I ran across an interesting article online from the Wall Street Journal regarding things that are said in social media circles and how it can effect one’s employment status. Check it out.

My dear old dad always told me growing up, “Don’t put in writing what you wouldn’t want the whole world to see.” He’s right. I’ve always tried to operate this way in my life. However, Facebook, Twitter, and blogging changed everything.

We are a society of immediacy. We drive through to get our food. We Red Box our movies. We file our income tax online. We don’t like to think things over too long or wait for results. Has this resulted in stifling our own internal sensor as to what is and isn’t appropriate to say?

(This teacher said she was fired because of a Facebook photo of her on her European vacation holding alcohol. Let’s remember…she’s of age and it’s legal to drink. So why was she fired for that?)

My friend, Pam, is an executive recruiter and she tells me that not only do employers look people up online (website, blog, Twitter, FB) before interviewing them, but schools also look at potential students’ sites to see what kind of addition they’ll be to campus life.

Is this right? Is Freedom of Speech gone wild? Or is it an infrigement of your rights to have to be accountable for everything you say online.

Just because we CAN say whatever we want, does that mean we SHOULD?

Sure, we’ve all encountered the school beyotch who made life unbearable at times. We’ve all had the fat cat of a boss who manages you with a heavy hand. Is it appropriate to Tweet or FB every emotion related to dealing with these people?

It’s a slippery slope and one that it seems the courts will start hashing out.

What do you think? What does your “digital” or “virtual social footstep” say about you?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Hugs,
Marley = )

I had dinner tonight at the Swiss Hotel in downtown Sonoma and really enjoyed a delicious meal of grilled polenta with a mushroom ragout and prawns wrapped in pancetta over herbed risotto and asparagus. 

The grilled polenta was both crunchy and smooth and the ragout of tomatoed mushrooms made the flavors pop in my mouth.  The prawns were perfectly cooked to a pink perfection with fully seared pancetta that provided a saltiness to the dish.  The herbed risotto was creamy, rice cooked properly and the asparagus were fresh and not mushy at all.

It made me think about the yummy risotto that I love to make.  There’s something about the marriage of mushrooms and risotto that takes you into the hearth and home of someone’s kitchen with an appreciation of the earthen ingredients.  Here’s the recipe:

Asparagus Risotto   

(From my personal culinary concoctions photo gallery.)

Ingredients
(Serves 4)
About 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 large bunch asparagus, about 1 pound
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms (1/4 inch thick)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup coarsely grated Fontina cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1-1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest (optional)

Directions

Pour the stock into a saucepan, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, snap off the ends from the asparagus and peel any tough skin from the stalks. Add the asparagus ends to the stock, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently until the stems are tender, about 7 minutes. Remove and discard the stems. Slice the spears 1/4 inch thick on the diagonal. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Scatter in the mushrooms and do not move them until they begin to brown, about 1 minute. Then season with salt and pepper, and sauti until brown, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, season lightly with salt, and cook until soft but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the rice and stir until the grains look pearly white, about 2 minutes.

Add the wine, if using, and cook until the pan is nearly dry. Adjust the heat so the rice cooks at a slow simmer. Add 1/2 cup of the stock, stir, and cook until the pan is nearly dry again. Season lightly with salt and pepper now so the flavor permeates the rice. Add another 1/2 cup of the stock and continue to stir and cook, adding stock as necessary, until the rice is three-fourths cooked, about 15 minutes. Stir in the thyme, mushrooms, and sliced asparagus tips. Continue to cook until the rice is al dente and the asparagus is bright green and just tender, about 4 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, Fontina cheese, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the parsley and the lemon zest, if using. Taste for seasoning. Dust with Parmesan before serving. Pass more cheese at the table.

So, as I’m sitting here basking in the joy of new kitty motherhood, I am just in love with the little mews and purrs that my little fur babies make.  It made me realize how much I’ve missed the sound of a kitty purring.  Which, to me is absolutely one of the most precious sounds in the world. 

And it got me thinking…what are my favorite sounds, and why?

1.  As stated above…the sound of a kitty purring.  It’s just so relaxing and contageous.  You know that the animal is completely happy, comfortable, secure, and content.  I wish humans could purr.  I think the world would be a better place!

(Boo, in front, purring, as Madi plays behind him)

2. Since I’m currently camped in Napa Valley – Wine Country, I have to add how much I adore the sound of a wine bottle being opened, but more than that…I love when a champagne cork is popped! It signifies happiness, celebration, achievement, hope, and the future. I’ve been celebrating a lot lately with my new book deal, my engagement, and just life in general. I always keep a bottle of the bubbly handy at all times.

3. What’s more soothing than sitting on the beach and listening to the waves crash around your feet? I’ve had the great fortune of being blessed to have seen waves all up and down Florida’s entire coast, Cape Cod, Barbados, St. Martin’s, Bermuda, and Southern California. The roar and splash of the water into rocks or sand never fails to exhilirate me.

(North tip of the island of Barbados when we were on our Segway tour.)

4. I’m a crimson-bleeding University of Alabama football fan. Not just because I grew up in Alabama and you have to “pik sides” at birth. Nope…I am third generation Crimson Tide alum and I love nothing more than hearing the crowd in Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa break into a cheer of “Rammer Jammer” after a decisive victory. There’s nothing like team spirit, rooting for your alma mater, and bring proud of their accomplishments (2009 National champs…and 13 titles…more than anyone!) on the gridiron.

5. Laughter. Anyone’s. The depth of it. The length of it. The giggliness in the voice. Laughter makes you feel better. It’s infectuous in a good way. It makes you want to smile until it hurts. If more people would laugh when things go wrong, the world would be a better place.

What are your favorite sounds and why?

For those of you who follow me, you know that I’m a foodie, through and through, and adore cooking. But, when I’m on deadline for a new book (25 days to be exact!) and lock myself into the writing cave, how do people get fed?

In fact, a friend on Facebook asked me, “how in the world do you write and cook?”

The answer is simple: Crock Pot.

(My carnitas that was muy excellente!)

Okay, I’ll admit that I was slow to jump on the crock pot wagon. My ex never wanted me to get one because 1) he didn’t want something plugged in and on all day while we were away, and, 2) he didn’t believe it actually cooked the meat to a proper temperature. While I agree mostly with the first point, the second point couldn’t be more incorrect. Crock pots totally cook the meat to a proper temperature. It just takes…time.

And when I’m in the blood fever of writing my book, time isn’t necessarily on my side. I’m the world’s biggest procrastinator, so I’m always working my tailfeathers off to get the book done…always on time. Writing RADIATE is no different.

With the crock pot, I can toss something together in the late morning or early afternoon and then when us night owls are ready to eat around 9-10-ish, voila…a complete meal. LIke last night’s beef stew!

So…if you’re working hard on a book and don’t think you can get a decent, nutritional, hot meal on the table for your family? Think again. Try a crock pot…it’s no…crock. LOL!

Leaves me more time to write…with the help of my two new muses, Madi and Boo.

Would love any recipes anyone would like to share! This is a whole new world for me.

Hugs,
Marley = )
www.marleygibson.com
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Ghosts don’t hang up their sheets after Halloween!
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I’m busy, busy, busy working on my Spring 2012 book, RADIATE, and wanted to do a fly-by post. As I posted earlier, my sweetie proposed and we’re getting married this year…that’s an amazing commitment. And it gets even stronger as we just committed to a huge undertaking: kitty parents.

Meet Madison Leeny (Madi in back) and Smokey Farquar Booreguard IV (Boo in front), the newest additions to our family. We rescued them from Polly’s Pet Shelter in Los Angeles, CA, after I read of their heartbreaking story online.

Madi and Boo were born to a feral mommy on Thanksgiving. A lady was watching out for the small family and leaving food out for them. She was going to wait until the kittens (three of them) were eight weeks old before taking them to the shelter. Sadly, when the babies were five weeks old, a stray dog attacked and killed the mommy and their sibling. Madi and Boo escaped unharmed, but were left orphaned. Fortunately, Polly’s Pet Rescue took them in and simply by a pure miracle, I decided to look for kittens for adoption while we were staying in Los Angeles. It only took three days after the initial e-mail for the transaction to be completed.

Now Madi and Boo live very happily in the RV with us, playing and running, chasing each other, batting the balls around, and sleeping any time they want. They are an amazing addition to our family and we have fully committed to their health and well-being. They are vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and microchipped.

Commitment comes in many forms…and I’m pleased to dedicate myself to these two little bundly puffs of love in my life. Well…as I write RADIATE!

There is MUCH love!