As someone raised in a house without a lot of cooking, I found myself a few years ago just starting to get into cooking with the help of some friends, the internet, and a recipe exchange at work. I slowly got better, and now I absolutely LOVE to cook. I even enjoy making my grocery list since I try out (usually) one new recipe per week.
However, my one binder quickly expanded to three- overstuffed and so full of recipes that it was getting to be overwhelming instead of inspiring to look through them. I tried Allison's suggestion of designating one binder for desserts, one for soups, sides, and appetizers, and one for main courses and slow cooker. In the midst of a HUGE amount of pages, sheet protectors, and the feeling that I would never finish, I realized how good it felt to purge some of the old recipes. Some were recipes that I'd clipped or gotten with every intention of trying... but it just never happened. Some were recipes I thought might bring me good luck (Engagement Chicken), but haven't fit in with my life so far. It felt a little like I was beating myself up by looking at those types of recipes, because they felt like a reminder of what I want but haven't experienced. Some recipes were just too easy for me now or contained too many processed items. It was a realizing how far I've come as I found my first recipe I ever really made along with my comments. It was a letting myself off the hook for some of the recipes that I'm not in the place to use yet. It was giving some recipes a chance to shine since now it will be easier to find them, and I'll have a chance to try some of those.
No organizational project is complete without that final, finishing, fun touch so I spent some time making new cover sheets just how I wanted them.
The feeling of order and peace after these types of projects is great. I've also been suddenly hearing the word energy an awful lot lately, from some great Carol Plum-Ucci novels to home decorating columns. One thing that keeps coming up is that lots of things have an energy attached to them-- that many things either make you feel good or bad when you see them. So, I have to admit, I kept that thought in my head as I tried to get rid of things that felt like they were bringing me back to a period of "negative frequency" of my life. I did the same with clothes recently, and I am feeling energized and happy to have gotten rid of some of those as well.
In addition, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the spring fashions this year more than I've loved clothes in the last ten years or maybe ever. I feel like some of the things that have been dragging people down for the last little while have started brightening up and lightening up.
Some evidence:
1) New Pope refusing to live in the apartment because it was too big and elaborate and washing the feet of prisoners like Jesus... a positive and hopeful leader for the church seems to be here.
2) Economy gradually improving
3) Bright, colorful, OPTIMISTIC clothes meant for living life in
4) Marriage equality quickly gaining majority support. Whatever anyone's views are on the subject, I respect them, but I am thrilled to see people letting go of intolerance and gaining acceptance. Like many others, I've evolved on the issue, but it feels electric to be "on the right side of history", and I know I'll probably remember this time the way other generations remember great leaps forward in civil rights or innovation.
Small spring haul-
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