“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time
for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” (Confucius)
. . . I give this a big “thumb’s up!” Even though I do manage to stay busier than I probably should, I always find time to read something. It may not be anything earth-shattering or overly thought-provoking (should it be?) — I mostly find myself reading either a novel, a magazine, or a newspaper (occasionally a professional journal).
I’m certainly reading more blog posts these days than ever before . . . hmm. Perhaps some “self-chosen ignorance” is not a bad thing.
Here’s a wonderful recipe. Adding the raspberry layer in the middle really makes for a luscious dessert! Enjoy!
WHITE CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE Ingredients
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespooons sugar
½ cup butter, melted
5 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
12 ounces white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
¾ cup raspberry preserves
Garnish: fresh raspberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. Combine the first 3 ingredients; press crumb mixture into bottom of a slightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350º for 8 minutes; cool slightly.
Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add melted white chocolate, beating well.
Microwave raspberry preserves in a small microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 30 seconds to 1 minutes or until melted; stir well.
Spoon half of the cream cheese batter into prepared crust; spread a little more than half of the melted preserves over batter, leaving a ¾-inch border. Spoon remaining cream cheese batter around edges of pan, spreading toward the center. Cover remaining raspberry preserves, and chill.
Bake at 350º for 50 minutes or until cheesecake is just set and slightly browned. Remove from oven; cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
Run a knife around edge of pan and release the sides. Reheat remaining preserves briefly in microwave to melt. Pour preserves over top of cheesecake, leaving a 1-inch border. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.
To finish off this Independence Day weekend, I felt it apropos to post this signed, limited edition print (hand embellished) by Peter Max. God Bless America!
In honor of our Nation’s Independence Day, here’s a great rendition of our National Anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, by the Cactus Cuties (February 2, 2008, at a Texas Tech college basketball game). They are adorable, and boy, can they sing! Enjoy!
Here it is, that time of the month once again for me to dig into my closet for the next necktie to share with the world . . . And, since this is 4th of July weekend, I was wanting to post one of my more “explosive” (fireworks?) neckties. The best I could do: this wonderful tie based upon “The Kiss” by Gustav Klimt. Not exactly explosive, but certainly colorful. Enjoy!
And, as a bonus . . . a vocabulary word on this theme:
buss
\BUS\ , noun, verb:
A kiss; a playful kiss; a smack. transitive verb:
To kiss; especially to kiss with a smack.
July 2nd marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of SLA. On that day in 1909, some 20 attendees at the ALA annual conference met separately on the verandah of the Mt. Washington Hotel, Bretton Woods, N.H., USA, to form SLA and adopt a constitution that defined the “Object” as follows:
“The object of this Association is to promote the interests of the commercial, industrial, technical, civic, municipal and legislative reference libraries, the special departments of public libraries, universities, welfare associations, and business organizations.”
(For more on the founding of SLA, see Guy St. Clair’s book SLA at 100, published by SLA for the Centennial.)
Happy Anniversary! Here’s to the next 100 years (and more)!
Noon on July 2nd marks the halfway point of the year, where 182.5 days have passed and 182.5 days remain. How time flies when you are having fun!
And, here’s a great quotations for all you perfectionists out there (mea culpa as well)!
“Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to
be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new
things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear
always lurks behind perfectionism. Confronting your fears and
allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically,
make yourself a happier and more productive person.”
– Dr. David M. Burns
(Courtesy of Audri and Jim Lanford, Inspirational Quote)
Alrighty art lovers of the world, here’s the next installment of my Larry Hood collection of original watercolors. Included with this painting was the below story/explanation (also signed).
From Larry: “This painting shows a buffalo medicine man dreaming or visioning the buffalo. Just about everything about him is of the buffalo. Buffalo Shaman would make their special kind of medicine and then would fast for day s to induce a vision of where the buffalo herds might be. Often in a dream or vision the place or site would come to the Shaman telling him where the buffalo herds might be. These men were highly revered in their tribe for their prowess as buffalo finders. A buffalo is painted on his shield to signify he is a buffalo dreamer. The buffalo headdress was also a common item worn on the buffalo medicine men. Note the buffalo herd in the mystic sky.”
Here it is, that time of the month once again for me to dig into my closet for the next necktie to share with the world . . . And, since this is 4th of July weekend, I was wanting to post one of my more “explosive” (fireworks?) neckties. The best I could do: this wonderful tie based upon “The Kiss” by 
July 2nd marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of SLA. On that day in 1909, some 20 attendees at the ALA annual conference met separately on the verandah of the Mt. Washington Hotel, Bretton Woods, N.H., USA, to form SLA and adopt a constitution that defined the “Object” as follows:
