The Senses

I once heard that while everybody uses all five senses they tend to favor one above the others.  Over the years I've tried to pay attention to this idea.  I had a roommate who liked to go unusual places just so she could smell them.  I have a sister who can locate things because she is visually dominant.  She remembers where I left my shoe because she saw it misplaced in the living room.  I have a sister that says the plastic of a new doll reminds her of Christmas.  The smell of a doll doesn't do that for me.  Some people focus on the way things sound.  Many people remember colors, shapes, sounds, tastes and smells that I don't even notice. 

I am a toucher.  I like to touch and feel things.  I always have to touch someone's cool granite countertops, the texture on the church walls, the fluffy teddy bear, the divets in a piece of wood, my baby's soft cheeks, etc.  I love the tactile sensation of the cool grass on my bare feet.  I adore the feeling of fresh beach sand between my toes.  That is, until it dries out.  There are fabrics and textures I love and those that I can't stand.  I absolutely HATE flannel pajamas and sheets.  Flannel gives me "princess and the pea" syndrome.  There are some synthetic silks that make me crazy.  I'd probably run if somebody tried to make me wear clothes made from them.  I can't stand lotion because it's slimy.

I could probably write an entire separate entry on slime.  I have problems with textures when it comes to food.  I can overlook texture when it comes to foods that are familiar.  The texture may be an issue for me if it is foreign fare .  I don't like touching raw meat, lotion, some sauces, jello, shampoo (yes, I still use it), mud, oils (bath and otherwise), ointment, and a host of other things.  Slimy, pasty, soggy, greasy, creamy, oily, syrupy things are just difficult for me.

I suppose it isn't surprising that some textures would be hard for me to handle when I favor touch so much. 

So, what sense do you favor?  Smell?  Taste?  Sight?  Touch? or Sound?

Key Lime Cheesecake Pie

I debated whether to share this pie recipe or not.  It's sort of my secret weapon.  It tastes rich and wonderful but is extremely easy to make.  It's even simpler if you use ready made pie crusts.

Pie Crust:

1.  Grind up a package of graham crackers.  

 

1 small box of graham crackers will yield about 3 1/4 cups of crumbs.

1.  Mix 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/3 cup sugar and 6 tbsp melted butter or margarine until well blended.
2.  Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.
3.  Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes.  Cool.

Filling:

1.  Mix together softened cream cheese and 1 can sweetened condensed milk.  You get a thicker, creamier, easier to dish up pie if you use high fat ingredients.  If you use fat free sweetened condensed milk and fat free cream cheese the filling will be looser but just as tasty.

2.  Mix in 1/2 cup lime juice.  The lime juice (or lemon can be used in a pinch) is the coagulation agent so add it last.
3.  Add 1 drop of green food coloring.
4.  Pour into prepared pie crust.

5.  Decorate with sliced limes.

6.  Chill for an hour before serving.

Are You My Mother?

This little birdie only cost me a couple of dollars.  But the feeling she evoked was priceless.  She awakened my inner child.  And I thought to exclaim, "Are You My Mother?"

Hodgepodge

This post contains a bunch of marbles that I need to write.  Some deserve a post of their own but will not get one due to time constraints.

1.  I "googled" hodgepodge for images.  I got a hodgepodge of patchwork quilts, foods, groups of people and modern art. I just like the word.

2.  The polls are in.  After considering the public and private replies to my recent poll I have made the following decision.  {Pause for dramatic effect}  I am not going to multiply blogs.  You will have to put up with reading or ignoring my weight issue blogs.  I'm not motivated enough, original enough and I don't have the money to write an entire blog on cleaning and decorating my house.  I may start one additional blog for scripture study insights.  Or, I may just not blog about the scriptures for the time being.  It may be too difficult to get/make the time.  It's hard enough getting the study time in. 

3.  Rachel's first birthday is coming up in 6 weeks.  I am undecided on how to approach it.  Should I just do family?  Should I invite neighbors and friends?  Do other people care about my one year old's birthday?  I mean care enough to want to come celebrate.  Or, is it just an opportunity to have a party and invite anyone and everyone.  Then I begin the rounds with the date.  Her birthday is on a Wednesday.  I've always been a purist.  Birthdays should be celebrated on the actual date.  But, we don't want to have a big party on a Wednesday night.  She doesn't know the difference anyway.

My current plan is to have a 3 person family birthday party on Wednesday and take a million pictures of cake smashed goodness.  Then, invite anyone that wants to to come over and have cake on the Saturday after.

4.  I faltered on my "no treats" rule.  I've been sick for almost 2 weeks.  Correction.  Rachel and I have been sick for 2 weeks.  After a particular fun couple of days of doctors, my throwing up, and Rachel's tantrums at trying to feed her, Doug bought me a chocolate treat.  He gave me permission because I was sick.  That became my excuse for more than a week.  So tomorrow I start again.  No treats except one on our official weekly date, or at weddings or special events until Rachel's birthday.

4b.  To go along with the "no treats" I am going to start using my BodyBugg again.  I'm going to log calories in and calories out and report every so often.  I'm eating more because I want Rachel to eat lots of different foods.  She doesn't want to try food unless you are obviously enjoying it.  So, I'm going to have to burn more calories just to maintain and not gain weight.  I'd prefer to focus on losing it.

5.  I wish they had a "like" button on blogs similar to Facebook.  Sometimes I don't really have a comment to make but I'd like to see what other people write.  I'm too lazy to revisit old posts to look for comments.

So much more to write.  So much on my mind.  This will have to suffice.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I loved the book "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society."  I don't have time to give this book the critique it deserves.  It suffices to say that it is one of my new favorite books.  I'll share a couple of my favorite quotes.

I love this first quote because of the wonderful imagery.  "Your questions regarding that gentleman are very delicate, very subtle, very much like being smacked in the head with a mallet.  Am I in love with him?  What kind of a question is that?  It's a tuba among the flutes, and I expect better of you.  The first rule of snooping is to come at it sideways..."

I'm sure we all know someone like this... "Isola says she is a blight because she likes being a blight - it gives her a sense of destiny."

I often feel like the heroine who says, "My worries travel about my head on their well-worn path, and it is a relief to put them on paper."   

Lastly, I identified with the following quote because of my short courtship with Doug.  (Seven weeks from first date to married.)  But, I believe that family life IS a great adventure.  "Is it unseemly to get married so quickly?  I don't want to wait - I want to begin at once.  All my life I thought that the story was over when the hero and heroine were safely engaged - after all, what's good enough for Jane Austen ought to be good enough for anyone.  But it's a lie.  The story is about to begin, and every day will be a new piece of the plot.  Perhaps my next book will be about a fascinating married couple and all the things they learn about one another over time."

Polling The Audience

This marble has been rolling around in my head for a couple of weeks now.  I hope I can lay this out in a way that makes the question understandable. 

I already have two separate blogs.  "The Goodwins" blog covers family matters, adventures, birthdays, etc.  It is the blog I send people to if they want to see how Rachel is growing up and what goes on in our daily lives.  "My Marbles and Whatnot," as you obviously know, has been my catch-all blog.  This is where I tell my stories, share things I like, and generally share what is on my mind.

Question 1...
I am considering the idea of blogging about my scripture study.  I'd write about what I learned from the scriptures, cross references, etc and my own thoughts.  I could throw these in the mix of "My Marbles" which makes sense because religion is a marble that I cherish.  However, it might be better to make a different blog for scripture study and faith.  I know that some of my family and friends that read Marbles may not care to read an essay on Noah or Lot.  On the other hand, I could label the title "Religious:  Thoughts on Lot," etc.
A benefit of blogging this separately would be that it would easily be converted into a scripture study journal book.

Question 2...
I am finding that as I blog about weight issues and goals I am more likely to stick to my guns.  However, every time I blog about chocolate or my goals I think about you, my readers.  You may not care to know the ins and outs of my weight issues.  I've even considered doing a daily log (photos possibly) of food eaten and exercise completed.  I imagine many would not care to read that daily post.  So, here again, I could start a "Weight"ier issues blog or label  the title so people that don't want to read it don't have to.   This could be opened to multiple writers who want to share their stories, tips, ideas, successes, failures, etc.

Question 3...
I am itching to get spring cleaning under way.  It's no secret that Doug and I hope to get pregnant near the end of the year.  I'd like to have cleaned, scrubbed, organized and beautified each room and closet in our house before I get pregnant.  It might be fun to blog about this process over the next 6+ months.  Again, separate blog?   Open to multiple writers?


So here are the questions in an easier format...
I already have the Goodwin family blog and My Marbles and Whatnot.

Question 1
Do I start a separate "Scripture Study and Faith" blog?
Or, do I label the titles so people can skip the entry?
Or, do I just keep it in My Marbles and let people take it or leave it as it comes?

Question 2
Do I start a separate "Weightier" issues blog?
If I do start a new blog do I allow others to be writers as well?
Or do I label these entries and keep it in "My Marbles?"

Question 3
Do I start a "putting my house in order" blog?
Do I allow other writers?
Or do I label these entries and keep it in "My Marbles?"

I see pros and cons to each of these ideas.  So, dear readers, I put the questions to you.  What is your opinion?  What do you WANT to read?  Will separate blogs be better for you?  Do you care?  Would you want to see a collaborative blog on weight and health issues or putting your house in order?  Would you want to collaborate?  Should I just let "My Marbles and Whatnot" be a hodgepodge?

I look forward to your opinions.

Jessica