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!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
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!
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!
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| 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. |
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| Brush the cubes with unsalted butter and sprinkle with kosher salt and white pepper. |
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| Roast at 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes. |
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| 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. |
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| Toss the squash into a large stock pot with veggie base. |
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| Gather your fresh ginger, honey, heavy cream and freshly ground nutmeg. |
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| 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. |
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| It smelled so GOOD! Grate and stir in the nutmeg. |
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| Add a little garnish of green pepper and another grind of nutmeg.Serve with crusty bread for instant smiles and happy tummies! |
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