Asking Questions ~ Getting What You Want

I think one of the biggest communication flaws is expectations. In any communication, questions asked and answered by each party lead to a mutual understanding. Whether we are engaged in a personal or business transaction, either casual or complicated, the more our expectations are addressed in advance, the better the chance of everybody being satisfied with the results. Assumptions can lead to unnecessary let-downs.

What to bring to a pot-luck dinner?

Me? I always bring what I like. Then, at least I'm guaranteed at least one thing I can eat. This is practical, no? And since I'm a foodie, usually what I bring is a big hit. If you're not a foodie, ask one. They'll help you figure it out.

Annoying Telemarketing Calls

If you don't want to be bothered by telemarketers (and who does?) here is a way to vastly reduce the number of telemarketing calls you get, Click on this link, and you will arrive on the page of the National Do Not Call Registry.

"Catalog Choice" Mailing List Removal

If you click on this link, you will be able to sign up to get yourself off the mailing lists of catalogs you do not want to receive. In my work as a professional organizer, I can tell you that a common denominator of disorganized people is having lots of catalogs coming in. It irks me (hi mom!—that's definitely your word) that via catalog mailings, the shopping mall basically arrives in our mailboxes, usually unsolicited. Not having catalogs creates more peace of mind. We can always shop on the websites of the catalogs that interest us. Go green!

Beans and Rice

My latest "must have meal" (almost every day) is, of all formerly dreaded things, beans and rice. As movies like "Food, Inc." have exposed the corruption of our national food industry, animal products have largely lost their appeal to me. It has been a natural transition for me to eat a lot of beans and rice. Here is my easy recipe: Slow cook pinto beans in water, adding chopped up sauteed onions the last hour of the 3 hour cooking time. Make sure the beans don't burn, by adding water as needed. Serve with brown rice, plenty of pico de gallo salsa, and sliced avocado. You can make a nice batch each of the beans and rice and eat them for 3 days. I get the salsa from a local Mexican restaurant that makes it really great. No need to chop and slice. The resulting feast is yummy, a good chew, satisfying, and feels like the perfect thing to fuel us energetically. There are minimal dishes to wash. It's a win-win.

Nagging Cat Dilemma

When your cat insists that you to feed her in the middle of the night, or way too early in the morning, and you know you will not get any sleep until she has eaten, here's the practically pain-free plan: Keep dry food in your bedroom, a kibble bowl + a bowl of water. It's a win-win.

Yummy Diet Dessert

Slice an apple with a good balance of sweet and tart
Arrange artistically on a dessert plate

Sprinkle 3/4 t Scharffen Berger cocoa powder over the slices

Sprinkle 1/2 t Sugar-in-the-Raw over that

Adjust sprinklings to taste

Scharffen Berger cocoa powder (unsweetened) is only 25 Cal per T

What a deal! ! ! ! !

More of these recipes to follow