a new adventure

Until now, my culinary endeavors have been limited to family and friends. Or sometimes friends of friends. But for the very first time, I catered an event.
Technically it was a favor for a friend, but I've never really prepared food for strangers before.

It was a joy to be able to come up with ideas and create food and it was a thrill that it was so well received.
There were many lovely compliments, and lots of suggestions that I should do it as a business. But my answer remains the same. For me, cooking is never a chore, but a chance to express myself creatively. I worry that making it a job would take the fun and joy out of it.

This adventure was a great learning experience for me. Two discoveries stand out the most:
I love food shopping at Costco and people love the hell out of smoked salmon.

This also allowed me to combine two of my loves- photography and cooking. Here are some shots from the event.

1. Fresh mango salsa on endive

2. Smoked salmon crostini with maple ricotta cream spread

3. Chocolate mini brownies with peppermint icing, spiced gingerbread men (er.. persons) and Festive punch

4. Phyllo cups with feta and sweet mince

It can't be the wrong road if it's part of the journey

Well, I am many things, and therefore this space shall be as well.
Many times I come to write, only to peck and strike like a chicken in the dirt, but then leave without even a trace of hen scratch.
I have to have focus. I want to become more disciplined in my writing (and, truth be told, my life) so I shall stop fretting about theme, and be more concerned about content.
From now on, whatever happens, happens.
As long as I find interesting ways to write it down, it shall find a home here.

There. I've made peace with it.

my blog is having an identity crisis

I come here often.
I log in, stare at the page, knowing I should write something. I started a blog to write things. But then I get overwhelmed.
Not for lack of material- hell, I've got more than enough floating around in this echo-y head of mine, bouncing around like rubber balls in a stainless steel room.
The problem is, which of those thoughts to put here.

Should this space be used for work related issues? Moments of self discovery? Recipes? Trips to the beach? Poetry? Lyrics?( mine or someone else?) Photographs? Memories and observations? Things that piss me off?
These are all things prominent in my life, and each could have their own blog. I have a hard enough time keeping one, I couldn't do more than that. I wouldn't. I shouldn't.

But why can't it be about everything? Does there have to be a theme? Why can't everything be... enough?

I've always had a thing about perfection. If I can't be perfect at something immediately, then I am frustrated and don't want to do it. Or beat myself up over it.
Someone once told me I needed to give myself permission to be human.
I didn't much care for that comment.

Another reason I started a blog was to discipline myself, make myself WRITE. So perhaps if I just put something in, even if it is just one line, then I am at least fulfilling that purpose.

So perhaps that's what I'll do. So it will be as congested and noisy as my brain. At least I will be putting something out there. At least I will be getting something done.

We'll see...