Hello, December

If those aren't butterscotch morsals, what are they???

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Three batches down, a few yet to go. 

I decided over the past few years to keep my Christmas cookie plates pretty basic with varieties that people like eating every day and not just during Christmas season. 

So far, I've baked ginger snaps, snickerdoodles AND a new kind which cookie lovers possibly could add to their every-day tastebud satisfaction. 

While shopping at Yoke's for cookie supplies the other day, I found a stack of pumpkin morsals/chips on display. 

What a neat idea, I thought. 

Sorta like my wish for the Oreos people to try lemon filling.  

I love the taste of pumpkin, so I thought these were worth a try. 

Yesterday I used the standard chocolate chip cookie recipe and added some cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to the dry ingredients. 

Though I have to be careful with dairy products, I took a taste or two, and, yes, they are YUMMY.

I may have to purchase more chips and bake more pumpkin chip cookies. 

Words of the Year to Usher in December. 

Two nouns, one verb.

 Top word for 2025:  rage bait: content usually found online to provoke anger

https://www.msn.com/en-in/lifestyle/whats-hot/rage-bait-is-oxfords-2025-word-of-the-year-heres-what-it-means/ar-AA1Ru041

aura farming: to do things repetitively to look cool 

bio hack: Biohacking is a do-it-yourself (DIY) form of personal improvement in which people attempt to change aspects of their biology to improve their health, performance, or well-being.

It is not a scientific term nor an undertaking. Rather, a currently popular anecdotal umbrella term for broad, non-specific activities.

People may want to hack their biology for various reasons, such as:

• fix what they perceive as flaws
• increase their perceived control over their health
• try and extend their lives

These are the words that the folks with Oxford Dictionary have designated as words of the year, with rage bait topping the list. 

My first questions when I saw this announcement:  have I ever used them?  

Have I unknowingly practiced or participated in their respective meanings? 

First answer: no, I'd never heard of any of the three until this morning announcement. 

Second answer: possibly so but not so sure on some. 

I happen to know of people who use "rage bait" frequently, often late at night when they think nobody is looking as they use their unhappy fingers to tap out hideous, mean or cruel thoughts.

Now that I know of the word, I have to confess that I've  often been tempted to use a little rage bait, in response--maybe even more so in the past few years. 

Fortunately, my filter keeps me fairly disciplined. Oh, if there could be more filters in this world.  Maybe next year we could promote "brain filter" as word of the year. 

Anyway, when considering how effective "rage bait" tends to be, I'd have to give it a 10. 

Aura farming is another word that makes me wonder if I subsconsciously make attempts at times.   

Having been a major klutz for most of my life, I don't think anything I have to offer to appear cool would be too appealing to others. 

Now, with bio hacking, I guess I've done that on occasion during my life, usually with every diet.  One of the examples for the word mentioned the use of a Fitbit, so, yes, check me in as a bio hacker. 

And, I am in the constant mode of prolonging life through various methods, especially the simplest, often uttered by doctors:  keep moving.

Words are definitely powerful and always useful for us humans.  

If we could do our best to use them well and when we realize we might be using our words to rage bait, I think the world would be a better place for all. 

 

Twas "blanket off" for brushing, combing and clipping with CB yesterday.  

While visiting, I usually spend time with all three horses in their outside setting so that each gets some personal attention, but yesterday seemed like a good day to take one of the three inside for a good grooming session.  

Since CB came to the gate to meet me, he got the nod.

He loves his attention, and he looked pretty sharp when I took him back outside.  

Looks like it's time to do a little bio hacking and work on improving my brain filter. 

So, Happy Monday.