Dec 9, 2011 |
One of my favorite Christmas movies is “White Christmas”. One of my favorite songs from that movie is “Count Your Blessings”. I also like the old Ray Conniff Singers version. It’s a good reminder to take a look around and see what you already have, and see that it’s good.
With the car repairs, the unemployment, and even just the busyness of the season, I sometimes forget to slow down and appreciate what I already have.
I’m thankful for songs such as these that remind me to open my eyes, pay attention.
We all have different things that we’re thankful for. That’s the beauty of it. Because if we were all the same, what we have/do/are wouldn’t be special to anyone. One of my friends posted this great reminder on Facebook today:
“Always remember you are unique just like everyone else!”
I’m a glass-half-full kinda Gal. I like finding the Good Things in life, and sharing them with others. I have a motto. When people ask me how things are going, I often say, “Could be better. Could be a whole lot worse.” And I mean that.
Things could always be better. I’d like to be debt free. Have a bigger kitchen. Not be single. I’d like to develop more talent like painting and knitting. I’d like to have enough money to finish designing and landscaping my yards.
But things could always be worse. I could be an invalid. I could be fighting with my family. I could be homeless. I could be in more debt than I am.
So I’m okay with being who I am, where I am. As long as I’m striving to make things better, and not stagnant in the mud of life, things are good. And they are getting better. Little by little.
Friendships are one of the best blessings; second only to God and family. Friends are the ones who get you through the rough times, laugh with you, come over for coffee and stay up late til the cell phone battery dies from talking too much. Friends watch the same TV Shows to see what it’s all about. Friends root for your sports team. Friends are the ones who mail you cookies just because. Friends let you cry like an idiot and dance in the streets. Friends let you attract attention even when they’re usually shy. Friends are amazing. And each one is different.
Just like you.
And I’m okay with you being who you are: unique. There’s no one just like you. There’s no one with your family, your place in life, your sense of humor, your looks, your income, your talents, your offerings. You bring a uniqueness to your friendships. You bring a special quality to whatever task you do.
So when you think you’re not special, or you have nothing to offer, remember this:
You are unique. And I count on you.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Dec 8, 2011 |
I’ve been around the Blogging World for a while now. I’ve met some great new blog-friends (Andrea, Jenn, Ariel, to name just a few). And through my tours of other blogs, I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. I pay attention to what attracts me and what doesn’t.
And I’ve come to a better appreciation of my blog. It’s not odd at all to think of it like a child or a job or both. This Blog is my Baby; growing, finding its way in the world. Making mistakes, gaining strength.
And every so often, realizing what we’ve already subconsciously known.
My Blog can be broken down to what I call the Four F’s: Faith, Family, Food, and Fun. And those are the four main factors I look for on other blogs. Granted, under each category are sub-categories: How God works in our lives, familial anecdotes, recipes, writings, party planning, daily life…
So you can see how even fine-tuning my Blog to the Four F’s isn’t really as simple as that.
But I’m grateful that I have the flowchart. So in the coming weeks, I’m going to fine tune the presentation. My blog will be easier to navigate (I hope!), and easier to look at.
Now this is where you come in: I’m looking for feedback. What do you want to see? What can I do without? What are your ideas, suggestions, thoughts on my Blog, and how can I make it better for you? Visually? Readability? Blog post ideas? Categories? I recently made some changes. Do you like them? Is it easier or harder now to leave comments?
I look forward to hearing from you. Let’s get ready to start 2012 with a Better Blog. Whadya say? Wanna help? I hope so.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Dec 7, 2011 |
A few days ago, I wrote 12 Wishes of Christmas, detailing my desires for the world. A friend challenged me to come with 12 wishes for myself, and to be quite honest, it’s a little hard to be that selfish.
But I’m gonna give it a try. So, my Fairy Godmother, are you reading? Here goes…
1. I wish I was completely healthy all the time: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.
2. I wish I was completely debt free, and would always remain so.
3. I wish I had a house in upstate New York with caretakers.
4. I wish I had a house in Italy with caretakers.
5. I wish I was happily married to George Clooney.
6. I wish I wrote a masterpiece, award-winning story that became a movie that George starred in.
7. I wish I had a horse farm and knew how to ride them.
8. I wish I was more successful at cooking so I could have my own cooking show.
9. I wish I had magical powers like reading minds and flying, but only when I want to use them.
10. I wish I was braver.
11. I wish I didn’t have to sleep, so I could spend more time writing and cooking and cleaning and having fun.
12. I wish I would Win the Lottery so I could follow through with that list and still be completely indulgent without feeling guilty.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Dec 6, 2011 |
So this morning I had cell phone issues. It would be a few hours before Verizon could fix the problem. I was okay with that because I figured I could go a few hours without it.
What I wasn’t counting on was my reaction to its absence. I’m pretty sure a few times I started to hyperventilate. I had zero access to my emails, facebook, twitter, tumblr, texts, and phone. So yeah. I’m pretty sure a few times I almost went crazy.
I didn’t realize until it was no longer tethered to me how addicted I am to my Droid. And when I say addicted, I mean, Addicted With a Capital “A”. I kept reaching for it. Every sound made me think I had a message to check. Every question made me want to verify information online.
It’s a good thing I was alone for most of the morning. For those who were with me, I’m sorry I drove you crazy. That may explain why I was alone the rest of the time…
But after a while (okay, a looong while), something happened. I stopped reaching for my phone. I found myself paying attention to things beyond my immediate reach. Did you know that other cars have vanity plates? Or that dogs actually walk people, not the other way around? These, and more, are things I’d forgotten.
There’s so much more beyond the digital world (Shhh! Don’t tell my laptop that!). Without being chained to my Smart Phone, I took a look around, not just down.
And you know what?
It’s a beautiful world.
Of course, hours later, my Droid returned home safe, sound, and better for the temporary absence. We both were.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
What would you have a hard time giving up, even temporarily?
Dec 5, 2011 |
I know it’s a little early to make my New Year’s Resolutions list, but let’s face it, we’re all already thinking about it. We all have the mental checklist to go through before we publicly (or privately) admit to those things we want to make better come midnight New Year’s Eve: Is this important? Would the benefits outweigh the work? Would I want to share this with (public, self, God, anyone)? If the answer to all of these is “yes”, you know you can add it to your list.
So, right now I’m thinking of how to really spruce up my cooking in 2012. And right now, that means what recipes do I want to conquer?
Let’s pretend for a moment that I already have my dream kitchen built. Lots of room. Lots of counter space. Lots of shelves. Lots of appliances. Lots of ingredients. Lots and lots and lots… pretty, isn’t it? And so functional!
Insert Chef (me). In this happy world, I get to not only make some old favorites, but try out my list of new recipes that all turn out heavenly tasteful. These are just a few on that list. (I know some of these are basic, I’ve just not yet got around to making them.):
Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon
Roast Duck
Venison Stew
Veal Lasagna
Fruitcake
Key Lime Pie
I want to learn about wines. Which wines taste better with which foods. Just because a wine is expensive doesn’t mean it’s lovely; and just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it’s tasteless. I’d love to learn about wines.
I also want to experiment with some traditional recipes I love to make:
Potato Chip Casserole
Slow Cooker Ratatouille
Tator-Tot Casserole
And cookies. Lots and lots of cookies. In fact, I would love to be the Cookie Queen.
I guess I better get started. The more I cook, the more I find to cook. I just love recipes. Don’t you?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
