Diet, Dessert and Dogs

[In a bit of unrelated news, I'll be doing a guest post on Amy's blog tomorrow.  Hope you can drop by and check it out!]

[Looks pretty decadent, doesn't it?  Tastes that way, too.]

Okay, so who WAS that woman who wrote my last post?! I do apologize if I alarmed any of you (though I don’t think I went so far as to frighten the horses ). I guess something about that particular topic hit a nerve for me.  But wow, did that post ever spike my blog’s traffic!  My Google Analytics stats shot through the roof!  And man, look at all those comments!  Well, I guess we all know how I’ll be choosing my blog topics from now on, hmmmnn?  Ahem.

Seriously, thanks to everyone for your insights, reactions, commentary!  I am really loving the exchange of opinions and all the differing perspectives on the topic.  I think peeking in on the IFBC sparked for me a renewed interest in ideas for ideas’ sake –it felt sort of like what grad school was supposed to be.  So, once again, thanks. And it’s not too late to contribute your own ideas about why and how we blog–join the conversation here.

But now. . . it’s time for us to head back from summer holidays and dive back into the daily routines once again–which means (for me, and for many of you)–back to school.

When I was a kid, the beginning of September was always a bittersweet time.  After two whole months of sleeping until I awoke; throwing on shorts and sneakers and a T-shirt before wandering outside to meet up with friends; reading books while lounging on the grass in our backyard or writing furiously in my journal, the sun warming the sheets of paper as I wrote; ice cream on demand; or simply soaking in the freedom of “no fixed schedule”–the end of August marked the shift to autumn and a return to predictability.

I didn’t particularly look forward to the the stuffy classrooms, the mercilessly rigid desk chairs, the overloaded backpack, the trek home at lunch or long afternoon hunched over my textbook, pencil in hand, reading from a book that (more often than not) didn’t interest me. 

On the other hand, there were some high points in returning to the classroom.  September also felt like a fresh start, that moment when you’ve just stepped out of the shower, scrubbed and still glistening before you decide what to wear that day. It was an invitation for self-renewal and embracing new identities, a chance to rectify personal slights or last year’s mistakes. New shoes, a new haircut and (my favorite part) fresh, pristine pages of new notebooks–those were the beckoning aspects of returning to school. 

Perhaps because  I work in academia, September still feels like the beginning of the year to me.  Yet it’s also a tacit “start date” in many other contexts as well: television shows (Hey, Ellen!  How about that guest spot this year?); arts and cultural events (you wouldn’t believe how many TSO,  TIFF or AGO brochures have landed on our doorstep lately–and, just an aside, does EVERY Toronto-area event use a three-letter acronym?), and even religious holidays (Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, usually occurs around September).

I mentioned in a previous post that I had a few exciting giveaways up my figurative sleeve–and now that we’re on the threshold of back-to-school, what better time to hold them? During the past couple of months, I’ve had the pleasure of sampling and experimenting with an array of new ingredients and products, some of which were truly exceptional. 

So now, I’ve chosen the best of the lot–the ones I liked most and think you will, too–and will be giving away one at a time over the next few weeks.

See?  Back to school can be fun! 

For a great ACD-friendly Fudge Recipe and to enter the first in the “Back to School Swag” series of giveaways, click here!

[You won't believe what's in this fudge. . . or how easy it is to make!]

Last Year at this Time: A Nice Chianti and Some Fava Beans? No. Muhammara? Thumbs Off–Er, Up.

Two Years Ago: Freeform Tomato Tart with “Goat Cheese” and Basil

© 2010 Diet, Dessert and Dogs