Life is a bowl of cherry pits!

I am just so angry, annoyed, upset, lost and confused and there really is nothing I can do to help out other than lend an attentive ear for listening and signing over my paycheck. Of course I am beating myself up for not taking the time in the beginning of July to look into other options as now is time is running out because of some crazy doctor! Some one I love will have to struggle back at work next week and there is nothing I can do. She has worked so hard, played by the rules and has paid her dues at least twice, but now she is on the verge of loosing her health insurance if she cannot stay at her job. Life just sucks!

I guess crying and moaning will not help the situation, but what else am I supposed to do? She lives by herself, is in debt and needs to keep the job that will slowly squeeze her out. I guess I know I should be saving every penny I can because the proverbial rainy day looks to be a huge downpour.

:(

Work...

Somewhere along the way, a shift occurred. It used to be fun and I enjoyed what I did, but now it is just work and that makes me sad. On the bright side, I start a new job tomorrow. On the flip side, I am nervous and somewhat dreading going into the new place tomorrow. Is that bad? Perhaps. Or, it could just be the new job jitters. Will I do a good job? Will the people like me? Will I like the job and other tasks that I need to do? Ugh!

On top of all that, I have work that I need to do today to prep for my first day as the new kid on the block. I really should have put my foot down and did the work this morning instead of waiting until after 3pm on a Sunday to start the work.

"Crack" time for me to get to work.

Nervous

Tomorrow I have an interview.

Yikes!

It will be fairly informal - meeting a few people and learning about the job. I am still nervous.

Plus I am a bit sad that I may have a job soon. I do have to work for a living, but I was hoping this sabbatical would last a little bit longer as I hardly was into relaxation mode much less tourist mode.

Oh well. I guess I will have to squeeze in my fun on the weekends, just like (most) everyone else.

Chocolate Wisdom

Whomever came up with the idea of putting little uplifting thoughts on the inside of a Dove Chocolate wrapper was a genius!

Today's little wisdom:

There's no excuse not to dream.

Photo of the Day

On Thursday of this past week I went to a local photographers' club meeting. It is time to meet others with the same passion as I have. Of course now comes the difficult part of deciding which photos I will submit. No one likes to hear criticism, but when it is constructive it can help a person grow, and isn't that we all want to do in life - grow?

Hope - it is a powerful idea

As I wander through life, feeling as if I have absolutely no direction whatsoever, I need to remember the one little word - hope. Hope is powerful if we truly embrace it. Sometimes if life you just have to learn to enjoy the ride, even if you think you are 'off course' in where you were planning on going.

Still a little rough in my mind, but that is ok. Someday it will be clearer than the day before and before I know it I will be more gracious of the journey.

Where are you going?

That has been on my mind a lot today.

I wish I had an answer. :(

10 Secrets to Success

1. How you think is everything: Always be positive. Think success, not failure. Beware of a negative environment.

2. Decide upon your true dreams and goals: Write down your specific goals and develop a plan to reach them.

3. Take action: Goals are nothing without action. Don't be afraid to get started. Just do it.

4. Never stop learning: Go back to school or read books. Get training and acquire skills.

5. Be persistent and work hard: Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up.

6. Learn to analyze details: Get all the facts, all the input. Learn from your mistakes.

7. Focus your time and money: Don't let other people or things distract you.

8. don't be afraid to innovate; be different: Following the heard is a sure way to mediocrity.

9. Deal and communicate with people effectively: No person is an island. Learn to understand and motivate others.

10. Be honest and dependable; take responsibility: Otherwise, Nos. 1-9 won't matter.

Time Quote

"We're addicted to having no time because we don't know what to do with it once we get some."

Happy Birthday Harry Potter!

In honor of Harry Potter's Birthday on July 31st, I decided to make a cake. (for those of you that really know me, there was another reason for baking the cake ;) but I just couldn't pass up the Harry Potter mania).

Hopefully the photo and the recipe will intrigue you to try this fabulous cake. It is so good, so chocolatey, that it may be my new favorite chocolate cake recipe.

Triple Chocolate Bliss Cake
from Kraft Foods

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 2 hr min
Makes: 18 servings, one slice each

1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
3 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1-1/2 cups raspberries

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan. Beat all ingredients except whipped topping, chocolate and raspberries in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 min. scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into prepared pan.

BAKE 50 min. to 1 hour or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 min. Loosen cake from side of pan with knife or metal spatula and gently remove cake. Cool cake completely on wire rack. Place on serving plate.

RESERVE 2 Tbsp. of the whipped topping. Microwave remaining whipped topping and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each min. Drizzle over cake. Immediately drop reserved whipped topping, by scant teaspoonfuls, around top of cake; create star shape by drawing wooden toothpick through middle several times. Spoon raspberries into center of cake. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.

Note: I did not bother with the reserved whipped topping or the raspberries. Plus if you forget to pull out the Cool Whip to thaw, no worries as you need to microwave it until it is liquid anyway.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 340 Total fat 20g Saturated fat 8g Cholesterol 55mg Sodium 360mg Carbohydrate 39g Dietary fiber 2g Protein 5g Vitamin A 4%DV Vitamin C 4%DV Calcium 8%DV Iron 15%DV