Chastise Your Bread ? Kneading Dough is Excellent Stress Therapy

The day wasn't going well already. You know how it is, you wake up in the morning with that migraine or the pounding headache in the back of your head. The kids are up at the crack of dawn (literally) and they keep coming into the bedroom to "help you" wake up. You fumble your way down stairs to a screaming chorus of, "Daddy, she won't quit looking at me!" And then you have the old reliable "Hey! That's my stuff!" And what are those comments without Back-up Plan 'B': "Hey! That's my spot!" was bellowed out as the kids fought over the fluffy pillow in my office while watching Little House on the Prairie.

Now don't get me wrong, my kids are great and I love them with all my heart but they do have their days. ;)

I wiped the sleep from my eyes as I fixed my morning lifeline, a steaming cup of Joe (which was destined to be spilled all over my desktop, keyboard and carpet!). After cleaning up the mess, I headed back into the kitchen but stopped half way there to remove the tiny doll shoe embedded in the bottom of my bare foot. The kids were at it again. That was it! I was at the boiling point and I could not tolerate this any longer!

I limped into the kitchen and there they were?lined up like little soldiers waiting to be disciplined. They looked as if they longed for, no, were begging for the stern discipline that they had coming?the bag of flour, the sugar bowl, and the salt shaker.

I threw the ingredients together in a powdery fury to the chorus of a clanking, ceramic bowl. There it was. The sun peeked through the partially drawn shades in the kitchen, gently embracing the soft, pale contents of the mixing bowl. The dough stared back at me, yearning to be thrown, rolled and disciplined.

I picked up the gooey substance and slammed it on the countertop! Pounding, pushing, pulling and kneading until it begged me for the rolling pin. I glanced at the built-in drawer under the oven and quickly produced a rolling pin. Without mercy I rolled, bunched up, and rolled again until the dough cried out, "I've had enough!"

For the 'Coupe de Gras', I placed the submissive heap in a bread pan and threw it into the oven. "There now", I said to the unbaked loaf. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Forty-five minutes later I was rewarded with a delicious, toasted aroma that crept through the house like fog on a cool morning. Peace at last. The stress was gone. I felt great.

Next time you are stressed out, walk into the kitchen (or limp if you must), grab the bag of flour and its companions and administer a little discipline. You'll feel better and be rewarded with a delicious, healthy treat!

Terry Stokely is a twenty-five year veteran of the baking industry. After being permenantly laid off in December of 2004, he enjoys spending time with his family and promoting his new ebook Home Baked Goodness with Bread, Rolls and Muffins. The new ebook, which he co-authored with his wife Dawn, can be found at http://www.homebakedfavorites.com

quick home cleaning Glenview ..
In The News:

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.
Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.
Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.
The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.
Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.
Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.
Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.
Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.
The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.
OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.
Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.
LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.
Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.
Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.
Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.
MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.
The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.
Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.
Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.
Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.
Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Talk Yourself Out of Stress

Seventy-five percent of all our problems ? both emotional and... Read More

Planning Stress Management

Deadlines at work, demanding bosses, bills to be paid at... Read More

Stress Management: 3 Rules for Dealing with Difficult People

Seems like more and more they are all around us.... Read More

Stress And Anxiety - Take Charge Of It!

Have you ever noticed what occurs when you are suddenly... Read More

Quick Steps On Handling Stress

Looking for some quick stress relief?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker,... Read More

One Way to Beat Stress: Arrive Early!

I'm so excited that I have discovered this secret today.... Read More

Stress: Daily Self-Care Habits to Manage Stress

Today we have more stress in our lives than ever... Read More

Stress & Performance: How Much is Just Right?

WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYSExperts in the stress management field have... Read More

What The Most Dangerous Job In The World Taught Me About Coping With Stress

I just got through reading some troubling news in the... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: 5 Tips for Positive Anger Management

A grandfather, whose grandson came to him angry at a... Read More

Dealing with Workplace Stress

One of the hardest forms of stress to avoid is... Read More

The Underlying Cause of Nervous Breakdowns

Life can offer us many challenges having to do with... Read More

10 Tips To Reduce Stress

1. Determine your "unique ability" and capitalize on itDelegate the... Read More

How To Recognize Stress And Its Effects Before It Takes You Over

Stress affects different people in different ways, but affect them... Read More

Unmanaged Stress Kills and Ruins Lives! Sit a Bit

When I pay attention, I clearly see the arresting ways... Read More

Minimizing Stress

Understanding StressStress has been called "the invisible disease". It is... Read More

Life Happens

Shit happens. I know this to be a fact, because... Read More

Stressed? Relax Right Now with 5 Super-Simple Stress-Busters

Stressed? Relax Right Now with 5 Super-Simple Stress-BustersStressed-out? Don't know... Read More

Managing Stress

Do you ever feel stressed? Is stress a regular component... Read More

Ten Tips to Ward Off Stress at the Office

CHICAGO - According to a recent article in the September... Read More

Mindfulness and Panic: Ask Your Anxiety

Panic.Heart racing. Palms sweating. Breathing rapid and shallow. Mouth dry.... Read More

Canadian Physicians on Slippery Slope of Burnout

In a recent CMA survey of 2251 physicians, over 45%... Read More

Aromatherapy Candles Release Stress

Have you been feeling so stressful and almost losing your... Read More

How to Cope With Stress and Strain

Work related tensions, personal issues and abnormal lifestyles are the... Read More

Assess Your Stress Using Haris Stress Inventory

This is a tool to measure the amount of stress... Read More

scheduled maid service Winnetka ..