Let's play catch up

Reverb... oh, Reverb. How I've neglected your prompts for one reason or another 99.

December 13 – Action. When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step? - Keep applying for jobs/secure a new job, so we can move back to PDX!

December 14 – Appreciate. What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it? - My family. My husband. My friends. Even though many of us are far from each other, we keep in touch (or at least make a damn good effort to try). I've also come to appreciate my down time, expressing gratitude by taking care of myself and getting in a lot of Cara time.

December 15 – 5 Minutes. Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010. - 2010 started off fairly mellow, with a busy work season and the anticipation for spring. Spring found you with a little family drama, but great happiness for your nephew and taking steps away from your sister. With summer came job changes and a big move, even bigger than you'd ever imagined it to be. With autumn, changing leaves and weather, more ideas for big changes have appeared on the horizon. Now with the winter solstice and holidays upon you, keep up with your wishes and dreams and enjoy the upcoming weeks with your family.

December 16 – Friendship. How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?- I don't think anyone has significantly changed my world perspective... this is such a heavy question! I'm amazed with my friends who are able to make big moves to new cities, big changes to their families, big breaks from relationships, and big additions to their homes... I often wonder what I'll be doing next that will be big. I'm sure a lot of the changes have been planned and maybe others on a whim. Even still, (to me) change is hard but often a good thing!

December 17 – Lesson Learned. What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward? - Not so much about myself, but about letting other people have time to themselves, as I so much need it now and again. Time to breathe, to think, to destress, to cry, to do whatever it takes to get back to feeling normal and sane.

December 18 – Try. What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it? - I want to try to travel more. Very little traveling happened this year, although plans were tentatively made, but then changed due to moving/job changes/etc.


December 19 – Healing. What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011? - I don't think I needed to be healed this year... not sure what will happen in the future.

Wisdom, 11 things, Body Integration (December 10/11/12)

Prompt: Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

To plan big life changes more thoroughly, each and every time. I will let you know how it plays out.

Prompt: 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

I'm going to turn off my cell phone more often. I had this idea before I ever read the following article.

Other than that, I don't feel as if anything is bogging me down at the moment. I searched my blog roll and nobody else has posted on this topic. Moving on...

Prompt: Body Integration.This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present?

Heeeeeey... Nobody answered this prompt either. Not that I'm looking to snag answers, but I've noticed that responses to this meme are dwindling. Granted, the holidays are upon us and life is busy, but I do believe some of these prompts are a little out there and not too inspiring... in that way that I'd feel inspired to write (especially about my body... wtf?!). I'm pretty much always me, alive and present. I take things in stride a lot more simply than I have in the past and find it easier to brush things off if need be. Exercise has not been a huge focus this year, but I'm hoping it will be in the next. Maybe then I'll feel more integrated with my bod!

Party

Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.

My birthday party was pretty fun with lots of family, friends, good food and ice cream cake. As 2010 has not yet come to a close, I am looking forward our company holiday party next weekend, as well as the several family gatherings we'll be attending over Christmas Eve/Day.

Beautifully Different (December 8)

Prompt: Beautifully Different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.

My humor has always made me stand out in a crowd. I especially remember in 4th/5th grade when my humor really started to blossom and my group of friends told me to never change. I've always been drawn to goofy humor, even though it can sometimes make others uncomfortable. I try to gauge my audience as well as I can, or at least warm up to individuals before expressing goofy expressions and whatnot. 

Community

Prompt: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?

Well, I haven't branched out as much as I thought I would with our move to the coast; I mainly know my co-workers (although not very well). It's most likely because this move is not permanent, I stopped opening up so much within my work environment, and I'm a huge homebody (so is Andy, but we do pry ourselves out of the house every now and again). I really miss crafty nights with the girls, happy hours, and family dinners. Shoot, I even miss being able to wander around Target or Powell's, or playing a few arcade games at Ground Control. I really don't want every post to sound like a whine fest, but we are really anxious to move back to the Portland-metro area.

I've mainly found community within the blogs I read and the staying caught up with folks via Facebook or email. In 2011, I'd like to be back in the big city, meeting up with friends and family, and maybe joining a book club, crafty group, or a random exercise class. Maybe I'll rejoin the Vancouver Community Concert Band too! That was always a nice escape on Tuesday nights to relax and play my clarinet. Anywho, for the time being, working on crafty gifts is helping me feel connected, even if I'm not around those I love.

Make (December 6)

Prompt: Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?

Last night, Andy and I had a cheap date night at home. We made pan-seared strip steaks, baked sweet potatoes with green onions and sour cream, and a hearty dinner salad. We were pretty stuffed! A little while later, we both had a hankering for something sweet, so I decided to whip out one of my old cookbooks, a 1966 edition of Better Homes and Gardens: Pies and Cakes to find a simple buttermilk white cake recipe, to which I added Hershey's Cinnamon Chips. I omitted the shortening and used 1/2 cup of unsalted butter. I could have used lard for the extra fat, but the butter worked out fine. I ended up freezing one of the cakes for later consumption. For the topping, I mixed heavy 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with 1/2 cup of chocolate stout and 1 cup of confectioner's sugar. Freaking delicious!

 Buttermilk White Cake (p.51)

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup shortening

1 1/2 tsps vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

4 egg whites

Sift together dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add butter, shortening, vanilla, and 3/4 cup buttermilk; beat 2 minutes at medium speed in/with an electric mixer. Add remaining buttermilk and egg whites; beat 2 minutes longer. Bake in 2 greased and lightly floured 8x1 1/2 inch round pans in moderate oven (350 F) 30 to 35 minutes. Cool.

Let Go

Prompt: Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?

I've let go of worrying about my sister. I still worry for her safety and well being, but I've taken a huge step away. She's made some ridiculous decisions in the last few years (which have been difficult to watch and comprehend), but finally, for the sake of my well being, my relationships, and my day-to-day life, I've finally cut the strings of always checking in, making sure she's okay, and trying my best to save her. You can't save or help someone with a heavy addiction who doesn't want or isn't ready for assistance. Our move away from our home has made it easier, but even when I do check in with her, I have no idea what to say. I'm tired of being the nagging, older sister; I've always wanted to just be her friend. But at the end of the day, she doesn't respond like my other friends do or how I hope she would. Addiction has taken over her life and only she can navigate her way out. We did have a few laughs the day after Thanksgiving, but even a holiday or a big life event will not change a person's habits, no matter how hard you hope and wish. However, life goes on... you can't allow yourself to be dragged down by someone else.

This was a heavy post for me. Here's hoping for a lighter prompt tomorrow!

Wonder (December 4)

Prompt: Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year?

Eesh, I have no idea! I mostly (naturally) wonder about life, finances, family, etc. very naturally, often trying not to push my limits. It all depends on my mood or what occurs on a day to day basis. Sure, my mind wanders here and there, but I enjoy keeping my focus on the present. I have often been caught up in wanting to make drastic changes ASAP a lot in the last few months, and many times I've had to take a step back, breathe, and make plans to make changes happen. This technique also helps me to not worry so much.

Eh, this topic is rather dry. Next!

Moment

Prompt: Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).

For this prompt, I'm choosing our moments/span of days where we made the decision to quit our jobs and move to the coast. At the time, moving to support my husband's dream of working in a brewery and turning a page in our relationship, seemed like the best next step for us. Although the dream may have changed, the feelings around moving have not. I'm really glad we had the means to take this opportunity and see what unfolded. I remember driving north on Highway 101 toward Lincoln City, the sun close to setting and the tide rolling in, I couldn't believe that we were about to move here; the views spectacular, the air warm and calm, and the atmosphere light and fun. We stopped at Shucker's Oyster Bar thinking we'd grab a quick bite to eat when we realized A) we were in a bar and not a restaurant, and B) summoned by the locals to "stay here and eat the best oysters in town!" The food wasn't the greatest, but the locals provided great fodder for dinner conversation.

The next few weeks were stressful. We both quit our jobs (I shed a few tears; Andy most likely pumped his fists in the air after his last shift). We had to quickly find a new apartment and pack up our old house. We knew money would be tight for a while, but relied on the little savings and a small credit card we had to give us a boost. After almost 4 1/2 months, we're trying to make our way back to where we call home. Even though coastal living hasn't turned out in our favor, I know that whatever changes we encounter in the future will be met with just as much gusto, and a little more planning than before. 

Writing

Prompt: Writing. What do you do each day that doesn't contribute to your writing -- and can you eliminate it?

I eat, browse Facebook, read over 70+ blogs, watch downloaded television shows/movies, crochet, work (but only about 15 hours/week), clean the apartment, look for new jobs, new housing, hang out with Andy, and occasionally leave town to grocery shop, window shop, and visit family. Life is pretty mellow here on the coast. I definitely have time to blog and by golly, I'm making time to blog this month (and hopefully for months to come). 

What could I eliminate? Most likely my television watching. We don't have cable, but we've been watching a few new (to us) shows: Freaks and Geeks, Felicity (me), and Battlestar Galactica (him). Of course, we're also watching Dexter, How I Met Your Mother, Community, The Office, and Law and Order: SVU, which is regular scheduled programming for us. But when I'm really bored and need to veg, I end up watching reruns of Sex and the City, Gilmore Girls, Friends or The Office. It's comfort tv, people! 

I think I also get in the way of writing. I blogged on Livejournal from 2000 until roughly 2008/2009 and I feel as if the novelty has worn off. Most blogs I read have a theme and I often feel this one should as well. I'm also worried about putting a lot of information out there for anyone to see, so I end up censoring myself by not writing at all. Regardless, I want to contribute to the blog-o-sphere and hope to continue to make ample time to write, at least a few times a week.

One Word

Prompt: One Word. Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you're choosing that word. Now, imagine it's one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?

Patience. I've had to challenge myself to be more patient with Andy in a roundabout way, from timing to daily chores and stepping away during disagreements. I've also had to exercise patience when it comes to our finances. It was very easy for the first half of the year to spend away until we changed locales & jobs which left us with a big ball of stress to navigate. I've lived paycheck to paycheck before, but even with two people in the same situation, providing comfort to each other during times of stress can be a definite test of patience. Thankfully, we have the same end goal of moving back home and securing more financially stable jobs. I believe the last five months have greatly strengthened my marriage and relationship, and just as I tell Andy when we're both feeling poopy about our coastal adventure, I wouldn't change any decision that we've made thus far. 

For 2011, I'm not quite sure what is to come in the following year! I have ideas of what I'd like to see happen, but always enjoy keeping my options open. If I were to choose one word upon which to reflect on this day next year, it would have to be surprise. It's just too soon to tell!

 

Alton Brown's Squash Soup

A few weeks ago, Andy and I trekked over to Corvallis for a muchly needed date night. We dined at Block 15 as we'd heard rave reviews of their beer selection. My sandwich came with a cup of pumpkin soup which was to die for! Upon arriving home, I looked around the internets for a good soup recipe, hoping to create something similar with butternut squash. Lo and behold, Alton Brown's Squash Soup! I created this gem last week and it didn't disappoint. I'm sure you can make a large batch and freeze this soup easily for many more enjoyable servings. Enjoy!

De-seed and rough chop two squash; I used one large and one small.

Although Alton's recipe requests leaving the rind intact, I found this to be quite messy after roasting. Next time, I'll be removing said rind and I recommend you do the same.

Brush the cubes with unsalted butter and sprinkle with kosher salt and white pepper.

Roast at 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes.

If you left the rind on while roasting, let the squash cool. Then use whatever creative flatware you have (and fetch your husband) to remove the rind.

Toss the squash into a large stock pot with veggie base.

Gather your fresh ginger, honey, heavy cream and freshly ground nutmeg.

Simmer... Using my fancy immersion blender, I blended this to a nice, smooth consistency. If you don't own said blender, use a regular blender, potato masher (the squash will be soft), or a food processor.

It smelled so GOOD! Grate and stir in the nutmeg.

Add a little garnish of green pepper and another grind of nutmeg.Serve with crusty bread for instant smiles and happy tummies!