What Ought To Be: January

 Hello lovely people! So, here we are at the most complicated of my three projects this year. So, when I originally planned this it was not nearly as crazy. However, I can't seem to help myself. I was going to do one thing, and then ended up adding to it.... so here we are.... and here we go.

So, usually these project I will make a list of 12 things and then do one of those thing every month for the whole year and write about each thing as we go along. There is a list of 12 but I am not going to do one thing per month. The list is 12 areas of improvement that will help to build my confidence. My plan is to rewrite the list every month and see what areas I feel great in, the ones I have slipped on, and then make goals to make the next month even better. So, there is no perfect score. Confidence is ever changing and as we go forward we have to make adjustments. Sometime we adjust things and then we push other things back so you have to readjust. So, lets see the list and I'll tell you how I have been doing. 

1. Closer in Faith: Really change my lifestyle to reflect God and His wonders- So, far I have been keeping up with my Bible reading. My prayer life was doing great and now it's falling behind a bit and I need to refocus on that. I have been seeking God in some amazing things and I am still scared about some stuff that is not yet answered. It doesn't mean he isn't listening, just I need to be more patient.

2. Lose 50 Pounds: start taking better care of myself and go to the gym- My church did a 21 day fast and I was able to complete doing it for the first time. I got rid of some bad eating habits, and I lost some weight. The gym will start next month when I am not at church every night.

3. Cook Better: Do almost all recipes in TCM cookbook- I did make the one recipe that I needed this month. More on that below. 

4. Dress for Success: Dress up more. Embrace the things that I love- I have been getting up early and making sure I have done my hair and makeup before work. I still not have worn some of my dresses yet, which is what I want to do the most. However, I have been wearing my hats and I'm excited about that.

5. Speak up: Don’t shy away from what I think- I made a huge step forward this month in this. I told Bradley that I wanted to produce a show on the Radio. He said it sounds amazing, and that we are going to get started working on it! Last year I would have never been brave enough to open my mouth.

6. Own the Room: learn to walk in confidence- This one still needs a lot of work. I look down at my feet a lot when I walk and I need to change that. 

7. Look People in the eye more- This is kept reminding myself of, but still needs work. I can do it when I am in an interview or with friends, but with people I pass or interact with I am having a hard time.

8. Building Relationships: Make sure to keep up with all friends every month- I have done well, and slipped. I have kept up with some friends because I see them at church, but others I have had a hard time with because they don't live near me, or because of being busy. I will be working on be better at this one.

9. Style: try out a new shirt or outfit I would not normally buy and get it.- I did do this and here is the new shirt that I bought. I really hated this shirt when I saw it on the hanger at Walmart, and that is how I knew I had to buy it. I felt way more comfortable that I thought I would. I am glad that I bought it.

10. Creativity: Working on hobbies that I love- I did get to re-read Redeeming Love for the first time in forever, and I also worked on my blanket that I am making. Those are things that I seem to put to the side when get overwhelmed. I am glad I made time for them.  

11. Spoiling: Doing something for myself. That I would not normally do for me- Oh I bought myself some new stuff for my office job. I have been eyeing this keyboard and this mouse for a while and I finally just bought it. I also got my bluetooth headphones that I have been needing for a long time!

12 Peace: Do I feel at peace with the progress that I have made? Yes. I think that this is a great starting point for me to know what I need to build on in the coming year. 

Now, you may think that this is very manageable, however, you haven't gotten to what I added yet. The "being a better cook" is because of this book.

I have owned this book for about five years. I bought it when I first moved out thinking I would try it. I was mistaken because I wanted to cook by the movies I really loved. I haven't seen a good portion of the movies in this book. So, it's been hiding in a drawer ever since. Well, I looked at it again at the end of the year and thought that working on my cooking skills, and maybe getting me to eat at home more often, would work. So, there are 30 recipes in this book. I am making 29 (I am not cooking chicken liver and no one can make me I will do a personal favorite for that night) and I will make the drinks that go with and watch the movies.

Since we had the church fast in January, I wasn't going to do any for the month. However, my dad's birthday and at the end of the month, and the first recipe is a cake. So, I made him a Beet Red Devil Cake with Chocolate Frosting, the cocktail was a Clover Club Cocktail inspired from the movie The Divorcee.

The classic plot of man woman fall in love. You think that they live happily ever after. However, ever after only lasts about three years. When Norma Shearer finds that her husband is cheating she wants a divorce. From there so go on a scandalous escapade of sleeping with men.

This movie is really a shock if you know anything about pre-code movies. Seeing a pre-code movie, after watching hundreds of movies during the code times, it very shocking! Norma Shearer won Best Actress for her performance in this role, and it's just a good movie.

So, both the Clover Club Cocktail and the Cake turned out really delicious! I was surprised because of the fact that I have never baked a cake before.

As for the movie of the month? Well, the would be I Feel Pretty.

Renee suffers, as well all do, from insecurities. So, often feels lesser than and is always putting herself down. After she suffers a head injury, she suddenly thinks that she is the hottest, smartest, and most awesome girl on the planet. Due to this new realization, she takes chances she never thought she could before, she says what she thinks, and she also learns to love herself. Even if in doing all of these things, she does them in sometimes clumsy and weird ways. 

I love this movie as well. I was worried about watching it because I am not a huge fan of Amy Schumer's stand -up. However, She was wonderful in this movie and I loved that she looked like she was having a ball in everything she was doing. 

So, after a very long winded post, we are finally at the end. The sad thing is I have to do three of those recipes every month, so this one will get longer. However, I am looking forward to a wonderful year.