adorably cute playful kitty.......

Perception.......something to think about......

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.


4 minutes later:


The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.


6 minutes:


A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.


10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.


45 minutes:


The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.


1 hour:


He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.


No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.


This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*Do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?


One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Ninja Cat........

Chocolate-Filled Double Delight Peanut Butter Cookies

I really want to try this recipe this year!

Chocolate-Filled Double Delight Peanut Butter Cookies
PB Cookie Dough
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth, national brand)

Filling and Topping
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy, national brand)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp confectioners’/powdered sugar
3 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp finely chopped chocolate (semisweet/bittersweet)

Make the cookie dough. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light. Beat in egg, followed by the vanilla and peanut butter.
Gradually add in dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined.
Spoon dough onto a sheet of wax or parchment paper, shape into a roll about 3-inches in diameter and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Prepare topping and filling. In small bowl, mix chopped peanuts, granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
In another small bowl, stir peanut butter, cocoa powder, sugars and chopped chocolate until smooth. If mixture is very wet (this may be the case if it is very hot outside), add an additional tsp or two of confectioners’ sugar. Shape mixture 20 small (1/2 inch) balls and place each on a sheet of parchment paper. Set aside.
Remove cookie dough from fridge. Cut the log lengthwise in half, then make 10 horizontal cuts to slice the dough into a total of 20 even pieces. Each piece should be a semi-circle in shape.
Flatten each piece of dough and place a peanut butter ball into it. Shape each cookie dough piece around the filling, making sure to cover the ball completely. Repeat with remaining dough and balls.
Roll each ball in peanut-sugar mixture and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between balls. Use a flat-bottomed drinking glass to flatten the cookies down to 1/4-inch thickness.
Bake for 9 - 11 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 20 large cookies

today was frosty outside........down to 28 degrees this morning!

Chilly......great morning to stay snuggled in bed. I have had a very hard time getting started for the day and am still only about halfway through what I would normally be through this time of the day.

I need to crack the whip now and get with it!

It was also extremely foggy today. Wish I could have grabbed a few photos.

PLEASE consider participating in the HOLIDAY MAIL FOR HEROES program ....just click on the link at the top of my sidebar for more details.

I have decided.....

to make a journal book on "WINTER" and all the things I love about this season. I then will also do the same for each upcoming season. I wish now I would have done one already for fall...and I may go back and start that as well along with this winter one...instead of waiting till next fall. OR make a second one next fall. I will see. I love the idea of putting photos or images or artwork of all the things I love down into journal form. This idea has opened up many other ideas for me as well. Here is a page I worked on the other night. I really like all the images and plan on infusing this page with the scent of Christmas tree.

I have always loved those LITTLE BIG BOOKS and IDEALS....and how they incorporate images and artwork and recipes or poetry based on different themes. So why not do something like this myself, but on a much more personalized scale? I am so excited about this idea.

I have also decided to make a PILLOW book. I have a lot of erotic poetry I have written...but then was torn what to do with it. I thought at one time about publishing a book of it...but was not sure I wanted to have my name tied to perhaps what some might consider "smut" though I do keep mine clean compared to other's standards. I also am now wishing to write in a more "romantic" way....

Anyway....I had heard about Pillow books in the past..where concubines in geisha houses and some aristocrats would keep note paper by their bedside and then write down all their secret sexual desires and fantasies and keep them in a journal under their pillow only to be shared with their lovers if even them. MAYBE this is what I am to do with all my writings. I have not put anything on my poetry site for so long. I had quite a following there when I did. I am being torn inside between whether I SHOULD or whether I should NOT write like that. SO I stopped writing it altogether. BUT maybe in a format like a PILLOW BOOK....that might be the direction for me to take with my poetry. I imagine that could then be marketed should I so desire. HUM....lots to ponder there...as I have done so now for a couple of years.

What have you worked on lately?