finally decided

For the "Impact" contest, I actually wrote 3 different stories. After letting them sit for a few nights, when I came back to do the editing, I knew which one I wanted to fix up and send in. But that leaves me with two others! They need a little spit and polish to make them presentable, but I'll get them up sometime soon for sharing.

actual pen to paper

Winter is always one of my lag times, where I work a lot and don't write a lot.

I thought this year that I wouldn't have something to submit to the Queer SciFi contest as seen here https://queerscifi.com/flash-contest-rules/ but I did scribble out something today. Maybe after an edit it will be in good enough shape to submit.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A day of many joys -- corned beef cabbage, green beer, everyone dressing in green, and the birthdays of a few of my favorite people. For whatever reason, St. Pat's Day seems to be a popular day to be born into the world. It is as if the babies knew they were setting themselves up for a lifetime of fantastic parties. It is also nice to think that even if you're not the least bit Irish, on St. Patrick's Day, you get to be just the littlest bit Irish, and celebrate.

the infinite balance

So, the last day of the weekend...what's on my To Do list for today

--magazine shovel out (I save too many, thinking I'll read them later)
--make soup
--laundry
--bills
--stretch/exercise
--delete old e-mails

I already spent some time going through older e-mails, always a rabbit-hole of a task. I realize I need to catch up on stuff!!

I'm about to go stretch -- the older I get, the more my IT band has decided it wants to go to war with me.

I'm trying to decide what soup I want, because soup leftovers will also be my lunches for the next few days.

Magazine shovel out -- as part of my general thought of trying to declutter things. I don't want to get rid of everything and I am way to sentimental to ever really pare down to that state of zen that some people aspire to, but I also know that I could be a really massive pack rat if I don't watch it. Part of the problem is that I tend to be really careful with my things. They last a really long time. And I don't want to just chuck things into a landfill. So I end up keeping things. I do recycle a lot, and also donate things to thrift stores/recycling stores/give things away/etc. but I try to be mindful about things, and that takes time.

Taking that time means taking away from writing time, so I'm always balancing between doing things I enjoy (writing, going out and enjoying activities) and dealing with my clutter and accumulation. Today is another day of that infinite balance.

rice cake journey

I am on a rice cake journey of discovery and invention.

I started with this recipe:
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/249653/brown-rice-goat-cheese-cakes/

But I didn't have goat cheese in the house, so I substituted a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan. I'm also trying to reduce the amount of frying in oil that I do, so I steamed the veggies.

The first batch (looking somewhat roundish and in a circle) is carrot and onion with brown rice and was shaped in cupcake tins, and the second batch (cut up pieces) is sweet potato and onion with brown rice in a cast iron pan (and then cut up). Both were equally delicious, just different. They can be eaten plain, but I've been eating them with curry spooned over them.

I really like playing with this recipe. It's forgiving and allows for a lot of variation, and it still works. I'm planning on making it again, with some more variations. I want to try it on a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and also to try different veggies in it.

I'm looking for something not too complicated to make, with healthy ingredients, reducing the oil but finding the right way to make it crispier by baking it in the oven, and that tastes quite good and is filling.

I'll keep everyone updated when I try again!