It's official, I have moved all of the posts from this blog over to my new home at blog.jacquelinewolven.com - come visit there and see how life looks when every moment in life is done with intention.
Card is from this beautiful Etsy store in Scotland!
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I have been blogging since January 15, 2006. Wow. Soak that in for a little bit. That is a long time. It started out as just a way to share my life with whoever might be interested or no one. It didn't matter. I just wanted to write my story.
Then I started writing over at MoxieWorks to share inspiration, practical tools and ideas for small businesses. It has been an amazing journey of people sharing and using tools that I have created over the years.
A big change is in the works though. Instead of blogging at two locations I will be blogging at my new domain JacquelineWolven.com. It isn't set up yet, so don't bother going over there. I just purchased the domain name and will be blending my life with my work. (Note - the posts are in. It is a HOT MESS, but it will get there. Blended Blog Here)
I realized that while the compartments were nice - being able to put a work/life hat on, it wasn't helping me build just a life. I work, play, and live all as one person and now I want to share all of that together.
I will be moving all (fingers crossed) the posts from both blogs into one blog and then going from there. I am excited, nervous and ready for this step all at the same time. It has been a long time coming!
Photo: A Pumpkin and a Princess - These are so cute and are a DIY project. Might just HAVE to make some!
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I was named Citizen of the Week by our local paper. Nice to be recognized for the work that I do in our community. That would make me a CoW... moo!
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In the last week I have been feeling less than focused. I realized that I am very effected by the lack of sunshine. It can be cold, but it needs to be sunny or I tend to feel unsettled, unfocused. It seems like such a small thing, the sunshine, but it is a huge impact on my mood and, sadly, my productivity.
I am embarrassed to say, but with all my gung ho spirit on my word of the year - focus - it has been hard staying focused. I realized that the number of distractions is formidable. My own push and pull, media, email, other people, family - nothing and everything. If I get off track on keeping up with my To Do list, I am lost. I get unfocused so easily... mostly by nothing except myself.
So, how do I get back on track?
Today I set three simple goals for myself. Clean off the little nagging paperwork on my desk, empty one more area in my house and do some yoga - nothing huge, just three things.
Tonight I am going to sit and write all of the things I think I need to do - a big massive list to get it all out of my head. I will do it after dinner, in my office, focusing just on that.
Tomorrow I will do the very same thing. Over and over. Sometimes getting out of a funk is all about recommitting. I feel like the drug addict that says, over and over that they are going to be clean. Each day they start new. Instead, I am saying I am recommitting myself to focusing on moving towards my goals.
OMG - huge duh moment! I haven't DONE goals for this year. I have these 12 intentions that I am working on in the One Little Word project, but they aren't goals. THAT is what I need to do too. I need to sit and see what I want to work on. The big and the little for this year. No wonder I am floating around here not exactly putting my feet firmly in place. I need to clear some space away to focus on what I want to be doing - otherwise I am like the ball in a pinball machine pinging and ponging towards anything that bats me around.
I would call this a blog epiphany... thanks for joining me as I wend my way!
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I LOVE popcorn. Always have. The salt, the butter, the crunch. It is, by far, my favorite snack. The problem is the butter. I can't, and shouldn't, eat that much butter. So, I have been looking for an alternative. Ta da! Coconut oil. It gives it a different, but not bad taste. Tropical and subtle. Not like olive oil, which is too overpowering for the popcorn. I suppose, but have no evidence, that coconut oil is better for you than butter. Please let that be the case because I love it.
From WebMD: "Coconut oil is better than butter and trans fats but not as good as liquid vegetable oils," says Penn State University cardiovascular nutrition researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD.
Directions:
Heat one tablespoon of coconut oil in a heavy pan. It is hard, but you should be able to scoop it out of the jar with a spoon. By the way, I purchase my coconut oil at our local natural foods market, but maybe the larger grocery stores carry it now.
When the oil is melted put in three kernels of organic popcorn. I love popcorn so much that we buy this directly from the UNFI Truck in 50 pound bags and go through 2 bags per year. I prefer yellow kernels rather than white because it pops larger.
When the three kernels have popped it is time to add the 1/3 cup of kernels. Drop them in the pot and cover. My husband insists that I shake my hips when I shake the popcorn over the burner, but that isn't really necessary. Then again, if I am going to eat all this popcorn I might as well move a little before hand.
When the kernels are done popping salt and place in a bowl of your choice. Salt when it is hot or the salt won't stick which is the whole point of oil or butter in the first place.
Settle in to watch your favorite show, read a book or just enjoy the crisp crunch of a salty snack.
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I never meant to get into The Voice, but the down on my luck and looking for a chance stories get to me. Every single time. I was bopping along watching the singers get booted off one after another when I found myself rooting for one of them. He even made it to the final 3. Then, as usual it happened. The one I didn't want to win, ever, won. It always happens that way for me. I never pick the winner. In fact, I like the underdog.
I get involved in their life. I feel for them. I want them to win and have that big chance.
Living vicariously like that does nothing for me and makes me feel terrible, when inevitably, they don't win.
So, I swore off unscripted TV. No Biggest Loser, no The Voice, no American Idol, no Kitchen Nightmares, no Shark Tank - goodness there are a lot of unscripted shows.
Because, really, do I need to spend time watching that crap?
No.
I also am giving up award shows. Yes, I love them, but self congratulatory events with so so host bits aren't really something that I need to spend time watching either. Yes, it kills me that two of my favorites are hosting the Golden Globes tonight, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, but a deal is a deal.
I'll watch award shows when they are giving them for folks I know, doing things that make a real difference. That is worth watching.
A movie, TV show, play isn't any better if it wins or doesn't win. If I like it, I like it.
So, that cuts down on a LOT of TV. Really, if you made a list of all the shows that are unscripted/reality and awards we would be left with very few other shows. I don't watch most of them so I just gave myself hours of my life back.
Now I have to decide what I am going to do with it.
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This morning my daughter called to say that she had "hives in her eyes." Literally, hives in her eyes. They were also on her arm. 5AM is not a good time to call and also not a good time to share about hives. That said, dad jumped in the shower and got ready to go over to her apartment.
Hives, if you haven't had them, are horrible. If they are on your face you have to be careful that they don't block your throat or nasal passages because you can die. Seriously. So, dad stopped to get Benadryl (which there are too many kinds of, these days) and brought it to the girl. He then settled in to watch her sleep.
A trip to the doctor this afternoon confirmed hives and she is now getting a prescription for steroids.
I had all of these big intentions to be really productive today. That didn't happen. I did a little work, I went to a great meeting, I kept tabs on the family, and soon I am going to crash.
Sometimes that is how it works. Sometimes the best laid plans get thrown out the window because you have something else happen. Something like hives in your eyes. That's ok. The thing I have finally learned is that usually there is time and energy to get the things done that need to be done. Tomorrow is another day and, fingers seriously crossed, my morning won't get derailed.
I'd post the picture she sent me, but it looks like she has been severely beaten - not exactly the most flattering picture of our girl.
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My beautiful Soul Mantra necklace came in from Liz Lamoreux's Etsy shop. I have, for years, made commitments to myself that, like most people, I have not kept. My thought, when I chose this simple piece, was that I could wear it everyday for a year reminding myself of my intention. Sometimes making something concrete helps galvanize it into your mind. Whether that happens or not, it is a beautiful thing to behold and wear.
Here thoughts on why she creates these are quite lovely and inspiring: "In the creative community I am a part of, many people choose a word for a year that becomes their theme. They use this word as a guide as they reflect on where they stand on their paths and where they want and hope to go. If you are drawn to this practice, I would be honored to create a custom one word necklace for you."
What word would you wear to guide you through your day, year, life?
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Today we have the scent of vegetarian french onion soup wafting through the house. Years ago we instituted Soup Sunday at our home. Sometimes it is something I make on the fly, sometimes it is planned, sometimes in the crock pot - the variety is endless, depending on my mood. The reasons are two fold: 1) It is easy and nutritious and 2) It makes great left overs.
French Onion Soup Recipe (adapted from one I read in the San Francisco Chronicle)
2 Leeks - white part only (save the green ends in your vegetable stock bag in the freezer)
2 Yellow Onions
Olive Oil
Fresh Ground Pepper
Dash of Dried Thyme
4 Cups Homemade (or bought) Vegetable Broth
3 Garlic Cloves
Swiss Cheese
Toasted Bread (French is traditional)
Directions:
Slice Leeks (make sure you wash them really well) and onions extremely thin. I did this by hand, but if you have a mandolin this would be a perfect use for it. Saute in pan with olive oil until onions are translucent.
Mince Garlic and place in crock pot.
Add Onions, broth, herbs and pepper into crock pot. Cook on High for 4 hours or on low or up to 8 hours.
Place slice of cheese and bread on bottom of bowl and spoon in finished soup to serve. This is the cheaters way. If you want to be traditional you would put the soup in the bowl, then the bread, then the cheese and place in the oven an broil it. I am too impatient to do this when dinner rolls around.
Serve with a small salad and dinner is done!
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Making something happen often means sharing it with others. My intention for the year is to find 3 things I want to focus on for that month and, here is the kicker, do them. My word for the year is focus and that means more than just a list of to do's. It is more about setting goals and intentions - keeping things in mind. With that I thought a month filled with 3 ideas/concepts that I want to attend to would make sense.
The theme of the month is AutoFocus - the idea being to put systems in place that work easily in my life. Schedules, plans, to do lists, etc. These goals are more to see that I am focusing on that, but also looking at how all of that feels for me.
So, for January, I will focus on:
1. Taking cues from my body - sometimes my body hums with extra energy and I need to manage that or others it is sluggish and I need to take care of it. Either way listening to my inner cues is an important thing for a woman who tends to live in her head.
2. Remembering that it is all practice. I got this from the podcast buddhist geeks last year and remembering that just showing up, good or bad, is sometimes all I can muster. That is ok.
3. Moving my body every single day. Sometimes my work is extremely grounded... in other words my ass is planted in a chair. My goal is to remember to move my body every day for at least 30 minutes.
Those are my goals. What are yours?
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