Covering the Classics

Every time I hear this collaboration, I get goosebumps covering my body, tears in my eyes, and that want-to-dance spirit running through my veins.  I have so much respect for Aretha Franklin, her melodies, and her lyrics but Christina Aguilera, who sings the opening solo in this tribute to Aretha Franklin at the 2011 Grammy Awards, really makes this one with her incredible voice and spirit.  Please enjoy the talent of these women and come back to this anytime you need a little pick-me-up.

Here is another Christina Aguilera cover.  This time she sings James Brown's classic "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World" at the 2007 Grammy Awards.  I absolutely love her rendition and especially what she does right after the 2:00 mark.  Everything about this performance is killer!

Desserts for 1

I live with a roommate but I cook for just myself.  When I am in the mood for something to top off my meal, I often crave something sugary.  But I struggle if there is an entire pan of brownies laying on the counter or a full recipe of cookie dough in the fridge.  I recently have been using these recipes for Coffee Cake and Chocolate Chip Cookie for 1 because they are not only quick and easy to make, but they require just a few ingredients and are the perfect amount for a sweet treat.  Once I've finished, I am not tempted to cut off one more slice because there isn't one!  These are perfect for people like me who struggle with limiting portions and who only crave dessert here and there.  I have tried both of these recipes several times and find them both to be super delicious.

Enjoy!

Coffee Cake in a Mug 

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp applesauce
• 3 drops vanilla extract
• 1/4 Cup all purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. In a mug soften 1 tbsp of butter in microwave, about 5 seconds. You don’t want it melted, just soft. Stir in 2 tbsp of sugar and mix until well incorporated. Stir in applesauce, vanilla (just a tiny bit, we’re talking drops), flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt; stirring until just combined. Use the back of your spoon to smooth it out in the bottom of the mug.
2. Want struesel? Of course you do! In a separate, small bowl, combine 1 tbsp of butter, 2 tbsp of flour, 1 tbsp of brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Use your fingers to to pinch the butter and mix it in with the other ingredients. When it starts to look like lumpy sand (appetizing, eh?) and all ingredients are combined, pour on top of cake batter in mug.
3. Cook in the microwave for 50-80 seconds depending on your microwave. At 1 minute, my microwave cooks it perfectly. It will look just barely set on top. You don’t want to overcook it and things tend to get ugly fast in the microwave. I suggest cooking it 50 seconds, and then in 10 second intervals checking after each interval until done. Eat white it’s still warm. Once it cools off, it tends to loose some of it’s magic!

created by Heather Likes Food

http://www.heatherlikesfood.com/2-minute-coffee-cake-in-a-mug/

Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Cup

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp granulated white sugar
• 1 Tbsp firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3 drops vanilla extract
• Pinch of Kosher salt
• 1 egg yolk (discard egg white)
• 1/4 Cup all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp of semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions 

Start by melting your butter in the microwave. Add sugars, vanilla and salt. Stir to combine. Separate your egg and add the yolk only to your cup. Stir to combine. Add flour, then stir again. Add the chocolate chips, and give a final stir. Cook in microwave 40-60 seconds, start checking for doneness at 40 seconds. Mine takes 50 seconds.  Serve warm.

created by Melissa at No. 2 Pencil  
http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2012/03/chocolate-chip-cookie-in-cup.html

Love Interests

I am currently without a committed romantic relationship and there are many guys out there who I consider as a possible future partner.  There are many things that attract me to these men and once I have showed interest in one or solidified a connection with him by sharing my phone number or making a date, for example, it is hard to get the special someone off of my mind.  It can be very frustrating when the reality does not live up to my expectations and it is challenging to keep faith in the original chemistry I felt when things seem to be moving slow.

I am old-fashioned in that I believe it is a man's job to make the first couple of dates.  I believe a true gentleman should ask the woman he is interested in to dinner, follow up with the plan to ensure it takes place, and treat his lady for the night.  When something in this pattern falls out of line or it does not happen on the timeline that I expect (within a week or two), I immediately assume I did something wrong to turn him away.  It is important, however, to remain secure with my actions and trust that he felt like he could not live up to my standards or he really just does not know how to treat a lady and, in that case, does not live up to my standards.  In both of these cases, I must choose to either let him go or to give up my expectations and make something happen in my own way,  like by asking him to go to dinner instead of waiting for him to take the initiative.  Simply having trust in myself and my standards, however, will ensure that the right one finds me and shows that he wants to keep me.

There are always more great available guys looking for great available gals.  People who are in love always say "when the right one comes along, you just know".  Thus, if a love interest does not feel right, it probably isn't.  It is best to let it go as soon as possible and move on, for it is more likely that I will find the right guy if I am open to a new love rather than if I am down because I am so focused on what an old one didn't like about me.

"Look Into My Eyes"

I love the beat of this song but the lyrics are so powerful, as well.  It's a great reminder of one of the simplest things you can do and how much it can tell you about somebody or even yourself.  "Eyes are the windows to the soul" so look into them deeply and as often as you can.  You will see what is going on inside of yourself, your friends, and the one you love the most by reading eyes.  See the change when you discuss a subject, do something without words, or just think intimately.  They react subconsciously and do not lie.  Therefore, always be sure to tell the truth and go about life with a kind soul so that others will see this when they look into your eyes.

Commitment

Sometimes I think that committing to a decision is hard.  But really, the difficulty of a decision depends on the amount of change the decision will generate in my life.  Picking out what to order as an entree at dinner will affect how I feel for the next few hours and can make a difference in my weight if I indulge a little too much (or too little).  These are things that are important to me, but I make these decisions daily and have gotten pretty good at knowing which ones make me feel good and which I feel less confident about or regret afterwards.

Then, there are decisions like what to get tattooed onto my body.  This decision will be with me for the rest of my life and is public for anyone who notices to recognize and judge.  With such a big decision comes fear that in 50 years, I will not feel the love that I feel for it in this moment.  There is also fear that people I love will love me less because of it.  In the end, though, this is a choice that I made and must live with.  Because I love it, the people who truly love me will love that it makes me happy.  I must be secure in my relationships to trust the opinions of the people I love and to care what they think but I also must be secure enough with myself to ensure that nobody can change the way I feel about something that only affects my life and body.

Another commitment that can be scary is a romantic one in which love and official "titles" are involved.  Heartbreak and betrayal are the worst feelings I have ever experienced and both of these are possible outcomes of committing to love another person.  I know that I can always leave this person if I become unhappy, but it is scary to be vulnerable to them, for they have the ability to break my heart if I am happy and they leave me or find someone else to be happier with.  Every relationship, even those that are contracted in marriage, can be hurtful, but this pain is something I am willing to risk if it means I can be happy at the current time.  Having learned to be happy by myself gives me the comfort that I can be happy with someone but will also be able to remain happy without them if either one of us chooses to end the relationship.

It is always better to share happiness and have someone share theirs with me.  Therefore, I am committing to being open to commitment.  I do not want to rush into a commitment nor do I want to force one that doesn't feel right; but I also do not want to turn down an opportunity that could lead to something amazing.  Other than a tattoo, every thing else in life should be decided based on what feels right in the moment.  If my favorite food sounds terrible one day, I don't have to eat it just because I already made a commitment that I love that food.  If a relationship becomes stale or causes frustration and stress, I can try to fix it; but I must be willing to go back to being happy on my own if the other person in the relationship does not put in the same effort as I do.  At the same time, though, I must have faith in every decision I make and hope for the best in every relationship I form.

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." ~Hebrews 6:19

HOW TO: Be Happy

Bringing happiness into my heart starts in my eyes, moves down my cheeks, and shows itself by my smile.  When I envision things, people, words, and moments that I love, my heart tingles and my eyes light up and force my cheeks to push out.  I can't get this feeling thinking about anything negative, annoying, weird, or stupid.  I really only feel this way when I am living out a dream or goal and being aware of myself in the moment.  It makes me feel good to share these things.  I can express myself through the things I do and the words I write, but I can also express myself through my features and the way I hold myself.  The way I carry my head, the way my hips sway, and the straightness of my posture affect the way I feel and the way the world understands my feelings.

Love is strong and the reason for keeping everything in alignment is to feel good so the world will know it and will let me feel their love, in return.  The point of being happy is to attract people who are also happy, and together, we can be happier than either one of us could be by ourselves.  It is such an exciting feeling that I never want to go away, but if it does slip out of my consciousness for a time, I know the way to get it back is to focus on what makes me feel the best.  Putting good food into my body, stretching and getting the sore areas massaged away, and surrounding myself with people that respect me and my values are so important, regardless of where I am and what I look like.  As long as my body and relationships are strong and healthy, there is beauty shining from the inside out.  Anyone who wants to look can see it in plain view.  My goal is to show my happiness to everyone and the ones who are happy will stick with me and the ones who want to be happy will seek me.  Those who are not and do not want or try to be happy are people who I do not wish to be around and they will be the ones who are turned off and annoyed by my happiness.  I will not change for them just as I do not expect them to change for me.  Everything that happens to us is created internally.  The best thing to do is to focus on creating happy everything—moments, people, situations, etc. and then once found, keep them going.

Best of luck :)

Patience

Time is God's way of keeping everything from happening at once.

As much as I wish I could develop a dream and watch it happen instantaneously, waiting for my dreams to be made real is what life is all about.  Keeping on the track that will lead me toward my dreams is the most difficult part, but it is all worth it when something magical happens.  Sometimes, it feels easier to just give up and move on to something else, but being patient is what ultimately brings the best feelings.  The most exciting dream I have is to fall and stay in love.  But even the bible says, "Love is patient" (1 Corinthians 13:4).  I do not want to rush the plan God has for me and the vision I have for myself.  I am living happily in a dream that I had in the past, so as long as I know my desires and I have begun to put them into action, I must just sit back and wait.  In the meantime, I must keep living the dream I have made for myself and have faith that my wishes for the future will come true when the time is right.  The best way, I find, to forget about what isn't happening is to focus on what is.  So get busy and keep dreaming!