Why? Because it’s my blog and I’ll deviate from the theme if I want to. Also because my friend Sara tagged me for this in her blog, A Note on the Screen Door. She knows that I can’t resist these silly getting to know you internet memes. And finally because many of the things that make me happy are, at least loosely, food-related. So, here goes:

Rules:
* List ten things that make you happy*
* Try to do one of those things today*
* Tag ten bloggers that brighten your day*
(Since I follow few personal blogs, I’ll skip this)
* Make sure to link back to the person that tagged you*

OK. Now I admit. I thought this sounded a bit cheesy at first. At least, the rules did. But you know what? I’m glad I was tagged for this. It was a chance to reflect on all of the big and small things in life that make me happy. Even if you are not a blogger, I hope that once you read this post you’ll stop and think about the things that make you happy, and try to enjoy them not just today but every day.

Ten Things that Make Me Happy (in no particular order):

1. Travel - Whether you’re asking about my favorite hobbies or what I’d spend my hypothetical lotto winnings on, this is almost always the first thing that pops into my mind. Call it Itchy Feet. Call it Wanderlust. Call it plain old Restlessness. The fact is that I get cranky and vaguely dissatisfied if I don’t leave town on a regular basis. I am happy when I am going to new places, meeting new people, learning new things and, of course, trying new foods. You can learn a lot about a culture by what its members eat, why they eat those things, and their overall attitude toward food. I firmly believe that food is an integral part of the travel experience. Don’t believe me? Just pay close attention next time someone a friend is describing her travels. How much time does she devote to describing a great restaurant, street vendor, local specialty or drink? If they’re anything like my friends and family, the answer is a lot.

2. Sunny Days - When I see the sun shining, I smile immediately. I love the look and feel of a warm sunny day. Even an Ohio Winter day like today – cool, clear & sunny – makes me cheerful. It reminds me that Spring will come again.

3. Food Preparation - I know I’ll probably say this fifty more times before I get completely distracted from this blogging project. But I truly do love being in the kitchen. Food preparation relaxes me. I like grating, chopping, stirring, and seeing a mix of ingredients come together into one satisfying dish. Some of my happiest nights have been spent in my kitchen with embarrassing music playing and my kitchen covered in flour or bits of chopped vegetable. (I’m a very messy cook and an even messier baker. But I consider the mess-making part of the process. And I always leave the kitchen cleaner than I found it, so it’s ok).

4. Exercise - Though I may deny this when my alarm wakes me up at 6am for a workout, I enjoy running, walking, biking, EAS on the Wii, kickboxing, yoga, etc. I love to be active. I don’t work out for weight loss reasons. I do it because I have a family history of heart disease and diabetes, and because I am naturally an energetic (some would say hyper) person, and because I like to eat well. I also do it because I love the happy, accomplished feeling I get after a workout.

5. Dining Out - That was a given. I enjoy meals and laughs around a table with my husband, family and/or friends. One of the best parts of moving to Columbus has been discovering new restaurants. I’m not talking about trendy restaurants and pretentious fine dining either (though I do enjoy such places from time to time). In general, I tend to prefer ethnic holes in the wall, greasy spoons and random local places with great, laid-back atmospheres.

6. The Water - This comes from growing up on Lake Erie. To this day, when I see any body of water, I immediately feel a relaxed happiness that does not exist anywhere else.

7. New Recipes - I find them inspiring. I have more recipes than I could ever possibly make. Yet that doesn’t stop me from collecting cooking magazines and, to a lesser extent, cookbooks. This is one reason where I am thankful for the internet. Having recipe files in my computer significantly cuts down on clutter elsewhere. Looking through those recipes and deciding what to try next makes me a happy woman.

8. Volunteering - There are very few things that I miss about living in Michigan. One of those things the wonderful volunteer projects I was involved in – Corgi Rescue and visiting nursing homes and hospitals with my own corgi, who is a certified therapy dog. This spring, I plan to become involved with animal rescue and pet therapy again. Bringing smiles to the faces of others brings me a special kind of happiness.

9. Shopping – I’m a woman. It’s genetic. I don’t have to buy anything. I just like to look around and see what’s out there. Even going to the grocery store makes me happy.

10. Embracing My Nerdiness - I am a nerd through and through. I wear glasses. I play video games. I have a basic understanding of html. I like to think that I’m intelligent. Alton Brown is my favorite person on TV. I enjoy museums, zoos, reading and learning. I have been a nerd since I was young, and have never really been ashamed of it. I learned long ago that being true to oneself is crucial to happiness.

Link thanks to Brandfreak

• We usually think of pumpkin as a sweet food that goes best with cinnamon and nutmeg. With this soup recipe, The Kitchn shows that it also goes well with bacon. Then again, what doesn’t?
• Right now, the grocery stores and farm markets are full of squash. Taste of Home‘s website has a quick guide to the more common varieties currently available, along with some ideas for what to do with them.
• Who’d think to grill apples? Certainly not me, until I came across this Grilled Apple and Chicken Salad recipe on Serious Eats. It will be on next week’s dinner menu.
• I’m not such a fan of candy corn. But this Candy Corn Cordial from Food Network is so pretty that it has me tempted to infuse some vodka with candy corn anyway.
• Finally, I’ve decided that my utensil drawer is in dire need of these lightsaber chopsticks.

• AdAge (and most of the rest of the food and marketing internet world) is covering the launch of Starbucks Via instant coffee.
• Not all professionally-made cakes are beautiful. Today, Cake Wrecks rounds up some ugly chicken cakes.
• Worldhum links to an interactive chart that lists the top 10 most and least carnivorous countries, determined by pounds of meat consumed per capita. Some of them are surprising.
• The Kitchn’s Grilled Eggplant with Tomato and Goat Cheese would be great with some homemade bread.
• And this Potato-Crusted Sausage, Leek and Spinach Quiche from Serious Eats looks like a tasty and filling addition to a fall brunch.