The Gratitude Post

In his Wall Street Journal "Moving On" column yesterday, Jeffrey Zaslow suggests "There may be a positive byproduct of our times: a decrease in the urge to complain." He presents the idea that as we move further into the throes of recession, "we're seeing a return to Depression-era stoicism and an appreciation of simpler things." It's no longer cool to complain. In fact, with rampant job losses, pay cuts, frozen bonuses, work furloughs and businesses faltering left and right, many people are taking stock and counting their blessings. Job satisfaction, he reports, is actually up. Seems it's a bit easier to be grateful for a paycheck when many are doing without.  

Zaslow closes his article with a recommendation from Dr. Sherene McHenry, a professor of counseling at Central Michigan University, who says we should "write down three things we're grateful for every day-no matter how simple they might seem." 

My "Grateful List" today includes:

1. Heat: The pilot light on our furnace went out this past weekend and for the life of me, I couldn't re-light it. While it wasn't freezing outside, it was cold enough for me to layer up and plug in my dusty old space heater. My husband returned home a few hours later and within no time, our furnace was up and running. I was so relived. The thought of going without heat, or calling in a service technician over the weekend (and paying sky-high weekend rates) was troubling. So this morning, when I rolled out of bed and, in mere seconds, adjusted our home's temperature from 59 to 68 degrees, I was eternally grateful. I took a moment to acknowledge how lucky I am to have heat, water, electricity and food at my fingertips. In many parts of the world (including parts of our own country), this isn't the case. 

2. Work - I work for myself and have the luxury - most days - of setting my own schedule. I work with wonderful clients, inspiring colleagues and talented media professionals. Today, I have a job and that's a good thing indeed. 

3. Coffee - The aroma, the taste, the kick-in-the-butt wake-up call it provides.  

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. What's on your "Grateful List" today?

Life

I've been a bit remiss in posting. I had the best intentions when I added the blog to the Six Minute Style site, but life has a way interjecting and grabbing (stealing?) our attention. Suffice it to say, there are big changes on the near horizon that have my full attention. More on that later. For now, here are some random thoughts:

The Economy: Could it get any worse? It's nutty right now and it seems most people are feeling it in some way, shape or form. If you're not - good for you! If you are, here's what I want to know: What changes have you made to deal with the economic slowdown?

Film - Saw "The Wrestler." Is it worth all the hype? Absolutely. Mickey Rourke is flawless. The film is tight and lean (not a lot of extraneous scenes and sub-plots taking up screen time) and the photography is spot-on - simultaneously intimate and bold. See this film. Then see it again.  BTW, if you're shying away because of an aversion to director Darren Aronofsky's work, get over it. You'll be glad you did. This is a beautiful, visceral piece of art. What's your take on it?

Weather - It snows in the deep South the same day I'm out riding my bike (under warm and sunny skies) in the far, far North. Global Warming? A fluke? Or, just a really lucky day for me (in my book, heaven is all bikes, all the time). How's your winter weather treating you? Do you think weather patterns are changing?

How We're Cooking Now

What one seasoning, spice or herb do you use most often? I'm not talking salt here, though I do love the wonderful sea salts recently introduced to me by my friend, Lucy. What I'm talking about is your day-to-day cooking habits. Are you more Provence or Guadalajara? A taste of Italy or a taste of Bangkok? Chowda' or Chow Mein?

When first thinking about this, I immediately thought of fresh basil. I love to use it in a variety of meals served throughout the day - a yummy egg frittata, assorted soups, roasted chicken, and my work-in-progress shrimp curry. But then I had to acknowledge that nothing beats fresh rosemary. I count it among my favorite herbs and love sprinkling it with olive oil over soon-to-be roasted red potatoes, serving it and Stonewall Kitchen's Cranberry Horseradish sauce over pork loin chops, and mixing it up with a 'bunch of other stuff' to produce a popular rosemary chicken dish.

But when really thinking about it, I'd have to say that the seasoning I most often reach for and replace most regularly is ... cumin. It's ubiquitous, my little friend. Found in Mexican, Middle Eastern, Asian, and many African dishes, cumin is my go-to flavoring most days. I think my fascination with cumin began when living in the Southwest. 

Interestingly, a Serbian  friend who grew up in Canada and Seattle picked cumin as his top seasoning as well. He's traveled the world and eaten throughout and is convinced that cumin is evident in most country's culinary offerings. I feel so worldly ... living in my little town!

So, what's your go-to seasoning and why? What has most influenced your cooking style - geography, family recipes, travels?

Custom Artisanal Cereal. Eat Well.

Here are two things I haven't said before:

1. "My cereal was just delivered by UPS"
2. "My cereal" - as in, MY cereal, a hand-crafted "Six Minute Style" blend

I was contacted a few weeks ago by [me] & goji, an internet-based company that allows you, the consumer, to literally design your own morning blend. All with a few clicks of the keyboard and mouse. Even better, you get to craft your cereal from 30-plus all natural and organic ingredients. How great is that?

Now, I have to admit, I was initially hesitant. Cereal? Designed by me? Delivered by Brown? What's that going to look like? And, more importantly, what's it going to taste like?

Well, it tastes pretty darn good. Fabulous, actually. Imagine that. I mix together flavors I love with ingredients I know are good for me and Viola! A breakfast worth waking up for (and in the dead of winter, that alone is quite compelling).

My personal blend is a mix of granola, flaxed and flaked (organic corn, amaranth, flax and sesame), cinnamon, golden raisins, goji and walnuts. Yummy. And not just for breakfast. I sampled it dry, on the way to yoga last night and again, with milk, this morning. It passed both tastings with flying colors.  

And as much as I loved eating my very own blend, I really loved my husband's reaction to the way-cool cylinder labeled, "Six Minute Style." 

Yes, I have my own cereal. You should have your own, too. Check it out and let me know what you think. It's not cheap, but neither are the slim boxes in the health food store. And they don't have your name on the label. 

Random Silliness - What Couldn't You Live Without

Imagine you're stuck on a deserted island. No, not Maui. This island is out in the middle of nowhere (but it's a warm nowhere). Unlike my favorite television show, you don't have access to the many luxuries provided by a downed 747 or "the hatch." Here's what I want to know: what 5 items would you have to have in order to survive? What couldn't you live without and WHY? Here's my list:

1. Dental Floss - I am a religious flosser. I could brush my teeth until I was blue in the face, but if I haven't flossed, I haven't cleaned my teeth. I feel pretty confident that I could fashion a toothbrush and some sort of "paste" from items found on the island, but I'm not willing to risk searching for a (leafy?) floss substitute. So, a supply of floss that lasts the duration of my "visit." NOTE: could double as fishing line

2. Sunscreen - I'm operating under the assumption that I will be rescued or will self-rescue (see #5 below). Skin cancer aside, I'm not excited about the idea of returning home to (a mirror of) sunspots and wrinkles. Plus, I'm Irish. Living sans sunscreen isn't an option.

3. Sunglasses - I'm so light-sensitive, I wear shades on the grayest of days. I'd want a pair that never scratches, never stretches out, and never, ever loses one of those annoying little screws.

NOTE: the lenses could help direct the sun when trying to light a fire

4. A vast collection of books - I'm going to have some time to kill. Fiction, non-fiction, essays ... you name, I want it.

5. My husband - For the obvious (really? you want me to spell it out? My mother could read this) and the utilitarian. My husband is THAT guy. You know the one. He can fashion pretty much anything out of any thing. A former river guide and Outward Bound instructor, he knows his way around the backcountry, has trained in emergency medicine, and can jerry-rig all sorts of useless stuff into very useful apparatus. But, most importantly, he's a wooden boatbuilder. He went to the Harvard of boatbuilding schools (yep, that's what they call it). We're stuck on an island. The island is surrounded by ocean. He's a boatbuilder. Brilliant. 

Okay, your turn...

 

How We're Living Now - Economic Woes

I'm curious how you all are faring in the slower economy. Has it caught up to you and your (Six Minute) lifestyle? Or, are you floating above it, immune to the perils and pitfalls faced by many?  Here at Six Minute Style, the weakened economy is reflected in less frequent videos (it's expensive to shoot our little show, even if only six minutes) and more blogging. On the home front, we're eating out less often and holding tight with our blurry, old television. My husband's work - he owns a hardwood flooring business - has slowed significantly. My full-time job in public relations is holding steady, but who knows what tomorrow will - or won't - bring.  

Here's some of what I'm hearing:

A friend called the other day saying she hasn't felt this "poor" since the early 90s (back then she was young in her career and not yet a mother, so could better roll with the punches). When her long-time employer was bought out by another company, this now mom-of-two saw her benefits shrink and their costs soar. Her husband, a builder, is without work.

A freelance writer friend says there are far fewer assignments - and paychecks - right now.

A waiter friend has seen her hours and tips drastically cut. 

One friend hopes the college savings accounts she's faithfully built for her kids bounce back and fast.

Yet another friend is an advertising executive ... in the auto industry. Ouch. 

Lay-offs, salary freezes, reduced benefits. Where do you fall on the job security scale? What steps have you taken to protect yourself and your family? Are you feeling the economic squeeze? Have you made any major or minor lifestyle changes? Please share your thoughts with us!

Put it in Writing. Please.

Sometimes it seems as though we have gotten far, far away from the little niceties that made life so memorable. When was the last time you received a hand-written letter or a personally designed invitation in your mailbox? Unless you've been on the wedding circuit, I'm betting it has been a while. 

I have nothing against the e-invite or even a quick, little email thank you (Lord knows I've used both), but let's face it. There's nothing overly charming or sophisticated about either. Which is why I was absolutely delighted to receive some adorable note card and gift wrap samples from a little company called Feterie.

With a tag line of "Modern Stationary and Bespoken Lovelies," Feterie brings a bit of style back to the fine art of gift giving and receiving. Designs run the gamut from clean and simple to bold and striking. I wrote up a thank you note today (be sure to tell me what you think, Suzanne) and felt perfectly pleased while doing so. Want your very own custom design? They have an atelier for just that! Stationary - for weddings, announcements and everyday use, note cards, gift wrap, wall decor and framed art round out the offerings.

Check it out and let me know what you think. And, let me know if you're more inclined to the handwritten note or the electronic version and why. Thanks!