You Should Not Fall Asleep When I Have A Camera...

So, I completely amuse myself. EVERY holiday or family get-together my beautiful, precious grandmother falls asleep. The nap usually begins right after dinner and she falls asleep right at the kitchen table! THIS is amazing. The hurricane of family swirls around her and she can simply close her eyes and leave it behind. Last time we were all together, poor grandma fell asleep in the kitchen and I posed her several pictures while she was asleep. I think I might post those too...just because for no other reason, it makes me laugh. My dad also fell victim to the sleeping portrait. After this....no one else fell asleep.

Hee hee.

Undercover Domestic Diva

The Barefoot Contessa I am not. Emerill would only shake his head at me and Rachel Ray would have to remind me to get more EVOO soon.
Though, I am not a culinary artist by any mean, I broke my self-made mold the day before Thanksgiving. I cooked and baked with a whirlwind of ingredients and a flurry of holiday necessity. After working throughout most of the day, running to the store to get all the ingredients I would need and returning home to two pairs of young, eager helping hands to get food ready.
Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind cooking…it’s just not something I get excited about. I have friends who are always coming up with new and wonderful ideas whereas I am happy if I have managed to somehow incorporate vegetables into the meal so my kids will eat them.
I like to try to make new things..until the ingredient list passes about seven things….then, I just start to shudder.
However, I uncovered a little domestic diva and I stress…little….only because she will go back into hiding soon. But we baked breads, made a soufflé, put together an array of finger-foods and even pleasured the kid in all of us when we wiped frosting on a few cut-out sugar cookies.
The mess in my kitchen was part awful. My feet kinda hurt and I just couldn’t wait for a soothing cup of hot chocolate and my blanket…but alas I kinda forgot that I still had to make dinner.
So…since I was so inspired by my previous endeavors in the kitchen…I fought through the fatigue and made the best stuffed pizzas EVER! That’s right…EVER!
And on another note….dishwashers are just a splendid invention.

Ok - so this was the beginning to the incredi-bread day of a million loaves.

Broccoli is ok, but this cheese and broccoli souffle' is sooooooo yummy.

At one point I was going to add the stuffed pizza picture- but ode' to the food network people who make food look good on tv and in pictures...because it looked like a saucey massacre...but in real life...it was a yumm-o. So, I will omit the picture and you can take my word for it :)






Despite cooking and baking and flaunting my small penchant for culinary accomplishments...I still put on a smile to jump right into making and decorating a few Christmas cookies. But, Andrew was just too excited and I just couldn't say no. So......




This was me being part domestic diva.....part saint:) haha - just kidding...sort of.

AND - this is where I prove..I am no diva...as these poor non-surviving loaves will never make it. This is what happens when one diva starts making cookies, doing laundry and talking on the phone:) oooooops. Oh well...casualities. It happens. They will make good weapons tho!

The Art of Procrastination

So, it's not a big deal...but every week I have to compile five stories for the newspaper I work for. The stories must contain an interview with at least one person and a photograph or a series of photographs with each story.
Now, every Tuesday is deadline. It's the same every week, but somehow I manage to procrastinate just long enough to make Monday a miserable day of last minute interviews and writing forays. I perpetually put off the writing, but under the stress of trying to get it done it seems my mind works better.
The pressure to get my articles in on time mounts greatly by Monday morning, especially if I have spent the weekend playing :) The zest for creative ideas is in absolute demand by Monday afternoon and usually by Monday night I am sitting in a pile of notebooks, begging the thesaurus to give me something wordy and clever. Coffee is a must and the question of "why did I not start this last week?" is perpetually repeated as I exasperate myself with thinking of unique excuses as to why I will be missing my deadline by a few hours.
Despite the ever mounting pressure I still decide that other things have to be done first, further pushing my work deeper into the wee hours of the night and I will surely see midnight or beyond by the time I shut down my working brain.
As you can see I am still very concerned about the writing I am getting done, as I am blogging instead. Perhaps it’s a disease or an incurable fault that I will just have to live with when it comes to work. Despite the procrastination, there is in fact a whirlwind of stress and pressure that pushes me to get some of my best work done. So, perhaps instead using procrastination in a bad way, we can muster up a better way to phrase such a trait. "The Art of Procrastination"…that seems nice. It could be followed by a literary work, "The Procrastinators Guide to Success." I wonder if I would meet the publication deadline on that one? Probably not, but in the final days- I would whip off some delightful chapters I am sure.
Oh well, I guess at some point I should start on the four of five articles I have left that are due by tomorrow. But first, a snack, fold some laundry, check email and then we’ll focus. Oh wait, I gotta make a phone call too.
Cheers.

Bloggers Are Introverted Geeks

I have no idea how to explain to the masses how this title came about, but lets just say its to so-call "dis" stereo-types across the board. In a humorous exchange between two bloggers , who if I may say are by no means introverted…and if I do say so myself..um…no geekiness here the topic of bloggers and scrapbookers were a means of slight hysterics.
Let's look at this.
So, after I read a hysterical and satirical blog on the whole scrapbooking idea….I figured if you can knock the scrapbooker, you can definitely knock the blogger as well as any other general stereo type.
Let’s talk about scrapbookers first…are scrapbookers people who like pictures but just have a little too much time on their hands? Perhaps scrapbookers are the ones that are busy pasting, cutting and coloring with braids in their hair and overalls on..(hee hee..what a picture). Are they the same people who have lawn ornaments (pet peeve btw. )? The DIY network has a whole segment dedicated to those who enjoy cutting out small pieces of pretty paper and making exquisite scrapbooking masterpieces. I do not have that kind of time, but I MAY have a scrapbook or two. (ahem – the scrapbook knockers…who I still love!)
Perhaps bloggers are introverted geeks who have no one to talk to so they blog to the world wide web frequently checking their comment box in hopes someone out there has heard them. I severly disagree with that description, I mean, if you’re introverted, the last thing you really wanna do is put yourself out on the www. Bloggers, for all general purposes have to be slightly self-indulgent, though some blogs are very meaningful…those blogs are held for a higher purpose. But, we have to deny that bloggers all fall under the same general "type". Some bloggers ramble for no reason whatsoever (hee hee) …some post a billion self portraits and have become addicted…some go on about their children while others are perhaps a little more artistic…whatever the reason..bloggers are not introverted… I can’t say bloggers aren’t geeks…some are..but embrace it! The word "blogger" can simply be defined as "someone who really likes to write about themselves". And if you are insulted, get over it, you know its true. (the disclaimer on this would be the medical blogs…once again..a higher purpose). The reason blogging is popular is the same reason feature stories are the post popular section in the newspaper I work for. People, in general, like to know about other people. Facebook is the prime example of people’s interest in other people. Even if you like to scrapbook and you stumble upon some who does not…it’s interesting to hear why and then laugh about it!
Hmm…if you are wondering what spawned such a topic… check out www.mymorningcaffeine.com. That’ll give you a better idea.
What other stereo type can I think of. Hmm……how about…"dumb jocks" , "artsy fartsy", "nerd", seriously could it all be more boring!. Athletes are only dumb to the people who can’t run fast or hit a jump shot, artists are only "fartsy" to those who can only muster naked stick figures when they draw and nerd name-calling is only thrust upon those who aren’t afraid to say they would rather read than watch Sports Center….
Oh yea and band geeks…not a big deal…those same geeks somehow turned into Josh Groban…so…nuff said.
Computer geeks…oh boy…yes. However, where in the world would we be without the notorious computer geek? Seriously, you may have been shunned in high school, but now everyone comes a calling when they have no idea how to turn their computer on.
I could bash a million other stereo types, but then I would just be rambling for no intensive purpose ;)

The Cup of a Coffee

Ok, so there are many simple pleasures in life. A good cup of coffee is so one of them. However, it's also about the cup too. I have my absolute favorite cups. I am sure there is some psychology behind the whole thing, but in its simplicity - I love big, deep, comfy cups. Not sure which is my favorite of the favorites....but the nominees are....

See: deep stuff here. Lots to leave you thinking about! But crucial to one of life's simple indulgences and I know some of you agree emphatically!

It's Just A Game...

Isn’t that the old adage that is spoken when a team loses or someone gets too emotional over a sport? It’s just a game. I would have to agree. It is just a game. I usually don’t go into depth about coaching, because for the most part, it’s not well understood.
For instance the pay equals about two cents per hour and that could be a generous estimate. Choosing to work with 18 adolescent females is enough to leave anyone shaking their heads and wondering why…
However, it’s those very 18 athletes that keep me coming back for more. In a season that begins in August..and if we are lucky enough to keep winning, ends somewhere in November.
When the last game is played, I realize it is definitely not just a game. I have watched 18 wonderful young people work through some sweat and tears to all accomplish a common goal. There are extreme highs and extreme lows that somehow transcend the whole "game" of soccer. Anyone who has ever played or coached can probably gather exactly what I am talking about it.
In case you can’t…it’s about the experience. As a coach you try to figure out what makes each girl tick and how to demand the most out of a team without breaking their spirit to win. It’s trying to find the balance of when to expect more and when to have a little fun. It’s about watching them put personal feelings aside and gut it out on the field to win. It’s about them looking at you and wondering what I am going to ask of them next. Wow! What a responsibility! Coaching is about knowing something special about each one. Knowing what books they are reading, knowing who had a bad day and who has mom enduring chemo therapy. Yup, soccer is just a game. But, the athletes add the element that makes sports worth it. They are worth the time, the frustration, the winning and the losing.
So, since August this team of girls has done everything I’ve asked. They made it to one of the most recognized platforms in New York State as Section II Finalists. They lost the "big game" , but they gained so much over the past few months. I did post a picture of this wonderful team. Though, I am sad the season is over, I am proud too :)
Oh and by the way, Thanksgiving is in like three weeks!