tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185327992969286412024-03-05T21:32:21.275-08:00A Little Blog About NothingLittle Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.comBlogger484125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-14635431163502915062015-05-17T07:42:00.001-07:002015-05-17T07:44:52.525-07:00Packed and Moved - Hate the Spammers....I had so many issues with spammers that it took the fun out of blogging so I moved to here:<br />
http://littlemsblogger.wordpress.com <br />
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So, if any of you still read me (I know I disappeared for a very long time) You can find me above.Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-89239575893345051642014-06-23T15:36:00.000-07:002014-06-23T15:36:47.019-07:00Cookbook Project: Book #3 – The Farm….Rustic Recipes for a Year of Incredible Food<br />
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I happened upon this cookbook after my husband turned me on to a show called The Farm. Ian Knauer is the host of the show, and author of this cookbook. When I say he truly understands the term ‘farm to table’ he really does.<br />
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Once upon a time, he worked at Gourmet testing recipes, but also worked on his family farm that has been in the family for generations. I love that he created recipes for venison as my husband is a hunter (something I haven’t admitted on this blog for fear of the backlash of people who don’t quite understand there is a difference between hunting and killing animals – to answer the next question: I don’t hunt, but did grow up fishing as I live along Long Island Sound), but bought the book because I just loved his show. When I got the book I was surprised at some of the recipes like Pasta with Shredded Collard Greens or Venison Loin with Apple-Shallot Hash, both different than I’ve ever had, or thought to put together, and ended up loving.<br />
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As I went through the book, I stopped looking up recipes to use certain ingredients, but began reading it as a book because he added wonderful stories of how a recipe came to be. Granted, I’d probably wouldn’t make Groundhog Cacciatore, but I do understand the frustration he felt watching one groundhog destroy a vegetable garden. I referred to my garden eating groundhog as my arch nemesis (http://littlemsblogger.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-arch-nemesis-is-back-and-has-joined.html), but he also gives chicken or rabbit as great substitutes (apparently, groundhog taste like rabbit). Don’t like venison, well, use lamb instead. The point is…. he wrote a cookbook using all parts of the farm which appeals to my foodie side. <br />
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I realized both my husband and I really liked his recipes and the charming stories made me want to try more. It’s like an attractive person who you think is a 7 out of 10, but add in a really great personality and it can push that person up to a 9 or 10 on the scale. The stories did that for me. It made want to try more. Lately, I’ve been a slacker in the kitchen, but have tried Grilled Filet Mignon with Summer Herb Sauce and a Grilled Zucchini with Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette (which I have leftovers and will be adding quinoa, feta cheese, black olives and possibly black beans for a couple of lunches this week).<br />
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I don’t know how many recipes there are, but I’ve earmarked an additional 20 to try out in the near future.<br />
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Here’s the first recipe I tried: <br />
<b><br />
Pasta with Shredded Collard Greens</b> <br />
4 slices bacon, chopped (<i>I used 8 because we love bacon</i>)<br />
½ c walnut pieces (<i>did you know walnuts are good for lowering blood pressure?</i>)<br />
1 large bunch of collard greens (about 1 lb)<br />
3 T of extra virgin olive oil<br />
4 garlic cloves<br />
Kosher salt and black pepper<br />
½ c finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (plus more for the table)<br />
1 T of apple cider vinegar<br />
8 oz of elbow macaroni (I didn’t use, but used a similar type pasta for this dish)<br />
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1. Cook the bacon and walnuts in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, turning, until the bacon is crisp and the walnuts are golden (Note: I believe I sautéed a finely chopped shallot with the bacon and walnuts until it softened up) about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel and let cool, then crumble the bacon. Do not clean the skillet.<br />
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2. Stack and roll up the collards tightly, like a cigar, then slice them as thinly as possible so they resemble Easter grass (<i>chiffonade?</i>)<br />
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3. Add the oil to the skillet, along with the garlic. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the collard greens and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook over high heat, turning with tongs, until the collards are wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the Parmesan and vinegar to the collards, along with the bacon, walnuts (and sautéed shallots), then season with salt and pepper to taste.<br />
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4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in heavily salted boiling water until is al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta-cooking water, drain the pasta, and toss it with the collards, along with the reserved cooking water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve the pasta with additional Parmesan.<br />
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<i>*Note – all my comments and/or additions are italicized</i> <br />
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<b>Ian Knauer has a website: http://www. ianknauer.com </b> You should definitely check him out.<br />
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Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-34954056534896291992014-01-26T18:13:00.000-08:002014-01-26T18:13:47.573-08:00Going Retro in 2014<br />
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How you wonder? Clothes – nope. Discman – nope, but I do own and still use it for my meditation cds. Elimination of mobile phone – no way. So how am I going retro? I’m mailing out birthday cards this year.<br />
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Yes. I said mailing out birthday cards. <br />
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I remember growing up and would begin checking the mailbox after September 10th for that very special piece of mail which was only for me. A card with a birthday wish celebrating the day I was born.<br />
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Fast forward and birthday wishes are now done via an electronic card or by posting on someone’s Facebook wall and that’s when I realized I wanted to reconnect with people the old fashioned way.<br />
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How’s my plan going? Interesting is the only way I can describe it. I purchased cards at my local C.V.S. and noticed the card aisles have diminished to a card aisle. When I went to send them, I realized I had no stamps as I either pay every bill online or have auto withdrawals from my checking account for large bills like my mortgage. Once I got my hands on some stamps, I was at a loss for my address book. In fact, I have yet to find it, but luckily the internet provided me with the addresses I needed.<br />
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I never asked my January birthday friends if they were surprised or even enjoyed getting something in the mail that celebrates the date of their birth, but I really enjoyed doing it and am glad I decided to go retro in 2014.<br />
Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-42394911511951999902014-01-22T15:09:00.001-08:002014-01-22T15:09:54.168-08:00Can someone tell me when sending a R.S.V.P become optional?Can someone tell me when a sending R.S.V.P become optional? Better yet, why is it so hard for people to commit to a social event? Have social invitations between friends fallen prey to the same bad behavior of online dating? Are people thinking that I’ll just wait to see how many invites I get and decide which one is the best offer before committing? Seriously, I want to know.<br />
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Every now-and-again, certain topics will get me going and this is one of them. If I invite you to dinner, just say yes or no. It won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t want to, but I’m planning dinner and need to know how much food to buy. However, I find that over the last decade people just think an invitation is a mere suggestion of something they can do, but they need not reply either way. For people like this I say: Bite Me.<br />
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For others that show real interest in getting together don’t read my invite and never respond. What you don’t realize is that I’ll send the email through Facebook so I know that you’ve read my message. It amazes me that you’ll read the message, not respond and get upset with me when I tell you I’ve made plans as I never heard back.<br />
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I’d like to say this is a novelty, but it isn’t. My point is this –if you’re not sure you can make it, let the person who sent you the email know it may not work with your schedule and that you’ll get back to them; better yet, throw out some dates that work for you. At some point if you continue this behavior, I’ll stop inviting you to do things because I’d like to think you want to spend time with me. Quite frankly, if I’m chasing you down, I’ll feel as if I’m another one of your obligations and friends should never feel like obligations.<br />
Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-4043604883247135702014-01-19T14:13:00.000-08:002014-01-19T14:13:01.403-08:00 Cookbook Project : Book #2 - Everyday Vegetarian<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvQ1P9uTUSx2qMDIO4Og2aEqxGnhOPL_3I6sH1LzcKPt_N0RvGzZyq43xeTooTvTQ8Jy_UTtpHcoxez8s0S9Zgmcn3QxRlpKSupNrC_bVq9UErDKAr1t2F5oLR5Qg1gqY0caiqmAwsg/s1600/vegetarian+everyday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvQ1P9uTUSx2qMDIO4Og2aEqxGnhOPL_3I6sH1LzcKPt_N0RvGzZyq43xeTooTvTQ8Jy_UTtpHcoxez8s0S9Zgmcn3QxRlpKSupNrC_bVq9UErDKAr1t2F5oLR5Qg1gqY0caiqmAwsg/s320/vegetarian+everyday.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This is a recent edition to my cookbook collection. I came across it after reading an article about this blog Green Kitchen Stories (http://www.greenkitchenstories.com). While the blog is all about vegetarian fare, it really is a food porn site. Oh. My. God. The pictures in this blog pop out and make you want to recreate them even if you’re in the mood to sink your teeth into a juicy rib eye steak.<br />
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I figured if I was going to ask my husband to take the plunge and eat a vegetarian dish, he should like what he’s eating. As I thumbed through the book, I was excited with the unique recipes I’d never find in an American cookbook. The authors live in Sweden and I find European cookbooks may use spices/herbs I wouldn’t see in an American cookbook – and they also combine ingredients I never thought I would.<br />
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I selected 5 recipes and my husband picked a breakfast recipe. I thought I’d make this the morning after cleaning up a very messy kitchen from the dinner party we had the night before. I made the right choice. This recipe required very little ingredients and hardly any dishes, so I knew I wouldn’t have another messy kitchen to clean up.<br />
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<b>Opinion</b>: I have to admit, I’m not an oatmeal fan, but the combination of the berries and seeds with maple syrup made the dish more like a muffin than oatmeal. The oatmeal absorbed all the berry juice as it was cooking and somehow took on more a cake texture. While I used the blackberries and pumpkins as called for in the recipe, I think I’d like to try blueberries and walnuts next time. <br />
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We both liked the dish and so did the electrician who was working on our house (he even asked for the recipe) so I’d make again. This would also make a great breakfast if you have house guests staying with you – fancy, yet casual dish.<br />
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The dish looked like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNXRJPnJkBTshHHFaKrNeozLVyLTrG8CxqDMGZ7NniMJFVEso2cVGnk3sbiHxVvSlwkDYfQQ2juBnccG8dFq_K_3QWTVYD1v1sXCeY_QJNCgOlxikX9MxjsPE4of9q7YtcshX9IaEkA/s1600/breakfast_everyday+vegetarian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNXRJPnJkBTshHHFaKrNeozLVyLTrG8CxqDMGZ7NniMJFVEso2cVGnk3sbiHxVvSlwkDYfQQ2juBnccG8dFq_K_3QWTVYD1v1sXCeY_QJNCgOlxikX9MxjsPE4of9q7YtcshX9IaEkA/s320/breakfast_everyday+vegetarian.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<b><br />
Baked Crunchy Blackberry Oatmeal</b><br />
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- 14 oz/ 3 ¼ c fresh blackberries (thawed if using frozen)<br />
- 2 c rolled oats<br />
- 1 t baking powder<br />
- ½ t ground ginger or 1 t grated fresh ginger<br />
- A pinch of sea salt (I’ve read a ‘pinch’ is 1/8 t)<br />
- 2 lg eggs<br />
- 2 ¼ c almond milk (or milk of choice)<br />
- 1 t pure vanilla extract<br />
- ¼ c pure unsweetened apple syrup or honey, maple syrup or agave syrup (note: there is a recipe for apple syrup in this cookbook, but I used maple syrup)<br />
- 1 T coconut oil (at room temperature), plus extra for greasing the pan<br />
- ¾ c pumpkin seeds (pepitas) generous ½ c hazelnuts toasted<br />
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1. Preheat the oven to 375. Grease the bottom of an 8x10 in baking dish with coconut oil and spread the berries in an even layer in the dish, then set aside.<br />
2. Combine the rolled oats, baking powder, ginger and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, add the milk and vanilla and whisk well to combine.<br />
3. To create the crunchy top layer, put the apple syrup, 1 T coconut oil, pumpkin seeds and hazelnuts in a small bowl and mix with your fingers to make sure everything is well coated.<br />
4. Spoon the oat mixture into the baking dish to cover the blackberries, and then pour the egg mixture over the oats so everything is evenly soaked. Sprinkle the seed and nut mixture on top and bake for 35-40 minutes. When it’s done, the oatmeal should be set and the nuts and seeds lightly browned and crunchy. Leave to cool slightly before serving.<br />
Tip: For a vegan alternative: measure 2 T chia seeds into a small bowl and 1/3 c water. Stir with a spoon and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. Use in place of the eggs.<br />
Tip: For a gluten-free alternative, choose gluten-free oats.<br />
Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-62109253005267944642013-12-23T12:45:00.000-08:002013-12-23T12:45:36.963-08:00Cookbook Project: Book #1 - Essentials of Italian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6yXiGC3ZmCnzQSdfKJ-XyAqCu7ncvgHOvRzImY8DnsPQNPklxi2IPdXNhZQ4ceMVwFzA9qZauFBD5AKXCnNWGN644hFd4mBBrJhdZRNRFnaUKUESqX25ZlysFZLN2oCjXzaEVcJYVVA/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6yXiGC3ZmCnzQSdfKJ-XyAqCu7ncvgHOvRzImY8DnsPQNPklxi2IPdXNhZQ4ceMVwFzA9qZauFBD5AKXCnNWGN644hFd4mBBrJhdZRNRFnaUKUESqX25ZlysFZLN2oCjXzaEVcJYVVA/s320/photo.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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I got this book many moons ago when I used to take cooking classes at William Sonoma in the Stamford Town Mall. I loved the teacher and took classes for 3 or 4 years with her because she'd use ingredients I never worked with or thought to work with. She's the first person that opened my mind to really trying new foods.<br />
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The week I posted my decision to count my cookbooks by trying a recipe from every cookbook I own, is the same week I called a good friend and asked if she'd be a guinea pig. I have a dinner right after Christmas and know that I'm serving braised short ribs, but thought Polenta with Gorgonzola sounded like an amazing companion to the ribs. Guess what. I was right.<br />
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I have to admit, I've never made polenta and have always heard how you have to watch it like you would a small child around an open flame; both burn easily if you look away for one moment. However, this recipe boasted that it was creamy, but made in the oven. No hovering. No needing to keep a watchful eye out for it to cease up on me and turn into a big ball of goo. The recipe literally called for me to mix several ingredients together and pop it in the oven until the last 10 minutes of cooking when you stir in gorgonzola and butter to give the polenta the incredibly rich, silky, cheesy flavor that went perfectly with the red wine braised short ribs. <br />
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The only change I'd make is I'd pull it out at 48 minutes, instead of the suggested 1 hour cooking time to stir in the cheese and butter. However, I wonder if it is because I chose to cook this in my toaster oven -- things may cook faster in the toaster oven than my 50 + year old vintage oven.<br />
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Would I make this again? Absolutely. <br />
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<b>Polenta with Gorgonzola</b><br />
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2 C whole milk<br />
1 C coarse-ground polenta<br />
Sea Salt<br />
1/4 lb Gorgonzola cheese, rind removed and crumbled<br />
2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
1/2 C grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese<br />
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1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375.<br />
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2. In a 2 qt (2-l) baking dish, whisk together 3 C water with the milk, polenta, and 1 tsp sea salt. Bake, uncovered, until the liquid has been absorbed and the polenta is tender, about 1 hour.<br />
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3. Remove the dish from the oven and whisk the polenta until creamy. Stir the Gorgonzola and butter into the polenta, distributing them evenly. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the top.<br />
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4. Return the dish to the oven and bake until the chesses are melted and the top is lightly browned about 10 minutes. Serve at once directly from the dish.Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-30895668859817479832013-11-20T21:40:00.000-08:002013-11-20T21:40:55.128-08:00The Cookbook ProjectI openly admit I love and own an insane amount of cookbooks. Some may say I have an obsession with the amount I own, but in my defense, I've been collecting books for years.<br />
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When friends and family ask how many books I own, I instantly respond: "Oh, about 250". The truth is I have no clue. I have cookbooks in my living room, hall closet, office, back room off bedroom and my attic. I've never counted them and recently been contemplating how long it would take me to finish all the reading books I've purchased or projects I've started. As I was relaxing this past weekend on my living couch, I took a hard look at the cookbooks I walk by everyday and thought it's time to count my books. However, I don't want to just count them, I want to use them.<br />
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When I first started buying my own cookbooks, I wouldn't buy one unless I knew I was going to use it. Over the years, when I cooked from a recipe in one of my cookbooks, I'd make notes next to the recipe of when I cooked it, who for, any adjustments made, and final opinions of the recipe from me and the people who sampled the recipe with me.<br />
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Based upon my desire to know how many books I own, I decided to create my own personal Cookbook Project. Every week, I am going to cook 1 recipe from a minimum of 2 cookbooks. My husband has offered to lend some help. I'll pick out various recipes in the books and he'll be the one who decides which one is going to be cooked. Because he likes to cook, I'm hoping to rope him into actually helping me.<br />
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Once a week I'll post the recipes selected, books chosen, personal notes about it and maybe pics of the end result. In my personal notes I'll will tell a little bit about why/when I bought the book, difficulty, if I were to make any changes to the recipe and what they'd be, and of course I am going to note whether I'd make this recipe again.<br />
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I'm looking forward to getting started and have already selected my first 2 recipes I plan on making this weekend.<br />
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Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-63046858144119158772013-11-15T12:17:00.000-08:002013-11-15T12:17:06.243-08:00Etcetera, Etcetera, Etcetera...I'm in a book club and next month I get to select the book we're going to read. When I started thinking about my choice, I started to go to the New York Times' Sunday book review section before it hit me: I own many books I haven't read yet, why am I going outside my own stash?<br />
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Of course, this thought naturally progressed to the next one: How many books, magazines or projects have I not read, finished or even started? Am I a procrastinator? Hell yes, when it comes to cleaning. I have a sister who loves to clean, and while I love the results, I seem to be missing that gene. However, for everything else, I realized I have a lot of open projects because I have a lot of interests. I guess you could say I like shiny objects, but in this case, objects = interests. And I realized this makes me happy.<br />
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I've always wondered if there is an age where your curiosity to try or learn new things shuts off. I'm happy to say it hasn't happened to me yet. However, I would like to take the next year to act on/finish/make a dent in my books, interests (cooking, writing) or projects (I really thought recycling old t-shirts into squares for a quilt was a great idea. However, I've had a bag full of squares in my back room for the past year, maybe it's now time to create the quilt. Granted, I'm calling it the "ugly quilt" because I've never made one, but have started asking older sister questions on how to do this since she made one years ago).<br />
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When I asked my sister, "Yoga Girl", if she had a lot of unfinished projects she said without skipping a beat "of course". "How could I not when I'm never home." I forgot how the routine of daily life prevents me from finishing every project. However, I'm now intrigued to want to start completing some of what I think is open just to see if the book lived up to it's book cover; or if I have the patience to transform a bunch of fabric squares into my new picnic quilt (really, did you think this 1st time creation would go on my bed?).<br />
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As I was thinking about this subject, while content with having a lot of unread books on my shelves or unfinished projects because it means I'm still curious about anything, I have to wonder am I the norm? Are there more people out there like me with the unread books and projects that take a decade* to complete; or do most people buy and read a book before they start another one? I'd be curious to know.<br />
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*For the record, I consider organizing my attic as a cleaning project and since I've already stated that I procrastinate when it comes to cleaning, I'm not going to put that into the same bucket as an unfinished project of interest.Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-29726513237094890922013-10-04T13:54:00.000-07:002013-10-04T13:54:31.046-07:00One Size Does Not Fit AllContrary to popular belief, one size does not fit all especially when it comes to advice. I think one person's path to happiness is a journey and everyone should remember this.<br />
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Years ago, I would freely dispense wanted and unwanted advice, but today, I just mostly listen (although, I can't say I keep my mouth shut 100% of time, but try). The other night I was having dinner with a friend when she shared with me that she's basically in a 'funk' without admitting she's sad with the circumstances of her life. She's in a routine that has become a rut and trying to figure out how to get out of it.<br />
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I wanted to scream "Well, why not just try something new?", but instead, I chose to ask "When is the last time you've nurtured yourself?"<br />
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I think it's easier for most to share what works for them other than to throw the right question back to the individual -- the type of question that leads the individual to the answer of their own problem. I want to believe if it works for me, and we're friends, it should work for them. The truth is, it may work for them, but if the person who is at the tail end of receiving the advice isn't really open to making the changes, it's about as useful as reading the dictionary to someone. I'm also a firm believer that it can often take many attempts to change your circumstances or lifestyle. You can easily stumble, but the next time you attempt to make a change, it may stick just a little longer until finally the change you wanted to make sticks. <br />
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I know most people believe if they're not successful with the first attempt at making a change, you're a failure, but I disagree. For me, I believe you learn from your mistakes, tweak them and carry them forward when you want to make that change again.<br />
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I did share with my friend that twice a week I go to Panera's where I write this blog and was surprised how this one act had such a significant affect on me. I was purposely carving time out of my daily routine, my own rut, just for me. Because I work out of my home, I have a tendency to grab what is in the fridge, eat in the house, and go back to work. I explained how this one act refueled my passion for writing and has become one of the highlights of my week. <br />
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Not all changes have to be over the top. Sometimes it is the small changes that make us the happiest.Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-15196055199298083762013-09-25T05:13:00.000-07:002013-09-25T05:13:13.433-07:00Multitasking: Apparently, the Missing Male SkillsetI have to admit, I suck at it too. Actually, I can do it, but have noticed how anxious I feel after a multi-tasking session.<br />
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I read a blurb in the October issue of Yoga Journal about a study done at the University of California focusing on the present moment and had an 'a-ha' moment. While the study delves into people rehashing their past, or worrying about the future, I realized how often I'm not in the present. <br />
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While I 'watch' tv, I also pay bills, read a book, play an online game or surf the Internet. I end up missing a lot of nuances of the show. At work, it is worse. I'll be responding to an email when I get the pop-up screen that another has arrived in my inbox. Of course I have to go look at it. Depending upon the email, I'll start to respond and the cycle just starts over with another email popping up in my inbox. By the end of the day, I'm finishing up about 10 half-attempts at email responses, and closing out another 20 emails.<br />
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Whether for fun or work, I take it upon myself to try to be there for everyone the moment they need me. Unfortunately, I'm always left feeling a bit anxious.<br />
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I know some people are great multi-taskers. I'm learning I'm not and am actually okay with that. After reading the magazine blurb, I realized I need to just focus on one thing at a time. Whether I'm watching tv, reading or responding to emails at work, I'm going to be in the now. I'd rather enjoy, or focus, on what I'm doing before moving on. I've only starting adopting this attitude. However, I've noticed I'm not anxious or uneasy and feel as if I've focused 100% on a situation.<br />
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Now.....to address the title of this blog.....I often hear how men have a weakness for not being able to multi-task and am now wondering if they choose not to because they've known all along how more efficient and calm you can be when you don't.Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-74949931833646786902013-09-23T12:27:00.000-07:002013-09-23T12:27:33.628-07:00New Year, New Outlook.I've been gone from the blogging world for quite some time. The trials and tribulations of Storm Sandy finally came to an end, but I was in desperate need of a new computer. My laptop, while almost viable, takes forever to run. However, I've had it since 2005, so a 8 year run is a good deal.<br />
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Yesterday was my birthday and while most make resolutions on New Year's Day, I make mine on my birthday. I don't make resolutions that often lead to beating one self up for not being able to do it, but I try to reflect and create resolutions I think will make my life richer or easier. This year I only have one. Take a chance.<br />
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I don't want the fear of failing the reason to shy away from anything. Whether I want to eat better, exercise, learn to calm down or just forgive myself for some reason I've made up in my head, I just going to continue to try at goals and also accept myself if I fail. Every day, meal, hour, etc. gives me the opportunity to pursue what I want. Instead of harping on what I didn't do 10 minutes ago, I'm going to look ahead and try my best at the next opportunity.<br />
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I guess you'd call it a gift of self preservation and self love.<br />
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What resolutions have you set for yourself to enrich you as a person?Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-89534946596165641282012-12-11T22:54:00.001-08:002012-12-12T16:18:29.523-08:00Storm Sandy... The AftermathAnyone who lives on the East Coast knows that Storm Sandy had a devastating impact on New Jersey, NYC and parts of Connecticut.<br />
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While power was lost for days, if not weeks, many lost their homes from floods and my dad is one of those people.<br />
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For a man who lost his wife of 65 years this past April and his home of 57 years in October, he's pretty resilient, but I think it's the ones around him that are feeling the effects of Storm Sandy.<br />
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From the day of the Storm, life has been more than chaos for me and some of my siblings. He lived with one sister for 2 weeks before I moved him into temporary housing at a local hotel for another month until a new home was found for him. He's 90 and we were looking for an independent living facility and my sister did an amazing job researching the various places in our area. While I only toured one of the places (the one he didn't choose) I must admit, it's great to see how people are creating places where the elderly can live in a place they can call home and not feel as though they were just transplanted someplace where babysitting is 24 hours/day.<br />
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My sister and I helped move him into his place on Sunday and while there are tons of boxes still left to unpack, let me tell you what it took to get him someplace safe. The list includes:<br />
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- moving furniture to the 2nd floor prior to the storm<br />
- negotiating with hotels in the area to find the best rate<br />
- meeting with his homeowner's insurance carrier to get some money for wind damage and rain damage<br />
- meeting with FEMA only to get some money for additional living expenses, but being denied because he collected last year and FEMA informed him he needed to get flood insurance<br />
- meeting with plumbers to drain his pipes and winterize the house<br />
- meeting with contractors to gut the house because as much as you try to explain it, a 90 year old man does not get that opening windows would really have paid off. So, instead of having to gut the first floor of a house, you now have to gut 2 floors because the walls were wet and the ceiling in the dining room grew a disgusting mold colony.<br />
- shouting at your 90 year old father because he refuses to wear his hearing aid<br />
- making arrangements with a friend to hire her son and 3 of his friends to help pitch or move items to a storage unit<br />
- arranging for a dumpster<br />
- packing and pitching items from a house my father lived in for 57 years in record time of about 14 hours. I'm truly grateful my mom was not a packrat, but in the last 4 years she was in a nursing home, he managed to save a lot of paper<br />
- having to go through your mother's items that hadn't been looked at since her funeral<br />
- getting sick and going on antibiotics from the respiratory infection I got from mold exposure while packing up his house. <br />
- having another sister throw up for 2 days from same mold exposure and stress of the Thanksgiving weekend<br />
- having arguments with your 90 year old father because he thinks he can just turn on his electric and dry out his house (water was higher than electric sockets)<br />
- having more arguments with your father because he doesn't understand just because there is a flood it doesn't mean your homeowner's policy automatically covers you. YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS COVERAGE.<br />
- having an argument with your father because you ask him to do you one favor and wait for the plumber to winterize the house because you have a full-time job, and while your boss is understanding, there is really only so much time you can take off and he can't even wait for the plumber because he wants to meet his friends. Instead the plumber calls you,you panic because the temperatures are going to drop soon and his pipes might freeze and burst creating an even bigger mess in house. You end up cancelling all your afternoon calls and finally talk to your father who yells at you because he doesn't like the fact that I was upset about his rearranging the plumber's meeting without consulting me and yelling even more at me when I tell him I had to cancel my meetings so he could go have lunch with friends. No thank you. No apology.<br />
- talking for multiple hours with a realtor how to even price the house because it's been in 2 floods in one year<br />
- talking with a real estate attorney to find out if there are any environmental issues that could be a problem when we go to sell<br />
- recognizing that to sell the house $15,000 must be paid to take down the walls to the studs, remove the carpets, replace exterior doors and spray to kill the mold so the structure of the house can remain in tact.<br />
- recognize at some point, while doing all this legwork, your father only respects my 2 sisters and has no issue with dismissing me and the efforts I've been doing to help him.<br />
- recognizing at times his "thank yous" are just lip service<br />
- spending far too much time in Bed, Bath and Beyond and having no desire after 3 shopping carts full of stuff and saving $138 using their coupons how you may never want to step inside any store again. Actually, after this trip, I had to go into Walmart to get some items and had to leave quickly because I was so overwhelmed and it sucked.<br />
- losing all personal time and getting physically sick from the stress and lack of sleep<br />
- having multiple calls daily with the contractor and finding out the City doesn't want to grant you a permit for the demolition within the home to destroy the mold. <br />
- digging up any photos you can find to help get the permit<br />
- having my 2 sisters take my dad to the hospital because he HAD to fix something and went into his garage didn't watch where he was going, tripped and fell flat on his face and broke his nose (he's fine)<br />
- ending up in tears on several occasions because my father has been more than difficult<br />
- realizing that I need space from him<br />
- getting closer to YogaGirl than I ever thought possible and thanking my lucky stars that she stays calm when I can't and vice versa<br />
- hoping that things calm down at work so I don't have to keep working till 8 pm like I have the past several weeks<br />
- looking forward to December 24th because I moved Christmas to the 23rd and I can breathe for a couple of days.<br />
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My heart goes out to anyone who suffered, or has suffered from any natural disaster. All the details are crazy enough, but the fighting and other feelings that I've experienced since the storm are more than I wish upon my worst enemy. I've become the ugliest me because of it all and look forward to it all ending. <br />
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In addition to the packing and pitching of the house,I appreciate that one sister took my father in during the storm and has been in charge of his medical issues, and that YogaGirl has done so much for my father in terms of finding him his new home, getting the movers to get him in and looking to protect his future financials. She is also paying for repairs to his home so we can put it on the market.<br />
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I also appreciate the wonderful people I've met. The claim examiners, the movers, my friend for finding people we needed desperately to help us clear out the house and the amazing contractor who is working with us to keep costs down and manage my father. The realtor and especially my husband who has not only helped out a lot, but has tried to make my life easier by making dinners so I can work late, listen to me cry from sheer frustration with my dad and hugged me when I needed it.<br />
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I can also admit this - I've reached my limit and I'm glad I wrote this post. It's been extremely therapeutic. Now...if I could only sleep.<br />
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Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-42272775312632737732012-10-28T17:51:00.001-07:002012-10-28T17:51:24.350-07:00Storm Sandy....Is it a hurricane? A Nor'easter? Or a reason to eat?<br />
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Yes, I know we're going to get slammed and I know that my dad's house will be flooded again. I still have fresh memories of dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Irene to help my dad out, but that's not where I'm going with this post.<br />
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What's up with the run on milk and Wonder bread at the grocery markets? I understand the bread because you need it for peanut butter sandwiches or to make bread animals when the power goes out and you're bored [note: Wonder bread has the consistency of silly putty and if you don't have kids, Wonder Bread provides endless hours of fun(note/note: If you're from the Wonder company, I want ad royalties if you decide to use this in future marketing campaigns)].<br />
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But seriously? I watched the NYC news and they showed the lines formed outside of Trader Joe's and thought: People don't you have any food in the house?<br />
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However, I admit, I'm a bit guilty of running to the store. I went to the local CVS (drug store), because I'm sick as a dog and didn't want to run out of Thera-Flu (OMG, I love this product) and kleenex. Sure, I strayed and bought some Cetaphil body soap (another product I love and is more than amazing), but I am low on soap. However, people were just buying things. I overheard 2 women talking and saying that they were picking up cold medicine just in case. In case of what? It's 60 degrees out and I'm assuming you're not going to sit outside your home during the storm so you get a cold. If you're are, well, I think you may need something more than an over-the-counter cold medication. Personally, if these women were taking the last box of Thera-Flu, I would have tackled them for it. And then, I would cough on them to prove my point that I needed it more.<br />
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As I was making soup for dinner, I used the last onion and asked my hubby to run out to the grocery store for: onions, celery, deli meat and more kleenex (what the hell was I thinking only buying one box earlier in the day). Milk was not on the list or Wonder bread, but he strayed on the list and brought home tortilla chips, seven layer dip (if you live near Stew Leonard's you'd know their dip is yummy) ice cream and cookies. Again, as I ask...Are storms really an excuse to just eat?Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-79283997150787959682012-10-25T17:02:00.000-07:002012-10-25T17:02:15.808-07:00Yup. I'm Going to Go Here.....I'm sick of political talk.<br />
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I'm bombarded with flyers, calls, Facebook posts and people who freely share their opinion even after I have clearly stated I don't like to talk politics. While I appreciate people are passionate about their party (yes, I have friends on both sides of the political spectrum)I was raised that your vote is private.<br />
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I read. I keep well informed of the issues, but I will never let on which way I'm voting and that is the beauty of being registered as an "Independent". I've voted across party lines and I'm fine with that. <br />
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However, I'm not fine with the constant bashing. I find the people who complain about the bashing are also bashing, but don't recognize it. I think there are ways to express your beliefs without slamming another party's viewpoint. To me, if you have to bash a political party, I am going to tune you out.<br />
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Also, if I tell you I'm an Independent and I don't talk about politics, don't tell me you feel the same way, also an Independent, and then spend the next 2 hours really sharing your Republican viewpoint with me.<br />
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Again, I respect that people are passionate about their beliefs, but right now, I'd rather hear about your bowel movements than talk politics. I'd rather hear you have to eat bran muffins to get things moving in the morning.<br />
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Because I feel so strongly, I am removing myself from all situations where the majority of the conversation is politics. I can't wait for talk of politics turning to annoying family members at the holidsys. Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-42055887208281368232012-10-05T16:10:00.000-07:002012-10-05T16:10:06.094-07:00Living the Ordinary LifeOver the past several months, I've been struggling with just being "ordinary". I lead a fairly quiet life, haven't accomplished anything that put others in awe of me or discovered the cure for any horrible disease. However, wherever I turn, I'm bombarded with stories of people who've done something fantastic with their lives.<br />
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The more I read about extraordinary people the more I began to question what I was doing with my life. How often have I heard the statement "if you follow your dreams, you'll be successful" and am left thinking is there something wrong with me because I have no dream that drives me to put everything else on the sidelines. To wonder why I don't have that kind of tunnel vision and be focused or driven. Often, I'm left being annoyed with magazines that only profile these people. Once I'd like to see an article about the 'average' person.<br />
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While I admire people who do reach their goals, I've come to the realization that there are more people in the world who lead fairly quiet lives and can be happy with their surroundings and I'm one of those everyday people. <br />
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I enjoy quiet moments with my husband, love going to bed on freshly clean and ironed sheets, am thrilled when the refrigerator is clean and am thrilled when I finish a project to the best of my ability. <br />
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I have many dreams, but will I ever be one of those over-the-top super special people whom articles are written about? Probably not. But, I've finally come to the place where I can read about these people, appreciate their accomplishments and also know I do small but powerful things that make my life just a little bit better..Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-56998506772826779462012-09-18T19:16:00.000-07:002012-09-18T19:17:12.975-07:00Another Reason Why I Should Think Twice About Asking For My Husband's Opinion<i>Note: I will remember one day to update my profile from unemployed to employed. End of Reminder</i><br />
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Now that I'm back at work for several months, I've been discussing with my husband the household projects that we need to tackle. Because we don't have a family room, our living room doubles as a living room for company, and the place where my husband plants his butt on a nightly basis to watch t.v. (he manages to find the most obscure crap on t.v.). My living room needs some sprucing up and is in desperate need for a new couch.<br />
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My couch is 10+ years, but because of its extended use by my hubby, it's more like 30 years old. I told him it was time that we updated the living room with at least a fresh coat of paint and a new couch (eventually, we'll address the hardwood floors that are beaten up and the fireplace). We (which really means my husband) will be painting the room, but after our conversation about the couch, I will be selecting the new couch alone.<br />
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Often when I shop for anything for too long, every option I see begins to look the same. It is inevitable that paint colors and fabric swatches begin to blend into one color or one pattern. I wanted to avoid this when selecting a couch and thought if I had my husband come with me, it would make the selection process a breeze. However, reality set in after I mentioned him coming with me to shop for a couch. <br />
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I really thought he'd feel thrilled to be included in the process, but I think I was mistaken....or hope I was after our conversation. <br />
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When I asked him to come with me, he suggested that we bring the outdoors inside. I don't know what I was thinking, but fell for it. I thought he was going to have a great creative suggestion, but got these 2 suggestions instead:<br />
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- why not have a greenish couch with a pattern of wetlands imprinted into the fabric with marshes and ducks; or<br />
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- why not have a greenish/brown couch with the forest imprinted into the fabric with deer and other woodland creatures represented.<br />
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Take aside my opinion that I think this is just plain ugly, but imagine going to sit down and your butt lands on the face of a raccoon? Eventually, there's no way you wouldn't have a dream that a raccoon is chasing you trying to bite your ass.<br />
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Needless to say, I will be on this search alone. I felt out a friend to see if she wanted to come with me, but no luck. I just hope I find this couch quickly.<br />
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Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-5858186952088929892012-07-29T16:52:00.002-07:002012-07-29T16:52:06.432-07:00Untitled - Yet Personal.....I've been working for several months and still struggle with insomnia. I admit, it's not as often as it was when unemployed, but still, it happens.<br />
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Last week I went to dinner with a friend, came home and could not fall asleep. I was a bit anxious and couldn't figure out why. As I was thumbing through the t.v. stations I came upon a documentary on HBO: "Hard Times: Lost on Long Island."*<br />
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It followed several people who were hit by the Great Recession. They showed candid conversations with people who were unable to pay bills, feared being evicted, talked about how their friends disappeared because they couldn't handle them being unemployed and other issues that come up when there is no money.<br />
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It hit a note. I experienced most everything they went through, but didn't know how to really express myself because I was either frustrated or ashamed because I couldn't find a job and couldn't explain why. <br />
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Since getting a job, I realize I relate to why my parents (depression kids -- even though I'm a Gen-X kid) thought cash was king, hid money in a coffee can in the refrigerator and liked having extra money in their checking account. <br />
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After watching the documentary, I pinned down why I can't sleep some nights. It's fear. The fear of never feeling financially safe. Realizing that bad things happen to good people and this could happen again. The best I can do is take the right steps towards financial freedom and renew my daily meditation practice to help feel calm.<br />
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*As part of taking steps towards financial freedom, I worked with my cable provider to lower my bill to match another offer in the area and, in addition, to lowering my bill, I got HBO free for several months.<br />
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<br />Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-49244803955564782702012-07-11T17:54:00.002-07:002012-07-11T17:54:30.156-07:00I Wonder How Old I'll Be Before I'm No Longer Amazed By What People Do.......The other night as I was in the waiting room for a focus group I was participating in, I was totally shocked by the actions of this woman in the room. <br />
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Just imagine you're sitting in a room with complete strangers. It's totally silent. People are thumbing through magazines and then BLAM 'No Boundaries Lady' enters the room.<br />
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This woman is talking loudly on her cell phone not noticing 12 other people are in the room sitting in absolute silence. I've seen where people enter a room while talking, but quickly finish up their conversation. But not this lady. In fact, she got louder and would often pull the phone away to look at a text message she received as she was talking.<br />
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It wasn't that she was talking on a cell phone in a room where no else was talking, it is the conversation she was having that made several of us look up at one another in complete shock.<br />
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She was talking about someone's child she knew that had just drowned in a pool. Totally oblivious to how loud and how personal she was getting. It was somewhat disturbing to be in the middle of such a conversation. She was clearly upset which led to my ultimate thought/observation: Why are you even here?Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-45393072923578579732012-07-01T17:17:00.002-07:002012-07-01T17:21:52.794-07:00Living in My Own Episode of Hoarders: Buried Alive..or Why I know I'll Never Own 43 Cats.......Here in the U.S., we are slammed with every conceivable t.v. show imaginable. There are shows based upon families with multiple children, others about brides who are bat-shit crazy and truckers who drive long distances on ice in the dead of winter to deliver their shipments. I know I blogged in the past about a show entitled Hoarders and how watching it made me want to clean my house (I later made the connection that the people they profiled typically had multiple cats which are always found dead under stacks of rubble and realize if you own more than 40 cats you'll more than likely end up on the show).<br />
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While Hoarders is a show that amazes me (they usually cart away 8 tons of garbage in just 2 days) I've decided there has to be at least 400+ people for every house they profile to ensure it's clean in 48 hours.<br />
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Wait... I'm getting distracted. I want to tell you why I feel as though I'm one of the people profiled on Hoarders: Buried Alive (okay, not really because I don't own 43 cats, but I do have a room that is jammed packed). <br />
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When I found out I got a job in April and could work out of the house, I asked my husband to make a multi-shelf bookcase. It's July 1st and my dining room is still crammed packed, BUT the bookcase is finally painted. It's not completely dry and the room is covered with drop cloths (which my husband has promised will be put away tonight along with his painting implements and other stuff before I start work tomorrow), but I'm just thrilled it's finally painted. <br />
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I admit I'm a bit to blame, but I think his confidence in how long it would take was exceedingly high. I think he was under the impression it would take a day to cut the wood - a couple of hours to put together and a couple of hours to paint the case -- ummmm...NO! My husband is very handy, but I think he may have been watching too many home improvement shows where every home project is completed under 30 minutes.<br />
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I have to wait for the shelves to dry before putting things in its place and with the humidity as high as it is in CT, I'm not taking any chances. I'm going to double the normal waiting time before putting the office back together. I'm just hoping things are back in place before the end of the month because I'm starting to lose my mind. <br />
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With everything in the room I have to walk through to get to every room in the house, I've noticed how living in clutter, over a really long time, depresses the hell out of me. I can now see how most of the people they profile on the show feel defeated and don't know where to start. I have gone through everything and although the clutter is organized, I still have to maneuver through the room to pass through. <br />
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I'm just thankful I don't own 43 cats because I know I may not see them in between the stacks of books and office supplies on and under the table....And as my husband just said: "You don't want to find a flat cat". <br />
<br />Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-34287629157289678902012-05-22T17:07:00.001-07:002012-05-22T17:07:55.009-07:00Curiosity Gets the Cat.....In this scenario, I'm the cat.....<br />
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Let me explain. A couple weeks ago, I was staying at my sister's house. I didn't bring my laptop and wanted to check my email so I used hers. My husband sent me a document to read and as I was downloading the document I noticed there was one entitled "dating.xls".<br />
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My sister is single and her love of excel made me naturally think it was hers. Never did it enter my head that this document, housed in the download documents, belonged to anyone other than her. Curiosity got the best of me. I mean, why, or better yet, what would one capture in a dating excel spreadsheet.<br />
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Well....I was in for a surprise. I opened it up to discover pictures of women. I was saddened that she didn't feel comfortable telling me she was gay. I immediately talked with my husband and realized she would tell me when she was ready and it wasn't my place to bring it up. [Note: I didn't really realize this. He told me to shut my pie hole and when she was ready to tell me she would. I secretly hoped this was sooner than later]. However, I was totally disgusted because the women in the spreadsheet were half her age and the comments were pretty superficial. More about what the girl looked like than the conversation she had with her.<br />
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I was dumbfounded. I'm incredibly close with my sister and couldn't believe she was trolling for young women and how shallow she was. Seriously, I thought to myself, what a shallow, dirty letch. Didn't she know the rule about the lowest appropriate dating age? 1/2 your age + 7.<br />
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Luckily for me, I only had to hold my tongue for 1 day. The next morning we were talking about the speed of her computer and it came up that she couldn't believe she still had the dating spreadsheet on her computer [Background: A week or so before my mother died, my sister had told me the story she read on the Internet about this guy who tracked his dates on a spreadsheet and downloaded it so she could send it to me. She knew how much I love to goof on her about putting almost every piece of data in an excel spreadsheet. Well, we got distracted with life events and she never sent to me.]<br />
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I confessed to downloading the spreadsheet, and then, confessed my thoughts. I told her how I couldn't believe she'd think it okay to be such a letch just because she jumped the fence. She laughed at me.<br />
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I guess that's what I get for being curious. I'm glad I only had to wait 24 hours to learn my sister wasn't a creepy, shallow being.Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-47075523474012416322012-05-20T20:24:00.000-07:002012-05-20T20:24:51.744-07:00Phew.......I'm starting my 4th week in my new job and you know what....after 4 years of being unemployed, it felt as though nothing has changed. Although, my attitude has.<br />
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For the past 3 weeks, I've been asked: "How do you like the new job?" Ummmm.. I'm thankful for the position and appreciate that I have a job. However, I've learned some key things about me I've carried into this job and here they are:<br />
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1. I work to live, not live to work. I know people who live to work and am thankful there are people on the earth who are wired this way, but it's not me.<br />
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2. I don't necessarily believe that everyone has to follow their passion as their career. I LOVE cooking, food, eating food, farmer's markets. BUT, do I want to work long hours as a chef? Nope. I'll just keep having my monthly dinner parties instead. For me, I am thankful I have identified my passion and will always have it to relieve stress.<br />
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Okay...the rest are observations....<br />
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3. My home office is located in NJ...exactly 4 miles from my last employer's home office (yes, I do find this weird). For the 1st 2 weeks I traveled to NJ (luckily, my boss has no issue with me working remotely), but as I was driving the 94 miles to the office, I discovered NJ has a State car -- the BMW SUV. I swear BMW must have secretly left their SUV in the driveways of NJ residents. As I was driving down the highway, there was one in every lane of the 3 lane highway. The runner-up car was Lexus - any make and model.<br />
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4. I'm 46, but am still amazed at the stupid things that come out of people's mouths. Day 1, someone was helping me get my badge. They actually said something like this to me: "You know, I'm only taking you around because I was told to". Really? I knew you weren't doing this out of the kindness of your heart, but sometimes, just sometimes, you need to not share your inner voice. I now know how a deer feels when it comes face-to-face with the bright headlights of a car at night. I believe I said: "Thank you, I appreciate it".<br />
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5. I think the IT people either hate me or expect an invitation to my house at Thanksgiving. I believe I've called them more than I've talked with my boss. Yes. I'm tech retarded. But, if it weren't for employees like me, these people wouldn't have a job. So....maybe, they really do love me deep down.<br />
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6. There is no such thing as the magic cleaning fairy. If she exists, she doesn't come to my house and am pissed. I guess I forgot I no longer have that extra 9 hours a day to clean one or two rooms. If you're wondering why it takes me 9 hours to clean one or two rooms, well, let me tell you why -- when I clean I have a secret cleaning tool and it's called PRO-CRAS-TI-NATION. Don't mistake it with a feather duster or vacuum, it resembles a couch, a t.v., a computer or book. None of which help me empty a dishwasher. <br />
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7. Last, but not least, I love working from home. I'm more focused and can wear yoga pants and slippers to work.<br />
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Those are my observations about starting work again -- my other non-work observation is that I watched Celebrity Apprentice this season. Having never watched the season of American Idol Clay Aiken was on, I had never heard him sing. Oh. My. God. Does he have an amazing voice. I was shocked in a very pleasant way.<br />
<br />Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-35665333271983735272012-04-27T23:29:00.000-07:002012-04-28T06:54:53.756-07:00Yin and YangI often heard people refer to the "Yin and Yang" of a situation....or what comes up must come down. I've never really been a big believer that if something good happens it is bound that something bad is soon to follow. For the past several years, my life has been more of the snowball effect -- where one thing after another, after another occurs. However, things recently changed and I'm experiencing the Yin & Yang effect.<br />
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I'm one to shy away and shut down when things go awry and my life since last September was progressively going on a downward spiral (which also explains my reason for the lack of blog posts). For a person who takes pride for accomplishing a lot, I had to look in the mirror and admit I was failing and even though I was trying, I had absolutely no control. I swallowed my pride, accepted help from loved ones and made calls I dreaded. Needless to say, I cried more than I want to admit.<br />
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It was humbling to say the least. I see things differently than I did 4 years, 3 years and even 1 year ago. I've learned what's important, what I'm truly grateful for, and have observed the behavior of people who became uncomfortable with how my life changed and just avoided me because they couldn't or didn't know what to say or do around me. <br />
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May 2nd would mark the 4 year anniversary of being unemployed, but recently things have changed. In a 2 week span, I had an interview which was more like an exchange of ideas, was offered a position, and then helped pull together the details of my mother's funeral.<br />
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She died quietly after suffering for years from Alzheimer's and had long forgotten who I was. I think she knew she was not enjoying life in a wheelchair and had decided to stop eating and talking for several days before passing. She would have needed a feeding tube and I'm glad my father never had to witness it. For me, my mother's passing was a blessing. I know her quality of life was not one she would have wanted (or anyone would), and am thankful it didn't get worse.<br />
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It's amazing how quickly my life has changed. One thing I know for sure is this: If someone told me I could have the lifestyle I had in 2008 without my husband or go through all the shit I did for the past 4 years and have my husband by my side,I choose my husband hands down. He's always been by side to support me, to prop me up while down, but it was during the week of my mother's funeral where this became obvious. While pulling out my hair with my dad and all the funeral details,he quietly comforted me by being there to handle my dad when I couldn't, and doing whatever I needed even when I couldn't form a simple sentence because there were so many details to attend to. He did what I asked, but more importantly he knew to do things for me even when I didn't know I needed the help.<br />
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I start work on Monday. Am I happy? Ummm....Yes. I have to admit, with all the events that happened this month, I am not stressed about starting a new job, but instead I feel very calm. Maybe it is because I felt the highs and lows of emotions in the same period of time.....my definition of the Yin and Yang of a situation.Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-1046595668788325352012-03-09T07:14:00.002-08:002012-03-09T07:30:25.935-08:00Anger: The Train You Sometimes Can't StopFor the past few days (who am I kidding, the past week), I've been angry. I'm angry at the economy, angry at my situation and what sparked all my feelings of anger is a conversation I had with someone.<br /><br />I thought I was having lunch with an individual I recently met, but was asked some weird questions AND when I met her with my brown bag lunch, she said she was full, but let's still talk and we ate in company's conference room while she brought a pad of paper with her.<br /><br />I hate deception. I mean I really despise it. I become guarded and won't reveal anything about myself because I feel if you don't have the decency to be honest with me, why should I really share any of my true opinions with you.<br /><br />Needless to say, someone who I thought I was going to have lunch on a friendly level turned out to a cluster-fuck of a 45 minute period of time.<br /><br />That was over a week ago, but learned this week she probably was interviewing me. <br /><br />Annoyed beyond belief. <br /><br />I believe in networking, but I don't believe I'm always having to be on an interview with everyone and every encounter.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I'm just really, really angry. And, if one person tells me to let it go, well, I'll kick them. I know I'll let go, but sometimes you need to let your anger pass all the train stops along its route before moving on.<br /><br />LMB<br /><br />- p.s. It doesn't help that I found out yesterday, my cable bill jumped from $100 to $171 to $291 in 3 months AND <span style="font-weight:bold;">AT&T</span> doesn't really make their contact information easily accessible. Right now - <span style="font-weight:bold;">AT&T SUCKS!</span>Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-55446195806479545742012-03-09T06:56:00.002-08:002012-03-09T07:09:30.025-08:00Winner of What's For Dinner Solution<iframe src="http://www.random.org/widgets/integers/iframe.php?title=True+Random+Number+Generator&buttontxt=Generate&width=160&height=200&border=on&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&txtcolor=%23777777&altbgcolor=%23CCCCFF&alttxtcolor=%23000000&defaultmin=1&defaultmax=12&fixed=off" frameborder="0" width="160" height="200" scrolling="no" longdesc="http://www.random.org/integers/"><br />The numbers generated by this widget come from RANDOM.ORG's true random number generator.<br /></iframe><br /><br />And Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell wins a copy of What's For Dinner Project!<br /><br />"Day One:The “What’s for Dinner? " Solution Blogger Project"<br /> <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blogger Brian Miller</span> said...<br /><br /> dang so are you making enough for all of us to come over? smiles...sounds delicious to me...smiles.<br /><br /> January 31, 2012 11:17 AM<br /> Delete<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blogger P</span> said...<br /><br /> The venison sounds amazing!<br /><br /> <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blogger Ponchogirl said..</span>.<br /><br /> Ponchogirl here. It is true? Are you offering to give out the coveted brussel sprouts recipe? My mouth is watering! Will you be sharing with others?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blogger Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell said...</span><br /><br /> You are so ambitious with that menu plan, and it all sounds truly delicious!<br /><br /> It'll be interesting to hear your take on everything after you implement some of her tips and strategies!<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blogger DB said...</span><br /><br /> I made yummy brussel sprout slaw yesterday, and roasted them as well in a marinade of olive oil, dijon mustard, and lemon juice. Totally yummy.<br /><br /> And when I read "family meals", I thought I was going to be reading your blogger thoughts on some of your fave meals (not) from childhood. Cod fish cakes. Glob. Potatoes and cheese soup and hot dogs.<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blogger SillyStud said...</span><br /><br /> so... ummm... no brussell sprout recipe and no day 2-5???<br /><br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blogger SillyStud said...</span><br /><br /> ...and does a man have anything to gain from reading this book?<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blogger busanalayali said..</span>.<br /><br /> Thanks lot for this useful article, nice post..<br /> busana muslim<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blogger La La La Leah said...</span><br /><br /> HEY you still blog! I miss you! I started another blog. Hope all is well.<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blogger lacochran's evil twin said...<br /></span><br /> So how goes the experiment?<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blogger Brian Miller said...</span><br /><br /> hehe a shot glass in the kitchen...sure....smiles...just kidding...hey i def would be down with pot pie...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"> <br />Blogger Bonnie said..</span>.<br /><br /> I like the thought of using the biscuits for the top of the chicken pot pie. I might actually make pot pie now! Thanks for the idea.Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18532799296928641.post-31144323898530481852012-03-06T13:13:00.005-08:002012-03-06T14:07:30.908-08:00Bumper StickersI know some people love to voice their opinions and thoughts through bumper stickers. Whether it a political view, image of a little boy peeing in the air or announcing you're the proud parent of a honor roll student; I don't.<br /><br />I rarely notice them, but the other day, as I was behind someone at a stop light, I couldn't help but notice the bumper sticker on the car in front of me. It read: My Dog is My Co-Pilot.<br /><br />WTH people? Do you not realize no one will want to drive behind you with that bumper sticker? All I could imagine, is that if the driver were on his/her cell and was trying to shift/eat/apply makeup/text/read newspaper/change radio station, but needed to swerve because their hands aren't free, they'd honestly want, their co-pilot, THE DOG, jump into action to grab the wheel.<br /><br />Call me conservative, but I DON'T WANT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME BEING DRIVEN BY A DOG. I don't care that you own the world's smartest dog. Dogs should not be driving in real-life. Cartoons yes, but in reality no.<br /><br />Imagine if they did. The first squirrel/cat/small animal to dart in front of vehicle and you'd be driving on someone's lawn thanks to your co-pilot.<br /><br />So....I have to ask, what runs through the mind of the person who placed the bumper sticker on their car....I'm thinking it's: "Where's the nearest Taco Bell or White Castle drive-thru, I've got the munchies."Little Ms Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17208746635976950728noreply@blogger.com6