Lately I've really enjoyed a blog called 500 Pieces of Prudent Advice for My Baby Daughter. It includes fun photos, poems, and such pearls of wisdom as "there's no need to give disclaimers" and "put your shopping cart away."
I would do something similar if I had more time, culture, and general coolness. And hey, who knows - maybe I'll try a similar project as a resolution next year.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Curses! I Missed It!
Why didn't anyone tell me that September 19 was Worldwide Spin in Public Day??!?
Must mark my calender for next year.
Must mark my calender for next year.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Day of Service
I know this post is a week late, but it's been on my mind so I thought I'd share. This year, as 9/11 approached, I found that I wasn't looking forward to all the heart-wrenching speeches and film clips that would be on every media channel. I wasn't even in the mood to have my annual cry through this tribute*. I just felt there had to be a better way to memorialize the victims of September 11 than tugging our collective heartstrings.
That's why I'm grateful to have heard an NPR interview that offered a more positive alternative. The interviewee was Jay Winuk, whose brother was a volunteer firefighter who lost his life trying to help others in the Twin Towers on 9/11. Since so many died in an effort to serve others that day, and so many more gave blood and performed other acts of service in the aftermath, Jay Winuk has labored to have the day declared a national day of service.
I like the idea of honoring the fallen by doing something positive in their name, and countering hatred with love. I found a little act of service to do this year, and next year I want to take time to plan something a little more significant. We'll see what I come up with.
*Though, of course, I did both watch and cry after all--and it amazes me that those images can still touch me so deeply. I suppose people who remember Pearl Harbor feel the same way.
That's why I'm grateful to have heard an NPR interview that offered a more positive alternative. The interviewee was Jay Winuk, whose brother was a volunteer firefighter who lost his life trying to help others in the Twin Towers on 9/11. Since so many died in an effort to serve others that day, and so many more gave blood and performed other acts of service in the aftermath, Jay Winuk has labored to have the day declared a national day of service.
I like the idea of honoring the fallen by doing something positive in their name, and countering hatred with love. I found a little act of service to do this year, and next year I want to take time to plan something a little more significant. We'll see what I come up with.
*Though, of course, I did both watch and cry after all--and it amazes me that those images can still touch me so deeply. I suppose people who remember Pearl Harbor feel the same way.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Burnt Bran Muffins
I wanted to bring refreshments to an Enrichment presentation I planned to give tonight, so I made refrigerator bran muffin batter last night and planned to cook a few dozen muffins this afternoon. The first batch came out fine, but as I spooned batter into the second round of muffin cups Daniel became very bored and fussy. I worked frantically to fill the rest of the muffin cups and get them into the oven, then I hurried over to comfort my crying baby.
I often find that when I let my baby cry while I rush through some non-expedient cooking task, that task goes unexpectedly awry. So it was today. I cooked the second batch of muffins on the same heat setting, in the same (cooled) pans, for the same amount of time as the first batch, but for some mysterious reason they all burned. I put that batch in the trash, humbly waited until life had calmed down, then I prepared a third batch with Daniel sitting contentedly on my lap. I watched that batch like a hawk its last few minutes in the oven, and it turned out just fine.
No doubt there is some logical reason why one batch burned and the other two didn't, but at this point that doesn't matter much to me. Sometimes the lesson learned matters more than the circumstances behind it.
I often find that when I let my baby cry while I rush through some non-expedient cooking task, that task goes unexpectedly awry. So it was today. I cooked the second batch of muffins on the same heat setting, in the same (cooled) pans, for the same amount of time as the first batch, but for some mysterious reason they all burned. I put that batch in the trash, humbly waited until life had calmed down, then I prepared a third batch with Daniel sitting contentedly on my lap. I watched that batch like a hawk its last few minutes in the oven, and it turned out just fine.
No doubt there is some logical reason why one batch burned and the other two didn't, but at this point that doesn't matter much to me. Sometimes the lesson learned matters more than the circumstances behind it.
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