Eat Dessert First

"Life is uncertain.  Eat dessert first."  - Ernestine Ulmer

 Indeed, life is certainly uncertain. 

So here's a killer tiramisu for those uncertain days that you are in a Nigella mood, although this is not her recipe.  I have used this in many parties and always a hit.

Tiramisu
1/2 cup (4 fl oz) strong espresso coffee
1/2 cup (4 fl oz) coffee liqueur (I used kahlua but tia maria works just as well)
16 sponge finger biscuits (also known as savoiardi), halved widthwise
Cocoa powder for dusting

filling
1 1/4 cups (310g/10 1/2 oz) mascarpone
1 1/2 cups (12 fl oz) (single or pouring) cream
3 tablespoons icing (confectioner's) sugar, sifted

1.  To make the filling, place the mascarpone, cream and icing sugar in a bowl and whisk until light and creamy. Set aside.

2.  Place the coffee and liqueur in a small bowl and stir to combine. Quickly dip both sides of half the biscuit halves in the coffee mixture and place in 4 glasses, layer on the filling, and repeat with the other half of the biscuit halves. 

3.  Spoon over the remaining filling. Dust heavily with cocoa and refrigerate until required. Serves 4.

My notes
1.  Dust the cocoa powder only at the last possible moment.  I noticed that if you do it too early, the powder gets wet from the cream.

2.  You can easily double the quantities to fit into a 24 cm springform cake tin. If you do use one, it may leak from the seams.  So a good alternative would be a wide casserole dish or a normal cake tin.  This way don't have to do it the glasses one by one if you have a large crowd but just serve using a shallow ladle.

3.  After a few trials, you will realise that the amounts of mascapone to cream does not really matter, I just use the commercial packing to approximate my amounts.  Effects are still as great.

Taken with my own notes and some modifications from Donna Hay - Modern Classics 2 Pg 108

 

Leadership in the Workplace

Everyone is a leader, whether or not, it is a formal position, at home or at work.  We are leaders when we are parents and the heads of the family or spokesperson for our church group; we are leaders when we take charge of a bad situation; and we are leaders when we stand up for what we believe in.

However, it is at work that leadership skills are needed the most.  This is because every employee is a volunteer.  No one is forced to come to work and thus, leaders cannot "make" anyone do anything.  So leadership skills is the lubricant of the organization.  Once employees feel they are valued and respected and there is trust, they will then allow themselves to be influenced by the leaders of the organization.

Leadership is hard work.  As a leader, you are always "switched on".  Integrity and consistency is how employees build up their confidence in you as a leader.  Leadership is not a business metric, it is not like the sales target you have every quarter or the amount of money you save from restricting unnecessary business travel.  However, it is the fabric that all business metrics will build on.

Only when there are good leaders, will the employees be able to unite towards a common vision, a common goal.  When an organization is united, the business metrics will take care of themselves.

Here are 5 links to blogs and articles of characteristics I find, that are the soul to being an effective leader in the workplace.

Leadership: Intentional Influence
http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/jun2009/ca2009065_772331.htm?chan=careers_managing+index+page_top+stories

Leading When You Don't Have Formal Authority
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/demaio/2009/05/leading-when-you-dont-have-for.html

Leadership: Control vs. Influence
http://michaelhyatt.com/2007/09/leadership-control-vs-influence.html

Management by Flying Around
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/kanter/2009/09/mbfa-management-by-flying-arou.html

5 Employee Motivation Myths Debunked
http://www.entrepreneur.com/humanresources/employeemanagementcolumnistdavidjavitch/article202352.html

What other qualities do you admire in a leader in your organization?

Action-Oriented Life

 

"Proactively Shape Your Life by Challenging Your Decisions

Spend less time worrying about things and more time thinking about actions you can take to get closer to your goals, then actually take action.

Ask for advice. You don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Look for information to help you make the best decision in the given time.

Challenge your own thinking processes and your conclusions. Ask the following questions:
· What are the pros and cons? Do I have the full list? Which option looks more attractive considering both the pros and the cons? Are the pros and cons really pros and cons? What actions could I take to enhance the pros and cons and to minimize or eliminate the cons?
· What are the specific criteria I should be using? Do I have the right ones? Am I weighting each criterion the right way?
· Is my evaluation correct? What information am I basing my evaluation on? Is it accurate, up-to-date, and unbiased? What actions could I take to improve the attractiveness of my options?

Problem solving is easy when you know how to set a clear goal, figure out how to reach it, and follow through while reviewing your progress and making changes to your plan as necessary.

If you make problem solving a habit, you’ll be able to make the most of your talents and take control of your life. You can solve not only your own problems, but the problems of your school, your business and your community – and maybe even the world.

Problem Solving 101: A Simple Book for Smart People by Ken Watanabe
http://www.problemsolvingtoolbox.com/index.php?page=theauthor"

I recently saw this note on one of my friend's facebook wall (Thanks Seb!).  I found it very inspiring since it advocates an action-oriented life instead of sitting in the back seat.  It call us to action in achieving our goals by asking for help and challenging our decisions.  It throws out worry and follows the Nike slogan of "Just Do It".

Recently a friend confided that he is suffocating at work.  He is not doing work that he enjoys.  After being 8 years in the same company, he yearns for a change.  However, being comfortable in his current job and getting decent pay for his work, funny enough, is the roadblock to change.  After a few months of inaction, he finally updated his resume.  Then momentum builds up and he has since applied for 2 jobs and today, he tells me he is going to try for another 3.  I applauded his decision to finally take action. 

Of course, the ideal ending is actually getting a job that he likes but really, the action he took has set things in motion and changes will come.  Maybe not quite in the same way he expect, but things will change.

Are you driving your life or are you going with the flow?

Space for Peace

I attend Mass every Wednesday at lunchtime.  It is about 10 mins walk from where I work.  Since it is a dance studio that is converted for conducting Mass, every effort is made to to make the environment as peaceful as possible. 

At the front right-hand corner of the studio, there is a banner.   This is what is embroidered on it.

"Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28

Whenever I see this verse, I think of God's arms outstretched towards me and I can finally throw all my cares away and be safely embraced.  Being a working mother, time is a scarce commodity.  To be able to spend half an hour during the work week allows me a small space in my life for some peace.  It allows me to quiet my soul and reconnect with God.  I often return to the office with a packed lunch and a still heart.

It is not easy to make this effort.  Meetings and datelines overwhelm me all the time.  If I do not schedule and protect this time on my calendar, I will not get the temporary reprieve from my worldly responsibilities.  It is also tempting to not make the effort as it may seem like one more thing to do.  The irony is that if I take the time to do this one thing every week, then every week seems to run better and I can run better.

Do you have time for God and for some peace in your calendar?

10 Tips to Great Family Outings

Family outings.  I love them but I also dread them.  Honestly.

Every Sunday is family day for me.  Dear Husband and I will try our best to take the kids out either to an interesting place or do an interesting activity.  It is always a challenge in the logistics department as we have kids of varying ages.  With an age range of 2 to 10 years, I often have to make sure that I pack the necessary stuff for each kid - ranging from diapers and formula for the youngest, water and wet ones for all, and books for the older kids.  This will ensure that I have peace of mind that we have everything we need plus the kitchen sink, in event of any situation.  Suffice to say, this often causes a rise in my stress levels every time we go out as a family.  You would agree with dear husband that this defeats the purpose of a family outing since I will be too stressed up or worried to actually enjoy it.

So through trial and error and melt downs (from both the kids and me), here are some of the ways that have worked for us whenever we prepare to go for a family outing.

1. Plan Ahead
   Seems basic but this truly works.  If you know where you are going - indoor or outdoor -  you will be better prepared.  Do some research on where you are going (most places have a website now) and understand the facilities including breastfeeding rooms, play areas, locations of bathrooms and eateries.  Sometimes, I even buy tickets in advance.  I am also on various mailing lists e.g. museums, zoos, parks; thus getting the latest and greatest on what's going on.


2. Wet Tissues
   This is a very important part of your arsenal since it can clean from baby's bottoms to icky hands.  This will ensure that we are well protected from the usual dirt that comes with going outside and when the nearest bathroom is no where in sight.


3. Food!
   Yes, with an exclamation mark!  Kids are hungry ALL the time.  A stash of sandwiches, snacks and a good supply of drinks will keep them satisfied and less irritable.  If you are like me and have kids that go berserk without food, this is a must!  Some of the items I bring on a regular basis are sandwiches that don't go soggy (good ones are like peanut butter or jam), fruits in a icy thermal bag, chicken drumlets, pasta and even chicken curry.  Water is a favourite over other drinks.  Bringing your own food will also mean that you save money from the ultra-expensive food outlets that are usual stops at popular locations.


4. Dress Appropriately
   T-shirts and shorts are good for beaches and an extra jacket would be useful for cinemas and air-conditioned locations.  I even bring extra sets of clothes, especially for the younger ones, in case of accidents.


5. Plastic Bags
   These have been invaluable for storing wet clothes or swim things to the dirty diaper that needs disposal.  My eldest is also very prone to car sickness during a long ride so other than not feeding him too much before, we also have a supply of these to double as sick bags (although you have to make sure that they don't have holes...yep imagine the mess!).


6. Books and Toys
   Waiting in lines or having nothing to do is a bane to kids.  I bring a supply of books/toys/colouring materials and paper to keep my bunch happy.  On occasions that I remember or my dear husband allows me to bring them, they are the only reasons I could keep my sanity.


7. Insect Repllents and Sun Screens
   This only applies to outdoor places.  I often forget them and end up having to deal with irritable kids either during the outing for the former or the next day for the latter.


8. Back-Up Plan
   Always have a back-up plan!  The best laid plans of mice and men don't always work out.  Have more than one thing on your list in case the location that you plan for is not available or you have more time than anticipated.


9. Camera
   A little piece of technology to keep the family memories alive!  And also to upload into facebook to share with friends and family.  There was more than once that I got ideas from others where to bring the family.  Remember to charge the battery to full the night before.  It is so annoying and disappointing to miss that precious moment!


10. Relaxed Attitude
    Most importantly, bring a relaxed attitude and enjoy the family outing!  Nevermind if the kids tore their clothes or rain comes unexpectedly or the tickets were sold out.  The most important thing is that your family gets to spend time together, well, as a family.  Being relaxed will allow making memories that will last a lifetime.

What do you do to make your family outings work?