Inspire Me

I know this is such a cheeseball topic. I'm also well aware that this is my third post in two days. It's like I went from slacking on the blog to a swift hit of go-go juice. But what can I say? I have a few other things on the go besides this.

Sometimes, I feel like I push myself too much. Lately, that had been the case. One spectacular breakdown with an epiphane later, and I feel more motivated than I have in a long time. We all need something to look forward to, and I can honestly say that I have a few things, though they certainly are far from typical.

I haven't shared this with you yet, so here it is, the big news I hinted at in my post "Changes". I'm applying to go back to university on a full-time basis. Trying to work a full-time job while tackling a degree was getting to be too much to handle. But, by the end of this year, I'll be applying for a transfer to Mac to complete my B.A in English (hopefully with honours), and I'll hopefully be able to start with the summer 2014 semester.

Until that time, there are a few things that are keeping me going. I'm still an editor with the ARB (www.arbitragemagazine.com). It reminds me every week that editing, or even writing, is really what I am meant to do with my life. I'm also working on a short non-fiction story for a writing contest. There's a short fic contest that I might enter too, if the time permits. I also have many days of fun to look forward to, from the David Bowie is... exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario to my Annual Bad Film Fest.

So with all of this in mind, I now pose a question (or few) to you. What inspires you? What gives you your boost of motivation, or heightens your morale for the day? What makes you roll out of bed in the morning? Our boosts are always there, but we rarely think about them.

I'm so close to being done, but I'm really starting to feel the strain. Or maybe it's fatigue as it's now my bedtime. Either way, I'll see you at the finish line.

The Mac n' Cheese Mission, Part 1

Ok, so perhaps this post isn't nearly as exciting as the title suggests, but it involves food, and food is always awesome.

Lately, I've been on the hunt for the perfect homemade macaroni and cheese recipe. Why? I don't know. I just have. Well, I have myself four recipes. Actually, one was already in my possession. The other three I found thanks to my good friend Google. Tonight was a very simple Campbell's concoction. Who am I kidding? I still found a way to add difficulty to my not-so-superstar culinary expertise. I'm about 99.9% certain that music was part of my problem.

Anyways...

I did as the recipe said, bringing a couple of my ingredients to a boil, stirring occasionally. I had my music cranked, because, well, it only seemed proper to have the tunes blaring while creating my masterpiece. Unfortunately, I kept on thinking that I was hearing the phone ring.So, I gave my concoction a quick check and stir before going to the living room to see if the phone was actually ringing, or if I was just losing my mind. For the record, it's the latter. When I came back to the kitchen, my pot had started to boil over. Enough liquid ran over the side to make cleaning the stove top require some serious elbow grease, but the bulk of it was still in the pot.

I added my noodles, added my cheese, cooked it a bit, then let it sit for about ten minutes or so, and voila! I had macaroni and cheese. The verdict? It was pretty darn tasty. With that in mind, I didn't follow the recipe exactly. I don't enjoy hot sauce, nor did we have any in the house, so I omitted that, and instead, I added a splash of heavy cream, and extra shredded cheese.

Overall, it was a recipe that I'd make again, except next time, I won't turn up the music so loud... Or maybe I'll just mix everything in a bigger pot.

For those who are interested, here's the macaroni and cheese recipe I used (with my aforementioned modifications), compliments of the Campbell's Soup website.

http://www.campbellskitchen.com/recipes/fastest-homemade-mac-and-cheese-26115

Bon Appetit! 

A Cemetery is a Most Peculiar Place to Give Thanks

We're nearing the end of another Thanksgiving Weekend here in Canada. However, this year for me, Thanksgiving wasn't the same.

Back on June 8, I lost my great-gram. She was one of the most incredible people to have ever lived. Despite being 99 and three quarters, she was still sharp-tongued, quick witted, and doing her daily crossword puzzles in ink. Not having her around this year was sad, even though she was a ripe old age when she passed.

As today was glorious and full of sunshine, I took a walk to the cemetery to see her. Sitting beside where she's buried, all I could hear were the birds. I don't think I'd ever heard them squawk that loud before. The leaves rustled like mad too. Yet, everything was peaceful. Like every other visit, even before she passed, I did most of the talking. She was always content to just sit and listen.

What I talked about really isn't that important. Just a mish-mash of goings-on. Everything from schooling to the ARB. The usual life updates. Of course, she was always happy to have visitors, so even if I sat in quiet contemplation, she'd still be quite content.

Walking back home when I was done my visit, I knew what I was thankful for. I'm thankful that I was able to have my great-gram for almost 26 years. Certainly, there are others things that I could give thanks for, but this year, being thankful for Jean Lowden is what mattered most.