With the New Year upon us, I'm sure a lot of you are considering and probably also scorning the idea of making a New Year's Resolution for 2014. I'm here to tell you that you should do it. But first, you should change the way you think about it.
As you probably know if you are reading this at all, a year and a half ago I created a "25 for 25" list for myself, of 25 things I wanted to do while I was 25. And as you also probably know, I consider it one of the best things I ever did for myself. I created another list when I turned 26 this May.
The difference between these lists and a traditional New Year's Resolution is that my intent is not to change or better myself. I am not focusing on habits that I want to get rid of or fixing things that I don't like about myself.
I am focusing on making each year, each day, each minute the best that it can be.
Instead of focusing on abstract ideas, I am focusing on real, tangible, achievable goals that I write down, and then (mostly) check off.
So, do this for yourself.
What's something that you would love to achieve for yourself next year? Something that will challenge you, but that you can totally achieve if you put your mind to it? Maybe something that you will impress everyone, including yourself, by doing? Something that will make you look back on 2014 and say, "That was the year I did ______."
2013 was the year I visited Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas all for the first time. It was the year I got my first commissioned work of poetry published. It was the year I reached 5,000 views on this blog.
Next year I'll get married, that will be a big one. But I'll also write one work of fiction, from beginning to end. I'll read a few more books on my endless list (11 to go, to be exact). With your help I'll reach 10,000 views on this blog.
I'll volunteer, I'll cook, and I'll continue to do yoga, because I love all of those things. I'll thank myself for creating and then completing the challenge. Or, I'll forgive myself for leaving one or two things on the list without a check mark. I'll note it, and I'll move on to the next day.
Do this for 2014, and you'll be amazed at how time ceases to slip between your fingers. Take hold of the year! Make it one for the record books!
Okay, I'm done preaching. What do I know, anyway, at 26? But I do hope you'll take my advice, in whatever form that advice may resonate with and or work for you. Here are some ideas to get you rolling:
1. Read a book. ONE book. Finish it. Slam it shut. Reward yourself.
2. Try a new restaurant. Just one, or one a month, or once every meal. Or just turn off the TV while you eat. You may realize you actually enjoy the taste of food.
3. Take a class. Whether its yoga or cake decorating, focusing on nothing but your own personal growth for a length of time will help you remember what it is you're passionate about.
4. Do something that scares you. Take a bus somewhere, by yourself. Pick up a spider and let him outside instead of squishing him. Jump out of an airplane. Whatever it is, you'll probably feel horrible right before doing it and then great right after. It's addicting.
5. Do something for someone else. I made a point to start volunteering with the list. Volunteer your time to any cause you are passionate about. Or just make a point to spend more time with your family, or be nicer to people you see every day. You'll feel better about yourself without even realizing why.
I'm excited for 2014 and I hope you are too! I hope to hear all about your resolutions and look forward to sharing my own successes (and failures) in the year to come. Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Beef Tongue: Like Chewing Your Own Tongue
Maybe we celebrate too much. Or, maybe the rest of your aren't celebrating enough. But on November 23rd we had another anniversary to celebrate- it was one year since Ronnie proposed.
Since he took me out for our anti-versary it was my time to pull off a surprise. I chose Oyamel, a Mexican tapas restaurant by DC-famous chef Jose Andres. I knew Ronnie had been dying to try it.
(#2) Try 26 New Foods:
1. Bison
2. Ethiopian Food
3. Oysters Rockefeller
4. Shark
5. Escargot
6. Frog legs
7. Chicken and Waffles
8. Hemp Vodka
9. Uni
10. Beef Tongue
11. Amaranth
The good thing about tapas for us (other than everything, who doesn't love tapas) is that the tiny sizes embolden us to try new foods. Its only two bites, and if you don't like it, there are plenty of other things to try. With that in mind, we ordered a beef tongue taco.
We've seen plenty of people eat beef tongue on TV, though it usually involves some kind of dare, so we figured it couldn't be that bad. Its not really an "organ" organ, right? We like beef, right?
Truthfully it wasn't that bad.
If I had to compare it to something I'd say it was like a really cheap and ill-prepared steak. It definitely tasted like beef. But the texture was not great and the flavor was more...gamey? More like beef than I like to taste in my beef.
Ronnie "held his tongue" (see what I did there?) and did not mention until after we finished eating that the texture reminded him of how it feels to chew on your own tongue. Except instead of stopping and saying "ow" you just kept on chewing and eventually swallow.
I probably just ruined the whole trying-beef-tongue thing for everyone. Sorry. You're not missing too much.
What I was most looking forward to was the ceviche, something I love but will only order from a place I know can do it right. This one was done right. We had ceviche de atún, which had tuna, avocado, scallions, and another new food- amaranth.
I wish I took a picture but I couldn't stop eating because it was so delicious. Here is a nice picture of amaranth courtesy of a Google image search:
It is a tiny grain, even smaller than quinoa. In this case it was fried so it didn't add much other than a crispy texture. But I certainly didn't mind it.
One thing I DID take a picture of was this miracle of science:
It's a margarita, but that is not just ordinary foam on the top. That, my friends, is "salt air." A delicious salty foamy creation made by bartending geniuses so that with every little sip of margarita you get a burst of salty goodness.
No more licking your glass like a savage. This is the wave of the future.
Also, if you're going to have a $12 margarita, you might as well do it right.
All in all it was a great meal, capped off with one of the best tres leches cakes- nay, one of the best desserts- we'd ever had. A bit pricey, but a good place to celebrate your engage-iversary or your anti-versary or your Tuesday-iversary or whatever else you may be celebrating this week.
Since he took me out for our anti-versary it was my time to pull off a surprise. I chose Oyamel, a Mexican tapas restaurant by DC-famous chef Jose Andres. I knew Ronnie had been dying to try it.
(#2) Try 26 New Foods:
1. Bison
2. Ethiopian Food
3. Oysters Rockefeller
4. Shark
5. Escargot
6. Frog legs
7. Chicken and Waffles
8. Hemp Vodka
9. Uni
10. Beef Tongue
11. Amaranth
The good thing about tapas for us (other than everything, who doesn't love tapas) is that the tiny sizes embolden us to try new foods. Its only two bites, and if you don't like it, there are plenty of other things to try. With that in mind, we ordered a beef tongue taco.
We've seen plenty of people eat beef tongue on TV, though it usually involves some kind of dare, so we figured it couldn't be that bad. Its not really an "organ" organ, right? We like beef, right?
Truthfully it wasn't that bad.
If I had to compare it to something I'd say it was like a really cheap and ill-prepared steak. It definitely tasted like beef. But the texture was not great and the flavor was more...gamey? More like beef than I like to taste in my beef.
Ronnie "held his tongue" (see what I did there?) and did not mention until after we finished eating that the texture reminded him of how it feels to chew on your own tongue. Except instead of stopping and saying "ow" you just kept on chewing and eventually swallow.
I probably just ruined the whole trying-beef-tongue thing for everyone. Sorry. You're not missing too much.
What I was most looking forward to was the ceviche, something I love but will only order from a place I know can do it right. This one was done right. We had ceviche de atún, which had tuna, avocado, scallions, and another new food- amaranth.
I wish I took a picture but I couldn't stop eating because it was so delicious. Here is a nice picture of amaranth courtesy of a Google image search:
It is a tiny grain, even smaller than quinoa. In this case it was fried so it didn't add much other than a crispy texture. But I certainly didn't mind it.
One thing I DID take a picture of was this miracle of science:
It's a margarita, but that is not just ordinary foam on the top. That, my friends, is "salt air." A delicious salty foamy creation made by bartending geniuses so that with every little sip of margarita you get a burst of salty goodness.
No more licking your glass like a savage. This is the wave of the future.
Also, if you're going to have a $12 margarita, you might as well do it right.
All in all it was a great meal, capped off with one of the best tres leches cakes- nay, one of the best desserts- we'd ever had. A bit pricey, but a good place to celebrate your engage-iversary or your anti-versary or your Tuesday-iversary or whatever else you may be celebrating this week.
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