The Hoopla from the SuperBowl is over, we've all voted for our favorite commercial and we've discussed over the watercooler the mistakes made by the colts and the incredible upset achieved by the Saints. I have to admit, I am not a big football fan. I watched my son's games throughout school, I watch our state's college team (Go Huskers!) and I watch the SuperBowl every year for the commercials. But, for some reason, this year's game caught my attention. It must have been the big underdog story combined with everyone else's belief (as well as mine) that it would be nice to see New Orleans have something to celebrate. Of course, the fact that my husband was rooting for the Colts may have had a little bit to do with it!
I am not here today to review that game and try to armchair quarterback. I want to talk about the chances taken by the underdog team to go on and win the biggest game so far of their history. I'm talking primarily about the off sides kick (aren't you proud that I know that terminology) and how it could be a life lesson. Think about it. The announcers said something about no team ever trying this that early in the game, it worked, they won! (I know it wasn't because of that one play, but it did start their second half comeback.)
Let's apply this to life. It's the top of our third quarter-do we play it safe and kick it the traditional way or do we surprise everyone, ourselves included, and choose to pull an off sides kick? Do we continue to do what tradition tells us to do or do we make up some of our own rules as we move forward through life? Do you have a burning desire to try something new, learn something different, do a 180 degree turn? Let's take a lesson from the fearless Saints coach. Don't wait for your fourth quarter to try to win the game-get in the game now! As for me, I'm planning my off sides kick. I'm in this game to win it! Now, I'm off to recruit my cheerleading squad-all male, of course, and someone needs to make mama a margarita!
Speaking of Margaritas, below is the newest recipe I have discovered. I daresay this recipe is one of the best I have tried!
SuperBowl Margarita
(Actually, Blue Xmas Margaritas, but they were so DELICIOUS we've repeated them several times since Christmas!)
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups tequila
2 cups lime juice
10 oz. orange juice
10 oz. blue curacao
orange slices (optional)
margarita salt (optional)
Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves; cool. Stir tequila, juices, syrup and blue curacao in a large pitcher with ice; garnish with orange slices. Serve straight up or over ice in glasses rimmed with salt.
Enjoy!
Have a Margalicious Day!
The Maven
For Women who choose to LIVE life!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Holiday Hints and Margaritas
Sooo, the holiday season has officially started! While it remains my favorite time of the year (not withstanding the cold temperatures!), I find myself wondering once again, where has the time gone? Wasn't it just the 4th of July last weekend!?
Because my "real" job is in retail management and the holiday season becomes our own little piece of Hell for about 30 days, truly enjoying the holidays has become a "mastery" of list making, scheduling, and letting some of the little things go. If I have learned anything over the last few years, I have learned that it is necessary (for me anyway) to plan out the entire season. With this lesson learned, I did sit down last weekend and planned out a pretty little schedule with different colors of highlighter, my work schedule, daughters work schedule and the to do list all laid out from November 26-December 24. So far, most of the to-do's have been rolled over and over and over to the next day! However, I did have most of today off and was able to get caught up and feeling pretty confident that I will once again make it to the official Day still sane (for the most part) and everyone happy.
Because I am feeling quite confident and slightly "cocky", I felt that I should share some of my holiday tips with you.
1. Start planning now. If you haven't at least started your gift shopping list, I daresay that you are already behind in the game.
2. Create lists and stick to the list. In this tough economic time, it will be more important than ever to hold to the plan and avoid those impulse buys. This, I will admit, is going to be the hardest part for this committed Shopaholic!
3. The following lists are recommended:
a. Gifts to buy along with ideas for each person.
b. Supplies you will need to stock up on (batteries, tape, tissue and wrapping paper, new memory card for the camera, etc.)
c. If the holiday is at your house, plan your menu now. Pull your recipes and create your grocery list. This will make it easier to watch the grocery ads and pick up menu items as they go on sale. On the other hand, if you just want to go and get it all done, making the list will force you to get up and go!
d. If you do holiday baking, pull your recipes now. The same reasoning applies as above!
Other helpful hints:
Start working on your Christmas cards/letters now. As we get closer to the holiday season, the post office will become even busier with no additional staff. If you get them out early, it is one thing to cross off of the list.
Plan your schedule and work your schedule. By that I mean, plan your shopping, baking, wrapping and decorating days. Put them on your calendar and stick to the plan. This will eliminate the last minute rush to get it all done in a 48 hour period. (You've done it to yourself at least once, admit it!)
I keep all of those lists mentioned above in a small notebook that stays in my purse. Then if I have a few minutes to sneak an errand in during the day, I have all of my information on hand.
If you have holiday parties to attend, check your wardrobe now. Do you have the tights/hose needed for that "knock them out" outfit that you are planning on wearing. The right jewelry, jacket/wrap, makeup. Get them now, save a holiday meltdown later.
If you are stuck on decorating, baking and gift ideas, find a website or two to spur your creativity. I have been spending time on the Better Homes and Gardens website (www.bhg.com) and pulled down some interesting new recipes for goodies as well as some new decorating ideas.
And definitely last but not least, enjoy a margarita or two, whenever you get the chance to fit one in. After all, a girl on the holiday mission can not make it on shopping alone! Along with searching for goodie recipes, I have also found some interesting margarita recipes. We enjoyed the following mixture at our family Thanksgiving dinner.
Cranberry Margarita
1 1/2 oz. Tequila
1 1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. lime juice
2 oz. cranberry juice
1 1/2 oz. Sweet and Sour mix
Add all ingredients into blender with ice (only 1/2 full or will be very thick). Blend until smooth.
I was a little apprehensive with this one as I am not a huge Cranberry juice fan. However, the cranberry taste is just hinted at and does not overpower the rest of the drink. It is actually very smooth and not too sweet. Next, I will be trying the "Purple Margarita" recipe that I found on my web quest along with the "Blue Christmas Margarita".
Have a Margalicious Day!
The Maven
Because my "real" job is in retail management and the holiday season becomes our own little piece of Hell for about 30 days, truly enjoying the holidays has become a "mastery" of list making, scheduling, and letting some of the little things go. If I have learned anything over the last few years, I have learned that it is necessary (for me anyway) to plan out the entire season. With this lesson learned, I did sit down last weekend and planned out a pretty little schedule with different colors of highlighter, my work schedule, daughters work schedule and the to do list all laid out from November 26-December 24. So far, most of the to-do's have been rolled over and over and over to the next day! However, I did have most of today off and was able to get caught up and feeling pretty confident that I will once again make it to the official Day still sane (for the most part) and everyone happy.
Because I am feeling quite confident and slightly "cocky", I felt that I should share some of my holiday tips with you.
1. Start planning now. If you haven't at least started your gift shopping list, I daresay that you are already behind in the game.
2. Create lists and stick to the list. In this tough economic time, it will be more important than ever to hold to the plan and avoid those impulse buys. This, I will admit, is going to be the hardest part for this committed Shopaholic!
3. The following lists are recommended:
a. Gifts to buy along with ideas for each person.
b. Supplies you will need to stock up on (batteries, tape, tissue and wrapping paper, new memory card for the camera, etc.)
c. If the holiday is at your house, plan your menu now. Pull your recipes and create your grocery list. This will make it easier to watch the grocery ads and pick up menu items as they go on sale. On the other hand, if you just want to go and get it all done, making the list will force you to get up and go!
d. If you do holiday baking, pull your recipes now. The same reasoning applies as above!
Other helpful hints:
Start working on your Christmas cards/letters now. As we get closer to the holiday season, the post office will become even busier with no additional staff. If you get them out early, it is one thing to cross off of the list.
Plan your schedule and work your schedule. By that I mean, plan your shopping, baking, wrapping and decorating days. Put them on your calendar and stick to the plan. This will eliminate the last minute rush to get it all done in a 48 hour period. (You've done it to yourself at least once, admit it!)
I keep all of those lists mentioned above in a small notebook that stays in my purse. Then if I have a few minutes to sneak an errand in during the day, I have all of my information on hand.
If you have holiday parties to attend, check your wardrobe now. Do you have the tights/hose needed for that "knock them out" outfit that you are planning on wearing. The right jewelry, jacket/wrap, makeup. Get them now, save a holiday meltdown later.
If you are stuck on decorating, baking and gift ideas, find a website or two to spur your creativity. I have been spending time on the Better Homes and Gardens website (www.bhg.com) and pulled down some interesting new recipes for goodies as well as some new decorating ideas.
And definitely last but not least, enjoy a margarita or two, whenever you get the chance to fit one in. After all, a girl on the holiday mission can not make it on shopping alone! Along with searching for goodie recipes, I have also found some interesting margarita recipes. We enjoyed the following mixture at our family Thanksgiving dinner.
Cranberry Margarita
1 1/2 oz. Tequila
1 1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. lime juice
2 oz. cranberry juice
1 1/2 oz. Sweet and Sour mix
Add all ingredients into blender with ice (only 1/2 full or will be very thick). Blend until smooth.
I was a little apprehensive with this one as I am not a huge Cranberry juice fan. However, the cranberry taste is just hinted at and does not overpower the rest of the drink. It is actually very smooth and not too sweet. Next, I will be trying the "Purple Margarita" recipe that I found on my web quest along with the "Blue Christmas Margarita".
Have a Margalicious Day!
The Maven
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Gotta have girlfriends and Zumba!
Yesterday was just an in general, not good, wish it was over already day! Nothing in particular started it off and it just kept getting worse from there.
The day started off hitting the snooze button just one more time, which turned out to be one time too many. Oh, did I mention it was supposed to be a vacation day, but due to circumstances I had to work half an opening shift? Try to get your mind to wrap around that at 4:30 a.m. when it thought it was going to sleep in!
Work then was going well until I went to validate a few things that my staff had completed. Cuz, you know that is my job as the manager is to go over EVERYTHING that my staff does as they may not do it right themselves. (Yes, you may sense a slight bit of sarcasm there) However, in this case, once again, they proved that it is necessary. Long story short, my replacement came in, I handed it all to him and said fix it and I better not see this again and left. Did I mention he was late so he made me late for my next stop!
The rest of the day just went by in a funk. Everything I picked up--I dropped. Everything I tried to step over reached up and grabbed my ankle causing me to trip or stumble. Nothing tasted good. I was tired. I was just plain old not inspired or ambitious.
Then came Zumba time! Which, by the way, I wasn't going to go to until MB told me I am driving and I will pick you up! (Thanks for that by the way!) Following some venting about work on the way there and some great belly laughter I started to feel better. Maybe I could get through this week's routines without too much trouble. The music started and off we went. I sashayed, salsa'd, and kicked my way out of the funk (mostly) and was able to relax once we got home and slept well!
The moral of the story--the cure for a daylong funk is your girlfriends!! Like I always say, Gotta have girlfriends!
Have a Margalicious Day!
The Maven
The day started off hitting the snooze button just one more time, which turned out to be one time too many. Oh, did I mention it was supposed to be a vacation day, but due to circumstances I had to work half an opening shift? Try to get your mind to wrap around that at 4:30 a.m. when it thought it was going to sleep in!
Work then was going well until I went to validate a few things that my staff had completed. Cuz, you know that is my job as the manager is to go over EVERYTHING that my staff does as they may not do it right themselves. (Yes, you may sense a slight bit of sarcasm there) However, in this case, once again, they proved that it is necessary. Long story short, my replacement came in, I handed it all to him and said fix it and I better not see this again and left. Did I mention he was late so he made me late for my next stop!
The rest of the day just went by in a funk. Everything I picked up--I dropped. Everything I tried to step over reached up and grabbed my ankle causing me to trip or stumble. Nothing tasted good. I was tired. I was just plain old not inspired or ambitious.
Then came Zumba time! Which, by the way, I wasn't going to go to until MB told me I am driving and I will pick you up! (Thanks for that by the way!) Following some venting about work on the way there and some great belly laughter I started to feel better. Maybe I could get through this week's routines without too much trouble. The music started and off we went. I sashayed, salsa'd, and kicked my way out of the funk (mostly) and was able to relax once we got home and slept well!
The moral of the story--the cure for a daylong funk is your girlfriends!! Like I always say, Gotta have girlfriends!
Have a Margalicious Day!
The Maven
Friday, November 6, 2009
Ten Rules for Life
Ten Rules for Life
The Girls Night Out Gang recently traveled to Kansas City to attend the O!You conference sponsored by the Oprah network. It was a wonderful weekend full of speakers, giveaways and laughter. Our first speaker of the day was Donna Brazile, a political strategist, professor, author, columnist and Democratic National committee's Vice Chair of Voter Registration and Participation. I'll have to admit up front that I had never heard of her before, not being overly politically active myself (okay, kind of not at all). However, the topic of her presentation is what caught my attention-”Work It”-tapping into your passion to control your career. Now, anything that has the word 'control' in it is just up my alley!
As she started to speak, I knew I was going to like this lady. A wry sense of humor, in control of herself and not going to take any crap from anybody! I whipped out my pen and started writing down phrases that resonated with me and where I am at in my life right now. Phrases such as: take inventory and prioritize; take the crud out and declutter; take stock of what you HAVE and what you've DONE; inventory your values and make a list of the things you love to do and DO them-stop waiting for time or permission; stop being everything to everybody; and, it is okay to say 'It's my turn'. Donna also had a list of 10 tips to work it and take control of your career.
After the weekend was over, I returned home unpacked my bags (sort of) and repacked them to leave again for two days for work meetings. There, our district manager shared with us the 10 rules for life that the CEO of our company lives by. I felt as if some force was trying to tell me something. So that got me saying to myself, “self”-what are our rules for life? So, I recently sat down with a pen and scratched out my thoughts.
1.Be true to your self: Once we stop being everything to everybody, we have to be true to who we really are. If you aren't happy, then noone around you is going to be happy. Reach deep and figure out what your dreams and desires are and go for them. Don't try quite so hard to be that person that everyone else wants you to be. Instead, be the person that you want you to be.
2.Learn and try new things: You aren't living if you aren't learning. There is not a soul on this earth that knows everything. Keep expanding your horizons. Keep asking questions. Make a list of things you want to learn to do or learn more about and check them off as you go. Think of the dinner conversations you could have with all of your new knowledge!
3.Gotta have Girlfriends: What more do I need to say. Women need the bond of friendship. We need to laugh, cry, shout, dance, share and support. I don't know what I would do without my closest girlfriends.
4.It is okay to say “NO”: It is not being mean, cruel, insensitive, selfish or wrong to say no. Like Donna says, we can't be everything to everybody. If we can't commit fully to the request, we are not doing ourselves or those making the request any favors. All we are doing is creating a whole new level of stress for ourselves if we don't want to or can't meet the obligation that we just agreed to.
5.Be Selfish: You must take time out for yourself. We have spent so many years raising children, doing what the boss wants us to do, taking care of employees, being the center of our families that we have forgotten that first we have to take care of ourselves. It is okay to be selfish and take time for yourself and your dreams and interests.
6.Address issues and problems: You can't fix it if you won't talk about it. As a manager, I tend to avoid conflict at all costs. However, in the last few months, I have forced myself to address issues sooner rather than later. I'm feeling better about it, issues are not reaching a boiling point and I feel that my staff appreciates it. I think I am learning to face things head on instead of letting them go. My stress level is less—not gone, mind you—but it is lower. I want to believe that this is one of the reasons for that.
7.Have Fun!: We only go around once. You should be here to LIVE life.
8.Give yourself permission to change: Everyone you know has a preconceived notion of who they think you are. Maybe you are that person, but maybe you have changed. I am not the same person I was at 20, 25, or 30 years of age. I am not the same person I was 3 years ago. Tell yourself that it is alright to break the mold you were made in. Experiences and knowledge are bound to change how we see the world. This is what is going to make you into the person that your are ultimately meant to be.
9.Pick your Battles: I used to say that 'revenge' was my middle name. Now, I will say that it is just my middle initial. After all, it is still really hard to get over the grudge factor. However, I am starting to choose my battles carefully. Is it worth the stress and worry to hold that particular grudge or can we just count it as a lesson learned and move on. (remember, number 2-learn new things!) Don't get me wrong, I haven't forgotten and you will notice that I did not use the word forgive. I don't know if I will ever reach that level of greatness. It is important to measure the level of stress and unhappiness that not moving on will bring to your life and then decide if you are truly ready to do battle to defend your position.
10.IF YOU STUMBLE, MAKE IT PART OF THE DANCE: This one is not my saying and I can't even tell you where it came from. It is, however, one of my favorite sayings and I felt that it summed up rules 1-9 fairly well. We all make mistakes. We all face obstacles. We all have doubts. If we don't make them part of our dance, then we are cutting out a part of our life. We are cutting out a part of who we are. We are cutting out a part of who we are to become.
So, there you have it. My ten rules of life at this point in time. Will they change over the years? Probably. Remember, I am learning new things and looking for new experiences. They are bound to change the rules a little as life goes on. What are your rules for life? Care to share, be sure to comment.
Have a Margalicious Day!
The Maven
The Girls Night Out Gang recently traveled to Kansas City to attend the O!You conference sponsored by the Oprah network. It was a wonderful weekend full of speakers, giveaways and laughter. Our first speaker of the day was Donna Brazile, a political strategist, professor, author, columnist and Democratic National committee's Vice Chair of Voter Registration and Participation. I'll have to admit up front that I had never heard of her before, not being overly politically active myself (okay, kind of not at all). However, the topic of her presentation is what caught my attention-”Work It”-tapping into your passion to control your career. Now, anything that has the word 'control' in it is just up my alley!
As she started to speak, I knew I was going to like this lady. A wry sense of humor, in control of herself and not going to take any crap from anybody! I whipped out my pen and started writing down phrases that resonated with me and where I am at in my life right now. Phrases such as: take inventory and prioritize; take the crud out and declutter; take stock of what you HAVE and what you've DONE; inventory your values and make a list of the things you love to do and DO them-stop waiting for time or permission; stop being everything to everybody; and, it is okay to say 'It's my turn'. Donna also had a list of 10 tips to work it and take control of your career.
After the weekend was over, I returned home unpacked my bags (sort of) and repacked them to leave again for two days for work meetings. There, our district manager shared with us the 10 rules for life that the CEO of our company lives by. I felt as if some force was trying to tell me something. So that got me saying to myself, “self”-what are our rules for life? So, I recently sat down with a pen and scratched out my thoughts.
1.Be true to your self: Once we stop being everything to everybody, we have to be true to who we really are. If you aren't happy, then noone around you is going to be happy. Reach deep and figure out what your dreams and desires are and go for them. Don't try quite so hard to be that person that everyone else wants you to be. Instead, be the person that you want you to be.
2.Learn and try new things: You aren't living if you aren't learning. There is not a soul on this earth that knows everything. Keep expanding your horizons. Keep asking questions. Make a list of things you want to learn to do or learn more about and check them off as you go. Think of the dinner conversations you could have with all of your new knowledge!
3.Gotta have Girlfriends: What more do I need to say. Women need the bond of friendship. We need to laugh, cry, shout, dance, share and support. I don't know what I would do without my closest girlfriends.
4.It is okay to say “NO”: It is not being mean, cruel, insensitive, selfish or wrong to say no. Like Donna says, we can't be everything to everybody. If we can't commit fully to the request, we are not doing ourselves or those making the request any favors. All we are doing is creating a whole new level of stress for ourselves if we don't want to or can't meet the obligation that we just agreed to.
5.Be Selfish: You must take time out for yourself. We have spent so many years raising children, doing what the boss wants us to do, taking care of employees, being the center of our families that we have forgotten that first we have to take care of ourselves. It is okay to be selfish and take time for yourself and your dreams and interests.
6.Address issues and problems: You can't fix it if you won't talk about it. As a manager, I tend to avoid conflict at all costs. However, in the last few months, I have forced myself to address issues sooner rather than later. I'm feeling better about it, issues are not reaching a boiling point and I feel that my staff appreciates it. I think I am learning to face things head on instead of letting them go. My stress level is less—not gone, mind you—but it is lower. I want to believe that this is one of the reasons for that.
7.Have Fun!: We only go around once. You should be here to LIVE life.
8.Give yourself permission to change: Everyone you know has a preconceived notion of who they think you are. Maybe you are that person, but maybe you have changed. I am not the same person I was at 20, 25, or 30 years of age. I am not the same person I was 3 years ago. Tell yourself that it is alright to break the mold you were made in. Experiences and knowledge are bound to change how we see the world. This is what is going to make you into the person that your are ultimately meant to be.
9.Pick your Battles: I used to say that 'revenge' was my middle name. Now, I will say that it is just my middle initial. After all, it is still really hard to get over the grudge factor. However, I am starting to choose my battles carefully. Is it worth the stress and worry to hold that particular grudge or can we just count it as a lesson learned and move on. (remember, number 2-learn new things!) Don't get me wrong, I haven't forgotten and you will notice that I did not use the word forgive. I don't know if I will ever reach that level of greatness. It is important to measure the level of stress and unhappiness that not moving on will bring to your life and then decide if you are truly ready to do battle to defend your position.
10.IF YOU STUMBLE, MAKE IT PART OF THE DANCE: This one is not my saying and I can't even tell you where it came from. It is, however, one of my favorite sayings and I felt that it summed up rules 1-9 fairly well. We all make mistakes. We all face obstacles. We all have doubts. If we don't make them part of our dance, then we are cutting out a part of our life. We are cutting out a part of who we are. We are cutting out a part of who we are to become.
So, there you have it. My ten rules of life at this point in time. Will they change over the years? Probably. Remember, I am learning new things and looking for new experiences. They are bound to change the rules a little as life goes on. What are your rules for life? Care to share, be sure to comment.
Have a Margalicious Day!
The Maven
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