This morning I had the opportunity to attend the February meeting for the Cincinnati Women Blogger’s Group held at the Red Tree Gallery & Coffee Shop in Oakley.  Jennifer McClure, Vice President at Centennial, Inc., spoke to the group about using blogs and other social media tools in your job search.

First, I would like to thank Jennifer for meeting with us today and the Red Tree Gallery & Coffee Shop for having us. I have seen the sign before however, never had the chance to check it out. If you are ever in the Oakley area, I recommend it because of it’s charm and atmosphere. I liked the different levels and areas along with being surrounded by paintings from local artist. A large conference like table in the back almost fit all of our mighty group. It was definitely nice to see such a great turnout of both regulars and new bloggers.

I enjoyed meeting Jennifer and found her thoughts regarding the topic as both informational and interesting. A lot of people misunderstand mediums like Twitter and Facebook as mere child’s play however, they fail to factor in the power of the web in whole as a tool. Using sites like those above can introduce you to contacts and friends that you may not have otherwise been able to make.

An important thing to remember is to be true to yourself and think about how you want to be portrayed to the public. As discussed in the meeting, some may wish to use FaceBook as simply a way for friends to keep in contact or as part of your social life. If used properly though, it could land you a job when needed or as I know in my own company, cost you your current job (not my own thank goodness). This is why one needs to pay special attention to what words come out of their mouth. Remember something that you say online is not like speaking one on one to a close friend but one on hundreds if not thousands,!

Don’t be afraid to ask for something you may need however, respect others privacy and don’t demand something from someone you don’t even know. You need to make connections and show desire to really know someone before you ask them to help you. Why should this person help you? A perfect comment made by a group member is that “you wouldn’t ask a dentist to clean your teeth for free”.

A great place to start is by reading others blogs that relate to you and commenting if you find their posts relative and interesting. If you run your own blog, be sure to thank the person and reply to a comment that they leave. Look for common interests through searches on Twitter and LinkedIn and tweet when you have something to say again watching how you want yourself to be seen.

Check the cincinnatiwomenblogger website for more details on the meeting.

For some reason, I am now into cupcakes. They are not only a yummy treat but also portable requiring no utensils and I have more than one shot at being creative with the icing. I recently purchased a new Wilton cupcake set that comes with different tips and bags for decorating. Honestly, I love the cake boss on the Food Network.

I picked up Great Gluten-Free Baking from the library and set off for home. The cupcake choices in this book are  limited and include ones that call for ingredients like Lavender, which funny enough I actually have. Another one  that I am dying to try are the Tiramisu cupcakes. Unfortunately, I did not have the Marscapone cheese or Marsala wine. Later then.

I finally decided on the Victoria Sandwich Cake and simply poured the batter into the cupcake liners instead. The one thing that I liked about the recipe is that it did not call for anything involving beans or potatoes. What I like about gluten free baking is that unlike most regular recipes, all of the ingredients are mixed together at once. With only 7 ingredients, prep time was minimal. The recipe calls for a baking time of 20 minutes. Since they are cupcakes and I used the top part of my oven, I set the timer for 12 minutes. Perfect.

My favorite part of course was the icing. Made from  scratch, I know exactly what’s in it and it’s not hydrogenated or filled with high fructose anything. Meringue powder, powdered sugar, water, extracts of vanilla, butter and almond. I even added some organic  juice for the color.

Just cooled right after baking, they were pretty good. Very little flour was used and that was brown rice flower. The texture and taste was nice and with nothing extreme in the ingredients, the icing or any fillings used (the cake recipe calls for raspberry jam in the middle of the two layers) is the dominant flavor.

The next day, they tasted as if they were made with a corn flour since the taste and texture was like sweet corn bread muffins. Also, the icing lifted right off of the top. I wonder if store bought icing would make a difference?

I have to admit that unless they were to be eaten right away, I am not sure if I will use this particular recipe again since they are only really good that first day.

Victoria Sandwich Cake

3/4 cup butter, 1 1/2 sticks        Mix  ingred, together and bake

3/4 cup sugar                               20 min in a 400degree  oven.

1 cup brown  rice flour                Once cooled, spread jam

3 eggs                                               between layers and dust

1 Tbsp GF baking powder            powdered sugar on top.

few drops  of vanilla extract

1 Tbsp milk

For the filling

4 Tbsp raspberry jam

Powdered sugar to dust

What does writers block have to do with flight delays you say?

I have a lot of time to write now that I am not flying due to a knee surgery. I was under all hopes to return to work in the middle of February and then the 1st of March. My knee is still causing me excruciating pain and my doctor says that his date stands, which is the 22nd. I have an appointment close to that and we will discuss it then. So, my flying has been delayed.

With all of this time to write, what do I write about? The good news is that I did find something new to write about about on the other blog, so this one may need a day or two to cool down.

Please stay with me and leave a comment if you are actually reading this and have any ideas.

This morning I came up with an idea for breakfast based somewhat off of an idea that I got from a sandwich that my friend likes. Hers of course is a peanut butter, jelly and foie gras. Yes folks, foie gras. I was a bit confused and concerned that I had read it incorrectly myself. After explanation, it’s actually sounds good. Cashew butter with homemade marmalade and foie gras on a toasted brioche.

Mine of course was a bit different.

I looked around for something to eat and found gluten free frozen waffles. Good start. I toasted the waffles, smeared sunflower seed butter on one side and placed sliced banana on the other side. Put the two sides together and cut into bite size pieces. I then sparingly poured flax seed oil and a maple syrup/agave nectar blend syrup on top and enjoyed. Both the sunflower seed butter and the syrup are from Trader Joe’s. I must say that it was quite good and something that I will definitely make again.

Or, how about chocolate and flowers!

How do you feel if someone sent you flowers at your office for the whole staff to see? If I worked in an office, I think that I would love it. Considering I work on an aircraft…perhaps a corsage? I of course would accept chocolate any time of the year.

I always find it particularly amazing how much money is spent on Valentine’s day versus the rest of the year. Why do we need a holiday to send flowers or enjoy a bottle of wine for a romantic evening?

Either way, it’s really nice when a reminder is sent our way and an excuse to really make it happen. Enjoy!

I know what you are thinking, this can’t be true. Or, perhaps I’ve just never been to a good salon. I finally broke down and went to have someone else color my hair. It had been a while because I got sick of trying to dye my own hair, which I would not have been doing if I had a place I liked and trusted. My fears began many years ago with nothing less than my school prom…

A girl’s  prom experience is supposed to be like a fairy tale, right? I can’t remember if it was my junior or senior prom but I do remember where it took place and what happened. My parents wanted me to have the whole experience and so I went with my Mom to have my hair professionally styled. Did you know that just because someone works at a salon it doesn’t guarantee that they can fashion an up-do? I think that would be part of their training. Hair style 101! If I remember correctly, there was crying. If I know myself at all probably a few words that my Mom didn’t need to hear.

Also in those younger years, I remember a perm in the mall where I was let loose looking like a poodle. And of course hair cuts where the stylist felt at liberty to explore her own creativity.

Note to stylists: Not everyone gives a damn if you have a need to feel creative that day. Please do NOT practice on my head of hair by cutting it all off. Get a Barbie head or something!

After having my hair dyed Playboy blond a while ago, I decided that I didn’t need to spend that kind of money to go to someone that just wasn’t all that great it in my opinion and I could do it myself. One should know a little bit about hair coloring processes prior to coloring their own hair.

So, TIP #2, if you are going to do your own hair read the directions fully BEFORE dying your hair. When it starts to grow out only do the roots. They say this for a reason. It’s a whole chemical process and everything. The problem is that when you keep dying your hair blond and then decide to go back to brown because you have a baby and no time or patience to keep doing it yourself, it will simply fade to a strawberry blond.

This brings me to my current stylist, Dean, at Salon Central. I watched this place for weeks every time I went to my favorite coffee hangout until I finally saw the sign outside *OPEN* and stepped in to check it out. The employees are really kind and the prices reasonable. Right away  Dean offered a consultation just to discuss my hair and the issues I was having. No charge or guilt to come back or stay and pay obscene amounts to do something that really wasn’t a big deal in the first place (not that I am naming any names here, Phyliss). I made an appointment to come back and start filling in the emptiness that had become my shallow, lifeless strands of hair.

Last week I made another appointment to add some blond to my very brown hair. One problem is that I have a hard time explaining myself and then take things as they are whether I like it or not at the risk of hurting someone’s feelings. I spent the weekend avoiding the mirror to avoid seeing the look of gold poured on the top of my head and the panic attack that would follow. Monday morning I called and made a follow up appointment to address the issue. He told me to let him know if I liked it or not and if it were the latter, he would tweak it until it was right. Oh, sure he’ll fix it but at what cost?

Actually, it cost nothing. He really meant what he said and the fix was so easy. One process. One. That’s it. After all of that upset, the color was transformed into a much softer cooler color. The owner even sent me away with a shampoo to keep the color right! How cool is that? I cannot believe it.

A couple of months ago, Dean cut my hair and my Mom’s and did just what we asked. “Just the tips please”, we both said. “No problem”, he said. And that was that. No creative needs to fill. He did exactly what we asked. My Mom even wants to come back up all the way from Florida just to have him cut her hair. That doesn’t say a whole lot about the stylist down there where she’s at (see the first three paragraphs).

So, thank you Dean. You had me at first cut….

I have a new friend that is having twins. One boy and one girl. This sounds in theory to be perfect to me. Bam! One of each in one shot, what could be better? Okay, so I only had one child and am not having any more. Sometimes I wish that I had a second child once I had the first one but can I really imagine having two. At the same time. Is it true that when one sleeps, the other one cries. Where’s the rest? How do you feed two of them at the same time? What if they both need their diapers changed at the same time and you are the only one home? and those double strollers. Do you get the one where the babies are next to each other making it impossible to fit through the aisles of any store or do you get the one where one child is in front of the other one? The one and only time that I even tried one of those shopping carts where the kid’s seat is in front of the basket, I ran into everything!

It sounds like too much work. Then of course, there’s always the thought that you don’t go through all of that and then turn right back around and do it all over again. Or, they can grow up together and have an amazingly close relationship? Instant playmate, right? You and your spouse do not have to share because there’s one for each of you to play with. And how cute are matching outfits?

In all seriousness, let’s get past the cuteness of twins and tell me how it works funtionally.

What is the best idea for sleeping arrangements when they first come home from the hospital? I had a crib right next to my bed so that it was easier to nurse in the middle of the night. I though that having one next to each side of the bed is a good idea but what’s Dad really going to do but hand him/her to Mom?

What happens if they both need their diaper changed at the same time? And, only one parent is home at the same time? Who get’s to go first?

How do you feed both at the same time? Were your twins ever even hungry at the same time? Is that why God gave women two, um, you know…?

What advise can you give me to give to this new Dad (and Mom)? Anything would be appreciated especially how the Dad can be a good husband and father and not lose himself and freak out.

Save 15% on Valentine’s Cards

For all of the guys out there that have ever forgotten an anniversary, I say don’t sweat it. To all of the ladies out there that get angry when they do, get over it.

I had all kinds of plans for my anniversary, including checking out the traditional gifts for the years married and different dinner options. Then, I forgot. I had been planning since last month and yet I still forgot. I seriously cannot remember what day it is on a regular day without having to remember something that only happens once a year.

Does this mean I love him any less? No. Does it mean I have a lousy memory? Oh, yeah! Just ask anyone that really knows me.

So, with that said, Happy Anniversary dear. I love you.

I just spent a few days in the hospital, who knows, fine now. As I sit here at 5:22 in the morning because my schedule is so whacked out now and I feel better, I think “Let’s have a new theme”. The old one I loved with the desk and the phone I want but don’t have and the cup of coffee I could use right about now but…it’s too cluttered like my life and this one is more like the more simple one I am working on. Everything in it’s place with pretty colors and my favorite Twitter like birdie. I’ll give it a try and hope that it inspires me to get it all together.

Have a great day world!