5.11.2009

I am moving to a new blog home

Posted by Tammy

Wow. It has been a lot longer than I thought since I posted here! I took an unexpected/unplanned break!


I've decided to jump back into blogging, but I'm going to do so at a new blog home! I hope you all will come visit me again over at my new place!


Off Center Studio - http://offcenterstudio.blogspot.com/.


I hope to hear from some of you who used to stop by here!! I've missed you! :)


Hugs,

Tammy

2.18.2009

Wishcasting Wednesday

Posted by Tammy

Today's Wishcasting Wednesday prompt is: Where do you wish to go?

I wish to go:

  • to Oregon - permanently!
  • to Italy - wine country
  • forward
  • to Hawaii
  • back to NYC again!
  • into a place of authentic creativity and self.


2.04.2009

Wishcasting Wednesday

Posted by Tammy

Wishcasting Wednesday prompt:

"What do you wish to become?"

Short, sweet and to the point. I wish to become the "real me". I'm working on that!

During Circe's Circle last week, Jamie led us on a guided visualization. (I have had some amazing things happen during guided visualizations in the past - I had a conversation with Merlin, the wizard, once!)

In this one, she took us to 10 years in the future to converse with ... well, ME. I saw the real me - the Phaedra side of me - living on the coast in Oregon - being the person I know I am and the real me.

I want to get to that point before 10 years from now!

1.30.2009

Health

Posted by Tammy

You may have noticed - I haven't been posting nearly as much lately as I used to.

Part of the reason for this is that I haven't been feeling well for several months now. I have been dealing with migraines for many years now. I've had many doctors tell me "there's nothing wrong with you"... But then why does my head feel like it's going to explode?! On a bad week, I have 4-5 migraines. On a good week, maybe 2.

Since about October, I have been taking a daily medicine to try and prevent the migraines from ever starting. The medicine is an anti-convulsant that is now being used for migraines. It is EXPENSIVE (even with insurance) and I am realizing - the side effects are worse than any benefit I'm getting from it! I've given it a good long try, but yesterday, I went to see my doctor and I am stopping it!

I feel like I have the flu about 90% of the time on it. I am achy, and exhausted all the time. I have had a couple of "episodes" where I couldn't form complete thoughts and sentences because I was so completely exhausted. It was a bit scary. It felt like I had mono again truthfully. Many mornings, I wake up more tired than when I went to bed. It is hard to function when you feel like that all the time.

So - my energy level has dictated my blog posting. I haven't wanted to really post about how I feel all the time, but I guess I wanted to share now! :) I am tapering off of the old medicine over the next few days, and I'm starting a new medicine that apparently is being used to try and prevent migraines now... It's an anti-depressant. (Migraines ARE depressing!) So, I'm hopeful that I'll start feeling better over the next couple weeks! (Mike is too!) Maybe I'll have more things to share if I start having actual energy to do anything outside of the house!!

1.24.2009

Eggplant Extraordinaire

Posted by Tammy

I normally don't like Rachel Ray. She annoys me for some reason... however, she does have good recipes on her show now and then. On this particular day, she was featuring eggplant, so I kept it on to hear the recipe! Boy, am I glad I did. This recipe was YUMMY! It was supposed to be a 30-minute meal, but it definitely took me longer than that. It was still a pretty easy meal overall though - and really tasty! And it was pretty healthy too! :) (The recipe features a side of orzo too - I only made the eggplant though.)


First you slice up two smallish eggplants into about 8 slices (length-wise). This is a bit tricky in my opinion! Brush each slice with olive oil and grill both sides for about 4 minutes each. (Grill pan - I don't have an actual grill!) While the eggplant is grilling - sauté some garlic, diced roasted red pepper (from a jar), and thawed frozen spinach. (you're also supposed to put in diced olives - I forgot them!)

Once your eggplant is done and your veggies are sauteed, lay out the slices of eggplant on a baking sheet - put a few spoonfuls of the veggie mixture on each slice of eggplant. I put a few crumbles of feta on each slice at this point too (though the recipe didn't call for it!)

Then spread a couple big spoonfuls of hummus on each slice and top with breadcrumbs! Bake the whole tray for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Enjoy - it's really good! :)

1.20.2009

01-20-2009 - A Day to Remember

Posted by Tammy

Inauguration Day. I have never been so aware before of a day like this in our history. I am aware today. I can't turn off the TV!


My high school alma mater marching band is in Washington DC today. They were chosen to march in the parade there! How cool is that?! I marched all four years of my high school career (except when I had knee surgery!) I was on the color guard and played either French Horn or Bass Clarinet in concert band.

I went to Windsor (about 15 miles from where I live now) last Wednesday afternoon to watch the band in a mini-parade for the community in preparation for their trip. They looked awesome! I hope they rock today in Washington and enjoy the amazing experience they are having! I also have a short video of them playing. You can see it here. I can't get it to embed correctly on my blog this morning!


1.16.2009

Very late holiday post!

Posted by Tammy

I wanted to share our holidays with you, even though they are well past! Mike's birthday falls right before Christmas. We had quite the crazy couple of weeks filled with celebrating and presents! Mike was very good to me for Christmas! Not only did he buy me a couple things that I had put on my "list" - he surprised me with other unexpected things too! Project Runway - Season 4 DVDs were on my list! Yay! Amazing, superb jewelry was a surprise!!

The gift wrap was also entertaining! Mike does not do gift wrap. I'm lucky if anything is even sort of wrapped. He sort of outdid himself with one of my gifts! It was wrapped in a brown paper bag (from a local restaurant) and "taped" with tape from a lint roller that he tore into strips. So lovely! And then right next to it was the lovely present that the jewelry store wrapped for him - what a contrast! We had a good laugh about that!

We enjoyed our low-key holidays. We spent a lot of time enjoying our new TV and blu-ray/playstation as well! I did a lot of cooking of recipes that I got from spending way too much time watching the Food Network - my new addiction!


Baked Garlic Cheese Grits - a little bit of southern heaven in a pan from Paula Deen. Yummy!!

And Brussel Sprout cooked with Pancetta - WOW! I can't remember which show these were on! But, man, were they ever good! I also made these hash browns from Tyler Florence. Of course, they weren't as easy as he made them look - but they were tasty!


And just because I have some really adorable photos of our cats, and I haven't shared any in a while - here are some great shots! :)


1.15.2009

Wishcasting Wednesday (on Thursday)

Posted by Tammy

I'm a day late on this one, but I want to play! Wishcasting Wednesday prompt for this week is:

What do you wish for your creativity?

Well, now if this isn't the perfect wish for me to jump on! On Tuesday night, I actually got on the phone and joined into the first call of Circe's Circle with the amazing Jamie and Suzie! We have a small circle for the group - just the three of us, but it is going to be a wonderful and magical 12 weeks - I can just tell already!

On the first night of our circle, we talked mostly about our creativity.

My creativity has a name and a personality of her own. While I had thought about this before, I had never given voice to her actual presence and being. I gave her a name and traits. Or rather, I let those things surface. They are already hers - and therefore, mine too.

My creativity is named Phaedra. (Phaedra is Greek and it means bright.) She wears flowy, "hippy" clothes - flowery print dresses, loose flowing skirts and shirts, bright colors, mismatched colors, stripey socks, fabulous shoes (that might or might not match the clothes she is wearing!) Loads of jewelry! She is someone you would notice on the street and think, "Wow! I wish I could pull off wearing something like that!" She is comfortable no matter what situation she is in.

She is a Libra (which is also my sign). She loves art, dresses for the occasion, is a perfectionist, is bossy and detailed. She loves beauty, attention, color, texture, and intellect. She dislikes noise, pressure, deadlines, and criticism.

Phaedra lurks just below the surface of my own personality. Glints of her come through now and then, but for the most part she remains hidden. I feel her bubbling there most of the time, but I am scared to let myself become her, or allow her to become me.

One of our homework prompts for the week is to collect things, images, words, whatever that might be for Phaedra, or representative of her. (our creativity) This image is for her. I took it before we started
Circe's Circle. It is the window in my new home office. It is for my creativity - FOR SURE.


My wish for my creativity for 2009: for Phaedra and Tammy to merge. For me to be her - her to be me. For the fear of letting her bubble to the surface to disappear.

1.09.2009

A Belated Thank You!

Posted by Tammy

I am WAY behind in posting about this wonderful package I received in the mail a couple weeks ago! I was very surprised!


The wonderful Mary Ann sent us a great package for our wedding! It was so fun to find this out of the blue package from her with such lovely stuff in it!


Included is a beautiful album that I am going to have so much fun filling with our photos! Also, a bunch of stickers and embellishments to accompany it! She also made a little piece of wedding art for us! So cute! I just love it! The whole package was so thoughtful! Thank you SO much Mary Ann!

1.07.2009

Wishcasting Wednesday

Posted by Tammy

Jamie has been hosting Wishcasting for some time now and for 2009 she is changing how things are done. Each week, she will post the Wishcasting prompt at her blog. Then YOU (or in this case, ME!) answer the question and submit the link to your blog post at her blog. It's a wonderful way to track your wishes and dreams!

The first prompt for 2009 is:

What do you wish for in 2009?

My wish has often involved moving to Oregon. That hasn't changed! My wish for 2009 is for Mike and I to actually get moved to Oregon! We have been dreaming of this for so long and it hasn't happened yet. We both want it so bad.


We have talked about why it may not have happened yet, and there are good reasons... but it's time I think! My intent and true wish for this year is to see us pack up and move and start our new life in a new place! I'm keeping the ocean in my sights!