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| Lemon bars via Meta AI |
I'm participating in Joyce's Hodgepodge again this week by answering the following questions.
1. Do your goals and dreams energize or exhaust you? Elaborate.
It depends on specifics. I bought a cat feeder to program, and it's so complicated that it exhausts me to think about it, but I will do it. (I'm writing this on Sunday to post on Monday, and hopefully by the time your read this, the programming will be sorted out!) My exercise goals are both tiring and energizing simultaneously ~ I get tired from 30-45 minutes of aerobics, but it feels good, so I'm excited to do it again the next day. As far as dreams, I don't have them on a grand scale the way I used to (finding love, getting published, becoming wealthy, etc.), which is good because I'm happier if I stick with boring daily goals that I can actually achieve. I don't buy into the cliché that you're never too old to do X thing. Hell yeah I am too old to do a lot of things!
2. July 23rd is national lemon day. Are you a fan of this flavor? What's a favorite dish or beverage you enjoy that calls for lemons?
I am a huge, huge lemon fan! I don't care for lemonade though, strangely. I love lemon desserts, such as the surreal lemon bars pictured up top. Lemon cake, lemon cookies, lemon sorbet, all delicious.
3. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"...is this something you're pretty good at managing? Have you had to do this recently? If so tell us about it.
Absolutely, and I think it's the only way to be happy unless you're incredibly lucky to get everything you want. Life is full of disappointments, and you have to be able to adapt to them, change your goals, lower your expectations, etc., if you don't want to spend all your time moaning about what might have been. I try not to go down the "if only" road too often, and my personal motto/ mantra is more in line with it is what it is, so now deal with it.
In the last few years, I decided to completely give up on the idea of being paid to write in any way at all. Some of my writer friends still struggle to eke a few bucks out of the various self-publishing platforms, but to me it's not worth bothering with. First, I despise marketing. Second, even when I forced myself to do some, it had minimal results. Third, I don't want to write to please an audience; I much prefer writing to please myself. How did I "make lemonade" out of this? I self-published two final poetry books just to satisfy my OCD with zero expectation of sales, and also I returned to blogging ~ fun writing that makes me happy!
4. Something you love that is lemon yellow in color?
I adore lemon-yellow roses, even if they set off an allergy attack. I think they're prettier than red roses.
5. How would you describe your attention to detail?
Insane. That doesn't mean I don't make mistakes, but I am relentless about catching/ fixing them. This doesn't only apply to typos, but also includes consistency in various forms. I also obsessively straighten stuff up and make sure that all objects are either at right angles or deliberately and pleasingly off-center.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
For an introvert who needs a lot of alone time, I sure have a lot of social plans coming up!
I can certainly agree with you about lemon. And along with dark chocolate a most delightful combination. When I was a kid I ate lemons the way people ate oranges. My apartment is painted butter cream as was my previous house - I mean yellow is kinda my 'IT' color even tho I don't wear it. And yes to yellow roses instead of red - no one gets that...
ReplyDeleteYay! And buttercream paint sounds delicious!
DeleteThat whole dreams and plans stuff is beyond me. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up, nor do I know where I'll be 5 years from now. I'm not even sure about 5 months from now!
ReplyDeleteSadly, I have nothing lemon-colored. There are few yellows in my life, and none as specific as lemon. I'm wearing pale custard yellow jeans right now, however, with a pistachio green top and I'm very pleased with myself!
That sounds really pretty!
DeleteI also love yellow roses and I adore lemon bars. Lemon is also indispensable for making good ice tea, which is my favorite thing to drink, especially in summer. I make lemonade -- usually with peach, strawberry, or watermelon juice added -- for my husband and my grandson, but ice tea will always be my favorite. 🙂
ReplyDeleteAs for never being too old to do [fill in the blank], I could not agree with you more. What an imbecilic statement! The list of things I'm too old to do is way longer than the things I can do, and that suits me fine, as I don't have a lot of years left to do things anyway. 😳
I enjoyed reading your answers- your responses to questions one and three are so well said and I agree with everything you wrote. Way to get your poems published- self published or no- that is impressive. It's impressive that you wrote them and now you have them in a book format. I love that! I used to want to be a published author but I was never sure what genre. I knew from an early age of loving and reading fiction that I don't possess the ability to write creativity one would need to write a good book. I guess that leaves poetry (I am not a poet!) or non fiction and I have no concrete idea about what subject I'd write non fiction. My blog will have to suffice :).
ReplyDeleteI only use lemon on coho salmon. (I don't eat other varieties of salmon, I don't like them for some reason). My grandmother was a big fan of lemon yellow, lime green and white. All her dishes and kitchen things were one of those colors. I have one of her serving platters that we get out every year for Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteLemon bars and cookies etc give me a headache, and I really don't know why. Lime does it, too. I don't dislike the taste, though.
You had me at lemon. - N
ReplyDeleteI used to hate lemonade. Then about 10-ish years ago I tried it again, and now it's my favorite drink. (I have a glass next to me right now.) It's funny how things change.
ReplyDeleteI like Lemons, especially some slices of it in my Water. And Lemon Juice and Sugar on my Welsh Crepes, which is how my Mom's Culture eats their Crepes it's delish and simple. The Color Yellow I cannot wear, or Purple, my Skin is too Sallow so it makes me look like I have Jaundice. I think it's a Happy Color to Decorate with tho' and Yellow Flowers are some of my Favs.
ReplyDeleteThird, I don't want to write to please an audience; I much prefer writing to please myself
ReplyDeleteThere's a saying -- "Make the thing you love into your job, and you'll never love it again." I have tried writing for money and it always turns into drudgery to some degree. What there's a market for is never the same as what I want to say. If you're just doing it for yourself and not for money, you can say what you want -- and those who find it interesting will find their way to you eventually.
Hello Paula, I'm glad you found your happy place for writing and are content Living with contentment is so freeing and fulfilling. I, too, prefer the yellow roses you've described over red ones! Have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteI had been in a demanding administrative job for years before retiring. Adjusting to not having deadlines, projects, assignments, etc took a while until a friend suggested I start blogging. After finding my footing in blog world, I realized that it gave me the creative, planning, deadline-meeting goals that I actually needed. It's been 14 years since I started and my blogging is less regimented now, which has necessarily evolved. Enjoyed my visit with you this morning.
ReplyDeleteThose lemon bars look amazing!
ReplyDeleteGreetings to my Hodgepodge visitors! Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteI write for myself too, and always have my daughters in my head as I think about who is reading. I guess I don't want it to become a chore. I view it as a hobby and creative outlet and that works for me. I've always loved yellow roses and my hubs knows this so I can usually count on getting a bunch for an anniversary.
ReplyDeleteHey I'm a introvert too. I wonder that same thing at times.
ReplyDeleteI agree that life is full of disappointments and its how we grow through them. If you can't make lemonade out of the lemons its going to be a hard life.
Oh, I also love yellow roses. They are so pretty!
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