A few thoughts before Christmas...

At this time of the year, people tend to want to take a look back at the year. Was it a good year or a bad year? Did it contain a lot of momentous occasions, etc? I, on the other hand, want to take a look forward.

For the first time in a long time, I want to plan ahead and do things. This is extremely rare for me. It could be that I am unhappy in my current career trajectory and the only person who can change that is me. I need to decide to what I want to do. Right now, I am very unsure. Am I scared? Heck yeah.

So, as I meddle around and wonder what I will do, I will offer up some some thoughts.

I hope in 2014:

1. People will leave behind bacon and kale as the new food fades. Seriously, quit it.
2. Miley forgets how to twerk.
3. The history channel plays history once again.
4. Idiots will forget how to use social media or have shows on cable and stop spewing hate.
5. I bake more.
6. I see more places across the globe.
7. I see more of my friends.
8. I live more.
9. I love more.
10. I dance more. (Seriously, three times a week is not cutting it right now. :) )

Happy Christmas!!

Attempting to get back on track...

I often feel like I lack passion and creativity. I used to care about writing. I used to want to write. Now, I never write. I don’t even want to. I would love to sit down and write and produce something. I just can’t. I don’t know what it is. I think it’s beyond writer’s block. I do not work in a creative environment. We conform to ridiculous “rules” and regulations regarding words, images, design, etc. After working in such an environment, you no longer have the desire to even try.

So, I sit here and wonder: what can I do? What should I do? Should I just write to write? Do paltry attempts add up to something? Could I product a diamond in the rough? Or maybe a low grade emerald at least?  Do I announce a New Year’s Resolution to WRITE EVERYDAY!?? We all know that resolutions rarely pan out but I itch for change.

As I stare at this familiar screen, I begin to wonder if writing was just a phase. But, isn’t life just a series of phases? Or do constants remain during those phases? Why is everyone so into kale right now? And why do some atheists act more like religious zealots than religious zealots? I have too many questions and not enough answers.

For now, I should take solace in the fact that I wrote something that broke the 200-word mark that was not an irate email.  Yay for me!! 

A final thought: Britney Spears got her life on track after a disastrous few years. I think I can muster up something after a few years of “writer’s block” and lackluster comma usage.

::tap, tap::: Is this thing on??

Well, it's been a spell since my last post. I really should go through and delete several past posts. But...ain't nobody got time for that. The posts represent me but a past me..so why deny who I am.
Anyway, moving on...

I decided that I need to revamp this blog. I am writer, well I like to think that I am, but I do not write in my professional job. Well, I do..it's more like editor and professional grammatical eye-roller. Fine, I write. To write more about the topics I actually enjoy,  I will transform this blog's content into something more along the lines of it's title. I am going to write about my adventures in baking, cooking, and life. We will see how far this path takes me. I may even include photos!! I may even tweet my posts!!!

I am excited about this overdone idea?? Yes and no. I know this blog idea is far from unique. I don't even have an audience.  I think as soon as I start becoming creative again...the process will get easier and easier.

For now, I need to think and develop some ideas to write about. It will be rocky but that's better than  nothing.

Bacon: Unctuous, Blubbery Meat Speckles or New Age Culinary Delicacy

The current culinary landscape seems to rely largely on the by-product of the swine. Oink..Oink...Baby...America loves it's bacon. We is 'MERICANZZ!

Bacon is the all rage. It's everywhere and in everything. If you know me...you know my feelings about bacon are quite mixed. I like it. I don't quite love it....I have issues with it. Let's just say I find it fucking needy. (For a full poetic review of bacon see the 2010 issue of UMass Dartmouth's Literary Journal: Temper.)

Now, what perplexes me about the bacon rage (much like roid rage) is that foodies or just hungry humans and chef's alike seem to treat bacon as this new found ingredient much like the pomegranate craze of a few years back or gluten free stuff. Bacon isn't new people!!!! In fact, it's pretty darn old. Why must you put it in JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING??? Desserts, donuts, drinks, burgers, seafood, casseroles, meatloaf, chili, steak, chicken, etc.

STAAAHPPPPPPPP!!!!  Just stop....

You aren't creative or innovative. You are just trying one up the dude next to you. It's the proverbial pissing contest. Guess what? You lost! Ya bacon donuts are just gross and the epitome of gluttony.

Bacon does have it's redeeming qualities. It's tasty. It can be crunchy, it can also be not so crunchy..kinda like...leathery and chewy.  But it's good...ALOOOOONEEEEEEE.....

Because, in my oh so humble opinion, if you add bacon to other food, you just taste bacon. So..why not just eat bacon? Am I wrong here?

Bacon is fat and yes, fat is flavor.  But come on...use another flavor. Please....just stop sneaking it into dishes and putting it on desserts and in drinks. Let bacon be for a while. People will still love it. Americans are fat enough as it is..we don't need anymore help in expanding our waist lines.

I am tired of this bacon rage. And, yes, I am looking at you Travel Channel and your show: Bacon Paradise. Seriously, it's more like bacon hell for me and my worst nightmare.

So foodies for 2013, let's pick another ingredient to be oh so hip, okay? Let it not be a fatty meat type thing. There is only so much I can take.

A grand idea....

Ideas strike in the most obscene places sometimes.  On my way to use the loo a blogging idea hit me. I realized that the name of this blog is A Decadent Discourse. This title can mean many things to many different people: decadent life pleasures, decadent food, etc.  I am not sure why I did not realize when I started this blog but whatever... Anyway, the whole food aspect hit me. Why don't I start writing about what I love do: baking and cooking and then combine it with my real life experiences? Eh?? We will see how it goes. Sometimes I am such a derpina and I do not see the forest through the trees.

Soo....let's give this a whirl. I may even post photographs! Woo!!

What's Next..?

Over the past 2 years or so, I haven't had my heart or my head in writing. After I graduated grad school and settled into the "real world", I could barely even muster the energy and will to write a sentence. I used to love writing. It was fun. I was sorta good at it. I had ideas, etc. I tried a few times with this blog. The results always seemed misguided, paltry and self indulgent.

So I did not write, I stopped.  In fact, I didn't even want to write. 

So I sit here and ask myself, what's next? Do I write? Do I not write? If I do write, what do I write about?

I am all mixed up.

I need a creative outlet. My job stifles my creative side and it makes me feel like a drone. I do nto want to be a drone. I want to do something great but the fact is...I don't know what.

I need motivation. I need a kick in the pants...I need something...

So for now...I will try to give this writing thing another whirl.

Let's see how it goes...

Dear London Olympics 2012,

Let's talk....

Your Opening Ceremonies with Lord Voldermort, Paul McCartney, a giant baby and Kenneth Branagh and Mr. Bean with a fart joke...pretty priceless...kinda weird but pretty solid.

My gymnastics team rocked it out and the fact that most men's sports don't require much clothes; I ain't mad at that.  Bradley Wiggins winning the time trial and pretty much hearing the national anthem play. I like those things a lot.

But here's what I don't like.

1. Creating Divinities with our athletes. Please stop. They are humans. They aren't perfect and guess what, they cry and they mess up, the even take giant bong hits. I am looking at you Phelpsie.

2. Watching athletes from countries where their government sponsor's training..essentially taking a child at a young age from their family and putting them up in a training facility to train and train and train. For example, this lady. Yes, she won but what happens to the others that do not win. Who bring "shame" to their country for being human. That breaks my heart. They have nothing most of them...Olympics you bring great joy and destroy dreams, all at the same time.

3. The media ragging on young athletes and applying more pressure and drama than needed. I mean really, Jordyn Weiber didn't make the all-around. We get it..she had some shoddy deductions and her jumps...were not solid on beam. She had a bad night. No need to make front page news and make it all about her during the team final...that got old real quick.

4. Ryan Seacrest. Ryan Seacrest. Ryan Seacrest. You do not know sports and you talk to the Olympic Gymnastics Team about Justin Beiber. Shut the front door.  Just stop.

GO USA!

Smooches,

Nicole