Shameless Promotion of Others.

Today, I bring you 2 new blogs that I think are pretty awesome. Both have food-centric content. I love food...all food...any food. There is not much I would not eat at least once. I love to cook, too. I will try to cook most anything, but I am not that into baking. There is something about the letting go of baking that I cannot get comfortable with. I like to tinker and adjust and add and taste and modify right until the moment that the food hits the plate. Baking requires a sort of cooking-faith I have not yet cultivated. But these ladies have something far more interesting to say about food and cooking than I do, so check them out:

Adventurous Tastes

Michele Niesen

Nieces are Nice.

Today is my niece's 4th birthday and I love her. She does not make me want to re-think my decision not to pro-create, but she does make me enormously happy that my sister and her husband did make the decision to pro-create...twice. I made this little video for her because she lives in Texas and I do not...I think I am going to do it every year from here on out. When she gets married, I think it will be a nice video-montage that will embarrass both her and me tremendously. So, today, I am grateful for 4 year old nieces named Anna who are sweet, cuddly and magical.

Along the theme of presence....

January 19, 2009

Today I am grateful for the present. The past is done, the future is yet to be determined, but we do have the here and now...and I am satisfied. Hopeful looking forward, at peace looking in the rearview mirror but fully vested in right now.

catching up....

Well, clearly, I have dropped the ball on my daily affirmations of gratification. So, today am grateful that no one has sent me hate mail or thrown fruit at me on facebook. I am also grateful for my dogs...they are faithful, loyal and patient companions and I love them dearly.

25 things.

I am stealing Audrey's latest blog idea and rocking it, Mary style.

Here are 25 random things about me.

1. I love peanut butter more than any food product on the face of the earth.

2. I love cheese almost as much as I love peanut butter

3. I carry tweezers in my car to pluck my eyebrows at red lights

4. I've been journaling since high school and keep all of my journals

5. I have a scar on my shin that I got when I was 11 and fell in a hole on the playground

6. I point my fingers when I attempt to dance...my sister does, too...we believe it is genetic

7. I collect dictionaries and thesaurai

8. One day I will live in a house I design on a moderate plot of land somewhere beautiful where I can have many dogs

9. I have only gotten sick once from drinking too much. It was gin.

10. It took me about 5 years to be able to drink gin again.

11. I have probably seen every Law and Order, at least twice.

12. I love my dogs more than words can say.

13. I always watch when I get blood taken.

14. I have never played on a team.

15. I love wearing hats.

16. I do not regret any part of my past.

17. I enjoy talking to strangers.

18. I don't use paintbrushes when I paint...I use my hands.

19. I used to hate my freckles.

20. I love mornings.

21. I am uncomfortable writing creatively.

22. I believe that life is fair and people are basically good.

23. I value freedom over security.

24. I am ridiculously optimistic.

25. I love my life more right now than I ever have.

January 12, 2009

Tonight I am thankful for my ability to be honest with the people I love in this world...I used to be so afraid to say what I feel.

This Blows.

Kind readers, I urge you to support my friend, Jennifer, in her efforts to ban gas-powered, noise polluting, over-the-top, obnoxious leaf blowers.

January 8, 2009

Tonight I am grateful for weathered hands, strong minds and the warm love of friends.

January 7, 2009

Today I am grateful that I have enough courage do things I am afraid of, to take risks and to go outside of my comfort zone because, quite simply, I want to grow and I insist on living my life without regrets. I have always been stubborn, strong willed and independent; it is both endearing and maddening to those who love me. I know this. I know these traits have caused pain to people who love me because I might seem reckless, dangerous and misguided. I simply cannot help it. It is who I am.

Oliver.

(Oliver is the handsome tabby on the left)

Today I am grateful for the love and prayers that my friends and family have extended to me and to my Kitty, Oliver. Oliver is 8, has been suffering with an unknown illness for the past 2 years and it has finally gotten to the point where I have to put him down. It is the worst thing to make this decision but even worse is to see an innocent creature for whom I bear complete responsibility suffer. Please say some prayers at 9am tomorrow morning; I know he will be in a better place–I am grateful that he will no longer suffer...and he will be missed tremendously.

January 3, 2009

Today I am grateful for my amazing friends, their ability to make me laugh until I almost pee on myself.

January 2, 2009

Okay, don't get TOO mad...I see that it is 12:37am on the 3rd of January, but I am going to file this under January 2nd's "things to be grateful for"

Today, I am grateful for my amazing friends and family. I love them so dearly and am so grateful for all that I have learned from them about who I am, who I am not and how to be in this world. Thank you.

January 1, 2009

Today, I decided that I would attempt to BLOG the things that, daily, I am thankful for. We'll see how long this lasts, but I am really going to try to do it. Please feel free to scold me, throw a chicken at me on facebook, or send hate mail if I fail to post.

Today I am thankful for the opportunity to begin anew and vitamin-enriched peanut butter.