Song: The Paris Match
Artists: The Style Council with Tracey Thorn
Today was a varying weather day...
and my mind went inwards as I stayed inside.
At first...
there was a low cloud cover...
some below me...
and some near my level.
As I lay in bed...
after having awakened earlier...
but had drifted off to sleep once more...
I had again awakened...
but this time to thunder.
It was very loud...
and so...
the lightning strike must have been nearby.
After four strikes just minutes apart...
everything fell silent for another few minutes until...
I heard what sounded like very heavy rain.
I got up and went to the great room to look out the windows...
and it was heavily hailing.
Although each piece of hail was small...
they were coming down in large numbers.
And within half an hour...
it all stopped.
I had decided to make baked chicken breasts.
I retrieved this package of frozen chicken breasts from my deep freeze.
Had I planned my meal earlier...
I would have placed the frozen breasts in the fridge for a few days to defrost...
but, as the urge had just struck me...
I partially defrosted them in the micro
just enough to get them out of the package...
and I then soaked them in a brine solution for three hours.
I then just lay in bed using my iPad until they were defrosted.
I was going to haul up more tree cuttings today...
but the lightning deterred me from venturing outside unnecessarily.
And so...
I just relaxed for a few hours.
After three hours...
I had seen that the weather had cleared...
and I then began cooking the breasts in the oven.
I used the chicken rub to flavor the chicken breasts...
and I would begin cooking the Pasta Roni after the chicken had come out of the oven.
These were just so juicy and delicious.
As the chicken was not fully defrosted in the middle...
I had to alter the original recipe I had gotten from my younger sister.
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My younger sister's....
RECIPE
Tender and Juicy Chicken Breasts
(6 large deboned chicken breasts)
(If frozen...gently defrost in the fridge 2-3 days prior)
Brine - Soak the defrosted chicken in brine water for 3 hours
(a large bowl with the chicken completely submerged...
and with a large handful of salt dissolved into solution - lukewarm water).
After the 3 hours...
rinse off the chicken in water...
pat dry each piece.
It is supposed to make the chicken especially moist and tender.
Butter - 1/2 stick melted butter
Completely coat the chicken
Spices - Completely coat each piece with your favorite chicken rub
after having coated them with the melted butter.
Bake - Oven at 450 F - 20 minutes covered - then 3 or so minutes uncovered
until the chicken is a golden brown.
Rest - 10 minutes (check inside to ensure doneness).
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Instead of having defrosted the chicken in the fridge...
I just started with frozen.
After having brined the chicken...
I coated them with olive oil...
and I then covered them with the chicken spice.
I then baked them (covered) at 460 for 20 minutes...
I then baked them for 5 minutes uncovered at 475...
and I checked them for doneness...
but half of each of them were still somewhat raw...
so...
I flipped them and cooked them for another 20 minutes at 460 F.
They had come out perfectly...
very juicy.
And...
I had frozen blueberries covered in sweetened condensed milk for dessert.
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I had gotten this tiger as a gift.
It stands atop a rechargeable lit stand (or just kept plugged in).
All day long...
I had felt my moods changing...
each having a different color to them as had this tiger.
----------------
I think we all have ever changing moods.
But...
I don't get depressed...
I never have
(depression is a loss of hope).
However...
I sometimes get very introspective...
where I just want to be alone in my own thoughts
(easily done here :)
I actually like my changing moods.
Sometimes I get adventurous and I just have to explore outside.
Sometimes...
I just go deep into my mind and relive experiences.
Other times...
I get into a creative mood
(two basic types...music or writing).
------------
Today...
as I lay in bed...
my mind kept reliving some of my distant past.
The included song at the top of this article
had played in my head...
as it just fit the mood I was in.
It wasn't the blues that I had...
it wasn't melancholy...
it was just me re-experiencing distant memories.
It was as if I were on a sea going ship...
and then having some old friends passing in their ship going in the opposite direction.
All I could do is to wave at them hoping they could see me...
and yet...
knowing they could not...
and that our directions on the ocean...
as in life...
had long ago diverged...
never to cross paths again.
It was both...
sad...
and yet...
so rich.
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People too often think that life never ends...
and so...
don't truly observe moments in time.
Knowing life ends...
opens the hearts and minds of people.
They treasure the moments which lend
to having a magical effect in life...
then...and later on.
It is our precious memories which make for having had a rich life...
and so...
of having no regrets near the end.
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Never be the bitter old person...
the one who is filled with regret...
the one who played it too safe in life...
who had never stretched him or herself out of his or her comfort zone.
It is not fear of pain which keeps us prisoner in life...
for if you have a fear...
you have a dream or direction in life.
It is in the lack of a dream or a direction in life which forms
the love of immediate comfort
(there is nothing else in life for them).
Just as in a strenuous hike up a mountain...
if you would rather stay in a cabin at the base of the mountain...
simply to be satisfied merely looking at the mountain from afar...
instead of looking out at the vast views below you from atop...
your heart filled with the deep satisfaction of having conquered the summit...
then your feeling of immediate comfort has imprisoned you to a life of mediocrity.
You will fail many times in life...
but so long as you keep your dream alive...
it is merely a momentary delay.
So long as you get back up...
dust yourself off...
and once again...
walk that path...
your destination will be a foregone conclusion.
If you remember just one thing in life...
your life will turn out well...
heaven lies on the other side of hell
(metaphorically).
Everything worthwhile in life takes sustained effort
(With your dream kept alive...
the effort becomes pleasurable).
Know the essence and meaning of endurance...
and you will be unstoppable
(it is this which gives you patience).
Live life filled with purpose and deep meaning...
otherwise you are just waiting to die.
When you fill life with immediate pleasure...momentary distractions...
you are short circuiting your drive for much better things later in life.
-----------
Life is akin to a roller coaster.
You don't ride one to merely reach the end.
It is first...
the slow and steady uphill clickety clack which lends to the anticipation...
knowing the higher you climb...
the more thrilling the ride.
It is exactly the sudden curves...
the ups and downs...
the sometimes loops and barrel rolls which make the ride worthwhile.
People looking for perpetual comfort...
are in essence...
riding a smooth coaster...
one which has no unexpected turns...
or has the feeling of the increased G forces on tight turns...
they just want an uneventful, smooth...
and so...
boring ride.
It is only at the end of the ride that they feel cheated.
Time and again...
I have seen people near the end of life who were just bitter.
They were the ones who had sought never ending comfort in their lives.
They had thought that the meaning of life was to limit all pain...
fear and discomfort...
and most of all...
effort.
They had never dreamt of a better future.
They never sought to spread their wings as an eagle...
to fly amongst the mountain tops and the clouds...
but rather had sought to live in a safe hole in the ground...
as if they were rabbits.
They had chosen darkness over light.
Ironically...
many...
although bitter...
didn't fear death...
for it was their merciful release from their grey and boring life.
I guess so many had never missed what they had never truly lived.
--------------
Without a dream which you hold near and dear...
life becomes a chore.
Without a mountain to summit...
walking anywhere becomes a burden...
for you are directionless.
I have seen this manifest in others lives...
time and again...
in three major ways...
all of which involve sacrificing long term gain for short term pleasure:
Alleviation of fear or pain:
Numbing through Alcohol and other drugs
Giving up by not even trying...
and so...ironically...
by losing from the beginning...
they lose the fear of losing.
Alleviation of boredom:
A constant search of distractions in life (escapism)...
through media or video games (constant)...
and meaningless relationships.
The seeking of constant immediate comfort:
Overeating and no exercise to offset the increase in calories
to the point of unhealthfulness.
Never dreaming of better...
knowing it would take effort and sacrifice...
all for their love of the warmth and comfort of laziness.
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I had said this in a different blog long ago...
but it bears repeating.
Life...
should be looked upon as a great feast.
Plan it well...
and you will look forwards to it.
Take your time to cook it well...
starting with appetizers to stimulate your appetite...
and sipping your favorite wine
(placing carrots in life...short...medium...and long term...
it is in the cooking that the meal will be grand...
in how well you had planned and executed your plan in life).
Eat with great gusto...
have joyful discussions with loved ones at your table...
but leave room for dessert.
Drink your fill and savor the dessert by the fireside...
and have deep and soulful conversations with your family and friends
(retirement).
And at the end of your great meal...
you should be desiring no more of anything...
but a deep and everlasting sleep (death).
This scenario only comes about with having had a dream...
having had successfully pursued it...
and having had completed your bucket list.
Say the things which should be said...
do the things which should be done.
Avoid the pitfalls in life by steadfastly walking the path up your mountain.
If you never leave your path...
you will never have to worry needlessly...
and so...
your life will be filled with nothing but joyful anticipation...
and so...
you may enjoy your walk through the fires of hell in order to reach your heaven
(youth is the time to unrelentingly work towards your future...
so you may have a blissful retirement).
Life only becomes hard if you don't plan fully...
and execute the plan faithfully.
Know yourself...
and what truly makes you happy
(dare to dream).
Then...
go out and get it.
No excuses...
just do it.
