About seven months ago I acquired a lovely new job that keeps me constantly challenged and intellectually stimulated.
It also keeps me on the run.
As a result, my posts have diminished to one or two a week.
More importantly, I am seldom it the kitchen, except on weekends when I am not too tired.
The upside is that my husband has prepared more meals lately, especially on nights when I get home at 7:30 or 8 p.m.
Take last night for example. He made ribs from his own recipe, tossed some herb-y fozen potatoes in the oven and cobbled together a lovely green salad.
Why does someone else's cooking taste better than your own? It may have been the best meal I've ever had.
Two weeks ago he made pot roast with vegetables (above) and dumplings. I don't have to tell you that this is the kind of meal that comforts and delights. And it did.
Bottom line is: He is a catch. He prepares good, old-fashioned comfort food, the kind our grandmothers used to make. He has always been supportive of my career, which has always been the kind that requires long and odd hours.
Even with such support, I can't figure out how to post here more often, or how to visit other blogs.
How do you all do it? How do you cook such lovely meals, write such lovely posts and still have a life?
You continue to amaze me, readers. Thank you for being there and staying with me.
19 comments:
I'm able to do it because I don't work outside the home. When I worked, our home life was a disaster--I was a commuter with long and odd hours, often having to work from home on top of it all, and throw in some occasional travel. Needless to say my house was a wreck, and I cooked probably only three days a week--and that was generally quick-fix junk. Because there was no time.
I have NO idea how others do it!
Now, however, I still have to plan what foods I will make, what can go in my blog, and have a back-up plan for posting should I come up with nothing (I use an A to Z list post when I have nothing else to write about).
Besides. You don't have to post every day. Once a week is good, too!
Your hubby sounds like a real catch. What a blessing.
Mimi,
You and I have similar schedules and all I can say is write most of my posts in draft form while on airplanes/waiting for delayed flights and/or in my head while in the gym and then a dash to a pad and pen I keep in my gym bag to outline it. I keep a ton of drafts and that allows me to just finish/flesh them out and hit publish.
As for my cooking/baking I have decided that it is those things that keep me sane so I have carved out time for this. I try not to let my worry about jobs get in my way of spending a few hours a week kneading some dough.
Don't worry about not posting every day, I so love the weird cosmic connection we have (UP/Francophile/Foodie girls)that I still look forward to even your occasional post.
Your hubby is incredible!! and if he has any single brothers at home...I'm available ;-)
It is hard Mimi, I don't keep up nearly as much as I would like or should. The only thing I find that helps is if I do have a day off I try to slot in some time to get some posts started in word and have them saved ready to go. If I don't have time to do the cooking myself, I'll utilize a meal I may have had at a relatives house and use my cell phone to take the pictures.
I often wonder how people post as much as they do; I've cut back to a schedule I can maintain, but I still post from my archives every now and then to give myself a week off. I can only think that there are many bloggers for whom blogging is either their only job, or their only hobby, or a novelty that will wear off. If you want to keep up your blog, but don't have time to do all of the writing yourself, consider a couple of strategies: (1) post from your early archives -- because chances are that your current readers might have missed some of your earlier writing; (2) invite guest authors to share your space every now and then; (3) reposition your blog to be less about cooking; (4) reduce the frequency of posting -- remember, the only deadlines are the ones you impose on yourself (this is me talking about me, too!); and/or (5) take a break from blogging, and come back to it when you have time and desire. If absence makes the heart grow fonder, you will miss blogging, and will come back to it in a way that fits into the life and schedule you have now. All that said, I would miss your gentle voice and stories and observations of Paris.
Dearest Mimi,
We may do it, but we don't always do it well! I, too, have been very sporadic in posting lately. My circumstances are quite different from yours, but challenging, nonetheless. I do what I can, when I can, but I don't ever want to lose touch with all the new friends I have made via blogging. We play "catch-up" on days we are not as busy, and trust our new friends will understand! Loving your blog, regardless of how often you manage to post!
Don't ask me! I am in your boat, in my own way. And I do worry about the pull of time it is from other things.
You are inspiring to me, Mimi! You post plenty and you always have something cool to say. And your photos rock.
Here I am, a shlub with tons of time and I can't think of anything to write about and I certainly can't post a photo of my frozen pizza.
Hang in there and don't stress. =)
I am with maryruth. Don't know how you do it and don't stress if its not everyday - I enjoy them when they come!
I work long days and have a long commute, so most days don't afford cooking. I tend to cook on Sundays for the bulk of the day, and usually during one weekday (I manage to get home a bit early at least one day a week). In between, its a parade of leftovers, occasionally with a few going to the freezer to fill in any gaps that might popup in the future if I think I already have enough to get through the week.
As for staying up on the blog, that's tough, too. I try to maintain a fairly rigid blog posting schedule to have both a goal and to keep myself from using up all of my posts as soon as they are ready. I found its easier to write up the post and then just schedule it for automatic posting every couple of days (less frequent now than when I started, too). It has let me buffer up a lot of posts from weeks when I have cooked more than others so on the odd weeks when I don't/can't cook much, the internet is none the wiser. ;-)
I certainly understand all about this post of yours, Mimi. Work seems to get in the way of a few things that bring us much pleasure. I feel so guilty about not keeping up with my blogger buddies~now with the store, my time is very limited. Your husband is so gracious to prepare dinners for you!You are correct-other peoples foods seem to taste so delicious-what is it that makes us think that? Whenever you do blog and post a fabulous one, it is always wonderful to read what you have to share with us!
Mimi, you are obviously preaching to the choir on this one. I don't know how I do it - and I don't post more than once a week! My schedule might not be quite as busy as others in terms of going to work, but it is filled with other things that support the work I do. So if I'm not treating patients, I'm writing articles for my website, or taking classes to get CEUs, or some other such thing. And if that wasn't enough, I'm a single woman who doesn't need to cook for anyone other than herself 99% of the time. And then I live on the leftovers. I'm not going to cook a new meal with a fridge full of food, and a freezer stuffed with leftovers!
Mike had it right, though. When you're in a cooking mood, that's the time to cook and photograph. Write about it when you can. Post later. Lydia also had it right -- recycle older posts. I've loved reading everything you've written, and it would be a treat for me to read it again. (That is, if I saw it the first time!) And lastly, I'd have to say that you could take a little time off if necessary. You'd be sorely missed, but we'd all understand. Your readers all have a deep love and appreciation of your voice, Mimi.
You do have wonderful readers Mimi and they've given you some beautiful answers to this questions and some practical one too. I have the same question. I don't see how people do it either. I would love to hit publish more but a couple times a week is about what I can manage.
You know, y'all shouldn't worry about how often to post at all. Even though I personally like to post several times a week, I do that because it seems my subscribers prefer frequent posting.
But as a blog reader, myself, I prefer those that post only once or twice a week... otherwise it is SO MUCH reading to keep up with!
Quality vs. quantity all the way.
good question, mimi! and one i don't know how to answer myself. over winter break (the blessing of the academic life) i cooked and baked and stocked my small freezer with home cooked goodies. i make at least one pot of soup a week to freeze and take for lunch at work. i just gave up TV entirely so i can read and write more for myself than just for my job (english prof. with lots of freshmen writing students). it's been a challenge. the blog comes and goes in fits and starts, and reading other blogs is my evening treat.
February must be flailing food bloggers month. I just wrote a similar soul-searching post:
http://cuisinequotidienne.blogspot.com/2008/02/cq-hq-february-2008.html
I also got some very interesting comments which you may want to refer to, as I will refer to yours.
The last few months have been pretty crazy, with some very lame meals on our French table. This is discouraging for a food blogger.
I would say to stop worrying about the frequency of posts. I mean look at Jann -- she doesn't post that much but still has a great blog and is very much part of the quality but relatively-low-key food blogging community (which is where I situate myself and I guess you too.)
Also, as someone reminded me, blogging should be fun and not a burden. Keep this in mind!
And your husband's meal looks great...
Truth be told I think we magnate and find time for that which gives us joy. Clearly your blog accomplishes that not only for you but most certainly for your readers. One or two blogs from Mimi a week makes my days!
Some are truly fortunate to be doing in career what brings them joy. I think if you spend 8-10-12hours a day at something it must be a renewing resource for you. In that we all have the mission to seek a creative outlet within our jobs no matter how small a corner of our daily life.
You ARE blessed to have such a mate but we all have people in our lives who give us comfort and sense when we need a bit of TLC.
YOU Mimi are that kind of friend to me. The blog is just a delightful extra.
The Milkmaid
Hey Mimi, you know what, even after busy days at work, you can still cook some wonderful comfort dishes in very little time.
In Chicago, we had a miserable winter so far, alternating snow and cold... and when I say cold I mean cold, like 4 degrees below zero is what is planned for Sunday morning at breakfast time.
Personally, when we have this kind of depressing long series of grey days, without any sun, what comes to my mind is "I need French Comfort food dishes " like those I enjoyed so much in my favorite bistrots in Paris. Problem is, it takes about more than two hours to cook a Boeuf Bourguignon, a Veau Marengo, or a "Ragout d'agneau aux olives et aux tomates". So for Christmas I asked Le Père Noel (Santa in France)to bring me a ''cocotte minute'' (pressure cooker). I specified the model I wanted (a Spanish FAGOR COMMERCIAL)and I got it.
Since that happy occurence, my life in the kitchen has changed: Two weeks ago I cooked a Veau Marengo (Veal with tomatoes, mushrooms and white wine) in 20minutes, Las tweek a lamb stew with black olives, tomatoes, provençal herbs and red Côtes du Rhône) in 15 minutes, % days ago a Boeuf Bourguignon in 50 minutes, and 3 weeks ago a Chicken in fresh garlic (15 cloves), lemmon, thyme and a touch of white wine in 11 minutes.
I know,I know, you still have to shop for the ingredients, and the preparation takes sometimes as much as the cooking time...
But it really made my life easier.
Bon courage...and keep warm
Alain
French Virtual Cafe
You're tagged for a little happiness meme:
http://cuisinequotidienne.blogspot.com/2008/02/fun-not-food.html
Bilingual too!
Maybe that will help pull you out of your blogging blues. I hadn't done one in a while and it kind of got me psyched...
Mimi, I hear you. I find it extremely difficult to do full-time job and the blog, and it gets frustrating at times. As I tell anyone who'll listen, I would put so much more into the blog if I had more time—work on better photography, just do so many more posts, and more in-depth, etc. Sometimes what I'm NOT doing on the blog, yet have ideas to do, becomes sort of overwhelming. I haven't yet found any kind of solution, really. I just muddle on as best I can with the energy I have available. And don't even get me started on visiting other blogs! I want to do that so much more, but as you know, it's all so time-consuming and then there is one's actual non-online life!
OK, I'll stop whining. Nice problems to have, actually, aren't they? I am grateful for all of the good things that have come out of having the blog . . .
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