Cookies + A Movie

Hey, wait a second! Weren’t baked goods and films part of last year’s project?!

Why, yes, yes they were….I must be experiencing withdrawal symptoms!

I did accomplish both goals last evening: we’ve got cookies in the house again, and I watched my DVD.

The cookies turned out just fine…but aren’t spectacular:

flat, flat, pancake cookies!

As explained before, I like a poofy, buoyant cookie, both in terms of taste and for tactile enjoyment while making the batter. This recipe started off promisingly enough…until the finished product came out of the oven. I did use the planned recipe from my “Joy of Cooking“ book – page 767, if you have the latest copy.

I love reading preamble to recipes: origin, history, inspiration behind the idea, etc. The accompanying notes for these cookies explain that “this recipe is a JOY classic, appearing in the book since the 1943 wartime edition.” (I have the 75th anniversary edition, re-released in 2006).

Disappointing looks aside, the cookies taste phenomenal! Just like a grandma’s, if you know what I mean.

Slightly impatient to get to my movie, I tried to move the cookies to the cooling rack a little too soon:

oops!

Upside-down cookie, anyone? Luckily, B is not picky! And “gorps,” as our family always calls them, just mean a taste-test is necessary! B does want me to mark this recipe as a “make again” – testament to the yummy-taste factor!

~*~*~

After I finished the cookie making, I popped in the DVD that Gina lent me.

“The Long Green Line” is the story of a high-school x-country running team, as they seek out their 25th state title. The coach, Joe Newton, is in his 50th year of coaching the boys’ team. The film follows their season, and also shows Coach Newton’s life lessons and philosophies. It’s a documentary, which just happens to be my favourite type of movie, I’d have to say.

I really enjoyed the movie and can highly recommend it! It renewed my own passion for running, training, competing, race/goal setting…with 20+ years of running under my belt, it’s good to feel this fire!

Since it’s an “independent”-type release, I think, Gina, that you should set up a Netflix operation and rent out your copy! Haha!

I’ll share two quotes from the film that particularly resonated with me:

1) Coach Newton says there are three things that you can’t get back:

• time
• lost opportunity
• spoken words

How very true. Seize the day you have today!

2) “You can’t take yourself too seriously in life.” How easily we forget this, no? Laughing, smiling, not sweating the small stuff…our stress levels would plummet if we kept this philosophy at the ready.

I knew that both Gina and her husband, Jeff, loved this film, and I was interested in getting Jeff’s perspective since he coaches x-country at the high school where he teaches. Jeff graciously – and quickly! – responded to a few questions:

Q: Jeff, what did you take away from this movie?

Jeff: “I was moved that the 157th runner felt as much a part of the team as the first 7 runners. I loved how he called the parents of the kid to tell them how great their kid was – I’m going to do that.”

Q: Did you take any tips from the movie that you will now incorporate into your coaching, that you didn’t do before?

J: “Next year I’m going to get my senior athletes to sign up as many grades nines as possible.  I already shake every athlete’s hand and try to call every kid by name every practice. (I learned that from his book which I read before watching the movie.)
I’m also going to try to have a thought for the day.  I’ll watch it again and try to incorporate a little more each year.”

Q: Did you show the DVD to your team?

J: “Cross country season had already ended when Gina and I watched this movie, but I will definitely show it to them next year!”

Thanks again, Jeff, for sharing your viewpoint! [Sidenote: I was flabbergasted by the size of the x-country team that Coach Newton had at York High School, Elmhurst, Illinois. Most Canadian high schools that I know of would be overjoyed with a team 1/4 of the size!]

I’d call last eve a very successful one. Two relaxing forms of entertainment…and I never had to leave my home!

~*~*~

Two Last Thoughts for Today:

~ Coffee is good. Coffee is yummy. Coffee is satisfying. Coffee breath?? Not so fond of…

~ My beloved Regis is leaving Live With Regis and Kelly! This is worse news than Oprah signing off on her show! I don’t watch Regis regularly, in fact, only catch the show a couple times of year, but the man always makes me laugh out loud. Full story here.

~*~*~

~ Off to Toronto this aft! Coffee date with The Brother, then time with him, SIL Ana, Little E and Baby C – yippee!

About these ads