I’m sure you’ve heard – my 3rd Anniversary/Birthday is this Sunday!!  It blows my mind to think about I’ve met, all the lives that have touched mine, and of course all the cookies I’ve made.  My mind has been like a sitcom montage of all the highlights (and lowlights) of the last three years in cookies, and the way it has shaped my personal life. (best friends, dates, jobs, SO MUCH good food) All these amazing things happening because of a cookie.  Well, not really a cookie, but upwards of 6,000 cookies.  YAH.  Six THOUSAND.

In the beginning, I kinda had a nugget of thought that said to me “You should really keep track of how many cookies you are making.” I knew this project (now small business) would be more than a flash in the pan, even then.  But like any artsy type, I went, “Yeah, that’s a good idea, me!” and didn’t do it.  Still, I figure there has to be a good way to estimate a fairly accurate, if low balling, figure.  Here’s what I got:

I’ve been doing this for 3 years at 52 weeks in a year, so that gives me a minimum start of 1 batch per week, yielding approximately 24 cookies. 52 x 3 = 156 x 22 = 3,744

Add in about 20 weeks of firehouse drops and drops I did in Manhattan last year.
20 x 24 = 480 +  = 4,224

Now let’s think about the large batches I made over the years, mostly for functions or projects.  TEDx Utica – 160, Turtle Bay Music School – 200, Queens Kickshaw – 240, Markets – 100, Random handing out all over NYC – 100
160 + 200+ 240 + 100 + 100 = 800 + 4,224 =  5,024

This is where I start adding in all the extra curricular drops, the birthday batches, the ‘you needed cookies because you’re having a bad day’ batches, the ‘just because’ batches.  I start thinking of the weeks where my sink was a continuous cycle of bowls and mixing spoons, where the dishes that were in the strainer overnight never got put away because they were used the next day.  I also think of how I never truly ruined or burned a batch beyond eating (shockingly enough).  Every cookie found a home.

All of that brings be beyond 6,000 cookies.  It is worth mentioning that I’m only referring to my signature chocolate chip cookies, not even lumping in my almond sugar cookies, brownies, cakes, cupcakes, and bars.  I can’t even begin to think about the pounds of sugar, flour and chocolate I have used over the years.

Even with all that said, I have barely scratched the surface of cookie giving with SGC.  For all of you who haven’t had a chance to be part of the chain of kindness, I’d like to formally invite you to The Queens Kickshaw this Sunday at 7pm to have a drink and a cookie with me!  For every drink you buy, you get a free Single Girl cookie.  I’m really excited to meet all of you with whom I’ve had a social media relationship with over the last three years, and let you in on what the hype it all about! (the cookies are as good as they look) What better place to celebrate than where it all began?

So when you think one person is just one person and one person can’t make a difference, to that I say 6,000 cookies.  You may be one, but you are a powerful force to be reckoned with!  Cast out your doubt – YOU MATTER.  Go forth and make your mark.