Musings on Life

My favorite song done in the cutest possible way....

2011-08-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

2011-05-25T23:02:00.001-07:00

Pompalmoose

2011-05-11T21:37:00.000-07:00

This is totally, freaking, amazingly awesome. It shows what two talented people can do when they make music together. I wish that more people would be able to do this... in fact it makes me feel rather lazy.....

Vanilla Pudding

2011-04-13T20:06:00.000-07:00

So... I took a Mark Bittman recipe and I altered it... I super really like it. I thought it would be a good idea to share it with the world... but nobody steal it... ok? Ok.

Vanilla Pudding

2 1/2 C half and half

2/3 C sugar

2 egg yolks

3 T cornstarch

6 drops vanilla

2 T butter

Take a good, heavy bottom pan and a whisk. Put all milk in pan, set to med heat. Add in sugar, egg yolks. Once its warmed up and it steaming remove about 1/3 C of the milk and mix it with the cornstarch (I used a blender bottle...). Bring to boil (it should be thick). Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.

This is good by itself, but would also be good in a pie (banana cream).

Enjoy!!

2011-04-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while, so I thought this would be something nice. I heard this on the radio recently and I love it. It was kinda close to being too cheesy, but wasn't.. so it was super moving. Probably because it involves the idea of rain... I LOVE rain. The idea in here is obviously that she's going to stop protecting her self from the world... and move on. :)

Pretty sweet. Ha.

2011-03-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

And.... Adele steals the show!

2011-03-07T19:24:00.000-08:00

I think that this performance is amazing for several reasons...

1) She's so amazing that she chooses to showcase her talent in a simple manner- her style, her jewelry, the organization of the music...

2) All she NEEDS is the piano accompanist to carry off a award show worthy performance- unlike some people to feel the need to be born from eggs to make a show.

3) She's chubby- and it's like throw it in your face comfortable. She's hotter than all those skinny ho's in the audience.

4) The music has a positive message.

5) It's so amazing that even the announcer (James Corden- he's been on Dr. Who so he's pretty cool) owns that she stole the show... just with her sheer talent.

Can't help how cute this is... ha.

2011-03-06T20:37:00.001-08:00

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New artist love... Sufjan Stevens

2011-03-05T15:30:00.000-08:00

Epic. This is a new artist- well new to me. I think he's amazing. I love the complexity and depth of this music. I feel better about my music listening when I find things like this. So amazing. I"m pretty ADD so, for a artist to capture me they have to work pretty hard. Like- as in they have to be producing actual music. Not just noise. Ha.

2011-03-04T18:05:00.000-08:00

SO... I noticed something just now. You see, on this blog I have a fun little widget that allows me to see the location of people who look at the blog. Occasionally I get people on here who are from obscure places, but usually I can figure it out. However- there's been one or two where I can't figure it out. However... today there's one from the location of "Central".

Where the HECK is Central??? The Central of what? America? North America? The World? Maybe a member of the lost ten tribes located in the central of the GLOBE has been checking me out. Just maybe.. ya think?

Epic.

2011-03-03T21:42:00.000-08:00

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This is amazing!! I find it to be positively EPIC. My sister is making me a Dr. Who scarf- and I'm super excited about it. I also find it kinda ironic because #4 is the iconic Doctor - #5 was OK- but then #10 stabilized the revamped show. #11 is a OK doctor, but he's got some room to go to be as cool as #10. Sigh. Fun art though.

She and Him "Thieves"

2011-02-28T19:45:00.000-08:00

How did I miss this video?? It's freaking awesome!! Sigh. I hope they tour as a band again and that they come back to Utah!! I super hope that they are in a more organized format though- I was WAY too far from the stage last time. Sigh. I keep checking for concerts and I don't see anything good coming up. I'll have to keep watching.

2011-02-26T17:59:00.000-08:00

Thus continues my theory that cats will someday take over the world. This cat has grown thumbs, Bwahahhaha..... nice.

Bwahahahahaha

2011-02-21T21:15:00.000-08:00

LOVE IT!! This has GOT to be one of the funniest things i've seen in a while!! It's soo true as well. The new Doctor not only has to be an amazing actor, but he's got to make the rest of us forget how wonderful David Tennant was. Sigh. Good luck dude.

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To do list....

2011-02-20T22:00:00.001-08:00

It's been on my agenda for a while to get to know Radiohead and see if I like them. I know that Radiohead is kinda the mecca for music lovers listening pleasures... but well... I just have never gotten into them. The above player is their new release called "lotus flower".

Lots of memes coming out of this of course. You can't make something too artsy and try to be mainstream and have things be accepted universally. They'll have lots of fun poking at this for a while.

dr. who...

2011-02-14T18:05:00.000-08:00

So.... I pretty much fell in love with Dr. Who this past fall. Too bad that its a spring time program and I've been waiting ever since for more episodes. SERIOUSLY be on the telly already, OK? I mean, my other love, Battle Sat Galagetica is cancelled so.. there's no hope there. I mean. Maybe we could do something super stellar like... a DR. WHO move with both 11 and 10 in it. That would rock. After all, we know that 10 is still alive on the other earth in that alternate dimension. Sorry people of the Internet who aren't whovians. get on the boat. It's your fault and not mine you don't understand. :P

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just because......

2011-02-09T23:04:00.000-08:00

????

2011-02-08T16:45:00.000-08:00

Ok. Question. Doesn't this little kid look like Mark Hamil? Thats GOT to have been on purpose. right??

I mean, really? Right??

ha

2011-01-31T23:20:00.000-08:00

Sweet... :)

2011-01-25T15:58:00.001-08:00

UN TOUR DE MANEGE from alexis liddell on Vimeo.

NO whites allowed!!..... in my diet.

2011-01-24T09:42:00.000-08:00

So... I totally yanked the below info from this website. My doctor said I needed to go low carb and avoid white food. Sweet. Good bye good tasting food!! Ha. I need to find out about yogurt though. I don't want to give up my yogurt. :)

Foods to Avoid

* white potatoes
* white pasta
* white rice
* white bread
* anything made with white flour
* white sugar
* white beans

Foods to Choose

* whole wheat pasta
* brown rice
* full grain breads
* green leafy vegetables
* yams
* colorful vegetables
* Fruit

Of course with anything there are some exceptions. Cauliflower and parsnips are white, but are allowed

No White Foods Essentials
The simplicity of this plan lies in food choice. Dieters avoid all white, plant based foods which are usually extremely high in starch and instead choose more colorful, nutritious foods for their meals. No White Foods isn't a low carb diet, but fundamentally it is trading high glycemic index foods for low glycemic index foods.

Dieters can take can take this one step further by limiting white fats from their diet such as butter and cheddar cheese which are white before food colorings are added.

However, there still is the issue of portion control. Three serves of whole wheat pasta, sauces made with a lot of oil and a 12oz steak isn't exactly going to help anyone lose weight. People with portion control issues still might struggle with this plan and may need other resources to help them determine how much of each food is acceptable.

UPDATE: MORE INFO

The No White Foods Diet is a new take on low glycemic diets that shun nutrient-less, high starch and high sugar foods that are well, white. Just as it sounds, while on this diet you simply eliminate all white foods, most notably white sugar and flour, which have been shown to send your blood sugar levels into a frenzy and your hips widening.

There are just a few exceptions to this rule, egg whites cauliflower, parsnips, milk, lean poultry and white fish are allowed. White plant-based foods like potatoes and white beans are also no-nos. You then replace those foods with their colorful and far more nutritious counterparts such as vibrant veggies, sweet fruits and nutty whole grains.

The No White Foods Diet also requests that you limit white solid fats from your diet such as butter and cheddar cheese. These foods are white before food coloring is added to them.

Foods rich in white starches are refined and have the highest glycemic index. The short-term effect of these types of foods is that they make you retain weight and pounds, especially around the midsection. Over the long-term, they can cause an insulin deficiency that leads to diabetes

Read more: No White Foods Diet - Diet Review http://www.dietsinreview.com/diets/no-white-foods-diet/#ixzz1ByheGPP9

Homemade Mint Oreos

2011-01-22T14:28:00.000-08:00

Below is my recipe for Homemade Mint Oreos. However, unlike regular Oreos, mine are soft!! It's super yummy and great!!

Caution- these are hard to make because The cookies are soft. Just be careful and slow about moving and handling the cookies and you'll be fine. Once their totally assembled however, their firm enough to hold.

Homemade Mint Oreos

1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup coca powder
1 cup sugar
1/4 t salt
1/4 t Baking Powder
1 3/4 sticks butter
3 T milk
1 t vanilla

mix dry. mix in butter. mix in wet. (I use a kitchen aid). knead briefly, roll into log and suran wrap- refrigerate for at least 1 hr. Cook @ 350 for.. 8 min? Let cook on pan for a min or two, then transfer to rack.

Filling:

2 sticks butter
1 stick cream cheese
2 pounds powdered sugar
few T milk (to taste)
few drops vanilla (to taste)

Let cookies cool completely before assembling. Be very gentle as the cookies are fragile- and then I froze then after assembly (to help stiffen them up).

These were made for a wedding where it was requested that everything was on a stick (Even the cookies) and these were stiff to be held with the stick. :)

yup.

2011-01-20T21:03:00.000-08:00

She & Him - Don't Look Back from Merge Records on Vimeo.

I feel.. untalented.. lol

2011-01-20T20:40:00.000-08:00

Homemade Dirty Rice

2011-01-20T16:54:00.000-08:00

So... I'm making homemade Dirty Rice. I made it the other day and LOVE it. It isn't the first time I've made it either. But it is the first time I've made it from scratch (usually use a box). I've posted the original recipe below, and below that I'll note the changes I made... enjoy!!

Dirty Rice

Things You'll Need:

2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
(mix all)

1/2 lb pork sausage (mild or hot, whichever you prefer)
2 tbsp chicken fat or vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
1/2 c. chopped onions
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped green bell peppers
2 tsp. minced garlic or 2 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp melted butter
2 c. chicken stock
3/4 c. white rice

In a large skillet combine the ground beef, pork sausage, chicken fat, and bay leaves. Cook on high heat until the meat is browned, making sure to stir occasionally.

Once meat is thoroughly browned, add seasonings and stir. Bring to a boil, then add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and celery. Stir in melted butter.

Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 6 minutes while constantly stirring. Stir in the chicken stock then cook for 8 minutes on high heat. Stir in rice. Cover and reduce heat to lowest heat setting, cook for 10 mins. Remove from heat and keep covered 5 mins. or until rice is tender.

MY CHANGES:

Brown rice instead of white
1/2 can chopped tomatoes (no salt) (Drained of juices)
1/2 can organic black beans (drained of juices)
1/2 link of polish sausage (the kind you can find in any store??)

I started cooking before I found the recipe... so yeah. Made it kinda haphazard. I browned the sausage (Chop into bite size pieces) in a sterling pan- with no fat added at that point (its sausage.. it has enough natural fat to it). Then I set the rice to cook in a rice cooker (I made 2 cups of brown rice). I mixed the seasonings and made the 2 cups broth- and added that to the pan, then I added the rice and tomatoes. I set the heat to low and ignored it for a while.

Knowing that I would have too much water to rice... I pre-drained the pan- But SAVED the water. I added in the rice and poured in just as much water as I needed. Actually, I'm tying this up as the rice is cooking so I don't know how well this step will take. Ha.

I plan to eat this with a dollop of sour cream and corn chips. :)

Read more: How to Make Homemade Dirty Rice | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5298045_make-homemade-dirty-rice.html#ixzz1BcvYXzjt

ha.

2011-01-20T09:14:00.000-08:00

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You gotta admit, this is pretty sweet!!!

ha

2011-01-13T23:40:00.001-08:00

Must fight urge to get Mario Paint and try to recreate this myself... bwahhaaha...

the most completely and utterly blog worthy item i've come across in a while....

2011-01-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

AMEN.

Facials...

2011-01-02T14:30:00.000-08:00

I've been researching how to do homemade facials. Their a lot simpler than I thought. Like... make a oatmeal mush and spread it on your face. Then I've found sites like this or this that have ideas... that involve things like raw egg. Weird.

So... if anyone out there in Internet land has suggestions, please leave a comment and let me know!! I"m gathering ideas for a bridal shower that I'm throwing this next weekend. :)

Here's one of the recipes I've found so far..

Oatmeal Facial Mask for Dry Skin

1 tablespoon of dry oatmeal

½ mashed ripe banana

2 ounces of plain yogurt

Massage the face with the dry oatmeal and then rinse it off with warm water. Next, apply the banana and yogurt mixture evenly on the face. Leave the facial mask on for about 20 minutes and then rinse off the paste with warm clean water.

2010-12-29T19:59:00.000-08:00

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I likes it

2010-12-29T17:01:00.000-08:00

I like this music. It's COOL.

:D

2010-12-28T16:11:00.000-08:00

I just heard this song on the radio. I thought it was lovely and had a good message. I couldn't find a official video- rather the one I found said it couldn't work in America.. hmm. If you go here you'll find his myspace site that has the video at it and some more stuff about him.

I liked the song because it seemed like a nice blend of pop and R&B. I think that's happening more often. It's nice, it sounds good and it makes the listener feel like their deeper than a piece of wonder bread. Like they've graduated to... potato bread. But not yet ready for hearty wheat.

The actual musicality and quality of music is becoming more and more important to the fans- so the artists are making a better effort. Though how much of this is them personally being talented and how much is the hired blenders and mix masters, I don't know. Anyway, have a go. Listen a little and comment to say what you think!! Or don't comment and just quietly stalk my site. Either way works.

:D

2010-12-22T23:33:00.000-08:00

My name is Deborah and I approve this mesage. Especially tip #1.

2010-12-18T14:52:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone out there is getting in the Christmas Spirit!! I wanted to post my favorite Christmas video. NOTE this is not my favorite Christmas song- but the animals in this video are just so creepy/cute that I can't handle it. I mean- who'd think that lips on a animal would work?? Lol. Enjoy.

Loving this song...

2010-12-15T13:28:00.000-08:00

Since I've been stirring things up a little to much recently.. (cough, cough) I thought I'd post a nice little harmless musical number. Seriously though, I LOVE this song.
I'm even totally digging the singers whole "just stepped out of west side story" look that he's pulling off. He's totally rocking that do. Anyway take a break, have a go, and listen to some Bruno Mars.

2010-12-11T20:59:00.001-08:00

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2010-12-11T14:23:00.000-08:00

And so my week ends. I’ve spent the last week trekking all over Disney with my sister and her children. It was AMAZING. However- I’m not going to lie… there were times that I thought that my feet were going to fall off. Note to self- when I go back take some runners, instead of converse. Ha.

You’d think that as a former Disney Cast member that I would have known better. Really. I spent 6 month being a slave for the Mouse. I guess I’ve forgotten the lessons that I’ve learned previously much easily than I’d have thought.

It’s pretty funny though- being at MY park- (MGM) – it felt like home. I really just wanted to go to the Big Hat and hang out. I enjoyed just BEING at Disney again. Maybe I should just go back and work for them again. But that’s kinda hard though because it brings up my previous problem- of wanting to be around family so I’m not so out of the loop. Not that I want to live in Portland again- but I’m tired of Utah. Ready to be among adults again. Yes you heard me. No, I’m not going to apologize for dis’ing on Utah.

However, in speaking of places where I’d live-or not live. I can now safely say that I’ll never live in Mississippi or Alabama. My trip to Disney involved a road trip across the South. WOW. What a desolate location of nothingness. WE drove for an hour without passing any food/gas/bathrooms. Weird. I guess it was more of a lesson in that- I’m a City Girl. I NEED my city. Also- apparently there no Chinese or Hispanic restaurants in the South. BBQ? YES. Other foods? NO. I CANNOT handle that. I need my diversity.

You may think that I’m being overly pessimistic here, in dissing so many places. Hardly. I’ve just been doing well on narrowing down where I’d like to live. YES. I know I need to be willing to live in a place that has a job for me and not limit myself to the more desire able places. But lets be honest. I’m a snob. I want to LOVE the place I live in. Not just exist there. I think everyone has that right. And everyone is different. So it’s GREAT that there's so many different places, so we can all be happy. RIGHT?? Anyway. Disney was amazing. I'll post pics. I survived. I just wish that Disney had been like Beijing where there were easily available foot massage places. That would have been cool. Yeah;. Disney with foot messages. MUCH BETTER. :D

Something I wrote while on the plane...

2010-12-03T18:46:00.000-08:00

I can’t help thinking, as I fly above towns and cities, and peoples and cars… about how little they all look. Obviously this isn’t a new topic to think of.. but still. When I consider the value we give to.. say a house. A person scrimps and saves for their entire life to buy a house for.. say 300K to 400K and you know what?? It’s not that impressive. It’s a tiny little spot of land that they’ve dug into and poured their life out upon. And then their tied down. To that tiny patch. YES. It’s does give one a sense of Value.. a sense of THIS IS MINE. However….

I cannot help, but to think though about how it’s all meaningless. Looking down from my window in this plane I can see many, many houses.. well at this point I can see the lights of the little towns all bunched together. And to think that we would take one of those towns and value all the people and all their little lives and homes and cars… maybe 20 million dollars worth of stuff in that town. Which isn’t really all that much. And I may be being generous in that estimate. (I’m going over Texas right now, their little towns :P )

OBVIOUSLY the TRUE value of those little town is innumerable and incalculable. DUH. But still… when I think about the depression that happens and the stress that come from people stressing over their little concerns.. it just seems pointless. Because really, it doesn’t matter. Life is, in itself small and meaningless- which oddly- to me makes it more enjoyable. Because if life is small and meaningless then I am released from the stress and pressures that I may have otherwise felt. It’s freeing to know of my smallness. People don’t care what I say or do. I don’t matter. People are too worried about themselves to have me be apart of their concerns.

This is SERIOUSLY isn’t a shout out for attention. It’s an affirmation of freedom from others. I’ve spent a lot of my life thinking and worrying about other people. Now I don’t have to. I can just… be. And once I land- I’ll be another one of the Ants. Stuck in traffic. Inching along.. and worrying about getting to my destination on time. When really- there are thousands of flights all zooming above me, carrying people who are the giants of their time. We’ve all had our turn to be giants- the above viewers. This power we gain temporarily does help one to gain insight.

I am glad however that I am not tied down. I have yet to gain MY patch of land. Yet another freedom I guess that I’ve held onto. The thought of being one of the Ants is terrifying to me. Many, many people go through their lives and never really impart others. I don’t want to be one of them. I guess having a blog is a start. I’m out there.

I just had an epiphany. I’m totally thinking along the lines of my sociological degree. Lol. It’s a specific theory as well- the systems theory. Where you see life zoomed out and all the cities and people as cogs in a giant system. For example- think of a large interconnected computer system with line connecting different hubs of networks. Like that. The health of it all depends on how the rest of it is doing.

One of my teachers once told my class that each of us who studied sociology would eventually choose a theory that we really believed in. I guess I’ve settled on mine then. Ha. It’s kind of funny though- I don’t really want to get my masters in Sociology- BUT I seriously keep thinking of papers I could write or issues I would want to explore further. Like the X factor in everyone’s life. People ALWAYS develop an X factor in their life that gives them meaning- like religion or sexuality- or sports… etc. I’ve even met people who had Disney as theirs…. I could totally interview people and work and write a paper.. or heck. Even write a book on that. And I WOULD. But who would give credit to a person with just a Bachelors? Sigh.

Anyway. This is a super long post. I had better end. Kudos to those who are still reading. And double Kudos to those who were able to follow my thought process. I know I tend to wander. ANYWAY. Here- I’ll post a cool video to reward those who made it that far. And to those to just skipped to the video without earning it- shame on you. Shame. On. You.

2010-11-29T21:18:00.000-08:00

So... to my faithful readers (not that I have any) you should have noticed that I've been posting more Dr. Who stuff recently. It's because I've been watching it again. third time through's a charm.. right??

For what it's worth I do go to class and go to the gym. I don't just watch all day. Just every night ;)

I am going home in a few weeks and I don't know what I'm going to do once I'm stuck at home for that long. Lol. I usually tend to just hand for weeks on end. It would help if I could get to the gym/ had my own car out there. But, alas, I won't. Maybe I'll grab a car late at night to get my gym time in. I mean, they won't need their cars after 8pm.. right?

Hopefully as well, the more humid climate will help me out. I always DIE every winter because it's so dang dry in Utah. I've done everything I can think of to try to escape this dryness. Hopefully a removal from the area will do the trick. :D

2010-11-29T12:27:00.000-08:00

Man. I am SUCH a nerd. Ha. Loves it. Please note- song is PG13.

2010-11-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

Brilliant. Completely amazing I've been wanting to chase this song down for awhile now. Each time I remember the song's name, I forget it again... but now i've "gotcha"!! Ha. I shouls say more at this point becuase my last few posts have been short. But. Whateva. Here we go.

2010-11-27T17:02:00.000-08:00

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This is cute. Enjoy the pic and smile a bit. I mean, really... it's all that you can control in life. Your happiness. So, enjoy this pic and give it a smile. I mean- if you don't enjoy it then your not human. So, be human and just be.

2010-11-26T18:24:00.000-08:00

Recipe: 'Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake'
by Ina Garten

This recipe is inspired by a cranberry pie from Sarah Chase’s book Cold Weather Cooking. My friend Barbara Liberman calls it "easy cake" — I call it delicious. It's even better served warm with vanilla ice cream.
12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1⁄8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.

Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1⁄8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Excerpted from Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That by Ina Garten. Published by Clarkson Potter. All Rights Reserved.

I can't handle how AMAZING this recipe looks. I REALLY want to make it... if only I had "Earned" it today. However I spent all day watching movies and sitting on my booty. Ha. Not that I meant to spend the day like this but I'm avoiding shopping. I find that if I leave the house I spend money. I need to avoid spending money right now. In fact- if anyone out there would like to give me some... let me know. ha.

I'll go to the gym tomorrow. Sure I will. It'll happen. :D

2010-11-26T14:47:00.000-08:00

Ha. Ha. Ha. Loves it. A potato ball. In a potato box. Carved out of a potato. Thats some mad skillz. It's pretty hard core!! :D

Pretty Decent

2010-11-23T20:09:00.000-08:00

I think I like this. WHich is ironic becuase I got it off a list of worst Brisith music of 2010. Lol. Shows ya, huh?

Storms and Warnings

2010-11-23T16:38:00.000-08:00

They've been threatening all day that we're about to have a nasty strong storm. Who are "they"?? Just about everyone. My teacher cancelled class- The newspaper felt the need to e-mail me.. etc. I feel like.. when "they" are doing everything they can to get a hold of you that you should listen. However- it was supposed to hit somewhere between 3-4 PM. You know what? Didn't happen. Which leads me into the subject of false predictions and warnings.

What does one do when "they" fail you? Run and put my head under a rock? Maybe. It doesn't help that I'm watching 2012 right now. Ha. Anyway. It's now 6pm and no snow. I feel like the weather gods have deserted me. Sigh. Here's a pic to comment on my feelings:

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Being selfish again..

2010-11-17T16:55:00.000-08:00

Yup.I'm selfish. I also want this item. It's SWEET!! You can buy it for me right here.

2010-11-15T12:21:00.000-08:00

Brilliant. This is amazing. I love the clapping part. I really like the clapping part. I love the part where the rhythm just gets to you. My fav is where rhythms just get to ya. Another song that's like that is the "Drumming Song" from Florence and the Machine. I won't post more than one song at once though.

I really wonder what it is about rhythms that get to me. It may be because of my whole obsession with opposites thing. Most of life doesn't have a strong beat to it. Heck. Most people aren't strong. Its the decisive and strong nature of Rhythm that I feel just gets to ya.

I love strong things. I've often liked to be around people who others tell me are self centered or jerks. Not that I've ever told these people that others saw them like this. I wouldn't be surprised if others saw me like that. Whatev. Strongness is one of the most important elements in life. Its something I've strived to develop in my life. Which can come across poorly. But it sure does beat the other choice. Being weak.

Maybe that's why I like opposites- because I have to strive so hard to be able to balance myself. My two sides fighting against each other. Huh. Maybe. This could use some thinking on. maybe I should start doing Yoga again to balance this Yin and Yang.

hmmm.....

2010-11-12T17:32:00.000-08:00

Amy isn't my favorite companion for the doctor.. but then the current doctor isn't my fav doctor either.. but they do go well together...

But this pic is AMAZING!!! I totally LOVE it and its appropriate for her. The other companions would not have worked in this style!! :D

It's come to my attention that apparently m Dr Who obsession is getting pretty annoying to my roommates. Tough. its amazing. I am trying to tone it down however. BUT- knowing that The Doctor will be filming in Utah within the next week- well its pretty hard. I just wish I knew WHERE their filming. That would be pretty sweet. I'd show up. Be that annoying... can I watch you shoot? Quiet- nice- non-obtrusive fan. I'd do that well.
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boots!!

2010-11-11T16:28:00.000-08:00

I want these boots!! Their fun and cute!! Sigh... now is only someone would buy them for me? You can find them here.. Size 9. HINT HINT.

Though there are many different Wellies on the Internet- any that are hounds tooth would do.

I've never had anything Hounds tooth before. But the style has always mystified me a little. To be honest- I kinds have an obsession with extreme opposites. In clothing- in food- in whatever. Chocolate with salt on top. Black and White things. Having a pink shirt on with a green scarf.... all these things are pretty hot.

I do have to say that if I DO end up with wellies like these my family will approve. I mean- it'll be better than the croc boots I've been wearing for the last couple of years.

Totally valid.

2010-11-10T14:46:00.000-08:00

I love food. Don't get me wrong. I love food for how delicious it can be. Not for how much I can shove in my mouth. Though there's times where that approach is appropriate. Like Thanksgiving. Or if you get offered real BBQ.

Hmmm... BBQ.. wait, what? Oh yeah. Blog about food. Right. (wipes drool off face)

Butter however is like... a golden blessing given us from God. It makes me happy. When I'm cooking, I don't use any oils almost at all. About every 6 months I'll use Olive oil or sesame oil for something. If a recipe calls for lard, I'll use soft butter. If it calls for veg oil- I use applesauce.

I'm sure my cooking has suffered somewhat- the proper texture can be hard to achieve without the proper oil/lard..but I think its worth it.

However, I will own that for my Pie Crust I totally use 1/2 butter and 1/2 lard. You don't mess with the pie crust. Do NOT go there. That's sacred.

Right now I have a yummy fall squash cooking with butter in it. I really don't know what else I'm going to do with it. After I'm done here I'll google something. If its good I'll post again with the recipe. If I don't post something... well then there was less than heaven happening in my kitchen.

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Best. Thing. Ever.

2010-11-04T19:31:00.001-07:00

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Springfield Punx: Doctor Who Week: Day 4

2010-11-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

Springfield Punx: Doctor Who Week: Day 4: "Weeping Angels (Click images to enlarge) What can I say about the Weeping Angels? To me,..."

...

Sooooo...... I just totally borrowed this off of another website. But it's freaking awesome!! You should totally go to his blog and check it out!!

Wow.. I think I totally <3>

Also, people should watch this episode. It's called Blink- its from Season..something. Dang I just went to look for a link to post a video and I got totally distracted by watching Dr. Who out takes. Hahahahhaa. It's amazing. I'm going to leave now and do that for a while longer. :D

Family Trends

2010-11-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

Do you believe in the type of blood connections that allow families to KNOW the same things as each other, even when their miles apart? How about when their states away, or countries apart?
Somehow my family does this. But oddly enough- it only works with science fiction or fantasy genre items. The first time it happened, it was for the Author Terry Pratchett. You'll notice in my side bar, that I'm still a fan. I starting reading Terry Pratchett years ago, when I was about 15. I didn't tell anyone though about it. However, when I was about 23, after having been a dedicated fan I discovered that My sisters were also fans. We had never spoken about it. I didn't tell them to pick the books up. And I feel that he's a uncommon enough author for this to count.

Needless to say I do have other examples of this- that I won't go into here and now. Mostly because the effort would be much too great to bother typing it all out. I'd rather get to the point.

This psychic blood bond has occurred again. Just this last month I've come to the awareness that not only am I a *NEW* Dr. Who fan. But so are my sisters. Sigh. Its just so fun and funny. The odd thing is that none of us knew that the others were also getting into it. OBVIOUSLY psychic, right? Lol.

Obviously, I only know the series from its reincarnation (pun? ha.) in 2005 on. I'm American, so even being a nerd growing up, I watched Star Trek. BBC Sci Fi has only come to my attention recently. Didn't know that Dr. Who existed. Well, my dad mentioned it once. But that's about all I knew.

So anyway. Apparently my family is psychic. Either that or we all have really good taste. One or the other. Who knows. Its a mystery. Enjoy this video that some other person made that's basically a trailer for a Dr. Who episode called "The Girl in the Fireplace". Its one of my favorite episodes. I totally think people should find some *legit* place to watch Dr. Who- and you should all become fans.

Halloween

2010-10-31T18:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!! To me (apparently) Halloween means make Cinnamon rolls and then color the frosting slimy green. It was yummy.

I spent the day cleaning. My roommate and I had a party last night- but she was sick then and she's sick now- so I ended up doing most of the cleaning (which was OK). But I am tired. So, therefore not at all feeling guilty about eating a Cinnamon roll. I might have a second one. In a minute. :D

Last nights party was pretty fun. My friends and I got together and.... casually mingled. It was interesting. Though I must work harder to get people to understand what Steampunk is. Most people didn't get it. Ha. Victorian era clothing that shows really cool steam technology. I REALLY must improve it in the future. I need to like.... have a machine gun arm. Ha. Next year. It'll be better.

I spent a few days up in Idaho this last week with my Brother's family. He and his wife left town and I got to wrangle the monkeys for them. It was a lot of fun- and I got to take them trick or treating. I haven't been around kids that "belonged" to me in quite a few years. So it was kinda a special treat.

The kids didn't act up or anything on me- so that was nice. But the littlest one kept joining me in bed at night (which was cute) but about every half hour he'd take either his foot or hand and he'd like... stroke my arm or back. Totally kept me up. I guess he felt I needed to know what it was like to handle kids on less than a full nights sleep. Good job- he succeeded.

Speaking of not sleeping. Could you imagine what it would be like to be the house across the street from this house? Ha. Cool display- but I think it'd get REALLY old after an hour or so.

Peace out. Later.

Im blue.

2010-10-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

Recently, some friends tried to convince me that I'm a red in the color code. I'm not. I've taken several tests and I keep coming out as a Blue. I think they misunderstand Blues. Blues are not afraid of confrontation- but we're more likely to be confrontational when protecting someone- or feeling like you need to protect them.

I don't know why I don't like Reds. They are just so unsympathetic. All the people I've known to be Reds- I've never gotten along with them. Probably because I'm not scared to stick up for my self. And to be honest, I don't get "dry personalities". Its VERY hard for me to tell when their being serious or not.

Bullying has been in the news a lot recently. Its weird for me because I was a bullied child- and still have a lot of insecurities about me because of it. Because of that I'm ALOT more ready to stand up for my self and others when I sense bulling going on. Protective to the point of being willing to cut people from my life who I consider bullies. I've done it in the past and I'll do it again.

As a child I was much more likely to avoid people and situations when I wasn't comfortable. Even though I LOVED dancing, (I was horrible at it) when I was faced with bullying at the lessons I would just quit. The same with sports and almost everything I tried. I think that's why I like Nerds. And Nerdy things. Nerds are just like- forget you- I'll do what I want. This is who I am. Then they let their nerd flags fly proudly. :)

Its strange to me that their focusing soooo much on the gay bullying. Not that's its COMPLETELY valid and needs to be worked on. But as a child- a teen even- I was bullied for being LDS and for being larger than my classmates. I mean- in middle school I had a classmate ask me when I was going to grow my horns and tail- because their church had taught them that Mormons would LITERALLY grow horns and tails as apart of their religious worship. I'm an adult now and completely understand and have sympathy for those out their who feel the need to bully- as I now understand that they are also insecure. They just express it in the opposite way. And the large thing? I now understand that by genetics I just matured quickly and was an "Adult" by sophomore year. Yeah. That was fun. Ha.

Anyway. Point is. I'm a blue. I'm insecure- I'm protective and I want to be understood. I know I ramble on and on in this blog- but that's the point of it. I mean- I didn't call it "musings on life" because I wasn't interested in sharing my point of view. Take it or leave it. It's out there for the world to see. And I know the world does see it- because I can see them. Anyway- here's an explanation of blues:

BLUES are motivated by intimacy. They seek opportunities to genuinely connect with other and need to be understood and appreciated. Everything they do is quality-based. They are loyal friends, employers and employees. Whatever or whomever they commit to is their sole (and soul) focus. They love to serve and give freely of themselves in order to nurture others' lives. BLUES have distinct preferences and are the most controlling personality. Their code of ethics is remarkably strong and they expect others to live honest, committed lives as well. They enjoy sharing meaningful moments in conversation as well as remembering special life events (i.e. birthdays and anniversaries). BLUES are dependable, thoughtful, analytical and can be self-righteous, worry-prone and moody. They are like "sainted pit-bulls" who never let go of something or someone once they are committed. When you deal with a BLUE, be sincere and make a genuine effort to understand and appreciate them.

2010-10-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

I LOVE halloween. I'm super excited for this year!! I'll be having a party at my house this saturday and My costume will be AMAZING. Pictures will follow.

Just for the heck of it.....

2010-10-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

Big Audio Dynamite - Rush (Official Music Video). Watch more top selected videos about: Big Audio Dynamite

Huh... This was playing on the radio as I drove to school this morning. Ha. While I do like this song- I'm completely mesmerized by the video. Hammer pants? Check. Random playground like backdrop? Check. Lack of theme or acting talent? Check.

However- the song itself- that I can feel. Because I DO want a change of atmosphere. I'm done living in Utah. Heaven help me- if I could move to another country, I think I would do it. London would be nice. I wonder how I could make that happen... hmmmm. I need to start drilling my friends who live over there as to how they managed it.. what do I need to do to make that happen for me? Sigh.

Yes, I know. The grass is always greener... and all that. However, while the grass may not be greener than over here- I'm sure it may be a different texture or length. Ya know? And lets me honest- UK accents are hot. Yes, I went there again. Lol.

Though- on a different level, it would be kinda a disregard for my ancestors who worked so hard to move away from there. I mean- look at all they went through to leave there... and I'm all excited about going back? Perilous sea voyage, horrific pioneer wagon cart trip... diseases.... etc. And I'm thinking about throwing it all in the air and going back. Yup. I'm kinda not thankful enough for their efforts. I should work on that.

However much though, that I can be aware of my need to be thankful, that doesn't change my restless feet. I feel the need to wander. To move. To be else where. Not that I think the people would be different, or that my life would change. I'm perfectly aware that who I am, what makes me, me. Those changes need to come from within. Location does not help that. Same with the people. Idiots are everywhere. Can't help that.

Anyway- off I go. To another day living in Utah. Its just the way things are for now. Until I figure out a way to "change my atmosphere".

This is special...

2010-10-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

I've discovered what my "MO" is concerning guys. Apparently I'm REALLY into tall skinny dark haired- guys. I've always thought that I was into guys with curly hair... but after a reflection on things.. yeah. I've discovered a pattern here.

1) It all came to me last night as I went to a Matt Costa concert (which was amazing). After the concert he came out and was signing autographs for the fans. I TOTALLY ran to the stuff booth and bought a CD for him to sign. As I'm standing there, in his presence, I turn into the biggest idiot. Instead of saying something momentous- or kind- I start babbling like a idiot.. something like... "loved the show".

2) I've QUICKLY become obsessed with Dr. Who. Specifically- the David Tennant version. I mean how HAWT is he? Oh my goodness. He just seems to work well on so many levels- and he's legit. A real actor and a nice guy :)

3) The last guy I knew - as in, in person knew (not a celebrity :) ) who I was actually obsessed with- well, I'm not going to name him, but he was tall dark and handsome (too bad he married someone else, eh?). Anyway- I also would turn into a babbling idiot when talking to him. It was super awkward. SUPER.

4) Richard Armitage- whose playing Thorin Oakenshield in the new Hobbit- well, I was reading up on him last night BECAUSE of the new Hobbit casting- and so I was reminded of how AMAZINGLY hot he is. (side note- if you haven't seen North and South- WATCH IT NOW) He;s not super skinny- but he does have the whole Dark Haired and Tall thing.'

Point is.. sigh. I need me a tall dark and handsome man. LOL And it's always better to know and understand your motivations. Yup.

2010-10-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

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I've been working on finding things in my life that make me less independent. My mother taught me to be *fiercely* independent. Being who I am now a days- there are parts of this that I REALLY enjoy- but there are other parts of that, that I feel hold me back.

As of right now, however, there's nothing. So... let's watch another episode of Dr. Who. And i'll snuggle the Mupps. Ha.

AMEN.

2010-10-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

“Intellectual pride is very prevalent in our day. Some people exalt themselves above God and His anointed servants because of their learning and scholarly achievements. We must never allow our intellect to take priority over our spirit. Our intellect can feed our spirit and our spirit can feed our intellect, but if we allow our intellect to take precedence over our spirit, we will stumble, find fault, and may even lose our testimonies”.
(Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Press On,” Liahona, Nov 2004, 101–4)

I feel like people take themselves too seriously and they talk themselves out of trusting in the Lord. I haven't gotten really religious on here in the past, but here I go.

A friend of mine (someone I do still consider a friend) recently declared themselves to be agnostic. Basically renounced the LDS faith and opened them self up to other religions. Please don't bash me for saying this- but seriously, this is why I would never raise children in Utah. They just don't get enough exposure to other religions. Not that I don't LOVE people of different faiths- I DO. But, at the same time, I really, really love being LDS because of the simple truth that it brings into my life.

I've seen people struggle for knowledge, I've seen people try extremely time consuming, meaninglessness activities- to try to fulfill their spiritual needs. I feel that all search for truth is a good thing. But why do GOOD things when you can be doing GREAT things? The search for truth and wisdom is a extremely noble activity. Extremely. But personally, I'd rather listen to one session of Conference (as seen HERE) and get all the answers I've been wondering about, than spend the next 10 years wandering and searching.

I do have personal experience with this, before anyone thinks that I don't. I served my mission in Iowa, where oddly enough there's a spiritual community in Fairfield that practices Transcendental Meditation. I mean- the area is extremely "golden" (full of people who are seeking the truth) and these people have (for some of them) spent their entire adult life seeking truth (which is noble, remember?) but in speaking to some of the members of the ward in that town, they would tell us how where they used to meditate for 5-6 hours a day to be at peace, they could now go to the temple once a week and have the same amount of fulfillment. AND they were free to live a "normal" life (i.e. average American life).

When it comes to life experiences, I guess I'm super blessed because I've NEVER needed to do something personally to learn from it. Drugs? Nope. Smoking? Nope. Premarital Sex? Nope. (seeing a good friend go though a abortion at the age of 14 ended that impulse quickly).

For all that I gripe about my life- I've been super glad to be free from the impulse to experiment. Probably also because I've always known how extremely apt I am to become addicted to things- just don't open the box. Pandora can keep her secrets.

But I can't keep this one. I know that Christ lives. I know that Pres. Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God and I know that, while this life holds many good things and that many things are true, the only whole truth is to be found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Thanks for reading this. Let me know if your interested in learning more, or have questions.

Just Sayin'

2010-10-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

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Wii? Please??

2010-10-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

http://blogtorwho.blogspot.com/search/label/dr%20who%20nintendo%20game

Dr Who does Wii?? Yes please? Especially the controller that's a Sonic Screw Driver. I NEED that. Bwahahah... Here's a pic!!

I don't *need* it... I have enough controllers. But I NEED it. that way when I turn on the wii to watch The Doctor do his thing, I can do it with a SONIC SCREW DRIVER. Hahahaha.

You know, its the simple things in life that makes me whole.

I got some good news today- the head of my department just told me that he'd 1) help me get a job and that 2) he really wants me to get the AAS (that he got on the books FOR me) and that he thought that it was a good idea.

I am a little worried that him helping me get a job would lead into a job in Provo. Which is not ideal. Maybe Salt Lake would be OK. With a real job I'll be able to afford to go home more. I don't know yet where I want to live permanently. It would be nice if I had something guiding my life- but I don't. Its all whishy washy.

But maybe having my own personal Sonic Screw Driver- just maybe it would help out a little. I WILL be super disappointed when I go to open a door... and it doesn't work. Sigh. Sad little realities of life. How they drag me down. :(

Sweet Song..

2010-10-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

This song makes me want to dance across the room. Just totally let it all lose and just... let go.

That's a good thing too. Its been too long since I've just.. been full of joy. Concerts usually do it to me. I feel very inhibited. Theres something about how private a concert can be. Its just you and the musician.. in a room full of other people. There not a ton of other places where you can feel soooo private, while surrounded by other people.

Though to be honest... if I'm rocking out to this in my house... thats hardly in a room full of people... ha.

Scary Kitties

2010-10-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

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I know that this pic is just a joke.... BUT.. seriously. Are cats the next step in taking over the world?? I mean.. are they developing into a sentient race that will continue to co-exist here on earth??

Part of whats getting to me is a certain Dr. Who episode where there were these killer cat nuns. Seriously. Cat Nuns. Here's a pic to show you. Its pretty special.

Yeah. I said it was special. Its interesting to see how the show very much would attach itself to something... real. And twist it. And we'd enjoy it because, it strikes it self to us as real. As possible. I mean- look at that top photo. What would happen if cats had vocal chords that could talk? I mean... how smart are cats already? Whats the stretch from where they are today- and Dr. Who's killer kitty nuns???

Ha.

2010-10-12T13:00:00.000-07:00

I've discovered how to get more people looking at my blog. Post about Dr. Who. I *think* that's what is doing it. Though I see a lot of hits for a April 2010 month's postings... and heaven knows that's on that page that's drawing people in.

Its been two weeks now since I quit my job. Well... kinda quit. Ha. And since then I've been spending a lot of time watching Dr. Who. And I picked up another class- the second half of the Real Estate and the Law course that I'm currently taking. Its super exciting. Basically waiting, and watching for my drunk classmate to make another attention grabbing awkward situation.

Seriously. Last week she interrupted the lecture on mortgages to ask a question about White Supremacy." How incredibly weird and inappropriate. Ha. Anyway, as odd as she is, it does help to break up the monotony of the class. Not that I don't like it. I actually am finding my law classes more interesting than I thought I would.

I am however surprised at how many people hear that I'm studying Paralegal, and their surprised that I'm not going to become a lawyer. I mean.... I just know way too many new lawyers who are struggling to find jobs right now. And- if I'm a paralegal then NO RESPONSIBILITY. I think I could use some of that right now. Its VERY appealing.

I do however need to find a way to make a living by my own wits. I've been thinking about taking up writing. Hmmm... that seems super appealing. Sit at home- throw out my thoughts and see what happens. We'll see. Bwahahahha.

It's Official: 'Doctor Who' To Film in the U.S. For The First Time! - Anglophenia

2010-10-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

It's Official: 'Doctor Who' To Film in the U.S. For The First Time! - Anglophenia

:)

How hard would it be to show up on set and watch them film this? Ha. I'm not crazy... but how often will they film Dr. Who in UTAH??

Yeo Valley Advert - Official Video

2010-10-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

The grass is always greener... isn't it? I mean, here I am in America thinking.. how AWESOME is this advertising? I think its the COOLEST thing I've ever seen. Totally lol'ed.

However.. the reason why its cool is because their rapping.. like American style rapping. So.. here I am IN AMERICA thinking that England is cool, and that I"d like to visit there... and hence the circle continues. On. And On.

However.. now I AM kinda frustrated because I'm TOTALLY sold on their product. Milk? Yes please.

UN official denies she has role representing Earth - World news - Europe - msnbc.com

2010-10-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

UN official denies she has role representing Earth - World news - Europe - msnbc.com

I absolutely LOVE this article. First the UN announces that they've appointed someone to be the head of their space program- then they have to clarify that she's not the World Ambassador to Outer Space. Liars. We all know whats up. Theres aliens. Admit it. Come on, you know you wanna... because if theres aliens then theres a chance that.... Dr. Who is real.

I have been UTTERLY obsessed with Dr. Who recently (yes, I"m aware that I'm like the last person to discover the show, get off my back) but anyway- I feel better knowing that this nice lady will be there standing in the way when the Daleks attack. What are Daleks you ask? Their these little crafty creatures:

Daleks are like... the WORST aliens out there. No emotions, No Sympathy.. etc. Just little killing jerks. If one shows up- your dead. BAM.

And anyway- i really think that if Dr. Who was real.. it would make my day since I'm obsessed with the main character... OK. Specifically the actor (David Tennant) who was the previous Dr..... Sigh. I think I'm going to go online and buy HAMLET, since he stars in it. I mean, I have NO desire to watch Hamlet. Just a desire to try to get my Dr. Who fix somewhere since he's off the show now. Sigh.

Please don't confuse this for a WEIRD obsession. It's just a normal- isn't he great type of obsession. Which is weird since I don't normally do those. Didn't obsess over the popular kids in school- I never cared who was student body president in college... etc. But... theres just something about his strut... lol.

Beware CATZILLLA

2010-10-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

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I feel like this above animal is acting upon my life. I've had several hard things come upon me recently. I had the opportunity to quit my job this week. Two days later, I realized that I needed to go to the doctors (I haven't yet). I"m just wondering what's next?

And then i'm also wondering what lemonaid is gonna come from these lemons. I mean... theres got to be something out there. Should probably start working on that. Get my resume in shape. ha.

Hmmm.. lemon aid. I may go have hot dog on a stick for lunch. DELICIOUS.

....hmmm... chinese.... :D

2010-09-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

Top Five Ten Asian Ingredients Every Cook Should Have: Brian Ray and Yang Huang

Chef Brian Ray's
1. Kewpie Mayo
Kewpie is the most fabulous mayonnaise ever. It’s just awesome. You can fix anything with some of this stuff.
2. 3 Crab brand Fish Sauce
Fish sauce can run the gamut. They can be too strong or too salty. 3 Crab is middle of the road and just has that perfect flavor.
3. Mae Ploy Chili Sauce
It’s a viscous, sweet chili sauce. It will stick to anything. I love to marinate chicken in it and throw it on the grill. The sugars in it caramelize perfectly.
4. Hoisin Sauce
To me, hoisin is the most generic, basic and solidly good sauce you can have. It’s like the KC Masterpiece of Asian food. You can put it almost on everything and it’s good every time.
5. XO Sauce
I refer to this as the truffle oil of Chinatown. If you want to add a unique flavor or finish a sauce, this is what you should use. It has a chili flavor, but with a robust seafood essence. They may cost about the same, but truffle oil is an artificial flavor, and XO is an all natural “luxury” item, made from high-quality ingredients
Yang Huang's List
1. Soy Sauce
I can’t think of an Asian pantry not having soy sauce in it. It’s very common ingredient used in so many dishes. It’s really a must-have.
2. Sweet Rice
I love this type of rice because it’s toothsome. It has a bite and it’s heartier.
3. TYJ brand Spring Roll Wrappers (TYJ brand)
This one’s my favorite because of quality. Spring roll wrappers are great because you can do so much with them. You can make egg rolls, wontons, spring rolls. They add such a nice texture.
4. Chinese Five Spice
When you taste this there’s no doubt that you’re eating something Asian. It’s a unique flavor to our culture. It’s an essential in many dishes such as Peking duck.
5. Oyster Sauce
The beauty of oyster sauce is that if you use it you don’t need to add a lot of different ingredients since its flavor is so unique and complex. It’s like soy sauce, but thicker

need to post more...

2010-09-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

This fall I've taken on 9 credits of school (that may become 12.... lets see if i go crazy).. I'm still working full time and I'm now the 1st counselor in my RS presidency. I've come to the conclusion that very few things actually fall into the category of things that I can control. I do my best. I take the knowledge that I'm given and then I sit back and enjoy life.

At work they've decided to not communicate that well with me. My performance is failing. Yet somehow they fail to see the connection between the two. I'm OK with that. I cannot control it.. so there's no other choice really. I can bash my head against a wall... or I can just smile and move on.

I find that seeking out those things in life that bring a smile to my face are now golden. things that allow me to be creative fall into this category. Sewing is pretty high on this list.. and by extention halloween is as well. This year, i'm going to be attempting a steampunk themed outfit. I have a fancy dress i'm gonna alter. I just bought myself a little top hat. I'll post a pic at the side to give ya'll out there an idea of what i'm talking about. Becuase, seriously. If you don't know steampunk... learn about it. It's amazing. Anyway... it's late and i'm done ranting. Here's a stock pic to share my ideas.....

This Is The Life

2010-08-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I LOVE Irish Punk. Maybe it's my roots coming out? Who knows. This is LOVELY.

Brandon Flowers - Crossfire

2010-08-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

Carly Simon "Blackbird"

2010-08-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

I really hope I get to see this artist live someone. I really need to make a list of "MUST SEE" people and work on it. :)

She and Him? CHECK! lol

hmmm....

2010-08-27T09:32:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking on one of my favorite conversations I've ever had and I thought I'd share if with the world here.... :)

Me: Man! I"m really excited for tonight!
Bonnie: Really? Whats going to happen?
Me: Well, I'm ready for all the magic that's gonna happen in my bedroom.
Bonnie: Magic? You mean the magic of you sleeping?
Me: YUP!! (said with a huge cheshire'ish grin). :D

Sigh. I mean.... yeah. This was soooo stinking funny at the time. And it still sooo true. Man, I love sleeping.

Salsa take 2

2010-08-24T20:38:00.000-07:00

Tab... making crepes...

Deb Making Salsa....

Salsa recipe

23 to 25 med tomatoes
3 lrg onions
2 lrg green peppers
2 lrg red peppers
1 jalapeno pepper
1 c white vinegar
4 t black pepper
4 t garlic salt
4 t salt
3 T corn starch
1 12oz can tomato paste

1. Blanch and peel tomatoes
2. Cut the stem off and squeeze the juices out of the tomatoes (wait for them to cool down first)
3. Rough chop onions (place in large pot of cooking)
4. For the jalapeno- remove all the seeds and chop up
5. Rough chop and add in other ingredients
6. Cook all together in a big pot about 20 min until its all cooked together
7. Use a hand blender or a traditional bender to mix and refine
8. Pour into wide mouth pint jars
9. Can (put in large pot, with water an inch over the jars and boil for 20 min- water should be cool when jars are placed within

For PEACH salsa- Blanch and add in 3 Peaches

How to Blanch:

Bring a pot of water to boil
Drop item into water
Boil for 3 minutes
Remove from water, let item cool

I'm soooo done cooking. I'll be doing nothing more than chilling, getting back into the gym and getting back to my bike.. sigh. :)

CupCakes!

2010-08-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

It's so hard to make chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting w/out making them appear to be poo-swirls, but I think I did OK here. :)

It's Kim's last day (she's over RAs at DishOne) so I brought in some cupcakes! it's super exciting and fun. I think I especially like the off center gummy candy- makes it look a little drunk. you know- a la Charlie Chaplin.

Speaking of cooking- I've got several zucchini's about to ripen up. Who wants them? Comment on here if you want me to bring one by (only if you live in Provo, I'm not delivering one to Idaho. :P ).

I"m going to be spending the weekend canning- so that's exciting. I'm going to see if I can't can peaches as pie filling and make some home made salsa. I've posted the recipe before but let me know if I need to post it again so it's fresh. It IS that time of year, Tomatoes are ripe and the sun is out!!

FYI:

These are out of a box cupcakes w/ chocolate cream cheese frosting.

There's a gummy treat on top............ and yellow sprinkles as well.

Cream Cheese Chocolate Frosting:

1 stick butter

1 stick cream cheese

1 pound powdered sugar

2 tsp milk

1/2 cup powdered coco

Mix all ingredients and whip until smooth.

Add more powdered sugar to make stiff if you so desire.

Eat.

Lady Gaga - Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)

2010-08-17T14:40:00.000-07:00

Considering that this is a Lady Gaga video, it'll probably be taken down in 2 seconds.. but whatever. I was really surprised to find this- it's just a light hearted video and more.. fun... than the rest of her stuff. it really reminds me of spice girl era music through... like it belongs back in the 90's. Meh. it works.

Matt Costa - Sunshine

2010-08-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this artist!! He's coming to Utah this October and i'm gonna go see him! :)

Mission Accomplished

2010-08-05T13:15:00.001-07:00

SOOOO.... there has been this photo floating around my family for over a decade now. Its of my two oldest sisters posing with a scantily clad actor at universal studios. We've all known about it and thought that it was HILARIOUS this entire time- we'll thanks to facebook it resurfaced. I thought it would be AMAZING to submit it to Awkward Family Photos.com because I thought it would be worthy of the attention.. and you know what?? THEY AGREED!! it totally made it onto the website! LOL... GOOD TIMES. I did want to show me asking permission to send it in. (See above?). SO... i'm not in trouble for doing this... RIGHT?? RIGHT? Uh oh. (runs away and hides)....

My sisters are officially AWKWARD. LOVES IT. (look on awkwardfamilyphotos.com on the July13th postings).

Florence + The Machine - Cosmic Love

2010-08-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

This singer is SOOO amazing.. she's epic. I'm really glad she's nominated for a VMA. :)

Regina Spektor - Blue Lips @ Barnes & Noble

2010-08-05T08:59:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh.. I think i'm in love with this song. I LOVE artists.. that really ARE artists. I think we should as a group make a bigger effort to ignore and refuse the britney spears types of the world. Sigh. Just so lovely.

First Aid Kit - Hard Believer

2010-08-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

this is an intersting group. I don't know how I feel about them completely yet. I'm waiting to see how large their range is.... the first few songs i've listened to are pretty similiar and I really prefer musicians with a large range of styles... hmmm.....

this last week i....

2010-07-30T12:18:00.000-07:00

this last week i went home.home is quite a varied idea for me. i visited my parents house, and i went to the cabin. they ALMOST are equally applicable to the word. i had afun visit. I learned a few lessons. i got to see an amazing wedding. and i got a lovely farmers tan. here's some pics:

janis joplin me and bobby mc gee

2010-07-15T09:36:00.000-07:00

REBOOT!!

2010-07-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

So.. it's been about.. 2 weeks now that I've been blasting either blue grass or americana music at my desk. I feel like this has been working wonders at resetting my soul. Below is a little glimpse of the type of stuff I've been listening to. It's really "happy" stuff. Emilie gets married in a few days. I'm going to Vegas this weekend (James Taylor/Carole King concert)... Washington next weekend. Natalie Mercahnt is coming up in august.. (I still need to buy my ticket to that one..) Good times. Good times....

MIKE POSNER - Cooler Than Me (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

2010-07-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

I LOVE this song... I really feel like... its how people really are... lol!! :D

2010-06-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

I get woken up at 1:30
by the chicken’s squawking .. it’s like… I’m dying squawking.
so
I grab my new flashlight and I go investigate it.. and there’s totally a raccoon in the cage.
It starts running around … trying to get out … and I can see the chickens running around
some of them have bloody necks…. or their missing feathers on their body
and one is on the ground laying... and just twisting (later I discover her head is stuck under the fence...she’s fine)
so I’m like… hmm….. I need a weapon and shoes…. so I go grab a shovel
and I go to put on my croc boots.. their outside because I’ve been using them in the coop already
then I start freaking out because I realize HOW STUPID it is to put on shoes/boots that have been outside for days because there could be a spider inside
I start like...
Jumping around trying to get the shoes off and I look inside them with the flashlight- no spiders
Then I’m like “these are Tabs chicken, I’m soooo calling her- if I’m awake she can be awake”

lol

so I call and she says it's ok to call animal control...
so I do- their super nice
its actually a cop who comes out, who had previously been on animal control…. he has a look'
and then he's like.. yup that’s a raccoon… so… we talk for a second
….then the cop like... sighs
and pulls out his gun …..and starts loading the bullets into the clip
he goes into the cage
he shoots the raccoon
(he had to move the small coop first though)
he doesn't kill it - it's bleeding
and the cop is like- we'll let it bleed to death (thinking it was going to die quickly)
and the raccoon wanders around a little bit.. like coughing up blood and stuff
and once it settles down the cop shoots it a second time - in the head (it dies)
then I went and got some garbage bags
and the cop put it in the bags and it's in our garbage
so...

the saddest part of this story is that
once we saw the raccoon up close it was obvious that the raccoon was very diseased
so...
I don't think it'll be safe to eat the eggs anymore
at all- not a good idea

ALL THE CHICKENS LIVED!!!

hmm...

2010-05-27T13:45:00.001-07:00

I'm thinking of doing the HGC diet. I'm asking for opinoins. I've heard both sides.. that it works and that it doesn't.

Basically i've been about the same weight since I was in highschool. What this is supposed to help do is reset your body's predetermined weight. Huh.

So.. please feel to comment in.

huh

2010-05-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

my last 7 days:

- I scheduled the cabin for July (YEAH! cabin time!)

- I was in a car accident (not too bad, but still not my fault)

- I helped a friend take engagement photos

- I helped a different friend wash blood from her hair (surgery)

- I've become more active at church (institute and FHE)

- I got a parking ticket ($25)

- I got cool new accessories for my bike (rear rack and bell)

- My roommate who I don't get along with is moving out

- My garden has started sprouting

- I"m working REALLY hard to give up pop. I <3 pop and am not that excited about giving it up. But it's tome for it to go...

....So pretty much I have LOTS going on, and it's about 50/50 good and bad stuff. I'm of mixed feelings about it all. Sigh. It could be worse. I could.. like have been injured in the car accident. I'm just antsy for a new adventure. Like.. moving or a boyfriend.. or somthing. Just something different.

At least it's spring and I get to be outside more. In the rain. In the sun. Under the leaves. On the hammock (oh, and I bought a hammock, and hung it up). Hopefully I'll host my first bonfire of the season soon. That should be pretty sweet. :)

HALLELUJAH!!!

2010-05-12T13:45:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce that I am about to embark on a quest for serenity. Some things have come to pass recently that will help enable this.. such as people leaving my life who I'm glad their gone.. or student loans coming through allowing my to pay off credit cards (yes mom, I know I still have to pay it off) but I'd rather have my debt be under 6% interest than 30%.

Along with this is a desire to become yet more religious. I haven't been doing the best in the past year, and I can do better. There's always room for improvement, yes? Yes.

I've had to make some decisions recently as well. I have my ten year reunion, a cousin's wedding and a really good friends wedding.. all within 2 weeks ( not 2 weeks from now, but in late July.. sorry to get some people's hopes up!!) . The reunion and the friends wedding is actually on the SAME day. So... yeah. What do you do? I think I'm going to go to the cousins wedding and then the friends wedding... because with Facebook in existence, there is no disconnect from my old high school friends. I still know whats going on in their daily. I DO want to see them, but I'm scared of bridezilla. lol.

AND- going to my cousins wedding means I'll get to have time up at my family's cabin (I hope) I still need to check the schedule and see if it's available. Hence the pic I chose... it's very similar to the forest up there.. :D

I need to be in the mountains. I need to feel clean air on my skin and lay by the steam as it goes tinkling by. Sigh. It's been WAY too long. And I need people to stop yelling at me over stupid dish pamphlets. Get a life.

I'm ready. HEEELLLLLOOO. I'm ready. Get movin', will ya?

My poor baby car....

2010-05-05T10:57:00.000-07:00

So.. I feel like it's time. Time to talk about how much I hate car stuff right now. ARGH. So.... I was hit by a hige SUV a few weeks ago. I was on my way to the MUSE concert with a roommate and a friend. Then BANG- they pull a U-EY into my car.

Needless to say, the lady was convinced that it was MY fault, but it's REALLY apparent that it wasn't (as you can see in the accident scene pic).

My car in the shop now. Being fixed. I hope they do a good job- and the paint matches this time. So far, it hasn't really in past jobs... The biggest crime in all of this has been the fact that this accident made me late to the concert- and I missed the first 1/3 of Muse's show. They had came onto the stage really early- 8:30. What we did see was AWESOME... i'll just FOR SURE have to go next time their in town.. and be early : )

OH NO!! SHRIMP!!

2010-04-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

So.. this is my shout out to all you shrimp lovers out there. STOCK UP NOW...

If you haven't been following the news... (and a lot of people out there DON'T) there's a HUGE oil spill off the coast of Louisiana that's about to DESTROY the Oyster and Shrimp beds. This may affect the harvest for YEARS. So... buy a deep freeze and STOCK UP... unless you want to pay $5 a shrimp next year to put in your scampi.

Personally, i'm going to build a "red war era" bomb shelter in my backyard and stock it up with tons of Oysters, Shrimp and Crawfish to last out this horrific period of time that is about to come upon us.

I'm also going to make all my friends wear this shirt at all times. Everywhere. Sush. You know your going to do it.

I need help!!!

2010-04-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

I need help!!! Where are you qualified people of provo?!? Will you be my assistant!!??!!

yeah, it's like that

2010-04-21T12:05:00.001-07:00

Waiting for the rain to pass
knowing it wont last
Still to enjoy each raindrop that falls
they each have a special call
Listen close to the sound
for the music is there to be found
Soft and sweet like candy from the sky
don't let the soft music pass you by
Just know it makes the earths crops
we should treasure all the raindrops

(I forgot to copy down the name of the artist... but I didn't write this)

And another one bites the dust.

2010-04-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

Emilie is engaged. Yet another friend lost to a husband. Sigh. She's moving to Arizona. Will you be my friend random people of the internet? I'm tired of having these guys STEAL my friends away.... lol :)

Stop fighting it!!!

2010-04-05T10:26:00.001-07:00

Give it up. All your dirty tricks!! Just admit you like it. Ok? Good. I'm glad we're on the same page now. :P (SO FREAKING EXCITED TO SEE MUSE TONIGHT!!!!)

Angus and Julia Stone

2010-04-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

If you don't already know this band- well, get to know them!! I've seen them live and their pretty much amazing. They released a new album today, and I pretty much am really excited about it. It's funny that their only in their videos about 1/2 the time... Angus is soooo shy. In the live concert he looked down most of the time and hardly made eye contact with the audience.... They opened for Brett Dennen- so the show was pretty much AMAZING. Better than the concert I went to this week- "5 for fighting"... marginal at best. So- yes. Get to know/love Angus and Julia Stone!! (their siblings)

Wood Block Prints!! YES!!

2010-03-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

I've had to write this blog three times because I'm trying to link to Gwyneth Paltrow's new newsletter. BUT it keep eating my words!! I go to post and 1/2 my blog is GONE!!! ARGH. Wheres the thanks for free advertising? I mean, COME ON!!! Anyway, i'm trying to post about this cool company I just found that does really cool prints. Not so excited about it the THIRD time around i'm typing this up. UGH!!! People- just google GOOP to find the newsletter, ok? I'm not linking it again, in fear it'll EAT my blog!!! :P

The print company is called "Hatch Show Print". It's WAY wicked cool. To be honest, I like the large wood block prints best- and they have some awesome monotoned animal prints that i TOTALLY covet. Here's a few of the ones I like the best!!! I entirely encourage people to go to their website and buy stuff!!! :D

https://store.countrymusichalloffame.com/categories.php?category=Hatch-Show-Print/Large-%26-Small-Posters

I feel like all women "lost" on an island should look like this:

Who doesn't like DUCKS?? Don't they just look TOOO cute???

Um. Not a Patsy Cline fan. But this poster makes me want to look her up!