A Year to Remember
Something like this but with fewer tattoos. I only have five but planning another one for 2019. 😊
That was my very philosophical view of how 2018 went. The one word I have about it – bewilderment. This has been the most bizarre and one of the most challenging years for as long as I remember. Even the year when I was in cancer treatment was more predictable: I knew how long I’d be in treatment and, no matter how physically taxing it was, I had a tunnel vision and hope inside that I’d survive. I was not sure I’d survive 2018 though, as I had more medical emergencies this year than I care to dwell on, and I’m still struggling with a lot of medical issues.
Fighting against illnesses is difficult, trying to literally keep your body upright when you’re sick is hard, but maintaining drive and determination to survive against all odds while still finding some meaning to your life is often a taxing ordeal, the one where you seem to swing between hope and despair every minute and want to both ascend and perish at the same time. When we lose hope, we die. We die when life, no matter how confining it may be for this time or for the rest of your earthly presence, feels void of any meaning. Our value is just is, it’s inherently attached to our presence here. We matter just because we are born and going through life, whichever way it shapes to be. I hope I’ve brought love and light into your life with whatever I was able to offer, whether it’s an actual presence as a friend, an occasional hello to let you know that my spirit is always around and cheering you on, all the adventures we’ve shared and the ones that may lie ahead,  all the food we’ve had and all the recipes I’ve posted on the blog, all the inspiration I’ve provided and all the laughs I’ve gotten out of you, all the stories I’ve crafted and the words I’ve weaved to engage you, or excite you, or motivate you, and to propel you to embark on your own  path. All that remains as energy that will continue on even if one day, my body is no longer here.
That was the transcendental part of me talking. Here’s my real voice.
Seriously though, what in the actual fuck?! I can’t with 2018! We only have a few days left, so be nice to me please!
But, let’s just review some of the things in 2018 that definitely stood out. Certain important life decisions have been made among all the calamities. And, even though I know it’ll take me some time to implement those changes, and life will probably be uncertain and shaky for a while, I know deep inside that I’m on the right path and will succeed through all the rough waters and will grow from it even more.
I’ve slowly been working on my practice expansion and have been maintaining most all my patients sessions (with some breaks during the roughest health issues). I’m also thinking of other creative ways to expand even more in the future. I’ve gotten through a post-graduate psych course, which luckily finished before most of my health issues appeared in the late spring. I’m planning another course of study, of a different variety though, perhaps next year. I’m a perpetual student and will probably be still taking some classes when I’m old and demented. In my defense, psychology is not a hard science where you learn the formulas and their scientific applications. You really need a vast theoretical knowledge, a robust set of professional skills, keen analysis and observation, plus I also believe, your own relevant personality traits and life wisdom to teach other human beings how they work in themselves and how to be functional without many glitches.
I’m also a very vocal advocate for mental health destigmatization, and I constantly engage in psycho-educational activities to promote emotional balance, including the need and access to therapy, as part of an overall well-being. One of the TV episodes I’ve participated in as an expert/consultant won 3rd place in a prestigious television awards aimed to highlight social issues programming (CBS outran us for the top two prizes).
Here, on the pages of this blog, I’m trying to do regular posts now after a long 8-month hiatus. But, even during my silence, the back burner of the blog has been active, with several of my previous recipes appearing on The Daily Meal and MSN Food sites (TDM operates the Culinary Content Network, an organization of food bloggers, which I was invited to join over two years ago, that the TDM/MSN editors are often pulling recipes from for their postings).  Here are the recipes that were posted on TDM/MSN throughout the year and the links to the original posts so you can make them again at home.
This is one of my ever popular recipes, headlining a set of slides with Paleo recipes on MSN, that gets numerous hits every day (also showcasing my now 21 year-old’s scale of being a complete PITA even in his younger years).
Get my recipe for Grain-free Apple Waffles here https://www.thehouseofdee.com/2017/01/26/the-apple-of-my-eye/
These Chestnut and Almond Flour Berry Muffins are another great breakfast alternative.
Get this recipe here https://www.thehouseofdee.com/2016/09/17/playing-hospital/
You can also have this breakfast option that tastes indulgent but is actually very figure-friendly as it’s made with farmer cheese.
Get the recipe for Mini Breakfast Cheesecakes here https://www.thehouseofdee.com/2016/07/23/family-matters/
And, this recipe for edible cordial shots is always popular around any holidays.
Get the recipe for it here https://www.thehouseofdee.com/2017/04/10/some-days-like-these-and-candy-shots/
So, this has been my 2018, plus a lot of other things not mentioned in this post. You win some, and you lose some. Life is a peculiar balancing act. Sometimes you flop down right on your face with sand stinging your eyes and dirt smeared all over. And once in a while you get to ride an incredible high, and you count your blessings, and you move on.
I wish you great 2019, and you wish me a continuous flow of healing vibes, so I can delight you with my new posts and delicious recipes.
Cheers!
