Thought of the Day

 "What if" is a phrase that has been a big part of my adult life that has invaded my mind on an almost daily basis.  We all have those thoughts.  "If I had only...." or "I should have...". And those thoughts can be very taxing on one's spirit.  I know that they are taxing on my spirit. Well, they used to be.  I work very hard at not getting myself caught up in things that might have been had I done this or behaved that way.  While that does take a great deal of effort, I have learned that by not allowing those feelings to infiltrate my life I feel better. While I know that I cannot change the things that I have done in the past which I am not proud of, I can acknowledge them and move on.  After all, those things made me the person that I am today.  And I am proud of who I am today.

For me personally, I feel that I came to this resolution late in life but in all honesty there really is not a defined timeline for such things.  And now that I am to this point, I can move forward in positive ways.  Now when one of those thoughts creep into my conscience, I recognize it and use it for something positive in my life. When I think "well, I should have done this", I will then take that thought and repurpose it into something like "well, because I didn't do that then, now I'm doing this which is what I want to do now." It may be hard to understand what I am trying to say but it all makes sense in my head. 

"What ifs" are a natural part of our mental health.  I am simply taking mine and making something good out of them. That is all. 

Quote of the Week

 This was a good quote to carry with me today.  And will be a good quote to carry with me everyday!

Getting myself into the gerontology job market

 Today, I am going to experience something that I have not done in a long time as an adult.  I am going to a job interview.  I have not had a job interview in 8 years.  I am pretty nervous because I do not want to make a fool of myself.  Most of the jobs I have interviewed for have been not very important in the grand scheme of things.  I do not mean that the jobs were not important to me or what I was doing was not important, but these were jobs I did not need experience for or a degree for.  I have loved the jobs that I have had in my life.  They have helped shape me into who I am today.  But now, after graduation, I feel like I am in a different league of job searching.  And I am.

I debated a long time about applying for gerontology jobs that I am not qualified for.  I decided that I would go ahead and start applying for them for two reasons.  One is my goal of networking.  Even if I do not get the job that I am applying for, at least I will be getting myself out there and that is important in this line of work. Gerontology is as much about who you know as what you know.  Another reason is that I never know when someone will be willing to take a chance on someone like me, newly graduated with little experience in the field.  It may be the case today. It may not.  But I will have done it.  I put my application in online on a Sunday and I was called to set up an interview the next day.  We shall see how it goes.  Either way, I am happy to have this opportunity.  

Student Adventures - my online notes

 In a follow up to my last blog about school, I realized that I also need to store my notes from online while I still have access to them.  First and foremost, I need to find out how long I will have access to my student accounts. That will at least give me a time frame from which I can go about saving everything.  I started looking back at all of the documents that I have saved and it is quite a few.  Three years' worth.  But they are all going to be beneficial to me in the long run, so I need to hold on to them. I need to get a flash drive to put them all on so that I can have easy access to them.  I will add that to my list!  I wonder if I should also print everything out as well.  Hmmmmm Decisions, decisions.  I am hoping that by reviewing all of this material that it will motivate me to learn more.  I need to keep learning so that I stay current and can be more "marketable" in the gerontology world.  We shall see.  But, first, let me find out my access dates and go from there. 

Here's That Rainy Day - Susie Arioli

 I first heard Susie Arioli on NPR.  I don't remember which show I was listening to, but I do remember her.  Her voice is so soothing and clear.  I love her vocals.  I have found several of her albums over the years and so enjoy listening to them.  If you have not heard her before, I suggest you listen to her.  I hope you enjoy!

Recipe of the Week - Ham and Potato Soup

 Now that we are coming to the end of summer and fall will be here soon, it is time for me to start thinking about soups.  I do not really make soup that much during the summer months but when fall gets here, there is just nothing like a good bowl of soup for dinner!  Or lunch.  I found this recipe online a while back.  I was looking for something to do with some extra ham that I had left over, and this was the perfect solution.  While I have only made it once, I will definitely make it again.  Anytime I can use my crock pot is a good thing!

Ham and Potato Soup

1 bag frozen hashbrowns, thawed

2 cups diced ham

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 celery stalks, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 cups shredded cheddar

Garnish - Green onion

Mix all of the ingredients except for cream cheese and cheddar in your crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Add cheeses then and stir until smooth. Cook 30 more minutes, stirring several times. Top with green onion and serve. 

Enjoy!

10 of My Favorite Podcasts

 I guess you can say that I came to enjoy Podcasts later than most people.  I really only began listening to them during the past few years.  But I really do enjoy them and find myself listening to them on a weekly basis.  I don't binge listen to them, so for many of the ones that I enjoy I am still playing catch up.  Ah, well. I tend to seek out things that I love when I am looking for podcasts.  Here are 10 podcasts that I love to listen to.  What are some of yours?  I am always open to recommendations!

1. The Plot Thickens - Turner Classic Movies series that each season focuses on one piece of Hollywood History.  The latest season is about the epic flop Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor.  

2. Can't Wait for Christmas - Keeping the spirit of Christmas alive all year round, hosted by comedian Tim Babb (with help from his family).

3. Sporkful - Hosted by 3-time James Beard award winner Dan Pashman, it's not about foodies, it's about eaters. 

4. Merry Britmas - a series about the holidays in Britain.  It covers music, specials, traditions in a very fun way!

5. You Must Remember This - Another deep dive into the world of Hollywood.  There are many fun seasons to listen to. Mine is currently Six Degrees of Joan Crawford.

6. And the Award Goes To - Each episode features a Tony Award winner and their experience winning the award. 

7. Golden Girls Deep Dive - They take each episode and examine it.  Can be quite fun but sometimes they do get hung up on something that should just let go of LOL 

8. Totally Rad Christmas - Everything 80s Christmas podcast.  Very nostalgic! 

9. Season's Eatings - Each episode looks into a Christmas food such as plum pudding.  Often there are dishes from African or European cultures that I was unaware of.  Very enjoyable! 

10. Gastropod - More fun with food!