AuburnChick's Adventures

Y’all, it’s the last Wednesday of the month!  Can you believe it?  I know that I can’t!  Let’s celebrate with another round of Hodgepodge questions.  Thanks, as always, to Joyce for being our fearless leader!

1.  What makes you feel accomplished? Explain.

Loaded question, Joyce!  Until I started teaching, I was a product-oriented person.  I love seeing projects through to the end, whether it’s getting my college degree (I went back in 2006 and finished in 2008), knitting up a big blanket or a pair of socks, or whipping up a delicious, vegan dessert.  Here’s a picture of the Vegan Flourless Black Bean Brownies I made a couple of weeks ago.  They are incredible!  A friend at school, my taste tester, concurred when I took a few in to her.

I love to challenge myself in whatever I do.  That makes me feel accomplished.

2.  If you had your own talk show, who would your first three guests be? Tell us why.

It’s kind of funny, but in a roundabout way, Rebecca and I have talked about doing our own Dancing With the Stars recap show.  We really, really need our own podcast.

Ok, so back to the question.  If I had my own talk show, I think I’d first invite Rebecca Jo because we share so many things in common.  Y’all, we would have the BEST time breaking down all things about “Survivor,” “Dancing With the Stars,” Disney, working out woes, healthy eating, fur babies, and other random topics.  Heck, I think I’d have to have a segment just for her each day.  Seriously, though.

Guest #2 would definitely have to be an author.  I think I’d invite Neal Shusterman, because I am a total fan girl.  I love everything he writes.  He’s wickedly creative; his books hit my heart in a number of ways and are oh so popular with my students.  I’d like to pick his brain to see what makes him tick (I think I’d be a little scared . . . that’s how deliciously inventive he is).  You should check out his newest book, Scythe.  Oh my gosh.  I think I read this in under 24 hours.

Guest #3 would be someone musical.  Rebecca, since you’d be a regular segment, you’ll love this one . . . Steven Curtis Chapman.

Now, I’ve always been a fan, but I recently started following his Instagram account.  That’s how I learned about the video he recently produced for his song, “We Remember.”  Y’all, it made me cry.  The video with pictures was posted on Facebook.  The one below doesn’t have the pictures, but you can still listen to the song.  What a beautiful way to honor those who died while serving our country.

3.  Do you have a great burger recipe? What’s in it? What do you like on a hamburger and where is your favorite spot to order one out?

I have been cooking a lot of dishes from Megan Gilmore’s book, Everyday Detox.  There’s a black bean burger recipe in this book that is super easy to make and rivals any you’d find in a restaurant.  When we go out, I’ve found it difficult to find many places that offer a veggie burger that doesn’t have an egg as the binder.  Chili’s does a decent job though.  My favorite place, though, was at The Cove, in San Antonio, Texas.  We found this place when we went to Rooster’s basic training graduation.

They definitely catered to alternative diets . . .

I got the Vegan Bacon Cheeseburger.  It.  Was.  Divine.

4.  What’s the biggest anxiety producing thing you do on a regular basis?

Hmmm . . . tough question.  As a control freak, I don’t always adapt well when monkey wrenches get thrown into my plans.  Adjusting on the fly often does lead to anxiety.  I’m learning, as a teacher, that I have to anticipate changes in the schedule or even changes in the middle of a class when things happen.  I’ve seen that fighting against the necessary adjustments only makes my life (and others’) miserable.  Learning to go with the flow is a constant lesson.

5.  This is the last Hodgepodge of May. Tell us about your summer plans.

Our last day with students is this Friday.  Hallelujah!  I love the kids I teach, but this profession is exhausting, so it won’t surprise you when I say that my plans will include sleeping . . . a lot.

This year has been especially challenging given my personal life of late . . . broken ankle and sick husband.  I need to rest.

I will also continue rehabbing my ankle.  I’ll also be working out at home, as I’ve been doing the past couple of months.  I’m going to try to walk either daily or every other day.

I need to keep my ankle up as much as I can too, so that will be a happening thing between my bouts of exercise and physical therapy.

I plan on reading.  I’ve got a stack of books from my classroom already sitting on my dining room table.

I have a couple of knitting projects I’d like to finish up . . . one with a deadline that needs to be met.

I’m also planning on bing-watching this past season of Arrow.

I’d like to work in my front flower beds.  They are weed-laden.  Ugh.  Not being able to do much because of my ankle has set me behind in so many ways.

I’d also like to clean out the garage.

Oh, and I need to get a new screen door for my patio.  I took the old one down last summer and thought I’d be able to install a new one; however, finding one I liked from one of our local hardware stores has proven difficult.  I’ve decided to hire a company to come in and do the task.

Hmmm . . . I also need to get a couple of blinds replaced in my house.  The dogs have done a number on them.  We are that house with torn up binds . . . in the front no less.  Sigh.  This is my life, y’all.

In between all of those tasks, I plan on visiting the beach as often as possible.  This girl needs some Vitamin Sea therapy!

Oh, and then the Mr. will be having a BIG surgery the end of June, so there is that.  I’ll be spending the second half of the summer helping him recoup.

I’m tired just typing that.  Can I please have an extra two months after summer to recoup from the summer?  Ha!

6.  My Random Thought

Can I take a second to brag on this lovely Pashmina scarf that Rooster and his gal sent me for Mother’s Day?

Rooster bought it in Thailand.  I’d been waiting for just the right time to wear it, so I paired it with a short, black dress the Mr. bought me a few months ago.  I googled how to wear it around my waist and voila!

It’s 100% cashmere . . . so soft, and the colors are VIBRANT!

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: Wednesday Hodgepodge |