Big changes are a-coming to the Sullivan family, and to Sullivan & Sullivan. Now that the changes are official, and effectively only two weeks away, it's time to bring them to Chasing Shade.
On March 7, 2011, I will leave my offices at S&S and begin working as an Assistant District Attorney in the Appeals Division of the Essex County District Attorney in Salem, Massachusetts.
As most of you know, I've worked part-time since graduating from law school, primarily in order to be a mostly at-home mom. Now that my youngest is in 6th grade, it's time for a change, for all of us. Time for my kids to see what a full-time working mother looks like, for them to appreciate me And themselves by becoming more independent, and time for me to explore a (relatively) solo career.
I'm Extremely excited about my new venture, though sad about leaving S&S. On the plus side, I will be doing the type of lawyering that I most enjoy -- writing and arguing the law in front of judges (versus a jury), without worrying about acquiring clients or choosing among litigation strategies. On the other plus side, I will have a different boss (Jon Blodgett, PU Class of '73), a different client (the Commonwealth of MA), a different office (in Witch City -- come visit any time other than Halloween), and different vacation limits (some vs. none!).
Over the past couple of weeks, I've been gradually telling my family and close friends about the New Job. Most of their responses have been Overwhelmingly Positive. Some have been surprising, and a few outright strange (N.B. Some response, even a weird one, is better than none at all....). To remember the varied reactions, I've memorialized some of the highlights (and low lights) from the responses here (don't forget: these are my close friends and family .....!):
Top Ten Responses to CPS's New Job:
#10: "Wow! Those jobs are really hard to get; who did you know to get that job?"
#9: "Oh my gosh, and I'm just starting to do everything I can to Stop working full time!"
#8: "That's great, but why do you think I had child # (fill in the blank)?"
#7: "Wow. I can't wait to hear what you think a year from now when you realize how hard it is."
#6: "I just heard that JFK's grandson is an ADA somewhere on Cape Cod."
#5: "How long have you been married? This job is going to be good for your marriage."
#4: "I'm so excited for you. You get to go shopping for suits and a new work wardrobe!"
#3: "What are you going to do with Julia?"
#2: "They don't pay very well, do they? And you probably don't get much vacation."
and,
#1 Response (from A Very Dear friend): "When we see each other in a few weeks, lunch is on me, to celebrate your new job."
Not sure what all these responses say about Anything, really. I know that each one of these people supports me and encourage me. Obviously, though, some of them are better at hiding it than others. Which only provides me with even More incentive to Do It All, especially at 40-something.
(And now a little diversionary story: I was in Julia's room last week while she was trying on clothes, deciding what she should wear to the school dance that night. She tried on a new striped cardigan sweater I had purchased, hoping she would love it and that I would let her have/wear it. She had it on and I commented, "It's cute, but it makes you look a little old." "Yes," she said, "that's what I thought but I didn't want to say it." "Well," I said," it should look old on you. I bought it for me and I'm 47. You can't expect what looks good on me to look good on you when you're only 11." "What?" gasped Julia, in shocked surprise. "You're 47? I didn't think you were that old. I thought you were 40." Oh Favorite Child.....)
With that said, I expect to keep up Chasing Shade, and all the other things that I enjoy about being a 40-something woman with a family, a brain, and an opinion. Not yet sure how I will fit in my running workouts, and Very glad I didn't start training for a spring marathon. Maybe one in the fall, though ....!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Recipes Reminding Me Of Spring
These recipes speak for themselves. They are tremendous, not too hard to prepare even if you've never done risotto before, and well worth a little bit of time. Click on the titles to get to the Recipes themselves. Sorry, we ate all the rest before I could take pictures ....
Anne Burrell's Asparagus and Pecorino Salad
Anne Burrell's Asparagus and Pecorino Salad
I know it sounds a little odd, but you've got to have a leap of faith with this one .... I added vanilla extract to the broth at the end, and it gave just enough of a sweetness to leave us all in need of a second serving.
I served the seared scallops as the main course, with the risotto as a side. While I'm not a Huge truffle oil afficionado, in this dish it is just Fabuloso!
The idea of serving the mousse in a large, beautiful bowl for the table to spoon out themselves sounds like fun, but I went a bit more traditional and put this in individual ramekins, served with lightly sweetened whipped heavy cream and homemade candied orange peel, which gave the mousse a little texture and a surprisingly nice twist. Couldn't be easier, and nice to be able to do ahead for a luxurious dessert later.
I was the 400th person to review this recipe on Food Network. In spite of all the reviews claiming its excellence, I was still surprised at how delicious (and truly easy) this cake was. I've Never folded in the oil at the end, and not sure how that exactly affects the texture. I'm a cook, not a chemist. It's delicious, and just as good the next day and the next day and .... well, you get it.
Now Start Cooking!
Friday, February 11, 2011
February is American Hearth Month -- Jane's Story
Did you know that? I did. When you have a close relative who succumbs to heart disease, you stay on top of issues related to heart health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women; in fact, some studies say that one in four women die of heart disease. So, in honor of American Hearth Month, I decided to share this story about health and heart disease.....
My friend, Jane, has a history of heart disease in her family. Her father, whom she was extremely close to, died in his early 60s of a massive heart attack. His brother had suffered with chronic heart disease most of his life, and his mother also died suddenly from the same illness.
Following her father's death, Jane became more knowledgeable and aware of issues related to heart disease and heart attacks in women. In fact, she and her siblings were determined to stave off the deadly disease, and undertook several measures to stay Heart Healthy. They ran, they exercised, they maintained healthy diets, and they stayed on top of news and issues related to cardiovascular disease in men and women.
The problem for Jane was that even though she knew better, she Hated going to the doctor. She had given birth to several children over the years, and after spending so much time at mandatory appointments for herself and them, going to the doctor's for her own annual physicals just wasn't high on her priority list. At some point, one of her doctors told her that as long as she was young and healthy, that an appointment every few years was acceptable, and that annual physicals weren't all that necessary. So, time went on and Jane stayed healthy and went to the doctors every few years.
Now Jane is in her mid-40s -- though she looks Much Younger! When she turned 45, she decided it was time for a real doctor's appointment and a primary care doctor she could rely on. Her mother recommended one, and things proceeded as Jane had predicted. Uneventful and 100% healthy for her age. So, as was Jane's usual behavior, she decided to skip the next year's appointment and avoid the entire hassle of waiting months to see a primary care doctor.
As luck would have it, because she missed her annual appointment, the doctor's office actually called Jane. They informed her that she was on the list of patients who needed an appointment, and would she like one, since there was an opening the following Tuesday. "Sure," said Jane, "See you then." She called a friend who lived nearby the doctor's office and scheduled lunch. The least she could do was look forward to some lunch and shopping afterwards to reward herself for getting through the anxiety of the appointment.
At the appointment, the doctor's nurse took Jane's usual measurements of weight (same, unfortunately), height (same, really unfortunately), and blood pressure. "Your blood pressure's a little high, Jane," said the nurse. "Oh, that's because I hate coming to the doctor," said Jane. "Okay, the doctor will check it later anyways," said the nurse.
And, she did check it .... twice. As a result, Jane's appointment did Not proceed as she had anticipated. After taking Jane's blood pressure twice, the doctor informed her that she was sending her immediately for an EKG and bloodwork, that she wasn't leaving until she checked out okay, and, oh, by the way, she was putting Jane on a medication for High Blood Pressure, since her blood pressure was, oh, in the range of, um, I think Jane said, 176/101.
"Yeah," Jane told me later. "I couldn't believe it. I told the doctor right then that if I had a heart attack I was going to be PISSED! The only reason I even Came to the doctors was to make sure I didn't die from a heart attack, and if I did, after letting the doctor know my concerns about this, that I was going to be really, really upset." Jane said the doctor kind of laughed, but not that much.
"Maybe that's why I haven't been feeling that well for the past month or so," Jane told me. "I thought maybe I was depressed, because I just didn't feel like doing anything, and I was always tired but also anxious at the same time, which didn't make any sense. I thought it was because of life stuff. Kind of funny that I was talking to my mother about staying healthy because of what had happened to Dad, and she told me that she had never worried about me or my sister. She was always concerned about my brothers, I guess because they are men, and my father was a man, and she didn't really think that my sister and I would be affected by my father's heart disease. I told her that heart disease killed more women than breast cancer did, and that since we had the same genetic makeup as our brothers, we had as good a chance as them of developing heart disease. 'Oh', she said, 'I never thought of it that way.' "
So, now Jane has been taking blood pressure medication for a couple of days. I talked to her this morning and I could hear a difference in her voice from just a few days ago. She said she feels so much better, like a load has been lifted off her shoulders, though she had no idea she was even carrying the load.
"It's so strange," said Jane. "I had just seen something on TV that said all women should have an EKG when they turn 40, and that women who have a history of heart disease in their family should always have annual checkups and make sure they alert their doctor to this history."
I've learned a lot from Jane's experience. So, I figured my friends and family could potentially learn a lot from it, too. Just because someone gives advice all of the time doesn't mean they always follow their Own advice. Sounds like Jane knows what she's talking about this time.
My friend, Jane, has a history of heart disease in her family. Her father, whom she was extremely close to, died in his early 60s of a massive heart attack. His brother had suffered with chronic heart disease most of his life, and his mother also died suddenly from the same illness.
Following her father's death, Jane became more knowledgeable and aware of issues related to heart disease and heart attacks in women. In fact, she and her siblings were determined to stave off the deadly disease, and undertook several measures to stay Heart Healthy. They ran, they exercised, they maintained healthy diets, and they stayed on top of news and issues related to cardiovascular disease in men and women.
The problem for Jane was that even though she knew better, she Hated going to the doctor. She had given birth to several children over the years, and after spending so much time at mandatory appointments for herself and them, going to the doctor's for her own annual physicals just wasn't high on her priority list. At some point, one of her doctors told her that as long as she was young and healthy, that an appointment every few years was acceptable, and that annual physicals weren't all that necessary. So, time went on and Jane stayed healthy and went to the doctors every few years.
Now Jane is in her mid-40s -- though she looks Much Younger! When she turned 45, she decided it was time for a real doctor's appointment and a primary care doctor she could rely on. Her mother recommended one, and things proceeded as Jane had predicted. Uneventful and 100% healthy for her age. So, as was Jane's usual behavior, she decided to skip the next year's appointment and avoid the entire hassle of waiting months to see a primary care doctor.
As luck would have it, because she missed her annual appointment, the doctor's office actually called Jane. They informed her that she was on the list of patients who needed an appointment, and would she like one, since there was an opening the following Tuesday. "Sure," said Jane, "See you then." She called a friend who lived nearby the doctor's office and scheduled lunch. The least she could do was look forward to some lunch and shopping afterwards to reward herself for getting through the anxiety of the appointment.
At the appointment, the doctor's nurse took Jane's usual measurements of weight (same, unfortunately), height (same, really unfortunately), and blood pressure. "Your blood pressure's a little high, Jane," said the nurse. "Oh, that's because I hate coming to the doctor," said Jane. "Okay, the doctor will check it later anyways," said the nurse.
And, she did check it .... twice. As a result, Jane's appointment did Not proceed as she had anticipated. After taking Jane's blood pressure twice, the doctor informed her that she was sending her immediately for an EKG and bloodwork, that she wasn't leaving until she checked out okay, and, oh, by the way, she was putting Jane on a medication for High Blood Pressure, since her blood pressure was, oh, in the range of, um, I think Jane said, 176/101.
"Yeah," Jane told me later. "I couldn't believe it. I told the doctor right then that if I had a heart attack I was going to be PISSED! The only reason I even Came to the doctors was to make sure I didn't die from a heart attack, and if I did, after letting the doctor know my concerns about this, that I was going to be really, really upset." Jane said the doctor kind of laughed, but not that much.
"Maybe that's why I haven't been feeling that well for the past month or so," Jane told me. "I thought maybe I was depressed, because I just didn't feel like doing anything, and I was always tired but also anxious at the same time, which didn't make any sense. I thought it was because of life stuff. Kind of funny that I was talking to my mother about staying healthy because of what had happened to Dad, and she told me that she had never worried about me or my sister. She was always concerned about my brothers, I guess because they are men, and my father was a man, and she didn't really think that my sister and I would be affected by my father's heart disease. I told her that heart disease killed more women than breast cancer did, and that since we had the same genetic makeup as our brothers, we had as good a chance as them of developing heart disease. 'Oh', she said, 'I never thought of it that way.' "
So, now Jane has been taking blood pressure medication for a couple of days. I talked to her this morning and I could hear a difference in her voice from just a few days ago. She said she feels so much better, like a load has been lifted off her shoulders, though she had no idea she was even carrying the load.
"It's so strange," said Jane. "I had just seen something on TV that said all women should have an EKG when they turn 40, and that women who have a history of heart disease in their family should always have annual checkups and make sure they alert their doctor to this history."
I've learned a lot from Jane's experience. So, I figured my friends and family could potentially learn a lot from it, too. Just because someone gives advice all of the time doesn't mean they always follow their Own advice. Sounds like Jane knows what she's talking about this time.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Snow Days
A few photos from our endless days of snow.....
The Biggest Puzzle I've Ever Completed!
3000-Piece (less 12 or so missing pieces) Ravensburger that almost Beat Me!
New Insulated Windshield Wipers for my car! Highly recommended for this winter.
Thank you, Joanie, and Thank You Advanced Auto Parts! Can't wait to see while driving ....!
Julia outside after the latest big storm. Nice boots! Where are those teenage boys when you need them?
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