. Where you want to go is not there but next door to the red building with a white garage door...etc. etc.

 

This is what's left of a very people oriented society. The addresses I've described here are nothing like what they used to be! The descriptions were much more detailed and took about half an hour to be stated! I always found this to be very charming. I've heard American visitors complain and exclaim "I can't believe it. There are no street names here!" The only thing I didn't like was when I had to explain one of these addresses to my dad and watch his reaction! He'd always say exasperatedly: "Jill can't you get decent directions?!?"

 

When you want to send someone a letter you better put as many details on the envellope as possible and send it certified. Most people use P.O. Boxes for better results! Just think. What if your address in Costa Rica is: From the old cypress tree, 3 blocks west and 2 blocks north...and someone cuts down the tree? Don't forget to change your address to: Where the old cypress tree used to be...

 

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Now I'd like to refer to a special request from a Human's Human. He or she? asked me to comment on the effect of television, video games, movies and technology (like calculators)  on us humans. A H.H's. finds these modernisms disturbing.

 

Every single one of the aforementioned gadgets and creations are there to stimulate us while we are in a passive state. If we dedicate too much time to this kind of activity we become inept, incapable of acting, we get affected by the images, and basically TV has a negative impact on us. You might argue and say...well a video game is not passive. It requires skill and concentration. I disagree in the sense that most of these games are extremely grotesque involving monsters, machines, robots, and even if the protagonists of these games are nice little kittens...they are not real. You can't smell them or touch them or have a relationship with them. So you are "relating" to something that is dead...a machine. You press buttons, and like magic, things move on the screen. You are passive. You are letting the machine stimulate you as you move one or two fingers and go into a total hateful stupor, mezmerized by the flashing lights. I say hateful because many mothers call their kids while they are playing these games and they either don't answer at all, answer in a hostile way ("I'm playing Kill Roboman. I can't come now!"), or if you're lucky they come with glassy eyes, looking sort of like they are on drugs.

 

I work in television and I know it distorts real life. When people see me on the street, one of the most common comments is: "You are much prettier in person than you are on TV." People who have seen my show and come and experience it live say: "Oh, it's so different when you're here live!" But also things are seen as they are not in real life. For instance, on my cooking show I don't cut up all the ingredients on cameras because that would be considered to be boring. If the recipe takes two hours to bake, in a question of minutes you see the end result. So when you see me making a recipe you really don't see the whole process. You don't see all the work that goes into making the finished product. Also everyting looks bigger and better, there are close ups, different angles, lighting effects, special guests...in other words it's not real life. So, I think TV takes us away from appreciating how we really are and what it really takes to accomplish things.

 

Basically I feel technology is humilliating to the essence of human life. Machines do everything "better" than we do. Calculators do math better than you. Computers think better than you and have a better memmory. Lawn mowers do a better job than a guy with a machete. All of this states that the human way is inferior and that humans are not necessary. You don't even have to get an erection because you can put a pump in your penis that does the job better, or simply take a pill that gives you a better, harder, longer lasting effect. Yes but what about the person connected to that penis? What about his history? What about his formation, feelings, reactions, ways of interpreting all that happened to him in his most sensitive baby-days?

 

What would you rather do...look into yourself to find the answers to these questions or watch a movie?