Painting samples

First half page

The Book: page 1/2

My grandmother lives in a country of locked memories. She was forced to reside there like a displaced person in a refugee camp wandering aimlessly between what was and what could have been.  I am keenly aware that my own journey may end this way as well, born again as an old woman and child at the same time, in a country I don’t know, surrounded by no one speaking my language.  A few things happened awhile ago which threw my life into that kind of chaos where even gossip mongers can’t best the story for fear of missing a single note. I wanted to write it down. Write it all down so that my children could laugh and cry with my sisters and I, well beyond the time limits of my fragile memories.

On September 28, 2011, a Wednesday, I won the lottery. Sixteen million dollars. I have not told anyone yet.

Two days later on a very dark Friday, my nephew of 22 years died suddenly. He lies in an undignified state at the coroner’s office and whereas he sleeps, we stay awake in horror.

The family has allowed me to begin recounting the paths that led us here, embracing the sweet aroma of home grown from the House of Pot (details forthcoming), on the patio of Tammy, former cult member, grieving mother, my sister.

Savory Sausage Stuffing with pine nuts

Savory Sausage Stuffing

 

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For families that have always favored a traditional white-bread stuffing, this side dish will seem both familiar and exotic. The Italian sausage provides a savory note that goes great with the fresh fennel (if you've never used it, think of it as celery with pizzazz). The optional toasted pine nuts are rich and buttery, but mild enough not to interfere with the other flavors.

Ingredients

• Loaf of sturdy white bread (1 pound)
• 1 pound Italian sausage links, mild or hot
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bulb fennel, finely chopped, or 2 cups finely chopped celery (or a combination)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 bay leaf

• 1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (use mostly parsley, plus sage, rosemary, and/or thyme)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, pan toasted (optional)
• 3/4 to 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• Salt and ground pepper to taste
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Instructions

1. Slice the bread into 3/4-inch cubes and allow to air-dry for several hours (or dry in a 350º oven for about 10 minutes). Transfer the bread to a very large mixing bowl and set it aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Poke each sausage several times with a fork and drop into the boiling water. Boil for 13 to 17 minutes, until the center of the sausage is no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl and cool. Score the casings and peel them off. Quarter the sausage lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. Set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a very large sauté pan. Stir in the onion, fennel, carrot, and bay leaf and sauté over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the mushrooms and sausage. Cover and sauté 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
4. Remove the bay leaf and add the sautéed mixture, fresh herbs, and toasted pine nuts (if desired) to the bread. Gently toss the mixture and add the chicken broth, 1/4 cup or less at a time, until the bread seems moist but not soggy. Taste the stuffing, adding salt and pepper. Add the eggs and mix gently. To stuff your bird, see the Herb-roasted Turkey recipe. Makes 10 servings. Test Kitchen Tip: To cook the stuffing on the side, spoon it into a large, shallow, buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered tinfoil, buttered side down, and bake in a 350º oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, until crusted over.

The Art of Time: Twitter book club discussion article

The Art of Time: Twitter book club discussion article: "iPhone Tracks Your Every Move, and There’s a Map for That By Brian X. Chen April 20, 2011 1:30 pm Categories: Phones An une..."

Twitter book club discussion article

iPhone Tracks Your Every Move, and There’s a Map for That

• By Brian X. Chen
• April 20, 2011  | 
• 1:30 pm  | 
• Categories: Phones

An unencrypted file stored in iPhones and iPads constantly records a user's location data. An open source application was used to plot the location data from an iPhone belonging to a Wired.com reporter.

Update 4 p.m. PT, Thursday: Wired.com has obtained a letter from Apple explaining how and why iOS devices store geo data and transmit it to Apple.

Your iPhone or 3G-equipped iPad has been secretly recording your location for the past 10 months.

Wired.com can confirm that fact: The screengrab above shows a map containing drop pins of everywhere yours truly has been in the past year.

Software hackers Peter Warden and Alasdair Allen discovered an unencrypted file inside Apple’s iOS 4 software, storing a long list of locations accompanied with time stamps. The file is labeled “consolidated.db.”

“Ever since iOS 4 arrived, your device has been storing a long list of locations and time stamps,” Warden and Allen wrote. “We’re not sure why Apple is gathering this data, but it’s clearly intentional, as the database is being restored across backups, and even device migrations.”

Warden is providing an open source program “iPhone Tracker” for iPhone and 3G iPad customers to output their location file into an interactive map, like the one above, so they can see for themselves. All you have to do is plug in your iDevice through USB and run Warden’s application. The software requires OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard).

The iPhoneTracker application features a sliding bar for users to see where they were in specific times of the year.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for a comment. Apple has not previously disclosed that iPhones and iPads are constantly tracking and storing user location.

The discovery is the latest in a series of alarming incidents that serve as cautionary tales about privacy in the always-connected mobile era.

Recently, German politician and privacy advocate Malte Spitz sued his phone carrier Deutsche Telekom to get every piece of information it had about him. The carrier delivered to him a gigantic file containing 35,000 data points of his location for six months. Later, a German publication plotted Spitz’s data onto an interactive map.

This iPhone and iPad privacy leak is eerily similar, and creepier, considering that Apple has sold over 100 million iPhones and 15 million iPads.

The location data stored inside “consolidated.db” cannot be accessed by Safari or any apps, said Charlie Miller, a security researcher known for discovering vulnerabilities in the iPhone. However, the data file is sensitive because a thief who gains physical access to an iPhone or iPad could look at the file and see everywhere a customer has been, or a hacker could remotely break in and read the file, Miller said.

It’s not simple for a hacker to remotely access an iPhone to get to that file. But in the past, Miller found an exploit that would allow a hacker to hijack an iPhone just by sending a text message to it containing malicious code. Apple later patched that exploit, but security researchers say there are plenty of vulnerabilities in the wild left unaddressed.

Sharon Nissim, consumer privacy counsel of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said it is possible Apple is violating the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act, which allows telecom carriers to provide call information only in emergency situations.

“By asking for permission to collect location data, Apple may be trying to get around its legal obligations, by asking people to give up privacy rights they don’t even know they have,” Nissim said.

She added that a potential privacy concern is that law enforcement would be able to subpoena these types of records from people’s iPhones or iPads.

The Art of Time: The art of list making

The Art of Time: The art of list making: "Like baking the one-bowl chocolate cake, list-making is effective and produces great results when you have: § Appetite: I WANT to do t..."

The art of list making

Like baking the one-bowl chocolate cake, list-making is effective and produces great results when you have:

§  Appetite: I WANT to do this

§  Desire: I’m GOING to do this

§  Ingredients: all the items on the list

§  Tools: something to record with and on

This process is a way of getting control back in our lives; of identifying and managing our commitments to ourselves and others so that we start WORKING TOWARDS THE FINISH LINE!

Before we start, there is one ground rule: We are not creating more work for ourselves with impossible lists attached to disproportionate timetables.  This is the beginning of a transformation into stress-free achievement and efficiency. 

Time is one of the most valuable things we have! And guess what…..EVERYONE’S time is valuable!  If you are the CEO of a corporation or COO of your home, no one can be productive when feeling overwhelmed and disorganized. 

The journey, therefore, begins at home…..keep your pen and notes handy at all times…..initially you will need some uninterrupted time in whatever environment stimulates thinking…we are beginning small....

LET’S GET STARTED!

1. Record EVERYTHING you need to do this week (or think you need to do)

§  regardless of what day it is, end your week on Sunday

§  don’t worry about order or priority for now….just get it all down

§  this isn’t a wish list….write down what you actually have to do

Example:

Based on full-time working (outside of home) mom, two teenage boys (high school), full-time working spouse who shares in household responsibilities, no outside house cleaning, hobbies

            1. Feed family

            2. Grocery shopping

            3. Laundry

            4. Clean house

            5. Job interview for son

            6. Purchase cleats for boys’ tryouts

            7. Haircuts

            8. Birthday cards for extended family March birthdays

            9. Twitter, facebook, gmail, blog

            10. Personal hobby time: finish painting for auction

            11. Exercise

            12. Pay bills

            13. Shovel sidewalks

            14. Garbage

            15. Recycling

2. Record EVERYTHING you can think of that needs to get done this month

Example:

            1. Pay bills

            2. Dinner party

            3. Birthday gift for niece

            4. Fix caulking in main bathroom

            5. Organize winter/spring clothes – donation of excess?

            6. Take in vehicle for windshield repair

            7. Orthodontist

            8. Eye appointment

            9. Review household budgets

            10. Start thinking about themes for the art show

            11. Volunteering at art gallery

            12. Lose 5 lbs (ha ha)

            13. Exercise plan for family?

            14. Call sisters

            15. Call parents

3. Record EVERYTHING you can think of that needs to get done this year

4. Record EVERYTHING you can think of that falls on your wish list

Think of list making as a way of having a personal assistant…..of getting control.

Next we will explore how to manage the lists you have created and I'm doing it as well!

Interpretation of modern femininity

Today's time management tip.....take the time to create
to quiet the mind
refresh the spirit
be.....

Interpretation of modern femininity

Gentle yet radiant

Daring. Spirited. Embracing. Provocative.

Only the drum of raindrops exist

colliding with song

and the melody….like floating in a field of lavender

I have to breathe it in

I breathe it all in

lulled by those drops of water in some ocean

that I had forgotten.

To find it again

that elegant silence

within.

Imagine the canvas floating

on a backdrop

of what I will create

and as the rain picks up

I will listen to the music for a bit longer

and everywhere

everywhere

on the dark waves,

I slip away

with my voice.

One-bowl chocolate cake

Time-saving recipe that is easy, delicious and will garner many compliments. 

Life is busy business and I promised to explore list-making as a precursor to time management which will compliment the whole idea of procrastination.  So I will give advice that seems odd.......bake a cake. 

You will need a little delicious chocolate cake in order to proceed with the task of creating a list that will simplify your life. Why???

• the fragrance of baking will fill your kitchen and make you smile
• if you have family, the small effort will bring veritable tears of joy, hugs, possibly disbelief and a reason to claim alone time
• everyone needs a snack for the brain to accomplish good, organized thinking

For those people on mindful eating plans, gluten-free diets or are not desirous of chocolate.....I suggest a modest purchase of anything that will satisfy a food craving but still be considered a little naughty.

Directions:
Cream margarine and sugar then add eggs. Throw everything else in the bowl. Mix with electronic device of your choice until smooth. Taste batter (you were going to anyway). Pour batter in greased and slightly floured 11" x 17" pan or bundt cake pan or 36 cupcakes

Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F/20 mins for cupcakes or until an inserted toothpick in the middle of the cake comes out clean

Icing with purchased icing....seriously many choices that are effort-free and tasty. 

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
3 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp baking soda
1 cup margarine
3 cups buttermilk (or 3 cups of milk with 3 tsp lemon juice or vinengar)
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Soak mixing bowl and utensils...time for the list making to commence.

The Perpetual Procrastinator

Are you a perpetual procrastinator?  An eleventh-hour virtuoso?  A lasting lingerer?  You are not alone.

About 25% of the population are considered procrastinators and in reality….most people (I have seen quotes as high as 85%) have practiced the time-worn unproductive artistry of “putting off today that which can be put off tomorrow again….” 

It also doesn’t matter who you are, what you do for a living, socio-economic status or gender… I have heard heroic stories of women going on major cleaning sprees right before important deadlines; men detailing their cars down to toothbrushes on their whitewalls; teens playing “just one more hour” of World of Warcraft; teachers “researching” online to avoid marking papers……well you get the drift….avoidance, stress and disappointment is usually the result.

There are several common reasons why people typically procrastinate (Note: this does not address clinical or psychological procrastination)

1. The Fear of Success or Failure

Think about it….both success and failure can bring on life-changing gains or loss. Sometimes we sabotage our own success because it brings new responsibility, tests our limits and comfort zones, exposes our"selves" and creates unknowns.  Likewise, the fear of failure is a mindset….instead of learning from mistakes we create self-fulfilling prophecies of inadequacy.

2. Lack of Desire, Goals or Ambition

Being uninspired to create or pursue dreams is a show stopper.  The missing part of our lives is that which is unique to us, our own authentic selves.  No one can forge our paths but us and not being able to do so is debilitating.  Living our own lives, increasing ambition, inspiration and incentives are key to finding that sometimes elusive path to happiness. (Discussion in the next few blogs)

3. Motivation

Loss of motivation means severely decreased momentum and even a superhero can’t overcome depression from lack of motivation.  Healthy minds, bodies and souls…..keeping our eye on the prize and then creating goals and sub goals that are achievable in small steps is a future forward way of thinking.

4. Becoming overwhelmed and distracted

We live in the super age of choice……the product choices alone in the world have proliferated over the last 35 years so much that it is no wonder people are inundated to the point of inaction.  Look at television alone; we are faced daily with hundreds of channels to choose from, however, a scant three decades  ago, I believe I watched one of four channels on a black and white set.

Being overwhelmed can actually lead to inaction or hastily made decisions.  Here is the terrific thing about choice……it is our own muse….and if we don’t succeed the first time, what’s the problem with choosing again?

5. Losing Focus

The pursuit of our dreams can be waylaid by so many distractions in our lives that we create our own loss.  We can create our own outcomes and contribute in a meaningful way to the “pursuit of happiness” for ourselves and others. 

Lack of structure, perceived and literal boundaries, unhealthy habits and routines and low self-esteem all contribute to a loss of focus. Building goals and maintaining them takes commitment and diligence and frankly sometimes hyper-focus. 

Creating focus takes a plan…..and maybe lists (Next blog “How to make lists that work”)

Procrastination is serious and it isn’t about being lazy or a perfectionist or an over-achiever.  It IS however, about managing your time and there is AN ART TO THAT!  Let’s discover it together.

Artichoke and Mussel Bisque
4 Servings

Ingredients

• 3 whole artichokes
• 1 bulb fennel, trimmed and diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 quarts water to cover
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1 pound mussels - cleaned and debearded
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Remove the hearts and stems from the artichokes and discard the leaves. Chop the hearts and stems and place them in a large pot over low heat with the fennel and onion. Add the cream, just enough water to cover all, and salt and pepper to taste. Let this simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, rinse and de-beard the mussels. In a separate large saucepan over medium low heat, sweat the garlic in the butter or margarine for 30 seconds. Add the cleaned mussels and the wine, cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the mussels and reserve the liquid. (Note: Be careful not to brown the garlic.)
3. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Add the lemon juice, reserved mussel liquid and season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain this mixture through a fine mesh strainer and top each serving with some mussels. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Best Buy Justin Bieber Ozzy Osbourne 2011 Super Bowl Commercial

Superbowl Menu and Easy Jambalaya

SuperBowl Menu

1. Beer

2. Wine (for me) Penfolds Koonunga Hill....twist off cap  :)

3. Nacho scoops and Pace Chunky Salsa (Costco)

4. Chocolate covered peanuts (to clear the palate)

5. Emeril's Cajun Jambalaya - super easy and makes you look like a chef for pete's sake

6. Good, boisterous, really loud and fun company

Cajun Jambalaya

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Prep Time:15 min

Cook Time:35 min

Serves:10 servings

Ingredients

• 24 medium shrimp peeled, deveined and chopped or 1 c cubed ham (cooked) or 1 c cubed pork (cooked)
• 20 mussels or clams if desired
• 1 c chicken, diced (cooked)
• 3 tablespoons Creole seasoning, recipe follows
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes or tomato sauce, depending on preference
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1 1/2 cups rice
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3-4 spicy Italian sausages, sliced (cooked)
• Salt and pepper

Directions

In a bowl combine shrimp, chicken and Creole seasoning, and work in seasoning well. In a large saucepan heat oil over high heat with onion, pepper and celery, 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Stir in rice and slowly add broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. When rice is just tender add shrimp and chicken mixture and sausage.  Cook until shrimp and mussels are done, about 10 minutes more. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Yield: 2/3 cup

The art of time

There is an art to spending time and we create this canvas every single day.  There is no one right answer but an entire opera of options and choices.  My best day is one which I can smile over and have caused someone else to do the same.  My lists are simple......I will explore the art of list making in my next blog

 

The question was posed: "would you give up food or the internet?"

 

a) On holiday - lose the internet: there should be times to quiet the mind and soul and surround yourself with real laughter not LOL
b) On being creative - lose the internet: original thought is difficult to come by and requires chocolate, wine, inspiration from within and solace
c) On a regular day including travel for work - lose the calories:.... as missing connectivity to friends, family, work and the world would cut my efficiency literally in half.

The internet plays an important role for us if only to stay in touch with those thousands of acquaintencances that bring quality to our lives or searching for information that we would otherwise be bereft of.

The common touch is qualifiable in face time.....the internet is quantifiable through connectivity.

On being a parent

I didn’t know I wanted children until I was 29 years old.  I had feelings of trepidation about being a parent, a good parent, and sharing life in all its majesty and sorrow with other souls who would rely on my husband and I for wisdom, love and choices.  I questioned my own ability to offer sound advice when some of the best I could give was “don’t do what I did!”

Loving someone is a complicated emotion.  After our first boy was born, I experienced a kind of euphoria.  I completely fell in love with him and my husband again.  Love is like that with ebbs and flows of feelings throughout our life.  A quote from Marianne Williamson comes to mind, “Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.”  I was 31 years old at the time and fully immersed in the journey of motherhood.

 I remember the catch in my throat and aligning the butterflies in my stomach every time I looked at his tiny hands and feet.  There is this indescribable joy of motherhood that is simply unguarded……authentic and honest…..a warming feeling like the first sunny day in spring when the first blooms offer intoxicating fragrance.  My son. 

I had no idea what I was supposed to do except nurture my child in a way that would allow him to satisfy his own curiosity and growth.  Ok, maybe I smothered a bit…..that’s changed now…..and there was the incident of the first bath…..perhaps I should have read a few books.  Parenting is an art; a kind of slow and steady dance.  The only rules we gave ourselves was consistency, love, solitude when needed, debates were welcome but we had final say after the negotiations, fair play among siblings, chores for allowance and keeping bedrooms for quiet time…not punishment.   

Just after turning 32 years old, our second son was born.  They are 15 months apart and it has worked our magically.  Our boys are friends with each other yet vastly different personalities.  We are bringing up the proverbial yin and yang teenagers who respect themselves and we hope the general population. 

And again, I am experiencing this intense love for my family who have guided me through my own life.  Very soon the nest will be empty and with all my bravado, I harbor sadness at the impending silence.  As parents, we have a duty to our children to allow them independence and opinions.  I want to hold on to them for dear life, but know in my heart that their journey is just beginning.  My sons.  I have had immeasurable joy raising them…..and yes…..I question where the years have gone…..this…..on the eve of my 50^th birthday...I have no regrets.

Goodbye lovely chocolate and sinful chips

The time has come to seriously diet.  I have no misconceptions that the next few months will be a lesson in depravation from all of my favorite foods.  I realize that the popular philosophy is lifestyle change, however, I require a severe kick start a la "The Biggest Loser".....although I won't be exercising 24/7.  Diets are diets.  The lifestyle change needs a certain finesse and dedication that is built into the diet.

And this isn't about disliking my body (thank you ancestors for the short legs).  I made peace about being happy in my own skin a long time ago.  This is about removing some chunkage and just feeling better.

I'm starting out with a two-day fast where I will stay near the bathroom and be completely grumpy the entire time.  Did I mention the “size up” wardrobe is officially tight?  I have been relegated to wearing long jackets.  Incidentally a fast is not for everyone and should be engaged in with care.  I am opting for the water, green tea, limited fruit juice and vegetable juice version.....coffee is out and therein lies the personality change I will be undergoing.

After the fast....it's all about food in.  I like to calorie count with a concerted effort at limiting carbs.  As I am a graduate from Weight Watchers, I have an excellent idea of correct portion size, increasing metabolism through exercise and for good measure, dropping Frank's hot sauce on my food where possible.  This is not difficult stuff.  We know that devouring too much food helps us gain weight and limiting intake to 1200 calories per day will allow the shocked fatty cells to settle down.  Aging is a killer on metabolism which is why I purchased the proverbial treadmill. 

For me, two solid weeks of not cheating and limiting the red wine (well it's for my heart for goodness sakes), works wonders on the psyche. 

A word about body image.  Don't diet for anyone else but yourself.  Women around the world are thankfully unique in that we are billions of shapes and sizes and personalities.  Hopefully you all have someone that appreciates your identity.  True story....after my youngest was born (15 scant months after my first), I weighed in at 208 pounds.....at 5'3", that was quite a sum.  What saved me, what changed my whole image outlook was my husband.  I remember one evening he looked at me and said "you are so beautiful".....he said this in such an honest and authentic way that I believed him and this small act renewed me.

Find someone who makes you feel beautiful to start with......the diet is just secondary.  Read Maya Angelou's poem "Phenomenal Woman"......it will inspire.

How I came to love the matcha latte from Starbucks

So I lived in Japan a complete lifetime ago.....yet bizarrely that short lived experience shaped the very essence of who I became. 

I literally jumped into it at 18 years old…..no research…..no language training……no clue, just a desire to see a world I had only dreamed of.  And what I received was beyond the imagination.  I learned Japanese.   A whole other language for Pete’s sake!  It was a rather desperate situation as my host family understood limited English and I had to clarify a few things like my aversion to fried grasshoppers, bee larvae and eating all things buggy; octopus and squid on a stick (at first); sharing bath time with the kids and how to say sorry over dropping my chopsticks ten times at every meal.  Apparently it’s bad luck. Yikes!

The culture I encountered was, and has been, such a source of inspiration.  I briefly took classes in “ikebana”, flower arranging.  Apparently I was the worst arranger that my extremely patient teacher had ever taught and with a great deal of relief, she passed me on to the instructor of chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony. 

"Ichigo, Ichie" literally translated to "One encounter, one chance" Ichigo-Ichie means that every encounter with someone, even a friend whom you see often, should be treated as if it were a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. (As if today were the last time you might meet) This is the underlying philosophy of the Japanese tea ceremony and the lessons that changed my life.

I learned how to do ballet with my hands.  Every move, every softly spoken word and action had specific meaning.  I learned how to celebrate silence.  I learned how to honor the perfection of a hand crafted tea vessel, it’s history and story.  I attended an awe inspiring event in Kyoto during the only week that cherry blossoms bloom and under such a tree, witnessed a chanoyu master offer his art.

And importantly, I became enamored of matcha tea lattes from Starbucks!  I’m guessing not too many people enjoy the bitter sweet taste of matcha tea.  Thank you Japan!

To make a really long story slightly shorter, there is no time like the present to do a lot of living.  There is an adventure around every corner.

My family my home

Family is a powerful force.  We are drawn to them in times of need, love, giving, happiness and sorrow.  We celebrate with each other, laugh together, hold one another together and yes we cry when moments needs tears.  There is magic in loving family, that supersedes want.....and families come in all shapes imaginable. 

My husband and I were reminded of this during the holiday season.  We shared Christmas and the new year with siblings and parents, their friends who have become our friends, and we adopted everyone into the fold.  If laughter is song....we sang....and that singing was breathtaking. 

I have made a commitment to myself and this process of turning 50 to stretch my outlook on life and living....where I have sought miracles in the past, I realize that entering this stage and living fully is a miracle itself.  Where I have lost my religion, I have gained faith.  Where I have doubt, I understand that without doubt, there are no questions to explore.

My home is wherever the people I love are.....we will have no address except that which honors our good intentions and imaginations.  My family my home.

So on to new adventures and diets and exercise and admissions of guilty pleasures and face creams and where to shop til you drop, good habits, bad habits, hobbies that can fulfill at any age, food for the soul and soul food, spicing up a 21 year marriage, raising sons, learning until we become 100, hanging your hat on technology and wearing many many hats.

Bring it on 2011......magic is in the air.