A Tree Grows in Trenton

Noodle Talk was taken to task on Monday, or — to give it a more accurate and positive spin — last Monday, we went to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (aka TASK) to lead a Noodle Talk group for patrons. NT was already being used in TASK’s adult education writing program as prompts for subject matter but this was the first time people were gathering for the sole purpose of exploring the common bonds that connect us with each other.

TASK began in 1982 in response to conditions not unlike today’s America: a deep recession, increased joblessness, and social service cutbacks. In addition to providing weekday meals at its main facility and 3 Trenton churches, TASK addresses other critical needs through programs such as: adult tutoring in GED preparation and ESL; computer classes; counseling; legal aid; medical services; meal-time child care; and telephone, mail, and fax access. It is also home to several thriving arts initiatives: the A-Team Artists of Trenton; the Share Project for performing arts outreach (with its own house band, the FunTASKtiks), and the aforementioned writer’s workshop. A first-time visitor can’t help but be impressed with the infectious energy of the volunteers, and the vibrant community which they serve.

“No Dinner Party Will Ever Be the Same . . .”

This just in from a customer who was ordering the full Noodle Talk collection after buying some Mini 100 sets at GreenFlea:

I may have met you at the Sunday flea market on the Upper West Side last fall: at that time I purchased Mini packets #3. They sat in a drawer for several months and then I came across them during one of my cleaning frenzies. No dinner party will ever be the same since discovering Noodle Talk. I bring them out after dinner when our guests’ eyes begin to glaze over and they get that “I’m stuffed” look. I find it fascinating to listen to the questions because many (perhaps all) of them are written in such a way that they can be interpreted a few ways. For some of my friends English is a second language, and they really enjoy them because the questions get their brains working on how to translate more complex or philosophical ideas into English from their native languages. It’s a great way to skirt conversations about celebrities and politics, AND you can learn things about new and old friends.