The 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, once said, “Whatever you are, be a good one.”  I believe I am a pretty good cook.  Although admittedly I have never attempted to make fried okra or fried rice at home.  I just have this sneaking suspicion neither one would turn out quite right.  In the meantime, this “Chinese” take out is our “happy family” pleasure.  We all love the little place we frequent and it’s gluten free.  Fried rice is a favorite of mine and I always ask for extra green onions.  I miss the days though of the little red boxes that looked so exotic.  Anyone else remember them?  The thin metal handle always made me think of a lantern and I enjoyed the different designs they used to put on the cartons.  The scenes reminded me of patterns on old Chinese ceramics portraying fierce dragons, delicate trees, and tiered rooftops turned up at the corners.  I also miss bamboo chopsticks and fortune cookies.  I still use chopsticks but I have precious few left.  In truth I never really cared for the taste of fortune cookies; I just always enjoyed reading the sayings inside.  There was one Asian restaurant which used to have paper placemats listing all the animals of the zodiac and you could see under which animal’s year you were born.  I am the year of the dog.  I’ll take it as that is the closest they have to the wolf.  Funny how the little touches can mean a lot.  Now it seems as if everything is so sterilized and homogenized.  Where did the character go?  Where are the different cultures?  Where is the little something extra?  It seems to have been swallowed up, no pun intended.  I for one think that’s a shame.  We can go to any city in the U.S. and eat the exact same food thanks to chain restaurants.  Heaven help that anyone actually venture out.  I have never minded our country being a melting pot, but I wish it remained more of a mixing pot.  I think our differences make us stronger.  We do not all have to be carbon copies of one another.  And yes, I realize how much that sentence just dated me.  Let’s all resolve to be creative, bold, and to break the proverbial mold!  Like our former president once said, “Whatever you are, be a good one.”