walking on sunshine

I enjoyed today.
I try to enjoy everyday but somedays are just easier than others.
I'll start with the most recent event.
I finally got one of my boxes. My mom is shipping them up periodically. I was so excited when I walked in and saw it sitting there in the entranceway. I jumped up and down. It's all my pots and pans and kitchen stuff so I can cook things to eat. And my comforter and some random things my mom threw in there. Yet, it was so much more than just getting some stuff. It was like a piece of me was coming back. It was like seeing an old friend. All of this familiar stuff and it just made me feel like I was home again, and it was the best feeling I felt in a long time. It was just the familiar. I mean I enjoy my studio but there is this feeling of home that is missing and it's good to have that here.

Event two. Today when I was coming home I realized I wanted mustard. Here's the deal I live in the vicinity of four food marts. One is on 40th and Walnut right on the edge of Penn's campus. The fresh grocer. It's like a step down from Whole Food meaning it's really nice, health food, other food, organic, and somewhat high prices.
Then there is shop and bag which is across the street from me on 44th and Walnut. It's like three steps below Winn Dixie, which means small selection, interesting quality of food, but fairly ok.
There is also the produce truck. No irony, that's exactly what it is. It's fresh amazing produce at really low prices. I got three grapefruits and a bag of carrots for two dollars. You just can't beat that.
And finally, there is the once mysterious Aldi on 46th and Market. It's right at the place where I get off the subway so I decided to stop there. By golly, it was like a mecca of fakebrand and frozen and low priced junk food. You know how instead of cheerios there's roundy honey o's or instead of hellman's mayo there's like spellman's mayo. It was all of that at ridicously low prices. I got mustard three frozen burritoes and a bag of frozen french fries for three dollars.
At first I was really happy about the new found cheap food options. But then I began to wonder.
Even though it was really cheap and just plain awesome, the stuff in there was poor quality and high sugar and low nutritional value. Most of the people in there were large minority families. I instanlty began to wonder what the health statistics in the community were like obesity rates, pregnancy issues, major illness and life expectancy. I mean I live at the poverty level now, these options are great for me. It just isn't as accesible to godown to fresh grocer and get organic health food. 30 cent frozen burritos sound great tome.
I mean is there a way to make healthy, quick food accesible. But I mean if you have all of these other issues going on in your life and you've never really placed a value on the nutritional content of your food?
And I need to be aware, that what I value are not the norm and my fellow community members have the same convictions such as loving their family and taking care of their needs but just go about in different ways.
But as a country I feel we stress how important it is too eat healthy but are we making it accesible for everyone? And if given the choice would people even choose anything than what they know?
I wonder.

Today was a more productive and fulfilling day at work. I had my first official conference call with my boss, Delese, and Alex and Shawn. We talked about the new office space and some logistical stuff. NSP is a really great organization, and I'm beginning to feel really committed to it. Our meeting went well and then we worked on getting the computers set up and I got my new e-mail and then it was the day. Tomorrow we're doing outreach and a tour of the community.

Now to cook dinner.