Adelai Basye

Sep 14

“Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it.”

— Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love)

Tonight, it is crucial that I participate relentlessly in maintaining my happiness.

(via gritinthegap)

“I was full of a hot, powerful sadness and would have loved to burst into the comfort of tears, but tried hard not to, remembering something my Guru once said — that you should never give yourself a chance to fall apart because, when you do, it becomes a tendency and it happens over and over again. You must practice staying strong, instead.” Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love)

Sep 10

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904103404576556470806562008.html

Dec 10

“Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.” Pablo Picasso (via missroze)

(via gritinthegap)

Apr 28

“To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget.” Arundhati Roy (via thoughtsdetained) (via quote-book)

Mar 31

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Marianne Williamson (A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles)

Mar 10

Double Chocolate Chewies
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 c. flour
3/4 c. Hershey’s cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1- 12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs til well combined, then add flour, cocoa and baking powder until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 1-2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
NOTE: You can make this by hand in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. I have doubled this recipe and it makes it extremely difficult to mix (by hand and in a stand mixer). If you want to make a double batch, just take the time to make it twice. Believe me, you’ll thank me.
Makes about 2-3 dozen depending on size.

For Ice Cream Sandwiches: Lay out cookies on a plate or cookie sheet (one that’ll fit in your freezer). Match up cookies by size and turn one cookie upside down and leave the other right side up. Using a small ice cream scoop or melon baller, scoop slightly softened ice cream of your choice and place on upside down cookie. Gently press it’s cookie partner on top. Freeze immediately. When they’re completely frozen, wrap in waxed paper and refreeze til you’re ready to eat them.

Double Chocolate Chewies
3/4 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 large eggs

1 c. flour

3/4 c. Hershey’s cocoa

1 tsp. baking powder

1- 12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c. chopped nuts

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs til well combined, then add flour, cocoa and baking powder until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 1-2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

NOTE: You can make this by hand in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. I have doubled this recipe and it makes it extremely difficult to mix (by hand and in a stand mixer). If you want to make a double batch, just take the time to make it twice. Believe me, you’ll thank me.

Makes about 2-3 dozen depending on size.

For Ice Cream Sandwiches: Lay out cookies on a plate or cookie sheet (one that’ll fit in your freezer). Match up cookies by size and turn one cookie upside down and leave the other right side up. Using a small ice cream scoop or melon baller, scoop slightly softened ice cream of your choice and place on upside down cookie. Gently press it’s cookie partner on top. Freeze immediately. When they’re completely frozen, wrap in waxed paper and refreeze til you’re ready to eat them.

Mar 4

fuckyeahdogs:

When the Marines cry “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war, one remains in his kennel. Quivering.

Out of the 58 bomb-sniffing dogs the Marines have in Afghanistan, only one—a brown-eyed, floppy-eared yellow Lab named Gunner is suffering from such severe canine post-traumatic stress disorder that he had to sit out the ongoing offensive in central Helmand Province.

Gunner and his handlers prepared for a recent training session.

“He’s the only combat-ineffective dog out here,” says his kennel chief, Cpl. Chad McCoy.

Like their human comrades, some war dogs can handle combat, and some can’t. One Marine Corps explosives dog, a black Lab named Daisy, has found 13 hidden bombs since arriving in Afghanistan in October. Zoom, another Lab, refused to associate with the Marines after seeing one serviceman shoot a feral Afghan dog. Only after weeks of retraining, hours of playing with a reindeer squeaky toy and a gusher of good-boy praise was Zoom willing to go back to work.

“With some Marines, PTSD can be from one terrible event, or a cumulative effect,” says Maj. Rob McLellan, 33-year-old operations officer of the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, who trains duck-hunting dogs back home in Green Bay, Wis. Likewise, he says, the stress sometimes “weighs a dog down to the point where the dog just snaps.”

Gunner snapped….

Mar 3

Today I had to get some faculty signatures because I’m pledging a business fraternity on campus. I guess just something to do to prove you want to be in this organization. Most faculty members were really nice and welcoming, but one stood out. He was an older man who happens to be the chair of the business department or something like that. I’m not positive of his title, but I know he is a big deal. He was the type of person I have run across my whole life, but today the light bulb finally went off in my head. He was loud, interrupted me, talked over me all in the three minutes I was in his office. I wasn’t intimidated. I finally realized I am totally capable of meeting these kinds of people head on. My quiet voice and quiet demeanor is powerful, and in a lot of cases, I feel that it is more powerful than these booming voices. My silence can hide the ignorance that these people so blatantly lay out there. I used to get so frustrated at being ignored, talked over, blah blah, but I think it’s really time to laugh at these people. They’re missing out!

“Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.” J.K. Rowling

Mar 2

Ingredients
1/2 Cup Butter1 Cup White Sugar2 Eggs1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour1/4 Teaspoon Salt1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder2 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate (melted)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees (175 C). Grease and flour an 8x8 Inch square pan.
2. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat in 1/3 Cocoa, 1/2 flour, salt and baking powder. Stir melted chocolate into batter. Spread into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
My Frosting
I only ever make this for brownies, but it is nomtastic.
Ingredients
6 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Finely Chopped)5 Tablespoons Heavy Cream2 Tablespoons Honey1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup1 Tablespoon Butter1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract2 Tablespoons Raspberry Preserve (Optional)1 Cup Confectioners Sugar
1. Place finely chopped chocolate into a medium bowl.
2. Place cream, butter, honey, corn syrup and sugar in a medium sauce pan and heat to boil. Stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved, butter melted and mixture is just to boil.
3. Take off heat and pour over chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth.
4. Add vanilla extract and raspberry preserves (I add the raspberry because I love the subtle flavor it adds, you don’t have to).
5. Pour over brownies while still warm. Keep in mind this will take awhile to set, as it is not a conventional frosting. Once set it should be firm.

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Butter
1 Cup White Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate (melted)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees (175 C). Grease and flour an 8x8 Inch square pan.

2. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat in 1/3 Cocoa, 1/2 flour, salt and baking powder. Stir melted chocolate into batter. Spread into prepared pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

My Frosting

I only ever make this for brownies, but it is nomtastic.

Ingredients

6 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Finely Chopped)
5 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Raspberry Preserve (Optional)
1 Cup Confectioners Sugar

1. Place finely chopped chocolate into a medium bowl.

2. Place cream, butter, honey, corn syrup and sugar in a medium sauce pan and heat to boil. Stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved, butter melted and mixture is just to boil.

3. Take off heat and pour over chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth.

4. Add vanilla extract and raspberry preserves (I add the raspberry because I love the subtle flavor it adds, you don’t have to).

5. Pour over brownies while still warm. Keep in mind this will take awhile to set, as it is not a conventional frosting. Once set it should be firm.

Mar 1

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela (via quote-book)

Feb 24

quote-book:

kari-shma:

worry less! (via workisnotajob) | workisnotajob.com

Feb 10

Normally I just use Tumblr to record quotes, recipes, or pictures that I find and want to keep, and then also to stalk my sisters. But right now I feel like being insightful and I want to get it recorded before I lose it.

One thing about me that I’ve noticed lately is that when I hear of a friend of mine getting engaged, someone still in college planning their wedding, or one of those newly weds getting ready to have their first baby I get a really sad feeling. And I’m not talking an Oh-my-god-I’m-so-jealous-of-you-I-want-what-you-have kind of sad, I’m talking a You’re-missing-out-on-your-potential-you-didn’t-even-get-the-chance-to-let-the-world-know-how-fabulous-you-are kind of sad.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t know why these people are in such a rush. There is no possible way they could be the best mother/wife or whatever possible without having any world experience going in. How can you mother your child when they’re 24 and want your advice on their career, if you’ve never been faced with that yourself? I guess I notice that because it’s what I feel with my mom.

For me, I don’t want the world to miss out on how fabulous I am and how much better I’m going to get…

celebratewithcake:

PB & Chocolate Pan Cookie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose baking mix

1 (12-ounce) package dark chocolate morsels, divided

Preparation:

Stir together peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla in large bowl.

Stir in brown sugar until combined. Add baking mix and 3/4 cup dark chocolate morsels, stirring just until moistened. Spread mixture in a lightly greased 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.

Bake at 325° for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate morsels; let stand 5 minutes or until chocolate melts. Spread melted chocolate evenly over top. Cut into triangles, bars, or squares.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Bisquick All-Purpose Baking Mix and Hershey’s Special Dark Chips.

Recipe from MyRecipes.com (click image for link).

Adelai Basye

“Sometimes you really can’t listen to what anybody else says. You just got to listen inside.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904103404576556470806562008.html