And by, “I’m pretty proud of myself,” I mean… WOO HOO! I DID IT, I DID IT, I DID IT!

For those of you who have been living in a hole for the past month who are still like, Na… Pablo… Wha? National Blog Posting Month (www.nablopomo.com) is an annual event here in the blogging world that encourages bloggers everywhere to publish one blog post at least once a day for the entire month of November. Like I said when I accepted this challenge, for those of us not in the habit of daily posting, this is not an easy thing.

And by, “not an easy thing,” I mean it’s really #%^@ing hard. Because, let’s be honest here, I don’t even always find time to shower everyday. How did I find something meaningful to talk about everyday on my blog?

Well, after 30 blog posts in 30 days, the truth is, I didn’t. It wasn’t always meaningful. But one thing NaBloPoMo taught me is that every blog post doesn’t have to be earth shattering. It’s a blog post. Not a dissertation.

On several occasions over the course of this past month, I mentioned how I came to have a love-hate relationship with NaBloPoMo. For the most part, I think it has been a wonderful thing for me and for this blog. I turned out some of my best writing this month. I announced some major news. I cooked. I got sarcastic. Really sarcastic. I started a mini travel series.  I had not one, but two wonderful guest bloggers. I recapped some more of the wedding. Overall, it’s been great.

But sometimes the pressure got to be too much. Sometimes, I’d turn out blog posts just for the sake of it, which I don’t necessarily think is a good thing. Over the holiday especially, NaBloPoMo felt like much more of a chore than a fun little challenge. I also found myself not being able to devote the kind of time that I would have liked to some of the more important, longer blog posts, just because I had to get something up. Anything.

All in all though, it was a productive month. An enlightening one. A month in which I felt like I cemented not only my writing style but also the eclectic nature of this blog. We’ve covered everything from food to holidays to poetry. But moreover, my approach to blogging has changed. Before NaBloPoMo, I would wait until I had a neat and tidy little blog post all queued up in my head before sitting down to write. And then, even after writing, I might hold back a post in my drafts for days and days (or forever) because it was not… quite… perfect.

But I’ve learned that every post can’t always be a perfect post. And that my idea of perfect isn’t always what resonates most with my readers. Many people told me that they loved seeing me posting every day this month, which was very flattering indeed. Especially when, at my most critical of moments, I felt as if half of my posts this month were endless dribble and the rest were pointless fluff. They assured me that was not the case.

So, I’ve decided to blog more. Not everyday, god no. But more. I really see the value now in frequent posting. I know when I see new posts from my favorite blogs come up on my Google reader, I get a little happier inside. And not that I presume to have hundreds of adoring fans out there just waiting for a new post but I do think more frequent posts help people get better acquainted with the blog, and faster.

Would I do NaBloPoMo again next year? Absolutely. I can’t imagine it coming at a busier time than whilst moving and switching life tracks, but really? You never know.  Still, if I got through it this year, I can do anything. First, conquer NaBloPoMo, next: the world.

Or something like that.

Thanks for listening this month. I promise to pipe down a bit more now.

I don’t know if it’s coincidence or merely convenience, but I’ve been crushing on a bunch of different cookbooks lately. (Hmm… just in time for the holidays.) Methinks any (or all?) of these would look perfect on my new cookbook bookshelf.

First up, Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. After Julie & Julia spurred me to read My Life in France, I feel as if I’ve practically read this already. Plus, not only does this classic cookbook from the woman who introduced French cooking to mainstream America and invented the television chef include all types of basic French recipes, it also teaches all the basic kitchen skills that any good cook should know!

Next, this enormous book of recipes from the late Gourmet magazine (may it rest in peace) has been taunting me from the shelves every time I step into a bookstore these days. It just looks so complete and the shuttering of the magazine makes this collection of recipes seem all the more special.

This next one needs no introduction, except to say, I just got married to a bottomless stomach with a man attached to it. ‘Nuff said.

Finally, this baking book I saw covered on Design*Sponge. I love the story behind it and the cakes look delicious! I’d love to work my way through this book one cake at a time!

Any cookbooks you’d recommend I add to my wish list?

Just wanted to quickly to share this photo I took yesterday of my leftovers sandwich. The best leftovers sandwich has it all, everything that was on the table. Not just the turkey and gravy, but the stuffing, casseroles, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce too!

Today, I have a guest post for you from my dear Aunt Nancy, my mom’s sister, who hosted us for Thanksgiving dinner #1 yesterday (and did a damn fine job of it, I must add). When I originally blogged about needing a little help getting through NaBloPoMo, Aunt Nancy quickly volunteered herself for the job. And I need all the help I can get (although – newsflash – just three more days after today! Then, freedom! Ha.) so I quickly accepted her for the job.

Now Aunt Nancy is somewhat new to the writing side of the blogosphere. Her blog, Tickling the Ivories, is still finding its sea legs, so everyone, kindly give my Aunt Nancy a warm welcome!

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Yes, today it is a guest blogger- that would be me!  I hope you will not miss Shelley too much. I chatted with Shelley and asked her what she thought would be an appropriate topic for my guest post.  Since I read her blog faithfully, she told me to just write about the types of things she does but maybe with a Thanksgiving twist.  Now mind you, I could chat food and recipes all day long as I love to cook (psst…but I hate cleaning up!) but I thought perhaps it would be good to reflect a bit on the rollercoaster past six months I have been living. And it has been quite the ride – I think it might be an E ticket (that’s an old-timer Disney reference)!!

On my blog (which I freely admit to having neglected until very recently), I began the cathartic process of writing after my sudden layoff in April.  I was left, as so many are, to try to figure out what to do.  I know I was blessed—and I still count my blessings. I am thankful everyday that I did not HAVE to find a full time job right away.  My darling husband still has a very good job that can cover our bills.

So my task was to figure out what I wanted to do… but that’s been tougher than it sounds! I have taken dozens of personality and career path assessments and talked to a lot of contacts who do coaching and counseling.  I thought it would be so easy to determine what to do now. I was wrong!

I knew I didn’t want to spend a lot of time commuting every day to NYC or Philly.  My life here in central Pennsylvania is very full of community and social activity that I was NOT willing to give up for a job.  I would not be able to perform in Community Theater shows if I had to commute three or four hours a day.  And, as I always say, my friends and family would not want to see me if I wasn’t involved in theater – it is my Prozac and it keeps me sane!  So I keep looking in the local area.  And there is not a lot to be had as most major employers have done their own layoffs this year.

But I believe in the power of intention.  If I continue to know that there is something local that I am meant to be doing, it will happen. I believe very strongly in keeping positive.  It is too easy to wallow in the depths of “woe is me”.  That is not my style.

The good news is that I have a possible opportunity to work for the Charter School my children attended.  It would be a great blend for my skill set as I am an idea person and very strategic in my thinking. Between that and my collaborative nature, I can take the school to a good place for the future.  It is an excellent option and that would give me a great opportunity to give back.

And giving back is exactly what I need to be doing right now.  The last six months have taught me that lesson.  I need to be valued and I need to be doing work that counts.  I presented a workshop on networking to my church because I needed to share some of the knowledge I have in that and many subjects.  If I can work with kids who need me to ensure the longevity of the special school they attend, then it will be right.

So during this Thanksgiving season, I have many reasons to give thanks- I have a great family (with a new addition this year- welcome Andreas), good friends and a life filled with joy and happiness.  I know now that I also need to be giving back to be fulfilled and that it is a lifelong journey. Thanks for reading!

Anyways, as I’m sure is the case for many of you, Thanksgiving has never been just about the food and the parades and the football and the food for me. Okay, so maybe it’s mostly about the food. But I, for one, am glad – thankful, even – that we have a national holiday dedicated to appreciation in all forms. Unlike Mother’s Day or Secretary’s Day (I wonder how much longer that one will be around), or any of those other niche appreciation days, Thanksgiving gives us the freedom to appreciate any and everything we want.

Last year, I made a Thanksgiving Wordle of everything I was thankful for in my life. But this year, I want to be a little more specific.

I am specifically thankful…

To have a husband who knows me for me and loves me for me. Someone who understands my dreams and fiercely insists I follow them.

To have a family that supports one another. That cares about one another. Even when we’re bickering over who gets the last of the pink fluff.

To have a body that can see, hear, think, feel, jump, dance, scream, sing, swim, laugh, kiss, and run.

To have courage. And a tireless drive for authenticity. I’ve learned this year that that’s what makes me, me. And that’s just wonderful.

What are you specifically thankful for this year?

Anyways, just a mini wedding recap for you today of those in between moments just before walking down the aisle. When last we left off, Andreas and I had just finished our photo shoot on the Greenway and Beacon Hill and were headed back to the Wang for the ceremony.

First though, we took some pictures with our fabulously dapper wedding party. Here’s Andreas with his guys.

And me with my unbelievably gorgeous ladies.

And the whole group together.

Then the excitement started to set in for the ceremony. I absolutely adore this photo of my mom and mother-in-law peering out over the balcony as the guests are arriving. This was a totally candid moment that I happened to notice from the other side of the balcony as we were taking pictures. I wasted no time in forcing urging Allegro to get this shot! (ps. How beautiful do our mothers look? Love the body language too.)

Then the girls started getting lined up…

And Andreas’ brothers compared last minute notes…

But for us it was a few moments of quiet reflection over an empty theater before our lives changed forever.

“Okay guys. Time to take your places. Ready?”

Hell. Yes.

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This is part 2.5 of a multi-part series of recaps from our wedding back in September. Catch part 1 here, part 1.5 here, and part 2 here.

And being a person naturally drawn to all things food, it’s no wonder I read lots of food blogs. I don’t know what it is about them. It’s not like I can actually taste the food through the words and the pictures but, somehow? I kind of can. I’m a very imaginative person like that. And I collect recipes like troll dolls. Or rabbits feet. (Two things I really did collect as a kid.)

(Some more things I collected as a kid? Stickers, key chains, and fun erasers. And Lisa Frank crap. Not to mention lots and lots of friends. (That last part was a joke. (Which is not to say I was unpopular. (But I did at one point actually have a keychain OF a rabbit’s foot. So. Yeah.))))

Anyways, I’ve been secretly squirreling away Thanksgiving-related recipes on my Google reader and in my inbox for weeks now, even though I’m in no way hosting a Thanksgiving dinner myself. What can I say? I have an addiction, sir.

And in the course of my culinary travels, I found two recipes so good that I had to insist on bringing them to the not one but two Thanksgivings we’ll be attending this year (one with my family, one with his). So this week, I’ll be making a double portion of both of these lovely recipes.

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First up, a healthier take on possibly my favorite Thanksgiving dish ever, green bean casserole. This classic American dish was invented in the 50s by the Campbell Soup Company in what can only be called a genius marketing move. This was back in the days when convenience was the name of the game, so if you could throw a few cans of vegetables and soup together and call it a meal, all the better.

This CHOW recipe for green bean casserole “redux” takes this classic dish not back to its roots but rather up to current standards, calling for fresh green beans, fresh cremini mushrooms, homemade bechamel sauce, and fried shallots. This will be my first time trying this recipe so I’m certainly hoping it satisfies my annual green bean casserole craving, just in a less processed, more natural way.

Green Bean Casserole Redux
From CHOW.com

TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 1 hr 10 mins
Active: 50 mins
Makes: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces about 4 cups
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 pound fresh cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced about 2 cups
2 garlic cloves, minced
“Béchamel Sauce warmed”
2 teaspoons minced thyme leaves
5 medium shallots, sliced about 1 1/3 cups
3/4 cup flour, for dusting the shallots
2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

INSTRUCTIONS
1.  Heat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until bright green and just tender, about 6 minutes; drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cold. Set aside.

2.  Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add mushrooms and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are brown on the edges, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

3.  Combine green beans, mushroom mixture, béchamel sauce, and thyme in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a 2-1/2-quart baking dish and set aside.

4.  Dust sliced shallots in flour and shake off excess. Set aside.

5.  Pour vegetable oil into a 10-inch frying pan (the oil should be 1 inch deep). Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F, about 4 minutes.

6.  Fry shallots in batches, until light golden brown on the edges, about 2 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

7.  Top casserole with fried shallots and bake until shallots are golden and crispy and casserole is bubbly and heated through, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Béchamel Sauce Recipe

TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 30 mins
Active: 20 mins
Makes: 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup minced shallots (optional)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups warm whole milk
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Melt butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add shallots (if using) and sauté 2 minutes. Do not let brown.

2. Reduce heat to low, add flour, and whisk until smooth and raw taste is cooked off, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Add bay leaf and cook until just thickened, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in nutmeg and salt. Season with ground white pepper. Cool sauce slightly. Discard bay leaf before using.

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The second recipe I’ll be making is a spicy cranberry sauce. Now as much as my family loves us some cranberry sauce (and we do. We always have both the whole berry and jellied varieties) believe it or not, we have never had fresh cranberry sauce at the Thanksgiving table (that I can remember anyways). It’s always the canned stuff. And while canned sauce is delicious and will undoubtedly make an appearance this year as well, I thought I’d give this sassy little recipe I found on Boston.com a try. Just to switch things up a little bit.  Plus, I’ve never made cranberry sauce before and I’m excited to see how it comes together.

Spicy cranberry-orange sauce

From Boston.com

Serves 8

2 packages (12 ounces each) fresh cranberries
Grated rind and juice of 1 large Navel orange
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange rind and juice, brown and granulated sugars, vinegar, ginger, red pepper, and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the sugar melts.

2. Turn up the heat and let the mixture bubble gently, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until it thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Add more granulated sugar or red pepper, if you like. (Prepare 3 days ahead; cover and refrigerate.)

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I’ll also be bringing a triple batch of that honey cake that came out so well a few weeks ago.

What are you making this Thanksgiving? Got any recipes for me to add to my collection?

Now I could go on about how Bridget and I came to be such pals but she does a pretty good job of it herself here. Suffice to say, WE HAVE A LOT IN COMMON.

Bridget, take it away…

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When Shelley asked me to be a guest blogger on The Spotted Duck, I was a little apprehensive at first.  It’s absolutely fine to vomit up yesterday’s conversation about singing about sloots or my recent pre-occupation with pooping and call it writing on my own blog. It’s a horse of a different color to do it on someone else’s blog. People might not be expecting that on a reputable blog. You can’t just ambush them with poop. Literally or figuratively, it’s usually not appreciated.

And right there I was going to insert a giant picture of poop because I bet after that assurance you REALLY wouldn’t have expected it, but this is not my blog and I am not going to do that. It’s called discretion. I have it. See, mom, I’m not “the crude one.”

So instead I thought I’d talk about what it’s like being bizarre-o Shelley. Think about THIS: Our paths crossed on the blogosphere some time ago as we were both beginning to pull our hair out over wedding preparations. Turned out Shelley was getting married the week before I was, which was awesome. Because suddenly I had someone to bounce ideas off of and ask advice of and swap stories with because she was going through pretty much the same exact experience in Boston as I was in Philadelphia.

THEN we both started the house hunt around the same time. IT’S A HOUSING FRENZY, YA’LL. Shelley and Andreas bought a gorgeous condo in north of Boston, and I was looking just south of the city. And not my city. THEIR city. What happens when you take a Philly girl and drop her on the Massachusetts coast? IT’S AN ISSUE, PEOPLE.

I’ve spent months agonizing over the move. What’s in Boston? Where will I get my soft pretzels? Who will sit in the corner drinking beer with me and not laugh when I call water “wooder?” And I’m proud to admit that I only occasionally spend the night crying on the kitchen floor with a bottle of wine and a poster of Rocky Balboa because WHYYYY GAAAAHHH? And all the while, Shelley has given me tips on neighborhoods to consider and pumped my wine-soaked head full of grand images of Boston-living. Maybe it won’t be so bad.

Then, we both resigned from our current jobs, effective on the same exact day. And now we talk about jobs and life goals and current ambitions.  HOW WEIRD IS THAT?

As Shelley said in last Wednesday’s post, she’s all in these days.  Pretty much just like Shelley, I’m getting married, turning 25, buying a house, moving 350 miles away from my family, and starting a new job, all within a span of a few months. Could I be any more in? Is there a rule that once you turn 25 you’re expected to make all these grown up decisions RIGHT NOW ALL THE TIME? I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE. IT’S CALLED A QUARTER LIFE CRISIS, AND I’VE GOT ONE.

Who needs a drink?

Anyway. Like I said, it’s like we’re pretty much leading bizarre-o lives, doing all of the same really big life things at the same time. And when you are going through all these things, it’s really nice to know someone who’s going through them too, and understands what you’re feeling, and doesn’t judge you for having an occasional Tuesday evening meltdown.

So when Shelley asked me to help her out with a blog post, I was more than happy to agree. Because even though I haven’t met her yet, I can say pretty confidently that she’s my friend. Whether she likes it or not.

P.S. I almost just ended this post with the same picture of poop I was going to insert in the beginning because that would have been hilarious. GOD I am SO GOOD at self control today.

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Catch more of Bridget’s laugh-out-loud style over at her blog, Yellaphant.

I don’t know about you, but I usually get a strong hankering to give back this time of year. I feel so fortunate every day for my amazing, supportive, loving family, my incredibly dear friends, my relatively good health and happiness. I am always aware of what a blessed life I lead, but the holidays always increase those feelings of thankfulness.

To that end, I wanted to highlight a couple of ways we can all give back this holiday season, through events and various projects my friends and social media brethren are conducting. Today I’m starting with just two but as I learn of more ways we can all help others this holiday season, I’ll be sure to pass them along. And if you have any worthy ones you know of, please feel free to bring them to my attention.

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The first is an event here in Boston on Tuesday, Tweetsgiving Boston, organized in part by one of the most giving people I know, who I’m proud to call a friend, Gradon Tripp.

Tweetsgiving is actually a global, 48-hour event organized by U.S. non-profit Epic Change and is designed to encourage people to express their thanks using online tools and at live events. In honor of the people and things that make them grateful, guests will be invited to give to a common cause at events held across the globe. This year, proceeds will go toward building a technology lab at a primary school in Arusha, Tanzania. To read the full story about Tweetsgiving, click here. To find out about events in your city (they’re called gratitude parties, how lovely is that?), click here.

Here’s a quick video on the school children in Tanzania:

TweetsGiving 2009 from LittlePurpleCow Productions on Vimeo.

So, if you can’t attend an event, donate. If you can’t donate, spread the word online. Or just spread the word any way you know how. Tweetsgiving is another wonderful example of how social media is changing the world for the better.

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Next up is a project one of my favorite bloggers, Karen Walrond of Chookooloonks, is organizing to bring some joy to the terminally ill children at Texas Children’s Hospital near her home in Houston. She got to thinking about how much joy can come from a simple image and a few kind words, so she is asking you to do the following:

1.  Print a favourite photo of yours — one you’re proud of, one that is meaningful for you, whatever.  Please, no smaller than 4″x6″, and no larger than 8″x10″.  It can be of anything — your favourite pet, a flower, a sunset, whatever.  You can print one or more, or lots of prints of one image, or lots of prints of lots of images.  Whatever.  It’s up to you.  And seriously:  this doesn’t have to be professional quality — just pick a photo you’ve taken that you love.  If it means something to you, trust me, it will mean something to the person who receives it.

2.  On the back of the image(s), say something sweet.  It could be the story behind the picture, or just a short, lovely sentiment, or whatever.  I spoke with the Volunteer Services officer at Texas Children’s Hospital, and she had some advice:

• nothing religious in nature (like “Merry Christmas!” or “Happy Hannukah!” or whatever, since we don’t know the religious backgrounds of the kids who will be receiving the phtoographs or cards)
• nothing that says “Get well soon!” because well, frankly, some of the kids won’t be getting well
• restrict your notes say the kinds of things that a kid would love to hear.  You know, things like “You’re amazing!” or “You rock!” or “Dream big dreams!” or “Sending you warm thoughts!”  You get the idea.
• sign only your first name or an alias — no last names, please.
• no photographs of yourself or your family — stick to animals, nature, still lifes, scenery, that sort of thing.

3.  Also on the back of the image(s), sign your first name only (or alias, if that makes you more comfortable), and the city/country you’re writing from.  Because I’m thinking that the kids would be tickled pink to receive photographs from far away places like “Fargo, North Dakota,” let alone “Auckland, New Zealand.”

4.  Send your photo(s) to me postmarked no later than November 30th, 2009, to the following address:

Karen Walrond — Chookooloonks

650 W. Bough, Suite 150-108

Houston, Texas  77024

United States of America

and I’ll be sure to get your image(s) to the hospital.

5.  If you’re not comfortable sending a photograph, but you’re crafty, you can participate too! Just send your handmade card (or cards!) to the above address — with this only caveat:  please do not include anything on your card that can be pulled off and become a choking hazard.  This was a specific request from the Volunteer Services Officer.

–Excerpted from Chookooloonks

I love Karen’s project and hope to contribute myself. Lord knows I have more pictures than I know what to do with.

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I hope learning about one or both of these efforts has inspired you to give back this holiday season. Because we all have something to be thankful for.

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
— William Arthur Ward

So anyways, in my approximately five minutes in Border’s last week, I happened upon a display of cookbooks. Which I was clearly drawn to for obvious reasons, not the least of which is that I’m trying to bulk up my own cookbook collection over the next few months (ahem. Christmas. presents.) because Andreas and I have officially decided to have an entire bookshelf just off the kitchen dedicated entirely to cookbooks and I want that thing to be chock full of ‘em.

ANYWAYS. The funny part. The humor. I’m getting to it. Right now.

This book. I  saw this book on the shelf and laughed out loud like a 12-year-old boy in my usual, gutteral “heh.” I laughed out loud, in the quiet, sophisticated, enormous downtown Border’s, because… well, see for yourself.

Because I’m sure Ellie Krieger is a fabulous chef and all (I personally haven’t heard of her) but, seriously? What were her editors thinking? I mean, I’m just as dying to be published as the next gal but I know I’d be damned if my grinning face was going to be slapped up on book cover with the words “SO EASY” written directly over it. And you know if you search the words “so easy” on Amazon, her name is the first thing that comes up? LOLZies.

(Not to mention all the luscious recipes….)

Is it just me? Do I just have filthy mind? Come on, Ellie. Okay so a part of me is childishly tittering about this. But from a purely professional, marketing point of view, was “so easy” the best tagline for you? Methinks not.

Just sayin’.