Recently I have been able to rationalize over-spending on groceries by acknowledging not only that higher quality food of course costs more (and is better for you), but that I enjoy cooking so much, I've begun to call it my hobby. Sure, there's no exercise involved, but it's creative. It's fun.
I enjoy justifying a more expensive, creative meal at home in place of spending money on other hobbies/activities; I get more enjoyment out of an elaborate, delicious creation -- bland food just doesn't do it for me anymore.
Cheap food tastes -- well, cheap. You get what you pay for.
And for that bargain shopper mindset, there's also the thrill of creating a beautiful meal on a budget... Made the most delicious spaghetti I have ever had, accompanied by red wine and garlic bread -- huge meal for two, with leftovers, was about $25-30.
Looking forward to the next extravaganza!

Today, eggs are interesting. Thanks Canadian Living!

Because it's the Year of the Rabbit ... Let's ... uhhh .. talk about eggs. Yeah!
"Long before Christianity, the Hebrews, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Romans and others used eggs on occasions of pomp and ceremony. To them, the egg symbolized the universe and was presented to their gods as an offering. The outer shell represented the limitless sky, the inner layer of skin the air, the white of the egg the waters and the yolk the earth. At one time, in ancient Rome, it was forbidden to eat eggs; the egg was regarded as a potential chicken and therefore too valuable to be eaten. Fortunately, the Romans eventually discarded their proscription and enjoyed eggs with everything from rose petals to fowl's brain. Starting early in the Christian era, the symbol of coloring eggs at Easter meant that the salvation of the world was bought with the blood of Christ. In the 9th century, the church banned the eating of eggs during Lent, during which time the eggs were collected and decorated and saved until Easter.

The consumer who pays a premium for a certain color of shell is wasting money. The color of the shell is in no way related to quality of the egg. Nor do brown eggs have darker yolks, as many people believe. The color of the yolk is influenced chiefly, if not entirely, by feed. Egg producers usually feed sufficient grains to give a yolk a medium intensity of color; if not, the yolk will be dark and watery. Most egg experts insist that newly laid eggs are the hardest to peel, so you can take comfort in the fact that your eggs are fresh if you struggle with the shell. When separating eggs, make sure that the egg whites are free of fat. If there is any egg yolk in the whites, they will not beat to the maximum volume. Also note that egg whites whip better at room temperature.

The egg white, also called albumen, is the thick, clear liquid surrounding the yolk. It contains about half of the protein in the egg and a large amount of water. The egg yolk is the yellow orb of liquid in the center of the egg, which contains the balance of the protein, much less water and a large amount of fat. It is also highly nutritious because it contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B12, C, D and E; calcium; folate; and iron."

The word "education" comes from the word "educe," which means to "draw out." So much of teaching is the opposite, a "pounding in" of facts, rules and methods. But there are moments magical to a teacher, moments of true "education," when the teacher engages a child's cognition -- and finds recognition.

Robert Brault

I read this quote & thought I'd share, it's a lovely reminder to those who get lost in the past

We seem to be going through a period of nostalgia, and everyone seems to think yesterday was better than today.  I don't think it was, and I would advise you not to wait ten years before admitting today was great.  If you're hung up on nostalgia, pretend today is yesterday and just go out and have one hell of a time.  
~Art Buchwald

A little carpe diem goes a long way