Archive for February, 2008
Crock pots are one of the most amazing inventions of the entire 20th Century. Forget the automobile, the television or even the computer. Any thing that allows you to cook a family meal without being in the house has my vote. The crock pot rules!
The only problem I have with crock pots is that I don’t have enough of them. Right now I’m getting ready for a party (technically I have been all night long) and both of my crock pots are cooking away. If I had just two more crock pots, I’d start some desserts or some sides. The world should know that a crock pot is good for more than roast and stew.
1. Bake a cake. Crock pots make surprisingly moist cakes, but don’t try to serve it with a knife. Mix the cake according to directions. Spray oil around the crock pot before pouring the batter in the crock pot. Let cook on low for three to four hours then top with your favorite syrup (fudge for chocolate cakes and fruit syrup for white cakes). Use a spoon to dig down through all the amazing goodness.
2. Warm the guest with a fruit compost. Layer sliced fresh apples, peaches and pineapple (about two cups each) in a crock pot. Pour about ½ cup of honey over the fruit. Top with a couple of lemon slices and a cinnamon stick. Let cook on low for about 3 or 4 hours. Add sliced banana just before serving. You can include any fruits that you feel hold up well during cooking (blue berries) or go well with this combination. Experiment with sweetness, variety, and serving options (serve over ice cream, over fresh blondies, or alone with a fresh cup of coffee).
3. Kick up the sides. Don’t just start your roast before you leave for work. Get a second crock pot and start your sides as well. Mushroom rice is a great for pairing with a slow cooked roast. Combine a can of beef consommé, French onion soup, and 2 ¼ cups of water. Pour into the crock pot. Add ½ cup of butter, and two cups of rice (equal parts wild rice and brown rice make a rich combination). Cook on low for 7 hours.
4. Don’t forget the vegetables. Cut your favorite vegetables (or those that are available fresh right now) into small cubed pieces. Include potatoes (about 4 cups) that have been cubed as well. Combine with ½ cup of onion, 1 clove of garlic, ½ tsp of sugar, ½ tsp of dill weed and a dash of salt and pepper. Let cook on low for about 5 hours until the vegetables are tender.
There is so much that can be done with the crock pot. Remember that low and slow is the best way to utilize the crock pot. If you are in a tight, kicking the temperature up to high will decrease the cooking time by about half.
Another great invention that goes with the crock pots are these new crock pot liners. Now clean up is as easy as the cooking.
Drag out your crock pot and do some experimenting with your favorite casserole dishes. You may find that you fall in love with these wonderful contraptions. I know that just as soon as I can clear out some storage space, I’m adding to my collection of crock pots. Dinner will be a simple as a flip of a switch. Now, if I can just make it to dinner with all the aromas wafting through the house.
February 16th, 2008
I am not like other people. My husband will tell you that I don’t live in the same neighborhood as other people – and I’m okay with that. Unique is the label that I prefer (but I also stand proudly under the standard of strange, unusual, peculiar and different).
My uncle must get some credit for my ability to walk to a different beat. He was definitely different – just ask anyone in town! The stories that I have heard (and had the misfortune of experiencing first hand) could fill volumes of books – and will once I sit down and write it out. But his “creative” behaviors are not what get him credit for my uniqueness. It is the fact that he continuously pushed me to question everyone and everything.
Looking back, I suspect that what he was trying to do was not quite what I received. And that’s okay. I took away from our talks the need to be the defender of the “little man.” The underdogs became my battle cry. I embraced the outcasts. Not exactly popular actions in small town Alabama.
The other night I was washing dishes (and apparently even my muse dance to a different beat, this night it was the beat of dishwater) and it dawned on me that God has been training me to be around others. He has been molding me to be their glue – to pull and hold them together.
“Fine,” I mumbled to the dishes. Everyone else was already in bed. I was still up because I had committed to myself to do just one more thing before bed. Cleaning out the sink was it for tonight. “When is it my turn to have someone to pull me together?”
I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.
The words weren’t audible, but they felt audible. I remembered all the times while I was growing up when I would lay in my room and just talk to God, or walk down along the lake and talk to God. I began to understand that God is my glue! He is lifting me up. He is pulling me together. He is the one I depend on, not people.
I am getting back to my unique walk, with God as my glue. I’m taking time to talk to him, sometimes without even an awareness of where I am. When I thank Him for a blessing, out loud, in public, I know people look at me rather sideways. When I don’t cry at funerals but rejoice in what is to come, I know what they are thinking. When I dance in the grocery store and sing from the joy that is overwhelming ever aspect of my being, I feel their stares. When I choose to the right thing instead of the easy thing, I can hear their whispers.
“She’s not normal.” “She’s not like other people.” “What is up with her?”
It’s all good. I’m not like other people. I don’t want to be like others. I was created with a purpose – I am unique – and I am called to be peculiar. I will take a cue from my crazy uncle, and continue to dance on roof tops, swing from chandeliers, or at least stand proud in the knowledge that doing what I know to do might make me stand out in the crowd, but it will bring me to my rightful place as God’s heir.
February 15th, 2008
My mom needed a ride to the doctor’s office, but I needed to get some work done. It was easier to just pack up some of my work and take it with me than to try and create a different way to get her to the doctor. When I walked into the doctor’s office, I was greeted by the smile of a friend I hadn’t seen in two years. It was a pure joy to visit with her and it was the reason I needed to take my mother on that day.
The other morning the kids all woke up early and they all had to spend time with me before I left for my meeting. All the distractions got me out the door later than I had planned. Two miles from our home I came across a serious wreck. If I had been on MY schedule then I would have be in the wreck instead of just driving by it. There was a reason I needed to be with my kids that morning for that time.
Not too long ago I was stuck in the doctor’s office waiting room. Surprisingly, the office was running way behind. By being on time for my appointment, I had an hour to pass before going back. I struck up a conversation with the lady sitting next to me. We shared stories that were filled with humor and uplifting ends. A few months after our visit, I passed her in the grocery story. She stopped me to explain how that time together had given her the motivation to push on through the bitter times she had been experiencing. There was a reason I was at THAT doctor in THAT chair and they were running behind.
There is a purpose for every moment of my life. There are times when I need to be lifted or helped and there are other times when I am there to do the lifting. Sometimes I see the reason and try to ignore it. Sometimes I just miss what is in front of my face. But there are those times that I see and embrace and even understand why I am where I am. There is always a reason.
February 14th, 2008
The mantra I heard over and over when I first started pursuing a writing career was “write what you know.” For the first year, I did just that. I limited my subjects to the things I had personal experience or knowledge in dealing with.
As I looked for venues to make some money – particularly online – I began to venture out into subjects I knew less about. I would supplement the knowledge with research. As I made a little more money, I got a little more daring. Today, I am willing to write about any subject as long as I have the ability to do a little research before I get started.
On the flip side, my fiction still stays within the boundaries of my personal knowledge. For me, fiction has a different edge to it than non-fiction. You just can’t fake it. There has to be a foundation of knowledge and understanding in order for the story to feel real and the characters to come to life.
Sticking to JUST what you know can lead to stale writing. Writing something that you know nothing about (with out taking the time to research and understand the subject) can make your writing silly and worthless.
So, should you write what you know or learn what you write? I say do them both. You stretch your knowledge, you stretch your writing techniques, and most of all you stretch your genres.
February 13th, 2008
When people start thinking about their debt, they are usually focused on their own future. Very few people understand how their own spending habits will affect the lives of their children. The truth is that your debt will put a burden on your children. The higher the debt, the more enslaved your children will become unless you learn how to break the debt curse and start NOW!
The problem is that children learn what they see. If they see you using credit cards, buying what ever you please and always getting more and more with out thought then that is the pattern of behavior they are likely to follow. If you think your financial situation is bad, then multiply it by ten and that is the direction you are sending your children.
It is possible to get your whole family back on the right track. It will take some communication, lots of honesty and a willingness to cut the fat!
1. Sit down with the whole family and discuss the financial place you are currently at and the financial goals that you want for the future.
2. Make a budget for all the necessities that you currently spend money on each month.
3. Put a limit on non-essential items and activities each month.
4. Set a savings goal for each month and work towards that goal as a family.
5. Teach the children the reality of the financial world. If they get an allowance then go ahead and begin taking “taxes” out of that money. It can go into a tax fund and the whole family can vote on how to spend that money each year.
6. Open a savings account for each of your children. Encourage them to do odd jobs for friends and family and to save a large portion of that money.
7. Think more about giving than about getting. Look at ways you can use your time, resources (including money) and energy to help the people around you.
8. Take care of what you have already. Keep the house and the car picked up and in order. Clean and straighten it daily. Show respect to the things that you have in your life.
The scary thing about debt is that it doesn’t just go away when you die. Everything you borrow and every charge you rack up will pass down to your children to sort out and pay. Not only do they inherit your debt, but your habits will teach your children the same habits.
If you want your children to live a life of freedom, then start teaching them today that they are enslaved by the people they owe. Debt is not a good way to live.
February 13th, 2008
The battle begins in your mind. Whether you are tackling weight, clutter, finances or any other troublesome spot in your life, you must think right before you can get right. It doesn’t matter what you do, how long you do it, or where you do it. If you don’t change your way of thinking then you will be right back where you are today before you know it.
1. Say it out loud and with enthusiasm. What ever change you desire, convince yourself that it is done. “I have released the 20 pounds.” “I have received the raise.” “I have finished the project.” You are retraining your mind to think positive about the issue at hand.
2. There is truth in the saying that “can’t never could.” If you believe you can’t do something then you have failed before you have tried.
3. Set a goal. There has to be something tangible to reach for and a specific time line for getting there. Saying you are going to do better doesn’t give you a measurement to see how far you have progressed.
4. Get going. Make giving up an unacceptable option. Fix in your mind that you will reach the goal.
. Bring in support. Surround yourself with people who not only believe you can accomplish your goal but will verbally and emotionally support you in your efforts. You need “I can” people backing you up.
It is not always easy to make significant changes in your life or lifestyle – it is always simple. Determine that you are going to change and then set out to find ways to make that change a reality. Once you can change your mindset about something then getting to that goal will be easier than you ever imagined possible.
February 12th, 2008
Procrastination has been a word used to describe me for most of my life - mainly by my parents and teachers. After years of putting it off, I finally decided to look up the exact definition. According to thefreedictionary.com, “procrastinate” means to postpone or delay NEEDLESSLY or to put off doing something out of habitual carelessness or laziness. Can I just inject here and say “ouch!”
For the most part, I have been working hard to break the habit of procrastination. Now that I have children, I don’t want them to learn from my example. Kids are followers more than listeners. “Do as I say and not as I do” just won’t cut it.
1. Make a to-do list for the week, and mark off as much as you can. It’s amazing how one little line (through an item) can make you feel empowered.
2. Get a support system together. Have some friends meet for coffee once a week and start a buddy system (where you call and encourage each other through out the week). It helps to know that you aren’t alone.
3. Turn off the television – or at least limit yourself to a small amount per day. If the recent writer’s strike has taught my nothing else, it has taught me that I can survive without television.
4. Read a book about motivation, organization, or attitudes to help you stay focused on your goal. Many of the writers have been where you are and want to help you break free by showing you their own path to freedom.
5. Do one more thing. Before you stop for a break, before you turn on the television or before you go to bed at night, do just one more thing.
6. Start right now. It doesn’t matter when you read this. You can start working on defeating procrastination in your life. If you wait until tomorrow, it has already won the first battle.
Procrastination is a strong force. It will eat up your time, your energy, and your focus – if you let it. But procrastination can be defeated with just one singe phrase. “Do it now.” Now is the time to break the habit of procrastination that has been running your life.
For the record, I’m getting much better about procrastination. Every now and then I slip back into my old pattern, but I am quick to jump back on the wagon. It’s hard to do it now when your mind tells you that you can just do it tomorrow. But when that twitch starts to occur, I just try to do one more thing to get the ball rolling back to consistency.
February 11th, 2008
There will be an undetermined number of people at my house on Saturday. It was by request, so it’s not a shock to me. It’s just been a while since I hosted people in my home and so I’m already at work to whip the house into shape.
While I was cleaning out a box of stuff the other day (one that has been moving from chair to chair to table and around again while waiting to be filed) it dawned on me that hosting a get together might be the best way to get your home in shape.
1. Make a game plan. Go from room to room with a notebook and make a list of everything that needs to be done or that you want done before the big day.
2. Be reasonable. You do not need to tackle major DIY projects just before a big event. Save those for the day after. Focus instead on cleaning up and sprucing up.
3. Spread it out. Take one room at a time and tackle one project each day (depending mainly on your timeline). It’s amazing how much you can get done by spending one hour a day doing heavy cleaning and purging.
4. Save the scented cleaning for the day of or the day before. Clean the bathrooms, change the cat box, empty the trash and mop the day before the party and everything will smell clean and fresh when your guests arrive.
5. Box up what’s not done at the last minute. Work as long as you can, but hours before guests start arriving it’s time to hide what you have left. Keep a couple of empty boxes around as dump zones and tuck them away in your closet.
Hosting a party or a get together is a great way to get your house in tip-top shape. It puts a deadline on when things have to get done and sparks some motivation in the cleaning process. If you aren’t hosting a party anytime soon then circle a date on the calendar when you will have the house in shape (you can always PRETEND there’s going to be a party – maybe your spouse will throw a surprise party for the clean home). The main thing is that you work toward the goal every day and eventually you will get there.
February 10th, 2008
Writing has always been a dream that I have had. Even in grammar school, I wanted to write. My first story, “Snoopy and the Pineapples,” was a fruited retailing of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” and a huge hit with my sixth grade teacher.
In high school I even worked up the nerve to send a story into a teen magazine, but since there was no cover letter, no query letter, and no information about the author (other than the byline on the story) I got a rejection. The sad part was that I didn’t know WHY I got the rejection. There was no one to help me understand the industry.
Flash forward in my life to just five years ago. I attended my first writer’s conference EVER! I went to the event fully expecting someone to tell me how great my writing was and to give me the steps to making a successful career out of writing. I didn’t get either. After lots of study, research, and interviews with other writers, I have come up with some steps to help anyone become a full time writer.
1. You have to write. It may seem silly, but there are people out there that want to write one article or novel and make a million dollars or land a full-time gig. It might be possible, but it is highly unlikely. The more you write, the better your writing will get.
2. Show your writing. This doesn’t mean you should ask mom and dad to read it. Give it to someone who will be honest about what you should do. Having a writing mentor online is great. There is a certain anonymity to the internet that makes honesty easier.
3. Submit your writing. Start local and work your way up. Or find your niche and bombard publications with your work until the acceptances out number the rejections.
4. Go job hunting. Decide what you will and will not write and then find the jobs you are willing to do. Value your work, though. Many people are taking jobs for one or two dollars just to have their name in print (online anyway). In the end, it’s not worth it – to you or to any other writer out there.
5. Stretch yourself. All the veteran writers that I have spoken with say that writing outside your genre is critical. If you write novels then submit some article ideas. I would expand that and recommend that you write outside your knowledge zone. If you write about family issues then write some animal articles. The internet provides you with the ability to research any subject at anytime. If you can find the information then there is no reason you can’t write the article.
6. Make it a business. Treat your writing like any other job. Set aside a certain number of hours to write and put in your hours. Make a schedule of what you need to do and when it needs to be done and then get it done ahead of time.
7. Always, always, always keep learning. It doesn’t matter where you are in the industry (or what industry that is for that matter). There is always something else you can learn or a technique you can perfect. Keep pushing yourself to get better. Take classes and courses. Join groups. Attend seminars and conferences. Make yourself a better you than you were yesterday.
Becoming a professional (i.e. paid) writer is just like anything else out there. It takes time, effort, practice and patience. Find your niche in the industry and then go for it.
February 9th, 2008
Our family is one of many words. We play word games, we play off other peoples words, and we play of words of songs. It’s always amusing to see which family member will be the first to pounce on a particular word or phrase – and the whole family gets a smile from the moment.
There is just something about a good pun (and by that I mean a bad pun) or bad or simple joke that makes me smile. Maybe it is the reaction of the people around me – the ones who have been sucking on lemons all day and just don’t get it. It could be that I’m easily entertained – an old boyfriend once said that if he hung a mobile over the vent and got me a kitten I would be entertained forever.
Most likely it is that I like a good word play. That’s one of the reasons I enjoy many of the British shows (some of which you can see anymore) and Psych (great word play there). Good comedy is about a quick and sharp wit – plain and simple.
I’ll confess that much of the word play around our table is not always brain surgery. But it is always fun. Try a little yourself, you might just find that you like it. I’ll get you started.
Q: Why did the TURTLE cross the road?
A: To get to the SHELL station!
Not exactly a pun, but you have to start slow and work your way up. Before long, you and your family will be sitting around the dinner table exchanging puns like pros and having a great time to boot.
February 9th, 2008
Next Posts
Previous Posts
