magical monday (+jerk seitan)

Seriously, the only word I can use to describe today is magical.  Well, okay, maybe there are others, but they may or may not be blog-appropriate.  The overriding theme here is amusement, though, okay?

Let's go in reverse, since the magical, secret surprise is the best way to end this post, even though it's how my day began.

Mmmm....two of the happiest scents in the world came together in my kitchen tonight as I made Jerk Seitan and Coconut Rice with Toasted Coconut, both from VwaV.  I've made this a dozen times before, I'm sure, but it never stops amazing me just how darn good it tastes.  Both components are heart-achingly delicious, but when you combine them...

well, the result is just magical, isn't it?

I've figured out why there are never leftovers of this dish.  Sure, one reason is that there isn't a whole lot to bulk it up, so the seitan topping doesn't really stretch too far.  Still, it does make 4 respectable sized servings.  I think the reason there's never any left is because it tastes so good that Mister and I just stuff it in our mouths until there's no more room in our stomach.... something that does not actually become evident until after we've forced it all in.

I was prudent tonight - no matter how much I wanted to keep eating, I realized about 5 or so bites into my second helping that I was only eating a second helping because I was enjoying the taste, not because I was still hungry.  I forced myself to save that last little bit for lunch tomorrow.

Speaking of lunch...

There wasn't a whole lot of day left for me after I had lunch today.  I didn't realize it at the time and was kind of kicking myself for eating earlier than I usually do, but fortunately, getting out of work early is what afforded me the time to make a meal on a weeknight which requires an hour of marinating time.  It couldn't have been too much more than two hours after lunch when I was talking to my boss and all of a sudden, the emergency alarms went off in the building.  A quick look around at the panicking management (way to play it cool, guys...) told me that this was not a drill, so I grabbed everything I needed and headed out the door to the evacuation zone while my boss rounded up our brand new class of trainees.  What a first day at work they had!

Apparently, people in Montgomery County enjoy making bomb threats, because that was what kept us out of the building for two and a half hours (again).  Actually, that's not fair - it kept some employees outside the building for two and a half hours.  Me and anyone else who had their shift end within 3 hours of evac time got to go home, so that was a great way to end a Monday - three hours early!  I love today.

And of course, that little story leads to the Grand Finale - The Reveal (finally) of my Big Secret.  What were my boss and I discussing just before the alarms sounded and all hell broke loose?  Well, he had just finished reading through my resignation.  Yes, dear friends, today, I quit my job and then was promptly and non-coincidentally evacuated from the building before my poor boss could fully absorb what had just happened.  He wasn't happy about it, but he understands and supports my decision.

I'm not going to go into all my reasons for leaving here and now, but I will tell you that I am totally excited for the next chapter in my life, which will keep me firmly planted in the corporate landscape, but this landscape is full of concrete and noise and people and very, very tall buildings.  If I miss the trees of my current wilderness, I can take my lunch break just around the corner in the lovely and historic Rittenhouse Square.  I am so relieved to not have to make that hour and a half (each way) commute anymore and I am positively ecstatic to be working in the city where I live for the first time in ten years.  I will depart from diet trends and weight loss solutions for a new world of tech trends and innovative solutions, working for a major Philadelphia computer retailer.  My role is presently a bit undefined, but that's part of the magic and adventure - this is a huge step into the New and Unknown not only for me but also for my new bosses, as I will be transitioned into a role that will help me manage and develop the workforce once I've "learned the ropes," so to speak.

Wish me well, friends - I've been striving for this for a long time, behind closed doors and below-voice whispers and I'm thrilled that it's coming to fruition.