***Disclaimer: The following blog takes place in fast forward. On a speed scale of 1-10, this blog is 11.***
Oh My Gosh. I am totally buzzing from just having had my first affogato. And they are bloody good.
For those of you who haven't yet been enlightened by this wondrous culinary creation of humankind, an affogato is a coffee/dessert, where 2 fantastic ingredients are combined: coffee and ice cream.
All together now, YUUUMMMMM.
Basically, you have your espresso shot in one cup, and in another cup you have a scoop, (who are we kidding, 'scoops') of ice cream. You pour the espresso over your ice cream, (this can also be done gradually) and lo and behold, enjoy the incredible, sweet, creamy goodness that results.
A colleague at work discovered this on the weekend, and just had to share her incredible discovery with us. So she bought ice cream, and seeing as we all started super-early today, it was the perfect start accompaniment to give us that extra 'kick.'
And boy do I have kick. I have so much buzz I don't know how I'll be able to focus on work. Maybe next time I'll endeavour to have breakfast first.....
And and and. We were just talking and I've decided I MUST buy affogato servingware pieces so that I can make my own at home, for me and Hubbie and guests. And and and. You know how they have all cute little affogato items, like little cups and dishes and sqaure plates to present it all on. Yep. Guess whose buying all THAT this weekend.
And and and. Guess what? We were going a bit crazy thinking of fantastical ways we can modify the affogato to make it even MORE unreal, and we thought, 'how about adding frangelico over the top, or baileys irish cream?'
'And what about crushed biscuits?'
'And what about crushed honeycomb?'
So now the ultimate creation is: Multiple scoops of ice cream, consisting of vanilla, chocolate, caramel AND choc-chip variety, with baileys drizzled on top, followed by crushed biscuits AND crushed honeycomb, finally emphasised by delicious, warm, comforting, ESPRESSO.
Ohhhhhhhhhhh. Shudder.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Happiness Is.... #4
Happiness Is....
Striving towards your dreams. Living out your passions. Imagining the incredible.
Nothing is better than the moment you start taking small steps towards reaching what was previously thought of as impossible. Once you start the cycle of passion, nothing can stop you. The excitement at each small step you take, regardless of how minor, provides ammunition in itself: your attempts at tasks you undertake fuel you forward.
That's what it takes, baby steps. All good things come, in time. However the insurmountable joy is instant. That you begin to feel as soon as you begin your journey. And the spectacular thing is, nothing else matters. The joy that emanates from following your dreams, is all the reward you need. And that realisation, that knowledge, leads to MAGIC.
Last night I finished the first chapter of my book. :-D
Striving towards your dreams. Living out your passions. Imagining the incredible.
Nothing is better than the moment you start taking small steps towards reaching what was previously thought of as impossible. Once you start the cycle of passion, nothing can stop you. The excitement at each small step you take, regardless of how minor, provides ammunition in itself: your attempts at tasks you undertake fuel you forward.
That's what it takes, baby steps. All good things come, in time. However the insurmountable joy is instant. That you begin to feel as soon as you begin your journey. And the spectacular thing is, nothing else matters. The joy that emanates from following your dreams, is all the reward you need. And that realisation, that knowledge, leads to MAGIC.
Last night I finished the first chapter of my book. :-D
Monday, March 21, 2011
It's harder than it seems....
So, I haven't been around much. I know that although A LOT of the time that I am busy, I still have the chance to blog while at work, but unfortunately, that too has been super-crammed-in with stuff going on.
You know when you haven't written in so long, that you don't even know what to write anymore? Yeah, that's just because
A) you can't remember where to begin, and
B) I feel most of my creative energies going towards my Story :)
Yes, that has happened my dears, I always knew that once I started writing my passion, my blog would ultimately suffer. I don't want to be one of the endless bloggers out there, who when you click on 'Next Blog,' you see their last update was in Dec '08. No thank you. If I decide to conclude my blogging, my last entry will be just that, my last, and definitely conclusive. But that day isn't here yet, and if it were up to me, I will do this as long as I can. Away from my diary writing days, this is the closest free therapy I can get :)
So as I have no clear beginning for this blog post, therefore there will be no end. Free blogging I call it - let's go!
* Because he is in my direct view as I speak, I'll begin with no-show boy: he's pissing me off again. Just the other week, on a Wednesday, (only 3 days after he came back from a whole MONTH of annual leave mind you!) I deliberately told him that I was having the upcoming Friday off, you know, as a GENUINE RDO. There was a little voice in me that said "careful Miss S," which I obviously ignored. Well lo and behold, I come in the next day on Thursday, and he has conveniently called in sick! He always does this! He takes it upon himself to take sick days when he feels he is 'due' only because others are having their days off! Hey, we deserve them..... and it's not fair because he still gets his RDOs! Grrrrrrr!
And he is always sick. That's the thing. He is not genuinely sick, the kind of sick I get maybe 2 to 3 times A WINTER. No he is 'sick' at least once every few weeks for the entire year..... and you know what his excuse always is? "Oh, I slept only 3 hours, and then I was absolutely f***ed getting up...."
Really? You were totally screwed with only 3 hours sleep? Nooooo, you don't say! Maybe quit smoking pot all night, and then you might actually get some shut eye! And believe me, I'm NOT making that part up.
Ha. Taking it upon himself to MAKE himself sick because he is due a day off. My arse you're due.
Today even, being a Monday, he has come in not only 30 minutes late, BUT has been sniffling and blowing his nose ALL DAY. It is really disgusting when you are eating and hearing someone breathe in their snot in a continuous motion. It's not nice. And I can't really feel sorry for him, knowing it's self-induced. Sorry mate, I know you want me to turn to you and say "ohhhhh, no-show boy, you should go home, you've been sick all day!"
No way. Not when you're always sick. You know those people, who are ALWAYS sick, always complaining of something? Well there are these things called vitamins dude. Take them. Don't forget to quit the pot either.
* Well, it's certainly harder than it seems, let me tell you. The writing that is. There is sooo much to think about: characters, what they will say, is what they're saying in character, am I progressing the story too much, am I not revealing enough, AND THEN I'm constantly re-evaluating where I am in the story and making sure I'm still on track and writing with my primary story goal in mind. Phew!
I love it, and when I get into it, it's great. I've laid down some rules, such as I must write on Thursdays, AND most Monday nights. I think it is way too hard to find time on the weekend, when those days end up being catch up days for all things house-related, as well as generally being a time that you wanna just have fun. It's just that I haven't even finished a chapter yet - as I write, I realise I need to research certain things, and it makes it actually impossible for me to continue unless I do that. I'm hoping once I get over the 1st chapter hurdles, I'll be on my way, and moving a lot quicker and smoother.
Oh yeah, and every time I read my first few paragraphs, I totally lose focus: proof that I've read it too many times. It scares me at first, because I wonder in panic "why am I zoning out?"
Ahhhh, writing is pure torture. Yet I still love this kind of torture.
* I've realised/decided that meditation is the key. Especially when dealing with annoying people. In an effort not to want to mention names, even fictional ones I've created to disguise real people, I'm simply going to say 'annoying people' here. I was fine for a LONG time. I wasn't aggravated, necessarily totally upset or hurt or maddened by any actions or words, or just generally normal behaviour performed by persons of interest. Until this last weekend.
It is so much easier to say "I'll ignore this person," than to actually ignore them. The doing of the act, is A LOT harder. Especially when you're forced into a 5 hour situation where you can't get away. My scenario resembles that of throwing an untrained swimmer into the deep end. They may splatter about for a few minutes, until they sink and drown. That's how I felt just recently.
I'm trying to get my head around the fact that people can't be changed. This is a very difficult realisation to grasp. Also, I don't understand people's hostile and rude behaviours, and why they don't realise that despite their high opinions of themselves, they actually are far from perfect, far from good at all.
But when you risk hurting your loved ones, saying things like this out loud becomes impossible. A situation that has no solution, a beginning that has no end. So you have to learn to deal, even when learning becomes increasingly excruciating to do so. I'm not sure where I stand, but in the midst of my google search for 'dealing with difficult family members' this morning, I discovered a few repeating points of advice:
- you can't change them, but you can change how you react to them
- don't react immediately to offensive words/behaviour: take a breath and respond when calm
- don't allow yourself to enter into topics that will cause intense disagreements
- don't focus on their bad qualities, as all you will see is their bad qualities
I always struggle with points like these, as I feel that with I myself having to accomodate to their behaviour, is like some kind of acceptance that their behaviour is ok. When it is far from that. I know that learning to deal with it is not saying that, but as I said yesterday, "why do I have to deal with them? Why can't they deal with me?"
I wish I could give them a piece of my mind..... I don't know, maybe the day will come when that happens. In the meantime I need to breathe. I breathed a lot yesterday, and I just feel different. Then again I prayed intensely, maybe I received some inspired clarity, divine guidance that I do not yet know I have.
It just makes me sad when I notice I'm acting out negatively, in the most minor every-day situations in my life, all because I haven't been able to express myself in the situation that most matters. But I feel a change within me, and I really hope that this time I'm able to follow through on it. I just need to learn how to waddle first, before I can dive into the deep end. Learning and building one's character through intense trials takes a lot of time....
Well that's all for today...... so concludes Miss S' random tidbits, til the next tidbit session....
Ta ta.
You know when you haven't written in so long, that you don't even know what to write anymore? Yeah, that's just because
A) you can't remember where to begin, and
B) I feel most of my creative energies going towards my Story :)
Yes, that has happened my dears, I always knew that once I started writing my passion, my blog would ultimately suffer. I don't want to be one of the endless bloggers out there, who when you click on 'Next Blog,' you see their last update was in Dec '08. No thank you. If I decide to conclude my blogging, my last entry will be just that, my last, and definitely conclusive. But that day isn't here yet, and if it were up to me, I will do this as long as I can. Away from my diary writing days, this is the closest free therapy I can get :)
So as I have no clear beginning for this blog post, therefore there will be no end. Free blogging I call it - let's go!
* Because he is in my direct view as I speak, I'll begin with no-show boy: he's pissing me off again. Just the other week, on a Wednesday, (only 3 days after he came back from a whole MONTH of annual leave mind you!) I deliberately told him that I was having the upcoming Friday off, you know, as a GENUINE RDO. There was a little voice in me that said "careful Miss S," which I obviously ignored. Well lo and behold, I come in the next day on Thursday, and he has conveniently called in sick! He always does this! He takes it upon himself to take sick days when he feels he is 'due' only because others are having their days off! Hey, we deserve them..... and it's not fair because he still gets his RDOs! Grrrrrrr!
And he is always sick. That's the thing. He is not genuinely sick, the kind of sick I get maybe 2 to 3 times A WINTER. No he is 'sick' at least once every few weeks for the entire year..... and you know what his excuse always is? "Oh, I slept only 3 hours, and then I was absolutely f***ed getting up...."
Really? You were totally screwed with only 3 hours sleep? Nooooo, you don't say! Maybe quit smoking pot all night, and then you might actually get some shut eye! And believe me, I'm NOT making that part up.
Ha. Taking it upon himself to MAKE himself sick because he is due a day off. My arse you're due.
Today even, being a Monday, he has come in not only 30 minutes late, BUT has been sniffling and blowing his nose ALL DAY. It is really disgusting when you are eating and hearing someone breathe in their snot in a continuous motion. It's not nice. And I can't really feel sorry for him, knowing it's self-induced. Sorry mate, I know you want me to turn to you and say "ohhhhh, no-show boy, you should go home, you've been sick all day!"
No way. Not when you're always sick. You know those people, who are ALWAYS sick, always complaining of something? Well there are these things called vitamins dude. Take them. Don't forget to quit the pot either.
* Well, it's certainly harder than it seems, let me tell you. The writing that is. There is sooo much to think about: characters, what they will say, is what they're saying in character, am I progressing the story too much, am I not revealing enough, AND THEN I'm constantly re-evaluating where I am in the story and making sure I'm still on track and writing with my primary story goal in mind. Phew!
I love it, and when I get into it, it's great. I've laid down some rules, such as I must write on Thursdays, AND most Monday nights. I think it is way too hard to find time on the weekend, when those days end up being catch up days for all things house-related, as well as generally being a time that you wanna just have fun. It's just that I haven't even finished a chapter yet - as I write, I realise I need to research certain things, and it makes it actually impossible for me to continue unless I do that. I'm hoping once I get over the 1st chapter hurdles, I'll be on my way, and moving a lot quicker and smoother.
Oh yeah, and every time I read my first few paragraphs, I totally lose focus: proof that I've read it too many times. It scares me at first, because I wonder in panic "why am I zoning out?"
Ahhhh, writing is pure torture. Yet I still love this kind of torture.
* I've realised/decided that meditation is the key. Especially when dealing with annoying people. In an effort not to want to mention names, even fictional ones I've created to disguise real people, I'm simply going to say 'annoying people' here. I was fine for a LONG time. I wasn't aggravated, necessarily totally upset or hurt or maddened by any actions or words, or just generally normal behaviour performed by persons of interest. Until this last weekend.
It is so much easier to say "I'll ignore this person," than to actually ignore them. The doing of the act, is A LOT harder. Especially when you're forced into a 5 hour situation where you can't get away. My scenario resembles that of throwing an untrained swimmer into the deep end. They may splatter about for a few minutes, until they sink and drown. That's how I felt just recently.
I'm trying to get my head around the fact that people can't be changed. This is a very difficult realisation to grasp. Also, I don't understand people's hostile and rude behaviours, and why they don't realise that despite their high opinions of themselves, they actually are far from perfect, far from good at all.
But when you risk hurting your loved ones, saying things like this out loud becomes impossible. A situation that has no solution, a beginning that has no end. So you have to learn to deal, even when learning becomes increasingly excruciating to do so. I'm not sure where I stand, but in the midst of my google search for 'dealing with difficult family members' this morning, I discovered a few repeating points of advice:
- you can't change them, but you can change how you react to them
- don't react immediately to offensive words/behaviour: take a breath and respond when calm
- don't allow yourself to enter into topics that will cause intense disagreements
- don't focus on their bad qualities, as all you will see is their bad qualities
I always struggle with points like these, as I feel that with I myself having to accomodate to their behaviour, is like some kind of acceptance that their behaviour is ok. When it is far from that. I know that learning to deal with it is not saying that, but as I said yesterday, "why do I have to deal with them? Why can't they deal with me?"
I wish I could give them a piece of my mind..... I don't know, maybe the day will come when that happens. In the meantime I need to breathe. I breathed a lot yesterday, and I just feel different. Then again I prayed intensely, maybe I received some inspired clarity, divine guidance that I do not yet know I have.
It just makes me sad when I notice I'm acting out negatively, in the most minor every-day situations in my life, all because I haven't been able to express myself in the situation that most matters. But I feel a change within me, and I really hope that this time I'm able to follow through on it. I just need to learn how to waddle first, before I can dive into the deep end. Learning and building one's character through intense trials takes a lot of time....
Well that's all for today...... so concludes Miss S' random tidbits, til the next tidbit session....
Ta ta.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
On the last day of Summer....
I started writing my STORY. In the dusty recesses of the home study 2 nights ago, I began what will in the future be known as the word on everybody's lips.
I'm dreaming big.
No, I will not divulge the name, the story, the characters or even the theme. Only a few people close to me know the minor details of my overall plan, and they won't even be able to read it until I'm happy with the final product.
I was all antsy the other night. I felt such anxious anticipation, of what is happening and what is to come.
You can definitely tell the difference between work and passion. That is the biggest lesson I have been fortunate to come across this last while. You cannot teach passion, force passion. You can only let it move through you, emerging from the depths of your core, pushing out of you and into the world for all to see.
I can't wait. :-D
I'm dreaming big.
No, I will not divulge the name, the story, the characters or even the theme. Only a few people close to me know the minor details of my overall plan, and they won't even be able to read it until I'm happy with the final product.
I was all antsy the other night. I felt such anxious anticipation, of what is happening and what is to come.
You can definitely tell the difference between work and passion. That is the biggest lesson I have been fortunate to come across this last while. You cannot teach passion, force passion. You can only let it move through you, emerging from the depths of your core, pushing out of you and into the world for all to see.
I can't wait. :-D
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