Monday, May 28, 2018

Happy Memorial Day


Today is a day of remembrance for those we have lost fighting to obtain our freedom and those that we lost to keep it. If you're interested in the history and how the holiday began, check out this article on the history. It's pretty interesting.

While you spend time with friends and family remember those lost to their families and friends through the years.


Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Which way to go? What to do?


"Be at a crossroads" is defined in the Cambridge English Dictionary as "to be at a stage in your life when you have to make a very important decision".

Coincidentally a friend and I were let go from our respective positions within a week of each other, we did not work at the same company. This was about two months ago. Since then we have gone to a couple of job fairs, a term I use very loosely. We live just outside a major city on the East Coast, job fairs should be large events with a ton of local companies showing up looking for talent, so not the case here. The first one we went to was just sad; there were 7 companies there - 5 were financial companies, 1 funeral home, and a staffing agency. Not exactly a great turn out.

The second one we went to was at the baseball stadium in that large city, better options when it came to companies, there was about 30 total. A couple of trade schools, the military, the state police, a few staffing agencies, retailers; you get the picture. The same over and over again. I talked to a couple of the agencies since they were ones I had never heard of in this area. Thought it would give me more options when it came to finding something that is right for me. I emailed them later the same day, it was nice talking to you today here is a copy of my resume for your records kind of email. Then, nothing - crickets could be heard for miles after that. I do realize the emails could have been flagged as SPAM but you would think that agencies that like check their SPAM to make sure that they don't lose a lead or a potential candidate because of it. I gave it a couple of weeks, thinking maybe they just haven't checked SPAM yet. I've totally given up now.

My friend scheduled an interview with one of the companies from the first job fair, a financial company. If he was offered anything he didn't take it since he is not working there at this point.

I believe we are both sitting at this crossroad trying to figure out what we each want to do next. There is always the option of starting a business, folding and taking a job just to have a job that brings in a salary or keep searching to find the right fit. I vote for searching for the right fit, I've spent too much time working somewhere just because I needed a job to support my family (single parent here). It's time for me to find work that at the very least doesn't give me anxiety going in every morning.

Right now, that leaves us sitting here...searching to determine what will be next.

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

National Chocolate Chip Day...

is a thing. Go figure!

I was poking around Pinterest and came across a 2016 Marketing Planning Guide. Well, that's two years old, dates are off a bit. :) So I went to find the author and see if there was an updated 2018 version. Found it...https://www.rebeccavandenberg.com, Rebecca Van Den Berg is a Digital Marketing Strategist, check out her What We Do page here. Thanks to Rebecca I now have the updated 2018 Marketing Planning calendar, that's where I found out it National Chocolate Chip Day is a thing!! It is on May 15th, so I am a day late but hey who doesn't love a chocolate chip cookie any day of the year?


I Googled it and found a great article here on the National Day Calendar website explaining how chocolate chips became a thing. It goes back to 1937 and it's all thanks to Ruth Graves from the Toll House Inn of Whitman, Massachusetts. Great article, take a few to give it a read.

The first time I made homemade chocolate cookies, not from a package or box, was in 8th grade Home-Ec class somewhere in the late 80's (which they should totally offer in schools again! - tirade for another post). It was intimidating at first, all the measuring, mixing, making sure it was all done precisely, baking is a science after all. By the end of that class, I had fallen in love with baking.

My love for baking has stayed with me all these years, I bake just because, for holiday desserts, for birthdays, or because the bananas are a bit too ripe to eat so here comes some banana bread. :) Anything homemade is perfect for gift giving and relatively inexpensive.

Several years ago I started making cookies and giving them away as Christmas gifts to co-workers. They are not old-fashioned chocolate chips cookies, I make them instead with Andes Candies. Yep, those delicious little mint candies that you used to get after dinner at certain restaurants (still get them at Olive Garden).

A little gesture that really doesn't take too much time but makes a great impact on the people getting them. Who doesn't like a little treat?

Go forth and bake!!

Toll House Chocolate Cookie Recipe courtesy of www.epicurious.com here.

YIELD Makes about 5 dozen cookies
ACTIVE TIME 25 minutes
TOTAL TIME 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Pan Cookie Variation

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

Slice and Bake Cookie Variation

Prepare dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. 

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Do Ahead
Dough may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 8 weeks.

This recipe is made available as a courtesy by Nestle USA and www.VeryBestBaking.com. Nestle® Toll House® is a registered trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.


The Journey Begins...Again.

I've decided to begin writing again.

The blogs I find most interesting are written by women like me. Normal, everyday people that work, raise families, have hobbies, etc. That's what this will be, a blog for the everyday person just juggling life.

Thanks for joining me!
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
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