A red stapler kind of day

6:00 a.m.

Mind: Come on, Body. It’s time to get up and go for a run. It’s bright and early and the day is filled with all kinds of promise. You’ll feel better about yourself. You’ll have unlimited energy to carry you through the day at work. You will be sharper, faster, stronger, better, unstoppable. Your day won’t suck if you start it off right. Get it, girl!

Body: You shut up. Shut up right now.

So…that conversation didn’t go as well as I had hoped. The mind can be annoying, but the body is a bitch in the mornings. I’m always looking for that connection that people talk about – where the mind and body are friends and you’re happy and healthy and walking around in the world to the tune of lightly falling rain and Buddhist meditation bells. With the way things have been going at work lately, the only things I walk around with are the chip on my shoulder and an intense desire to punch things.

Pardon the dramatics. But seriously – sometimes work sucks. Like really bad. I need a red stapler.

In much happier news, I did make one good decision this morning (besides not driving my car off a cliff) – baking peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Oh yeeeah!

A little crisp around the edges, yet moist enough to melt on your tongue, not too sweet, but sweet enough…THAT right there is a good connection. Kinda like when I added Raisinets to oatmeal cookies last week:

Now excuse me as I get back to work while listening to Buddhist meditation bells through YouTube.

Peanut Butter-Milk Chocolate Chip "Thank God I didn't Drive Off a Cliff" Cookies
Adapted from: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/30357/Old-Fashioned-Peanut-Butter-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies/detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened (I used butter)
• 1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter (I don't like chunky)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels (I did not use this brand, and I wasn't stingy with the chips either...2 cups)
  

Directions

• PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
• COMBINE flour and baking soda in small bowl.
• Beat butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
• Beat in egg.
• Gradually beat in flour mixture.
• Stir in chocolate chips
• Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
• Press down slightly with bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar. (I didn't have time for this step this morning)
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft. (Checked them at 8 and added an extra minute)
• Cool on baking sheets for 4 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• Stuff yo damn face