Monday, March 28, 2011

The Social Cupcake Network

So first of all, I have to thank my amazing sister for creating this blog for me from the ground up. I guess she got sick of my "what-ifs" and decided to give me a figurative kick in the butt to get me writing. Though I have to say--after looking at the amazing picture she took (of the cupcakes that she baked!) and the post she wrote--I'm wondering why SHE isn't doing it, too!


My officemate in his mid-afternoon meditation.

Life has been a whirlwind for me since this blog was created at Christmas. We've moved from Anchorage, Alaska to Albany, New York--quite a trek by any measure! My husband is a little too good at what he does and got a promotion. As for me, I'm lucky enough that my company is letting me telecommute.  This is great, right? I mean, if there's anything I hate it's the job search. I've done it too many times for my taste.

However...I was really linked in socially to the Anchorage office--shocking, really, since I never really wanted to be in Anchorage in the first place.  So now I find myself literally across the country with no friends or family physically near me, with a cat as my office mate. It goes without saying that he's a real loafer and I have to do all the work around here. The funny thing is.... people were saying that they missed my cupcakes before they were saying that they actually missed ME. I suppose that's a backhanded compliment of sorts.

I made the mistake of trying to go low-carb for Lent. I've had to adjust... I'm too weak to do such a thing, apparently. It was hard, too, because all I really wanted to do was bake. You know Bill Engvall, the comedian that always smokes a cigar and drinks whiskey during his act? He has a bit that he calls, "Here's your sign." Well, what does it say that as I'm in the midst of tech-editing a report about a relocating a river (moving a river! seriously!) for a northern airport that all I can think of doing is make cupcakes?

I figure it's a method of creating a social network, right? I mean, I don't have a cute puppy that I can take for a walk in the park and meet people. I don't pass many people in the hallway. I'm not a mom, so I can't really join a mom's club, unless I want to be an elaborate poseur (seems way too tiring, really). But cupcakes.... everyone loves cupcakes, right?  I figure I'll bake a batch or two and go around and introduce myself to the neighbors... and maybe I'll drop a few cards along the way.

I baked some "mocha break" cupcakes for my husband's work, but unfortunately they didn't come out to my standards.  I still sent them, but luckily nearly half of his office was gone in order to take advantage of use-it-or-lose it vacation days, and I certainly didn't send a card!

So perhaps the moral of the story is that maybe cupcakes aren't my day job yet... but they're certainly my daydream.
Musings on life...and the delights of baked goods.