You’ve been asked to speak at your high school alma mater — about the path of life. (Whoa.) Draft the speech.

When we are children, we dream of being policemen and firemen, teachers and astronauts, movie stars and rock stars. We set our aim high amid the stars of the sky hoping for an out of this world life.

Along the way, we learn about other professions, maybe not quite as glamorous as those, but perhaps more rewarding and our some of ambitions begin to shift.

In High School, we work hard to earn grades that will admit us to the colleges where the foundations for our lives will be formed. Future doctors prepare for med school with chemistry and biology honors, future teachers concentrate on their English lit and language classes. College applications are full of hopes and dreams of a bright future for everyone. Acceptance letters begin to roll in and excitement grows – the next batch of graduates can barely contain their anticipation of the beginning of the next part of their lives.

This next part will contain challenges heretofore unknown. Setting your own schedule, being responsible for getting yourself to and from where you need to be at the right time, having a job and keeping your grades up – even partying and being able to function the next morning – all a part of growing up and becoming responsible adults. Taking ownership of who you are and what kind of person you will become. This is the part of life that will prepare you to become part of the workforce. What kind of effort you put into your college years will determine what kind of worker you will be – effective, efficient and able or incompetent, inept and useless? Make up your mind now to become the former.

Not everyone who desires to become a surgeon, a teacher or an astronaut will attain that goal. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t commit yourself to that ambition, but if it doesn’t happen, do the best with what you do become. Don’t let your passion die – use that love of medicine, learning or space to teach encourage others. Perhaps you can provide the confidence that will propel the next Dr. Salk, William H. McGuffey or John Glenn.

Whatever you do, do it with pride and ownership. Don’t pass the blame for things you are responsible for. Make it right. To quote the movies, Pay it Forward and Do the Right Thing. It will make even the any job seem more rewarding if you do it with good cheer and a clean conscience! Go out there and make your presence known!

Yes, I can cook. However, cooking for one is a lot of work for a little bit of eating, so I don't do it often.

My mother was a good cook, and I cook the way she does. Simple dishes - pot roast, spaghetti & meatballs, beef stew, chicken cutlets. I enjoy making stir fry - with or without chicken.

One of my favorite ways to relax on a weekend afternoon is to line up all the veggies on the counter, pour a glass of wine and slice vegetables for stir fry.

Every year I host my Red Hat Christmas Party so I have an opportunity to cook for my friends. I think married people tend to believe that single people don't have those skills. I like to prove them wrong.

I am trying to eat healthier, and that's causing me to do more cooking lately. I do enjoy getting back to it, but I'm getting tired of left overs!

Chocolate mint. A chocolate truffle, or a caramel.

Though I've never done it, I'd like to put the coconut ones back in the box. Ick.