The To-Do List is Done

I can confidently say that I made the most of my months off of work. I did enough freelance work to keep me fresh; I learned to cook better and healthier. I exercised. I went to Europe. I met up with friends. I took care of annoying errands that are best done during the weekday, like going to the DMV for a new license and taking a car in for emissions. 

I kept myself busy and stuck to my rules of unemployment: do something every day to find the right job; don't sleep in past 8 a.m.; no TV during the day; and my list above. And I still had plenty 'o' time to reflect and figure out what I wanted to do. I'm refreshed and ready to go, which is good, because I start my new job as a Web content strategist on Monday. 

But during all these wonderful months off, I had a job search looming over my head. Yeah, I was confident I'd find something. But I never knew when, and gosh darn it, it took a lot of interviewing and thinking and researching to lead me to go all or nothing in what I new I wanted to do, content strategy. 

Even while I explored Italy, I could never forget why I had the time to take a few weeks and a lot of money for a European vacation: I was laid off. Unemployed. When you travel by yourself, you tell your story to a lot. Say it enough times, and even the more confident of folks such as myself start to get a little self-conscious. 

So this past week and a half since I accepted my new job has been brilliant, a weight lifted off my shoulders. I watched (some) TV during the day! I took trips to unhealthy food haunts like Hot Doug's, spent time at the Montrose dog beach (aka the happiest place on Earth), took a day trip to my childhood vacation spot, New Buffalo, Mich. (pictured above), and resumed meeting up with friends spur-of-the-moment, which I had curtailed because it gets expensive. It was a great week.

It's the perfect time to go back to work, because there's really not much left to do. I did it all! And during summer. It really couldn't have worked out better. I'm a blessed person. 

Wish me luck on Monday!

What to Do With Tzatziki

We made a tzatziki sauce over the weekend to go with a fantastic grilled lamb recipe Brian does. We loved the tzatziki so much we made it again Monday night and have been on a binge ever since.

A few winners:

Tzatziki atop a bison burger on wheat with tomato. Grilled veggies on the side.

Tzatziki as pasta sauce. I added browned ground lamb that I seasoned with mint, rosemary, lemon, salt and pepper and then topped it with fresh, chopped tomato. It worked! Glass of milk optional. :)

If you have other ideas, let me know!

JOB!

Congratulations to me: A week from today I will be in my second day at a new job as a Web content strategist at the National Association of Realtors. My new job's home base: www.realtor.org. The office home base: Michigan Avenue.

How excited am I? I'm getting paid to do what I love, the people seem really great and I'll get to flex a fresh brain. Life is good!

Another perk: Brian and I will have something fresh to talk about again as a opposed to a boring recount of my day. Not too much drama in a job search, light freelance schedule and workout routine!

I can honestly say I've made the most of my time. I kept my skills fresh with some freelance consulting and did what everyone wants to do when they're working and can't take the time to vacation: travel, read, cook, visit friends and explore -- all while looking for a job.

Unemployment Mission Accomplished.

Last Night's Dinner: No-Recipe Stir-Fry

This is what you do with leftovers! The list included:

-- Corn, jicama, red bell pepper, red onion and lime salsa
-- Snow peas
-- White jasmine rice
-- Carrots

I bought chicken, marinated it in low-sodium teriyaki sauce and stir-fried it in the wok -- my first time using one (loved it!). I set that aside, dumped all the veggies in, and made a sauce with sesame oil, honey, fish sauce, soy sauce and just a little "classic stir-fry sauce" I found in our fridge.

Next, I dumped the rice in, and voila -- a tasty and not-too-salty (considering the ingredients) stir-fry.

The jicama did scare me -- I'd only had it cold and in salads and was afraid it would be the ingredient that didn't make sense. Turns out, it provided a perfect crunch and texture similar to water chestnuts. I think the lime from the salsa added a refreshing twist, too, although at first it was a little too tangy -- that's when I added the honey.

I'd like to credit the dump-it-all technique for this recipe's success. :)