Workjing out is STILL paying off....YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Times have been REALLY busy but I have to slow down a give thanks for all the beauty that surrounds me!!

FINALLY I am seeing my working out paying off. I was NEVER one to exercise but getting a little older and wiser has made me see and do things differently. Couple that with making better choices with what I eat and I am certain to reach my goal......YIPEEEEEEEE!

Getting a taste of good weather gave me a cold.....SIGH (sniff sniff:~)!!

Here is the greatest recipe for Cream Of Corn! It's turkey time and I can't wait to make this ADDICTIVE dish. I was never a huge fan of COC but this recipe changed the game....ENJOY!

PREP TIME 5 Min COOK TIME 10 Min READY IN 15 Min

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

DIRECTIONS

1. In a skillet over medium heat, combine the corn, cream, salt, sugar, pepper and butter. Whisk together the milk and flour, and stir into the corn mixture. Cook stirring over medium heat until the mixture is thickened, and corn is cooked through. Remove from heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. Serve hot.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MUSICAL ME!

Peace be with Jennifer Hudson and her family at this most difficult time!

Be who you is! This being my first full on scribble I thought I would share a recent experience that has made everyone within my reach smile. I was commuting home and found a blackberry and after a weeks worth of trying I managed to track down it's owner who was, needless to say, VERY happy! We arranged to meet and as I handed her her phone she handed me a card titled "my knight in shining armor" and she said in it was "a little something". The following day I read the beautiful card she wrote and in it included a gift card which I decided to donate in both our names. I emailed her this info and she replyed with the following you are about to read: Darin, What a nice note! Your idea of donating the card to charity in both our names sounds wonderful to me. Thanks for sending me back the good karma! I know that you did not work to find me because you expected something, but I felt it was right to acknowledge in some small way how thankful I am. I gave you the little gift for the same reason that you sought to find me -- I wanted to encourage the spirit that made you put in that extra effort to help someone else. On the surface, I think a lot of people think "nice guys finish last" or that people all too often get rewarded for selfish behavior. Sometimes it's nice to know that people appreciate selfless behavior. You also should know that by the time you contacted me I already had told my employer that I lost my phone. When I later told them someone had returned it to me, my colleagues were surprised. My IT people told me that several people have lost their devices and I am the first and only person to have someone return their phone. One person told me, "Either you are someone special, this Darin is an angel, or both!" Another co-worker later came up to me and asked me, "Is it true that someone actually returned your blackberry????!!!" It looks like Darin Green is becoming a bit of a legend around the halls of ICI (my company). Since you were so kind as to share with me the words of your Mom Jennie Mae, I'd like to pass on some words of wisdom from my Grandmom, who is also my mother. She is now passed on, but she lived a wonderful life into her 90's and passed away at home with her family and friends. One of my best friends noted that for an eighty year old woman who was born and lived her whole life in Alabama, she always seemed happy. He asked her what is the secret to having a life full of joy. Her reply was, "Be who you is." My friend told me that at first he wanted to translate her sentence into the English-correct version of, "Be who you are." Then he realized that if he did that he would be missing a key part of the wisdom in her statement. The word "is" is jarring in the sentence - it stands out and commands that you take notice of how out of place it is. Is also connotes a constant state of being. He thought this was profoundly appropriate, since for an elderly black woman who has seen up close Jim Crow, Bull Connor, the Civil Rights Movement, among other turbulent times, to maintain her sense of self, pride and happiness, she had to be okay with not fitting in, with standing out in a jarring way. She also had to do this constantly. It's a challenging and constant effort to be who you is. Thanks for being who you is. I'll keep you in mind when I've been at work all day, I'm tired and that little voice says, "You don't need to do that little extra. Nobody else is doing it." I'll think about paying it forward because Darin did that little extra! Keep in touch and best regards, Lisa ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To all that read this.........be who you IS!