Forgive me, Anthony. I have strayed.

So normally I take the decidedly human with good taste approach to Rachael Ray: dismiss her the instant she is mentioned and point out that she does not know how to cook (something that she herself has owned up to several times on her insipid show). Plus, it turns out that she's a very mean and snotty person to anyone who approaches her. I've heard a couple of stories that she tells random people "don't you know who I am?" Yech.

Still, in my semi-religious, totally fanatical daily visits to Tastespotting (only one of the best websites on food ever), I stumbled on a link to an asparagus recipe. Because I happen to like asparagus. Despite somebody's avid protests, I happen to quite enjoy the taste of asparagus. So I clicked the link. And when I read the recipe, said recipe was adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe.

I feel kind of...low. Dirty. Ashamed.

I'm sorry Anthony Bourdain. I've faltered you.

Please don't hurt me if I ever run into you.

But I will say this, the recipe does not, I repeat, does not have any pre-processed or pre-made ingredients (as she is known for), so I feel some sense of vindication for both me and her. It is actually made from scratch. So I shouldn't feel dirty. Or low. Or ashamed.

But still. It's Rachael Ray. Yech.

Moments.

Some of the moments that have made this life good:
-the years with my grandmother
-not having to ask anyone for money
-at 17, dad saying: You're an adult, you don't have to ask us for permission anymore.
-mom smacking dad on the head after he said that.
-learning how to cook and knowing how to cook good
-realizing that I could sing
-giving the perfect present
-mom saying: I admire you.
-getting accepted and presenting at a conference
-all the good food I've ever had
-going to bed in clean sheets right after a shower. Such a good feeling.
-standing in places far away where my grandmother once stood
-napping at the beach under a tree canopy with Damian
-when dad said, "I have a surprise"and pointed to Chewy, my first dog. I was thirteen.
-waking up in the early morn and looking out the window of the hotel room in Switzerland and seeing the snow-covered peaks. I cried.
-Josh Groban's version of the Cinema Paradiso theme. Sweet Jesus God.
-realizing that I was being insanely jealous when some girl talked to Damian.
-realizing that, "oh my God. I really do love this boy" several months after the aforementioned incident
-remembering how we got together
-driving down the road at 4 in the morning, after recently getting a car, with the windows rolled down and seeing the stars shining brightly in the moonless night.
-singing the Moulin Rouge version of "Your Song" and hitting every note
-Princess and Buca
-quitting my weekend job
-blushing at his googly eyes
-jumping off the swing when it was at its highest point and "flying" through the air
-going to places from the stories my grandfather told me about when he lived in Spain
-designing and coding my own blog layouts (oh the good old days xD)

These are just some of the moments that make me go "life does not blow." Despite all the difficulties I've been through, there have been moments that their memories help me carry through. There are definitely some missing though. But I don't want to overwhelm you with all of them in one post.

I want to encourage you all to share some of your memorable moments in the comments! If not, start it in your blogs? :) I am aware that some of the moments may contain cheese, but, well. At some point, our memorable moments will (and ought to?) contain some levels of cheesiness.

This post was definitely inspired by the amazing Mighty Girl, who kick started this whole movement. Long live Mighty Girl! I will have my Life List up soon...

And I go to bed now. Insomnia, I must defeat you.