Two Thank You's and There's More to Life Than Cooking (Gasp)

I am blessed to have been given this award twice in the same week and three times overall this month. Since I did just list out blogs I love and a few ditties about me, I will just ask that you read them here instead of doing another round since it hasn't been very long.

However, I did want to say thank you to Rowland and Ronnie, authors of Just Food Snobs, who gave me the award on the left. This husband and wife team post recipes that speak to the soul. Their food is warm and comforting (and yummy).

Thanks too, to Akheela, who runs a blog called Torview. She lives in Canada but her Sri Lankan/Indian heritage is very evident in the food she posts. Much to my delight, there are many dishes including curry, one of my favorites.

The truth of the matter is that my blog isn't all that versatile. Since I have such a narrow "realm" since I've taken on the challenge of going through food magazines, making recipes and reviewing them. Oooh, ahhh. My life, on the other hand, is. So, instead of listing seven things about me like I did last time, I thought I'd show a little versatility and give you a peek into what fills my days when I'm not cooking. The one thing I won't delve into deeply other than to mention here is my relationship with Christ. It's very personal and important to me but I know I have friends and readers who have different views so I'll leave it at that.
I am very Internet-attached. My husband and I have an IT business and I'm responsible for the design team and aspects of it. I do some coding but prefer working with the graphics, look and feel of things. My husband is the financial wizard and project manages our more complicated programming team (databases, etc.). Our business' site is www.beaconsystemsinc.com.
In addition to this blog, I also write about the amazing things that come out of my daughter's mouth. Our doctors and her teachers have informed us that she is highly intelligent, which is further proof that she's adopted. Even at a young age her thought process was amazing and some of the things she has said have been thought-provoking. Of course, many have been just plain funny. That blog is mysophieisms.blogspot.com.
Finally, I write for examiner.com. This is a "paid" job, if you count the pennies I get per page hit. It's just about the same thing as my food blog, just less personal and more informational. Of course, since I get paid by page view, I'd love it if all of you would go visit there (hint, hint).
This is Molly. When I'm at the computer she's just to the right of the monitor doing what cats do best. I've had cats all my life and absolutely love them. Molly's just over a year old and an adorable little girl. When I'm trying to come up with ideas petting that soft, tan tummy can sometimes bring them on pretty quickly. Of course, it can also bring out the claws, but it's worth the chance. Behind Molly is a selection of soundtracks. I used to listen to them all the time while working but then our daughter came along and now I cherish silence. Someday I'll listen to it again. My favorites among the soundtracks include Last of the Mohicans, Man From Snowy River, and Somewhere in Time.
This is what sits on the other side of my desk while I work. I don't smoke. I don't drink. I don't like chocolate. I keep chips out of the house so I can't binge on them. THIS is my addiction. One a day. 'Nuff said.
These are my bookcases. Reading is one thing I can't do without. I read at least an hour every night before going to bed and go through around six books a month, mostly from the library. The entire left bookcase is full of Stephen King. The right side has John Irving on the top shelf, Irving Stone and Herman Wouk on the second and a selection the rest of the way down. I like surprises though. When I go to the library, I grab three random books off the shelves. That's how I find some wonderful new authors.
When our daughter was younger I did a lot of scrapbooking. It's so easy when the subject is so adorable. I enjoy crafty things and when it comes down to it, scrapbooking is a lot like designing a web page. I have an area of the basement set up for it but it's been collecting dust this summer because the young lady is much more active and between running her to Tae Kwon Do, preschool and play dates there isn't time for this and everything else. Again, some day I'll come back to it.
Before we brought our daughter home I did a lot of cross stitch when I was watching television. It's amazing how much "fluff" is on shows and how much I didn't miss by looking down at my chart or cloth. I have a half dozen pieces framed and several more in the works.
I don't think I've touched anything in four years now. Isn't it sad to see that one incomplete? I do miss it, but along with not having time, it's one of those things that's better not to have out as a temptation for little fingers. Not only could she hurt herself on the needles, I'd probably get very made if she tangled my threads or messed up my work. It's just not worth it.
Football. Chicago Bears. Preseason just started, you know. I love watching professional football. Being from Chicago, the Bears are and always have been my team. Mike Singletary is my hero so now I also follow the San Francisco 49ers. Since many peoples' eyes glaze over when I start talking football, that's all I'll say.

There's really a lot more. Living in the Piedmont area of North Carolina our family takes a lot of day trips to the mountains. We love walking the trails, having picnics and swimming in the lakes. We also take trips to visit grandparents; my husbands parents in Wilmington, NC and my parents outside Chicago. Right now I'm going to gather up my stack of books that I've finished and take my daughter to the library. She's been asking and I need more so off we go. Thanks for letting me share the things in my life that are more important than cooking (most of the time).