The end of 2009 marked the end of an era in our neighborhood.  Suddenly all the little kids who used to run behind/in front of/beneath/behind their mothers again and again suddenly disappeared.  So did the strollers those kids were supposed to be riding in.  I actually really love seeing little kids in strollers when it’s cold out here.  They have these little sleeping bags that buckle into the strollers.  Mothers slip their children inside and let the rest of us smile and coo at their cute little bugs snug in their rugs.

But like I said, that’s all gone.

In its place are little snowsuit bundled children and the coolest wooden runner sleds you could ever imagine.

Now parents are taking their kids everywhere via sled.  Church, grocery store, school… you name it.  If you’re under six, you’ve got the hottest ride in town.  Cars stop at the intersection as parades of parents walk by, pulling wooden sleds behind them.  (You can see the sleeping bag “worm” in the stroller above – one of the last strollers I’ve seen because baby was sleeping.)

And if any of those parents has a lot of little kids, well he finds a way.

What do you say?  Want a ride?  Or maybe give a ride?

(Images by me on Sunday at noon.  It’s so dark here!)

When I biked home from German class every day, I really enjoyed how relaxing my journey was. I hesitated to ever say “my entire journey” because there was one spot where I never felt safe or comfortable. In fact, I would usually slow to a near stop in the bike lane.

Over Christmas break, Berlin was covered by blanket after blanket of snow, so I walked the entire way back from class today.  And at the exact same location, a car spun its wheels over the ice in attempt to cross the sidewalk before me.

I don’t think I am the only person feeling the high-stress of this location.  I think most drivers and passengers do, too.  That’s why it’s such a dangerous place.

That’s why my senses kick up a notch every time I approach:

a free-standing American fast food restaurant and its drive-thru

We’re becoming a world rushing to eat so that we can run to the next activity.  As a result:

Welcome 2010!  Here’s our chance to embrace food a little differently.  Food shouldn’t be something we just have to check off the list each day.  Try living an Fast Food Free Life.  Here’s how to do it:

1. Slow down meals. We don’t always have time to enjoy a long meal.  But try scheduling more food prep and meal time.  Fast food can be convenient for right now because we’re tired of cooking – that’s not so good for our wallets or our health.  It’s also really hard to pay attention to the road while you’re eating.
2. Taste the food. Remember Garfield slamming enormous cakes and lasagnas into his mouth?  That’s us when we forget to taste each bite.
3. Make meals family time. The greatest conversations you could ever have often take place around the table.
4. Make meals a time for reflection. When you’re eating alone, pause to look at your food.  Have you ever done that?  Feel yourself connected to the place where you are, smile a little, think about what’s on your plate or in your lunch sack, and inhale… just don’t inhale the food!
5. Make your food. It’s healthier, cheaper, and once you get the hang of it, relaxing.  Nothing says “reduce debt” on your News Years Resolutions list as well as eating out less can.
6. Define who’s responsibility it is to cook. If no one knows who’s going to put together a meal, it’s easier to turn to fast food.  But if you know that you’re in charge, you can think of some ideas and make sure you have the ingredients beforehand.
7. Take turns and share responsibilities. To avoid burnout (and a trip to the burger joint), give the main cook in the family a break every week.  Have someone else cook… even if it’s just sandwiches or noodles.  Or set a family policy: he who does not cook does dishes.
8. Ask yourself why. A professor in my class years ago once asked all of us, “Who can make a better burger than such-and-such-fast-food-restaurant?”  Everyone raised his hand.  Everyone.  ”So if we can all do a better job making good food,” he said, “then why are we going to fast food joints and paying someone else to do a worse job?”

What are your thoughts on fast food?  Love it?  Hate it?  A little of both?  Have a few guidelines of your own?  Go on, be honest.

(Image Martin took right here in Germany after German friends kept telling us how obsessed Americans are with fast food.  hehe!)