Who knew?

Mmmm hmmm. I am sitting in my freezing tiny office at work with a huge bowl-like mug of Folger's Gourmet Vanilla Biscotti coffee. YUM! I was really worried that there wasn't any sugar left at work. Saturday is popcorn night, and the children I work with completely pigged out, each drinking a 2 liter of some carbonated, fattening beverage and consuming a massive mixing bowl filled to the brim with popcorn smothered in butter, sugar, and these random spices topped with hot sauce. Yes, the smell of it all is of total barf quality, but the kiddos love it, so I am happy if they are. What I am not happy about is that they have consumed FIVE pounds of sugar in one night! I was terrified that with no sugar, my coffee would suck, but apparently flavored creamer is... well, Flavored! Ha! So my coffee is fantastic and I will no longer be using sugar!

It is now, 4am, and I am taking a small break from my absolute crochet madness in which I have been enthralled. I have been spending hours on end crocheting until my fingers and wrists go numb! These days, I have realized that there are so many things that I just don't know how to do. I am sure you are thinking, "Duh! No one knows everything!" But this comes as a shock to me. For some reason, I seriously felt for a long time that I knew everything that mattered to me and that if not, I could easily find out the information and store it in my magical, portable storage bin of a mind forever.

Well, today I found out that was not the case. First, I got out of bed, just about 2 hours later than planned. That is when I realized that I need a lesson on motivation, schedules, and punctuality. I thought I knew it all in that department, but evidentaly, that information has fallen out of my mind somehow. Then, I went to the Border's Bookstore with my daughter. It's a shameful fact, but I do base a lot of my daily activities on whatever random bits of inspiration I cross. That and my dreams. I have seen the movie Julie & Julia about 6 times in the last week. That means, and yes, I admit this, I have seen it everyday since I bought it about a week ago. So I decided, after each viewing, that I should be cooking too! I love to cook, and I have 20 or so cookbooks and another 30 magazines about cooking. I went to Border's to find out about Julia Child's french cookbook. The food looked so great in the film! That was lesson number two for me: I have no idea how to focus without getting completely overwhelmed when flooded with information. I found myself spending a good chunk of time sitting on the floor playing ponies with my daughter because my head was hurting from trying to find the damn French cookbook section. When I did find it, I decided not to buy it because, well, I didn't intend to spend $60-100 on the book! I did buy a magazine that has some interesting recipes and a book that is just plain scary. There are recipes for just about every animal organ possible from brains to testicles. So. Not. Happening. The sad thing is that when it was all said and done, I made spaghetti for dinner. My husband, daughter, and I are all very picky eaters. It's damn near impossible to find something we all would enjoy... but pasta always works. I wonder how mom's who work manage to cook something everyone will eat without going absolutely bonkers or getting bored with the same recipes? Ha! I bet they don't! I am sure dinner at the average housewife's house is just as boring and routine as it is in my apartment.

The last thing I learned today is that I don't know anything about interior design. Finally, I have a craft room! Well, actually, right now it is an explosion of random arts & crafts supplies strewn all over every cubic inch of the parameter. I tried to make it functional, but I am lost on how that is supposed to happen! I have been looking up "creative spaces" online and in books trying to imagine what the hell these women did to get so organized. It's like they are professionals or something. Well, then it dawned on me... these women are professionals! Clearly, there wouldn't be postings, blogs, books, and magazines on random rookies' crazy craft heaps like mine! And furthermore, I know these women have spent years cultivating spaces that would best suit their needs for motivation, inspiration, and creation. So for now, I will just work at it until something magical happens.

Tomorrow, I will do three things: 1- SLEEP! I am exhausted from working extra shifts these past 3 weeks in a row. 2- COOK! Yes, dammit! I am not Julie or Julia, but I can work some magic in the kitchen too! I plan to cook Cheese Soup, although I have no clue where to find a pumpkin...or why pumpkin is in the soup to begin with. Roast Chicken with Fennel, although I have never purchased or even tasted a fennel. I love new adventures! And as the side, Penne with crisp prosciutto, zucchini, and corn. I am sure my husband and daughter will immediately fall into some sort of catatonic shock as they struggle to find an answer to what the hell I was thinking making them try Three new dishes at once. I just pray that the overall taste of these recipes will be so amazing that the flavor alone will conquer their bewilderment and leave their mouths watering.

As for art projects, I plan to have turned these two heaps of precious granny squares into the boy & girl baby blankets I planned. So I am guessing it's only fair to return tomorrow night to report back on my progress! *Note to self* Research time management!