Inspiration - Time Management...

We always talk about having more hours in the day, more days in the month...oh, wait! February has more days in the month this year! The perfect day to look at how we use our time - and be inspired to use it more wisely!

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. ~ William Penn

Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much can be done if we are always doing. ~ Thomas Jefferson

It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about? ~ Henry David Thoreau

Until you value yourself, you will not value your time.
Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it. ~ M. Scott Peck

Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine, but lost time is gone forever.  ~ Samuel Smiles

 

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. ~ Steve Jobs

 

I am definitely going to take a course on time management… just as soon as I can work it into my schedule. ~ Louis E. Boone

 

Enjoy your extra day, People of Blogland!

 

 

 

 

One More Day?

Today is Feb. 28th - the last of day of the month. Or it should be! But it's not - tomorrow is the last day of the month since this is a Leap Year. Every 4 years an extra day is tagged onto the calendar in order to align the calendar to the earth's rotation around the sun.

Contrary to popular belief, Sadie Hawkins' Day is not originally associated with the Leap Year. It began in Li'l Abner comic strip, introduced in November, 1937 - and, yes, it was about the girl asking the boy to marry him (well, the girl chased all the eligible bachelors and whomever she caught would be required to marry her). Now, Sadie Hawkins' Day is celebrated in February - mostly by school's putting on Sadie Hawkins' dances where the girls ask the boys!

There is, however, a long standing tradition of the women proposing marriage only on Leap Years in the British Isles. Many a lore suggests that St. Bridget began the tradition when she 'proposed' to St. Patrick!

On the other side of the coin, Greeks believe the year to be very unlucky for marriages.

The Scots also have an 'unlucky' element believing that those born on Feb. 29th are ill-fated.

And according to English Law, Feb. 29th was ignored and had no legal status - all crimes committed on that day were no crimes at all!

You all know the poem? The one that taught me how many days were in each month - and the one I still rhyme off if I need to know quickly and there's no calendar for me to flip through? Here's how I always said it:

30 days has September,
April, June and November.
All the rest have 31 -
Except February which has 28,
29 in a Leap Year

See how it doesn't rhyme? Here's the original:

30 days hath September
April, June, and November
Excepting February
When comes the time
Every Leap Year gives it twenty-nine

And I found this great site that has 89 versions of the Month Poem - some of them are hysterical: http://leapyearday.com/content/days-month-poem

Any Leap Year babies out there? Do you have any other Leap Year myths or traditions to pass on? Did you say the Month Poem when you were young to remember how many days were in each month? Did you know you can use your knuckles to figure out how many days are in each month? Go to this Howcast video (short) to check it out!

And the Oscar Goes To...

OK, so I didn't win an Oscar! I didn't even stay up to watch the Academy Awards simply because living on the East Coast makes the air-time (9:30) way too late for me. I need my beauty sleep. I stayed up long enough to see the Supporting Actress, Octavia Spencer (for The Help) give her acceptance speech. And what was with the sound? Not sure if they got that fixed before the night was through, but it sure was annoying (almost a feedback kind of thing).

So, no Oscar, but I have received a couple of awards lately:

The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award was presented to me by Silver James. You all know Silver, she's here almost every day - and, if you don't already know, she's an amazing writer and someone I look up to with admiration and awe! Thank you, Silver!

Similar to Oscar, I have to give a type of acceptance speech with this award. I have to share 7 random facts about myself - here goes:

1.  I caught the acting bug in junior high school - and continued in high school by taking Drama as a credit course and joining the Drama Club. In my first high school play, a farce based on Cinderella, I was cast as a secondary actor, but was the understudy to the lead. The lead pulled out and I went on to win Best Actress for my interpretation of the role!

2.  I sleep with a pillow between my legs - helps with a recent night hip pain I seemed to have developed over the past couple of years.

3.  I wear men's rubber boots (love my rubber boots), men's shirts (so comfortable) and have been known to shop in the men's department for my coats (where I know the sleeves will be long enough for my gangly arms).

4.  I have a stuffed Muppet in my office - Beaker (the mad scientist, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew's assistant) because Beaker was my nickname when I was going through adolescent hell.

5.  Other nicknames included Stretch, Brain-iac, Jana Banana, and my mom called (and still calls) me Teeny (I was very small as a child).

6.  I am eclectic in my musical tastes - from hard, head-banging rock like ACDC to classical Mozart - love it all.

7.  I have been known to eat potato chip sandwiches (bread, butter, sliced cheese - the kind wrapped in plastic, and plain salty chips).

That was harder than I thought it would be! Now I need to pass the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award onto 5 blogs I think are irresistibly sweet:

Journeys with Jana
Karyn Good
Aging Disgracefully
Figuring It Out
Dream Big

I also want to thank Silver and Jana Richards - both awarded me with the Liebster Award for a "stick-to-it" attitude. The blog has seen some ups and downs over the past year, but I seem to have found my groove and love to blog in the mornings. I'm passing this award onto B.E. Sanderson (The Writing Spectacle) for her drive and determination to make it in this crazy world of publishing - you are an inspiration, B.E.

One last 'award'. I posted my scene for Weekend Words yesterday and gave a brief Tweet about it - it was picked up by an online writing blog, Write On!, as a feature for the Arts and  Entertainment Section! Woo Hoo - definitely made my day.

So, People of Blogland, did anyone watch the Academy Awards last night? Any random bits you'd like to share with us? Is there anyone out there who would eat a potato chip sandwich?

Weekend Words - Sunday Edition Part 5...

I've gone back to my medieval roots - the prompt:

Behind her, the noise escalated (to be used either as a first line or somewhere within the work).

Behind her, the noise escalated. Revellers celebrating her betrothal while she stood facing the stone wall of the keep, partially hidden by the rich tapestry curtain that divided the crowded hall from her father’s private solar. Her heart beat in rhythm to the musician’s lively drum, fast and nearly out of control. But where usually her toes tapped and she could barely contain her desire to dance, the staccato beat made her nauseous. She pressed her hand against her stomach.

"I did not know."

She turned, his broad shoulders blocking the merriment of her father’s people and invited guests. The clasp of his tunic held her focus. "For all we’ve done, do not lie to me."

Earlier words whispered in the heat of passion slammed into her consciousness. She glared up at him, into his ice-blue eyes. "You’ve lied to me all along."

He held out his hand. "No."

Anger slowly replaced heartache and her hands curled into fists by her side. "All these promises of a life time together, of speaking to your father about a union between our two houses, of love," she choked on the word. "All lies, because you did know. How could you not?"

His brief glance away told her so much more than any words he might have spoke. Her fingernails dug into the palms of her hand, her chest expanded with the pain of his silent confession.

He opened his mouth, but she held out her hand. "No. I wish to hear nothing from your lips for all they are sweet upon mine, the words tumbling from them are poisonous. I never want to see you again. If someone brings up your name in conversation, I will silence him or walk away. Difficult considering the recent turn of events, but I promise you I will do everything in my power to expel you from my life."

Tears stung the backs of her eyes and her breathing quickened with the impending sobs. She would not give him the satisfaction. "You are dead to me."

Pushing past him, throwing off the hand that tried to stop her, she re-entered the hall. Her father stood on the dais with his honored guest, her betrothed. She swallowed her raging emotions, forced her shoulders down and her head up, and moved through the crowd toward her future. With every step, her heart hardened. With every breath, her joy for life and all its possibilities diminished. With every tear she refused to shed, her youth slipped away.

"My Lord." She faced him with a small curtsey. "You’ll forgive me for my absence."

"Feeling better now?"

"Aye."

He reached for her hand, his so familiar, yet unknown to her. He brought it to his lips, similar in shape, the upper perhaps fuller. His gaze held her captive. Ice-blue eyes set in a face lined with age and wisdom. Would her son carry the trait?

As he kissed her palm, the crowd behind her cheered.
　
　

Weekend Words - The Prompt Part 5...

Saturday again! Helps that the week was a short one for me - yay holidays :)

So, here's the prompt. Use the line as a first line or incorporate it into the snippet, your choice - but the line has to be somewhere in the work. Play along at home, post your work in the comment section here or on tomorrow's post (where I will be posting my 'homework') or sit back and enjoy those that decide to take part!

Behind her, the noise escalated.

Have a great weekend!

Instant Mashed Potatoes, Sprinklers, and More...

Did you know that the sprinkler is a Canadian Invention? These are pictures of Taz, who loves to play in the sprinkler. I believe in another dog life, she was a Spaniel or Portuguese Water Dog - she can not stay out of the water! (you can click on the picture to make it bigger if you want to see Taz in action)

Of course, we're also known for more important inventions like the pacemaker, insulin, the electric oven, the snowblower, the paint roller, basketball, green garbage bags, instant mashed potatoes and the Bloody Caesar!

I don't think I could ever invent anything. I never think, as I'm doing something like, say, peeling and boiling and mashing potatoes, 'There must be an easier way. What if there were instant mashed potatoes?'. See my brain just doesn't work that way. Now, as I'm preparing mashed potatoes (which I love and really would like some for breakfast, but that's just too weird), my brain is usually thinking, 'I should make mashed potatoes more often...I should check to see how many potatoes I have, I think they were on sale this week...where did I put that flyer...I'll add them to my grocery list, just in case...hmmm, I never did buy red wine vinegar...ooh, I should have a glass of wine while I'm waiting for these potatoes to boil...Would you like some cheese with that whine? *aside - yes, I make stupid jokes in my head all the time and, yes, I usually laugh out loud when I do*...Damn, I hate it when the potatoes boil over!'

OK, you get my point - the brain never thinks about invention, but, I assure you, it is busy! Then when someone does come out with, say, the paint roller, I think 'Why didn't I think of that?' That's the great thing about inventions - they seem so revolutionary, but so simple and logical at the same time!

As of right now, the best invention ever has to be the instant coffee maker (1946 Italian named Achilles Gaggia) - must pour me another cup this morning!

As of right now, People of Blogland, name your "Best Invention Ever"! And have a great weekend - I'll be doing laundry...thank goodness for the Canadian invention of the washing machine :)

Library Loot...

As I'm always on the look-out for new reading material and I love the library, I am happy to have found this via Erika's blog, For the Love of Books:

Libray Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they've checked out from the library. If you'd like to participate, just write up your post - feel free to steal the button - and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And, of course, check out what other participants are getting from their libraries! This week's Library Loot is at Marg's.

Along with the cover, I'll be including the back-cover blurb (which is one of the ways I decide on a book - ooh, I should do a blog post about picking books) and a link to the author's website (because I love going to authors' websites to check out their other books and stuff).

First book on my library card is a book that Silver has been talking about:

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - There is another 1985, somewhere in the could-have-been, where Thursday Next is a literary detective without equal, fear, or boyfriend. Thursday is on the trail of the villainous Acheron Hades who has been kidnapping characters from works of fiction and holding them to ransom. Jane Eyre herself has been plucked from the novel of the same name, and Thursday must find a way into the book to repair the damage. (Jasper Fforde's website)






The next book was chosen for me - Agent Jessica over at BookEnds Literary Agency had a Blind Book Dating Day on Valentine's Day. The rules - you leave the name of a book in the comment section, and the next person to comment with her book title, well, that's your's to read. Then, we all come back on March 19 for a discussion (brilliant idea and what a load of book titles to add to my wish list). Wry Writer gave me the following book title:

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein - On the eve of his death, Enzo, a philosopher dog with a nearly human soul and an obsession with opposable thumbs, takes stock of his life. He recalls all that he and the Swift family have been through: the sacrifices his master Denny has made to succeed as an up-and-coming race car driver; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; and the subsequent custody battle over their daughter, Zoe, whoe maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoe at his side. (Garth Stein's website)

And there you have it - my first Library Loot post! Any libray fans out there in Blogland? And, since we're talking books, what have you been reading lately? FYI - I've started a new category on the side bar: Book Blogs, for those looking for book suggestions and/or reviews.

Inspiration - Take a Moment...

The bath relaxes me - so does soothing music and sounds of nature. I hope you can find 10 minutes today to listen and watch the video (I know, it's kind of long - but I love the inspirational quotes and the music).

Remember to breathe!

A Bad Habit in the Bathroom...

Tubs, people - we're talking tubs!

I have a bath every weekend - don't worry, I do shower during the week! With the option of having Time-of-Day Electrical Power Saving, our house is run mostly at night and on weekends. The in-floor heating comes on at night - radiates warmth all day, the dishwasher is set to come on after we go to bed, all laundry gets done on weekends, the water heater powers up during the night, and I have my very hot, very long bath usually on a Saturday.

I love baths so much that I wake up on a Saturday and that's my first thought...'ooh, bath day'! And because I look forward to the ritual so much, I turn on the water heater (to make sure I have lots of hot water) around noon. Yes, my bath can't wait for night time, I have begun filling that tub in the middle of the afternoon!

But that's not such a bad habit, is it? No, the bad habit is the fact that I have taken to napping in the tub!

This is the first bathtub I've ever 'owned' that allows me to stretch out comfortably (when we housesat, there was a clawfoot tub, which was fantastic, but still too short for my almost 5'10" frame). In my present tub, my feet stick out by just a bit, but are still resting inside the tub's surface as opposed to half way up the wall as I've experienced previously. The tub is contoured on both ends, so my head rests comfortably as opposed to bent at a 45 degree neck-wrenching angle. The rest of my body is completely submerged - no knees sticking out (which happened when I had to bring my feet back into the water to warm them up).

So, with my almost my whole body under the water and my head and feet anchoring me, it does not take me long to fall asleep. And we're talking sound asleep! I've woke myself up a couple of times with my snoring! I swear - tub napping is just as good (or maybe better with the fact you're all warm and the water is so buoyant - I use epsom salts, which makes the water even more floaty) as couch napping! And no one intrudes - so I don't have the startling wake-up call of the dog's cold nose poking me or The Husband's desire to turn on the TV and watch golf! It's perfect!

Are you a bath person? Do you read in the tub, or nap? What's your weekend indulgence, People of Blogland? What do you look forward to the most on weekends?

Holiday Monday...

Ah, the great thing about working iin a province that has a stat holiday in February! Even better, the province I live in doesn't, therefore everything is open. And I'm off to the big city :)

Hope everyone has a wonderful Monday!!

Weekend Words - Sunday Edition Part 4...

Dialogue between a stranger and a homeless man at a stoplight...

Can you spare some change?

No, sorry.

OK, have a great day.

What?

Not what you expected, eh?

Um, no.

Just because you can’t spare some change, doesn’t mean I’m going to hound you or flip you the bird. I’m sure you have your reasons.

I do.

Most people go with the righteous, homeless people should get a job and contribute to the economy. Giving them money only stalls that end result.

It’s not that.

Really. Are you under the category of people who believe money given to the homeless would be spent at the nearest liquor store as opposed to a sandwich shop?

How old are you?

Old enough to know that life ain’t fair, young enough to still believe in miracles.

You should go home, I’m sure you have parents who are worried about you.

That would be under the ‘life ain’t fair’ banner. I’m sure they don’t even realize I’m missing.
There are places that can help.

I’ll take my chances on the streets.

Would you?

What?

Spend the money on liquor?

No. Light’s changed.

Here’s a couple of bucks.

Just like that?

Call it a miracle. Have a good day.

Thanks. You, too….

Can you spare some change?

Weekend Words - The Prompt Part 4...

Happy Saturday, everyone! Even better, the province I work in (not the same province I live in) has a stat holiday on Monday (Family Day). That means it's a long weekend for me - woo hoo!!!

Anyway, onto the prompt. Feel free to take the prompt and write on your own, or post your work here in the comments, or come back tomorrow and post it in that comment section. As usual, I'll have my 'homework' up here tomorrow. Here goes:

Dialogue between a stranger and a homeless man at a stop light.

If I Had It My Way...

It's My Way Day! Yes, a holiday observed annually where you "Cast off others opinions of yourself and show'em that you prefer to do it 'My Way!'" So, if I had it my way...

I'd definitely be published by now. A couple of books and a contract with a wonderfully witty and intelligent agent who would be delighted with my creative output!

The Day Job would be writing - no spreadsheets, data-management, marketing in sight!

I would eat chips (yes, having a chip attack today) every day and not gain an ounce!

Summer would be the default season - a little spring, maybe some fall, but mostly summer!

I would have a private jet at the ready for when I wanted to go visit my mom or go have a beer with Karyn or zip down to visit with B.E. for a day...do lunch!

There would be no violence in the world - and certainly no bullying!

There would be no hunger!

Money would not make the world go around!

If I had it my way, everyone would wear rose-colored glasses!

What about you, People of Blogland? If you had it your way (and today being My Way Day), what would be on your list? My signature is extra-big because it's My Way Day :)

*this was a lot harder than I thought - which tells me my life is pretty grand just the way it is...also, noting the first two items, writing needs to be a priority in my life*

Thinking Thursday...

Here I sit, sittin' and a thinkin', thinkin' and a sittin'!

Thought #1 - It's only Thursday! How come it can't be Friday?

Thought #2 - I suggested fish for supper tonight - what the hell was I thinking, I don't really like fish!

Thought #3 - The clock in my office has a really loud ticker - it interferes with my thinking.

Thought #4 - I love my blogroll! Every morning, over coffee, I enjoy scrolling through the blogs I've dubbed my favorites. I don't read all of them every day - my Google Reader provides enough of a snippet for me to decide whether or not I want to read the entire thing (I'd love to read them all, but there's not enough time in my morning routine). But there are a few blogs that when a new post shows up, I'm there. These blog writers are truly inspirational to me (B.E., Silver, Jana, Karyn, Lu/Grace, Chuck, Beth). And there's three new blogs that are truly inspiring me:

Janice at Figuring it Out
Tammy at  Messages to Motivate
Tara at A Life Changing Journey

Thought #5 - my focus has really been on running lately! I haven't noticed much difference in the training and that always bums me out! But I haven't given up - and I try, when I do fall off the wagon, to make sure I get back on the wagon within 2 days (any longer and I find that I can watch those wagons pass by forever without having the motivation to get on one). I decided to recheck my resting heart rate - surely all this exercise, if not showing on the scale or tape measure, is having some effect. The last time I checked the resting heart rate, I was at 58 (before rising, take your pulse - I watch the digital clock for a minute - try to do it over a couple of days and then average it out). Holy crap - my resting heart rate is now at 52! Oh, yeah, all this work is definitely working (and don't call me "Shirley").

Thought #6 - It's almost 8:30 - I need to get on with my day - no more thinking!

What's on your mind today, People of Blogland?

Inspiration - I Will Act Now...

I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words each hour, each day, everyday, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing, and the action which follows becomes as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. With these words I can condition my mind to perform every action necessary for my success. I will act now. I will repeat these words again and again and again. I will walk where failures fear to walk. I will work when failures seek rest. I will act now for now is all I have. Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. I am not lazy. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not a failure. I will act now. Success will not wait. If I delay, success will become wed to another and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place. I am the person. ~ Og Mandino

Happy Valentine's Day...

As a romance writer, I have many characters in my head all waiting their turn on paper. Each comes as a couple - usually one shows up, followed shortly by the potential mate and my job is to tell their story. I thought it would be interesting to introduce you to some of those heroes and heroines who reside in my brain.

Lady Willamena de Graham and Hugh de Graham - some of you may recognize Mena and Hugh from The Seduction of Lady Bells, my medieval romance looking for a publisher. As newlyweds, these two have had to rewrite Hugh's history, and through the truth they discover their love. Hugh's greatest gift to Mena was the keys to the stores - a tangible sign to Mena that he trusted her in the running of the keep.

Gillian McInnis and MacKenzie Griffin - my heroine and hero from my East Coast Drug Smuggling Story tentatively called The Art of Betrayal. Gillian is a painter and through her love of the arts slowly teaches Mac that there's more to life than just work and bad guys. During his time as a boarder in her home, recovering from a case where he was betrayed by a fellow agent and shot in the stomach, he learns to carve wood. Towards the end of the story, when Mac is leaving to return home, back to his job, he leaves Gillian the incredible slab of wood he has planed, sanded, and stained. Each had promised a temporary romance, neither able to give more of themselves, Gillian takes the wood and creates a head board to keep Mac with her forever.

Jane Greene and Ryan Bartowski - Confessions of a Carbohydrate Slut. Ryan, the personal trainer who only wants to help Jane reach her goal, gives her the gift of self-confidence. As she struggles to be something she is not, Ryan's friendship, patience, and philosophy of "Love Yourself" opens her eyes to the possibility of being the best Jane Greene she can be.

Grayce and Droyn - from my medieval romance about a troubadoor kidnapped by a man who will do anything to protect his adopted family. Droyn gives Grayce the one thing she has always wanted - family. And in return, she shows him that family can be more than just blood ties.

I always think the best gifts are those that last forever - and have a deeper meaning beyond flowers, cards or candy. Most romantic people sigh at the sight of men (and women) standing in the card shop the day before Valentine's picking out the perfect poem for their loved one. Or the person walking down the street with a bouquet of flowers destined for a lover, wife, girlfriend (or male counterpart - no bias here). But the gifts my husband has given me over the years that have meant the most, and have created the best memories, are the ones that are unique and come with a story.

Like gravel! Yes, for our 3rd anniversary I received gravel. We were trying to decide what to do with the endless garden space (read mud and plants I had no idea about - no green thumb here) and I suggested we gravel the whole thing and then use planters for contained, easy to manage color and interest. Gravel (crushed rock) is expensive - but I got all I needed that year on my anniversary - and the garden looked great after we were done (clean and simple). Not to mention the wonderful time spent working alongside one another that day.

Or the plastic cap off the shampoo bottle when he proposed spontaneously and had nothing to offer as a ring (we lived in the Arctic and couldn't just zip out to a jewelry store). I still have that cap!

The used motorhome (camper trailer) for our honeymoon. I planned the wedding, he was in charge of the honeymoon. I had thought we were going somewhere warm - tropical - for a two week vacation. He bought a used motorhome so we could go camping. At first I was not impressed - but we camped alongside my mom and dad, younger brother and his wife and, then, two young kids. We had a blast - and the memories from that trip still make me laugh. And the gift kept on giving. Many a camping trip with friends, family, or even on our own bring me great joy when I look back at the pictures. The two week honeymoon at a resort would have been lovely, but instead I received years of memories and enjoyment.

Ooh, got all sappy there for a moment thinking back on all the unusual and wonderful gifts my husband has given me. He's my hero.

Have a wonderful day, everyone. And share with us, if you want, a gift that meant something special to you (whether you received it on Valentine's or not).

*This is a reprised post from Feb. 2010 - my head was not in the Valentine's Game today...until I re-read this. *sigh*

Butter Versus Margarine...

The other day, during a shopping trip, I was asked "Butter versus Margarine" - not by a store employee and not by a surveyor! By a customer! Yes, I am that kind of person who people stop to ask questions of - or get things off top shelves for (being close to 5'10") - this is not something new. Anyway, this lady was busy examining a package of butter in one hand and a container of margarine in the other. I was there picking up a fabulous sale item (I'm all about the sales).

Her: "Ooh, you get that. Is that better than this?"
Me: "We like it."
Her: "I never know which to get."
Me: "Yes, they tell you that all that saturated fat in the butter is bad for you, but that the margarine is equally bad. Very confusing."
Her: "Exactly."

Anyway, we had a discussion of butter versus margarine - she having used a margarine for years that had a low salt content, but finding the product no longer available and having heard that margarine is not good for you. She was wondering if she should change to butter.

The Husband and I go through this debate every couple of years. A health tidbit will be discussed on TV about one or the other and we'll go through the process of switching to the lesser of the two evils, only to find another tidbit that assures us our first choice was much healthier. I truly believe that neither is good for you, but I can't live without!

The latest - margarine is one molecule away from being plastic!

For a while we were taking a page from our good friends, Anna and Jacques - using butter, but cutting it with olive oil to make it somewhat healthier. It also helps to make the butter spreadable when stored in the fridge.

1 pound of butter
1/2 c olive oil
- Mix completely and store in fridge

It's very good, but I am by nature a lazy person. All fine and dandy when the stuff is there, mixed up, in my fridge. Not so dandy when there's none left and I have to haul out the processor and get mixing (doing it by hand is time-consuming; ooh, I wonder if it would work if I melted the butter first - sorry, thinking out loud). It's also very messy!

Her: "So why do you buy that kind?"
Me: "It's got olive oil in it, it's not so salty and we find we like it."
Her, putting down the package of butter and the container of margarine and picking up the sale item: "I'll give it a try."
Me: "I hope you like it."

Yes, we buy and consume the almost plastic product! Having a pound of the stuff last for a month tells me that we're not over-consuming in that department. I use it for everything (including popcorn - but I add even more olive oil to it as it's melting), except for baking. There, I use butter!

I guess I stand in both camps.

Where do you stand in the Butter Versus Margarine debate, People of Blogland? Do you change sides depending on the latest health trends/reports? Have you noticed a decline in your butter or margarine consumption over the years? Does anyone remember the margarine that came with a color package, taking the product from white to yellow?

*For a history of margarine (which is fascinating and, whoa, who knew margarine was that old), check this out: http://www.butteryspreads.org/historyofmargarine.php
*To give equal time to butter, here's a link: http://www.dairygoodness.ca/butter/the-history-of-butter

Weekend Words - Sunday Edition Part 3...

Perfection. Jennie stood back from the table and admired her handiwork. The off-white lace tablecloth a perfect backdrop to the delicate bone china that had been handed-down through three generations. Two place settings complete with plate, side plate, cup and saucer bordered by the heavy sterling silver cutlery also handed down, but irrelevant in her scheming tonight.

No, tonight the china would be the star. Jennie lifted the nearest plate, pleased with the coolness of the porcelain against her skin. Four and half years were long enough to go without declaring a love she knew to be strong and vibrant. And if nature wouldn’t take its course, then a romantic meal served on this china would.

She turned the plate in her hand, admiring the gold rim still vibrant after all these years. The enthusiasts who frequented her antique shop, Past Onto You, were always flipping things over, looking for the mark of quality or rarity. They would dismiss this china in an instant as it bore no stamp of identity, only a heart. For those that didn’t know better, the unusual color would be their reason for believing the china held no provenance.

Tracing the lavender roses hand-painted across the china surface with her finger, Jennie couldn’t help but smile. Lavender rose, the flower of love at first sight, enchantment. The main ingredients for the Valentine’s Day meal she was about to serve.

The doorbell rang. Jennie replaced the lavender plate and quickly lit the candles. She smoothed her skirt and took a long, calming breath. The success of the evening was out of her hands, she would trust the magic of the china.

Her best friends, Mark and Julia, stood together at the door, Mark holding a bottle of wine and Julia a bouquet of flowers. Jennie’s heart beat with joy at the sight of her friends and the love she knew they possessed for each other, but had yet to proclaim. Their happily-ever-after was soon to be realized as the lavender heart china had never failed three generations of matchmakers.

Weekend Words - The Prompt Part 3...

Since we're close to Valentine's Day, I thought something along those lines. Again, play along in the comment section if you want - or post in tomorrow's comment section (I'll post my work tomorrow morning as an actual blogpost). Or, if you don't want to share, let us know if you did the exercise and how you felt. And, as Silver reminded me last week, rejoice in the fact that you're writing new words with this exercise (I know I will).

OK - here's the prompt:

Valentine's Day. Her mother's china. A romance not yet realized.

Have fun :)

Toe-Tapping Friday Fun...

I've been very consistant with my running on the treadmill -  or as some people like to call it, the "Dreadmill". Since I'm not an 'outside-in-winter' kind of person, I've moved my training inside. And since I've officially signed up for the Nova Scotia Bluenose Half Marathon and want to better my last half marathon time, I need to keep up with the workouts. Don't get me wrong, I have fallen off the wagon a few times over the last two months - but I'm only lying on the ground for a couple of days (previously, my 'falls' have resulted in lying on the ground, wallowing in the mud, counting all the wagons as they go by, digging a hole in order to hide from wagon opportunities and stuffing myself with potato chips). This is a major accomplishment.

The treadmill can be a very boring place. I've moved mine to face a window so at least I'm not staring at a wall! Still, running in place for anything longer than 20 minutes is tedious. And that damn timer gets slower and slower (honestly, treadmill clocks have to have the slowest one minute intervals). I don't usually run with music, but inside treadmill running requires distraction! So I have my iPod all set with upbeat songs in my "Exercise" playlist. THIS has been my favorite running song this week -  great rhythm to pound along to, it really gets me in a happy place as I slog along. I have been known to push the repeat button over and over - in reality, listening to this song only for the entire 30 minute run. Yeah, it'll get old soon and I'll have to find another 'go to' song!

Get your toes tapping today with this:



See, my toes are tapping away already this morning. Love, love, love that song.

Happy Friday, Everyone! Remember to check back tomorrow when there will be another Weekend Words writing exercise here on the blog.

Vietnamese Food Experience...

We went out for a fabulous dinner last night - the local college puts on a 2 month global tour at the beginning of every year with their students in charge. Each student selects a country then goes about creating a menu, budgeting the food, ordering the food, running the kitchen - a simulation of what it will be like when they graduate and become a chef in real life. A win for the public as these dinners are wonderfully unique in our little corner of Nova Scotia.

This year we chose the Vietnamese Dinner. Here, I shall let the maitre d' explain my meal:

Good evening, madame. To start, a lovely presentation of summer rolls; paper thin rice noodle wrapped around a summer fresh medley of bok choy, cucumber, carrot and green onion on a spicy ginger sauce. And it is spicy, madame; a little goes a long way for those who like things mild, bold tang spread heavily for those who like a little more adventure. Enjoy.

Your main, madame. A spicy pork accompanied by fluffy coconut rice and a stir-fry of mixed vegetables. The mango sauce is a pleasant accompaniment to the pork; fresh and cooling against the heat of the spice. Bon appetit.

And for dessert, deep fried bananas with a swirl of whipped cream, a panna cotta with thin caramel sauce with a slice of dragon fruit. One of our most popular choices, we hope you enjoy.

This, of course, was just my meal. Everyone at the table (and there were 9 of us) enjoyed summer rolls, mango and papaya salad, or spicy prawns to start. The main ranged from more prawns over rice noodles, a jungle curry (the vegetarian offering), a red snapper or duck with black rice. Desserts, the two tried amongst the dinners last night were the fried bananas and a sticky rice pudding. Every dish presented with flair and every plate figuratively licked clean!

As to my personal experience - the ginger sauce on the summer rolls was very, very hot (and very, very good - you know how hot stuff works, the more you eat, the more you want). The pork was good, but it was the stir-fried veggies and coconut rice that I could have eaten three-times over. The veggies were done to perfection - a difficult thing to do in one's own house, let alone a kitchen where you're trying to time your meals and your cooking for 40! And the dessert - hey, it was deep fried, what's not to love. I had never had dragon fruit before, so that was something new (no real flavor, but pretty on the plate) and the panna cota was spectacular!

The only disappointment - no chopsticks!

Do you like trying new global cuisine, People of Blogland? Anyone out there experienced dragon fruit before? Do you like going to restaurants where the maitre d' explains the meals (I can name a handful of times this has happened - there was no maitre d' last night, but the choices were fully explained on the menu)? I'm trying to remember a TV commercial where the maitre 'd was explaining a chocolate bar - can't find it on Google search - anyone remember?

FYI - anyone interested in my first dining experience with the college can go HERE to read the poem I wrote about my Italian Cuisine!

Inspiration - Running Away From It All...

We seem to be on a theme here this week, so here's some interesting quotes on 'running away'. Enjoy :)

You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.  What you'll discover will be wonderful.  What you'll discover is yourself.  ~Alan Alda

All men should strive
to learn before they die
what they are running from, and to, and why.~James Thurber

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.  ~Henry David Thoreau (a bunch of quotes about running away from it all wouldn't be complete without some Thoreau)

The truth is, almost nobody wants to experience real nature. What people want is to spend a week or two in a cabin in the woods, with screens on the windows. They want a simplified life for a while, without all their stuff. Or a nice river rafting trip for a few days, with somebody else doing the cooking. Nobody wants to go back to nature in any real way, and nobody does. It's all talk. ~ Michael Crichton

Adventure must start with running away from home. ~ William Bolitho

Of all the thiry-six alternatives, running away is the best. ~ Chinese Proverb (not sure what the 36 alternatives are)

To be sure, this requires effort and love, a careful cultivation of the spiritual life, and a watchful, honest, active oversight of all one's mental attitudes towards things and people. It is not to be learned by world-flight, running away from things, turning solitary and going apart from the world. Rather, one must learn an inner solitude, where or with whomsoever he may be. ~ Menander of Athens

...Perhaps a Camper!

My good friend Jane has a cabin in the woods - that I can borrow - Woo Hoo! She also reminded me of another option to 'get away from it all' - a camper! Van, motor home, travel trailer - whatever you want to call it, she sparked a memory of how The Husband and I often talked about selling up and moving on (literally). A nice home on wheels where you'd have some of your stuff along with you, a bed and a kitchen to save on costs, and the ability to see the country at your leisure. Not to mention campgrounds are much cheaper than hotels!

And this is where The Husband deserves another medal. He lives with a woman who's imagination knows no limits and usually runs with a creepy, freaky, murderous bent. As we were hashing out the pros and cons of such living, he stated that we could pull over anywhere and 'camp'! Um, NO!

I explained to him that a camper alone on the side of a highway was just a "Welcome" sign to murderers and worse. When he suggested that we could 'camp' at those communal camping grounds, I immediately pictured nefarious persons also camping there! We would be welcomed at first until we let our guard down and then we would be robbed blind and then sold into white slavery. Really, give me any scenario and I can make it your worst nightmare.

He just sighs!

Another one of our fantasies (mind out of the gutters, people) was to go sailing! Just like a camper only on water. Yeah, you can guess where my mind went - Pirates! No one's going to hear you scream for help as you bob along 100 miles from the nearest shore. And no one will find your body!

We did go sailing - with good friends on their 33 foot boat off the Florida Keys! OMG, it was amazing. Dolphins, water the temperature of bathwater, stunning views, the wind in your hair. Once I got used to the movement of the boat (loved being keeled over and zipping along at a feverish pace), I was in heaven. But in the darkest recesses of my imagination the boat sailing along in our wake was manned by pirates!

I guess the lesson here is don't stop dreaming - and writer murder mysteries ;)

Would you do the camper things, People of Blogland? What about sailing away from it all - seeing the world from a different perspective? Does your imagination go to the dark side when faced with the 'what-if' question? BIP points to anyone who names a sailing movie. Bonus points to anyone who can name a sailing movie and a camping movie!

The picture is of me and Taz outside our little camper trailer - click on it to make it bigger!

This Week - A Cabin in the Woods...

Winter usually means a big old hibernation period for me. I'm not a cold-weather person - whether this means for my running (I am on the treadmill these days) or for just leaving the house. The house is warm. There is everything in my house that I need. I can wear my sweats (or pjs) and not worry about putting on the long underwear, the heavier socks, the extra sweater and then the coat, mitts, boots, etc. Not leaving the house also means not having to go out and start the car to let it warm up.

Nova Scotia is not The Prairies! Nor the Arctic! But January and February are still on the cold side, there tends to be a lot of wind, and, although not as dark because of its southern location, still grey and bleak. All of these things tend to make me less sociable. So the hibernation is not just due to the weather - in January and February, I like to imagine that a cabin in the woods all by ourselves would be perfect.

I know, last week it was the South of France, this week a cabin in the woods! But there is something intriguing and enticing about living all secluded-like 'off the grid'. The peacefulness. The simplicity. The coziness. I was trying to explain to The Husband (yes, he does deserve a medal for living with me all these years) and I couldn't put my finger on it. I tried to explain my need to be a hermit. And my desire for the Zen-ness of the cabin in the woods - his response?

"You'd go insane within a month and end up killing me!"

See - medal!

I thought of The Shining - Jack Nicolson holed up in that abandoned inn with his family trying to write his novel (didn't read the book by Stephen King, but did watch the movie back in the day when I did watch horror flicks). How long did it take him to go batty? OK, so he had some help with the ghosts and 'The Shining', but that's where my mind went when The Husband said that!

Are you a social butterfly in the dead of winter? Does hibernation appeal to you? Would a cabin in the woods work, or would you be ready to 'correct' you family after only a couple of weeks (months)? Bonus points (like we're collecting points - what is this, the new Blogger Incentive Program, BIP for short?) if you can tell us what the little boy in The Shining keeps saying throughout the movie!

Weekend Words - Sunday Edition Part 3...

If people took the time to really watch Cindy Jamieson, they would see she wasn’t an ordinary cleaning woman moving from one bathroom to the next in Terminal Three. With her cart full of supplies and her employee-sanctioned uniform of grey pants, grey shirt, grey shoes, she could easily be mistaken for another custodian going about her daily routine. Even then, no one rushing around a busy airport terminal, coming and going, acknowledged the cleaning staff unless the washroom of choice was inconveniently unavailable due to servicing and the traveler had to locate another option.

But I watched Cindy Jamieson. All five feet two inches of her. I’d been watching for a week after being handed her file and viewing a security tape. My report was due today and I still hadn’t discovered her game. If I didn’t have some evidence of her innocence, she would be fired. The joy of airport security post 9/11, proof of innocence, not guilt.

The door to the custodian’s room opened and Cindy emerged, dragging her cart through the entrance, then waiting until the door closed securely before heading to the left and her first washroom of the morning. I followed discreetly behind. As usual, she stopped at the entrance and pulled out her tattered notebook. Five minutes were spent leaning up against the wall and observing the terminal. And scribbling notes.

The notebook was the key. Today I would find a way to swipe it from her cart. I needed to prove her innocence. From her file, I knew she was a mother to three daughters. From her fellow custodians, I knew she was a single mother. I had also discovered that she was extremely quiet, didn’t associate with those she worked with outside of the airport, and worked hard. She had been with the airport authority for five years. A long time to go undetected if she were a terrorist.

Cindy slipped out of the washroom and pushed her cart to the next location. Again, a few minutes spent watching and writing, then she disappeared from sight. She didn’t do anything other than clean when she was in the washroom, a fact I had discovered my first week on surveillance after sending in a female officer to check. Her breaks were spent in the custodial lounge with her notebook and quiet corner. Anything unusual, an unattended bag left in the washroom, a woman passed out in one of the stalls, a missing child, was reported to security. She was a model employee.

And she would lose her job if I didn’t get my hands on that notebook.

The last washroom on her schedule was right next to the bookstore. She would park her cart next to the tower of books the store hauled out every morning in the hopes of enticing a passenger or two to stop and browse. If that unit fell, Cindy would leave her notebook and help with the clean up. In one short week of observation, I knew this of Cindy. In the chaos, I would nab the notebook.

Positioned behind the tower, I waited. Just another passenger filling time before a flight, my casual business suit and my leather messenger bag allowing me to be as invisible as Cindy. I lifted a paperback, leafed through the pages while watching for my target. Another book, another surreptitious glance to my left. Her cart emerged first, then Cindy, folding and mounting the little yellow plastic sign that claimed the washroom was closed for maintenance as she manhandled the trolley to her right. I focused on the third book in my hand.

The author’s bio picture caused a double take. The woman smiling up at me looked oddly familiar. I turned to stare at Cindy, now closer, close enough that I should be returning the book and taking a step closer to the shelving unit in order to push it over. I looked back at the dust jacket. Evidence was definitely a work-related expense. I would need a receipt.

Weekend Words - The Prompt Part 3...

Good morning - for those that want to play along here on the blog, use the comment section here or on tomorrow's post. I'll be posting my 'homework' tomorrow.

Create a character at an airport.

Happy Saturday :)

Not the Twinkie...

Did you know the Twinkie might perish (not as in break-down, because there's enough preservatives in there to make it last through Armageddon)? A recent news story claims the makers of the Twinkie are in bankruptcy protection, thus the potential demise of the Twinkie! Have you ever had a Twinkie? Fluffy, full of fat and sugar - yummy!

The article goes on to list the other things in recent years that have gone (or are going) the way of the Do Do Bird - the first home gaming equipment, Atari (we had one), VHS (did you know that the film industry was still putting movies on VHS until 2006?), the Hummer (gone, but I'm not going to miss it), the Polaroid Camera (wasn't that magic when you pushed the button and the thing spit out the paper and then you could watch the picture develop right before your eyes?)! Go HERE to read the entire article.

This stuff is stuff I remember, over my lifetime - can you imagine what else will be on that list by the time I'm 80! This is the stuff that better NOT be on the list by the time I'm 80:

Potato Chips - says the young of the day, "Can you imagine, they used to deep fry potatoes and snack on them? Crazy!"

Sticky Notes - says the young of the day, "No, really, as far as I understand they used to write on pieces of paper that had a sticky background - with these things!"

Pens - says the young of the day, "Yeah, I don't get how they worked, either!"

Running Shoes - says the young of the day, "People walked! They left their house to communicate with others face to face! Some even ran for something called exercise!"

Books - says the young of the day, "More paper stuff. Man, there must have been some supply of trees back in the day!"

Funny story - a couple of years ago, my nephew (at the time 9 or 10) happened to be in our basement where we had our old rotary phone (exactly like the one pictured) hooked up. He was in awe of the thing, once he figured out it was a phone! Yup, you know you're old when...

What do you remember from your youth that no longer exists today, People of Blogland? What about in the future - what item do you hope never goes the way of the mimeograph machine (yes, we had one of those at the first school I taught in - messy, messy, messy)?