books – Page 10 – Karen Creamer Author, Coach, Speaker

Tidying up food, continued

October 3, 2015October 8, 2015 by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, books, family, Karen's Kitchen, Pantry Project, shopping

Some of the side benefits that have come from my Tidying Up Food project:

I have straightened up my pantry.
I know exactly what I have for food in my house right now.
I did not go buy another bottle of (whatever, insert food item here) because I knew I had one already on the top shelf of the panty, in the way back part that I need to stand on a chair to see.
I no longer have any expired food in my house.
I will have less food to organize when I get to that part in the The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo book!

Uh oh; I just thought of something…what if there IS no food section in the ‘Tidying up’ book?

DOH!

Tidying up food

October 3, 2015October 3, 2015 by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, books, family, Karen's Kitchen, Pantry Project, Travel

I have only been taking baby steps with my The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo book since I did the clothing category. I am motivated, but I haven’t had an uninterrupted block of time to tackle the next category (books) yet.
Well, that’s my excuse, anyway.

Since then, I have been scrutinizing other areas of my home through my new ‘tidy eye’, and here’s what I’ve discovered.

I am not a tidy person.

Anyway, this week I have given myself a challenge that is tied to my goals to

Be more tidy and
Spend less money.

I am not going to spend any money on meals or drinks when I am out this week. I am going to eat and feed the fam using the food I already have in the pantry, fridge, and freezer.

I have a lot.

My husband and I figure that conservatively, we are spending $150 a week on food. At the end of this week of not spending any money on food, we will deposit that $150 in the bank (in our new “Go to Italy in 2016” fund, perhaps? 🙂 )

Anyone else want to do this with me? Just for one week. I started October 2nd and will end the week October 9th. You can start today, or tomorrow.

If you decide to try it, I would LOVE to hear how it goes for you, so please consider commenting below.

As Liz Gilbert (speaking of ‘eat’-ing, and oh! of Italy!) would say, “Onward!”

Tidying up

September 12, 2015 by Karen, posted in books, He and me, Marriage

You may have heard of the book that I am reading: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo. Heck, you may even be reading it yourself.

I found it on audio for free (after I bought the hardcover!) on YouTube. I sent the link out to my virtual book club (we’ve only actually read 2 books together; this would be number 3) in case anyone else wanted to read it and talk about it. Or more importantly, to read it and then to act on it.

I decided to act immediately upon finishing a section. I finished the first section that said to start with your clothes, so I did. It took me about half an hour to empty out all the closets and drawers and make the big pile of clothes.

It took me about 11 hours to discard everything I wasn’t keeping and then to put back everything that I was keeping!

Do not let this dissuade you! Full disclosure: I did try on a lot of things before I decided to keep them. Even if the item did “spark joy” (criterion from the book), I didn’t feel joyful in too-tight pants.

After I emptied my clothes out, I took a picture of the pile and texted it to my husband (the husband who had brought this book to my attention once or twice before I bought it), who was at work.

I didn’t receive a reply.

Me: Did you get my text?

He: Yes.

Me: Well?

He: Well, what?

Me: I thought you’d be glad to see that I started on the tidying up.

He: No! It was terrible! Looking at that made me anxious all day!

File under ‘be careful what you wish for’, husband.

🙂

My soon to be published book

June 12, 2015June 12, 2015 by Karen, posted in author, books, NaNoWriMo, no fear, The write words at the write time, writing

…soon to be published, as Blondie so fabulously put it, one way or another. The most important step, to FINISH it, is done!

My next step is to send out a query to an agent. Yep; I’m starting with just one. I’ll go from there. The one I am sending it to is with an agency that was recommended to me by someone who has read (and liked! and did I mention: liked?!) my book, which I am taking as a hopeful sign.

Since I finished the manuscript, you may be wondering what I am waiting for.

Here’s the thing: the planet Mercury has been retrograde all month and so I have been waiting for it to turn direct. Which it did today around 3pm.

I understand, however, from my extensive You Tube research :), that it can actually take a few days for Mercury to really, really be going direct again, to get it’s mojo back after being retrograde for so long.

Why not control what I can? Set myself up for success? The new moon is in Gemini (my sign!) on the sixteenth of June. I have decided that this is the most auspicious day to launch it.

Just for more good luck, I am putting the title out there:

Why Buy the Cow?

Fingers crossed.

The day I ate whatever I wanted

May 13, 2015May 13, 2015 by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, books, Party for one, quest for the best, restaurants, writing

When I read the title of this book by Elizabeth Berg, The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted, I thought, YESSSSS!!!! That’s all I want! To eat whatever I want! So in honor of my birthday month, I did that today. Full disclosure: I was using food to comfort myself because I had to work the day before, on Mother’s Day. You know. Again. Solace eating. I’m on it.

I started with, believe it or not, a bowl of Cheerios and milk, with a banana (the revered food of Minions everywhere!) cut up in it. Hello, childhood. I have been craving this meal lately, for some reason. I’m going with it.

Then I had a chocolate croissant (Him: Do you want me to heat it up? Me: Yes! Yes, Please!) from Starbucks at the mall. This was completely unplanned! I was going to get a Tiramisu Frappuccino, but then I heard the croissants calling my name. How could I let them down?

Next I had Maple Roasted Butternut Squash soup from Kamasouptra. With the tag line: Steamy. Hot. Soup. Really? The best thing about Kamasouptra Soup is the (steamy, hot) roll that comes with it. Once you’ve had it, you’ll want it again. And again. Hey, maybe that could be another (racy)slogan for them..? 🙂

Mid-afternoon, I got hungry again (I know, right?). On my way to get a healthy snack (an apple) from the fridge, I remembered that I picked up a whole wheat wild blueberry muffin from New Morning Natural Foods new-ish Kennebunk Deli earlier in the day. If you get one, here’s a tip: zap it for 20-30 seconds in the microwave before you eat it. You’re welcome.

Finally, I picked my daughter up from track, and she asked that question that daughters everywhere have been asking their mothers for centuries. “Mom, what’s for supper?”

I had no idea.
She noticed my hesitation and knew an opportunity when she saw it. “Let’s get Chinese! Like you wanted to yesterday! For Mother’s Day!” Okay, so you know.

She had me at Mother’s Day.

We went to Maple Leaves. I forgot to take a picture of our food, but I did take a (blurry) picture of my fortune.

My daughter was all over this, because I’m getting ready to either a) find an agent to sell my book or b) publish it myself.

Hey, any and all signs are welcome here.

🙂

Organization (or lack thereof)

January 3, 2015January 3, 2015 by Karen, posted in books, gardening, italian, knitting, no fear, writing, yoga

Organization? Thy name is not Karen.

I have stuff.

A lot of stuff.

I have decided that I am ready to let stuff go.

Keep it simple.

Stupid.

I have so many recipes and such that I have cut out, ripped out, torn out of magazines and newspapers and NEVER MADE. I should just throw them out, right? You’re right. You’re right. I KNOW you’re right.

And I have so many writing projects! How to organize them all? OMG. need a computer and desk dedicated just to that. Just to writing and the associated paraphernalia.

Then there’s the yoga stuff, the knitting stuff, the spiritual stuff, the Reiki stuff, the scrapbooking stuff…oh, and the Italian stuff! Folders for learning the language, cooking the food, traveling to the country.

The household stuff, bill paying stuff, the warranty stuff…oh! And all of the holiday stuff! Not just Christmas, but Christmas stuff does take up the most space. Wrapping paper, cards, decorations. Stacks and stacks (and stacks and stacks) of books. Plus the books on the actual (much too small) book case. (Note to self: my books are underserved.)

Nursing stuff! Stethoscopes, scrubs, clamps, bandage scissors, paper tape measures for measuring wounds…even though I am no longer a bedside nurse, I have learned the hard way to never say never and thus I am loath to release any of these things even though it’s been about two years since I’ve needed any of it.

Then there’s the Go and Do files. Some are filled with stuff we already Went and Did. Should I keep those or toss them? What about my idea file? I just read an article on FB (sorry, author of said article, I do not remember your name) that it’s good to write down ten ideas every day. I LOVE THAT! If I keep this file, then I’ve already got a head start!

Many things are in their own folders already, and it seems sort of organizational…but there are multiple folders for writing and yoga and knitting….and did I mention there is no place to put these files?

I think I need professional help.

Anyone? Anyone?

Does this NaNoWriMo make my butt look fat?

November 5, 2014November 6, 2014 by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, books, NaNoWriMo, writing

As a NaNoWriMo participant, I keep odd ours. Maybe you can relate? I am writing when and where I find time, or beg, borrow or steal time. This requires a larger expenditure of energy, ergo, I need to eat more often. Quick sugar foods are often at hand and fill the bill.

So far this month I have been hitting the peanut M+M’s pretty hard. Also Sweet Chili Pistachio nuts have my name all over them (hmmmm….maybe I should rephrase that….). Did I mention that I also have a jar of dark chocolate Hershey’s Kisses on my desk (dark chocolate equals health-ier, right?)?

Well, since I don’t want to be saying, “HEL-lo, five shiny new pounds,” on December 1 (after all, who has time to weigh themselves in November during NaNoWriMo?), I am rethinking my go-to snacks.

I shall keep you posted.

What do you guys eat to keep you going while you’re writing?
NB: A nod must be given here to the book by Peter Walsh that inspired the title of this blog post. 🙂

NaNoWriMo 2014

November 3, 2014November 3, 2014 by Karen, posted in books, writing

So it’s November, and you (may) know what that means: time to write a novel. This year my novel is having an identity crisis. I’ve renamed it three times since I began November 1. Yes, that’s three new titles in three days. This is the first time I’ve had this issue with my project.

I am taking it as a good sign.

This could be the year that I publish what I write for NaNoWriMo! Maybe the principle of ‘third time’s the charm’ could apply here!

The first title was: The Bobs. The second title was: A Tale of Two Sisters. The third title, the title du jour, is: One Brave Thing.

I am also reminded of the book, Do One Thing Different by Bill O’Hanlon, which I highly recommend. Anyway, I have that covered already for this year (reference above title changes) but I am thinking of designing a cover for my book to make it more real as I am writing it.

It must be said that I am not an artist, but I am a writer, so it follows that I am creative.

I am interested to see what I come up with.

Leisure time: top 10 activities

October 30, 2014 by Karen, posted in books, local fun, movies, NaNoWriMo, the beach, writing, yoga

I have the next few days off and am thinking of fun ways to spend it:

Go bowling
Go to the movies: I want to see St Vincent, The Judge, and that Steve Carell movie about the terrible, very bad day.
Get up early and go to yoga
Go see the ocean!
Check out the Craft Show at the JHS
Work on my plan for NaNoWriMo beginning 11/1
Attend a memoir writing class (if I can just get in my registration under the wire….)
Start my next knitting project
Read one of the hundred or so books I have in piles waiting for me
Go to the Health and Wellness Expo in Portland

Of course, I may just lay on the couch and watch The Pioneer Woman on the Food Network.

Library book sale

July 31, 2013 by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, books, family, friends, teens

My daughter and I ventured into new territory together last year when we volunteered together for the Friends of the Wells Public Library annual fundraising book sale.

We had such a good time volunteering last year that we are planning to do it again this year.

We mostly sorted and carried books to their proper spots on the tables that we helped to set up first thing in the morning. There were plenty of people of all ages there helping out along with us, including The Boy Scouts!!!

This years sale is scheduled for Saturday, August 10th from 10am -2pm and (you guessed it!), for some reason they need more volunteers than just me and Izzy. If you are so inclined and are local and want to help out, just email Susan at susan.layne1@gmail.com. Currently volunteers are still needed from 12pm-3pm on both Friday and Saturday.

If you come to help us, bring something to drink, like a big bottle of water (or maybe keep a cooler in your car with some cold drinks and an ice pack if you are planning to stay a while-hint! hint!). Also, a granola bar or two for you teenagers wouldn’t hurt (because God forbid you eat an apple or something).

If you don’t have time to help, consider coming to shop!!! Spending your money at the book sale will also be appreciated! The book sale is Saturday at the Wells Junior High School in the gym.

Remember (like Susan says): Many hands make light work!

See you there!!