Another August Come and Gone

August is my birthday month, so it is a milestone month for me, a way to mark time so to speak. And even though I enjoy it, I am always surprised each year that another August is here and even more surprised when it has passed on. I am not sure why this manages to surprise me each year, but it does. August was always so exciting when I was a kid. It was the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year, full of possibilities and promise. In a way August is still a month of hope for me, even as I have to remind myself to count each year as a blessing and focus on what was accomplished, instead of on what was not. I have been struggling over the last few days to hold on to the feeling of possibility and promise that each new year in my life brings and I think I am winning the battle. I am consumed by thoughts of new creative and scholarly projects and I can't wait for the chance to begin my fieldwork this year, even if it is still months off. I have writing projects, both for school and for myself, that I want to spend most waking minutes with. I have new books to read for work and fun that promise me both new knowledge and pleasure. I have a new marathon to train for, a sister's wedding to prepare for, and new knitting and cooking projects to try out. I am blessed with an abundance of possibility and I am thankful for that. So here is to a new year, one full of both possibility and promise. To a year of regaining the magic and hope of childhood. Let us make this a year to remember.

I welcome you to break bread with me and rejoice, for every year is one worth living, especially when you figure out how to make this. It tasted good too!

Grad School is S'More Stressful Than I Would Like

The past few weeks have been unbelievably stressful due to an upcoming proposal deadline. I have been rather blue and very very stressed out and it has not been cool. Luckily, I love food and food can make things better, although not necessarilly slimmer. For that I turn to running. Luckily I love running too. Food and running, at least they balance each other out. Between food and running I have actually managed to not implode from the pressure and not to explode from the snacking.

But last week, sometime, I think it was Wednesday, I managed to break down a little in the supermarket. I went there for milk. They were out. Turns out the leaking container in my fridge was not just a fluke. They had pulled it all. Foiled in my quest I decided that what I really needed was some ice cream. But what kind. I decided I wanted vanillla, but did I want it for a sundae or did I want to make a coke float. Either would work but I would need some coke for the float, but maybe I wanted a root beer float. Not being able to decide I picked up a small bottle of each. But maybe I wanted mint ice cream. Why not get some mint chocolate cookie ice cream just to be on the safe side?

But wait, perhaps s'mores are really the answer. Yes, s'mores. So all I need are the graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate. Oh, and a bottle of red wine. And a peach. I want to be healthy after all.

Oh well, sometimes s'mores make everything better, or at least a little easier to take. Behold below, the construction of an indoor s'more.

Post oven bake.

Yummy chocolate, soon to be melty.