Is it just me or did 2012 fly by at an alarming rate?!  Not that I am complaining - in fact, I'm happy to see it end - but hot damn, this year went by fast!  

Tis the season for reflecting upon the past and setting New Year's Resolutions for the year ahead. 

Cyberspace is buzzing with sugar coated pep talks encouraging readers to set their annual New Years resolutions, which more often than not, pertain to lifestyle a change, but I know you aren't expecting to find that fuckery here.  Not that I frown upon committing to the achievement to ones personal's goal, cause I don't.  And its' not that I don't believe in you, cause I do.  And I have total faith that you can achieve whatever it is you set your mind too, cause you can, but I am realist and thus calling it like it see it (and by it, I mean New Year's Resolution Success Rate Statistics) ....  

Disheartening statistics and anti-resolution speeches aside, it should be noted that I whole heatedly agree with the reflecting on the past aspect of the new year, as it serves as a means of re-evaluating ones needs and assessing whether or not the direction your headed in is complimentary to getting said needs met.  Along with this, I'm all for setting personal goals, thus if the new year is when you would like to do your reflecting and setting then by all means ...

As for myself, I did my fair share of reflecting on the ups and downs of the past year, and while I wouldn't say 2012 was a bad year, it wasn't much to write home about either. 

I won't bore you with a rehash of the gruesome details but it's worth noting that life slapped me around with several valuable - and much needed - life lessons along the way, one of which I seem to have had a diversion to initially learning. That particular gain is worth writing home about., or at least worth blogging about, as I can honestly say I feel good about it.

and on that note, I'm off like a prom dress!

the herd ...

the genuine people & positive energy in my life ...

recent business opportunities ...

 steady work ...

the roof over my head ...

electricity ....

purring ...

snuggle parties ...

nakedness ...

 my blog readers ...

:-)

my list goes on, but I have to dash off as I'm working today at the Country Club.
Until next time, I'm off like a prom dress

The following is a list of items needed for various locations across LI that we are collecting:



LAST HOPE
Friskies canned cat food, pate - no fish please
non-clumping clay litter
Science Diet Dog food - canned and dry and paper towels 

BROOKHAVEN ANIMAL SHELTER: 
Canned cat food, pate, especially

HEMPSTEAD ANIMAL SHELTER:
Fosters/ Adoptions
Dog food/treats/clean bedding
Cat food
Cat Litter
Litter Pans
Newspapers
Home for a 15 year old cat whose owner (a senior) lost his home. Cat needs medication once a day for epilepsy.

ALL ABOUT SPAY/NEUTER
Looking for a place to relocate to in the Massapequa, Wantagh, Merrick area—about 40 cats and kittens in need of relocation—their shelter has been flooded out by Hurricane.

Kitten Chow
Cat litter

and I'm dedicating this post to none other than 

(or as I like to call him: Mr Fancy Aprons!)

Today is Mike's birthday.  He turns the 3-2.  If I were him, I'd have kicked off my big day with Funfetti Protein Smoothie:

1 small banana, peeled
1/4 cup coconut milk yogurt (vanilla or plain)
2 - 3 heaping Tbsp dry (gluten free vegan) cake mix (such as Pamela's)
1 scoop protein powder of choice (I use Raw Power Vanilla or Hemp)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Ice, optional
Sprinkles, for garnish

However, he might very well be saving himself for a Ralph's Cake Shake (dairy lovin' bastard!) Unable to let a "cake batter for breakfast" opportunity potentially go to waste, I decided it best to start my own day with a funfetti protein smoothie, ya know, just to be safe.  *chuckles* 

Since I am posting this way later than I initially intended, there's a strong possibility that any smoothie/shake urges were satisfied hours ago.  Should that be the case, I present to you

*drum roll*

Gluten Free, vegan, and oh so delicious! These little bites of wonder will satisfy even hardcore snack attacks.  Adding to the amazing-ness it the fact they are ridiculously easy to make, it would be a crime not to whip up a batch right now. 

Look at you - back already.  I told ya that was easy!  Well, as I already mentioned, today is Mike's birthday and as far as I am concerned a birthday is NOT complete without a knock your socks off finale!  That said, if you have been reading my posts, I'd imagine visions of this madness are still dancing in your head., and if not, its safe to say they're doing plenty of dancing in my own head for the both of us.  Factor in my recent inability to stop thinking about all things cake batter and Ooooh la la, the Funfetti Blondie Crispy Treat Cupcake was born!

Funfetti Blondies
Vegan & Gluten Free.  This recipe makes 12 mini muffin sized blondies (perfect for stuffing in a crispy treat base) and one standard cupcake sized blondie.

1/2 box vanilla cake mix
2 Tbs + 1 tsp coconut oil, melted
1/2 egg's equivelant in egg replacer
1/4 -1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk*
1/4 cup sprinkles, or more if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees ans prep baking pan.

Combine all ingredients except milk in a large bowl.  Then starting with 1/4 cup, slowly add the milk (I used approximately 1/3 cup total).  Batter should be thick and dense.  Once desired consistency is achieved, pour heaping teaspoonfuls into muffin cups and smooth top (my batter didn't rise all that much which is good cause I filled them to almost the top). Sprinkle a few extra sprinkles on top, if desired, and bake for 15 minutes until edges are just turning brown. Allow to cool before transferring. 

Meanwhile, make the rice crispy treats:

Small Batch Rice Crispy Treats 
Vegan & Gluten Free
Makes 12 cupcake based

1 1/2 Tbs coconut oil
3 cups Brown Rice Crispy Cereal (I used Natures Path)
2 cups rice mellow

Melt coconut oil.  Add rice mellow and cereal, stirring until well combine.  Press cereal mix into cupcake pan cups and pop pan in the fridge.


To assemble cupcake:

Remove crispy treat cupcake bases from cupcake pan and lightly frost top of the base.  Place one homemade cookie per base on top.of frosting layer and lightly press down.  Now frost cookie as yoga would a cupcake.  Decorate as desired and devour!

Funfetti done Healthy
Cake Batter Desserts @ Chocolate Covered Katie

Funfetti Indulgences
Cake Batter Cinnamon Rolls @ How Sweet It Is
Birthday Cake French Toast @ Grillaxin
Cake Batter Bread Ice Cream Bread @ Katrina's Kitchen
Funfetti Cheesecake Pops @ Bakers Royale
Funfetti Fritters @ Cookies & Cupcakes

Sidenotes: For those not familiar (and/or not recalling), Mike's the one that got away (or more accurately stated, the one I let get away) not too long before I started wasting time with the Sociopath (formerly known as the Narcissist; recent events that don't deserve another millisecond of attention & will not be discussed on this blog are the reason for the renaming).

I call him the one I let get away cause despite the fact that our relationship ended, I cannot think of one sour thing to say about any of the years we were together.  The sheer fact that it ended is tragic and the actual ending is only painful memory I have of our time together (to say that is a sharp contrast to what followed after mine and Mike's relationship would be a gross understatement).  The hardest part of that is even now, I am unable to pinpoint exactly where things took a fatal turn.  At time, I guess I guess I just kinda banked on a reconnection somewhere down the line, which I should have realized would be easier said than done. 
   

Thought it wasn't fast or easy, Mike and I were able to pave a road to (a positive, genuine & mutually reciprocated) friendship (something sociopathic individual's are incapable of).  There are no words to express how grateful I am for that and I seriously don't know what I'd have done - or how I'd manage - had that not been the case. 

It's somewhat interesting that my relationship with Mike was followed interaction with a Sociopath in that the former can be viewed as lesson on true love and how easy a relationship could be where as my experience with the latter taught me several valuable lessons that perhaps I needed to be reminded of:  what a relationship is not (and never should be; thus me not referring to it as one in this post), what it is I want and need in a "partner in crime", how to forgive, but you shouldn't forget, and when you cant forgive how to at least let go.....  Equally - if not even more - valuable is that the transpirings with the Sociopath brought to light inner conflicts (hence the reason the interaction went on for so long.  It's only now that I realize my inability to disconnect had everything to do with my own unresolved issues and little to do with him).  Though moments of regret and wishing the whole experience with the Sociopath never took place creep in to my head, I ultimately try not to view it - or him negatively - as doing such would negate what I've learned and gain (awareness, strength, insight...) and it also goes back to learning how to and knowing when to let go.
        

Also interesting - and equally ironic - is that everything the Sociopath portrayed himself as (smart, sexy ambitious, charming, self-sufficient, genuine, responsible, funny, gainfully employed) at the start of our interaction, was actually right in front of me, ready, willing, and able!  Unfortunately my dumb ass was blinded by and too caught up in dysfunction to really see him at the time, and when I finally did it was (kinda, sorta) too late.     

Yep. 
blew it again. 

I know! I know!
I seriously need to stop doing that.

And I will. 
When exactly I don't know
but I will.

It's Fleet Week in NYC and the timing couldn't be more fantastic!  I've been struggling to find the time, energy, motivation, and most importantly, the words, to write this post.  Experience has taught me that it cant be forced, and instead must flow, but one day became two and two quickly became four, and that became a week....  a vicious cycle to say the least.  The days, and my frustrations, continued to accumulate.  I was overly worked, overly stressed, and ultimately drowning in the drama and negativity of another.  I almost abandoned ship (pun intended)....
Instead I decided to disconnect and clear my energy. 

“You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may
be the best thing in the world for you.”
– Walt Disney

BEST DECISION EVER!  Three weeks have passed since I initially sat at my computer to write this post, which has been revised, deleted, and rewritten more times that I care to count.  Blessing in disguise I say, all because it's fleet week.  I've been gifted with the rare opportunity to shout: there's seaman everywhere and have it be appropriate.  In a word:  EPIC!

Fleet Week:  a United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard tradition in which active military ships recently deployed in overseas operations dock in a variety of major cities for one week. Once the ships dock, the crews can enter the city and visit its tourist attractions. At certain hours, the public can take a guided tour of the ships.  Source: Wikpedia

There's something undeniably purrrr inducing about a man in dress blues ...or whites ... or fatigues ... or heavy black bunker gear... (you get the idea).  That something will vary greatly from person to person, though researchers and/or experts have tried to explain it (here and here), and studies (such as this) have debunked the notion that women prefer men in uniform, it's nonetheless a common theme among many women (and men who love men). 

As for my own uniform fetishism,  instead of trying to explain it, I say just go with it!  As a gal who often cites time not being her side, it's imperative that I use every millisecond I get to my advantage. That said, I've concluded that time spent undressing (with my eyes), violating (in my mind), and restraining myself so I pounce right then and there is far more entertaining and more importantly of greater benefit, than time spent analyzing.  Besides, is an explanation REALLY necessary here?!?!

Purrrrrr ...

Yeah, I didn't think so either.  Let's file this one under "it speaks for itself".  Moving on, life awaits so I'm gonna wrap this chapter up BUT for those lookin to go down (heh) and check out fleet week, you still have plenty of time cause there will be seaman everywhere until May 30th!

Until next time, I'm off like a prom dress!