More than anything right now I'd like to snuggle down into my bed and read for an evening. Or, maybe I'd like to go to the Ron Sexsmith concert that a friend invited me to. Or, maybe I'd like to grab a beer with someone.
Instead, I'm sitting at home, attempting to write a grant. I have to do this because I sluffed something else off on a parishioner so that I could do this. I have to do this because it's due on Wednesday and I have a wedding, a couple education pieces, a devotion and regular Sunday morning activities to write as well.
Really, there are so many other things I'd rather be doing. Painting my toenails, calling a friend...there are about 6 that I've been meaning to call for a while now, cooking some vegetables, going for a walk, figuring out the doctor and eye appointments I should make soon, buying a gift, starting one of my 2 book club books, cleaning my bathtub, playing Word Twist (on Facebook), planning vacations, downloading my music so I can listen to it on my Ipod, wow - just now was the first pause in my writing.
I don't like who I am when I'm this busy and stressed. I don't like that I don't have as much energy to be with people or to listen. I don't like that it doesn't feel like I do anything well when I'm trying to juggle everything. I don't like that when I do finally finish something I have to move right on to the next thing. I don't like feeling always behind. I don't like that lately it's felt like my entire life is the work I do (she says, admittedly, after a weekend of a friend's wedding - at which I officiated, but it wasn't only work).
*Sigh* I need to get back to it. This was a good diversion. On to the grant.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
EIGHT Dishes! (And one picture of an ingredient).
I have 8 - that's right EIGHT - dishes to blog about. So far this year I have made 47 vegetable dishes. Unfortunately, there are a total of 93 that I said I would make. I have just inched past halfway there. And, it's the end of the 3rd quarter. I'm going to keep working away at this. We shall see how I end up. Bring on the vegetables!
This is a very delicious "Fresh Corn, Black Bean, and Avocado Saladita" (pg 45). I'm not sure it was really worth it to de-cob corn...but it was totally worth making. Not only was it tasty, but it has protein!
This is a pesto made with Arugula and Pecans. Thus, it is called "Arugula-Pecan Pesto" (pg 5). I must admit, I have yet to taste this. I made it in time to give a majority of it to someone else and have yet to use it with anything myself. I may have to remake this one....though, if stored correctly, the pesto does keep for a good length of time.
This is not actually a recipe. For the next 2 recipes I used fresh mint out of my friend Miguel's garden. I think next year I'll be growing some of my own mint. It was delicious just to smell it!
With that mint I made "Zucchini-Mint Croquettes" (pg 126). I liked the taste of them, but I'm not sure I would want to eat more than 2 or 3. However, they're also fun to make...I must admit, I like to shred zucchini.
The other minty recipe was "Southeast Asian-Style Eggplant with Chiles, Red Onion and Mint" (pg 54). I made only about a 1/2 recipe, and that was enough. I would not use this as a main dish, but as a side.
Tomatoes! These were tomatoes that were mostly donated to me by loving congregation members. I had actually been expecting more, but am certainly ok with not having to figure out what to do with them all ('though I do have 2 more recipes). This is "Gratineed Tomatoes" (pg 119). My book club was once again subjected to my experiments...and these were good - but after they sat on the table for a little while they were much less appetizing.
Red onions really really make me cry. It was almost impossible for me to keep working on this dish. But, it still turned out fine. This is really a simple dish with some surprising taste combinations. At the heart, though, is good ole broccoli, my friend. This is "Broccoli, Apples & Red Onion in Honey-Mustard Marinade" (pg 24).
Story time. As an RA in college I was on rounds when I smelled something like Pot. I ended up knocking on the door only to learn that the girls were taking part in a Native American ritual that involved burning sage. Making "Crispy Sage Leaves" (109) brought that all back to me. These were meh...not fantastic, not really necessary, really.
Oh my goodness, this next dish completely redeems the sage leaves. I liked it just as well plain, but putting the sage leaves on top did add something to it. This is "Spaghetti Squash with Carmelized Onions and Crispy Sage Leaves" (pg 108). Mollie Katzen recommends making a double batch - and if this were to be for more than 2 people, I agree. It was delicious!
There it is. I hope to continue on this successful streak. I am really looking forward to more squash - and the broccoli dishes that will be coming soon.
This is a very delicious "Fresh Corn, Black Bean, and Avocado Saladita" (pg 45). I'm not sure it was really worth it to de-cob corn...but it was totally worth making. Not only was it tasty, but it has protein!
This is a pesto made with Arugula and Pecans. Thus, it is called "Arugula-Pecan Pesto" (pg 5). I must admit, I have yet to taste this. I made it in time to give a majority of it to someone else and have yet to use it with anything myself. I may have to remake this one....though, if stored correctly, the pesto does keep for a good length of time.
This is not actually a recipe. For the next 2 recipes I used fresh mint out of my friend Miguel's garden. I think next year I'll be growing some of my own mint. It was delicious just to smell it!
With that mint I made "Zucchini-Mint Croquettes" (pg 126). I liked the taste of them, but I'm not sure I would want to eat more than 2 or 3. However, they're also fun to make...I must admit, I like to shred zucchini.
The other minty recipe was "Southeast Asian-Style Eggplant with Chiles, Red Onion and Mint" (pg 54). I made only about a 1/2 recipe, and that was enough. I would not use this as a main dish, but as a side.
Tomatoes! These were tomatoes that were mostly donated to me by loving congregation members. I had actually been expecting more, but am certainly ok with not having to figure out what to do with them all ('though I do have 2 more recipes). This is "Gratineed Tomatoes" (pg 119). My book club was once again subjected to my experiments...and these were good - but after they sat on the table for a little while they were much less appetizing.
Red onions really really make me cry. It was almost impossible for me to keep working on this dish. But, it still turned out fine. This is really a simple dish with some surprising taste combinations. At the heart, though, is good ole broccoli, my friend. This is "Broccoli, Apples & Red Onion in Honey-Mustard Marinade" (pg 24).
Story time. As an RA in college I was on rounds when I smelled something like Pot. I ended up knocking on the door only to learn that the girls were taking part in a Native American ritual that involved burning sage. Making "Crispy Sage Leaves" (109) brought that all back to me. These were meh...not fantastic, not really necessary, really.
Oh my goodness, this next dish completely redeems the sage leaves. I liked it just as well plain, but putting the sage leaves on top did add something to it. This is "Spaghetti Squash with Carmelized Onions and Crispy Sage Leaves" (pg 108). Mollie Katzen recommends making a double batch - and if this were to be for more than 2 people, I agree. It was delicious!
There it is. I hope to continue on this successful streak. I am really looking forward to more squash - and the broccoli dishes that will be coming soon.Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Religion Vs. Faith
When talking about my job with people who aren't immersed in the church, I often get tongue-tied. I tend to not know whether to talk about faith or religion.
Faith and religion are tied to me, but not the same thing. When I talk with people not connected to the church, often the issue that gets most discussed is organized religion (and it's sin). I don't disagree with the assessment that organized religion causes pain. I don't disagree that sinful people run rampant within religious organizations. I don't disagree that religiosity sometimes breeds evil.
The challenge to me, especially when talking with those who have been hurt by organized religion in the past, is to affirm the sin that is there. But then to move into the faith aspect. It's difficult, though, for me to move from a criticism of organized religion to a lifting up of God's relationship with sinful humanity (and with me). I haven't found a good segue.
And, I'm not completely against organized religion. I think there is a purpose and a call to be community. Practically, I see the need for organization and the tendency (the only thing we know how to do to keep something functioning?) to institutionalize. Even with the sin it holds, I appreciate a certain level of institutionalization - especially if it's dynamic and reformable.
I'm figuring it out - with more and more practice. And, it's not always important to talk about everything. 'Though it is an important conversation to have...to open up that God does not equate church. That organized religion is not infallible. That God's hope for this world does not end in the church.
Faith and religion are tied to me, but not the same thing. When I talk with people not connected to the church, often the issue that gets most discussed is organized religion (and it's sin). I don't disagree with the assessment that organized religion causes pain. I don't disagree that sinful people run rampant within religious organizations. I don't disagree that religiosity sometimes breeds evil.
The challenge to me, especially when talking with those who have been hurt by organized religion in the past, is to affirm the sin that is there. But then to move into the faith aspect. It's difficult, though, for me to move from a criticism of organized religion to a lifting up of God's relationship with sinful humanity (and with me). I haven't found a good segue.
And, I'm not completely against organized religion. I think there is a purpose and a call to be community. Practically, I see the need for organization and the tendency (the only thing we know how to do to keep something functioning?) to institutionalize. Even with the sin it holds, I appreciate a certain level of institutionalization - especially if it's dynamic and reformable.
I'm figuring it out - with more and more practice. And, it's not always important to talk about everything. 'Though it is an important conversation to have...to open up that God does not equate church. That organized religion is not infallible. That God's hope for this world does not end in the church.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Price Per Share
Recently, I've had the urge to overshare. I suppose it's not the desire to overshare in itself, but I've felt like I've broadcasted parts of my life/opinions/unnecessary details far and wide.
Why did I make that joke? What possessed me to tell that life story to those people? Why did I get into that debate?
I wonder if there is some correlation between the general isolation I experience (living alone, often working alone in my office, eating by myself, exercising by myself, leaving places by myself even when I've been in a group) and my instinct to push details of myself off onto others. In two ways I see the impetus: 1) I have many random thoughts that I like to talk through, but since I'm by myself a lot I often don't get to. So, when they do come when I'm in the presence of people, I get to share. and 2) I do want people to know me.
Even though I don't think I've crossed any lines ('though I may have caused some to move their preconceived notions), I wonder what the cost of my blabbering is.
Why did I make that joke? What possessed me to tell that life story to those people? Why did I get into that debate?
I wonder if there is some correlation between the general isolation I experience (living alone, often working alone in my office, eating by myself, exercising by myself, leaving places by myself even when I've been in a group) and my instinct to push details of myself off onto others. In two ways I see the impetus: 1) I have many random thoughts that I like to talk through, but since I'm by myself a lot I often don't get to. So, when they do come when I'm in the presence of people, I get to share. and 2) I do want people to know me.
Even though I don't think I've crossed any lines ('though I may have caused some to move their preconceived notions), I wonder what the cost of my blabbering is.
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