Friend Fat

Jimmy Kimmel stole my brilliant idea; my friends and family can testify!

This week, Kimmel declared November 17th “National UnFriend Day” because he believes Facebook is “cheapening the meaning of friendship”. I completely agree.

About a month ago, I scrolled through my friends and deleted over one hundred people from my social network contacts. These were either people I knew at one time or acquaintances I’ve met through mutual friends.

The question is, how do you decide who stays and who goes? The criteria I used was simple, but might be considered ruthless according to Facebook’s unwritten rules. If I would be pleased to run into the person at a grocery store and strike up a conversation to either catch-up (and care about the updates) or make plans to get together, they stayed. Otherwise, delete. Are you sure? Yes, I’m sure… delete. Harsh? Why stay cyber friends with someone pretending to care what’s going on in their life by viewing pictures, status updates or conversations with other people you may or may not even know? Do you really care? I don’t.

To clarify, I understand being cyber friends with people you might not necessarily interact with in person on a regular basis. Why? It’s nearly impossible to keep in verbal or face-to-face contact with everyone you care to keep in touch with at all. Facebook works as another form of e-mailing, text messaging, making that once-a-month call just to “keep in touch” or even sending Christmas cards once a year. It works as a forum to let everyone keep in touch with people they do care to hear (or see) the life updates from, but not always get together with on a regular basis. On the other hand, it’s become quite a phenomenon that most Facebook users become friends with their true friends, cousins, classmates, neighbors, landlords, landlord’s parents, boss’s nephew, co-worker’s great-aunt who lives in Timbuktu and, well, you get the idea.

Didn’t get the chance to participate in Kimmel’s NUD? You can do it any day you feel the willpower; I did. According to his website, “…all Facebook users shall protect the sacred nature of friendship by cutting out any ‘friend fat’ on their pages occupied by people who are not truly their friends.”

Cut out your friend fat. I did. Just think… would you pivot your cart and scoot down the next aisle at the market, or would you gladly approach with a sincere, “How have you been?”

Hugs in a Bowl

I recently attended a potluck and had a mouthwatering experience while tasting one of the dishes. It was chicken tortilla soup simmering away in a crockpot accompanied by tortilla chips and ripe avocado slices. At first I was concerned there must be a large content of cream as many chicken tortilla soups have. I feared for my sensitive stomach and didn't care for the extra calories among the many other dishes I'd already been munching away on.

So... I asked. Not cream... the creaminess was created by the sweet potato base. No wonder my mouth salivated after the first spoonful! I have a great love for sweet potato in any form...

If you're in the mood for a light, healthy, extremely easy mexican soup with a twist... please, please try this recipe! I'm actually posting it due to requests from friends I recently made it for. So, enjoy!

2 tsp oil

1 onion

1 large sweet potato (cooked and pureed) or 1 can of puree (12 oz)

2 cans of chicken broth (14 oz each)

½ tsp ground cumin

1 can corn (11 oz)

1 cup medium salsa

1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (15 oz)

Chopped cilantro (desired amount)

Cooked chicken breast cut up into bit size pieces (desired amount)

Heat oil in a saucepan, sauté onion until soft and translucent.

Add sweet potato, chicken broth and cumin; cover and reduce heat if in a pan. Stir in all other ingredients. If using a crockpot, simmer on high for an hour or low for two hours. Add more chicken broth if too thick.

Serve with crushed tortillas, avocado and cheddar cheese.

Pumpkin Pie Lovers Rejoice!

This blog is for anyone who gets super excited for the widely-anticipated pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks, or mom's moist pumpkin bread, or Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

I have to give all the credit for this following recipe to my cousin Kathryn. I saw her post this idea on Facebook and all the sudden buying a can of pumpkin puree topped my to-do list for the day.

I've shared in prior posts my passion for breakfast. Now I'm combining my favorite meal of the day with the holiday joys of pumpkin spice!



Recipe for Pumpkin Pie French Toast

Ingredients (basically french toast batter mixed with pumpkin puree):

2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 slices of bread (so... makes 2-3 servings)

Cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Top with syrup, whip cream, pecans or walnuts...whatever tickles your fancy! Happy Holidays!!

America's Search For A Political Savior

I'm learning to get use to these political seasons.

Since the media plays a large role in primary, mid-term, presidential elections, etc. --it's a process I not only need to follow, but learn to bring neutrality and balance to every side.

I've never had a passion for politics or government. In fact, I think the two C's I got in college were in economics and political science (shhhh).


I'm realizing it's good for me though. Not only is the understanding of the economy and the government crucial to my journalism career but it's crucial to my life as I take on more and more responsibilities as an adult. I use resources every day that deal with the government- whether it be the roads I drive on, the testing that went into the water I drink, the museum I visited on vacation, or the education I got from the public school I attended. The list goes on and on.


After interviewing candidates from both sides of the spectrum, I realize most of them are just on a specific agenda, subject to a strict structure, and basically just trying to win a race. They probably have good intentions but their political jargon is always vague and most of the time each candidate talks of a good idea that would benefit...well, someone.


I usually have more conservative views on social issues. And I'd like to say that being fiscally conservative sounds like a great idea? But then cutting programs or jobs never sounds appealing either?

I think it's difficult to have the answers when I don't really see the inner workings of the system or understand what it really means to manage a national budget. I'm hoping it's something I learn more and more about as I continue to cover elections. All I know is that when I heard Pastor Mark Driscoll say these words imbedded in a recent sermon, I realized if I live with this simple concept in mind, and maybe our government does as well... I don't see how we could go wrong.


Wise words from Pastor Mark Driscoll:

"No functional savior in the form of a politician can save us from ourselves. As a people who have lived beyond our means, pursued our greeds and not our needs, we have to acknowledge that repentance is the only way to make change in life.

This is not politically expedient.

There is no politician running for office that would get on television and say...

'America you're all greedy, you worship mammon, most of you are fat as well, you're not generous, you've lived beyond your means, your credit cards are racked up and as a people you all need to repent!'

But then democrats will say you're victims and the republicans ruin everything, then the republicans will say democrats ruin everything and you're victims-- and everyone has to lie so we will vote for them because otherwise we'd need to repent.

The truth is as Christians we need to look at our finances and ask, are we stewarding the resources that the father has entrusted to us in a way that shows that we believe the kingdom starts coming in our lives by obedience and stewardship?"