Blogging on a full tummy

I love food, perhaps more than a normal person. I'm the type to spend hours in front of the tv without ever changing the channel from Food Network. I enjoy cooking so much, I nearly went to school for culinary arts. I frequently use my kitchen as my very own culinary lab for my "frankenstein" meals (a phrase I use to describe the dishes I've prepared on the spot from whatever I can find laying in the fridge or pantry). Each dish is a new experience. 

What is one of your favorite recipes? Did it originate with you, someone in your family, or someone else? How long have you known how to prepare this dish? Describe the taste, smell, texture, etc. Is your recipe a secret, or do you share it? How do others react when they get to taste the dish? When you are indulging in this dish, how does it make you feel?

Don't be shy, if you have any recipes you'd like to share, go ahead and post them in a comment! Summer is when I usually get to try out all sorts of new recipes, and I'd love to hear about any of your favorites!

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Revenge is Sweet

They say revenge is sweet, but is it really? Sometimes revenge is harmless, maybe even a joke, but a lot of the time revenge is meant to hurt emotionally or physically. Is it really so gratifying that it's "sweet"?

Write about a time when you got revenge on someone that hurt you. How had they hurt you to warrant you seeking revenge on them? What kind of revenge did you use - harmless or hurtful? How did you feel afterwards? How did the other person feel (or how do you think they felt)?

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

The Secrets in Words

Everyone keeps secrets. Big, small, significant or not - they are still secrets. These are things that you don't go blurting out to everyone in the world because there's probably somebody you don't want to know these things about you. Maybe your secrets are just things that you are having trouble admitting to yourself. Whatever your secrets are, you're about to discover a deeper meaning behind them.

Write down six secrets you are currently keeping. From those six secrets, pick just ONE word from each and write those down directly below the secrets. Below that, for each word you picked, describe what that word alone means to you and how it makes you feel when you hear it. 

I'll give you one example of how this should look:

1. For the first time in my life, I'm truly jealous of my sister.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

1. Jealous

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

1. Jealous - Ew. I hate this feeling. It means I'm not happy with the things I have. I'm ungrateful. Although it doesn't pop up often in my life, when it does, it makes me feel childish, like I'm a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum because I can't have what I want. It makes me feel foolish. 

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

See how that works? Go on, get started!

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Doing Damage

We are all capable of being destructive. We break hearts, break bones, break the neighbor's window, break our mother's favorite vase, or break a sibling's favorite toy. In our lives, we all do damage in different ways. We can damage objects, ourselves, reputations, or others, and we don't always repair the damage that we do. 

Write about a time when you caused damage to someone or something. Was it an accident or was it on purpose? How did you feel after the damage was done? Did you try to repair the damage or avoid it at all costs?

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Make a Joyful Noise

Often times, when we can't find the words to express how we are feeling, we find the perfect song that fits our mood. That's why music is so enjoyable. If it's good, we identify with it. Years ago, I created a mix cd of songs that would be on the soundtrack if my life were a movie. Every few years I update it, and those are probably my favorite cds to listen to. They really take me back to the state of mind I was in when I made them. 

What song would currently express how you are feeling? What draws you to this song? Be sure to include some or all of the lyrics. Then, take the time to consider what songs would be on your soundtrack to your life, even if you can't make the actual cd. Here are some suggested scenes (You are in no way limited to just these because they might not all apply. Go on and make your own up!):

-Opening Credits:

-Waking Up:

-Falling In Love:

-Fight Scene:

-Breaking Up:

-Make Up:

-Secret Love:

-Life's OK:

-Mental Breakdown:

-Driving Scene:

-Flashback:

-Happy Dance:

-Regretting:

-Long Night Alone:

-Final Battle:

-Death Scene:

-Final Ending:

-End Credits:

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Ugly Anger

Even the most beautiful people in the world aren't as pretty when they are angry. There's a special quality to anger that completely changes a person's appearance to others and also to themselves, although it's very rare that people take the moment to notice how they look when they are angry.

How do you think you look when you're angry? How does your behavior change and what kind of body language do you use? Are you more silent or more outspoken when you're angry? What triggers your anger most often, and how do you release it?

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Path to Learning

This is a recent topic that I discuss in my journal, and my list just keeps growing. Hopefully one day I will be able to make it into a checklist so I can mark the items off as I accomplish them. This entry isn't as serious as most the others, so have fun with it. Relax and open up, no matter how silly you think your answers are. 

Make a list (I'm not giving you a set number because, trust me, the list will just keep growing) of things you would like to learn how to do in your lifetime. Dig deep, there may have been things you wanted to learn as a child and never got the chance. There may be things you'd love to learn right now, but you or something else is holding you back. List every one you think of! No erasing! (If you need a few examples: ballroom dancing, speak a foreign language, play an instrument) 

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie 

Awards! Huzzah!

I was very honored to receive this award from Rae at Weather Vane. She is an absolutely wonderful woman whose blog I can't get enough of. She also brightens my day with comments to my blog that let me know that I really am accomplishing what I set out to do here on blogger. Please be sure to visit her blog.

Now, on to the award!

Here are the STEPS of this Award:

(1) Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

(2) Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

(3) Link to the person who nominated you for this award.

(4) Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.

(5) Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.

(6) Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.

(7) Leave a comment on each of the blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.

My nominations for this award are:

1. Eddie and Brian @ Wacky News and Media

This blog keeps me laughing daily with entertaining news stories. It's definitely a pick me up!

2.  LoveLove @ Lust Heptagon

Following her love-life is far more interesting than soap operas!

3. Brett @ Brett's Good Deed of the Day

Self-explanatory title, but I really like the originality of this idea. Worth checking out!

4. Natalie @ Goodnight Indigo

Her writing/poetry leaves me in awe. This girl has quite a career ahead of her.

5. Ji Su Park @ Obsessions and Ravings of a Bored College Student

A personal blog that is just so fun to read! I like her style and look forward to following her.

6. PotterLover @ C'est La Vie

Another personal blog I enjoy reading, plus I have to give her mad props for being a HP fan.

7. Jessica @ A Day in the Life of a Mother and Wife in North Carolina

A lovely personal blog on a variety of topics that I really enjoy following. 

7 Interesting Facts about Me

1. I have been with the love of my life for nearly two years now, and we got engaged last summer. 

2. I'm an English major with absolutely no intent to teach. I don't understand why people expect you to teach if you get your degree in English, but I would much rather go into publishing and editing. Although I'm not always perfect, I'm typically a strict grammar nazi! :)

3. Most all of my free time I spend reading.  I have a bad habit of reading many books at one time and also of buying large amounts of books to read before I've finished with the ones currently being read. 

4. I've had both my art and my writings published before, but none of it was work I was overly proud of. I know I'm capable of much better.

5. Not only do I love to read, write, draw/paint - I'm also a seamstress! Costume design is my favorite, but I've been known to sew items for my everyday wardrobe. 

6. My musical tastes can't be narrowed down to one genre. You'll find me listening to anything between Motley Crue to Frank Sinatra. 

7. My favorite places to go shopping? Flea markets and thrift stores. I'm not really your average girl.

Don't worry...next post, we're back to the journal topics!

~Cookie

Visual Response

Today, I was shown a small (5 minutes, possibly) documentary done by a friend as a group project in one of her classes. It is truly inspirational. It features artists with developmental disabilities proving that they are very capable of creating beautiful artwork. 

The thing is - I don't normally do visual responses when I journal, but this video touched by heart, and I figure it will do the same for my readers.

After watching this video, what was your reaction? Has there ever been a time when your perception of someone has led you to underestimate his/her abilities? 

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

PS - This group put 10 weeks of work into their project, and then were instructed by the professor to upload it to current.com. It has become quite a hit, reaching #41 of roughly 11,000 videos, and if the group could break the top ten, they'd actually make a nice payout for their work. So if you enjoyed this video as much as I did, please take the few moments to register with the site and vote them up! Thank you.

Take a Stand

Some people think that bullying only occurs in grade school. The truth is, it can happen throughout our entire lives. We can witness it every single day. Most everyone is guilty of at least one act of bullying. It troubles me the way people can harass each other, either verbally or physically, just because of their differences. It's unacceptable.

Have you ever taken up for someone who was being bullied? How did you defend them? Have you ever bullied someone else? What was it about that person that made you want to bully them? In both cases - taking up for someone and bullying someone - how did you feel afterwards?

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Wear Your Heart on Your Skin

One of my favorite quotes comes from a short story titled "The Fifteen-Dollar Eagle" by Sylvia Plath. 

"You've got a rose on the heart, an eagle in the muscle, you've got the sweet Jesus Himself, so come into me. Wear your heart on your skin in this life."

If you couldn't tell, the story does revolve around tattoos and a woman's experience watching a tattoo artist at work. I won't reveal too much. Go out and read it! Anyways, whether you approve of tattoos or not, for this entry consider them a form of expression ---

Imagine you are going to get a tattoo, and you want it to be something that really expresses who you are. It has to have a very deep meaning to be put permanently on your body, so what do you choose (and why)? Where would you put it? Would you show it off to other people, or keep it to yourself where no one can see it?

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Just a quick shout to tell all my lovely followers - THANK YOU! I'm very pleased that this blog is taking off so well so quickly. There are many, many, many more topics to come in the near future. Also, if any of you happen to use the topics in your blog writing, be sure to send me a link! I'd love to read your responses. Thanks again! 

Beautiful Reminders

In my personal life, I have come to associate hummingbirds with my grandfather. When I was a child, our favorite hobby was to sit on a glider rocker outside and watch the hummingbirds come to sip from the feeders on the front porch. After his death, whenever I have been sick, depressed, or in any need of reassurance, somehow, in some form or another, a hummingbird will appear, whether the real bird shows up or just images. It is very strange because normally it happens in very odd places where you wouldn't expect to find anything hummingbird-related. It does make me feel like he is still there watching over me, reminding me of our hummingbirds. This leads me to ask:

After a loved one has passed, have you had any occurances where you can still feel his/her presence? Do you have a certain object, smell, song, etc. that was special between the two of you that still serves as a reminder of your loved one? How does it make you feel when you encounter that reminder?


Good luck and best writing!


~Cookie

Recipe for Happiness/Success

A lot of people these days seem to be confused by the difference between success and happiness. Being successful in life + making a lot of money = A happy life. Right? Wrong. That's not what success means to everyone. 

What does success mean to you, and what do you need to have in your life to consider yourself successful? Are you happy with your life? What about your life makes you happy? Do you currently have the life you've dreamed of? If not, what will it take for you to obtain your dream life? When you've finished writing this, end with your "Recipe for Happiness". Be as creative as you like! (Example: 1 Tbsp. of love, a pinch of wealth, etc.) 

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Lottery Winner

Too often do we hear the phrase, "If I won the lottery, I'd buy a (insert sports car, mansion, or other expensive item here)." Most of us tend to selfishly think only of what we would do for ourselves. While it's nice to dream of the extravagancies we would reward ourselves with, we should also consider what we could do for others.

You've just won $10 million in a lottery, but there's a catch. You aren't allowed to spend a single dime on yourself. Other than that, you can choose any way to spend your money. What do you buy, and who do you buy it for? Do you spend the money on family, friends, your community, or complete strangers? Or do you not spend it at all, and instead donate it to a worthy cause? Do you buy luxury items for people or spend the money on what others would benefit from (Examples: paying for the college education of a family member, helping a friend make the down-payment on their dream home)? Would you be tempted to spend even a little on yourself?

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

The Things They Carried

Memories are the heaviest items we can carry. This journal topic was inspired in part by The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. It's a pretty good read for anyone interested in the stories of American soldiers in the Vietnam War. You don't have to have read the book for this entry to apply to you, but for those of you who are avid readers, I suggest adding it to your summer reading lists.

Consider this scenario - You must leave your home for an unknown amount of time. You could be gone weeks, months, years, or you might never return. You may only take with you what fits in a pack on your back. What does your pack contain? Do you carry necessities, items with emotional value, or both? Why are these items worth more to you than those left behind? If you're on your journey and absolutely must start leaving some of the items behind due to the weight of your pack, which items would be the first to go? Do you drop necessities or items that contain your memories? How do you think these choices reflect what you value in your life?

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

"Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Between books, television, and film we, as humans, immerse ourselves in fiction. It becomes easy to relate to certain characters, support them, or find certain characteristics that we hate or love to hate about them. Perhaps you've even fantasized about what it would be like if these characters were real. 

Pick three fictional characters from either literature, television, or film. Imagine that they are truly real, and you have the opportunity to spend one day with each of them. What would your day together consist of? What is it about this character that attracts you to them? Are they heroic or are they the villain? In your life, do you surround yourself with friends that are similar in any way to the characters you chose?

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Holding Back

There's someone out there you wish you could say something to, perhaps something you've been holding back for a long time. Maybe you missed your opportunity to tell them anything at all. 

Whether it is someone you truly admire, utterly despise, someone still alive, or someone who has already passed, spend a few moments directing your journal entry towards them and what you really wish you could tell them. Unleash everything that you have held back. 

Once you've finished, ask yourself the following question:

How would that person respond to what you've just said? Why haven't you told them this before or why won't you ever tell them?

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Fight for a Cause

Everyone has a cause that they passionately believe in, whether it's animal rights, finding a cure for cancer, support for troops, AIDS awareness, etc. 

But the question is - do you support a cause that you'd be willing to break the law for? What laws would you be willing to break and suffer the consequences of in order to further your cause?

I'm not encouraging law-breaking, just asking you to consider different situations where you might consider breaking the law being "just".  Such as:  A person who feels strongly against animal abuse taking a pet out of the yard of the person who they've seen abusing it. It's breaking the law, but saving the pet from abuse. 

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Good for the Soul

In this hectic world it is hard to take the time for the small things that make us happy. Those small moments should be the ones that are treasured.

For this topic - List 50 things that you believe are "good for your soul".  

(Examples: a warm bubble-bath after a long day, chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven)

BONUS - If you write your journal on paper instead of online, pick your favorite crayon from the box and write this entry with it!  Reliving childhood by using crayons is yet another example of something good for the soul.

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie

Where to start? The Beginning of Course!

What you use to journal is just as important as what you journal about.  Journals can be kept in a variety of ways - blank books, blogs, or even on scraps of paper and trash. So for our first topic :

What do you use to journal and how do you think this reflects your lifestyle? Why does this method work best for you? Do you have a certain routine or ritual for the way you journal (certain place you usually journal, special tools you use, or a designated time to write)? Are you strictly a text writer or do you include other types of media? What is significant to you about the way your journal looks? Describe what your journal means to your life. 

Good luck and best writing!

~Cookie