It all started with a cookie recipe ...
Helloooo, is anybody out there? I have been wondering for some time if anybody actually reads my blog entries and I got my answer the other day, when a couple of people asked me what the heck was up with my blog. First, there were some travel stories, then some mad ramblings, then some entries disappeared, then some reappeared, then they all disappeared for a while. Now some stories are back and some mad ramblings are still missing. And the format looks a bit different.
Apparently there has been some speculation and a rumor or two. Especially among one or two friends who have also noted some cryptic comments on my Facebook page. OK, let me say, from the git-go, for the two or three of you that are actually reading this stuff ... don't stress your brains with a lot of surmising or reading into things - the only thing that is going on with me, is my basic ineptitude with web-based technology. In other words, I am new to this stuff, so I struggle with format and content, as well as not knowing how best to "theme" my entries. Over time, of which I have precious little these days, I began to re-read some of my blogs and I decided that some of my stories were really poorly written and need major editing. Also, I didn't want to have my travel-related reflections and stories lumped together with my other "life" - or in other words, I thought I would separate out my mad ramblings on everyday life from my travel misadventures. So I put everything on hold and made most of my entries "disappear" until I figured out how to start a separate, but connected blog. And then the weeks began to fly past, as I got busier and busier with a mulititude of mundane, day-to-day obligations, just like everyone else. It never occured to me that some of my friends would be worried about me. I appreciate your concern, and I love you all for thinking of me ... and I am here to say that all is well. Really. And as time goes on, I will post more madcap adventures ... it is just a question of finding the time to edit and post them.
As for the cryptic Facebook comments, now come on, really ... you guys are too funny! Do you all really have time to analyze and draw conclusions about "what does she really mean by that?" Gosh, I barely have time to even check my e-mail most days, let alone spend time pondering what my friends mean by the comments they post on Facebook! Most of my comments are, just like yours, a reflection of what might (or might not) be uppermost in my mind in any given moment. Sometimes I might make a comment directed at one individual as a reflection of a conversation we recently shared. Most of the time, though, I am just playin' with words ... nothing more, nothing less!
What I am really aiming for in the long-run is to have several different spaces where I might spend a bit of time, channeling my "unquenchable desire" to write. In the meantime, I thought I should start separating out the different themes and parking the non-travel-related stuff until I find time to give those those little essays, rants and observations on nothing in particular, a new home.
What do cookies have to do with all this? Not a whole lot, really. Only that I like to bake cookies, and sometimes I do my best thinking when my hand are occupied with some other kind of work besides writing, or whatever else it is I do to occupy myself when I am not spending time at my paid job. So, a few months back, I was baking several batches of shortbread, a specialty of mine, for a fund-raiser at work. I have been toying with several variations of this recipe for many years, and usually only churn out a few batches a year, always at Christmas time, and on occasion for a shower, baptism or anniversay party. Now, not to brag or anything, but my shortbread cookies are quite delicious and very popular among family and friends. After I donated several batches to the fundraiser - these heart-shaped vanilla morsels, packaged two-by-two or four-by-four in cling-wrap and all pink ribboned, I thought that I should take advantage of a long-held dream to take orders by word-of-mouth and actually sell the delectable confections. So, in October, in the midst of a gripping depression, brought on by stuff that is too boring to even get into here, I began to bake in ernest ... and bake ... and bake ... hundreds and hundreds of bite-sized rounds, in three different flavours - pecan, cranberry-lemon and vanilla. And the more I baked, the less time I had for anything else. But during this process, something magical happened ... much of the stress and aggravation that had been plaguing me of late, simply melted away and I came up with some new plans for how I will spend the next few years of my life.
Now, I won't share those plans just yet, but I will share that I have been inspired to come back to my blogs and start focussing more on two separate themes: 1) travel - of course! Was there any doubt? ... and 2) wellness and coping with environmental illness. OK the second one may sound a bit ... well, not so interesting to some of you ... but since I am a sufferer of multiple allergies, autoimmune disease and fibromyalgia, it is a theme that is close to my heart. Over the years, I have had some struggles with coping with what I have come to consider a spectrum of "invisible illnesses or disabilities" ... and I have learned that there are thousands, no perhaps millions of folks, primarily but not exclusively women, who suffer with many of the same symptoms as me. Over the years I have struggled with a myriad of physical ailments which actually have a "home" under the umbrella of one "syndrome" and it has often been a challenge just staying on my feet. The good news, is that I have learned through trial and error, research and support via a few good doctors and other "helpers," a variety of coping techniques and strategies.
Never having been very good at keeping my business to myself, and being very conscious these days that I need a way to channel my "personal business" in way that doesn't keep getting me into big (and little) jams and misunderstandings and general trouble, I have decided to start sharing my strategies with others. My hope is that some readers might find help, relief and a place to feel they are not alone in their symptoms and craziness by reading about my personal journey through the mine field of a misunderstood set of illnesses, which though not fatal, can really mess with a person's quality of life and ultimately their sanity.
The new blog will be titled "The Reluctant Health Nut." And the first entry will be ready to launch in January, 2009. So, thought not strictly a series of travel tales, this second blog, will very much chronicle my personal journey ... a different kind of journey, this time: from a health perspective.
But, you know what really sucks? You know those cookies I was talking about? I am allergic to most of the ingredients, so I can't really eat them or enjoy them without suffering some kind of side effect ... Well, rather than continuing to wallow in self-pity ... 'cause, really, I was driving myself and everyone around me a little nuts with it ... apparently I am not delicate-looking enough to make personal pity-parties work for me, but I digress ... rather than avoid baking altogether, I am once again, for the first time in a long time, using baking as a conduit for my creativity: therapy, if you will. And am very quickly realizing a side-benefit - by selling these treats, I make some extra cash to pay for the very expensive organic, allergen-free, yada, yada stuff that I CAN eat! My little short-bread morcels are packaged in pretty little bags in quantities of twenty-four ... and they even have a product name: Jilly's Jems! Next, I am developing the gluten-free version, so that I can enjoy them too!
Hey, maybe if I sell enough of them, I can pay for my dream trip to back to Grenada and finally the Grenadines ... Bequia, here I come!
Apparently there has been some speculation and a rumor or two. Especially among one or two friends who have also noted some cryptic comments on my Facebook page. OK, let me say, from the git-go, for the two or three of you that are actually reading this stuff ... don't stress your brains with a lot of surmising or reading into things - the only thing that is going on with me, is my basic ineptitude with web-based technology. In other words, I am new to this stuff, so I struggle with format and content, as well as not knowing how best to "theme" my entries. Over time, of which I have precious little these days, I began to re-read some of my blogs and I decided that some of my stories were really poorly written and need major editing. Also, I didn't want to have my travel-related reflections and stories lumped together with my other "life" - or in other words, I thought I would separate out my mad ramblings on everyday life from my travel misadventures. So I put everything on hold and made most of my entries "disappear" until I figured out how to start a separate, but connected blog. And then the weeks began to fly past, as I got busier and busier with a mulititude of mundane, day-to-day obligations, just like everyone else. It never occured to me that some of my friends would be worried about me. I appreciate your concern, and I love you all for thinking of me ... and I am here to say that all is well. Really. And as time goes on, I will post more madcap adventures ... it is just a question of finding the time to edit and post them.
As for the cryptic Facebook comments, now come on, really ... you guys are too funny! Do you all really have time to analyze and draw conclusions about "what does she really mean by that?" Gosh, I barely have time to even check my e-mail most days, let alone spend time pondering what my friends mean by the comments they post on Facebook! Most of my comments are, just like yours, a reflection of what might (or might not) be uppermost in my mind in any given moment. Sometimes I might make a comment directed at one individual as a reflection of a conversation we recently shared. Most of the time, though, I am just playin' with words ... nothing more, nothing less!
What I am really aiming for in the long-run is to have several different spaces where I might spend a bit of time, channeling my "unquenchable desire" to write. In the meantime, I thought I should start separating out the different themes and parking the non-travel-related stuff until I find time to give those those little essays, rants and observations on nothing in particular, a new home.
What do cookies have to do with all this? Not a whole lot, really. Only that I like to bake cookies, and sometimes I do my best thinking when my hand are occupied with some other kind of work besides writing, or whatever else it is I do to occupy myself when I am not spending time at my paid job. So, a few months back, I was baking several batches of shortbread, a specialty of mine, for a fund-raiser at work. I have been toying with several variations of this recipe for many years, and usually only churn out a few batches a year, always at Christmas time, and on occasion for a shower, baptism or anniversay party. Now, not to brag or anything, but my shortbread cookies are quite delicious and very popular among family and friends. After I donated several batches to the fundraiser - these heart-shaped vanilla morsels, packaged two-by-two or four-by-four in cling-wrap and all pink ribboned, I thought that I should take advantage of a long-held dream to take orders by word-of-mouth and actually sell the delectable confections. So, in October, in the midst of a gripping depression, brought on by stuff that is too boring to even get into here, I began to bake in ernest ... and bake ... and bake ... hundreds and hundreds of bite-sized rounds, in three different flavours - pecan, cranberry-lemon and vanilla. And the more I baked, the less time I had for anything else. But during this process, something magical happened ... much of the stress and aggravation that had been plaguing me of late, simply melted away and I came up with some new plans for how I will spend the next few years of my life.
Now, I won't share those plans just yet, but I will share that I have been inspired to come back to my blogs and start focussing more on two separate themes: 1) travel - of course! Was there any doubt? ... and 2) wellness and coping with environmental illness. OK the second one may sound a bit ... well, not so interesting to some of you ... but since I am a sufferer of multiple allergies, autoimmune disease and fibromyalgia, it is a theme that is close to my heart. Over the years, I have had some struggles with coping with what I have come to consider a spectrum of "invisible illnesses or disabilities" ... and I have learned that there are thousands, no perhaps millions of folks, primarily but not exclusively women, who suffer with many of the same symptoms as me. Over the years I have struggled with a myriad of physical ailments which actually have a "home" under the umbrella of one "syndrome" and it has often been a challenge just staying on my feet. The good news, is that I have learned through trial and error, research and support via a few good doctors and other "helpers," a variety of coping techniques and strategies.
Never having been very good at keeping my business to myself, and being very conscious these days that I need a way to channel my "personal business" in way that doesn't keep getting me into big (and little) jams and misunderstandings and general trouble, I have decided to start sharing my strategies with others. My hope is that some readers might find help, relief and a place to feel they are not alone in their symptoms and craziness by reading about my personal journey through the mine field of a misunderstood set of illnesses, which though not fatal, can really mess with a person's quality of life and ultimately their sanity.
The new blog will be titled "The Reluctant Health Nut." And the first entry will be ready to launch in January, 2009. So, thought not strictly a series of travel tales, this second blog, will very much chronicle my personal journey ... a different kind of journey, this time: from a health perspective.
But, you know what really sucks? You know those cookies I was talking about? I am allergic to most of the ingredients, so I can't really eat them or enjoy them without suffering some kind of side effect ... Well, rather than continuing to wallow in self-pity ... 'cause, really, I was driving myself and everyone around me a little nuts with it ... apparently I am not delicate-looking enough to make personal pity-parties work for me, but I digress ... rather than avoid baking altogether, I am once again, for the first time in a long time, using baking as a conduit for my creativity: therapy, if you will. And am very quickly realizing a side-benefit - by selling these treats, I make some extra cash to pay for the very expensive organic, allergen-free, yada, yada stuff that I CAN eat! My little short-bread morcels are packaged in pretty little bags in quantities of twenty-four ... and they even have a product name: Jilly's Jems! Next, I am developing the gluten-free version, so that I can enjoy them too!
Hey, maybe if I sell enough of them, I can pay for my dream trip to back to Grenada and finally the Grenadines ... Bequia, here I come!
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