Friday, October 2, 2009

Five Simple Words

Friday, October 2, 2009....


Joanna at The Fifty Factor posted this great entry about using five words to help you know someone.

It's a meme that caught my eye. Here's how it works. Joanna was given 5 words from another blogger and she did a post about the words she was given (which I've linked to above). She then offered to give 5 words to someone else. I thought it would be fun, so now I'm going to post on the five words she gave me. If you want to join in, tell me in the comments and I'll send you your own five words!

1. Cooking: If you're new to my blog and have not read my profile, you would not know that cooking is my passion. Cooking, like breathing, is crucial to my existence. I own over 200 cookbooks and LOVE them all. In May 2009, I realized I really hadn't a clue how many books I really have and decided instead of just counting the books, I'd choose 4/5 recipes from 5 books a month and cook them. May went well.....June went into July and into August (I guess I forgot the power of hot summers killing the desire to be around a hot stove) but I'm back in the groove and am doing a month of healthy/low fat cooking.

2. Grateful: Several years back, I had a health issue which was life threatening. It was during this time that I realized how lucky I was to have such great people in my life. Over time, both good and bad stuff has happened to me and I recently got sucked into letting the bad rule my emotions. I had trouble seeing the good in any situation and it really clouded my judgement.

Years ago, I saw Jerry Posner speak at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA about the practice of gratitude and how it changed his life. For 7 years, he kept a gratitude journal. Everyday he wrote down 5 things he was grateful for in his life and after 7 years noticed his life had shifted. His positive energy was infectious.

I had read about the benefits of the practice of gratitude in many books, but I got to see the first hand results. After his speech, I kept one for about 1 1/2 years, but in the past year, stopped. I was consumed more with what I didn't have than what I do. I couldn't do it because I guess I let the negative shit in my life control me.

About a month ago, I started it again. Some days I find it hard to do, but I have noticed a shift in thinking is going on again. Before blowing up over petty stuff, I ask myself is this really going to impact my life? Most times the answer is no and I let it go.

3. Travel I miss it. I miss it a lot more than I thought I would. Being unemployed has eliminated my ability to travel and explore new places. I've been to England, walked a marathon in Dublin Ireland, lounged on beaches in Mexico and Aruba, taken a mini-cross country excursion out West helping a friend move, hiked the Grand Canyon for 7 days and explored many other cities. Each hold special memories for me and I know I will travel again. I'd love to bike through the countryside of France, kayak in Alaska and cook in Tuscany. These are just a few places I plan to visit.

4. Goals: I have big ones, small ones, long term and daily goals. Over the years my goals have changed to reflect where I am in life. For now, I'm striving to find a job that excites me every day to get up; lose weight, try 44 new things my 44th year of life, declutter and streamline my home, run a relay with my two sisters, and cook many new recipes.

5. Marriage: If you asked me this question 10 years ago, I would have said crippling, lonely and miserable. I was with my ex for 15 years. We met and married young. I was in a marriage with the wrong man. He was in a marriage with the wrong woman.

For so many reasons this marriage ended. Once divorced, I realized how happy I was and it was better to be happy and alone, then remarried and miserable. I expected to be single the rest of my life, but then I met Bill.

One morning I woke up and knew I wanted to grow old with him. Next Sunday, October 11th will be our one year anniversary and I consider myself blessed to have found such a wonderful man.

32 comments:

KaH said...

Love this post. Have a great weekend!

Joanna Jenkins said...

THANKS for playing along. Your post is wonderful. I learned so much about you.

I have about half as many cookbooks as you but I love cooking too and look forward to the cool weather to start puling out new recipes again.

The idea of 44 new things in your 44th year is interesting. I'd like to think I could come up with 51 things to do this year. I might give it a try too.

Thanks again for sharing! Have a great weekend.
xo

Green-Eyed Momster said...

I might have to do this too.

1. When I'm a millionaire will you be my cook?

2. Grateful makes almost everything better. I'm glad that you are well now.

3. Travel, You could travel to Arizona to be my cook! ;)

4. My goal is to get to work on time today...

5. Marriage can be a wonderful thing for the right people!

My five words for you today:
You and your blog ROCK!


Hugs!!

The Peach Tart said...

Happy Anniversary. This was a great post.

Goose said...

I love this post and want to participate! Writing down what you're grateful for seems like an excellent idea. I've really struggled with finding a job too. I'm doing contract work right now but I don't feel like it's a "real" job. It has really brought me down at times.

I would love to travel a lot more too. I've been fortunate that I have family all over the states so have gotten to see a lot already but I would love to travel more to other countries. It's really hard to travel right now for me too since traveling = $$

I'm so glad you found the right person to spend the rest of your life with. I'm getting married May 30 and could not be more happy.

Deborah said...

I love this post. I just found your blog and I'm going to follow because I like your idea on the gratitude book. If you don't mind, I'm going to start it and I'm also going to ask my daughter do that! I will have to let you know how I'm doing with it. I will keep by book on my desk. Anyways, I am glad your happy now! Thats awesome..

very married said...

that's so sweet! hope your weekend is fabulous!

rxBambi said...

Oooh oooh I wanna play too!

A New England Girl said...

Great list! :) I love getting to know people... I especially love the cooking tidbit! I am just starting out, but I looove cooking and baking. It makes me want to be a full-time mom and housewife so I have reasons to cook all day long. :)

Dree said...

This post is so special. I love the idea of a gratitude journal- it would be interesting to see what remains important to me a few years from now. I guess a blog reflects that in a way, though. The places that you have traveled to sound incredible. Happy anniversary!

jane said...

love this! and nice to get to know you a little more! besos!

MamaOtwins+1 said...

HA - I found you on Speaking from the Crib comments and kinda fell for ya. Then I came over here and now I'm following! I have never seen someone own so many cookbooks - I own about 20 and use them a lot! But my food is all little chap friendly these days.

Suzanne said...

Love this post! Can I play, too?

Erin Helgerson said...

I'd love to play with you!
And I loved your answers. I try to be grateful too, I don't have a journal yet, but I really do try to say thanks for what I have as often as I can.
Have a great weekend!
XO,
Erin

betty said...

you picked a great day to get married :) (we'll be celebrating 29 years 10/11; and we got married on my hubby's parents' anniversary; they'll be celebrating 62 years together)

Happy early anniversary!

I think its neat what you are doing with the cooking/recipes; good way to try new things too :)

I like the gratitude journal concept too; we forgot how much we truly have to be thanful for :)

betty

Read in Colour said...

Absolutely wonderful post

Sunshine Mama said...

I should write about things I'm grateful for in my diary rather than my rants on life...but maybe I'll just write in my diary first...get it out...and THEN write in my gratitude journal. Ha, ha.

Sounds like you've been to a lot of places. I'm sure you'll be out traveling again.

I like this post too.

Helen McGinn said...

LMB, what a truly amazing post. I didn't realise you were such a cook, I love that! Incidentally, 44 is my lucky number...seriously...so I've decided to pass that luck on to you. I don't think you realise it but your truth and honesty is inspirational; we've all had the negative times and like to wallow from time to time, not everyone would tell it like it is. I'm also so glad for you and Bill. congratulations and here is to the next 44! xx

Mike said...

I actually did learn a lot about you!

Off topic, how did your rib problem heal? I was wondering a while back and forgot to ask!

Captain Dumbass said...

This is a good idea for a meme. I think you and my wife would get along well in the cooking department.

The Sorority said...

LMB - great post! Thanks for sharing more about you. I love your perspective and am so happy for you that you found your one and only as well as your way back to gratitude. I would love to play along - send me your words!

lynn said...

what a lovely lovely lovely post!!!

said...

Thanks for stopping by on my SITS feature day!

happy upcoming anniversary!

Badass Geek said...

This is a great post, and an interesting way to get to know someone a little better.

JennyMac said...

I love your five words but I really really loved what you wrote about marriage and Bill. Happy one year!

Heckety said...

That was great! And I, too, like the gratitude journal idea- I can see how it would help shift the negatives. But from reading you regularly you come across as doing your best with what you have. And that's a good thing too.

Midtown Girl said...

I love #5!! It's so difficult to get out of a long-term unhealthy relationship. So happy you found Bill!
Will Check out fifty factor too!

XOXO
Amy

Miss_Nobody said...

Loved it,learnt so much about you!And glad that you found Bill...a person you can turn to in times of need for whatever support,or just a talk makes problems a whole lot less difficult.

Mrs4444 said...

Happy Anniversary! :)

And in case you're interested, here's a wonderful recipe for chicken spaghetti: http://mrs4444cooks.blogspot.com/2009/02/chicken-spaghetti.html

Have a great rest-of-your-weekend :)

Goose said...

I did my 5 simple words blog! check it out :-)

Little Ms Blogger said...

Kelly – Thanks. I hope you had a great weekend now that you’re friend is back in town.

Joanna – I’m so happy I played. I can’t wait to read what others wrote. I love the 44 things, but when my friend mentioned that is about one a week, I freaked a bit. I wondered if I could do it and then realized I did 2 new things in one day.

Green-Eyed Momster – I’ll definitely be your cook – how far are you from the Grand Canyon? Thank you for so much for the great 5 words, it put a big smile on my face when I read them.

The Peach Tart – Thanks.

Goose – I was happy to read that they may extend your contract work out. I hope it is for at least another 6 months and then you get to have a little time before your wedding and then ask you back at the end of the summer.
You really should try the gratitude journal. It’s helped me out a lot.
I can’t wait to read your post.

Deborah – Thanks for finding me and DEFINITELY do a gratitude journal. It may take several months to kick in, but once it does, you’ll notice a shift in the way you look at things.

Very married – thanks. I love the invites you picked.

rxBambi – I can’t wait to read your post.

New England Girl – Thanks. I love to cook, but baking is a WHOLE different world to me. It takes almost as long to bake one thing as it does a whole meal. I really have an appreciation for people who bake.

Dree - Going back and looking at what was important a year earlier has been very interesting to see what made me happy then. You should definitely do it since you’re doing a weight loss journey.
Jane – Thanks.

MamaOtwins+1 – I’m so glad you stopped by. Yeah, I have an obsession about cookbooks and it branches out to cooking magazines too. I might need a 12 step program.
I’m definitely dropping by to check you out.

Esmerelda – Can’t wait to read your post!

Living & Loving LA -- You might not need the journal since you’re already giving thanks for what you have. I hope you’re feeling better this morning and I can’t wait to read your post!

A corgi – Wow 29 years! That is awesome. I think the gratitude journal has also helped me with letting go of stupid things. Btw, loved your post about paying it forward.

Reads4Pleasure – Thanks.

Sunshine Mama – I have both a diary and gratitude journal. Since I’ve been keeping a diary for 3 decades (ouch! That was painful to admit) I’ll never give that up – great place to rant, work out issues and just write about random observations. I don’t mix the two.

Helen – Thank you. I do love to cook and if you’re willing to share you’re good luck with me, I’ll take it.

Otin – I’m glad you learned. Assume all good! LOL.

Captain Dumbass – Ahh…the cooking thing really only works because my husband is a willing participant. Makes like easier.

The Sorority - I just sent you your words this morning and can’t wait to read your post.
The Actor’s Diet – Thanks.

Joy – You’re Welcome. Loved the post about spending the day on the set of Whip-It. It looks like that’ll be a fun film.

Badass Geek - Thanks.

JennyMac – Thank you. I consider myself very lucky to have found him.

Heckety - It does shift the thinking and I do try. Thanks for noticing that. Sometimes I don’t think I’m trying hard enough.

Midtown Girl – It was! It was also one of the best things I did for myself.

Miss_Nobody – I’m glad you did. I guess I assume everyone knows me as I feel I’ve made so many great connections through the blogging community.
Bill is definitely a keeper.

Mrs.4444 – I’ll definitely check it out as I always love a new recipe.

Claudya Martinez said...

Happy Anniversary! Ours is today.