It's Just Hanging Around

 "Think for a minute about what makes you fabulous and how you can celebrate it." (Laura Mercier)

 

 Hello, my lovely friends! 

    I’ve officially become a human revolving door for every germ in a five-mile radius. Just when I think I’ve finally evicted the latest bug, it loops right back around for an uninvited encore. This past week, the "neighborhood crud" decided I was its favorite host again, leaving me stuck in a dizzying cycle of sniffles and regret.

Thankfully, I’m fully vaxxed, so while others are currently fighting for their lives, I’ve mostly just been a very expensive space heater. I spent the better part of the weekend in a medically induced coma (also known as a nap), and I’m finally feeling like a functioning member of society again. Here’s hoping I’ve officially kicked this thing to the curb—or at least told it to find a new door to swing through.

    I hear most of you are currently living in a literal winter wonderland, and I’ll be honest: I’m reaching a level of jealousy that’s becoming borderline unhealthy. While you’re out there living your best "thriving in a snow globe" life, we had a pathetic dusting last night that vanished faster than my New Year’s resolution to eat more kale. It’s a tragedy, truly.

Right now, our local ski resorts are looking more like hiking trails with delusions of grandeur. Half of them aren’t even fully open because the sky refuses to cooperate, leaving us in a climate so dry I’m basically turning into a human raisin. At this point, I’m not even being picky—I’d take a monsoon, a slushy mess, or a light misting if it meant putting some moisture back into the air. If you have any spare clouds or a direct line to the snow gods, please send them my way before I give up and start praying to my humidifier.

    How is 2026 treating everyone so far? Personally, I’ve spent the better part of the new year in a heated, one-sided argument with a stubborn sickness that just won't take the hint. Aside from that glamorous development, things have been pretty quiet—mostly because it’s hard to make "big moves" when your primary accomplishment for the day is successfully reaching for the tissues.

While I’m over here playing professional patient, my poor mom is dealing with the real deal. Her back is acting up again, and now her "good" knee has decided to join the rebellion. She’s already eyeing a second knee surgery, but since she’s reached a certain vintage, she’s worried the doctors might give her the "let's just wait and see" routine. It’s a bit of a toss-up, but I’m crossing everything that they give her the green light soon. There is absolutely nothing fun about watching her power through that kind of pain, and frankly, she’s overdue for a break from being the universe's favorite target.

 

Thank you so much for stopping by.
I wish you a good morning, afternoon or evening wherever you are.
Until next time… Ciao!

Just Do It

 

Something New to Add to Friday Fundays

 

"The universe is always speaking to us. ... Sending us little messages, causing coincidences and serendipities, reminding us to stop, to look around, to believe in something else, something more." (Nancy Thayer)

Hello, my lovely friends!

    We all know that Fridays around here are dedicated to the pursuit of a good time—which, in my world, usually translates to me oversharing random facts about myself. I love the tradition, and I’m definitely not stopping, but I’ve decided Fridays are ripe for a little renovation. Why should I be the only one under the microscope while you sit back and enjoy the show?

    I’m pivoting to a "give and take" dynamic. You know those "get to know me" prompts that circulate online—the ones that range from deeply philosophical to "what’s the weirdest thing in your fridge"? I’m going to cherry-pick one question every Friday to answer myself, and then I’m turning the spotlight on you. Consider this your weekly invitation to spill some tea (or just some trivia) in the comments so we can find out new things about each other. 

    I know, I know—I’ve been a bit of a ghost lately, and not even the spooky, fun kind. Last year was a chaotic fever dream that sent this blog (and my sanity) into a tailspin, but I’m finally dusting off the keyboard. It’s time I stop playing hide-and-seek with my own interests and put myself back on the front burner where the real heat is. Consider this my official notice that I’m done being my own last priority.

    So, let’s go with the first question for this new idea for some Friday blogs, and it’s something simple...

What are your top 10 movies?

My top 10 movies:

1. It Happened One Night (1934)

 

2. Moulin Rouge! (2001)

3. Less Than Zero (1987)

4. Cabaret (1972)

5. Julie & Julia (2009)

6. One Way Passage (1932)

7. Rome Adventure (1962)

8. The Lost Boys (1987)

9. What Price Hollywood? (1932)

10. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Thank you so much for stopping by.
I wish you a good morning, afternoon or evening wherever you are.
Until next time… Ciao!

Doggie Air-Fryer Meatballs (Recipe)

 

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive. ~Gilda Radner

Hello, my lovely friends!
        
    The things you can find or be inspired to do spending time on Pinterest. The other day I was browsing recipes for anything on Pinterest and found a recipe for dog meatballs. Sometimes I read the recipe and wonder if the person actual made the recipe or even know how to cook because some of them are horrible sounding. I found a dog recipe that had two ingredients: ground chicken or turkey and shredded carrots. What kind of meal is that for a dog? I knew I could come up with something better and tastier for my little man. 

    While out at Sprouts I grabbed a ground turkey roll and in the salad bags I found a broccoli slaw that had shredded broccoli, carrots and red cabbage. I started thinking of what you put in a real meatball, but minus the garlic and onions. In the fridge I had a container of leftover rice to use as well.

Air-Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
·    Ground Turkey – 1 pound
·    Broccoli Slaw _ 1 bag (16 oz.)
·    Cooked rice – 1 ½ cup
·    Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 TBSP.

Directions
1.    In a food processor put the entire bag of the broccoli slaw in there and let it become finely chopped. Place it all in a bowl and do the same thing with the rice. I guess you really don’t have to put the rice in the food processor, but that’s what I did. 

2.    In the large bowl that has the broccoli slaw and rice in it put the uncooked ground turkey in there. Also, add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the bowl. I started mixing with a spoon, but immediately switch to my hands to mix it all together.

3.    Using a small scoop I got about 37 meatballs from it.  I could have gotten more, but I used some of the mixture in something else that’s a bonus recipe. 

4.    I’m using the Air-Fryer for this, but you could put them in the oven or even cook them in a skillet on the stove. If cooking in the oven I would go 350 for 15 to 20 minutes and turning them halfway. In a skillet I would do it in a non-stick skillet and cook probably four minutes on one side, flip them, turn the temp from medium to low and put a lid on the skillet for another three minutes.  However, I’m using the Air-Fryer for this one and it’s going to be at 350 between ten and twelve minutes. The first batch I went fifteen minutes and that was too long. 
    
    After I finished making it I gave one to Scooter and he loved it. He looked like he wanted more, but I told him he has to wait for dinner. For the little guy he weighs between twelve and fourteen pounds, so I’ll give him two meatballs for a meal. Once again I used the very old wax bags that we can seal and put two meatballs in each bag. There’s almost twenty bags there and I put them in the freezer. I’ll just take one out the night before and let it defrost in the fridge. Now onto the bonus recipe.

    Once I did the broccoli slaw and rice in the food processor I looked at it and thought what if I add an egg or two to it and cook him a breakfast omelet. Before I added the ground turkey I took out about two cups of the mixture because there was a lot and put it in another bowl. I then added two eggs that I whisked and mixed it together. This time on the stove I heated up my non-stick pan on medium with about a TBSP. of coconut oil. I got a regular ice cream scoop and made little small pancakes in the skillet, cooked it about three minutes on one side, flipped them and cooked an additional three minutes. 

    I made a very small one for the little man to try out and he ate that one up too. I got about fifteen little omelet pancakes out of those. I imagine you could shred a potato in there or different veggies. I love that I can control what is going in his food and he is loving it all. 

Thank you so much for stopping by.
I wish you a good morning, afternoon or evening wherever you are.
Until next time… Ciao!

It's the Little Things

 

Finding Your Balance

“Let this be the year you release your fears about what you can achieve.” 
(Oprah Winfrey)

 
Hello, my lovely friends!

 

     So, what’s the big secret to "balance"? Is it parked on a rubber mat, chanting a few "Ohms" until your legs go numb? Or maybe it’s sweating through your third yoga class of the week, surrounded by people who seem suspiciously calm while folded into pretzels. If that’s not your vibe, perhaps you’ve tried purging your brain into a journal for an hour or meticulously glue-sticking magazine clippings onto a "vision board" like a middle school art project. You keep searching for that elusive equilibrium like it’s a lost set of car keys, but let’s be honest, have you actually found it yet?

 

The truth is, finding your center isn't strictly reserved for the incense-burning, inner-peace-seeking crowd. Sure, those rituals work wonders for some, but if they leave you feeling more annoyed than enlightened, you aren't doing it wrong—you’re just looking in the wrong aisle. If the standard "zen" starter pack isn't clicking, it’s time to stop forcing the meditation and start figuring out what actually keeps your world from spinning off its axis.

 

    Look, I am absolutely obsessed with Eat, Pray, Love. Like every other woman who’s ever stared soul-crushingly at a spreadsheet, I’ve had that distinct, mid-afternoon fantasy of tossing my laptop into the nearest body of water and fleeing the country for a year of self-discovery. We’re all essentially living vicariously through Julia Roberts as she masterfully navigates the "holy trinity" of escapism: inhaling enough pasta in Italy to ignore her problems, aggressively meditating the stress away in India, and then—of course—stumbling into a cinematic romance in Bali. If only my real-life breakdowns came with a Hollywood lighting crew and a Brazilian lover played by Javier Bardem.

 

I’m well aware it’s based on a true story, but let’s be honest—movies have a way of polishing the messy bits until they sparkle. Real-life "finding yourself" usually involves more missed flights and digestive issues than the montage suggests. Still, beneath the glossy Hollywood veneer, there’s a kernel of truth that hits a little too close to home. We’re all just collectively exhausted and hunting for that mythical thing called balance. Even if I can’t spend twelve months eating my weight in carbs on a global tour, I’m still chasing that same peace of mind—hopefully with slightly less drama and at least half the charisma of a movie star.

 

     We love to tell ourselves the lie that if we could just master a headstand or survive a twenty-minute silent retreat without thinking about a cheeseburger, we’d finally unlock that mythical "balanced life." We treat yoga and meditation like a software update for our souls, hoping some guru’s vintage wisdom will finally fix the glitch. But let’s be real: balance isn’t a skill you download from a mat or a monk. It’s not about following a prescribed ritual; it’s about realizing that the center of gravity is—and always has been—inside you.

 

The truth is, balance is an aggressively personal affair. What feels like Zen for one person looks like a hostage situation for another. While your neighbor might find their peace sitting like a statue for two hours, you might be the type of person who finds "stillness" physically painful after approximately ninety seconds. There is no universal manual for this. The real work isn’t mimicry; it’s the messy, trial-and-error process of figuring out what actually keeps your own gears turning without grinding. It’s about finding that internal sweet spot, even if it looks absolutely nothing like a stock photo of a sunset.

 

     Look, we need to stop pretending that "balance" is a one-size-fits-all yoga retreat in Bali. The truth is that finding your center is a deeply personal, slightly chaotic endeavor that depends entirely on your own brand of crazy. For some, inner peace looks like the rhythmic, mindless satisfaction of scrubbing a floor while the house is blissfully quiet—finally giving your brain a chance to hear itself think. For others, it’s the high-stakes chemistry of a sourdough starter or the unapologetic indulgence of a 2:00 PM nap. If one method leaves you feeling more stressed than centered, toss it out. There’s no rulebook here, so don’t be afraid to flirt with a few different habits until one actually sticks.

 

We also need to debunk the myth that you have to empty your wallet to feel whole again. You don’t need a $100 crystal or a designer journal to find your footing; sometimes the best reset button is totally free and incredibly boring. Whether it’s five minutes of stretching on your living room floor or scribbling your grievances into a notebook before bed, keeping it simple is usually the ultimate power move. Balance isn't about how much time or money you sink into it; it’s about finding those small, weird pockets of joy that keep you from losing your mind in the daily grind.

 

 Here are some of the things to get your balance in order…
 
1)      Silence- So meditating is not your thing, enjoy some silence. Make a cup of tea or coffee, sit with a book or nothing at all and just be. Or enjoy the outside and listen to nature. 
 
2)    Go for a walk- Walk your favorite path and enjoy it, listen to the sounds and see the sights out there. Pay attention to your breathing also. Use this kind of walk for enjoyment, not with the idea of exercise. So you can take you time walking. 
 
3)    Take a nap- Babies and little children do it, why not you? Take an afternoon nap once a week or on the weekends. Let your family know that this is your time for the next hour or two and do not disturb you. Put on some soothing music and go to dream land. 
 
4)    Read an inspiring book – there’s so many books and subjects to choose from. Look online or hang out in your local library to see if anything grabs you. 
 
5)   Journal – I love to sit and just write. I have so many journals and most are blank, but eventually I’ll write in them. Get yourself a journal and out down what you’re grateful for. Sometimes I’ll just start writing and let your emotions come out. 

 

    Look, finding your balance isn’t some off-the-rack, one-size-fits-all ensemble you can just pick up at the mall. It’s a bespoke suit, and frankly, yours needs a little tailoring. You’ve got to stop trying to force-fit everyone else's "wellness" hacks into your life and start hunting for the specific brand of magic that actually makes you tick. Once you find that rhythm, whatever it is, you need to cling to it with the kind of borderline-obsessive devotion usually reserved for cult members or people who do CrossFit.

 

This is the year you finally stop playing supporting character in your own biopic and put yourself back at the top of the freaking call sheet. It’s time to be a little selfish, do the things that actually make you feel alive, and stop apologizing for it. Stop worrying about the scales for a second; once you start treating yourself like the VIP you are, you’ll find that the rest of the world has a funny way of leveling itself out.

 

 It’s been a total treat having you here, and I’m sending you off with a metaphorical hug and a reminder to be your favorite person today. I hope your morning, afternoon, or evening is packed with the kind of small wins that make life feel like a win-streak. Take care of yourself out there in the real world, and hurry back soon so we can pick up exactly where we left off.

 

January is for Cleaning Up

 "Life is like a camera. Just focus on what's important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don't turn out - take another shot." (Author Unknown)

Hello, my lovely friends!

 

  Look, we all know the drill: January 1st hits and suddenly we’re all convinced we’ll transform into organized, kale-smoothie-drinking paragons of virtue overnight. It’s the ultimate "fresh start" high, where we pinky-promise ourselves that this is the year the bad habits die and the "growth" begins. But let’s be real—trying to overhaul your entire personality in one go is a one-way ticket to burnout by February. It just doesn't work, no matter how many aesthetic planners you buy.

Instead of setting myself up for a spectacular mid-month collapse, I’m playing it a bit smarter this time around. I’m zeroing in on one area at a time rather than trying to boil the ocean. I’m resurrecting my old-school strategy from the Spark days: monthly goals. It’s much harder to fail when you’re only looking four weeks ahead. By breaking my big, "future-me" dreams into bite-sized, monthly schemes, I might actually cross the finish line for once. On that note, here’s the shortlist of what I’m actually aiming for this year.

1)    Lose weight 
2)    Be more active 
3)    Eat healthier
4)    De-clutter and organize the house
5)    Share more of my culture
6)    Make things simple

    I am taking January to finally deal with the wreckage of my own making. We all love to hit the ground running the second the clock strikes midnight, but let’s be honest: usually, we’re just sprinting through a pre-existing obstacle course of our own clutter. Plowing ahead without a cleanup crew just means I’m dragging last year’s chaos into a fresh calendar, and frankly, I’ve seen that movie and I didn’t like the ending.

This month is less about "new year, new me" and more about "new year, less mess." I’m doing the dirty work now so I don’t spend the rest of 2026 tripped up by my own unfinished business. It’s all about clearing the deck and making some actual breathing room, because a successful year shouldn’t require a search-and-rescue team just to find my desk. Consider this my official eviction notice to the clutter so I can actually get on with being a functional human being.

January Goals 

 1)    Clean and organize the kitchen – in order to eat healthier and lose weight I need a healthy kitchen       including the pantry, fridge, and freezer. 
2)    Clean out my closet - I have a ton of clothes, but only wear half. Time to donate those.  
3)    Start waking up fifteen minutes earlier each week.
4)    Drink a glass of lemon water every morning
5)    Make three or more new recipes
6)    Take fifteen to thirty minutes to journal in the morning

    I’ve decided that living like a chaotic raccoon is no longer my aesthetic, so consider this my official launch into a better, healthier, and significantly more functional life. I’m spending January scrubbing every corner of my home and my soul until everything finally feels "clean." It’s a bold move, I know. What about you? Do you have grand plans for world domination this year, or are you just trying to remember what day of the week it is? 

 Thank you so much for stopping by.
I wish you a good morning, afternoon or evening wherever you are.
Until next time… Ciao!

 

 

Time To Play Catch-Up

 

 

"If I've learned one lesson from all that's happened to me, it's that there is no such thing as the biggest mistake of your existence. There's no such thing as ruining your life. Life's a pretty resilient thing, it turns out." (Sophie Kinsella)

Hello, my lovely friends!

 

    It feels like forever since we had a sit down grab a cup of something hot and let’s have a chat. Of course, I have nothing hot because you all know I’m writing this late at night (I’m such a night owl). 

 

     Our Christmas and New Year’s rollout was definitely a departure from the usual script—a "unique" experience that was about 10% holiday magic and 90% high-stakes grocery store survival. Because we decided to source the entire Christmas feast a mere 48 hours before the big day, the stakes were high and my confidence was low. I marched into the store on a mission for Prime Rib, only to find the inventory dwindled down to two lonely roasts and one very indecisive man. He was hovering over the meat case, debating options with his wife on the phone while I stood there doing my best impression of a casual shopper, secretly praying he’d either vanish or opt for the massive five-rib monstrosity. The moment he turned his back, I pulled a total tactical maneuver, snatched the perfect two-rib roast, and beat a hasty retreat before he could change his mind.

 

The rest of the shopping trip was a similar exercise in "making it work." After a fruitless search for a cheesecake, I decided that a frozen pecan pie was a perfectly acceptable, if slightly icy, substitute. Back at home, the festive spirit was leaning heavily toward minimalism since we had hardly any decorations up, but I wasn't about to let the holiday pass without a bit of flair. I went all-in on the kitchen table, breaking out the Christmas tablecloth and the full spread to prove that even if the tree was missing, the spirit (and the stolen Prime Rib) was very much present.

 

     I managed to drag the tree into the TV room, though it’s currently standing in its naked, undecorated glory like it’s waiting for a bus. As for the gifts, let’s just say the wrapping paper stayed on the roll; we’ve officially transitioned to the "three giant gift bags" method of holiday distribution, which is far more efficient and significantly less likely to result in paper cuts.

    The real magic was in our refusal to move. We stayed firmly planted in our festive pajamas all day, curating a private marathon of those TCM holiday classics I’d been hoarding on the DVR. It was a blissfully quiet celebration, exactly the kind of low-key repeat performance. I do think I mentioned all that to you last year. 

          

    New Year’s Eve was a whole different beast. By now, you’re likely well-acquainted with my "dedication" to The Twilight Zone—though if we’re being honest, let’s just call it the full-blown obsession it actually is. With two different channels running 48-hour marathons, I had to make a strategic choice. I tethered myself to the Syfy broadcast, mostly because that’s where my fellow "Zoners" on Twitter congregate. We’ve been digital comrades for at least five years, though some of those friendships go back even further into the dimension of imagination.

 

    The evening’s menu usually follows a strict protocol of Chinese takeout, a tradition my sister initiated years ago. However, my mom wasn’t exactly feeling the vision this time around, probably because we’d already done a Panda Express run during a shopping spree earlier in the week. We pivoted to the next logical pillar of holiday health: Pizza Hut. It wasn’t the usual tradition, but a mountain of pizza and chicken wings is a pretty solid consolation prize while you’re busy questioning the nature of reality.

 

    So, how did everyone actually survive the holiday gauntlet? Whether you spent the last few weeks dodging awkward family questions or successfully achieving a world-record-breaking hibernation, I hope you’ve emerged relatively unscathed. Now that we’ve officially stumbled into 2026, I’m curious if the "new year, new me" energy has actually kicked in or if we’re all just collectively squinting at our calendars in disbelief.

 

    Speaking of fresh starts, have you actually committed to any grand resolutions yet, or are we still in the "thinking about thinking about it" phase? I’d love to hear if you’ve mapped out some ambitious goals to conquer the year or if your primary objective for January is simply remembering to write the correct year on your paperwork. 

  

I’m so grateful you spent a bit of your day here with me. I hope the rest of your morning, afternoon, or evening is filled with little moments of joy and a whole lot of cozy.  Take good care of yourself, and I’ll be looking forward to our next chat!

 

Believing in Yourself