E is Random

No Easing In For Me

2012-02-13T22:44:00.000-08:00

The past few months, the only real exercise I've gotten has been Just Dance 3 on my roommates Wii. And even that hasn't been happening much recently. I needed to make some changes.

However, I'm not very good at easing back into a regular exercise schedule. Take the past week for example.

Last Wednesday I decided to get a workout in. I had pinned a number of at-home workouts. Instead of choosing one to go with, I decided to mix two (one heavier on cardio, the other on strength).

Gosh, I'm too ambitious sometimes.

The workout went well. Except for the part where I was sore for an entire week. Seriously. Today was the first day since that I didn't feel my calves with every step.

So of course, I also chose today for my first run in, well, let's just say it's been a long while. Like months and months. I think it's literally the second run I've been on since we moved into our apartment, at the end of August.

So there's some perspective for you.

I had seen a half marathon training plan on pinterest. It looked reasonable, so I thought to use it as a guide for getting back into running myself.

I do not plan on running a half marathon, but I needed some motivation and guidance. The first day in has you walk two miles, run one, and walk another two.

Easy peasy.

I knew the route I wanted to take that would put me a little over five miles, but I figured walking a little extra wouldn't hurt anyone.

I headed out of the the house and decided to jog. It was downhill for the first part, so it was easy. Then I got to the lake and decided I would just keep running around it.

By the time I made my way around the lake, I had run over 3.5 miles in about 38 minutes. I did walk most of the way home, except for crossing streets, which I'd much rather run across anyways.

I'm sure I'll regret all the running in the morning when I try to get out of bed, but for now I feel pretty accomplished. Now let's hope I can actually make the running a regular thing.

If you're curious, check out my exercise board on Pinterest.

Do you exercise? Are you reasonable about creating a schedule and setting expectations for yourself? I'm sure not. :)

Monday, Dreary Monday

2012-02-13T13:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday to everyone!

I thought I'd drop in, say hi, and share a bit about life recently (not that it's anything exciting, so don't get your hopes up).

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend! Before I jump into the insignificant details of my life recently, I wanted to let you know I'm guest blogging as part of Danielle's Blogger's Cookbook. Head on over to see my version of sweet potato enchiladas (especially if you missed it here on the blog a while ago). It's been to see the other recipes bloggers have shared so far.

This weekend found me back up at my parent's house. Not only did I get a few loads of laundry in and get to watch some good basketball (the usual), but I also went to a babyshower for a good friend. She's due in less than a month.

It was really fun to celebrate this next phase of life with her (even if I'm no where near it). She is someone I've known since high school and I was even in her wedding. We played fun games, ate finger food, and shared our favorite books (the best part!).

(Funny but true: her sister--who I'm also good friends with and is expecting in June--called me out in the middle of the shower for checking game scores on my phone. They were comparing me to the commercial of the couple on the date where the guy is watching highlights. True story.)

Yesterday I got to Skype with my cousin who's volunteering in Israel for the year. It's so fun to catch up with her and hear about the excitement in her life (this week featured poop and cockroaches). We're very mature. I also got to meet her roommates via Skype.

Sometimes technology is pretty amazing!

The roomies and I watched the Grammy's yesterday. I love that it's an awards show focused on the art. I love seeing all the different artists perform!

And today my sister and I caught up on Downton Abbey. I can't believe there's only one more episode left this season. Ahh!! Has anyone else been sucked into the show? I'm a complete addict. We've gotten our mom addicted, too.

Well, I'm off for a run (the first in a long while, so wish me luck). Have a good afternoon/evening!

Awkward and Awesome: Still in Bed

2012-02-09T14:22:00.000-08:00

Yes I'm still in my bed. But did actually I get up already. It's just warmer and cozier here. I'm doing work. Promise.

I was going to try and write some cute, witty intro for the post today, but nothing cute or witty is showing up here as I type, so I should probably just get on with it.

(Seriously, my first attempt was "can you believe it's almost the weekend." Real original.)

Anyways, I hope you are all having a good day.

Awkward:
- I have been lusting over boots online for a while now, but I really don't have the funds to pay for it. Sigh. I'll just keep drooling. (Total first world problem, I know. New boots are not necessary.)
- Falling asleep during the Super Bowl when I had friends over. I'm not a napper either so it was doubly weird.
- Trying to pay attention for four hours of lecture. I can stay focused for quite a while, but when your computer is open in front of you... (See first bullet about boots.)
- My level of soreness right now. It's a good feeling, but I looked like an old lady getting out of bed this morning.
- Writing cover letters. (Seriously, does anyone enjoy them?) I found a couple great part-time opportunities. Now I just need to do something about it. It's on the to-do list.

Awesome:
- Finishing my taxes all in one day. And let me say this, when it comes to refunds, being in school definitely pays off.
- Dinner with my good blog friend Stevie. We haven't gotten to hang out in a while, so I really cannot wait!! T-minus 3.5 hours and counting.
- Making a spreadsheet for our family get together next weekend to help figure out sleeping arrangements. Sometimes my type A personality comes in handy.
- Taking part in a research study and getting paid in cash. Also, having perfect timing catching the bus on the way home.
- Letting my math geek out in one of my classes this week. I made graphs, new answers to questions, even called on old equations.
- All the at-home workouts I pinned. So hopeful in mixing things up and keeping me motivated to actually work out.
- The New Girl has been killing me the past few weeks. Do you watch? Do you laugh as much as I do? Is that possible?

Well, I think I'll sign off there. I'm sure I could come up with more, but I really do have things to accomplish and places to be.

Happy Thursday to everyone!

P.S. What's been awkward or awesome about your week?

Ten on Tuesday

2012-02-07T15:46:00.000-08:00

This week's questions are from Chelsea. Head on over to her blog to join in on the fun!

1. How do you feel about Groundhog's Day?
I pay about as much attention to it as I do to the weather reports. I don't really trust them.

2. What color are your fingernails right now?
My nails are naked for the first time in a while. I'm giving them a break and letting them heal a little.

3. Do you like riddles?
Why yes I do. Know any good ones?

4. When you were 10, how did you think "old" was? At your current age, how old do you think "old" is?
Age seems to be fairly relative. I don't really remember clearly what I thought when I was 10, but I imagine it was something ridiculous, like 16 years old. Driving is for old people, yo. Now, I think of 80s or 90s as old. You know, people born before 1930.

5. Do you wish on stars?
Not regularly.

6. Do you recycle?
Yes! Our city makes it easy, so why wouldn't you?!

7. On a scale from 1-10, how good of a cook are you?
I think I'm pretty good cook. I even know how to hold knives properly, but on a scale of "knows nothing" to "cooks eleborate dishes at own successful restaurant", I'm probably a 7.

8. Do you color your hair? Professionally or at home?
Yes, I do. I had been getting done at the salon, but now I'm saving money by doing it at home. My trick is to get the dye at a beauty supply store. It's a little more pricey than boxes from the supermarket, but totally worth a couple extra bucks for the quality.

9. On a scale from 1-10, how do you rate your manners?
8, I haven't taken etiquette classes or anything, and I would be nervous around the Queen of England, but I think I'm pretty well mannered.

10. Who are the last 5 people you texted?
Steph (sister), Christine, Kiira, Veronica, Jonathan (brother)

Our Apartment: A Tour

2012-02-06T16:59:00.000-08:00

So I'm finally sharing the rest of our apartment with you. I put it together in slideshow form. I hope you enjoy!

Let me know if you have any questions about stuff you see (but not things I missed cleaning).

11 Things

2012-02-05T21:06:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by my blog friend Decoy Betty a while ago to share 11 things about me. I'm super excited to finally get to it.

First, I need to share the rules with you. These are very important...
1) You must post these rules.
2) Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
3) Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
4) You have to choose 11 people to tag and link them on the post.
5) Go to their page and tell them you linked him or her.
6) No tag backs.
7) No stuff in the tagging section about "you are tagged if you are reading this." You have to legitimately tag 11 people.

(P.S. I don't know there was such a thing as legitimate tagging. Lesson learned.)

11 Things About Me:
1. I don't really like chicken. I don't hate it, but it will never be my first choice of meat.
2. I kind of have a thing for semi-trashy romance novels, as long as they're also semi-well written. I know, that doesn't really make sense.
3. I'm addicted to Downton Abbey. And it's about to come on. Yay!
4. Thursday is my favorite day of the week.
5. I spend a lot of time in sweatpants.
6. Milk is best when served ice cold (and with a cookie).
7. I had never really driven a stick until I bought the car I have now (five years ago). But now I can't even count the number of manuals I have driven. (I mean, I probably could if I really took the time to think about it, but that seems like a lot of work.) Weird, right?
8. I recently celebrated National Peanut Butter Day (today, Jan. 24), Cheese Lover's Day (Jan. 20), and National Pizza Week (Jan. 9-15). What a great couple weeks of food!
9. Speaking of food, I'm addicted to cupcakes (how hipster of me, I know), especially the little, adorable cupcake shop down the road from us.
10. I'm really not sure what exactly I want to be when I grow up. That's why I'm in grad school, so I don't have to decide. I have things I want to do but no real big goal. If that makes any sense.
11. I still haven't purchased a parking pass this quarter, which means I've been paying each night I go to campus (not cost efficient at all).

My answers to Decoy Betty's questions:
1. What motivates you?
My faith, the desire to please other, my need for perfection, and doing things I care about.

2. How do you like your TV series, on DVD for watching all at once or doled out once a week?
I actually prefer once a week so I don't waste anymore time than necessary. The DVD versions always suck you in and then you watch 7 episodes instead of the 1 or 2 you meant to. That said, I have been busy catching up on Downton Abbey and highly recommend it.

3. True or false: they don't make boy bands like they used to.
True. Other than the Jonas Brothers, what has there been recently?

4. What's the comfort food you go to when you need a pick me up?
Mac 'n' Cheese or some sort of soup. Yum!

5. How would you spend your ideal day?
Sleeping in, doing something outside in the sunshine, reading some, seeing some of my favorite people, eating really good food.

6. If there is something holding you back, what is it?
Uncertainty.

7. I just heard Sofia Vergara say that she is actually blonde but dyes her hair brunette. When Ellen asked her who has fun, blondes or brunettes, Sofia responded "girls with bigger boobs." True or false?
No idea. I've never been blonde nor do I fall into the big boobs category.

8. Talk me through your next honeymoon.
Well, since there's no honeymoon in the near or distant future for me, I have no idea. I'd prefer to somewhere tropical, where there are things to do but also plenty of time for relaxation.

9. What are you jonesing for right now? (could be food, clothing item, a pair of shoes, whatever!).
Currently, a burger from Dick's since it's buy 1 get 1 free for their anniversary. Also, something warm and delicious to drink.

10. What's your favorite Roald Dahl book?
The BFG. Loved that book.

11. What sound is the most annoying to you?
That sound when you turn the car steering wheel too far. Anyone know what I'm talking about? It makes me cringe.

The 11 People I'm Tagging:
Mom, Christine, Stephanie, Stephany, Stevie, Bianca, Amy, Danielle, Rachael, Michelle, and Erin. (Also, I totally won't hate you if you don't do all of this.)

My Questions:
1. What is one thing you can't leave the house without?
2. Tell me the best place you've ever visited or vacationed.
3. You have to sing karaoke to save my life. What song do you choose?
4. If you could change one thing in the past week, what would it be?
5. What have you been eating a lot of recently?
6. If you were going to be famous for something, what would you want it to be?
7. What is your least favorite chore?
8. If you had to live one place the rest of you life, where would it be?
9. What shows do you watch regularly?
10. Do you have any big trips coming up? If so, what?
11. Who is your hero?

Awkward and Awesome: Babysitter's Club

2012-02-02T18:16:00.000-08:00

Who didn't love those books growing up? That's not really the point of the post, but I did babysit today (more on that later), so it seemed fitting.

Here's a little glimpse at my week.

Awkward:
- How the heck is February already, seriously?!?!
- SXSW falling right around Finals Week for me. Not that I actually have money for it, but a girl could dream.
- My attention span in class right now. I need to refocus a little bit.
- My attention span and this blog post. It's taking me much longer than necessary because I can't focus. There seems to be a trend here.
- While watching my young charge today (5-year-old boy) this afternoon, I went to the bathroom. He yelled something at me through the door. I couldn't tell what exactly. When I came out, he was wandering around the back deck with his pants and underwear around his ankles. I'm sure his dad let's him go outside sometimes. Sure.
- Do I really need other awkwards after that? Really?

Awesome:
- The Hunger Games trilogy. I'm late to the game on this one, I know. But they are so good. I was reminded of Ender's Game while reading them. Another book I highly recommend. I've also read Ender's Shadow, but apparently there is a huge number of books in the series. Noted.
- Getting paid in cash today. So nice.
- Plans for dinner at my favorite Indian place with a friend tonight. I can't wait for the endless cups of chai.
- Having a carpool buddy for class Wednesday nights. We're trying to keep life interesting by stopping for dinner at a different place each week. Last night's stop was Whole Paycheck.
- Super Bowl weekend with some good friends. I'm looking forward to the game, commercials, food, all of it. And the pre-Super Bowl coverage being gone. It's like the election coverage -- exhausting.

Ten on Tuesday: Back from a Break

2012-01-31T17:59:00.000-08:00

I'm cranking this post out quickly before class starts for the night. The day kind of got away from me.

Chelsea took a couple weeks off, for good reason. But the questions are back this week, brought to us by Kara's Chatter. Enjoy hearing all about my eating habits. As a disclaimer, though my answers might make it sound otherwise, I do love sugar. Just not with my veggies.

1. What's your variety of apple?
Crisp and not too sweet. I don't do soft, overripe apples.

2. Do you prefer Long-English or Field cucumbers?
English. I'm very proper.

3. Tomatoes - delicious or disgusting?
Depends. I'm not a tomato lover, but they are absolutely necessary in some dishes. Also, tomatoes homegrown and freshly picked in the summer can't be beat.

4. What's one fruit or vegetable that you can't stand and why is that?
I don't like cooked carrots. They get too sweet and mushy (see first answer). Oh, and peas are yucky. There aren't many things I won't eat though.

5. What's your favorite way to prepare veggies?
Roasted, for sure, with olive oil and some good spices. Or grilled in the summer. Yum!

6. Sweet potato pie: love it or hate it?
Ambivalent. I prefer my sweet potatoes offset by some savory, not with more sugar added.

7. What's your favorite "style" of french fry? Wedges, shoelace, curly, crinkle-cut other?
Sweet potato, actually. Or fries from Wendy's dipped in a frosty. Otherwise, I'm pretty open to any french fry.

8. What's your favorite fruit pie filling?
I'm not really a pie person. I like raw pie crust, but it loses it's appeal to me once it's baked. I prefer pies with cookie crusts. However, my favorite pies are apple, fresh out of the oven.

9. When you were a kid did your parents make you sit at the table until all your veggies were eaten off your plate?
We had no thank you helpings when we went to other people's houses, so we at least had to try things. At home, we always ended up having to take as many bites as we were years old.

10. Do you drink veggie and fruit juice blends (such as V8) or make them yourself?
I rarely drink them or make them. Occasionally I'll have a pre-made blended juice when I'm desperate for fruits and veggies.

Find Me at Elle Sees

2012-01-30T11:51:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm blogging over at Elle Sees today about some of my favorite eye makeup choices. Head on over and say hi!

I may or may not be back later with a real post. No promises here.

Food Fun: Sweet and Savory

2012-01-29T18:15:00.000-08:00

Even though I haven't posted about it recently, I promise I have actually been cookie (and eatting, which this weekend took the form of many spoonfuls of cookie dough).

I thought I'd share a few pictures and links to recipes of recent creations. A simple post.

I don't know how much I really need to say about this treat. Puppy Chow, Muddie Buddies, or whatever you call it...it doesn't matter. Basically this is cereal transformed into candy crack.

I love it. This batch was spiced up with chocolate chex. Because there's no such thing as too much.

Now that we got the important recipe out of the way....

I give you Shepherd's Pie. I roughly followed a recipe from Epicurious, meaning I used the gravy and basic steps.

However, I did not use the same veggies (mine had carrots, onions, leeks, green beans, mushrooms, and maybe something I forgot) and ended up adding italian sausage because I liked the extra spice.

It was really, really good. Though, as a warning, it is a little labor intensive. But it makes a lot and the taste is worth the time.

What have you made lately?

Awkward and Awesome: Yep.

2012-01-26T23:48:00.000-08:00

No fancy intro tonight. I don't have the energy or the ideas to make it happen. The good news, it's probably Friday when you're reading this, which means it's basically the weekend.

So happy weekending!

Awkward:
- My ability to blog regularly. I don't know what my problem is, but inspiration is lacking.
- Money/life related stress. Being in school with a lot of people working full time and with life plans is making the fact that I don't know what I'm doing a little more stressful than it would be otherwise.
- The food I consumed today. Let's just say there was a bowl of cookie dough (though that is awesome) on my parent's kitchen counter.
- Misunderstanding someone's question but not realizing it until you are halfway through an answer. Or is this one just me? But gosh, it's awkward.
- That feeling that you've forgotten something and not having a clue what it is.
- My attention span in class last night. I'm just going to leave it at that.

Awesome:
- Seeing my grandpa tonight. I'm up at my parents for a couple days, so I made a visit to Grampie. He's really the best.
- Actually using the calendar on my phone. I mean, I have a smartphone for a reason, so I should probably get all the use out of it that I can.
- Actually feeling productive sometimes. Now if only I had written out a to do list, so I could check those items off. Mostly, I just have lots of lists running around in my head.
- Free food. It's the best. Also, I got a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate for $3 on my phone, which is pretty much like free food.
- Getting amped up for the Superbowl, though I have to say neither of the teams are ones I wanted to see here, but I love the festivities anyways. Fingers crossed that there are some good commercials.
- Being able to scrounge up pajamas from my sister's abandoned clothes at my parents. I pretty much just brought dirty laundry and a couple pairs of shoes with me.
- Being completely addicted to Downton Abbey. My sister and I are cruising through it. We just started season 2 this week.

To end, a serious question. Blogger now has embedded replies to comments (which I love), but would anyone actually come to read them? Because otherwise it's just silly.

Crockpot Cooking (Also: How I came to be drinking beer at 1pm on a Wednesday)

2012-01-25T13:00:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned this before, but I'm not much of a measurer or recipe follower when it comes to cooking. It's a problem I have.

I should clarify that this does not make me a professional. I just get lucky sometimes.

Although I did have a conversation analyzing the spices used on some potatoes at brunch this weekend. I felt faux-chef like and ridiculous.

I'm getting away from the point though.

The crockpot is a great kitchen tool for many reasons. First, you don't have to pay any attention to it once the ingredients are in. Second, measuring really isn't necessary (it's obvious now why I like it, right?). Third, food is delicious.

I had picked up some BBQ sauce at the store last week with the intention of BBQ chicken, crockpot style. There was no recipe I'd found or other guiding suggestions. I just felt like it.

So this morning I threw in chicken, onions, BBQ sauce, and decided to add a little honey and beer for kicks. Of course, a whole bottle of beer wasn't necessary, which is how I found myself drinking Shocktop while working on school work on a Wednesday.

I'll let you know how it all turns out (and by it, I mean the food. The school work will be fine, I'm sure.).

Happy Wednesday!

A Deep Sigh

2012-01-22T22:45:00.000-08:00

It's the end of the weekend, and I could use a nap. The apartment has been full of house guests and the schedule has been full of to-do stuff.

Thursday night's surprise for my sister was as awesome as expected. We had to kill some time as the snow storm had the entire mall shut down by 6pm, so we ended up going to see Sherlock Holmes (as fun as expected). Then I forced my sister to wear a blindfold.

Her former roommate opened the door at the airport and asked for a ride. Tears, laughter and screaming followed. Perfection. We ended dinner at Jimmy Mac's, a restaurant with delicious rolls and peanut shells on the floor.

Friday was cleaning, cooking, dining, cupcakes, and drinks with the girls. And none of us fell on the slippery snow and water covered sidewalks (no small feat).

Saturday I woke up early to get coffee and donuts, had brunch to celebrate my roommate's birthday with some of her closest friends, cleaned and cooked, worked on some schoolwork, and had the parents over for a birthday dinner. I chose to stay home and finish up some schoolwork, while my sister and her friends went out on the town. (Look at me all responsible!)

Today was chock full of school, morning to night. I had a group meeting, a town hall with the director of my program and other students, a career workshop, and my class group ran a focus group. I only got to watch a quarter and a half of football, though we *might* have had the Patriots-Ravens game streaming at school. Since my program is in digital media it seemed fitting.

I've been relaxing this evening, even though I really have things to be working on (such as a 5-page research paper on a digital media law issue of my choice, ideas anyone?). But that's what tomorrow is for, right?

There's a lot of other stuff going on in life, but I think this little wrap up is about all I have time and energy for right now. So I'll have to get back to you.

What were you up to this weekend? Did someone get a nap in for me?

Awkward and Awesome: Surprise!

2012-01-19T23:56:00.000-08:00

I just got back from an adventure, which will become much clearer (I hope) through my awkward and awesomes today.

Also, in case you don't know, we are in the midst of a snowstorm, soon to be flood.

Awkward:
- Going to grad school for digital media. Even though school was shut down I still had class Wednesday night, via the internet.
- Busting a dance move in response to my sister at the movie theatre tonight, and having some random guy think it was for him. It wasn't.
- A classmate asking me a question about an assignment, that I hadn't actually started. So, you know, I had an intelligent answer for it.
- Not putting a real bra on for a couple days. Or leaving the house. Snow days, ya'll.
- Sitting next to frat boys on the plane trip home and having them call the flight attendant Shebow. (We were flying into Denver.) Luckily she was a super good sport.

Awesome:
- Having one of my sister's friends fly in as a surprise for her birthday and picking her up tonight. We blindfolded my sister and everything. It was pretty much the best thing ever. Ever.
- We drove from one end of town to the other for a little shopping and every single store (except Nordstrom) was closed. At 4:30pm. Snow slows us down.
- School being closed for the third straight day. We did get an ice storm this morning and many people (not us!) are without power.
- Still haven't turned on our heat. Winning! Thanks to a basement apartment, I guess.
- Breakfast happy hour. Have you guys heard of such a thing? Have I mentioned this before? It's pretty much the best thing ever.
- Twitter during a snow storm. I know everything...how much snow is falling where, where the plows have been, what stores are open. It's not like I'm leaving the house to take advantage of it, but I know.

I'm calling it quits for the night. I may or may not be back tomorrow with more shenanigans. If not, have a fabulous weekend!

Weekend Finale

2012-01-18T15:32:00.000-08:00

When I last left my rambling wrap up of the weekend I had arrived in Indy, where it was a balmy 20 degrees.

Bikini weather, if you will.

I was the third person to arrive, so I got to enjoy a little downtime back at my friend's place. I wouldn't have survived the evening otherwise, as I was running on just a couple hours of sleep (no exaggeration).

Once more of the crew got in, we decided to head out to dinner. Note to anyone who care, Texas Roadhouse apparently won't seat groups of more than 6. The rolls and butter were totally worth having to sit at two tables though. (Have you experienced those rolls? So deadly.)

When the rest of the crew rolled into town, all 13 of us headed out to enjoy a few adult beverages. I think Though I only really knew my friend and her boyfriend, by the end of the night we were all fast friends.

Saturday was all about sleeping in, being lazy, eating food, and resting up for the evening. There was NFL playoff games, first of all, college basketball games, and it was all fueled by pizza and Chipotle. So yummy.

After the necessary consulting by all the girls (you ladies know what I mean by this), we were able to get dolled up and head to the big 30th birthday celebration for my friend. There were friends who had driven and flown in, people from the area, even her parents.

She had reserved a VIP room at a club so we were able to have space to relax and chat, but still had access to the dance floor.

As a side note about the club, the bathroom doors were those crazy kind that had clear glass the frosted over when locked. Crazy!

Sunday was spent lazying around, watching a little more football, and catching a flight home. I made it to Seattle pre-snowstorm (that actually finally hit this morning) and even got to enjoy a meal out with the roomie to celebrate her birthday.

Now I'm attempting to get some work done before class tonight. Even though the college is cancelled, my digital media program is still meeting--the downside of having technically advanced and knowledgeable classmates and professors.

The good news: I get to attend class in sweats and possibly on my bed (if the wifi signal is strong enough).

As a side note, though I'm not actively protesting SOPA/PIPA through my blog, I strongly encourage everyone to write their congressman in protest of the bill. It's not what needs to happen online. But don't take my word for it. Do your research about the issue!

Last Friday Flashback

2012-01-17T11:39:00.000-08:00

I actually wrote this post last Friday while sitting on a plane. I had hoped to post it on my layover, but there was no free internet and I was not paying money to post on my own blog. Uh uh.

But I still wanted to let you in on the excitement that was this weekend, so I'm posting it today. I'll finish up the second half of my trip later this week. Sometime.

- - - - -

The past few days have been a little on the crazy side. I was supposed to fly out yesterday (1/12) to Indy, but a mechanical problem with the incoming flight meant I was going to miss my connection. And I was worried about snow…

Instead, I stayed in Seattle another night and helped a friend do a little birthday celebrating. My flight this morning was at 6am, so I accepted Frontier’s offer of a free hotel room by the airport. I also got meal vouchers and money to put towards a future trip.

While the situation was frustrating, I was treated incredibly by Frontier. Seriously. Not only was the customer service at the airport great but they were very responsive over Twitter as well.

Two thumbs up from me.

I’m writing this mid air, headed to Texas, because that’s obviously the logical flight pattern. Who doesn’t love a good visit to DFW? Am I right?

I got to make some new friends in line at the airport yesterday. Stuck in line waiting for help for an hour, you get to know people pretty well. I even have a new Twitter friend. Shout out to Rachael. We definitely kept ourselves entertained yesterday while waiting in line. ☺

Now I’m going to take my not even four hours of sleep into a celebration weekend in Indy. A good friend is throwing a 30th bash and I don’t expect to catch up on my sleep until Sunday night. I do know I will have a blast.

It’s a good thing this weekend is so early in the quarter. My pile of work isn’t too large...yet.

For now, enjoy this collage of the sunrise I took out the airplane window. There are a few perks of flying so early in the morning. (Though the list is short.)

- - - - -

I ended up getting to Indy approximately 17 hours later than I was supposed to. The only real bummer was I didn't get a lot of quality time with my friend since I ended up arriving with everyone else. But I made some new friends, watched a lot of football, and generally enjoyed my time.

I still feel like I'm in recovery. Seriously. I added it up and I think I got about 15 hours of sleep over the course of the weekend. That's how you know a birthday was well observed.

As much as I'd love to continue this essay indefinitely, I really need to go do some work. We're under threat of our biggest snowstorm in years, but I'm still supposed to have class tonight. If you've seen youtube videos of cars trying to drive our streets in snow, you'd understand why everyone freaks out so much.

Busy Living Life

2012-01-16T13:47:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! Sorry for my disappearance. It wasn't planned, but it was enjoyed. Sometimes life just needs to be lived.

I was out of town all weekend for a good friend's 30th birthday celebration, and came back yesterday to snow and a little birthday celebration with my roommate. My sis's birthday is this week as well.

Basically, there's a lot of celebrating to do.

Also, we're in for a snowstorm. Winter has finally arrived.

I plan on doing a full recap from my adventures this past week, but for now I wanted to just say "hey". I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

Now excuse me, I have three days of blogs to catch up on. It's a daunting task.

Seven Random Things

2012-01-09T09:30:00.000-08:00

To kick off a new week (which includes quite a bit of excitement) I thought I'd share a few facts about myself.

And yes, seven was an arbitrary choice.

I'm constantly trying to decide how to appropriately use exclamation points in blog comments so my enthusiasm is clear, but I don't seem like a psycho cheerleader. It's a pretty big dilemma.
I love cooking. Seriously, guys, you need to put a ring on this so your tummy will be happy. (Just kidding, kind of.) Just know I will probably expect you to do dishes. (Not joking at all.)
Math was my favorite subject in school. It was clear, solvable, and just plain made sense. Also, philosophical discussions drive me nuts.
Even though I spend as much of my free time in sweats as possible, I follow an unseemly number of fashion blogs.
My sister and I are sharing a room for the second time in our lives.
I have driven a car in six different countries: U.S., Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ireland, and Finland.
I wear a size 10 shoe. My feet are just edging there way into "those are big" territory. And they've been that way since I was in sixth grade, one of my many awkward stages.

Okay, so not all of these things may be news to you. But you can pretend right?

Happy Monday!!

Awkward and Awesome: From the Couch

2012-01-05T20:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks for your comments on yesterday's post. I got a lot of sleep, drank a lot of water, and am feeling slightly improved. I'm definitely not worse.

And I'm back at my parent's for a couple days to do laundry, run a few errands, and snuggle with puppies (and really that last one is the most important).

Awkward:
- I haven't made any money since November. My last paycheck was December 10. That was quite a while ago, in case you weren't aware.
- A sore throat. I want to drink all the things!
- The inability to keep my eyes opened and focused on any one thing. Stupid sickness.
- Also, realizing I'm probably uninsured and hoping this really is just a cold.
- The number of cops cruising the roadway this afternoon. Luckily I wasn't partaking in illegal activity, but wow, were they swarming.
- Fitting our class into a room with 20 chairs on Tuesday night. There are 24 students enrolled in the class. We're going to each other really well this quarter.
- The intercom in our apartment is finally hooked up....to my cell phone. And I have no idea how I'm supposed to open the door. But, hey, at least it got done.

Awesome:
- Bowl game season in college football. Have you guys been watching this stuff? My roomie and I spent 4 hours at our local bar to catch Oregon and Stanford. We made some friends, got to know the staff, and I ate some sinful deep fried bacon burger sliders. They were serious business.
- Using sickness as an excuse to wear sweatpants for multiple days in a row.
- Homemade soup...tomato basil on Wednesday (with gourmet grilled cheese) and potato, ham, and cheese tonight.
- Let me just talk about that cheese again--Irish whiskey cheddar and goat milk gouda. And tonight we used Cougar Gold in our soup.
- Have you heard of Sporcle.com? I found out about it through Vanessa's post yesterday and am now prepared to spend half my life there.
- New TV shows starting back up. Parenthood and Modern Family are the best. (As an aside, are TV shows supposed to be italicized?)

This post basically says the same things as yesterday's: cheese and sickness.

(Plus, a little sports.)

The Rambler

2012-01-04T13:08:00.000-08:00

You know what happens when you have two blogs and contribute to another? You can't remember what exactly you were going to post where. That's what.

A.K.A. I'm losing my mind.

Also, I'm in the throes of a cold right now. You know, swollen glands, runny nose, head that feels like it could explode. That sort of thing.

And I took PM cold medicine about an hour ago, so this might not come out all that clear and coherent. Consider yourself warned. Plus, the content is not really related to, well, itself.

I continue to use two spaces in my writing even though we're not supposed to anymore. Did you know this? Do you care? It's just so ingrained in me, from years of doing it and from my work as a transcriber. Our software was set up so that a double space equaled a period.

I've been considering doing this cleanse. I read about somewhere on someone's blog. Sorry I can't remember where (again, that seems to happen fairly frequently).

I like it because it focuses on a lot of fruits and veggies, removing processed food, etc, but it wouldn't require me to only drink juice for weeks. No thank you. Although, organic soy and I are probably not going to happen.

We'll see if it actually happens. Tonight's dinner was tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, clearly not in line with any sort of cleanse. But it was delicious and comforting in my foggy state.

In related news, fancy cheese is totally worth the splurge.

On that life changing note, I'm headed off to snuggle under the covers. As opposed to sitting on the covers as I'm doing now.

This is a sleepy, foggy, just-been-up-for-12-hours E signing off!

Ten on Tuesday: Ringing in 2012

2012-01-03T11:02:00.001-08:00

I'm making a last minute effort to join in on Ten on Tuesday. Tonight was my first class of the quarter. And while I am excited, it was a little bittersweet for my too-short break to end.

Even though Tuesday's basically over, if you still want to join in, you can. I won't judge. Just visit Chelsea's blog.

1. What did you get for Christmas?
Well, I already unveiled my quilt (the star of the show), I also got books, a cool vase, a few skirts, a button up shirt, sweet boots, a nice casserole dish, and the naked eyeshadow palette. There were a few other things, but that's the gist of it.

2. Have you taken down your Christmas decorations?
I personally didn't have any decorations. My roommate took hers down yesterday, Monday, something.

3. What did you do for New Year's Eve?
The roomies and I went to NY Pizza and Bar to hang out prior to fireworks, but we ran out of steam and ended up at home in sweats before midnight. We are crazy like that.

4. Do you like accents?
Of course. Sometimes I wish I had one. I also feel so proud of myself when I understand someone with a thick accent.

5. What kind of television do you have?
I just have to come out and admit this. I have a 50" LG plasma flatscreen. It was a splurge this summer. One that I planned for, but still a little ridiculous. I do love it though!

6. Did you make any changes at the beginning of 2012?
So far the biggest change is that I've flossed every day. It's quite the achievement. I don't even have a dentist appointment coming up.

7. What's the last book you read and do you recommend it?
Um, let me check my Kindle. I'm not so good at actually remembering the titles. Actually I'm too lazy to check right now but as most of the books I've read recently were on the free download list, they are nothing to write home about. I should probably get over my cheapness and read some good stuff one of these days.

8. Do you stay current on celebrity gossip?
As much as Twitter tells me, otherwise I check stuff out now and then but am not obsessed with it.

9. Do you know the words to Bohemian Rhapsody? Gangstas Paradise? Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Some of the first two, most of the last. Also, Big Butts is a good one. Just saying.

10. What is your favorite educational television show?
Does HGTV count? No? I actually find stuff on the History Channel, particularly about war pretty intriguing, but we have basic cable so I don't watch a lot of that.

Past, Present, and Future

2012-01-01T23:28:00.000-08:00

First of all, you should prepare yourself for the essay of a post you are about to read. Sorry, I couldn't help it. (Well, I'm not going to.)

I've read countless year-in-review and 2012 resolution posts in the past week. It's fun to be reminded of what some of my favorite bloggers have done this year and see what they hope to accomplish in the next.

That said, I've been staring blankly at the draft forever. Or at least that's what it feels like. The year in review I can do. You probably remember the big stuff, but it's easy to remind you of that. In fact, here you go!

(First, let me just say thank you to everyone who stopped by the blog and/or commented...it means a lot to me!)

January: This month was pretty low key. I got a gym membership (how cliche of me!), enjoyed a little snow, and went on a gorgeous day hike.

February: February was filled with completing my first 30 for 30, applying for grad school, enjoying a weekend filled with family, and this one unfortunate incident.

March: In March I went to a really fun wine event with Sarah and met Stevie for the first time in person! Yay for blog friends who turn into real life friends. I also enjoyed a couple weeks off from work and shared a beautiful video of the place I now call home. It's worth watching if you haven't yet.

April: I found out I was going to Europe!!! and that I got into grad school!!! (But apparently couldn't be bothered to blog about grad school, but I promise it happened.)

May: I had some lunch with really good friends and spent time with them in Portland. It was a blast. My sister graduated from college and we celebrated! I also spent time in Seattle with my dad, doing what we do best: eating. I also released the previously unknown itinerary for Europe.

June (a.k.a. Europe): (Get ready for this, it's going to be a long one.) My good friend CeCe and I left for Europa. There were two days in Dingle, some castles and driving, Kinsale and Thomastown, and a few days in Dublin.

Next it was on to Scotland, for Edinburgh, St. Andrews, and a full day on the Royal Mile (there were even pictures to prove I was there).

I learned all about train traveling and enjoyed time in York, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and Oxford. Then came London. So many days of London. Along with a trip to Bath and Salisbury.

The last few days found me traveling to Helsinki to visit family. We had a lot of fun.

July: Finland spilled over into July. It was hot. We did a lot around Helsinki and went to Tallinn. And washed rugs in the sea. After a few more days, I went home and my cousin Michelle came with me. There were photos to illustrate my adventures.

There was a week of a lot of movie watching and some other stuff. We also got makeovers together.

August: Here's a summary of the summer awesomeness in pictures. I went to the zoo, again, started the moving process, and made really delicious cinnamon rolls (seriously, try them).

September: There was a lot of craziness (moving, traveling, etc.) this month. I started school and took part in Fall Fashion Week. I went wine tasting. Life was good.

October: I traveled across the state again. Shared photos from life's shenanigans, twice thanks to a new iPhone 4S! I also gave a tour of my apartment. (Kind of, I've only shown the bedroom so far. Is it too late at this point?)

November: I started sharing some recipes. (This should start back up now that I've made it home.) I started another blog. I changed a tire with help from a friend. I was thankful. And still took pictures.

December (a.k.a. yesterday): I finished my first quarter of grad school, enjoyed a visit to Candy Cane Lane, ate desserts, and bought yarn. After Christmas, I went to visit family over on the east side of the state.

</end year recap> *Phew*

(If you click through to any of those posts, I will seriously be impressed.)

It's the whole resolution thing that really gets me. Not to say there aren't things I want to accomplish. There are. But I'm more of a take-life-as-it-comes person.

Then one of my best blog friends, Stevie, mentioned Stephany (who I love) and Katherine's idea to set monthly goals. (I think someone else brought this up, too, but now I can't remember. Sorry!) This is something I can get behind. I'm all about smaller, more achieveable goals. Just consider my other blog.

So I'm joining in with goals for the first few months of the year. And hopefully I remember to give you updates. :)

For January, my goal is to get a job. I haven't talked about this much, but I've decided not to work up north this quarter. All the driving was just too exhausting.

For February, I want to focus on balancing school, work (hopefully!), and my health by setting and keeping a regular weekly schedule that includes meal planning and regular exercise.

For March, I want to set aside quiet time at least three days a week for prayer, reflection, and to just slow down.

So those are my goals. Hopefully they are achievable. February is a little hard to measure, but maybe I'll get into more specifics when we get there. Or maybe I'll forget entirely.

Anyways, this post ended up being way more time intensive than I expected (plus it was interrupted by church and Friends With Benefits--two things that don't go together at all), so I really need to sleep now.

A belated happy New Year!!!

A Christmas Recap in Pictures

2011-12-31T13:29:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd give you a brief glimpse at my past two weeks via photos. This doesn't really cover everything, but that's why I'm calling it a glimpse. Obviously.

From top to bottom, left to right:
dueling fires on Christmas morning, gorgeous sunset driving yesterday, house lit up on Candy Cane Lane, driving over the mountains, making laundry detergent, a wood bead garland in my great aunt's bathroom, Christmas tree bokeh, walking by the water back home, and getting our Christmas tree.

Featured top to bottom, left to right:
Jackson sleeping under the tree, Maica hogging my lap, hot buttered rum, breakfast hash topped with eggs and feat, delicious mini cupcakes, pumpkin rum bread pudding with whipping cream and caramel sauce, hand whisked whipping cream, me and my cousin's adorable baby, Seahawk's MNF game.

And finally, because I said I would, here are pictures of the quilt my mom made me. On the bed and with a slight closeup. I can't even begin to pick my favorite fabrics on it and it helped me sleep like a baby last night. Basically, I am in love.

What Brings You Here

2011-12-30T09:30:00.000-08:00

I'm not one to religiously track my blog's stats. I don't want to get caught up in the comments, visitors, links, etc. That's not why I started the blog and won't be my motivation going forward.

That said, every once in a while, I like to check out search terms that bring people to my blog. Most of them make sense on some level, but some are downright ridiculous. I thought you might enjoy reading them as well.

Makes sense:

diy ombre nails
christmas card address book
e is random
pinterest nails
white nails with colored dots on pinterest
costco poppyseed muffins
dotted nail

Downright random:

michelle cousin
"forgot how to sneeze"
wet and wild london
new girl the 23rd candycane lane

Awkward and Awesome: End of 2011

2011-12-29T12:06:00.000-08:00

I've been left to my own devices out here in the middle of nowhere. (Meaning, I can't even place a call on my cell phone.) So it was the perfect time for a quick blog post.

I've been trying to multi-task here, which means I've been a little distracted by the internets and real life. You probably know how that goes.

I'm headed back home to the Emerald City tomorrow. Then class starts Tuesday. Time is flying by!

If I don't post before Saturday, have a happy and safe New Year!!!

Awkward:
- The spiders that keep crawling out of my aunt's Christmas tree. I'm not a big spider person (I mean, who really is) and it always feels to me that they are trying to surround me as they move across the ceiling. Luckily these are pretty small spider.
- My outfit options. I didn't really pack well for my vacation, so I have whatever was in my laundry basket when I went home, a few things I grabbed from my closet, and the five skirts I got on Christmas day. Skirts don't really work out here on the farm.
- The wind around here has been out of control. But only in the mornings.
- My footwear options being entirely inappropriate for a visit to hog butchering. Hard to believe, but Steve Madden boots are made for tromping through bloody puddles.
- This break from school was not long enough. I'll be fine but I'm a little bitter about it. (Also, how is it the New Year already?)

Awesome:
- Time to relax away from it all, especially after the crazy whirlwind of the week and a half before Christmas (or the whole of December).
- Playing with my cousin's baby. He's pretty adorable.
- All the football and basketball options right now. I couldn't be happier.
- Getting excited for a trip to Indy in the next few weeks.
- The quilt my mom made me for Christmas out of fabric that was mostly my grandmother's. It's so gorgeous. I'll definitely be posting a picture soon. (I got other good stuff, too, but that was by far my favorite.)

A Quick Hello

2011-12-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

I'm over on the east side of the state for some time with family. My mom and I drove over December 26th and have been busy talking, eating, and playing with my cousin's baby.

I'm enjoying my time away. I always tend to unplug over here. At my aunt's house you're lucky if you get enough of a signal to send a text message, let alone take a phone call. There is wifi, though. We're not heathens. :)

While I'm busy doing things offline here, you should go check out my guest post at Decoy Betty. It actually went up yesterday, because she lives on the other side of the world. That doesn't mean it's too late to read it though!

I hope you are all able to enjoy some downtime as well! I'll be back someday. :)

Awkward and Awesome: Deadline Edition

2011-12-22T23:54:00.000-08:00

I'm rushing to finish this post before midnight, since Thursdays the days for this dealio. (Who's annoyed that I typed dealio?!)

Awkward:
- The amount of cookies/cookie dough I ate today. Luckily cookie dough is hard to quantify so I can't really admit complete failure.
- Jamaica (my parent's springer spaniel) being completely annoying at night. She can't decide where she wants to be and doesn't seem to believe in sleeping much.
- My packing for this trip back home. I literally took my laundry and threw a couple things in a duffle bag. I have many sports bras, but actual outfit options are rather low. Good thing I stayed in my sweatpants all day today.
- I only left the house today to go down to the basement. True story. See note about sweatpants below.
- A craft project not turning out quite as I had imagined it. It still looks good. I think...
- The reality of trying to knit a bunch in a few days. My back is tired. Maybe if I ever actually finish something I'll unveil the products here. Don't hold your breath.

Awesome:
- Eating cookies and cookie dough. Even if it was too much.
- Hanging out at home with my parents and dogs, especially when they're cuddly and cute (mostly the dogs--clarification for my cuz' :)
- Staying in my sweatpants all day. I don't care if it's not really socially acceptable. It's vacation and I do what I want.
- Break! Which includes time for catching up with friends. Many, many friends.
- My sleep schedule has actually improved since I've been home with the padres. Yes I've still up been up late, but not as late as it has been recently. And I've been awake before or close to 9am the past few mornings. This is quite an accomplishment.
- Sleeping in my comfy queen bed with memory foam. My bed at the apartment is fine, but the one I have here at my parents is so much better.

Well, I can't think of anything else good, or halfway decent as the case may be. Have a happy Friday!!

10 Skeins of Yarn

2011-12-22T00:13:00.000-08:00

Yarn was to Wednesday what dessert was to Tuesday.

I set out this morning with my parents for a little Christmas errand running. I'm woefully disorganized in my gift giving. Usually I have everything purchased and done a few weeks before Christmas. This year, not so much.

So today my mom made a stop by Michaels. We're trying out a secondhand/homemade Christmas this year, which I call Thriftmas (have I mentioned it on this blog yet? I can't keep my internets straight).

I got home, saw my basket of neglected yarn, and decided to knit. I don't do anything fancy, mostly scarves and cowls, and my fixation usually only lasts a couple weeks. Then the yarn is left in the corner of my room for months or years on end.

And there's something about the yarn aisle that always gets me. There are so many colors and textures. So many possibilities (which rarely occur as I imagine).

I want to make it all.

I should mention I'm not a naturally crafty person. Or at least craft inclined. Mostly I just have short term obsessions. And that's why I have a shopping bag full of yarn right now, in about 5 different shades.

Hopefully something gets accomplished.

The Day of Three Desserts

2011-12-21T01:24:00.000-08:00

Ten on Tuesday didn't happen. I had semi-started the post Monday night (meaning I copied the questions), but stalled and put it off for the next day.

But Tuesday got crazy on me.

My dad and I got a Christmas tree. We trimmed it and put it up. I worked on organizing my life a little. Ran some errands. Met a friend for a warm beverage and the most beautiful walk by the bay and through a little section of town I love (that might have involved a gingerbread cream cheese frosting cupcake).

Then it was time to meet another friend for dessert (can you see a trend here?). I had chocolate peanut butter cake with a local amber ale. We decided it might be good to have real food too, and stopped by the oyster bar for some eats. Our snack ended with dessert on the house. Because that's what I really needed. But man, the peppermint panna cotta with lemon honey gel was really delicious.

My dad picked me up downtown and we headed to watch a high school basketball game. When we stopped for milk afterwards, we decided to pick up the movie The Help too. I finished knitting a cowl while watching the movie.

Then it was Wednesday. Ack!

I have more errands and catching up with friends to do tomorrow. And I still haven't hung any of my ornaments on the tree yet either. And I have presents to make. Oh well, there's plenty of time. Right?

P.S. Happy Hanukkah to everyone who started their celebrations this week!

Candy Cane Lane

2011-12-17T22:23:00.000-08:00

This evening, after having dinner with friends, I suggested a visit to Candy Cane Lane. It's a place I've visited throughout my life and I pretty much equate it with the Christmas season.

(Note to my readers, if you don't like Christmas, Christmas lights, or the Christmas spirit. you should probably just stop reading.)

There was a huge line up to enter Candy Cane Lane. After waiting in the car for a block (which probably took 15 minutes), we decided to park and walk. The weather was unseasonably warm (46 degrees!) and we had an unobstructed view!

Here's what we enjoyed:

Headed into Candy Cane Lane

This house was so adorable. But we wondered, can you buy strands of alternating red and white lights or did they sort them by hand?

Each yard had the word peace in different languages, including Serbian, Tagalong, Chinese, and more.

It's hard to see but this yard is a polar wonderland, complete with polar bears, penguins, and ice.

Really pretty all-white decorations.

A view back down the street.

A blurry but beautiful tree.

This awesoeme structure actually was suspended from the power polls and circles the hedge in the middle. Pretty intense.

Are there any neighborhoods where you live known for their decorations?

Awkward and Awesome: Freedom

2011-12-13T12:34:00.000-08:00

Guys, I'm still alive. I'm free. I'm happy. I'm glue to the TV. For more information, just read the following...

Awkward:
- My attempt at freehand drawing snowflakes. Let's just say it didn't turn out well and leave it at that. They'd be fine, if I were 5.
- A fan deciding to throw his beer across 20+ rows of chairs in the upper deck when it's literally freezing out.
- My electric bill still hasn't come. It's on a 60 day billing cycle (which I didn't choose and find weird), but I was last billed for service more than two months ago. I've been obsessively checking my account balance but nothing is happening. I even called and the automated service couldn't give me more information. I'm still concerned.
- The hours of TV I've watched today. Let's just say I've put in a full day's work. And it takes commitment to accomplish that.

Awesome:
- Attending my first NFL game, on MNF, and it was a win for my team! Also, I got a cute, warm hat. And had delicious happy hour beforehand with friends.
- School's out for...two weeks. But still. I've finished one quarter of grad school. It's exciting!
- I am completely and totally addicted to Just Dance. My roommate got it on Black Friday and I've been a dancing fool. (The awkward part of the story is that want to use the moves anytime one of the songs comes on.) It's pretty much like aerobics and I'm learning some sweet moves.
- National Cupcake Day. I celebrated. That's all I'm going to say.
- My plans for the weekend: happy hour, cohort party, brunch, brunch. I'm sure more will come up with more as I go. I love winter break!
- Soup weather. I love soup and we've had some good stuff recently: african peanut soup, cauliflower soup, potato and ham soup, thai curry soup. Yum!

Ten on Tuesday: FINALS, take 1

2011-12-13T10:35:00.000-08:00

I'm typing this Monday night, after a successful venture downtown for my first MNF and live NFL experience. We won and I had a blast with the roomie. Plus, we got lots of walking in, so we felt justified in partaking in some deliciously fattening stadium food.

Although I couldn't really look at my BBQ meat nachos the same after reading this story in the Huffington Post earlier today. I managed to choke them down anyways though. I'm a champ like that.

I'm in the final stretch of school for the quarter. As in, I'll be done in about 24-ish hours. A presentation and a project and I'm free!!

To fill this rather large gap in posting, I thought I'd rejoin in on Ten on Tuesday for the first time in a few weeks. Feel free to join in on the fun.

Also, if you want a Christmas card and haven't had a chance yet, go fill out my contact form. Don't worry, I'm the only person who will see your info.

Now, on to the main event.

1. How do you eat your eggs?
I like mine scrambled with lots of yummies mixed in (onion, pepper, potatoes, cheese, and salsa to name a few). I also like them in eggs benedict.

2. Do you volunteer?
The past couple years I've worked with an awesome 5k fundraiser doing some social media work. I'd like to get more involved down here, but haven't had the time in my schedule to make it happen yet.

3. What’s your favorite brand of jeans?
I wear Gap fairly frequently, because I know what fits and it's not ridiculously expensive.

4. What was your child’s first word? Or what was your first word?
I don't have a child and I don't remember.

5. Can you french braid?
Mostly my own hair, because that's how I learned. I just can't get other people's hair as tight.

6. Do you prefer wide rule, college rule, or blank paper?
College rule, I think.

7. Is there a specific treat do you always make during the holidays?
Cookies, oh, and homemade hot buttered rum. Love that stuff.

8. Do you have a KitchenAid mixer? Do you want one?
Best invention ever. I love my bright red mixer.

9. What kind of computer do you use?
Mac, all the way.

10. Favorite Christmas movie?
I love Elf. So funny. That said, I'm not a huge Christmas movie person. I don't know what it is.

Running Behind

2011-12-08T23:27:00.001-08:00

You've probably noticed my absence here. It's likely to continue intermittently until next Wednesday when I am freed from the confines of the end of the quarter.

While I'm waiting for that day (but not too antsy because I have quite a bit to get done), I thought I'd share this little post, that my roommate (CC) did just yesterday. I liked it!

watching: A few shows from earlier this week. I got partially caught up with New Girl, Glee, Modern Family, Bones, and The Big Bang Thory.

eating: I made delicious Thai curry tonight. I actually ended up eating mine like a soup.

drinking: I'm drinkless at this moment, but still addicted to egg nog lattes.

wearing: New ponte knit stretch pants from banana republic. I could live in these babies.

avoiding: Any school work today. My mom came down for a visit, so I was busy cleaning. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

feeling: A little stressed and tired, excited for the break and plans with friends.

missing: Cuddling with my parents' dogs. See ya soon Maica and Jackson. Also, I haven't seen my cousin's baby yet and it's killing me.

thankful: a father who baked bread for my sister and I, and sent down taco seasoning with my mom.

weather: Chilly. I love brisk winter weather.

praying: Motivation, creativity, and energy.
needing: A cup of something warm. Winter evenings just call for it.

thinking: About future employment (as in next quarter).

loving: Quality time with my mom and roommates. It's been lovely to be in one place for a few weeks.

Finals (Something I thought I was done with 3.5 years ago)

2011-12-05T13:05:00.001-08:00

I've been doing quite a bit of writing recently. Not here, obviously, but for school. And while I've had to write some all quarter, this was the first "big" assignment. And in terms of grad school it's really not that big. In fact, I won't even tell you the number of pages required.

But it's been a bit of a struggle, to take a subject I've written a couple pages here or there and turn it into a paper. But I have citations and almost enough pages. And I really should be working on other things. Because one paper does not the end of the quarter make. (That totally didn't make sense at all. I know.)

Instead, I'm making pizza dough, writing a post for this poor neglected blog, and trying to figure out how I'm going to get my sleep cycle back on track. It was 11am this morning when my eyes opened.

It's okay if you hate me.

Also, I really should type a few videos, because bills at the end of the month won't pay themselves. Also, have I mentioned I don't officially have a job for next quarter.

On the plus side, my roommate is making me a dirty chai right now. I'm helping her prepare for her return to Starbucks employment. The sacrafices I'm willing to make....

Now excuse me while I go create a website. It should be fun.

Christmas Cards and my Address Book

2011-12-01T14:33:00.000-08:00

A few of my favorite bloggers have given their readers a chance to receive a Christmas card. It seemed like fun and will actually motivate me to get something done. I'm ordering a limited number because I don't have billions of spare dollars, or even hundreds, so turn your info quick!

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Apples = Fall

2011-11-28T10:03:00.000-08:00

Apples are one of my favorites parts about fall. Fresh, crisp, and delicious. And even better, they go great with things like cinnamon and brown sugar.

Enter, apple crisp. I had a craving and a bag of apples from my parents, so I made a little. And we even ended up making it for Thanksgiving to go with Pumpkin Bread Pudding, courtesy of Bobby Flay. The rest, as they say, is history.

Apple Crisp
Peel and chop enough apples to get a decent layer in a 9x13 pan. I ended up using 10-12 small and medium apples.
Sprinkle apples with white sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Melt 2 sticks butter and mix with 1 c oats, 1 c brown sugar, 1 c flour, and 1 tbsp cinnamon.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

The measurements, as always, are approximate. And I really should have used more apples, as they cook down quite a bit.

I ate mine plain, but it would be delicious with ice cream. Yum. I'll do that next time. Enjoy!

Life recently, in pictures.

2011-11-26T16:17:00.001-08:00

Things I've been enjoying:
- beautiful sunny drives,
- cuddles with our dog,
- a decorated living room wall,
- delicious food,
- school work in the form of reading and vlogs,
- the college basketball season,
- and cider.

- delicious hot beverages in fun mugs,

- late night music jam sessions in the car,

- dueling piano bars,

- puppies! and my favorite dog,

- more cooking time,

- a beautiful fall walk,

- an awesome concert with sweet lights,

- and a reason to wear my sunglasses in the fall.

Awkward and Awesome: Thanksgiving Edition

2011-11-24T22:14:00.000-08:00

I know I already posted earlier today, but I actually have been working on this list since last Thursday, so I had to share all my awkwards and awesomes. Not that anything really remarkable happened. Still.

I hope you have a had a wonderful day, whether it's been with family, friends, or a little quiet to yourself.

Awkward:
- Having to go to the store multiple times in a day. I really need to do a better job making lists, and deciding what to cook sooner.
- The movie previews on Fast Five. I wasn't expecting much from the movie and the previews dropped my expectations even lower.
- Not getting to Starbucks once for the 2-for-1 holiday deal. I hate missing out on a good deal, even if I'm better off not drinking coffee in the afternoon.
- Waking up two days in a row before my alarm. Monday I was awake at 6:30am. I had gone to sleep sometime after midnight. You can imagine how happy that made me.
- All the reading I haven't started yet for next week. At least I've been a blog posting machine. Sigh.
- I know I've mentioned egg nog lattes on here before, and I think they've become an addiction. I haven't had one since Monday, and I've been like an addict looking for a hit. I almost left the house in my pajamas yesterday to track one down. Thankfully, I didn't actually make it out.

Awesome:
- Movie nights with my sister
- Having time to cook. It's soothing and enjoyable for me. (Men, make a note.)
- A walk on a crisp, sunny fall day. I should do that more often.
- Being home for a full week. Meaning not having to do another drive down and back that whole time. Not have to gas up. Again. At least for a few more days.
- The Sing Off. Have I mentioned this show? Have you been watching? Were you sickened to find out the lead singer of Pentatonix was only 19? No, just me, huh? But seriously, that group is amazing. If you like music, or as a geek like me, like a cappella music, you should look up their songs. Jaw dropping.
- I'm a couple weeks away from having a functional portfolio website. You know, on top of this blog, that other one about going green, and everything else, I'm building a website via Wordpress.org. I pretty much live on my computer.
- An all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet yesterday. It got my stomach ready for today's extravaganza.
- THANKSGIVING! Family, reflection, food, football, basketball, more food, food comas, etc.

Thankful Thursday

2011-11-24T00:25:00.000-08:00

Part of me wishes Thanksgiving happened more often. Not because of the food. That would be unnecessary. But because of the reflective side of the holiday.

In my family, we've always used this holiday as a time to share what we're really thankful for, no matter what is going on in life, good or bad. And I wish I did it more often. It's just such a great reminder that life is good.

Today, as I run around frantically preparing food, I thought I'd share a list of things I'm thankful for, right at this moment. These are in no particular order.

1. Health
2. Amazing travels this year
3. Family
4. Good friends, old and new
5. The chance to go to grad school, and enjoying the experience so far
6. Money to pay the bills every month
7. A job flexible enough to work in my life
8. A cute apartment with great roomies
9. A fully functional, fuel efficient car
10. Dogs that like to snuggle
11. Memory foam mattress toppers
12. Blog and internet friends
13. Technology, even if it can be a pain occasionally
14. Two awesome blogs that I'm excited to put time into
15. Having grandparents that live right in town
16. My cousin's healthy new baby
17. A warm cozy bed (that is totally calling to me right now)
18. The start of the college basketball season
19. Finding out about friends and family expecting babies
20. Music that makes me want to dance

I know I have so much more than this to be thankful for. But this is enough to remind me to be content with life.

So, what are you thankful for today?

Now go get your stretchy pants on and get ready to eat! Happy turkey day!

Sweet Potatoes, again

2011-11-23T16:55:00.000-08:00

I'm going back to my sweet potato kick for this one. I'm all about sweet potatoes in the fall and winter, especially when the store down the street has them 2 lbs/$1. My bank account and my belly win.

Sweet Potato Breakfast Scramble

I'd love to give you amounts, but I have no idea for this one.

I diced and lightly sauteed onions, garlic, and peppers (red and green) until the onions became a little translucent.

Then I added the sweet potatoes, peeled and diced, and cooked the mixture until the sweet potatoes were softened. I seasoned it with curry and cumin.

While the potatoes were cooking, I whisked together a couple eggs and milk. Then I added the mixture to the skillet and cooked eggs through.

Put it in a bowl and, voila, a delicious breakfast.

Ten on Tuesday: Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T08:47:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, these questions are actually courtesy of yours truly. I was feeling creative over the weekend in all my spare time and these 10 (well, actually 9, one of them is Chelsea's) questions just came out of nowhere.

It's okay. No need to applaud.

Sorry for the excessive poor humor in this post. I'm actually writing it Monday night and I should really, really be asleep. It's been a long couple of days.

Let's just move on and forget that ever happened. Except for that whole being posted on the internet.

You should definitely join up in the Ten on Tuesday fun by heading over to Roots and Rings. Seriously. Do it.

1. What are you doing for Thanksgiving this year?
My uncle and aunt from my dad's side of the family are driving over for a few days to spend time with us and Grampie. The big event will be at my parents house, which will be entertaining with my grandpa in a wheelchair (he broke his hip this fall) and no entrance without stairs. We're very accessible here.

2. What are you most thankful for this year?
The chance to go back to grad school. Even though I'm more than a little scared about taking out more school loans and what job I'm actually going to have while attending, I feel very blessed to have this opportunity.

3. Do you have any traditions on Thanksgiving? The parade? Football? Long naps?
The parade is not high on that list, only because I don't like what TV has turned it into. Just give me a shot of the main parade area with a little info now and again. Stop with the yammering already. I love football. And I'm not a napper. Never have been. Literally never. Just ask my mother.

4. Is it called stuffing or dressing? Is it in the bird or a separate dish?
Stuffing; dressing goes on salad. And we cook some of both.

5. Do you cook?
More and more every year. My mom had her gall bladder removed last week (we're just falling apart left and right around here), so my aunt and I will be dealing with most of the cooking.

6. What is your favorite dish?
This is a really hard question for me. I love food. I'd probably go with stuffing or green bean cassarole, especially the Paula Dean version. It may not be healthy, but it's delicious. But there is nothing we have in our meal that I don't like. Literally.

7. What is your dessert preference?
I don't really like pie. I know, Thanksgiving sacrilege. Last year we made this really delicious pumpkin bread pudding, courtesy of Bobby Flay's showdown with the Pioneer Woman. You may have heard of them. Anyways, the stuff is like crack, especially fresh out of the oven. And by crack I mean rot your teeth, OD (on sugar) addicting.

8. What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory?
I have a very distinct memory of being at Grampie's (and Grammie's) house one year. One of my cousins had a whoopee cushion, which we preceded to place on Grampie's chair every time he got up. We found it hilarious every time. In related news, my day bought a book about a farting dog at Goodwill tonight. I just thought you should get a true picture of our family.

9. Do you plan to shop on Black Friday?
I'm considering checking out Best Buy after midnight. There's a couple deals I have my eye on and I would actually have to get up early, just stay up for a bit. Then I can sleep in all I want. Last year my sister and I went. We got some good deals and had a plan, but it was exhausting. And I'm already tired enough.

10. What are you most dreading about Thanksgiving this year?
Probably having family around while simultaneously trying to get work and school stuff done. I really need to get a few things accomplished. Work for the money and school because the quarter is almost over. Eek!

Easy Breakfast Cups

2011-11-19T18:26:00.001-08:00

I have another recipe for you today. Though considering my measuring practices, 'recipe' may be a bit of a stretch. My sister found the idea for this treat on Pinterest--the place that sucks all the time and has all the pretty things. Here's our version:

I have no idea what to call this, but it's basically a breakfast sandwich in a muffin tin. So there you go.

You start by flattening a piece of bread and shaping into the muffin tin. We went with 5 for two of us and it ended up being pretty much perfect. Next we layered in cheese, bacon (cooked), and sauteed onions and peppers. Once you have all the filling, crack an egg over the top. Bake at 350 until the egg sets. Take breakfast sandwich muffins out of the tins and consume the deliciousness.

A couple notes: We ended up buying an oversized muffin tin for the second batch so we could get more goodies in each cup. Also, I ended up using a scramble egg mixture (eggs and milk) the second time. Be warned that the mixture will expand, so don't fill to the rim.

I would love to try this with biscuit dough instead. Yum!

What fun dishes have you made lately?

Awkward and Awesome: Late Night List

2011-11-17T15:55:00.001-08:00

I really need to start writing these things down throughout the week because I can't help but feel like I'm forgetting things when I try to recreate the week in awkward/awesome form.

Maybe someday I actually will.

Awkward:
- Getting the flattest of flat tires last week.
- My lack of motivation this week. I've gotten everything done that I need to, but I can't help but think I could have done a better job.
- Trying to maneuver two people (a.k.a. my grandparents) and their wheelchairs. It's not easy, I'll tell you that much.
- Meeting a ton of new people and trying to remember all their names. I fail at that.
- I've driven over 2,500 miles in the past 2 months. Me no likey. So many gallons of gas.
- It's that point in the quarter where I really need to create some to do lists. Otherwise, there is always some I forget.
- Class cancellations at work. I need those dollars. Not that I really hate sleeping in, but I'm not exactly swimming in money.
- The ADD nature of my digital life. The iPhone is great, but sometimes I have trouble deciding whether to use my computer or my phone for certain things, like tweeting, when both are near by. It's pretty much a first world problem.
- My sleep schedule. If I fall asleep before midnight, it's pretty much a miracle.

Awesome:
- Puppy cuddles. I got to play with a friend's puppy tonight and loved every minute of it.
- Extra time off work.
- Fun times out with friends and the movies last weekend that included a trip to a dueling piano bar.
- Successfully putting a spare on with a friend and having my flat tire fixed for free at Les Schwab.
- Having really awesome guest speakers in grad school. Jordan Weisman was in class this week. Google his name. Crazy cool.
- We still haven't turned on our heat in our apartment. Nov. 17th and counting...
- Criminal Minds. Intense. But not safe for right before bed.
- My hair. The length is awesome. My curls are cooperating. I often wake up and head out without doing anything--whether I should or not.
- Words With Friends. I haven't won yet, but I still love playing. I currently have about 6 different games going. If you want a chance to win, I'm eewiley.

Ten on Tuesday: Food, Work, and other stuff.

2011-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Guys, it's almost Thanksgiving, which means Christmas is closing in. And that just reminds me that I'm a little behind on my Christmas shopping.

I'd rather have it mostly done by next week so I don't have to deal with the craziness that is the Christmas shopping season. So, get your requests in soon, otherwise who knows what you'll end up with!

Now, onto to the Tuesday morning line up. Head on over to Roots and Rings to join in the fun.

1. What are your pantry staples?
Pasta, black beans, salsa and chips, tomato products, bread, peanut butter, tea, and recently, sweet potatoes.

2. What are your refrigerator staples?
Milk, eggs, cheese, cream cheese, butter--apparently anything dairy--and fruits/veggies, which vary depending on price/availability. I've been going for pomegranates and just picked up some asparagus.

3. You already look like Heidi Klum (or your favorite supermodel). Now, what are the top three non-physical things you would change about yourself?
My fear of letting others down,

4. What’s holding you back from your dream job? (If you already have your dream job, how did you get there?)
Experience. In the current climate it's really hard to compete. That's why I'm going to grad school.

5. You have $500 to spend but it has to be on one item only. Go.
Frye boots, I've been lusting like "whoa".

6. What is something that you are embarrassed to admit you buy on a regular basis?
I've cut back on my spending this fall. Outside of bills, it's mostly food purchases, and I can't think of anything embarrassing I purchase a lot. When I was younger lass, I purchased a lot of shoes and nail polish (a.k.a. a couple months ago). If you know me well, and can think of something, now is the time to call me out!

7. What’s in/on your bed every night?
Me. Usually my cell phone (a decent distance from my person). An extra blanket. A handful of pillows. And if I'm at my parent's, their springer spaniel.

8. What is a non-necessity item that, no matter how expensive it gets or how tight your budget if, you will always find room for it?
One pair of jeans that fits really, really well. So versatile and helpful for putting together many an outfit.

9. What is the weirdest sandwich you’ve ever made?
I don't really do "weird" sandwiches. I like cream cheese on my grilled cheese sandwiches, but I think that's more indulgent than weird.

10. Would you rather: Be banned from Pinterest forever, but gain a million captive Twitter followers; or, never get on Facebook again but gain five thousand blog readers?
I'd probably give up Facebook, not because I really, really desire making it big with my blog, but because I'm completely addicted to Pinterest. I don't want to give it up. Ever.

Life's Little (annoying) Surprises

2011-11-12T20:42:00.001-08:00

I had invited a friend over after we finished up a school project to have dinner. She was following me home when I heard an thumping noise and felt my car veer right.

The passenger side front tire was completely flat. As a pancake.

But we prevailed.

You can read more about our adventure over at C's blog for class, all about learning about car care. I was so happy to provide her with easy blog material.

(For serious, go give my friend some love.)

I came home and made homemade mac 'n' cheese for some good comfort. And drank wine. It just needed to happen.

Luckily, today has been wonderfully relaxing and fun. My dad came down for the day and we spent time thrifting, eating at a great Indian restaurant, going to a college basketball game, shopping a little, and getting fro-yo. Many of my favorite things here in Seattle.

Now I'm relaxing and getting ready to meet up with friends at an Irish pub for some evening fun. It's like I actually have a life down here in the Emerald City. I kind of like it (even if I could go for a little more sleep).

Hope you are all enjoying your weekends like "whoa"!

Awkward and Awesome: And so it goes.

2011-11-10T14:22:00.001-08:00

I don't even have much to say right now, so I'll just let you read on. Happy almost Friday!

Awkward:
- Day 2 of a headache that actually kept me from working yesterday. So instead I drove up north Tuesday night, hung out in bed/on the couch, and drove back down for class Wednesday afternoon. Awesome.
- Having a ton of stuff due this next week. It's time to buckle down and focus my energy. You know, the energy sucked up by my head.
- My desire to stay in bed all the day long. It does not help with my productivity. Not at all.
- How early it gets dark. It's like the day is over before it really gets going. And I hate driving to class in the dark. But just think, only three more months of this.
- The amount of blog reading and writing I do. Between this blog and my blog for school, plus all of the blogs I try to follow it's pretty much out of control.
- Irritating my face with apple cider vinegar. You can read more about on my "going green" blog.

Awesome:
- Whole Foods salad bar and Jamba Juice. So good. And healthy. Everybody wins (except my bank account).
- Dumpster diving (or hectoring as my dad would say) with friends from grad school (also having friends from grad school) that resulted in free chocolate.
- Being able to wear my sister's pants. This is a new development that brings so much wardrobe joy.
- Getting tickets from a friend to see some college basketball this weekend. So sweet!
- Power reading through two chapters before class last night.
- My cousins adorable little baby. I can't wait to meet him!!!
- Payday!
- Getting one of two presentations done for the quarter last night. Also, feeling pretty good about my grade for that class. Now I just need to build a website, no big deal.

Recent Food Stuff

2011-11-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

Now that I don't live with the padres, I actually cook now and again. I try to cook ALL the time, so I just make really big batches and feast of leftovers.

Anyway, I thought I'd highlight a couple dishes I've cooked recently that turned out really, really delicious. And that I want to keep eating.

I should warn you that I don't actually cook by recipe much, unless I something pretty specific and new in mind. But I'll do my best to estimate for you.

First up are Sweet Potato Enchiladas. I'm seriously addicted to sweet potatoes. You'll see it a few times.

To make these I peeled, cut, and roasted three semi-large sweet potatoes. To roast, I left in the oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. While the sweet potatoes were roasting, I sauteed diced onion (1/2 an onion) and minced garlic (3 cloves--I love garlic!), added already cooked black beans (1 can) to let the flavor mix and stirred them into a bowl with corn (1 can, but I prefer frozen).

Once the potatoes were done, I heated tortillas to make them easy to work with. I opened up my enchilada sauce (1 large can, from scratch was not in the plans for this project) and spread a little along the bottom of the pan. Then, one-by-one, I filled tortillas with the sweet potatoes and vegetable mixture and rolled them up in the pan.

When the pan was full, I topped it with the remaining enchilada sauce and lots of grated cheese. I cooked the enchiladas at 350 for about 25 minutes--long enough for the cheese to melt and bubble.

A few notes: I probably wouldn't use the corn again, certainly not from the can. And I'd be tempted to add sauteed mushrooms. But then, I'm as addicted to mushrooms as I am to sweet potatoes. Finally, the enchilada sauce is pretty key. Make you pick a tasty one. I got El Pato and really liked it.

That's the recipe for this week. I'll do my best to continue share things I'm making. You know, the ones that actually taste good.

Ten on Tuesday: A Potpourri

2011-11-08T12:27:00.000-08:00

As you can see, I'm busy working on reading for school. I actually finished a really dense chapter and promised myself a break. In the form of blogging. That's when you know you are addicted. For serious.

Head on over to Roots and Rings if you want to join in this week's Ten on Tuesday questions.

1. What's your favorite television show for each day of the week?
Sunday - The Good Wife
Monday - The Sing-Off
Tuesday - The New Girl
Wednesday - Criminal Minds
Thursday - Grey's Anatomy
Friday - Extreme Makeover Home Edition
Saturday - it's my day off

And yes, I do watch a lot of television.

2. How many times do you wear your jeans before you wash them?
Until I notice visible stains or they get really stretched out. It's an exact science.

3. What is your favorite pasta shape?
I like the "bite size" types. Spiral, bowtie, penne--that sort of thing.

4. Do you read newspapers?
Sometimes. I try to keep up on current events, but more often than not I read specific articles, not the whole paper.

5. Do you sleep in socks?
Never. They drive me nuts. My feet get hot. I kick them off. Then they are in the bed. Not okay. I'd rather tough out a short period of cold feet.

6. Favorite genre of movie?
It really depends on my mood. Sometimes I need comedy, other times it's a good chick flick, maybe some action. I am really all over the place.

7. How do you feel about wrestling?
Depends, are we talking WWF or freestyle/grecco-roman Olympic style. I worked for USA Wrestling (true story) so I have soft spot in my heart for those athletes. And once you understand it, it can be captivating. I still find the practice areas or "mat rooms" more than a little gross (even though they are cleaned A LOT).

8. Should men pluck their eyebrows?
How do the eyebrows look afterwards? That pretty much determines whether the plucking was a good idea, men and women alike.

9. Do you have dimples?
I'm dimple-less.

10. Do you like to camp?
Yes, definitely. I grew up camping. It's been a while and I definitely need to do some camping next spring/summer. And yes, I am a bit of a fair weather camper. It's self-preservation.

Friday Photo Dump

2011-11-04T15:57:00.000-07:00

It's been a while (and by a while, I mean 12 days) since I've shared some photos of life recently. Obviously, we're long over due.

Highlights from the past however long: two different Halloween outfits for which I bought nothing, a fresh hair cut (grow bangs grow!), new dishes cooked and eaten, beautiful fall colors and sunshine, and time with the family.

Happy Friday and have a fabulous weekend!

Awkward and Awesome: It Keeps Coming

2011-11-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

I've hit that point in the quarter, with the driving and the class, where I really just want to sleep. I'm lucky if I fall asleep before midnight. I've spent more on gas than the past year or so prior combined.

But this program, school, is totally worth it. And I have my days of non-work when I don't have to get up at a set time. You better believe I take advantage of that.

Anyways, on to the awkward and awesomes...

Awkward:
- Having my gas cap fall off and roll under my car Tuesday night. I was stopped at 11:30 at night. The perfect time for a girl by herself to gas up. And it was cold. I did what anyone would do--put my car in neutral and Fred Flintstoned it. Nothing like a little foot power to get the car moving and gas cap recovered without having to crawl on the ground.
- Finding a cheap gas option and that gas station being closed for the evening.
- Giving in to a craving for fast food last night. Let's be real though, it was delicious and I made it halfway through the quarter before giving in.
- The first time having to scrape my windshield this year. Never an enjoyable task.
- Hitting that point in the quarter at school where it doesn't seem possible to get everything done in the time left.
- My parallel parking attempt last night. It was dismal at best. And that's usually something I excel at. Always have.

- Feeling like I have a lot to do and I"m making the most of my time. What are your keys to efficiency?

Awesome:
- Having a class cancelled today at work--giving me time to run a few errands and drive south early enough to miss traffic.
- A fun Halloween weekend. Old friends, new friends, outfits that I paid $0 for.
- Egg Nog lattes. They pretty much make my life this time of year.
- Feeling like I know a little bit about web programming. I can't really do it at this point, but I can speak a little of the language.
- the combination of Target, happy hour, and froyo. Pretty hard to beat.
- Sunny fall days. We've been having them regularly interspersed between the rain/fog/dark normal stuff and I love it. It makes the shorter days doable.
- Skyping with our Finnish cousins. It was so good to see them and catch up!
- My cousin should be having her baby in the next few days. She's due tomorrow. I can't wait to meet little JR.
- Finding out another cousin is having a baby later this year. So many babies. Except for me. That's not going to happen for quite a while.

My Other Blog

2011-11-02T12:52:00.000-07:00

I swear I'm not cheating on you all with another blog. I mentioned last week that I had started up a blog for a class at school. It's something I'm pretty excited about and wanted to share with all my readers here.

The blog is Using This, Not That over on Wordpress. It's about my transition to making better choices in the products I'm using, both for environmental and personal health reasons.

I think it's easy to become passive as a consumer and it's really important for us to be critical of how, where, and on what we're spending our money.

I don't think there's one "right" way to live, but I do think we can also make small changes that will have an impact on our own lives and the world around us. Those changes can even be easy and more cost effective than what we are currently doing. For real.

I've published a total of four posts so far, so I'm pretty much an expert already (SF).

You can check out my latest post here. I'd love to get your feedback, hear your knowledge, and have you call me out on anything that doesn't really make sense.

Ten on Tuesday: Back from a Hiatus

2011-11-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a little bit behind schedule this morning, ahem, afternoon. Now how did that happen? Obviously, putting together a blog post will only help this feeling. Right?

Anyways, I'm back for Ten on Tuesday this week. Head on over to Chelsea's blog to join in on the fun.

1. What is your favorite month?
I really love June. The days are long and somewhat sunny, the promise of the whole summer is before you, the grass is beautifully green, and my birthday is fast approaching.

2. What is the best candy to get while trick or treating?
I love anything chocolate and peanut butter. Reese's peanut butter cups were always the best.

3. What kind of pen do you use?
I use whatever pen happens to be lying around. I actually can't remember the last time I purchased a pen. Is that weird?

4. You go to a new Italian restaurant, what is your go-to order?
Probably some sort of seafood pasta or a stuffed ravioli. But with a side of salad so it's really healthy.

5. If you could choose to have any celebrity’s hair, who’s would you choose?
I really love Zooey Deschenal's hair, minus the bangs because they would drive me batty. Really, this question should read, what celebrity's hair stylist would you like to do your hair, because you know their hair doesn't look that great magically.

Also Diane Lane's hair in Under the Tuscan Sun is glorious.

6. What’s your favorite board game?
How about some of my favorites from childhood -- Sorry, Clue, and Yahtzee (I know, not really a boardgame).

7. Do you know how to play poker?
I've been known to play now again, but I'm not serious about it. I can deal Texas Hold 'Em if I need to.

8. What do you think about Old Navy commercials?
Let's be honest, Old Navy commercials have never really be pieces of art, or creative genius, but the current campaign is even worse than usual.

9. What hurts worse- a stubbed toe or a paper cut?
That could be pretty situational dependent. A cardboard cut is absolutely awful. But if you stubbed your toe hard enough to break it? That's no fun either. Most of the time, I'd probably rather have a stubbed toe. It hurts for a bit and then you get over it. With a papercut, you are reminded every time the wrong liquid hits it.

10. What’s your favorite kind of pie?
I'll be honest. I'm not much of a pie person. I love eating raw pie dough, though. And anything with a cookie crust is pretty yummy.

Awkward and Awesome: Brought to you by Friday

2011-10-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. This is late. But seriously, this week has kicked my butt. I was driving back to work-home after class Tuesday night, and for the first time this quarter I felt completely exhausted.

But I've made it half way through and we were told in orientation that this first quarter is the hardest. And once I get through this weekend and next week and a few more weeks after that, I will be on break. So that's not so bad, right?

I have been working on my list of Awkwards and Awesomes, so I wanted to share, even if I am a day late.

Awkward:
- how sweaty biking too and from campus makes me. Not that it stops me, but I don't have to like it.
- my level of tiredness this evening. Yesterday was long, this morning was early, and I was not as productive this afternoon as I had hoped. Sometimes you just have to take a break.
- a health scare with my mom last Friday involving her heart. A stressful afternoon. Things turned out much better than expected though.
- my sleep schedule. For serious, my body wakes up on its own, at the earliest, around 8:30am. But since I often have to be awake late into the night, I don't mind. The only real problem is on the two work days when I have to be up around 7:30. That's not fun.
- forgetting my homemade apple butter at my parent's house again. Someday I'll get to actually eat some.
- the amount of reading I have to get done this weekend. And of course, I'm choosing to blog right now instead.

Awesome:
- seeing pictures of a friend's baby sucking it's thumb in utero. So freaking adorable.
- roommate hangouts that involve long walks in the park and froyo. Yummy.
- getting to cook and bake. I've recently feel in love with sweet potatoes enchiladas and I whipped up a batch of apple butter over the weekend.
- some really beautiful fall weather. There were a few days that had the perfect fall weather. The sun was shiny and the temperature was crisp. So lovely.
- getting my hair cut and styled. It's the chance to have a hairstyle you could never replicate. I'm always determined to make them last as long as possible.
- winning a $20 gift card at a styling event with Emerald Closet at Gap last night. So fun to have my name called!
- lots of fun plans for the weekend and finally figuring out what I'm dressing up as. And not having to buy a thing for my outfit. I'll share pictures soon.
- the delicious quiche and coffee I had this morning.

This Week in Photos

2011-10-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

Now that I've had some time to play with my iPhone and it's amazing camera, I thought I'd share my life in pictures.

I've always wanted to do a better job of documenting my life through photos and now that I will always have a decent camera with me, I think I might actually accomplish it. Fingers crossed.

It's been a bit of a crazy weekend and I'm still working hard at school stuff while watching my team lose. You know, the fun stuff.

At least you can enjoy (?) some pictures...

Have a good Sunday Funday Fatday tomorrow! (A.K.A. Relax, enjoy yourself, and don't think about calories.)

Awkward and Awesome: #25

2011-10-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

If my tags are to be trusted, this is the 25th time I've participated in Awkward and Awesome. Wowsa. Who knew I had could be so committed?!

Awkward:
- still in my pajamas after sleeping in until 11:30 this morning the schedule of the past week did me in.
- trying to muster up the energy to get some school work done. Hey, at least I already worked today. At home. In my pajamas.
- autocorrect on my iPhone leading my roommates to think I was drunk last weekend. I was at Hard Rock, not Hard Rick. Also, I had only had one beer at that point.
- having to edit a transcript twice for work.
- my time online just being increased by school. I mean, now I have an excuse, but it's pretty much impossible to get away.

Awesome:
- the recent blogger bake swap. Shanna over at Shanna Like Banana sent me some really delicious pumpkin dark chocolate chunk cookies. Thanks!
- winning Katie's shop-my-closet giveaway over at Glamorous Without the Guilt. More fun stuff in the mail.
- my cousin sending my watch and contacts case that I left behind on my last trip across the mountains. Now I know what time it is and I can see!
- Fun plans for the weekend including a visit with an old friend tomorrow and a birthday celebration.
- Baking. I love that fall temperatures make something warm and delicious out of the over that much better.
- using Skype as part of our class this week. It was so cool. Also, there's constant Twitter conversations, in case any of you who follow me there are wondering about the #mcdm546 hashtags.

Apartment Tour, the bedroom.

2011-10-19T23:09:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd finally share a little piece of our apartment with you all. We're starting in the bedroom my sister and I share. We've slowly made it home and I think we're happy with it.

If only there was a little more storage. Like a massive walk-in closet or something. That'd be nice. But I don't think our bank accounts could handle it.

I'm getting away from the point of sharing the pictures with you though. So here you go...

Left: view walking in the door; Right: Looking left towards the shower.

Top view: vanity with bedroom door on left; Bottom: looking into bedroom from the vanity area.

Top left: back towards the vanity and blackboard vinyl decals on wall;

Bottom left: wider view of wall with dresser, TV, my bedside table;

Middle: My side of the closet, organized by type of clothes and color;

Right: Our only window and bookshelf (mostly shoes).

Top: My bed and artwork, decal from etsy & framed pictures from Michaels, duvet cover from Ikea;

Bottom: My sister's side, tin artwork was mostly gifts, I bought her the duvet cover from Marimekko in Finland this summer.

And finally, and perhaps most importantly, our shoes. The right picture is mine and the left is ours combined. Luckily enough we wear the same size shoes. Winning!

The obsession is just beginning.

2011-10-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

I don't actually have my iPhone 4S yet. But the phone is in the same city as me now. It's a long convoluted story that I won't get into today. Suffice it to say, I'm a little itchy to get ahold of it and start playing.

In the interim, I've been ~~obsessing~~ researching iPhone cases to protect my baby from my clumsy ways. There are a ton of options out there. It's overwhelming.

So I did what anyone would do when overwhelmed...I bought two.

There was the practical, recommended choice, which is pretty:

Speck Candyshell

And the fun, nostalgic choice (via my brother):

eBay Etch-a-Sketch case

What do you think?

Awkward and Awesome: Yep.

2011-10-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

My brain is a little shot. I think it's the whole grad school, work, wandering the state, etc. stuff I have going on in life. So this is what you get for Thursday, because I've been staring at this box for way too long.

Happy almost Friday all!

Awkward:
- Headaches
- Having a box of wine in my trunk for three weeks. It finally made it inside today.
- Being "this close" to being able to hang all the art in our living room. We need a couple frames and a good day of crafting. And some paint and glue.
- Class all day long this Sunday. I'm sure I'll learn a ton of useful stuff, but it's going to be a long day.
- The downpour on my drive home on Tuesday. I could barely see getting off the freeway. Crazytown.

Awesome:
- My purity ring that my parents bought me fitting again. This losing weight stuff is something.
- A few free groceries from my dad. And free laundry at my parents.
- Froyo...there's a fabulous place right in the neighborhood. You make your own concoction and pay by the ounce. Delicious and totally reasonably priced.
- The Sing Off. I love a cappella music. Times a lot.
- Sunny fall days. The air is crisp and clean. I can't get enough.

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T23:27:00.000-07:00

Pictures from not very recently. But enjoy anyways. Also, these are completely untouched. I just thought I'd add that disclaimer.

A gorgeous sunset.

DIY Sparkly Frenchtip variation

Soap making with the mom and sis.

Gorgeous flowers.

Driving an old farm truck.

Froyo and sunnies--back when it was summer.

On a wine tasting adventure.

Weekend Snapshot (pictures not included)

2011-10-10T23:31:00.000-07:00

The weekend was a blast. It's always great to spend time with family and I have a growing fondness for driving whenever possible.

Not only did we celebrate my cousin's soon-to-be born little baby boy (can't wait to meet him!), but I got to hang out with one of my closest friends from college, and bonfire it up for my other cousin's birthday.

I'd love to show you pictures of the weekend, but I completely forgot it on the kitchen counter. I know that seems like a weird location, but I just had to take pictures of homemade pizza last week.

Instead, I'll improvise with a few verbal "pictures" (a.k.a. descriptions) for you.

Friday: Driving across the state, after a little meander through Redmond. It was lovely little side trip. Catching up with my cousin's wife, who tagged along for the ride.

Saturday morning: My cousin's shower, full of lots of food (because that's how we roll), family and friends, and some really adorable baby gifts.

Saturday afternoon: A visit to the organic farm for pumpkins and u-pick flowers. Games at the friend's house. Hearing about exciting life changes. Drinking homemade strawberry lemonade.

Saturday evening: scoping out my cousin's new tattoo, his delicious birthday dinner and present time, and a bonfire with 50 or 60 of his closest friends. Also featured at the bonfire, a pitcher of margaritas shared by my sister and I.

Sunday: Mostly spent driving across the state after watching Bridesmaid with the aunt, sister, and a completely different cousin in the morning. Finishing up a video for work. Watching some TV and snuggling with the Jamaica-dog.

That brings me to Monday. During which I worked and did a little more driving. It was a blast, thanks for asking.

(I really should come up with nicknames for each of my cousins so it's less confusing, but I don't have the energy for that right now.)

Now onto the rest of a week, which includes work, class, and a to-do list a mile long or so.

My Memories Winner

2011-10-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

The winner of the MyMemories software is Brittany! Congrats! Shoot me an email at lizard22w(at)gmail(dot)com for your download code.

And don't forget you can buy your software for $10 off, and get $10 to use towards downloads, with my code: STMMMS68576.

(Disclaimer: I will receive $20 for every purchase made using the discount code. But hey, we both win!)

Weekending

2011-10-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

I'm headed off to the east side of the state for the weekend. My cousin is having a baby and the next month and it's time to give her some gifts to prepare her.

I'm pretty excited to see family, maybe a friend or two, and use all the time in the car to get some reading done for school. The joys of being back at it.

In other exciting news, I ordered an iPhone 4S last night. It was a bit of a pain, but I got an order confirm so I'm not going to complain any more than that. Pretty much just a first world problem anyway.

Before I take off for a land far, far away, I wanted to remind you to go enter my giveaway. Free online scrapbook software. And your chances of winning are really high. Don't even stop to think about it--just do it.

And have a great weekend. I hope to be back next week with more than three posts. But no promises. Life is a little crazy.

Now excuse me while I go pack.

Ten on Tuesday hits the century mark.

2011-10-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

Psst! Don't forget to enter my giveaway.

This week is the 100th of Chelsea hosting Ten on Tuesday over at her blog. That's practically two years. Crazy!

Feel free to head on over to her blog and join in on the celebrations. She'll be drawing for the 100th giveaway tonight, so there's still a chance to win.

1. How do you take your coffee?
Lately I've been taking my espresso in my chai. However, this summer I started drinking coffee with just a little milk thanks to the Finnish relatives.

2. Do you prefer soft or crispy chocolate chip cookies?
Soft. Less baked. A cookie dough consistency. Okay, really I just like cookie dough.

3. Do you wear a belt everyday?
No, though I probably wear a belt more now than I have in years.

4. What is your favorite color combination?
For real, I have to pick one? Um, lately I've been digging turquoise, white, and black with pops of red. But it really depends on the day and what I see on Pinterest.

5. Do you like sour candy?
Yes. I don't eat it often though because it makes my cheeks hurt. Just me?

6. How often do you do laundry?
Recently I've been doing laundry weekly, when I'm back at my parent's house, but that's unusual. In the past, I've lasted for however long I still have clean underway. Everything else I can improvise.

7. Did you ever wear braces?
Yes, and for much longer than the orthodontist told me I'd have to. But I don't have the overbite anymore, so that's good.

8. Are you good at Roman Numerals?
To a certain point, then it's all letters jumbled together.

9. What is your favorite form of social media?
Twitter has been my top choice of late. Or Pinterest. I have been neglecting Facebook and G+. Pick your battles.

10. How do you feel about chin dimples?
They are cute.

First Giveaway Ever!

2011-10-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited about this, guys. I am doing a giveaway. For you. And it's all thanks to the people over at My Memories.

This is award winning digital scrapbook software that is extremely easy and fun to use. My Memories Suite is rated #1 by Amazon and TopTen Reviews.

I am not a scrap booker. I love the idea of it, but don't have the patience or creativity to make what I would like. So the idea of a digital version, when I do most of my photo work on a computer anyways, is very appealing.

I am especially excited to put it to use in documenting my trip from earlier this summer.

For example, I can highlight major locations I visited in Great Britain with a simple collage:

And while My Memories is scrapbook software, it can be used for other projects as well.

As you know, I recently moved south ~~for the winter~~ for grad school and still haven't had many people over to see the new place. Someday soon we hope to have an open house for family and friends, so I whipped up a little invite:

There are countless other fun projects I spotted on My Memories, including Christmas tags, calendars, and much more.

Entering to win is simple. Visit MyMemories.com, look at the digital paper packs, layouts, etc., and leave me a comment about what you liked.

You have through Friday to enter (before 12am PST Saturday, October 8). I'll do a random drawing and announce the winner over the weekend.

Now go check it out!

If you can't wait for the end of the giveaway for the software, you can buy it now for $10 off the price and $10 to use on downloads. Just use the code: STMMMS68576.

(Disclaimer: I will receive $20 for every purchase made using the discount code. But hey, we both win!)

Fall Fashion Week: Until We Meet Again

2011-09-29T22:18:00.000-07:00

This is it. The end. Finito. It has been a fun fashion-filled week. And I loved all the encouragement, compliments, and love floating around.

It's been lovely. Uplifting. Wonderful.

On the other hand, I am excited about having a little more free time. There were a lot of blogs to keep up with.

This outfit is actually similar to what I wore on the ultimately fateful (but fun) trip wine tasting last week. The shirt and shoes are the same, with a different pair of pants.

A word about the shoes--I purchased them this summer on my grand European adventure, and I can walk in them forever. Seriously. Love!

Thanks again for an amazing week! Can't wait to see you all again next time. Head over to Emery's blog to check everyone else out and thank our lovely host!

Outfit Details:

shirt: Nordstrom, jeans: Gap (straight leg, my new fave)

shoes: York, London, watch: Anne Klein,

bracelet: gift from Finnish cousins

Fall Fashion Week: In a Rush

2011-09-28T23:54:00.000-07:00

Lucky for you all, it's time for a sneak peak of the apartment (I've been here long enough I can't even call it new anymore). It's the sidewalk out front. Yay!

As you may or may not be able to tell, I'm a little loopy right now. I woke up late this morning and haven't really been able to relax since. There was work, driving, school, more work, and now a blog post.

And the blog post is definitely taking the smallest chunk of time. And now that I think about it, that's a good thing.

It should be noted that today was a little warm for tights, except for walking to my car this morning and after class tonight. Also not pictured is the cardigan worn during those brief periods. You'll have to get over my omission.

Don't forget to visit Emery's blog (I'm a terrible person for not including the cool button this whole time) and check out all the beautiful women. I'll be back tomorrow to actually look at some outfit posts. Today was a big of a lost cause for that.

Thanks again for all your wonderful comments!

(Something really weird is going on with my chin/neck here.)

Outfit Details:

dress: no clue, maybe a gift, Mom?

tights: Hue, boots: Steve Madden

As you can see I went light on the accessories. I had my white watch on, but the battery died a little before 2pm. Oh well.

Also, these photos were taken in about 30 seconds by my sister. Not picture: my curtsy. I did it too quickly for her to catch on camera. I'm a ninja. A curtsy ninja.

On that note, I really, really should go to bed. Happy Thursday!

Fall Fashion Week: Magenta

2011-09-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

I don't have many words today. There's been some frustration to deal with and I don't really want that to spill out here.

And tomorrow's going to be a long day, that includes my very first grad school class. 6-10pm.

So I'll just leave you with my outfit for today.

And a reminder to head over to the fabulous Emery's blog to see what everyone else is wearing!

(Guest starring our springer spaniel, Jamaica.)

Outfit details:

cardigan & shirt: Gap, skirt: J. Crew

tights: Hue (Macy's), shoes: Rocket Dog

purse: (thrifted and gifted by my cousin)

necklace: purchased at Portobello Market in London

glasses: SpexClub

Ten on Tuesday: Doubling Up

2011-09-27T19:08:00.000-07:00

I'll keep the intro short and sweet, since you are getting so much posting from me this week. Here's the Ten on Tuesday questions for the week, all about traveling. Head on over to Chelsea's blog to join in.

1. What is your dream vacation?
I'll let you know when I experience it. I love the idea of going to a tropical destination and staying in a hut over the water. I want to jump off the deck into the water and lounge around reading.

2. What has been your favorite trip so far in your life?
Europe this summer, hands down, was the best ever. Costa Rica might come in at second. A trip across the Canadian Rockies, through Calgary, and down to Glacier in Montana was another good one. I've had a lot of pretty awesome opportunities in my life.

3. If you and one of your best friends could go anywhere in the world for one week, where would it be and why?All expenses paid?
Honestly, one week doesn't sound like long enough.

4. Have you ever booked a trip using an online deal? How did it go?
I've used websites to book flights or hotels, but I've never booked a whole vacation that way. Sometimes I'm tempted by deals, but part of me wonders if they would really be as good as they seem.

5. What’s your favorite thing to do while you’re on vacation?
Depends on where I'm visiting. Sometimes I like to relax, sometimes I like to take in as many sites as possible.

6. Have you ever missed an opportunity to take a trip that you regret?
I'm not one to let an opportunity to travel slip through my fingers. In fact, if there are any offers out there, I'm available. (Not really, but I could make it happen.)

7. You travel far away from home and get stranded with no way to buy anything, what’s the one thing you can’t live without?
Clean underwear or a toothbrush.

8. What’s one of your favorite traveling memories?
Using old receipts to play hangman while on the day cruise from Helsinki to Tallinn this summer with my aunt and cousins. We might have gone crazy otherwise. It was a long 4 hours of sitting around.

9. All included resort or backpacking? Why?
I'd probably go with the resort, but only because it seems way beyond my means. Well, it doesn't just seem beyond my means. It is beyond my means. That said, there are some places it would be really cool to backpack.

10. Are you more of a lie on the beach kind of person on vacation, or do you prefer to see the sights?
Haha...see question five. That totally depends on where I'm vacationing.

Fall Fashion Week: Finally Fall

2011-09-26T22:04:00.000-07:00

Before I get started with my outfit, here's my life post, I just wanted to say I love the community happening this week.

I love that all these bloggers, from all over, who cover all different topics, are sharing and supporting each other. I feel truly blessed to be meeting you all and receiving your encouragement. Thank you to everyone who has stopped by, commented, or joined in on Emery's page.

I've mentioned this before, but in my neck of the woods autumn means rain. And today it meant a lot of wind. I was lucky enough to never lose power, but other people did.

Add to this weather scenario the fact that I didn't pack a raincoat when I headed north from my apartment to stay with parents before working today (Monday), and, well, there's the potential for a weather-related mishap. (Worst sentence construction ever, I know.)

Luckily my mom cleared up my coatless quandry by conferring on me her completely cute raincoat. (That was to make up for the previous sentence and was helped by thesaurus.) And it went with the outfit I had packed. Double win.

(As a side note, my mom's blog is a great daily devotional type read. If you like that type of thing.)

(Also, try to forgive me my hair, which has successfully avoided shampoo for a third day. I don't do early morning showers. Sleep always wins.)

So a day that started with the possibility of disaster ended up pretty darn good.

Feel free to join in Fashion Week over at Emery's blog. It's not too late!

Here's what I wore:

(see, super cute--thanks Mom!)

And a close shot of the earrings for your enjoyment:

Outfit Details:

shirt: purchased on my trip to Finland,

cardigan: a gift from Mom a couple years ago,

jeans: Nordstrom (gift from Mom),

boots: Steve Madden (via DSW),

earrings: Silpada

Fall Fashion Week: Not so lazy. At all.

2011-09-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

Today (Sunday) was a full day of orientation. On Wednesday I started classes to get my Master's of Communication in Digital Media. After this weekend I'm excited and ready to work my butt off.

My cohort had a bit of a bootcamp today, and by the time we reached the last presentation, we were more than a little brain dead and ready for the ice cream truck that followed.

All the food was a little behind schedule for the day. Between a visit from the President (yes, that one), a home football game, and end of the season construction, traffic was weirdly an issue. But when the food and dessert did come, it was worth the wait.

Unlike so many of you lucky ladies, I didn't get to wear comfy clothes and have a lazy day. I wouldn't have changed my day, but I was more than a little jealous of so many of you.

On a weather-related note, it was supposed to be rainy today, but the sun came out at the dessert reception and I was a little warm in a cardigan and tights.

Also, sorry for the poor picture quality. But at least the LED lights are energy efficient.

Here's what I wore:

Outfit details:

cardigan: Nordstrom (gift), dress: Banana Republic (thrifted)

belt: cannot remember, tights: old, flats: Rocket Dog

earrings: Silpada (not really visible), watch: Fossil

Fall Fashion Week: Getting Oriented

2011-09-24T22:03:00.000-07:00

(Head on over to Emery's blog to join in!)

I know this is Fall Fashion Week, but the past few days have been warm, muggy, and quite summer-like. And we in the PNW haven't been complaining as our summer was little lackluster.

Never fear though, the temperature is supposed to be cool and accompanied by rain. That's what fall means here.

Saturday was half full of orientation for school. We were having our cohort picture taken, so I wanted to look nice, but I also biked to campus to avoid football game traffic, so it had to be bike appropriate. I should add that I biked longer today than I have in the past decade combined.

And thanks to the summer weather, I was a sweaty mess. I actually walked my bike up one hill on the way there to keep from being a complete disaster.

And with that long and convoluted intro, here's the actual outfit. (More to come on grad school later, when I have caught my breath and gotten through the second day of orientation.)

Oh, and to plantmyappletree, who commented about my hair...thanks! I claim the curl as my own (and love it!), but the color is sadly not natural. :)

Outfit Details:

top: Old Navy, belt: unknown

skirt and shoes: Gap, watch: Fossil,

earrings: from Costa Rica (not really pictured)

Isn't the lighting in our apartment lovely?!

Fall Fashion Week: Slow Start

2011-09-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

Wearing:

sunnies: Sketchers, tank top: Marshalls,

jeans: Old Navy, shoes: Seychelles,

bag: Lucky Brand

My plans this week have already been derailed a little.

I went wine tasting yesterday with good friends (more on that later) and hoped to get a picture of my outfit, but then I came home and spent the even sick. I was sleeping in between bouts of sickness starting at 7pm.

So pictures of that outfit aren't going to show up today.

Instead, I'm falling back on this shot from Fashion Night Out from much earlier in the month. But I could have been wearing this yesterday as well. It did get up to 80, as it's supposed to today as well. The rest of the week should seem much more fall-like, as the rain is supposed to start up on Sunday.

I do find it somewhat fitting to be using a picture from Fashion Week for our Fashion Week. And hopefully tomorrow I'll come back ready for the next six days.

Head over to Emery's blog to join in the fun!

Awkward and Awesome: Heavy on the Wednesday

2011-09-22T16:30:00.000-07:00

I'm going to work hard to not let the Wednesday I had not to overpower this list, but it won't be easy. Sometimes there are just days full of stuff. You know?

(I actually just briefly flirted with the idea of giving you a Wednesday run down, but decided to stick with the same old Thursday format. I like things to go expected...always have. Seriously, it's in my baby book.)

Awkward:
- having a nail in my tire in such a place that the tire has to be replaced.
- taking my car to the dealership and not hearing from them for over 3 hours. We also played a couple exciting rounds of phone tag before I even dropped it off.
- having a computer die during lecture in class. While the professor is speaking and my teammate was supposed to be typing. Professional.
- receiving an email asking you a question you've answered previously. I feel like a jerk pointing out that I already told the person.

Awesome:
- going back to work. The money alone is enough to get me excited. But I actually really enjoy the challenge work brings me. Ask me if I feel the same come November with school on top of it.
- having my tire still covered by warranty and not being charged for the labor. Thank you Honda dealership.
- downloading a free copy of Microsoft Office 2011 because I'm in school. There better be some perks for the tuition I'm paying.
- coming back home every week. I'm not paying to do laundry if it kills me. Never have, never will. (Knock on wood.)
- really delicious pad thai at a whole in the wall restaurant here in Seattle. (Although I may order a little less spice next time.)
- cookie dough.

Ten on Tuesday: Jumping on the bandwagon.

2011-09-20T12:09:00.000-07:00

These questions were provided by Christine at Being Brinkman, who stole them from some traveling meme. There aren't actually 10 questions this week. Rebellion! But this is a good "All About You" questionnaire.

As Ten on Tuesday approaches the 100 week mark, you have a chance to win a prize by linking up over at Roots and Rings. So do it!

A. Age: 26

B. Bed Size: Full at my apartment, queen at my parent's house.

C. Chore that you hate: Scooping dog poop. I don't think anyone could enjoy that though.

D. Dogs: My parents have two, an English Springer Spaniel and a Lab/White German Shepard mix. My roommate also has a toy poodle. I'm surrounded!

E. Essential start to your day: Caffeine of some sort, time to wake up and get ready for the day. I don't like to talk right away, so give me my space.

F. Favorite Color: I love jewel tones, especially teal, emerald, magenta, and burgundy.

G. Gold or Silver: I love rose gold. My fave!

H. Height: 5'7 1/2" (That 1/2" is very important.)

I. Instruments you play: I had brief flirtations with the clarinet and piano growing up, but haven't had any serious relationships.

J. Job Title: Transcriber

K. Kids: None that I know of. Maybe someday if I meet a man whose children I want to have.

L. Live: Seattle, WA (mostly)

M. Mother’s Name: Mom...just kidding, Carolyn.

N. Nicknames: E, Liz, Lizard, Ebeth, Eli, and Beth or Bethie when I was little.

O. Overnight hospital stays: None.

P. Pet peeve: People who don't use their blinkers.

Q. Quote from a movie: For real, I couldn't think of one. I was going to do some Google work, but was too lazy to handle it.

R. Right or left handed: Mostly right handed.

S. Siblings: a younger brother, Jonathan, and younger sister, Stephanie.

T. Time you wake up: Depends on the day.

U. Underwear: Yes, I own them. And I wash them regularly. Thanks for asking.

V. Vegetable you hate: I'm not a big fan of peas.

W. What makes you run late: Getting behind. Having to pack.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Back, teeth, hand...though I've never actually broken a bone.

Y. Yummy food that you make: Homemade alfredo sauce, cinnamon rolls, chicken stuffed with deliciousness.

Z. Zoo Animal: I like the ones that are easy to see. Those animals that hide in their caves or away from prying eyes, it's like they don't enjoy captivity and people tapping on glass at them. It's just rude.

Summer's Over

2011-09-19T22:17:00.000-07:00

Sunday was, for all intent and purposes, my last day of summer, which is pretty weird to think about. Today I had a staff meeting, classes at work start Wednesday, this weekend is my orientation for school, and then next week grad school officially begins.

I'm excited, nervous, and a little bit unsure about how the next three months will go. Just the reading and writing potentially involved in grad school is enough to make me quiver. But I'm sure it's all like riding a bike, and even though it's been more than three years, it will all come back to me in a flash.

And now I'm in the process of buying books for one of my classes. There are a few required readings, and some suggested readings in different categories. My problem, I want to learn it all. Seriously.

I'm sure I'll feel very differently about it come three weeks from now when I have a huge pile of books, tons of work to do, and I'm dealing with my commute in the midst of everything else. For now though, I eager to get going.

Weird. It seems like just a couple years ago I couldn't wait to finish school.

Oh wait, that was just a couple years ago. I'm sure I'll remember what that's like quickly. For now, I'll revel in the excitement though.

(And enjoy a lazy day tomorrow before things really get going.)

Awkward and Awesome: And so it begins

2011-09-15T22:08:00.000-07:00

Awkward:
- the transition to fall always feels a little abrupt to me. Last week it was in the 80s. Today it was windy, rainy, and fall-like. I fought it by wearing a t-shirt without any short of long sleeved anything. It's just so hard to give up summer for me.
- while my dad and I were out mowing today, we encountered a bat trapped in a garage. I tried to encourage it to leave by swinging my dad's flannel shirt at it. No success. I probably just wound it up more.
- not being able to fall asleep. I was, unfortunately, awake until after 2am this morning. Then I was awake less than six hours later. That's not okay with me. Also, twitter is very boring at two in the morning. It's like everyone's sleeping or something.
- I worked from home all week transcribing videos. I was often still in my pjs at 4pm. I'm not proud, but I wouldn't change the comfort level for the world.
- Forgetting my computer charger at my parent's house last weekend. Luckily my roommate also has a Mac. Bullet dodged.

Awesome:
- making some fun online purchases. I got chai so my roomy CC can make up Starbuck's Dirty Chai Lattes (she was a barista). I also got a few art pieces for the apartment. Finally I got a bottle of wine, for about $5 out of pocket. I feel so victorious.
- finally feeling settled (besides some decorating) in the apartment. That also means pictures will be forthcoming. I swear.
- fun plans for the weekend with some friends I've been trying to connect with for a while. I can't wait for some good catching up.
- having our hot water heater fixed quickly last week. We'd be resetting it over and over to get hot water. Then the water was so hot it would burn our skin. It was set to 190 degrees. Perfect. But it's fixed. Yay!
- my roommate got a grill! And our patio is covered. That means BBQing can happen all year long.

Fall Lusting

2011-09-14T21:35:00.000-07:00

Fall Lusting by lizard22w featuring a long wool skirt

I don't have much of a clothing budget at the moment. Moving to a new apartment, starting grad school in the next two weeks, and not working much will do that to a person.

However, that hasn't stopped me from drooling over a few different items. I thought to satisfy the craving just a little, I'd turn to Polyvore and my blog to share.

A few items high on my lust list are long term items, for when I have lots of spare moneys: Frye boots and a colorful J. Crew #2 pencil skirt.

Other items are more attainable: a chambray shirt, suede wedges, and a touch of leopard print.

What are you lusting after?

Ten on Tuesday: Would you rather?

2011-09-13T13:16:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday, which should be really clear. Join in this week over at Roots and Rings and answer the questions from Rachel Heather.

(Also, Ten on Tuesday is approaching it's 100th week--crazy!--so if you link up between now and then, you are entered to win a fun giveaway. Think about it.)

Before I get started, let me just say that I find the game Would You Rather intriguing and frustrating all at the same time. I don't really like absolutes, like when people ask "what is your favorite X?" so that aspect of the game is endlessly frustrating. But, it can spark really interesting conversation and cause you to think about things in a different way based on others answers. Also, it can be hilarious and disgusting (both pluses for a game in my book).

Here's the Ten on Tuesday version:

WOULD YOU RATHER:
1. eat chocolate covered grasshoppers or this freaky squid thing?
Definitely the grasshopperes. Just watch the video and you'll understand.

2. never see another movie or never watch TV again?
I'd probably never watch TV again. I love movies even if I don't watch them that often.

3. be a superhero with a lame power or a supervillain with an awesome power?
If I'm a supervillian does that mean I do bad things compulsively, like without control. I don't like losing control. I'll go for the superhero thing. That's more power than I have now.

4. eat only salty snacks for the rest of you life, or only sweet snacks?
Only salty, too much sweet and I start to overdoes. Also, I'm not counting dessert as a snack.

5. never read another book or never hear another song?
I. Don't. Even. Know. Seriously, hardest would you rather here of the lot. I love reading and can't imagine not being able to. I guess that's what I choose. But I love music. Still, reading. Okay, I'll give up music.

6. be a whale carcass remover or a sewer inspector?
I think I'll go for the whale carcass removal. There's just something about the sewer...

7. have no electricity or no running water?
No electricity for sure. I love showers too much. I can't boy scout my way without electricity. Having said that, our family cabin on Whidbey didn't have running water when I was growing up, but there was a hand pump well. As kids, that was awesome.

8. be a dog or a cat?
I don't know. Do I get to choose my owners? That's a pretty important factor. I'll get back to you.

9. always be hot or always be cold?
Cold, I guess. My hands and feet are often cold anyway. And I like tea and soup and I'd always have an excuse to consume them.

10. be forced to watch all 3 High School Musicals on an endless loop, or the Twilight movies?
I'd probably choose the high school musical, even if having those songs stuck in my head would suck. I just can't handle Twilight.

Awkward and Awesome: From a new city

2011-09-08T19:30:00.000-07:00

This week's line up of awkward and awesome is going to be good. I've been moving and traveling, and if you have done either, you know how crazy things can get.

And I have feeling things aren't going to settle down anytime soon. What with real life starting back up, including the addition of school. *gulp* I mean, I'm excited, but that last time I wrote a real research paper...let's just say I don't remember it very clearly.

Anyways, on to this week's awkward and awesome.

Awkward:
- having a completely blank hard drive--no pictures, no music (except the one CD I added this weekend), and none of the programs I use so regularly (Word and Photoshop, for example).
- a hawk killed a pigeon on our patio the other night, and then sat there and feasted on it. We still have feathers scattered around as a reminder.
- trying to fit all our stuff into our apartment, but also realizing how many things I am missing.
- not being able to work the intercom system for our apartment. It's kind of like the way Christine and I had trouble with electronics all across Great Britain.
- having to reset our hot water heater to take hot showers.

Awesome:
- getting a new hot water heater installed tomorrow, hopefully. Loving how prompt the landlord is.
- Fashion Night Out, which my sister and I attended, at UVillage here in Seattle. We got swag bags (so fun!) and entered some fun giveaways. We also might have made a few purchases.
- the fact that my hard drive replacement was covered by my warranty, of which there were ten days left. Thank you Apple.
- feeling mostly settled in the new apartment. I promise pictures are coming once we get some of the moving rubble cleared out.
- getting to help, just a little, with harvest over the weekend. I drove the truck affectionately called BW (for Beats Walking) and was teased that I wouldn't want to drive anything else after that.
- finally getting our summer weather here in the PNW, you know, in September. It's been over 80 degrees all week and I'm loving it. Even if everyone else is ready for fall.

Awkward and Awesome:
- getting to keep my job back home, but having to make the 2.5+ hour round trip drive twice a week all quarter. The money is totally worth it, but it will still be exhausting. Another perk, I'll be able to do laundry at my parent's house every week instead of paying for it at the apartment. And see the dogs. (Okay, and see my parents. SF)

Fall Fashion Week!!!

2011-09-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

Emery over at moms are for everyone is hosting another fashion week. If you're new to my blog, or in the case, haven't been around more than a year, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about.

That's okay.

I'll be taking pictures of my outfits, posting them for a week this September, and linking up over at Emery's blog. And you can join in the fun, too!

To review my previous fashion week attempts, Fall Fashion Week and Summer Fashion Week.

The timing of this is perfect for me. That's the week I have my orientation for grad school and then class starts up. Now I'll be motivated to look nice on two fronts.

Are you going to play along?

Ten on Tuesday: Keeping it simple

2011-09-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

It's Ten on Tuesday time, and I'm back on the wagon. I kept it pretty simple this week since I was a little exhausted by my fantasy football draft (more on that later).

1. What temperature do you keep your thermostat on during the day?
Currently, we have no heat on. The beauty of living in the (almost) basement of an apartment building in the summer. It doesn't get cold, but it doesn't get hot either. Who knows what will happen as it gets colder though.

2. What temperature do you keep your thermostat on at night?
See above.

3. In a canister of mixed nuts, do you pick out certain varieties and leave the others?
I love cashews. Yummy. I also like pistachios, not that they come in the canister.

4. What is your favorite kind of M&M?

Peanut butter, or the fancy dark chocolate almond kind (did I just make that up?).

5. How do you buy books? (Amazon, bookstore, new, used, electronic, etc)
A combo of sale books, books for Kindle, and a splurge every now and then.

6. How do you like your eggs cooked?
Well, I love eggs benedict, but if it's just eggs, I'd probably choose over easy or sunny side up.

7. Can you whistle?
Yes.

8. What common word do you always misspell?
I find zucchini difficult. Is that common?

9. Are you afraid of flying?
Nope, it can be exhausting, but it doesn't scare me.

10. How often do you go shopping?
Um, right now a lot as I just moved into a new apartment. It's like I need something every other second.

Along Came Life

2011-09-03T23:03:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd be absent, you know, because I was moving and didn't have internet.

Then my computer had to get a new hard drive, which luckily was covered by my warranty, but still resulted in all my data being stuck on a small piece of hardware beyond my reach. I just don't have those skills.

And someday, when I'm not traveling cross-state in an uninsured car, moving harvest vehicles, carrying millions of boxes to the recycling, trying to fit all my stuff in a space that's too small, and generally not getting enough sleep, I'll get the data transferred.

But for now, you get posts with words, just like it used to be in the olden days, before I had a fancy camera and when I didn't really have a plan or any real direction for this thing called a blog.

And yes, you're right. I still don't have a plan or a direction for the blog.

But I do have a nice camera. And occasionally I remember to take pictures. You've probably even spotted a few. (Or, as was the case with Europe, a lot of pictures.)

For now, though, I'm going to enjoy the second half of a long weekend, the fact that I do have a fully functioning, much cleaner than I left it computer back (and yes, there probably should be a few dozen dashes in that last sentence).

See I have plans, for BBQ lunches, movies, more unpacking (*sigh*), continuing to drive an uninsured car (very safely), and other shenanigans.

Plus I have a fantasy draft to study up for. I have the second pick, so I feel some pressure.

I hope you all are enjoying a natural disaster free, gorgeous weather filled, generally fun long weekend.

As someone who spent an hour this morning eating dust from three combines, a tractor pulling a grain bin, one semi, and a Ford pick-up, I know I am.

And, as should be obvious by this post, I'm also writing very concise, clear sentences. (Was that redundant?)

As I once told my mom, "it's not that I'm uncapable."

Absent

2011-08-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to write a quick note that I will probably disappear of the face of the earth (a.k.a. the blog) for the next week or so.

I'm moving (in the new apartment with no internet yet) and traveling to see family. Not so conducive to blogging. I had hoped to have a few posts lined up but life got in the way.

The nerve.

Steve's Cinnamon Rolls enter a bake swap.

2011-08-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

I recently took part in a blog bake swap, mostly because it combined my love for blogging, with my love of sweets and baking. Everyone wins! (Especially me.)

I decided to make my dad's cinnamon rolls, which are pretty much legendary. I actually heard one of the teacher's who my dad works with had a second child so that my dad would make him cinnamon rolls. I don't know if that's the honest truth, but the cinnamon rolls are that good.

I would not tell a lie.

In return, Lindsey, my swap partner sent me peanut butter nutella brownies. I'd show you pictures for evidence but I've been too busy eating them. And I sent off the rolls before I thought of it. Fail.

Just in case you are interested in making some really, really delicious cinnamon rolls, here's the recipe. I'll add my notes, but you should probably know that some of the measurements aren't exact. As Amy, one of the swap cohosts, would say, "that's just how I roll."

(The fabulous Jessica was the other half of the awesome hosting duo.)

Anyways, here's the recipe and happy baking!!!

(Ed.'s note: we always make dough for bread, cinnamon rolls, pizza, etc. in the bread machine. Throw in all the ingredients, put it on the dough setting, and 90 minutes later you will have great dough. If you don't have a bread machine (and want one), check out thrift stores. My dad found a brand new one for me for less than $10. Seriously. I don't know the correct steps for making the dough by hand. Sorry.)

Steve’s Cinnamon Rolls

Combine the following ingredients in the bed machine pan:
1 1/3 C. milk
2 ½ T. butter
2 eggs
2 2/3 T. sugar
2/3 t. salt
4+ C. flour (half whole wheat and half unbleached white)
2 ½ t. yeast

Put bread machine on dough setting (90 mins.)

When the timer goes off place dough on a floured surface and roll into a rectangular shape. Spread onto the dough’s surface one cube of butter. Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon—spread onto buttered dough’s surface. Then, roll into a tight tube shape. Cut into 12 equal sized portions and place into a greased rectangular baking pan.

Heat oven to 200 degree F. and turn off. Place pan into the oven and set timer to 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, without taking out the pan, turn oven on to 350 degree F. and cook 15-16 minutes.

Take pan out to cool and mix together the following: half & half, powered sugar, 1-2 T. melted butter. Drizzle the topping onto the cinnamon rolls and serve with cold milk or a steaming mug of coffee or tea.

Side note: I often make more than 12 rolls with this recipe. It just depends on how wide you cut them. And the timing/temperature for raising/baking is for real. Dad has it down to a science.

Post script: If you aren't eating the cinnamon rolls fresh, I highly recommend heating them up in the microwave for 20 or so seconds. It makes for perfection.

Post post script: My dad's name is Steve. In case you missed that.

Awkward and Awesome: and the list goes on

2011-08-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

It's Thursday, in case you didn't remember. That only means one thing. It's time to review my recent awkward and awesome moments. Enjoy!

Awkward:
- the amount of packing and sorting I have't done. Let's not talk or think about, okay?
- the lack of motivation I have to work. I should be transcribing videos, but it really is no fun. I really need to suck it up.
- my addiction to Yahtzee. It all started in Finland and it's been downhill from there. I even found a place to play online. (For free. Don't worry--no gambling debts or anything.)
- the amount of time it's taking me to write this post. My laziness (or self-care as one of my friends said) is apparently spilling over into all areas of my life.

Awesome:
- the gorgeous throw pillows my mom, sister, and I got at Pier 1 today. They'll go with the furniture, my roommate's rug and favorite colors, and really pull the living room together. I can't wait to have a big girl apartment, and show you pictures when it's all set up.
- making soap. I'll probably do a post about this, but my mom, sister, and I had a girls' afternoon making soap with a Groupon I got.
- getting paid to pack boxes at work. So much better than typing videos and easy peasy.
- plans to visit some family over Labor Day weekend, and maybe getting some free veggies in return for manual labor.
- iced tea. In the summer there's really nothing better.
- Spotify. Have you checked it out? It's a online music service. Think Pandora, but you get to choose exactly what you want to listen to. If you haven't, you love music, and are interested to free access to pretty much every song you can imagine, let me know.

Moving is a Blast (SF)

2011-08-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

Moving is funny. Everyone knows that it's exhausting and overwhelming. Doens't matter that I knew what was/is still coming. I'm wiped.

Yesterday the sister, Maica-dog and I picked up a 6'x12' U-Haul trailer. While sister and Dad were out mowing lawns, I ran around to banks making sure my money was situated to cover the checks for rent and the deposit. Then we spent about 2 hours last night to load the trailer with our furniture.

Then this morning we were up and at 'em early again, heading south in time to unload the trailer, put together beds, get my sister to orientation for work, have lunch, and get the sister to her best friend's bachelorette party.

Yes, there is a wedding next weekend. Thanks for asking. One that my sister is maid of honor in, my mother is officiating (did I mention that I ordained her online), and I'm working with the wedding coordinator on.

The whole wedding thing fits in well with the moving schedule.

Know Mom and I are on the couch watching football, and the dogs and Dad are passed out. Later we might make smoothies. Crazy times I tell you.

I can't wait to finish the move off in a week or so. It's my favorite activity ever.

(SF = sarcasm font)

This Week's Nails

2011-08-19T19:17:00.000-07:00

***Sorry about the delayed posting on my Ten on Tuesday. I scheduled it and don't really know what happened!***

As I mentioned last week (or whenever it was), Pinterest has gotten me all excited about nail art.

I've had a nail polish addiction for a while now, but had mainly been doing the all over color, mostly on my toenails. I am not super skilled.

When I saw this picture:

I knew I wanted to try it.

So I dotted these polishes over a white base:

And got these nails:

It was actually pretty easy. I just needed enough patience to let the white dry before I added the dots. I used the end of a bobby pin to apply the color and didn't worry too much about perfection.

And these nails, I've gotten more compliments than I would have thought. Seriously. At the coffee stand the male barista said if he was going to paint his nails, that's how he'd do it. At U-Haul, the man said he liked my wonderbread nails. At happy hour Tuesday, the woman held my hand while I decided what I wanted to eat.

I just feel so accomplished.

Ten on Tuesday: Working It

2011-08-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Today's Ten on Tuesday is all about work. You can join in over at Roots and Rings. Thanks, as always, to Chelsea for hosting. (Click here to see pictures of her adorable family!)

1. What do you do for a living?
I'm a transcriber at a local university, providing communication access for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

2. What’s your favorite thing about your job?
I have a few: the hours (only working when class is in session), the constant challenge, and the kick butt hourly wage.

3. What’s your least favorite thing about your job?
That it's only hourly and that the atmosphere (when I'm in the actual office) can be pretty negative. Also, there's nowhere to advance.

4. If you weren’t a ____________, what would you be?
I'd love to work in media relations/communications at the collegiate or Olympic level of sports again. I miss it.

5. What is something that you would love to get paid for that you think no one would every pay you for?
I'd love to get paid to sleep. That would be pretty awesome. Or to cook for myself. What? Is that unrealistic?

6. If you could have any job for exactly one day, what would it be?
I'd love to be a big name actress for the day. I can't act, but it'd be fun to get dressed up for an awards show, get some awesome swag, and have everyone compliment my (presumably) tiny waist and impeccable style.

7. If you had to do manual labor, what would you do?
Well, since I've mowed lawns every summer since I was in high school, I'd probably go with that. Although, I think learning construction would be awesome just for the skills.

8. What is something you were forced to learn in high school that was supposed to be super important, but you never actually use?
It was third grade, but cursive seems to be pretty pointless. The only time it has come up was on the GRE forms.

9. Who was your favorite boss? Why?
This is a tough one. Really, picking my favorite anything is hard for me. I can't really think of a bad boss situation (I'm pretty lucky). I'll get back to you on this one. (But I probably won't.)

10. Where would you rather work: Dunder Mifflin Paper Company (The Office), Wernham Hogg Paper Company (The Office, UK), or Initech (Office Space)?
I hate the idea of phone sales, but Initech seemed like it would suck the life from you, so I'd probably choose Dunder Mifflin for the entertainment value of the people there.

Snapshots from the Weekend

2011-08-15T18:31:00.000-07:00

Since I actually took my camera out a couple times this weekend and I had time to play with Photoshop today, I thought I'd share a few pictures with you.

Friday and Saturday were spent with a college roommate, her husband, and another good friend (plus a handful of other people). We had a late thai food dinner, watched Jim Gaffigan via Netflix Instant, slept in the garage, walked to Starbucks for caffeine, and visited the zoo.

It was a blast and totally worth the time spent in the car (and therefore in traffic).

Awkward and Awesome: Blast from the Past

2011-08-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

You may have forgotten I do this post on Thursdays, probably because it's been two months. I know, I know. Pathetic.

I've been attempting to put together one of these posts every week since my trip and have completely failed. I don't know if I'm lacking the attention span or just plain old time, but I'm not lacking material. This time, I'm not giving up.

Because it's been so long, I'm going to add to it from all that missed time. Because I can. Excuses over, let's move on to the real deal.

Feel free to join up over at Sydney's blog!

Awkward:
- My desire to use exclamation marks in my awesomes. It's a struggle not to overdo it.
- Trying to get rid of clothes. I love them all, but I just. have. too. much.
- Me whenever there's a repair man of some sort in the house. I don't know what to do. Should I stay busy? Be available? What?
- Trying to walk the same way as someone else on the sidewalk. And then both moving the same direction, again and again and again. So painfully awkward.
- My sister and I putting out our shoes yesterday to go through them. I felt embarrassed by how much I had. (I did get rid of quite a few though.)
- Job hunting. I need to focus my energy, but I haven't found the motivation yet. I have a job, but it's over an hour from where my apartment is. Not ideal.

Awesome:
- Summer! It's my favorite, hands down.
- We found and claimed an apartment for the next year. And let me tell you, the apartment search in the Seattle area is a battle to the death. You have to be ready to fight. I can't wait to show you pictures when it's all organized and decorated.
- A brand new back deck. I plan on coming back with a post about the whole process, but for now just picture me relaxing in the sun, maybe with an adult beverage in hand.
- Having my cousin Michelle visit for (almost) four weeks, and getting to spend about six weeks with her. It was so much fun to get to know her better!
- The feeling of accomplishment with actually getting rid of a good amount of clothing and shoes. Even better will (hopefully) be the balance at the secondhand store in a month or so.
- Knowing that my sister and I will have a combined shoe collection next year. We will be able to dress our feet for any occasion.

Ten on Tuesday: Computer Time

2011-08-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

1. Mac or Windows? (Or Linux for you super geeks!)
I'm a Mac girl and have been for about 7 or 8 years.

2. What drew you to that operating system?
Dependability, and the high price tag. I don't want to replace my computer very often, or have major repair problems very soon.

3. Mice – Wireless or Wired? Mouse pad or none?
Just the touch pad on my computer, but I've recently been working on learning key strokes so I can use the mouse less and less. If I really need a mouse, I do have a wireless one.

4. Other than the Internet – What do you use your computer most for?
Wait, there's something other than the internet. A LOT of what I currently do on the computer in online. Other than the very important business such as Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, blogs, and email, I use the computer for work and will be using it a ton for school starting in a little over a month. (Eek!)

5. What’s one computer-related thing you wish you were best at? (CSS, Photoshop, Excel, etc.)
I'm going with two: all things Adobe and HTML code.

6. Describe the first time you ever used a computer.
I don't remember even a little bit. We had a computer when I was pretty young, 7 or 8 maybe, and I don't really remember how I used it. To play a game maybe, since I know I wasn't emailing much then. I do remember typing games and the Oregon Trail from school though.

7. How often do you upgrade to a new operating system?
Well, I have been putting off upgrading to OSX Lion, mostly because my computer is about to hit the 3 year mark and I'm a little bit afraid of slowing it down. It has been out for a week or so now, so I'm pretty much slacking. Before that, I upgraded earlier this year when I purchased more memory as well.

8. Are you a short-cutter (CTRL+C) or a right-clicker?
Total short-cutter.

9. Is computer-use a constant thing in your life (such as using it both at work and home) or do you get a break (because you don’t use them at work)?
Definitely constant, unless I'm mowing lawns. But my job is pretty much staring at a computer screen constantly. And at home, well, it takes a lot of my free time.

10. Where do you think the world would be if personal computers did not exist?
I can't even imagine. Computers are used for everything now and pretty much affect every aspect of life. At my last visit to the dentist, the hygienist orally recorded all my fillings onto the computer. I scanned and emailed my vaccination records in for grad school. It's crazy.

DIY Ombre Nails

2011-08-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I'm addicted to Pinterest. It's fun to use and a great way to keep track of everything on the internet I usually have open in tabs. Seriously, sometimes my browser looks ridiculous.

Thanks to Pinterest I've become completely fascinated to nail treatments. Here are a few of my favorites:

Since I'm a bit of a nail polish addict, (to go along with the Pinterest addiction, along with a variety of others) I decided to try out the ombre nail look with polishes I already owned.

I wasn't thrilled with the outcome, in part because I was impatient and showered before it was completely dry, but it was fun to try out something a little different.

I can't wait to try out a few others in the future. Also, if you're not on Pinterest, you should be. It's a blast.

(Another new internet addiction: Spotify. I'm never going to have to buy music again.)

In honor of the past 6 weeks

2011-08-07T23:03:00.000-07:00

My cousin Michelle headed home this weekend. She and I have basically been attached at the hip since my arrival in Helsinki on June 27, which was quite a while ago.

It was a blast to get to know her as an adult (and through her blog over the past year or so). We had a lot of fun, played a lot of Yahtzee, and ate a lot of food, the three cornerstones to any successful vacation.

In honor of all the time we spent together, I thought I'd share some of the sillier photographs from the past six weeks. Enjoy!

(Click on the collage to see the awesomeness up close and personal!)

Breaking News: Fun Video for your Wednesday!

2011-08-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

Guys, I seriously have soooo much blog material, but at the moment neither the time nor energy to share it.

So instead I leave you with this video because it makes my heart happy. Sara Bareilles and Sugerland (two of my faves) teamed up for "Come on Eileen" and obviously had a ball doing it.

I plan to be back soon with pictures, stories, and more pictures. But for now, enjoy this video and your Wednesday!

Things that make this weekend awesome:

2011-07-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

- picking 38 pounds of raspberries. I actually had three buckets going at one time. Just call me a professional. (Not so awesome, figuring out where to put the berries until we can deal with them.)
- having even more family visit. My aunt and uncle drove over to join my other uncle and cousin. It's getting a little crazy here.
- My mom's (tomorrow) and my dad's (today) birthdays!!! Even though my mom isn't here, we'll be celebrating with her in spirit.
- all the delicious food that goes along with birthdays and family visiting.
- Sunshine!!!!
- finally getting all my clothes put away. It was a bit of a challenge with people visiting and my sister moved back home. Our house is full.
- getting a sweet birthday present from my cousin via Goodwill.
- still having all of Sunday left for fun!

I hope everyone else is enjoying themselves, too.

Cousins get made over.

2011-07-27T23:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was makeover day here in the land of not-quite-summer. While the rest of the country appears to be sweating it out (and Chicago fights throw sheets of rain), we've been lucky to spot the sun. Okay, fine, this weekend was gorgeous. But that was only two days.

</end rant>

Back to the makeovers.

I knew when I got back from my trip I was overdue for a haircut. Heck, I had been overdue before I left. Plus, I needed to change things up just a little. I've been happily redheaded for about 9 months or so, and felt the need for a little change.

My sister and cousin decided to join in on the fun. So we made appointments to get our hair cut together. I went to see one of my closest friends from middle school and high school. Though we haven't stayed as close over the years, it's always fun to see her and catch up.

Of course, makeovers wouldn't be complete without before and after pictures, just to prove how much we really needed help. Our sad faces took a lot of work, too. You don't even know how hard it is for my sister to do a straight face.

Without further ado, the new and improved Michelle (cousin), Stephanie (sister), and me! (in that order)

The trip pretty much convinced me I need a live-in hair stylist. That whole curling-your-hair-with-a-straight-iron thing...I can't do it. Someday maybe.

The real test will be when we wash our hair next. Can I handle the bang?

Ten on Tuesday: Movies and Nails

2011-07-26T19:59:00.000-07:00

First of all, let me say how much I appreciated your "happy birthdays." It made my day.

Our plans didn't go quite according to plan for the day. Touristy activities turned into shopping in downtown Seattle when it rained the. whole. day. Lovely.

Also, my dad's flight got cancelled, so I'm headed south to pick him up in just a few minutes.

Here are my Ten on Tuesday picks. Feel free to pay along over at Chelsea's blog.

1. What colour are your toenails painted?
I looked at the name, but have forgotten already. It's OPI and an iridescent blue/gray/green. I like it a lot.

2. What color are your fingernails painted?
Currently, OPI White Crackle and Cuckoo For This Color.

3. What is your favourite brand of nail polish?
OPI, Essie, Butter London, Ginger and Liz. I have a few.

4. As the norm, do you DIY your nails or get main/pedis?
DIY, for sure. I treat myself every once in a while, but usually do it myself.

5. Have you ever had a gel mani? Do you recommend it?
I have not. My nails would take forever to recover.

6. What is the last movie you watched on television?
Currently watching 27 Dresses and we just finished The Proposal.

7. What is the last movie you watched in the cinema?
Harry Potter 7 Part 2

8. Is there a movie that everyone talks about as if it is a classic but you haven't seen?
There are many. Monty Python. Anchorman. A lot of old movies.

9. What is your favourite movie soundtrack?
I love What a Girl Wants. Corny, I know. I'm like a preteen girl.

10. Have you ever seen a movie and thought it was better than the book it was based on?
Negative.

Monday, Birthday Monday

2011-07-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

I'm in total vacation mode, in case you haven't noticed. I got back to the States, jet lagged and travel weary and the pace of life slowed down. That's not to say I don't have pictures and stories to share, but blogging just hasn't been a priority. And, to be honest, it's been nice to have a break.

However, I plan to get back at it soon. Exciting things are happening in the next couple months and I can't wait to share them all as they unfold.

Today, speaking of exciting, is my birthday. I just completed my 26th year of life. Crazy.

To celebrate, my sister, Cousin Michelle, and I are headed down to Seattle to bum around and get into trouble. It should be a fun time.

And I really do plan to be back soon to share, well, something. For now though, happy Monday! I hope everyone is keeping cool out there. (And we finally have had some warm weather. Finally.)

A Week Back Home

2011-07-17T20:00:00.000-07:00

I should start by saying the jet lag has been rough on this end of the trip. Until the past day or so, I wasn't sleeping for a full night and hadn't been able to catch up.

However, things are improving. I make it (almost) to 7am most mornings now. My cousin and I also went on a run. Though the run was rough, it at least cleared out some of the cobwebs (and offset some of the ice cream consumed on the latter part of the trip).

Another negative of being home so far is the weather. While 99% (approximately) of the country is experiencing a heat wave, we've had rain, clouds, and temperatures under 70 or even 60 degrees. Basically, it's been March.

The first part of the return home was dedicated to Harry Potter. We watched the first seven movies before we went and saw the premiere on Friday morning. I was so thankful we didn't see a midnight showing. The movie was good and we got the matinee price. Victory.

After the movie, Michelle and I went on the aforementioned run. We drove out to Birch Bay, where the temperature was inexplicably 75 degrees, visited our old house, and stopped by Sonic for Happy Hour.

Saturday included a visit to the farmer's market and a couple stores in town. And today was devoted to shopping. Michelle came with a list of things to purchase and money to save since the Euro is stronger than the dollar. She actually bought 4 pairs of much needed shoes and a few other items.

Our shopping included a stop by the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. Both she and my sister got boots. Nothing like saving a little money before the fall (a.k.a. prime boot wearing season).

We kept our energy up while shopping with a stop by our favorite Indian restaurant in Seattle and a frosty from Wendy's.

Now we're relaxing with Sherlock Holmes and a little apricot ale. Now if only the sunshine would come out to play.

Photo Evidence that I was in Finland

2011-07-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

I've been back in the States for not quite two days now and I'm no where near caught up on sleep. Today, I was up and about by 5:30am. Not okay with me. I can only hope to catch up on sleep eventually.

But I am home and somewhat settled. And trying to sort through pictures. Somehow five weeks of travel results in a lot of pictures. It's rather overwhelming. The tiredness does not help my concentration.

I have pictures to share though to prove that I really visited Finland. Enjoy!

Strawberries at the market.

Taking the ferry to Fortress Island

A view of Helsinki from the ferry.

My cousin Rachel and I defending the island.

Michelle and I walking home after enjoying drinks on the river.

A dog riding shot gun through Porvoo.

Rachel and Michelle by the river in Porvoo.

Rachel and I posing with the naked men.

Posing in front of the Helsinki Cathedral.

On the ferris wheel at the amusement park.

Walking through Tallinn, Estonia.

We weren't lost at all. Nope. Not us.

Rachel and Michelle on the boat to the zoo.

Ice cream, a daily snack. Literally.

Mr. Lion enjoying the sunshine.

Minigolf. In the ridiculous heat.

So there are a few snippets from the trip. I haven't actually edited any photos yet. It might happen eventually, but for now this has to be good enough.