Posts
I am beginning this week with a whole new outlook - and keeping that in check with a new grading system. I know, it seems strange to have to grade myself. Seriously, though, my productivity was so low this winter that it was like I slept all season. My blogs, poems, stories and all creativity slept with me. I can say I read a lot which is always a good thing.
One thing I read was a blog entry on Dan Perez: Writing. The article was titled Developing Discipline. I loved it! I have read a lot of blogs and articles on this subject in the past, and though they were very informative they just weren't very helpful to me personally. This one gave me the "Ah-Ha" I needed.
See, I have never had any issues meeting deadlines. My clients and editors only pay when I do meet that deadline. My problem comes from the fact that I have no set deadlines for personal projects. I set them but the lack of consequences often keeps me from meeting them.
No more! Thanks to Dan's idea I now have consequences. He suggested using a point system that transfers into a "grade" for productivity. I took his idea and applied it all the way. I now have weekly point sheets and graphs, as well as a yearly graph that is posted on my wall in the office. Now not only do I have to realistically look at my work but everyone else can too. That is a scary amount of accountability. This means Poj and D.D. now have the power to tsk tsk every time they walk into the office.
It really is just what I needed as I venture into all new territory this year and life changes yet again...but more on that later. For right now, I have many points more to earn today and only a couple hours left to do it in.
Thought for the Day: It seems like I should have more energy after hibernating for four months.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Late Nights and Gluten Free Stuffed Olives
I was in quite a mood the other night. I was hungry, working with low blood sugar (meaning VERY cranky) and nothing sounded good to eat. Yep, I was in a full scale I-miss-gluten-filled-junk-food-so-I-won't-eat-anything funk. I hate it when this happens! I think I'll blame T.V. It's all those commercials for huge hamburgers (with fluffy gluten filled buns) fried onion rings, pies, cakes, ice cream cakes, donuts... You get the point (and now I'm hungry again).
So, I'm sitting there at 11:30 at night and Poj (the bestest husband in the world) says, "What can I fix you to eat, baby?"
I pouted and replied, "Nothing! I want something special and I can't have it, so nothing." Let me back up a minute here and translate. Special: Something unhealthy, usually fried, that I don't eat very often and that doesn't take any work.
Poj, absolute doll that he is, said, "What do you want, baby? We can figure it out." I launched into my schpeal about burgers and onion rings and added a high note about fried cheese sticks- and that's where he stopped me.
"Let's make cheese sticks!" says Poj, "We have all the stuff!" Now, I know how to make that breaded cheesy goodness, even posted the recipe for it, but at 11:30 at night they did not fit my idea of "special". (See the definition where it refers to "work"). Poj talked me into it, though, telling me how fun it would be to work together and reminding me how happy I would be when eating them.
To the kitchen we went! To find that we had only three pieces of string cheese. By that time we were both committed, though, so we got creative. We had plenty of breading materials, just not enough stuff to fry. Poj went to check the extra fridge downstairs for supplies while I searched upstairs.
When he came back upstairs I was ready. I presented him with a can of large pitted olives, a bag of sliced pepperoni and our three sticks of string cheese, not to mention a sly smile.
"Really?" He asked.
"Really." I replied.
We set to work. I will leave out the details of giggling, mess making and general silliness here and get straight to the point. Poj had the job of stuffing each olive with a tiny piece of cheese and a quarter of a slice of pepperoni. I then took the olives and breaded them nicely. Here is the end result.
So, I'm sitting there at 11:30 at night and Poj (the bestest husband in the world) says, "What can I fix you to eat, baby?"
I pouted and replied, "Nothing! I want something special and I can't have it, so nothing." Let me back up a minute here and translate. Special: Something unhealthy, usually fried, that I don't eat very often and that doesn't take any work.
Poj, absolute doll that he is, said, "What do you want, baby? We can figure it out." I launched into my schpeal about burgers and onion rings and added a high note about fried cheese sticks- and that's where he stopped me.
"Let's make cheese sticks!" says Poj, "We have all the stuff!" Now, I know how to make that breaded cheesy goodness, even posted the recipe for it, but at 11:30 at night they did not fit my idea of "special". (See the definition where it refers to "work"). Poj talked me into it, though, telling me how fun it would be to work together and reminding me how happy I would be when eating them.
To the kitchen we went! To find that we had only three pieces of string cheese. By that time we were both committed, though, so we got creative. We had plenty of breading materials, just not enough stuff to fry. Poj went to check the extra fridge downstairs for supplies while I searched upstairs.
When he came back upstairs I was ready. I presented him with a can of large pitted olives, a bag of sliced pepperoni and our three sticks of string cheese, not to mention a sly smile.
"Really?" He asked.
"Really." I replied.
We set to work. I will leave out the details of giggling, mess making and general silliness here and get straight to the point. Poj had the job of stuffing each olive with a tiny piece of cheese and a quarter of a slice of pepperoni. I then took the olives and breaded them nicely. Here is the end result.
Our impromptu stuffed olives were the perfect gluten free snack, no matter what time it was. We dipped them in spaghetti sauce, mainly because I love to dip.
I have decided to take some time and perfect this recipe before posting it in full. After all, I don't imagine that everyone is slap happy and patient enough to stuff the olives the way we did. I'm looking into either cream cheese or ricotta instead. I'm hoping this will balance the flavors as well as making the gluten free stuffed olives easier to make.
In the mean time, let me just encourage you all to continue your adventures, in and out of the kitchen, and always listen to the Poj in your life. I really was blissfully happy while eating those olives.
Thought for the day: Midnight snacks get more fun the longer they take to make :)
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Ranch
I've been out of touch for a little while. It makes me feel totally disconnected to think of how long it has been since I have posted any articles or blog entries! I feel better when I think of the fact that it has been for an excellent cause, and today I'm excited to take you on a mini tour of where I've been :)
My dad, who is one of my very best friends, had a knee replacement surgery a few weeks ago. I have been spending my days at his house with him- and (mostly) without the internet! I have no complaints about the time spent, how could I? My darling and caring step-mom filled the house with gluten free snacks and other goodies to make sure I was well fed, I got to spend time with one of my very favorite people, and in my favorite place in the world!
The gluten free foods, mostly from Glutino
and Thai Kitchen
(she has good taste!) I will be reviewing soon on GFPR. The place, though, I'm taking you to today :) Welcome to my second home...
This picture, although a little warbly, shows the view from the front porch. Admittedly, the panoramic function on my phone is not perfect, but this place is! What doesn't show are the ceiling fans that make a nice breeze all day long.
This picture shows (kind of) why we call this five acre piece of heaven "The Ranch". Half of the land here is fenced off for my two biggest babies, Sky and Comet. You can almost see them in the picture... They are bigger in real life :) And, yes, I did help build all that fence!
These are my toes!
Here are the woods where ticks and children play in abundance! In the Spring, half of the trees are purple- Beautiful!
As is my nature, I've saved the best for last :) This is "The Big Rock" (the kids named it...) My thinking place, the ultimate spot for peace and tranquility. When I have writers block, I take myself to "The Big Rock" and beat it into submission... The block, not the rock. I have accomplished more in this spot than any other. (This is also the view from the kitchen window, I've never enjoyed washing dishes so much!)
In the daily search for serenity, "The Ranch" is where I most find it. Here is where I write, where I think and where I dream. Thanks for traveling with me today!
Thought for the day: It is my sincerest hope that everyone who reads this has a ranch of their own to dream in.
My dad, who is one of my very best friends, had a knee replacement surgery a few weeks ago. I have been spending my days at his house with him- and (mostly) without the internet! I have no complaints about the time spent, how could I? My darling and caring step-mom filled the house with gluten free snacks and other goodies to make sure I was well fed, I got to spend time with one of my very favorite people, and in my favorite place in the world!
The gluten free foods, mostly from Glutino
and Thai Kitchen (she has good taste!) I will be reviewing soon on GFPR. The place, though, I'm taking you to today :) Welcome to my second home...
This picture shows (kind of) why we call this five acre piece of heaven "The Ranch". Half of the land here is fenced off for my two biggest babies, Sky and Comet. You can almost see them in the picture... They are bigger in real life :) And, yes, I did help build all that fence!
These are my toes!
Here are the woods where ticks and children play in abundance! In the Spring, half of the trees are purple- Beautiful!
As is my nature, I've saved the best for last :) This is "The Big Rock" (the kids named it...) My thinking place, the ultimate spot for peace and tranquility. When I have writers block, I take myself to "The Big Rock" and beat it into submission... The block, not the rock. I have accomplished more in this spot than any other. (This is also the view from the kitchen window, I've never enjoyed washing dishes so much!)
In the daily search for serenity, "The Ranch" is where I most find it. Here is where I write, where I think and where I dream. Thanks for traveling with me today!
Thought for the day: It is my sincerest hope that everyone who reads this has a ranch of their own to dream in.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
140 Characters or Less
I am truly blown away at this moment. We can call it information overload, we can pass it off as an “emotional day”. I’m going to call it a moment of understanding. One of those moments when the whole world comes together to overlap and steal me away to a reverie.
Oddly enough, Twitter is the culprit here. I don’t know about you, but Twitter has always seemed a bit trivial to me. Say all of the important things that you want the world to know in 140 characters or less and hope the world reads your message the way it was intended. Little bites of information, most with links that carry a promise of the full meal at the other end.
Here I am, half of my mind on what to fix for dinner tonight that will please my whole family- four of us now instead of three. How to keep gluten out, make it low dairy for my youngest, and still make it tasty enough for the oldest daughter who has not developed the taste buds for gluten free food yet.
Looking for ideas and sharing a few on Twitter, the rest of the world slowly calls for my attention. Tidbits on a huge oil spill, tips on business promotions, inspirational sayings; people calling out in fear, hope and gratitude... All on the same page.
It amazes me how much we share without sharing in this new world of social media and internet togetherness. We rally behind causes, tweeting and re-tweeting the things that strike a cord, or just a fancy. The next time we log on, the screen has changed, bringing a new list of causes, new things to laugh at, new things to share. And just like that, the old is gone.
I take a moment to worry about the oil in the ocean, and wonder about the volcano disaster that was a trending topic before it. I say a quick prayer for the person who just shouted out in fear to the masses and send a smile to the person having a fantastic day. I cannot touch these people. I can only express support in the form of 140 characters or less, and hope that they see it for what it is meant to be.
Thought for the Day: How is it that some people still feel so alone in this new world of togetherness?
Oddly enough, Twitter is the culprit here. I don’t know about you, but Twitter has always seemed a bit trivial to me. Say all of the important things that you want the world to know in 140 characters or less and hope the world reads your message the way it was intended. Little bites of information, most with links that carry a promise of the full meal at the other end.
Here I am, half of my mind on what to fix for dinner tonight that will please my whole family- four of us now instead of three. How to keep gluten out, make it low dairy for my youngest, and still make it tasty enough for the oldest daughter who has not developed the taste buds for gluten free food yet.
Looking for ideas and sharing a few on Twitter, the rest of the world slowly calls for my attention. Tidbits on a huge oil spill, tips on business promotions, inspirational sayings; people calling out in fear, hope and gratitude... All on the same page.
It amazes me how much we share without sharing in this new world of social media and internet togetherness. We rally behind causes, tweeting and re-tweeting the things that strike a cord, or just a fancy. The next time we log on, the screen has changed, bringing a new list of causes, new things to laugh at, new things to share. And just like that, the old is gone.
I take a moment to worry about the oil in the ocean, and wonder about the volcano disaster that was a trending topic before it. I say a quick prayer for the person who just shouted out in fear to the masses and send a smile to the person having a fantastic day. I cannot touch these people. I can only express support in the form of 140 characters or less, and hope that they see it for what it is meant to be.
Thought for the Day: How is it that some people still feel so alone in this new world of togetherness?
Thursday, April 22, 2010
The Silver Lining
It's facelift time again (apparently). To be honest, I wasn't even aware that I was planning a redesign here until it was already underway. This time I went all the way with it, though, holding nothing back. Truth is, nothing about the old style, including the name, fit me. Maybe that's the reason that I never could write as often as I should. I was spending too much time thinking about what to write, and no time writing what I feel.
So here I am, with a whole new design and so much to fill it with. Today was a trying day. Des was in the hospital having yet another surgery (a minor, outpatient one) and D.D. was home sick. I spent the day at home playing nurse to D.D. and waiting for a call to tell me that Des was fine.
Not that I mind playing nurse :) It really is one of the best things about being a mom. D.D. was only "a little sick" so she got to live it up a bit. Hot tea in a bath overflowing with bubbles and much more than the usual amount of T.V. time.
Yet all day, the rain poured down and thunder shook the house. As cliche as it sounds, I did grow more and more uneasy as the storm grew. Maybe it was something in the air that influenced my mood, but I know that it was something much more that kept me on edge.
See, I like to call myself a writer, but the majority of my job always seems to focus on PR and research. (For the record, I'm not complaining, I love my job :) Today, though, there were very few happy stories to read. I don't know if you've noticed, but sometimes the world can be a bit of a downer.
I won't go into details of the things that got me down today. Partially because it's hard to remember now, but mostly because that is far from the purpose of this post. Suffice to say I was in a fairly decent funk by mid afternoon. When that happens, I immediately go into "Worry World". I worried that the storm would knock out the power costing me hours of work. I wondered if it was gluten contamination or the flu that was keeping D.D. down. I stressed over money, politics and the general state of the world.
Then, the call came. Poj, my loving husband, was calling to tell me that Des was out of surgery... but they couldn't wake her up!
It is impossible to describe how quickly the world came into sharp focus at that moment. Every little thing that had been filling my mind all day left. I sat, staring at my computer screen and...did nothing for a moment. Then I began to pray. I called in others to pray. Then I waited.
In the two hours that I waited for the "All Clear" I wore a hole in the carpet with my pacing and told D.D. I loved her a million times. Thankfully, the call DID come. Des was awake, and would even get to go home today!
It has always amazed me how quickly life can change. Around here lately it changes every day. It seems to me that today brought a change I needed.
I got to finish the evening with two healthy daughters tucked safely into bed. That means that no matter what else happened today, it was a GREAT day! It also means that no matter what tomorrow brings, no matter what storms may rage, we will weather them as a family and look to the rays of sunshine that will always follow.
Thought for the day: Today has been a trying day, and tomorrow probably will be as well - But, how good can anything really be without trying? :)
So here I am, with a whole new design and so much to fill it with. Today was a trying day. Des was in the hospital having yet another surgery (a minor, outpatient one) and D.D. was home sick. I spent the day at home playing nurse to D.D. and waiting for a call to tell me that Des was fine.
Not that I mind playing nurse :) It really is one of the best things about being a mom. D.D. was only "a little sick" so she got to live it up a bit. Hot tea in a bath overflowing with bubbles and much more than the usual amount of T.V. time.
Yet all day, the rain poured down and thunder shook the house. As cliche as it sounds, I did grow more and more uneasy as the storm grew. Maybe it was something in the air that influenced my mood, but I know that it was something much more that kept me on edge.
See, I like to call myself a writer, but the majority of my job always seems to focus on PR and research. (For the record, I'm not complaining, I love my job :) Today, though, there were very few happy stories to read. I don't know if you've noticed, but sometimes the world can be a bit of a downer.
I won't go into details of the things that got me down today. Partially because it's hard to remember now, but mostly because that is far from the purpose of this post. Suffice to say I was in a fairly decent funk by mid afternoon. When that happens, I immediately go into "Worry World". I worried that the storm would knock out the power costing me hours of work. I wondered if it was gluten contamination or the flu that was keeping D.D. down. I stressed over money, politics and the general state of the world.
Then, the call came. Poj, my loving husband, was calling to tell me that Des was out of surgery... but they couldn't wake her up!
It is impossible to describe how quickly the world came into sharp focus at that moment. Every little thing that had been filling my mind all day left. I sat, staring at my computer screen and...did nothing for a moment. Then I began to pray. I called in others to pray. Then I waited.
In the two hours that I waited for the "All Clear" I wore a hole in the carpet with my pacing and told D.D. I loved her a million times. Thankfully, the call DID come. Des was awake, and would even get to go home today!
It has always amazed me how quickly life can change. Around here lately it changes every day. It seems to me that today brought a change I needed.
I got to finish the evening with two healthy daughters tucked safely into bed. That means that no matter what else happened today, it was a GREAT day! It also means that no matter what tomorrow brings, no matter what storms may rage, we will weather them as a family and look to the rays of sunshine that will always follow.
Thought for the day: Today has been a trying day, and tomorrow probably will be as well - But, how good can anything really be without trying? :)
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
My Little Valentine
Wow! It's been a busy week! I'm sure it should be Friday... but, alas, Wednesday prevails.
D.D. and I have bee having a lot of fun the last couple days preparing for the big Valentine's celebration at school. It was (what else) a pizza party!
My husband, blessed soul that he is, planned for this a week ago. He made sure to get some Udi's Pizza Crusts (see the review) for us. His plan was to cook the pizza the night before and send it to school in the lunch box the next day. Yuck!! But, D.D. wouldn't have minded (reference her pizza habits in the previous post).
The pizza never made it to school. We found ourselves with a free girls night on Friday and, well, what else could we have eaten?! Super sensitive mom that I am, I made sure that D.D. understood that this meant there would be no pizza at school. Her response: "That's okay, last time my teacher felt so bad for leaving me out that she gave me a huge handful of candy instead. Gluten free is awesome!"
God bless her innocence, and her teacher as well!
So, today was the party. I'm lucky enough to be a room mom, so I made it to the school toting some tasty wraps to eat. D.D. ate both wraps (yep, mine too) and enjoyed her party very much. They had quite a spread there, thanks to the Super Room Mom (who, by the way, is not me). For dessert, each child was given two cupcakes and a cookie.
At this point, I'm very grateful for gluten free restrictions. No mother wants her darling so hopped up on cupcakes that she is a nutcase by the time school ends!
Not that it made a difference. Instead of the cupcake and cookie feast, D.D. was (again) given a huge amount of candy. I didn't argue, her teacher is so wonderful and understanding.. what could I say? (Except to whisper in D.D's ear to only eat three pieces).
The moral (point?) of this story is a simple one: I have now been able to mark one more potential gluten related disaster off my list! (Wish me luck at the end of this month when we tackle the birthday- She chose to have a party at Chuck-E-Cheese.)
Thought for the day: All teachers should be as wonderful as the one we were blessed with this year!
D.D. and I have bee having a lot of fun the last couple days preparing for the big Valentine's celebration at school. It was (what else) a pizza party!
My husband, blessed soul that he is, planned for this a week ago. He made sure to get some Udi's Pizza Crusts (see the review) for us. His plan was to cook the pizza the night before and send it to school in the lunch box the next day. Yuck!! But, D.D. wouldn't have minded (reference her pizza habits in the previous post).
The pizza never made it to school. We found ourselves with a free girls night on Friday and, well, what else could we have eaten?! Super sensitive mom that I am, I made sure that D.D. understood that this meant there would be no pizza at school. Her response: "That's okay, last time my teacher felt so bad for leaving me out that she gave me a huge handful of candy instead. Gluten free is awesome!"
God bless her innocence, and her teacher as well!
So, today was the party. I'm lucky enough to be a room mom, so I made it to the school toting some tasty wraps to eat. D.D. ate both wraps (yep, mine too) and enjoyed her party very much. They had quite a spread there, thanks to the Super Room Mom (who, by the way, is not me). For dessert, each child was given two cupcakes and a cookie.
At this point, I'm very grateful for gluten free restrictions. No mother wants her darling so hopped up on cupcakes that she is a nutcase by the time school ends!
Not that it made a difference. Instead of the cupcake and cookie feast, D.D. was (again) given a huge amount of candy. I didn't argue, her teacher is so wonderful and understanding.. what could I say? (Except to whisper in D.D's ear to only eat three pieces).
The moral (point?) of this story is a simple one: I have now been able to mark one more potential gluten related disaster off my list! (Wish me luck at the end of this month when we tackle the birthday- She chose to have a party at Chuck-E-Cheese.)
Thought for the day: All teachers should be as wonderful as the one we were blessed with this year!
Monday, February 1, 2010
This Post Has No Purpose!
Since this is a 100% gluten free blog, I have decided that (for today anyway) it is a good place for anything and everything gluten free. Yes, I have stated the obvious... I just wanted to be upfront about the fact that there is no great article to follow, no important information to pass on. This post has no grand purpose such as that.
Instead, I am going to use this post to share a bit of what is going on in this gluten free world of mine.
I have the most beautiful and wonderful daughter in the world. She is the light of my life and my partner in crime when it comes to discovering new gluten free flavors. We have a pact, see, anything that is sent to taste and review we have to share. It's great!
D (my daughter, yes, that is what I call her... along with Pooka Bear, but don't tell her I told you) has such great insight and thoughts about her food. She puts the passion into testing that only a ten year old girl is capable of. The experience has bonded us, who knew?
Problem is, I'm still the mom. I am the one to encourage her along the gluten free road and make her feel less set apart. I send snacks to school and always keep a candy bar handy for the times when treats are a surprise. D is doing very well and developing a great gluten free attitude. She even applies a good sense of humor to situations that might otherwise make her feel very set apart. Most days, she'll be the first to tell you how under control we have this whole gluten free thing.
So, in light of all this, there is one secret I cannot share with her... I NEED PIZZA! Specifically a Pepperoni Lovers Stuffed Crust Pizza from Pizza Hut.
I share this with you in the full knowledge that I monitor her computer time too closely for her to ever see this post. I have a closet craving! I will not act on it, it would make me sick for weeks, but I dream about it. Every time someone mentions pizza my eyes glaze over and I begin to drool (secretly, of course)
Seriously, we talk openly about all the other wishes and cravings we have, but pizza is taboo. Why? Because pizza is, and always has been D's kryptonite. She hasn't realized yet how inferior the pizza we have been eating is! (She can handle topping a corn tortilla with sauce and cheese and calling it pizza) We have found some great crusts, even some good frozen pizzas, but it's not the same! And far be it for me to point that out to my innocent little cherub.
I'll stop here, due to the fact that I have already driven this point. Thank you all for letting me share my secret with you! Here's to hoping your cravings can always be controlled!
Thought for the day: Honesty may be the best policy, but it doesn't mean that everything should be said aloud just because it is true.
Instead, I am going to use this post to share a bit of what is going on in this gluten free world of mine.
I have the most beautiful and wonderful daughter in the world. She is the light of my life and my partner in crime when it comes to discovering new gluten free flavors. We have a pact, see, anything that is sent to taste and review we have to share. It's great!
D (my daughter, yes, that is what I call her... along with Pooka Bear, but don't tell her I told you) has such great insight and thoughts about her food. She puts the passion into testing that only a ten year old girl is capable of. The experience has bonded us, who knew?
Problem is, I'm still the mom. I am the one to encourage her along the gluten free road and make her feel less set apart. I send snacks to school and always keep a candy bar handy for the times when treats are a surprise. D is doing very well and developing a great gluten free attitude. She even applies a good sense of humor to situations that might otherwise make her feel very set apart. Most days, she'll be the first to tell you how under control we have this whole gluten free thing.
So, in light of all this, there is one secret I cannot share with her... I NEED PIZZA! Specifically a Pepperoni Lovers Stuffed Crust Pizza from Pizza Hut.
I share this with you in the full knowledge that I monitor her computer time too closely for her to ever see this post. I have a closet craving! I will not act on it, it would make me sick for weeks, but I dream about it. Every time someone mentions pizza my eyes glaze over and I begin to drool (secretly, of course)
Seriously, we talk openly about all the other wishes and cravings we have, but pizza is taboo. Why? Because pizza is, and always has been D's kryptonite. She hasn't realized yet how inferior the pizza we have been eating is! (She can handle topping a corn tortilla with sauce and cheese and calling it pizza) We have found some great crusts, even some good frozen pizzas, but it's not the same! And far be it for me to point that out to my innocent little cherub.
I'll stop here, due to the fact that I have already driven this point. Thank you all for letting me share my secret with you! Here's to hoping your cravings can always be controlled!
Thought for the day: Honesty may be the best policy, but it doesn't mean that everything should be said aloud just because it is true.
