A~Musing #61: Iron Chef!! Hai!!!!

I've read a few blogs and foodie articles that pit the Japanese version against the American version.  The usual arguments include, "(whine whine) Nothing beats the original (whine whine)" and "The American chairman does back-handsprings onto the dais...??!!??"

Very deep, very meaningful repartee.  So, here's my take on it:  Gourmet cuisine, tumbling hosts, terribly dubbed English, 20-lb-pan-twirling-chefs, live sea critters squirming in a huge studio stadium, ready for plating?

Who cares who does it or where it all happens...it's all pure liquid AWESOME!!!!!

A~Musing #60: Making a Good Decision

Did you notice how I removed the "daily" bit there?  I can't do this every single day.  It's too exhausting and it's reason number 481 why I stopped writing on here for so long.  I need a nice, easy pace....  Something I can still hold a conversation while doing.  (Isn't that the standard they give you whenever you take on a new exercise regimen?)

So, there's one good decision.  I've been making lots of good decisions lately, which has been a nice change of pace coming out of a long stretch of hideously wrong decisions.  Although...they seemed like good decisions at the time.  That's the tricky part.  Sometimes,  I'll make up my mind to something based on whatever I've got in front of me, pat myself on the back and move forward in blissful ignorance.  


The funny thing is that, later, when I realize my mistake, I can always always always look back and see all the crystal clear signs where the universe was jumping up and down, trying desperately to get my attention.  "Hey!  Hey, Maevon!  Don't do eet, mahn!   NoooOOOooooOOooo!!!!"  I march determinedly forward, past all the big red flags, deaf to bells, whistles, sirens because I'm following some weird notion that someone else stuck in my head of where I should be going and of how I should be spending my time.  I dunno who that someone is...I don't think I can blame my parents for everything (although many psychiatrists would disagree).  

The important things to remember:


*Sometimes you hafta tell that little programmed voice in your head to shut the heck up.  (Meds or no meds, YOU are the one in control of the voice.)


*Sometimes we make not good decisions and it's okay because it was the only way to access the information we needed to make good decisions in the future.


*Enjoy your mistakes when you can; don't panic when you make them; enjoy your excellent choices whenever you can even if they don't look "right" to anyone else but you.

Daily A~Musing #59 A Good Night's Sleep

Our moms tell us, our doctors tell us, the people who see the ugly black bags under our eyes tell us...you NEED a good night's sleep.  Even though we all know it's a necessity, it's also, ironically, a luxury.  Not everyone is gifted with the ability to hit the pillow and get yummy, restorative, uninterrupted sleep.  And I'm not talking about new moms with babies waking them up every hour or people with crazy schedules that require they have funky sleeping patterns.  I'm talking regular, everyday, "I'm-going-to-bed -at-ten-and-waking-up-at-six" people who do everything else BUT that.  

There are at least four billion websites, books, tv spots, etc., that can tell you all about how to get to sleep, stay asleep, and so on.  I'm not going to do that.  I've had trouble with sleep every since I was a wee kiddo, so I've tried everything in the book.  There is no secret, special "this will work every time" fix.  In my non-doctor, pseudo-mom/therapist opinion, the best you can do is pay attention to your body and give it a little respect.  

I've learned over time that when I ignore my body, it retaliates swiftly and surely.  One of its fave methods of attack is memory.  When I don't get sufficient rest/sleep, I can't remember a damn thing.  People will talk to me and five seconds later I'll ask them something about what they'd just said.  I can't focus...I can't recall...I can't categorize information efficiently.  It's a waking nightmare, both for myself and for anyone around me.  When I get my zzzzs, people will sometimes stare in bug-eyed shock that I actually CAN remember details of things and hold semi-intelligent conversations.  

So, that's it.  No deep, meaningful advice, no how-to tips, just me sharing the moment of having had a good night's sleep and appreciating it out loud.  

 

Daily A~Musing #58 Musical Cards

Yesterday was Valentines Day.  Starting about a month before that, I selected the perfect card that expressed the sentiments of my little heart.  I hand-crafted a customized playlist on cd to chronicle the musical mythology of the relationship between myself and my beloved...and baked red velvet cupcakes with pink strawberry frosting for a tasty treat.


I came home from a long day at work to a sweaty husband sitting at the computer.  He said he'd stayed home to workout instead of going to the gym because he thought it would be nice to spend Valentine's Day with me.  As I schlepped through the kitchen to do a load of laundry, I noticed a card on the counter.  A shiny robot cover opened up to sing, "I'm just a love machine...and I don't work for nobody but you."


I thought it was a pretty good V-Day.

Yellow Flags

My son is playing lacrosse this season.  I'm not a fabulous sports mom, but I really enjoy watching this game.  It's kindasorta like football, except they give the kids big sticks with which they beat the crap outta each other.  Oh yeah...and the ball is really little and you have to be able to run around with it in a basket that is PURPOSELY made to NOT hold it, while all the other kids are beating you with their sticks to make you drop it.  
I was talking to some other parents last weekend about the rules.  It seems as though the rules tend to be somewhat arbitrary as well, which adds to the interest of this game.  For example, I've seen kids jab, whack and shove other kids...no problem.  HOWEVER...if a kid steps over one of those lines painted on the grass-THAT'S IT!  Or, you might see one of the boys jam his stick up another boys armpit and successfully remove a major organ.  HOWEVER, if he were to tap someone gently on the back, away from the "stick hand," flags go a-flyin.' 
Speaking of which, I love the little yellow flags. In other sports, penalties might just be announced with a whistle and some bizarre gesture from the guys in the black and white stripes.  In lacrosse (LAX), penalties are highlighted by cute little yellow missiles that the referees toss up high into the air.  Every time I see one (even if it's on my team...sorry) I smile really big and think (or say), "WHEEE!!!"  I'm considering getting a bunch of them and just carrying them around with me for funsies.  I could use them in pertinent situations, like at parties.  I see a dumb boy hitting on a girl that is way outta his league and I could blow a whistle and lob in my little yellow toy and scream, "Off her sides!"  heh heh  I think I'd wanna have one of those referee shirts, too.  I understand that vertical stripes are supposed to be quite slimming.   

Daily A~Musing #55: Cherry Pickers

I saw a cherry picker in downtown Auburn this morning on my way into work.  (Cherry Picker=hydra lift, bucket truck, spout, etc.~not to be confused with jackasses who hangout out underneath the basket waiting to get an easy score while the rest of the team sweats out a defense.)  I always smile when I see those cuz they look like so much fun.  (You people who can't stand heights...look away.)

They're way cooler than ladders, yes?  I've seen some construction companies use them in winter to hoist their xmas trees for impressive displays as well.  Pretty handy to have one of your own, apparently.  Of course...I had Tonka trucks when I was little, so they make me think of playing in the dirt with my toys.  (Yup, definitely the quintessential tomboy.  And yet, loved the Barbies.  A mystery, that.)

I'm thinking maybe for my fortieth bday next year, I'll rent one and string it with sparkly lights.  I'll park it somewhere in Ft. Williams park in Cape Elizabeth and hire a swingin' band to play all my fave retro songs while I go-go dance in a lime green tuxedo up high in the air.  Now THAT'S a shindig I KNOW you'll want to attend.  

We can have an "all-cherry concoctions" buffet and  bright cherry red balloons.  Yayy!  Ooo!  OOOooo!! And lucky lucky peeps can draw a doorprize of bungee jumping from the platform of the picker!  

Wooohoooo! 

I am SO making some calls about this tomorrow. 

Daily A~Musing #54: Bunnies...Especially the Easter Bunny Cuz He Brings Candy

Yeah, I know.  I'm pagan, right?  So, what's the deal with Easter?  Well, when my son was younger, I didn't want him burned at the stake in the middle of our village, so I made an effort to celebrate Spring Equinox AND Easter so when all his friends talked about what the bunny brought them, he'd have something to contribute to the conversation.  Besides...most Easter symbols are still pagan symbols of life and fertility, so I feel totally comfy with all that.  I've never viewed the world as "pagan-and-other" just "pagan-and-also."  Plenty of room for all perspectives in my little corner of the universe.Here's a picture of a guy in Germany who managed to catch the Easter bunny hot, um, pawed, rummaging through his house on Easter morning:Silly rabbit, trix are for kids.

At our house, the Easter bunny brings us candy baskets and we have an egg hunt.  Up until a couple of years ago we had two egg hunts:  dyed boiled egg hunt and scavenger hunt with fancy metal versions Faberge Eggs where one of us gets a BIG pressie at the end of the search.  This year was my son's turn.  (Last year was my turn.  I almost soaked my pressie with plant water. Tad hid the holy trinity of Simon Pegg movies~Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Run Fat Boy Run, amen~under some flowers in the diningroom.  Clever, but not very smart considering my talent for destruction.)

This year, I had to do some fancy footwork just to convince my 16-year-old to be home on Sunday.  It's funny how a family can do the same exact traditions every year, then suddenly the hormones kick in and their minds go utterly blank.

"So, come home Saturday night okay?"

"Why?"

"Sunday is Easter."

"So?"

"It's family time.  Remember? Egg hunt, etc."

"I already know what I'm getting for Easter.  Dad's giving me texting."

Sigh.  "Okay, but you don't know what the Easter bunny's bringing you...."

Scoff.  "So I can't go out all weekend?"

Arggh.  "No, I didn't say that.  You can go out Friday and Saturday, just come home, SLEEP IN YOUR OWN BED, and be with us in the morning so we can spend some time together."

Scowl.  "Fine.  Whatever."

Ahhh.  The sweet blessings of children.  So, he DID, in fact come home and we did have a lovely morning of exceedingly unhealthy thick cut bacon and pancakes for breakfast.  He did his scavenger hunt (which required a great deal of assistance...he's not exactly a 'hunter') and he procured his Gorillaz cd, which Tad spent the next hour attempting to wrest from him to download into his ipod.  (Did I remember to mention the part where Tad removed his chocolate bunny from his basket and sang Peter Cottontail while making the bunny bounce along the porch railing as my son hunted for eggies outside?  Yeah.  For those who know what my husband looks like, this is highly amusing.  6' 2", 250lbs, bald with handlebar stache, earrings and tattoos up both arms.  Singing.  Bouncing a chocolate bunny.  Priceless.

Daily A~Musing #53: Fun Slippers

I know we're slowly crawling out of the cold winter season and the concept of slippers may be drifting back into the recesses of northern consciousness, but I just gotta say it.  Slippers make my feet happy.


The important thing to remember is that happy feet usually equal happy person.  As many of you know, I'm a big fan of cute shoes.  And, being semi-girly in certain circumstances, my experience has led me to often equate the cutest of shoes with an intensity of discomfort and inconvenience.  However, any fashionista knows, it's totally worth it if they look good.  Don't ask me what portion of many female brains allows this to be a truth because I'm not a scientist.  I'm just a shoe lover.  


The good news is, we can always come home, kick off our pointy heels and ease into some comfy slippers for the evening.  My slipper adoration began with Cookie Monster slippers.  Once I had those furry blue critters on my feetsies, I knew it was all over but the cryin'.  I couldn't stop.  I continued to seek fulfillment of my fun & fuzzy slipper fetish.  I've had bear claw slippers, bunny slippers, silly slippers and serious slippers.  As it stands, I am currently sans slippers and this is SO not the way for me to be.  I've been doing slipper research since February (when I was forced to relinquish my sheepie slippers because I could no longer deny they had reached their ultimate demise).  


I implore you, my wonderful Puddlewackers, to assist me in my quest for cute slippers.  I have included pictorial prompters to guide you in my selection process.  I ask you to review the contenders and give me input as to which pairs of adorable footwear should become my next purchase:


#1:  Puppy Slippers.  The appeal of these is twofold:  I love the doggies and I also enjoy the insinuation of "dogs" wearing dogs.

#2:  Gator/Croc Slippers.  The appeal of these should be obvious...I could run around attacking people with my gator/croc teef.  muAHHAHhahaaaaa!

#3:  Dragon Slippers.  I mean, come on...you all KNOW how much I LOVE dragons.

#4:  Kitty Slippers.  I own a pair of kitty shoes, so it seemed that kitty slippers may be apropos.  

#5:  Grizzly Paw Slippers.  Classic and cool.  Also good for freaking out the pets.

#6:  Godzilla Feet Slippers.  Again, good for freaking out the pets.  And for stomping around the house going, "Arrrggghhhh!!!!!"

#7:  Freudian Slippers.  Seriously...need I say more?  The irony is palpable.

So, whatdya guys think?  Which pair should I pursue?

Daily A~Musing #52: Peeps Shows

My husband sent me a link to see this because he knows I'm a total dork and that I would enjoy it immensely.  Therefore, in the spirit of Ostara (Easter) I give you:  "Peeps Shows."

You can compete in this diorama challenge yourself!  Check out this year's winner and consider what you might create for next year's.  Imagine it...you could create this sugar-coated sculpture and make your mark on Peep History.  Go for it!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2009/04/10/GA2009041001969.html

Daily A~Musing #51: Clean Clothes

I hate doing laundry.  I mean, I hate doing most housework-type-oriented things, but I hate laundry as much as I hate cleaning toilets.  In fact, now that I ponder it, I'd rather clean toilets.  Takes way less time, I get to wear funky rubber gloves and I don't have to lug huge, heavy baskets of crap up and down, up and down the stairs.  
Having said that, I do~for obvious reasons~enjoy having clean clothes.  I like smelling April fresh and I like having more than one outfit in my closet from which to choose when I get dressed in the morning.  The unfortunate twist is that, as I really detest the chore, I habitually do just enough to get me through the work week.  This slacker behavior produces mounds of unsavory items strewn about on my boudoir floor upon which my cats and my dog like to create snug little nests.  The furry people use these nests for afternoon napping and for inundating my clothes with as much pet hair as possible.  (You ever notice when you lay out an outfit for the day that, no matter where in the whole house your cat may be, they magickally appear ~SHHHHHHHHOOOOOMP!!!~sitting directly upon said outfit?)  I count myself as quite fortunate that they've never yet chosen to defile my discarded clothing with anything other than fur, but I'm knocking on wood as I speak.  One never knows with pets.  They don't get out much and have few hobbies, so I just know that someday they'll be sitting around the house, bored, and decide to engage in some wicked shenanigans just to entertain themselves.  Then they snicker behind their little paws as they observe me launching into nasty tirades over things that would never have happened had I been fastidiously laundering in the first place.  Oi.


There is something special, though, about those rare moments when I find the motivation to go that extra mile and do ALL of my laundry at one time.  There's something peaceful and relaxing about pulling open my drawer to neatly folded clean undies and socks and swinging open my closet doors to rows of smooth, tidy clothing hung and folded in an orderly fashion.  It's kindasorta zen, you know?  The act metaphorically taps into some sorta spiritual cleansing.  I feel like having all my clothes clean and put away makes the world bigger, better and more friendly.  Dunno why.  I just do.

Daily A~Musing #50: Watching Movies on Huge Screens

When new movies come out that I want to see, I settle in with my charts and graphs, analyzing precisely what my level of interest is in regard to whether this is a "lets-go-see-it-in-the-theater" movie, a "let's-just-wait-and-watch-it-on-demand" movie or a "holy-crap-we're-totally-driving-to-IMAX-for-this-puppy!" movie.  

I've only been to IMAX a couple of times in the last few years, because the criteria had to be sufficient for me to haul my carcass all the way to Boston for the show.  The last time I went to Boston IMAX was to watch "300."  Totally worth it.  Nothing like gawking at 40-feet-tall, mostly nekkid and TRES fit Spartan warriors sweating and howling at each other while subwoofers rumble under my seat.  YeeeeHAWWWW!!  I believe we now have an IMAX in Saco (welcome to the 21st century, fellow Maineiacs), so this will certainly alter my whole assessment approach. 

I went to see "How To Train Your Dragon" last weekend with my husband.  He mocked me as we entered the theater. 
"Notice anything about all those people?"  (He pointed to the group of folks jamming into the theater before us.)
"Um, no."
"Yeah, all the adults are accompanied by CHILDREN.  I'm taking my almost-forty WIFE to see this."
*GRIN*  Who's my daddy??  Heeheeheee!  Totally adorable movie...lovedlovedLOVED the night fury dragon, Toothless.  I also very much enjoyed the company of little people sharing the experience.  The little girl sitting on my right wore a princess dress with her feet sticking out in front of her all glittery in sparkly shoes.  She munched popcorn while her little stuffed HelloKitty doll sat watching the movie beside her from the comfort of the cup holder.  (Dude...you can't GET that On Demand.)  Minor caveat, though, parental units:  This movie could potentially be scary for really, really little people cuz there's fire and fighting and stuph like that.  Otherwise, I highly recommend it.  And...bring tissues.  I bawled through several bits and had to go to dinner with poofy, squinty eyes afterward.  (Good thing it was BBQ...people expect your eyes to water over spicy ribs.)
Where was I going with this?  Oh, yeah, right.  Good movies...big screens...awesome.  There.  Done.  :D

Daily A~Musing #49: Champagne/Sparkling Wine

A wee bit o' bubbly, you say?  Charmed, I'm sure.  Of course, since you're all such refined and sophisticated folks, you KNOW that you can't LEGALLY call it Champagne unless it hails from the very specific region of France where champagne itself was born.  Yeah, I know.  Redundant.  Here's a few bits you may NOT be familiar with:


*Most champagne/sparkling wine is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes.
*Champagne was initially enjoyed only by aristocrats and used to anoint French kings until the wine industry decided they needed to spread the wealth among the middle class.  Apparently the aristocrats stopped paying their bills after they lost their heads....muAHHAHahahaaaaa!!!!
*Dom Perignon was a Benedictine monk frequently credited with actually creating this delicious beverage.  He did NOT.  However...he was directed by the abbot to get rid of the bubbles as the bottles kept busting open in the wine cellars and destroying the place.  He was unsuccessful in this venture.
*Old school cellar workers used to wear iron masks like baseball catchers masks to prevent injuries from explosions
*20%-90% of champagne/sparkling wine batches are lost to explosions of this dangerous delight.


Some of the most notable champagne/sw's are:

Dom Perignon
(I've only had it once and it was tasty, 
but certainly not worth the price for
such a peasantly palate as mine.)


Taittingers
(Never tried it, but heard good things.
Some vintages can be reasonably priced
between $30-$50.)

Bolli.  Watch Absolutely Fabulous sometime whilst swigging
back some Bolli, sweetiedahlingsweetie.

Perrier-Jouet Fleur
(Pretty bottle, ain't it?  I 've never known anyone who actually drank this, but I've seen it in some of the wine shops I've customed.  Again, depending on vintage, can be quite pricey.  




Then there's Cristal...
I often fantasize about taking a bubble bath in this...it's supposed to be exquisite with the correspondingly exquisite price tag. *sigh*

The one and only time I went to France, I did  indeed taste of the effervescent grape in Reims.  Delighted was I with the Mumm Cordon Rouge.  Delighted was I even more to discover I could actually afford to occasionally buy a bottle of it ($30-$45).  On special occasions anyway.  
If you dig sweet and innocent, go for the spumante, prosecco or lambrusco.  These may not sport the swanky cache of the bubbles of the gods, but they're certainly tasty treats.  Lambrusco is quite refreshing as a summertime deck/small gathering beverage.  Spumante is lovely for when you just want a little taste of something yummy with your cheese and fruit or something that will take your Godiva all the way to decadent.

mmmmmm.....how sweet it is!

Daily A~Musing #48: Actually Remembering to Think Before You Speak

How many times have you heard, "Why don't you THINK before you SPEAK??!!??"  
And you know the answer, but it sounds really dumb to say out loud that you can't think and speak at the same time.  Scary, but I think that's the reality of it.  How many times do words come out of your mouth and you see them hanging in front of you like a poisonous cloud of gas?  And you know that's exactly what it is...a carcinogenic cloud that will infect the conversation and possibly kill an interaction or a relationship.  


Dorothy:  "How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?"
Scarecrow:  "I don't know...but some people without brains do an                                awful lot of talking, don't they?"
Dorothy:  "Yes, I guess you're right."


I have a classic Celtic temper.  I don't enjoy the consequences of a fight, but it's just something that I'm born to do.  The hard part is channeling this instinct into the most effective places.  It's a great boon to be capable of becoming angry and to be able to channel that anger into action.  However, balance is the key.  


I had a moment this morning where I squelched my inner warrior who wanted to jump up, start shouting and be an arse.  I said in my head, "Think before you speak."  Of course, this resulted in no response, but far more preferable to what would have inevitably happened had my mouth opened.  Now that I've had a moment to ponder the situation, my little inner analyst has proposed several pacifistic options to address the topic later.  


This makes me happy.  Maybe I can't do it all the time.  Maybe you can't either.  But when it happens, it's lovely.

Daily A~Musing #46: People Who Smile When They See You

Yeah, I know it sounds hokey, but the hokey-pokey is really what it's all about.  I had some long, involved and exceedingly detailed essay sorta thing to say here, but it's gone.  So, my intent at this time is simply to keep my fingers moving over the little keys on my keyboard, hoping they will somehow recall the thoughts I had moments ago.  Thoughts which inspired the title of this particular entry.  


We could start with the trite bits.  For example, when your child or beloved sees you and they smile and you know it's not at someone standing behind you or anything, it's just for you.  That's a pretty good start.  It's cool when strangers smile when they see you, too.  Unless, of course, it's a psychotic smile with grindy teeth that makes you feel sorta itchy and freaked out.  That's NOT a good thing.  I've had a few of those...we shan't discuss it at this time.  


There are also times when people see you and give you the 'gratuituous' smile.  That's an iffy situation.  I never even know if the display has anything to do with me or if maybe it's some sorta nervous tic that occurs when they're off their meds or waiting for an open bathroom.  Some people are naturally nervous smilers/gigglers, too, so that's another category to toss out in regard to the initial topic.


So, where was I?  Oh yeah.  Typing.  When I meet people (and I'm a social worker, so I meet a LOT of people) I always feel a wee bit awkward at first.  I wonder in my scruffy little head what is going to happen.  Will they understand me?  Will they accept me as part of whatever it is we've come together about, whether it's work stuph, friend stuph, or just random out-and-about stuph.  Do I need to switch on or off?  Does that really mean anything to anyone else but me?  Usually, being in the company of others means switching "ON."  This entails paying attention, listening, taking mental notes, asking appropriate questions, not asking INappropriate questions, learning what jokes are okay and which ones are NOT okay, saying things you think are funny and reading the other person's reaction as, "Nope, not funny to ME."  When is it okay to tell anyone anything about yourself?  When is it not okay to share deep, meaningful crap that really isn't deep or meaningful to anyone but you?  Can I trust this person?  If so, how MUCH can I trust them. Will they be keepers, temps or flybys.  


What's that, you say?  Allow me to elucidate:
FLYBY = Someone you meet in passing.  Possibly someone you may run into from time to time, but not someone who will be around much or often.  This is a very tricky category as many Flybys can be conduits of universal truths.  Hard, that bit.
TEMPS = Someone you feel a brief, temporary and somewhat excessively intense connection with, which either fades into a somewhat embarrassingly vague connection or swells into a bizarre milestone which forever connects you to a stranger who knows something totally important about you though you may never reveal that to anyone else.
KEEPERS = People you gradually get to know, have things in common with and decide to fit into your life.  It really IS a decision, in case you were wondering.  It's a tough decision, but a decision, nonetheless.  I have keepers that I have to make a point to single out here and there to manage continuing our friendships.  I may seem neglectful to them sometimes, but in my mind it's permanent.  I will always make a sincere effort to sustain that history, that connection, that meaningful whatever that brought us together in the first place.  I love them as much as I love anyone else, regardless of how frequently I get to see them or spend time with them.  And, more importantly, I would miss them horribly if they were suddenly no longer on this plane of existence.  


So...what the heck have I been talking about this whole time?  Smiling.  People who smile when they see you.  


I think this phenomenon has the biggest impact when you least expect it.  For example, I had a supervisor who was also a very dear friend.  When they left work, I was lost for awhile.  I had an interim supervisor who did their job, but was clearly not feeling any sort of connection to me.  How could I tell?  How could YOU tell.  My next supervisor hired me a few months later and I knew it was the right place for me to be when I realized they smiled whenever they saw me.  It made me feel good.  It made me feel significant.  Their smile made me feel like I mattered.  Seems like something so silly shouldn't have such a big impact on how a person feels and behaves, and yet...sometimes it's all that really matters.  


I like that some people smile when they see me.  I like that some people look relieved when I show up, like I'm some sorta undercover superhero.  Like I'm some giant remedy.  That makes me feel really good.  Sometimes.

Daily A~Musing #45: Marzipan

Almond paste.  Doesn't sound very tasty until you call it Marzipan.  Then it sounds exotic and intriguing.  It also helps when you sculpt 'paste' into fun little shapes like this:

Pretty cool, eh?  If you've been using playdough
all this time and your kids eat it, consider using marzipan instead.  It's more expensive and harder to 
find in large quantities, but totally worth the investment.  


Edible sculpture~how can that NOT
make you happy?

Daily A~Musing #44: GREEN!!!

In honor of Patty Day, let us all take a moment to reflect upon my VERY favorite color:

GREEEEEEEEN!!!!

In Feng Shui, the color green represents refreshment, new beginnings and is associated with the Eastern element of Wood.  Most pagan practitioners use green for prosperity, increase, fertility, nature, life, harmony and balance.  The heart chakra just so happens to be green and, when activated, stimulates self-love and acceptance by opening the heart to others and to the universe in general.  Green has also been associated with some negative stuph, like jealousy and overconfidence, but I'm just gonna ignore that because I'm totally biased.  Green is just too awesome to disparage.

DID YOU KNOW???

St. Patrick was originally associated with the color blue?  On March 17, 1798, during the Irish Rebellion, the Irish soldiers made an impressive political statement advertising their "Emerald Isle" pride by wearing full green uniforms.  Since that time, the 'wearing of the green' is a given when expressing your solidarity with Ireland and its heritage.   

This sign is on a post in the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin