At the turning of the New Year, I always crave a deliberate process of introspection and a way to set a few intentions for the year ahead. So this year I wrote my own questionnaire. Care to join me? Here are the rules:

1. Print out this page/Just read it
2. Fill it out (preferably with crayons or bright markers)/Simply ponder thoughtfully
3. Share it with everyone you know/Don't tell a soul
4. Keep it forever/Burn it immediately

Thinking about this past year:


What was the most fun you had?


When did you laugh the hardest?


What was the best thing you ate?


What was the most beautiful thing you saw?


What was the hardest thing you didn't think you'd get through (but did)?


Who came into your life?


What conversations and connections made your heart full?


When did you surprise yourself?


When were you most proud of yourself?


When did you tell the truth?


What did you lose that you thought you needed but didn't?


What did you do for the last time?


What healed?


Who can you forgive?


What thing about yourself can you forgive?


Who can you let go of?


Who can you grab onto?



Thinking about the year ahead:


What new thing have you always wanted to try?

What's something easy you can do, that you know will make your life better?


What's something hard you can do, that you know will make your life better?


How can you be kinder and gentler to yourself?


What good deed can you bestow?


What's something you can give away that will make a big difference to someone?


What things could you do to live more authentically?


What are you ready to dedicate yourself to?


What song is your new anthem for 2014?



Remember: it's not "Successful New Year!" or "Productive New Year!", it's "HAPPY New Year!":)
xoxo
jolie

P.S. My favorite Joeycake posts of 2013………..<3
Things that might happen if you get a job wearing a bikini on national television
Love yourself
Amazing cookies
The best cocktail accompaniment
Lena speaks!
An open letter to zucchini
Remember that time I fell in love with a Mexican waiter?
Pilot Season is not for the weak of heart
Sweaty waiters and bold birds
When in doubt, namaste

merry and bright and lazy

Guys! Is it too late for a Happy Holidays post? Let's pretend not. Happy Holidays!

I'm currently suffering from a severe case of the In-Between-Christmas-and-New-Year's lazies. Just now? Instead of getting up to grab my glasses three feet away (I wear glasses now thanks), I just squinted through several Buzzfeed "articles", a J.Crew online sale purchase and more Facebook scrolling than I care to admit. All while having to pee. It's not helping my condition that I have a cozy, sleeping dog next to me on the couch. She hasn't budged in 12 hours. Safe to say this affliction is contagious.

How was your Christmas (if Christmas is your jam)? Ours was spent at my mom's in San Diego where I ate my body weight in pork products. In my defense, we did take a few walks and I'm sure I burned a handful of calories lifting and glazing said pork. I feel like I gleaned some wisdom this year and (if I may be so bold) thought I'd share:

*Don't fight the ham. Just eat it.

*Will your husband remove a long, black dog hair from your face while you're mid-conversation with someone's father-in-law at a random Holiday party? If so, keep him.

*Have another strip of bacon. It's delicious.

*No matter how progressive she is, do not watch the movie DON JON with your mom. Unless watching porn with your mom sounds fun. Then please go ahead.

*Do cook things "for the family" that are really just for you. (things=Rice Krispy Treats)

*Don't be surprised if you find yourself asking your princess-crazed, three-year-old niece if she wants to take off her stole.

*More cheese? Sure!

*If you decide to swap out the Christmas-morning pancakes with gluten-free ones, don't tell your picky brothers.

*If you have a chance to perform a puppet show for your entire family, do it. You'll laugh until you cry. You won't be able to wipe away your tears because you'll have puppets on your hands, but it won't matter.

*Rice Krispy Treats are the second coming. After Jesus of course.


I just decided (it wasn't difficult) that I'm going to continue to do very little this week. Things will speed up soon enough. I hope you are having a super lazy and enjoyable time too. Happy, Happy Holidays, my friends:) I'm grateful for you.

xoxo
jolie*

*investigator of bacon-flavored Rice Krispy Treats for next Christmas


P.S. This song is giving me joy right now……..

kale quinoa tomato chickpea soup

Hi. My name is Jolie. And I'm addicted to Amazing Race.

I cannot. Get. Enough.

So imagine my glee when I discovered that EVERY SINGLE SEASON exists on Hulu! Hooray! 

After hosting our epic feast of a Thanksgiving this year, we signed up for a free week of Hulu Plus and took to the couch for the better part of the weekend. It was...well, amazing. (Warning: Maybe don't go all the way back to the first season. It's kinda painful. They hadn't worked out the kinks yet. And instead of high-tech, matching workout gear, many of the competitors are wearing jeans. JEANS! That, coupled with the lack of HD, makes it look like the late 80s even though it was 2001.)

Life is moving FAST, amirite? And it's only speeding up now that we're knee-deep in December. So here's a fantastic tip: want to feel like your life is moving at a normal pace? Binge-watch Amazing Race. Seeing those hyper teams run in and out of airports and bungee jump into jungle ravines and fight each other for rickshaws makes life feel downright calm. And watching multiple episodes at once lures one into feeling they have nothing better to do. Problem solved!

Partly why I've been so busy:

I wrote another piece on Huffington Post about the perils of commercial auditioning. Check it out here.

I also filmed a short with some friends that is up on Funny or Die! Check it out here.

I also concocted this soup that is served hot. Which means you have to slow down to eat it. It also is delicious and so healthy that it offsets Holiday binge eating.

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Kale Quinoa Tomato Chickpea Soup
yields 3 quarts
(serves 6-8)

This is surprisingly hearty for a meatless situation. And a clean one at that. The cumin and green chiles give it a great smoky spiciness and all those veggies and quinoa make it so tasty-healthy. Total cookie footprint offset happening here.

2 T evoo
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
8" fresh rosemary, leaves pulled off the stem
1 T ground cumin
2 15 oz. cans roasted and diced tomatoes with green chiles (or without if you prefer less spice)
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 bunch tuscan kale, de-stemmed and rough-chopped
salt and pepper
extra evoo for serving


Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, rosemary and a big pinch of salt and pepper and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the cumin and stir for a minute until toasted. Then add the tomatoes, chick peas and broth. Bring to almost boiling and then turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Add the quinoa and the kale and cook another 15 minutes at a simmer. Taste for salt. Drizzle each bowlful with olive oil before serving.

xoxo
jolie:)

P.S. Thanks for coming here and hanging out. I have such appreciation for you! xo

P.P.S. Amazing Race is on TONIGHT!