“Some of the most rewarding accomplishments are never told or heard of because they are done for personal growth and not personal recognition.”
My friend J put that up on Facebook the other day. I’m not sure if that was his own or someone else’s but I liked it. I know a lot of people who are in it for the personal recognition. My mom is a good example of this as she volunteers a lot. Now, I know this because I am her daughter and we talk a lot, but most people probably don’t realize the extent of what she does. Know why? Because she does it to be a good person and not to get personal recognition. She doesn’t need the pat on the back, that’s not why she does it (though I must shout out to my mom for being recognized for her efforts by the local women’s group in her town). But I know many a person who will tell me over and over again how and what they volunteer for because they want to hear the good for you. That’s not why you should be volunteering.
In my younger days when I was constantly taking classes I usually wasn’t telling people unless they said to me let’s go do something and I would just say I have class. They would then ask what I was taking and would follow up with “why on Earth would you take that class”. Because I like learning something? Because I found it interesting? When I moved to WA I wanted to go to the University of Washington for a degree, which they wouldn’t let me in the program because I wasn’t going to be doing something with my degree, just taking the classes and getting the degree for personal growth. I found that rather sad that you can’t just learn to learn. Thank goodness my previous Educational Institutions only cared if the check cleared. 😛
My friend E gets all amused at the people who are constantly saying they are at the gym or boot camp or yoga on Facebook or Twitter. She mostly is amused because number one these people are looking for the good for you I should be doing that too AND because she has noticed a trend that I must say I noticed as well (after she pointed it out). All of our friends who let us know they are at the gym, running, etc… seem to be either currently over weight or recently have lost weight. Just go to the gym and be done with it. For you, and you alone. For the record E is in outstanding shape and works out all the time, you just never hear about it. 🙂
And when you return from the gym, feel free to eat one of these little babies. I made these a while back using my beloved Circus Animal Cookies for a birthday treat a few years back and decided I should just make the original ones using Oreos (though I used Trader Joe’s Jo-Jo’s because I like them better). These are perfect because they are just the right size. Everyone gets a few bites of cookies and cream cheesecake and then you are done. The Oreo at the bottom as crust adds a nice touch as well.
In completely unrelated note, thanks to whomever the reader was that put some of my pages on Stumble Upon, you have caused my traffic to go up (and that’s a very good thing!!!). So thanks to whoever is doing that, and if you have a Stumble Upon account feel free to stumble me please, it really does help!
Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bites
21 cream-filled sandwich cookies, such as Oreos (I used Jo-Jo’s), 15 left whole, and 6 coarsely chopped
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
½ cup sour cream
Pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.
With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.
Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.
Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.
From Martha Stewart Cupcakes by Martha Stewart
Rosa says
Delicious bites!
Cheers,
Rosa
Blog is the New Black says
I don’t even like cream cheese and I want these! 😉
Erika says
I could eat about 10 of those yummy little bites right now!
Excellent post as always, and so true. People shouldn’t do things to “toot their own horn”.
One of our local universities offers “Listeners’ Licenses” for those that really don’t want to go back to school, but do want to learn new things – great idea.
Tracey C. (SugarPunk) says
I’ve done volunteer management for most of my career (as a librarian and also in orgs I’ve volunteered for), so I’ve done quite a bit of reading on the psychology of volunteer activity (to try and figure out how to both attract and retain volunteers).
The number one reason that people *continue* to volunteer (not just start doing it, or do it once/year and never any more) is recognition. Some folks can get that from the org they volunteer for, but for many, the egoboo from friends, family, and near strangers is a big chunk of what keeps them volunteering. And really, as long as they’re there, does it really matter why? Some folks can be motivated entirely by intrinsic rewards (feeling good about themselves, or passionate about the cause), but most need/desire some kind of extrinsic reward (recognition, etc.) in order to keep putting their time and effort into it.
My personal opinion is that if that’s what they need, and if you’re willing to give it, where’s the problem? Or if you’re not, just skip those posts and move on.
One could also make the theoretical leap and say that people who don’t already have a regular exercise schedule don’t get intrinsic rewards from doing so; makes sense, no? So if they’re seeking some external reward (in the form of comments), they’re still working at it and it’s better than nothing. I think most of us will probably be alright seeing the occasional ‘gym!’ post and Liking it rather than have our friends continue on an unhealthy path. It’s little enough to do – they’re still doing the hard part!
Peabody says
@Tracy- I am more than glad that people volunteer. However it’s been my experience when in volunteering that the people who are there for the recognition don’t really seem to put as much in of themselves, more of a aren’t you glad I am here kind of thing. Perhaps those who volunteer in the library are different.
And you clearly don’t have the friends I have, those that post about the gym post every day and often it’s the only thing they post about.
Erin says
Ugh, my old roommate in undergrad did things for people just so she could brag about how nice of a person she was. And then she would hold it over your head anytime she asked for a favor. I always looked for the right phrase for doing things for people because you want to, not so you could look better. Bragging about it after pretty much negates that act anyway. Oh and I would definitely down more than one of these after a workout.
Jill says
Hey don’t get on me about posting that I went to the gym. The only reason I posted was that my kid bit a kid at the day care! 🙂
Peabody says
@Jill- you’re in luck, I didn’t even notice you had a gym post other than what C did and that doesn’t count. 🙂 You could probably think of a few people I am talking about though.
Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen says
These look awesome, I love cookies and cream!
Thank goodness for the ability to block people from your newsfeed! I only choose to share interesting things on facebook (and the gym is SO uninteresting), but some people feel the need to document every mundane detail of their day. I have something in the range of 250-300 “friends” on there, but I’ve noticed some people have upwards of 1,000. I can only imagine the crap they have to weed through every day.
Lisa @ The Cooking Bride says
Oh, and what about those people who use some Facebook App to post how far they ran that day? Who cares?!? Although, it does crack me up when they post that they ran like a 1/4 of a mile. Erm, maybe you shoulda kept that to yourself. . .
Elizabeth says
MMMMM those look good. Yeah I go between the two ideas up there, sometimes I want to be lauded, but sometimes I just know its the right thing to do and don’t ever say anything at all to anyone.
Sunshine says
Oh no you didn’t! I love cookies and cream….why did I look.
liz says
this is oreo week. freakin awesome!@ bakerella had a delicious looking post too, but your’s looks more my style! cheesecakecupcakes > regular cupcakes anyday!
also, i found out from my department that auditing a course only requires that you discuss with the professor beforehand. then you dont have to pay or declare a major/degree/intentions. maybe UW does something similar if youre still interested
Gina says
these look so yummy
http://kimchicsisters.blogspot.com/2011/08/white-chocolate-covered-gummy-bears.html
Becca says
Mmm, these look good. And I can totally picture these with those frosted animal crackers. Boy, are those things yummy or what?
Adam says
Thankfully I don’t know many people like that anymore or maybe none of my friends and I ever really do anything worth mentioning :).
And I have to say, I think I’m starting to become an oreo convert. I’ve been eating them because they’re around, and I’m starting to like them more and more. Besides surrounding anything with cheesecake makes it better and these look too good to pass up for any reason.
Nicole says
That’s weird…is UW doing so financially well that they are being picky, or perhaps it was in a department that is at full capacity?
I have the overabundant running-post blocking/ignoring as well. Good times.
How are the Jo-Jos different? There are no TJs within 200 miles of me (I checked). Does anyone know of any other brand that is similar to the Jo-Jos?
Peabody says
@Nicole- I can assure you that Canadian Studies (what I was looking to get a degree in…yes it really exists) was not full. 🙂
And Jo-Jo’s are very much like Oreos except they have flecks of vanilla bean in them that’s why I like them more.
Emely says
This sounds great and yummyyy 🙂
Jovian says
One of my favorite posts ever! Are you encroaching into my brain? I’ve been saying these things to people for years!
Also, community colleges usually have classes you can take for funsies, and is much cheaper 🙂
Mrs. L says
Oh man, just because I posted that I had paid for that Boot Camp deal doesn’t mean I’m actually gonna get off my butt and go! (I’d rather eat your cheesecake bites!)
J Peabody says
Gurrl! These are a great jumping off recipe thanks! Gonna make them for the Football Jamboree! I’ve stumbled across your blog months ago. Love the header. My husband is a upstate New York “Peabody”
I’ll share a Bag of Dicks with you!
Kevin (Closet Cooking) says
That looks so decadently good!