All of the sudden it hit me that the year is over.  It honestly feels like 2009 just started.  Is this a sign of me getting old?  Old people are always saying, “That year just flew by.”  When you’re young, each year crawls by and takes forever.  I always thought old people were nuts.

Jenn and I were talking about our mantra’s for 2010, and I realized it feels like just yesterday we were creating our 2009 mantra.  The one goal I set out for 2009 was to try a larger variety of places for lunch.  I think lasted about 2 weeks.  After that I fell into the old favorites – Jimmy Johns, O’Malias, IUPUI, or for a fancy day Hoaglin.  I hope I’m more successful in my 2010 amitions.

2010:  The Year I Become a Grown Up.  It’s a big goal really, it could encompass a lot of things, but it’s fluid and forgiving.  I think it’ll be a good mantra.  I’ve started this by using my Amazon.com gift card to buy a book Organizing for the right brained.  Typically, I live/work in surrounded with stuff.  A clean person (aka Mom) would cry looking at my bedroom most days.  Usually, I don’t even notice, but every once in a while something snaps in me and I get so frustrated.

I’ve always wanted to be one of those organized people.  I buy file folders and office supplies hoping it will help.  But alas, I just end up need to find a place to store all my organization stuff (usually the back of the closet or floor).

2009 was completely forgettable I think.  It had its highs and lows, but in general pretty uneventful. I’m expecting great things for 2010.  The Year of Bess!!!

Are you starting to feel stressed by the demands of the season.  Did you have a panic yesterday realizing that you didn’t know when you were finish your knitting, cranberries, laundry, packing, wrapping, office holiday party, etc?

Here is a sure-fire way to fight away those feelings:

I made a playlist called:  Makes me Happy.  Here are some songs that are guaranteed to make you feel empowered to finish your to do list and do it with some style.

Jenn and I took a hip hop dance class this fall/winter.  This class was pretty awesome, but the highlight was undoubtedly learning this dance.  It completely reignited my love for Beyonce.  That woman is FIERCE!!!  Trying to actually learn her dance moves gave me a new appreciation.  This makes me happy because it’s so awesome and empowering and just makes you want to shimmy.

During the height of my Beyonce/Ego obsession I had to add in Get Bodied because it’s IMPOSSIBLE not to shake along.  I appreciate any song (except the cha cha slide) that gives me dance instructions in the middle of the song

Glee has been my jam since the show aired.  I love it, and especially the musical numbers.  Lea Michele, who plays Rachel, is so phenomenal.  Ps for those of you that don’t know, she was the female lead in Spring Awakening!  Last night we had our office Holiday party and I was cleaning after people left.  I hooked up my iphone to the stereo put on this song and I honestly was loving cleaning.  That was until our President walks into the kitchen as I’m singing along to this song and I realize that I was not alone.  Opps.  But whatever this song deserves to be sung loudly!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/111563/glee-sectionals?c=1481:1643

and if you’re talking Rain on My Parade you better give props to Babs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAVlk4F2qkw

Now, I realize that this song is actually about breaking up and stuff, but it’s still delightful and funky.  Also, the video is cute.  WATCH IT!

I hope you can watch/listen to these tunes and have the umph you need to complete your Christmas lists.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all!

My new favorite activity is going to Fresh Market.  In case you don’t have one in your neck of the woods, I’m sorry.  Fresh Market is a heavenly grocery store on 54th and College.

See, Isn't it cute?

I hate to even call it a grocery store, because it is so much more.  It is my happy place.

I’ve created a new ritual of going to Fresh Market after church on Sundays,  and it just might be my favorite thing I do in a week.  You walk along beautiful hard wood floors.  Right now, it smells like warm Christmas the sec those automatic doors swing open.  Lovely classical music provides the accompaniment to the selecting-the-ripe-avocado-waltz.  Do I sound a little hyperbolic?  Ok, probably a little, but shut up you can’t judge me for what I love.

On more than a few occasions, I’ve gone to the store after having a bit of a rough day and all my troubles are forgotten by the time I leave.

It’s not only the experience, but it’s the products.  OY!  There are times when I only go in to buy a nice ripe avocado and I come home sea scallops, 3 different kinds of cheeses and pomegranate balsamic vinegar (true story and the pomegranate balsamic is the bomb.com).

When I am there shopping, it is clear that I don’t belong.  I walk in disheveled (because let’s be honest, I’m always disheveled) wearing my red coat that now has 2 buttons missing.  The other people in the store are older, wealthier foodies.  Jenn described it going in there and immediately thinking about her tennis lesson.  Jenn doesn’t play tennis.  Everyone there just seems like they’d have a tennis lesson they should be attending.  You can tell the few children in the store are on there way to private oboe lessons.

I used to think that I could never feel satisfied in a life where I stayed at home and didn’t have job.  Well, if I could be a housewife and just run errands to Fresh Market, I would gladly retire tomorrow.

A few things I would like to see in my Christmas Stocking this year:

1)  Cheese of the Month Club

2)  A Newfoundland puppy named Louisa May Alcott

3) a Fenced in yard in winter so I don’t have to go out into the cold with Louisa May Alcott

Insert Louisa May Alcott instead of those little girly dogs

4) The entire home collection in Anthropologie

5) Truffle Oil – just so I can taste it to see what all the fuss is about

6) A dinner with Chef Tom Colicchio

I am a Wiz at Paint

7) The new Channel green nail polish color from the Fall runways

I have more practical wishes that I’ve already passed on the people but these are for those of you who I haven’t given my list to.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS

See world – I did it just right, but still no cheese

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/cheese/make-your-own-goat-cheese–104460

In this holiday season, like most people, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Since I’m super poor, I’m trying not to buy a lot of presents for people this year. I have had many ideas of things I was going to make people. If you remember a previous blog entry, I once attempted to knit everyone something and that ended in disaster. I thought, “hey, this year I’ll make people food they can’t resist!” So far this has been a bit of a disaster as well.

My first gift idea – HOMEMADE GOAT CHEESE.

HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!?!?!? I KNOW I WOULD BE PSYCHED TO RECEIVE SUCH AN AWESOME GIFT. GOAT CHEESE IS BEST GIFT EVER.

Sorry for all the caps, but I really like cheese. This is where Martha comes in.

I’ve long been a big fan of Martha Stewart. I think it all started with my beloved Blueprints magazines that MSLO published. Getting each issue was like Christmas in my mailbox. I actually think I’ve blogged in my past about how much I love and miss Blueprints. Sadly, the magazine folded, and in exchange, I started receiving Martha Stewart Living. I wasn’t expecting to like the magazine as I thought it would be too unattainable. Boy, I was wrong. Yes, there are long sections about pruning my topiaries and collecting my own eggs that my own chickens lay, but actually it’s very useful.

About a month ago, she did an entire episode all on cheese.  I dvr her show everyday and watch it as I get ready in the morning.  With the cheese episode, I saved it and watched it on a Friday night, as to not miss a thing. Well, she shows us how to make goat cheese, and it’s so simple and so awesome.

anyway…

MARTHA LIES

I’ve now tried to make goat cheese twice. I go to Fresh Market and buy a container of goats milk and fresh herbs to jazz it up. I even convinced my mom to buy me a food thermometer for my birthday.

It starts by heating the milk to 180 degrees. Then you add lemon juice which serves as the acid to separate the curds and weigh. After that, you separate the curds and weigh with a cheese clothe and sieve. You let it sit, then add salt and your herbs and VIOLA.

Well, here’s how mine went. Heated the milk, added the lemon juice… NOTHING

Next weekend – go to the store, buy more milk and herbs. Heated the milk, let the milk cool to room temperature, added the lemon juice… NOTHING.

Each time I try and cheese clothe to no avail.

So sorry family and friends, no one will be receiving the great gift of cheese this Christmas. Martha tricked me in making it look so easy, like anyone could do it.

I’ll keep researching, I won’t give up on you cheese!

But rest assured, I have had some success in the kitchen as of late, but it’s mostly boring stuff like cookies that no one really cares to read about.

I came out of blog semi retirement because this picture is just too wonderful not to share.

Nothing says gentleman quite like the ease of Cary Grant waiting for me with an umbrella.

MEN TAKE NOTE.  This is how it should be done