Maple Sugar Lyrics

It's the same as it was...

2010-09-19T21:06:00.000-07:00

Me. They should make peanut butter pretzels but with chocolate inside instead of peanut butter.
Him. Then they would just be inside-out Flipz.
Me. Oh my gosh, they'd be Flipped Flipz!!!
Him. See, this is why we don't let you talk.
Me. *laughs for 5 minutes*

Things I love today

2010-09-16T23:17:00.000-07:00

I realize that I am way overdue for an update on my life, new marriage, honeymoon, etc. But for now- here's Etsy items that make me happy.

2010-08-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

I love that everytime my honey does something impressive in a video game he looks at me to see if I was watching. I never am but I'm still glad he does it.

A place to be.

2010-08-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

Waking up by myself, wrapped up and warm in a cold cabin, I think "I'm just gonna lay here and let the day come to me." Enter Wilson. A quick nuzzle with his wet nose and then a search for the best spot to take an early morning nap. One of the best things about Wilson- he doesn't hover, he just loves. There's something to be said for loneliness. There's something magical about silence and cold and stillness.

Just a Saturday morning in the woods. No list of errands, nobody to keep happy, no wedding to plan. Nothing to do but find pictures and shapes in the pine boughs against the foggy sky.

On friendship.

2010-08-11T20:30:00.000-07:00

Me. It's a bummer that your friend Escolante won't be here for the wedding.
Him. Ya.
Me. When does he get back from Afghanistan?
Him. A couple months.
Me. Do you miss him?
Him. Of course not! That's not manly.
Me. ...I really can't figure out a better way to say it.
Him. Let's just say I would prefer if he were not gone.

He just gets me.

2010-08-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

Me. Taking your bra off is the greatest feeling ever.

Him. Better than taking your socks off?

Me. Better than taking your socks off and then flipping your pillow to the cold side.

Him. Whoa.

A lesson in marriage

2010-08-10T09:11:00.000-07:00

Me. You know the key to a successful marriage is compromise.

Him. We're pretty good at that.

Me. No we don't compromise- we barter.

Him. They're the same thing.

Me. No they're not.

Him. Ok give me an example.

Me. Well ok let me think..... all right. Say I want to spend all day at the fair and you do not. A COMPROMISE would be if I say, "Ok well how bout we spend an hour or two at the fair and then go out to dinner at your favorite restaurant. Then we'll both be happy." A BARTER is if you say, "We can spend all day to the fair BUT I get to go fishing all day tomorrow."

Him. So it's a compromise when you say it and it's a barter when I say it?

Me. Those were completely different!

Him. They were just worded differently. The first one was nice and the second one wasn't.

Me. Ok different example! Let's say there's a 2 miles between our houses. A COMPROMISE would be us both walking a mile and meeting in the middle. A BARTER would be me walking the 2 miles and then you giving me a present when I got to your house.

Him. Or you walk it one day and I walk it the next.

Me. I don't think you would agree to walk the 2 miles, I think I'd have to do it.

Him. That's just cause you suck at bartering.

Me. That's why we should switch to compromising.

My Vintage Bedside

2010-08-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

This is all I could ever ask for in the world. Falling asleep with a good book, waking up to fresh flowers.

Shit Ida Says.

2010-07-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

Ida is my 70 year old cubicle mate from Oklahoma.

"I like your outfit today. It's very professional. Much better than all your hooker shirts."

Conversations

2010-07-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Me. This show is stupid. Everybody is sleeping with everybody. It's incestuous.
Him. Then why are you watching it?
Me. I used to like it. You know, I think my values are changing. Oh my gosh, I'm turning into you!
Him. Is that a bad thing?
Me. Honestly, I'd rather you turn into me. I'm awesome.

Frugality

2010-05-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

When money is tight, I NEED a clean kitchen. I need to see the simplicity that a space can have. I need it to look good empty- so that maybe my bank account will look good empty. I almost appreciate the comfort of appreciating what I have, as opposed to what I need. Sure, I need a wedding band, my air conditioning fixed, an outfit that I haven't work 15,423,472 times, the latest gadget, and maybe a new car. But now that I can't have all that right now, the weight of decision making is lifted off my shoulders. Now I need to bake, to invent a dinner from the things in my cupboard, to watch my favorite movie, to finish my knitting project.

You'll find me using vinegar to wash my counters and prettying the things I have instead of buying something new. Which is how it should be.

Sunday Grilling

2010-05-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

I could be a vegetarian if only for the fact that I'd never have to cook meat again. I am not good at cooking meat. And my well-meaning, advice-giving people do not help.
"Cook it till it's done."
"Cook it till it's squishy but not too squishy."
"Cook it till juice runs out but not too much."
"I don't know- you can just tell."
No! I cannot! I was not blessed with this sixth sense you possess that tells you when meat is medium-rare. And the worst part about it is that you can't cut it open to check otherwise it doesn't matter if it's done because it will be as dry as a my callused heel.
I realize that I'm overreacting but after the 3rd time of putting Justin's filet mignon back on the grill, he finally looked at me and said, "Oh yeah, that's perfect." To which I replied, "It looks exactly the same as it did last time." I can't tell if he was just humoring me or if I honestly can't tell the difference in doneness. I may never know.

Pillow Talk

2010-05-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

I would like to give you the script from the conversation I had with my honey as we're about to go to sleep.

Me. "What are we going to get your mom for her birthday?"

Him. "A bird."

Me. "I don't think she'd like that very much since we ate the last bird she had." (It was a chicken.)

Him. "Then I don't know."

Me. "Oh we should get her a duck!"

Him. "No."

Me. "I want a duck."

Him. "No."

Me. "Please! I'll name it Louise. And then Ally will be happy cause that's her middle name!"

Him. "No."

Me. "But I'll name it Marty! Marty the Mallard."

Him. "You're already changing the name, you're obviously not attached to it."

Me. "I'm just going through the types of ducks I could have."

Him. "You're not getting a duck- you can have a dog."

Me. "You know, growing up I had a dog, a goat, 5 birds, 10,000 rabbits, a guinea pig, and 2 iguanas."

Him. "And what happened to them all?"

Me. "Well. Died of old age, gave it away, flew away or died, ran away or ate their babies, ran away, and gave away."

Him. "So what you're saying is you take really good care of your animals?"

Me. "Good night."

He should be a lawyer.

Wait a minute, Mr. Postman!

2010-05-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

Good gracious. Wedding planning is so much work! Then again, I'm the insane person who has more or less finished everything on my wedding checklist in less than a month. I just don't like leaving things unfinished- don't hate. But everything's better now. The date is set. The envelopes are stamped. The dress is gorgeous. The diet on the other hand...well let's just say that I've had better. In the grand scheme of things, my intention is to thoroughly use up this body that was given to me because you only live once. Probably.

Anyways, things have been busy here, but that's no excuse for my absence. A much better excuse is that I don't really have anything interesting to say. Recently, I found a florist. I purchased 50 bucks worth of stamps. Oh, and I listened to a rendition of "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt sung by a cowboy and a very tall black guy on a home karaoke machine. I laughed till I cried and then I laughed some more.

I just finished an amazing grilled dinner of steak (only 3 ounces for me- see I'm getting better!) and artichokes. And now I'm going to sit on my sunken-in couch and watch a cheesy, cop TV show with my raspberry milkshake (OK not that much better) and my soon to be hubby. Love you all! Thanks for your patience!

September 5th, 2010

2010-04-17T12:06:00.000-07:00

Forever and ever, amen.

2010-04-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the mini absence but things have been a little exciting around here. That's right, my big goofball boyfriend proposed and I said yes! I'm a sucker that way. It's a little strange because I honestly already feel married to him so it's a little bizarre I have to plan a wedding. It's also awesome because it never quite felt right calling him my "boyfriend" to people because he's always been more than that. So now he's my fiancé. Which happens to be my new favorite word and I say it ALL the time and always with a French accent.

This blog may come in handy with the wedding planning. I can get everyone's input. First order of business: location. Qualifications: free, medium-large, outside, good scenery. Suggestions?

Much Ado About Nothing

2010-04-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

I commute an hour and a half most days. I work out at the gym by myself. I sit alone in a cubicle doing tasks that don't require neurons. My best friend lives two hundred miles away and my boyfriend is always tired after work. Consequently, I have too much time to think. So I've found myself searching for ways to keep my mind busy: mystery television, audio books, music I can sing too, crossword puzzles. Without lectures and term papers, my brain is restless and unsatisfied. Like a child asking why the sky is blue or counting the tiles in the hall. Constantly reaching for new knowledge but never quite obtaining it. Once that pen is back in my hand and I'm sitting under the fluorescent lights of the library, my mind will gasp with joy and swim in a sea of facts and theories.

Good morning

2010-04-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

And I use the term "morning" loosely because I woke up at 10:00. I know, I know. It's shameful! But I really have no reason to get up on my days off. It's a weird feeling for me. I'm used to waking up to go to class, to study, to work, to catch the bus, etc. I'm just gonna go with the excuse that I'm catching up on sleep for the last eight years and stocking up on sleep hours before grad school. Which, by the way, I'm so excited about.

I told you about my Life List, right? Aka Bucket List (which I had already made WAY before that movie came out, just sayin'). Well I showed my list to my honey when we first started dating and he picked out a couple and he promised to make them happen. For instance:

3. See all 50 states. (Still working on that one. 8 down. 42 to go.)

10. See a new place by train. (Check!)

12. See a whale in the wild. (Guess who's going whale watching this weekend for their 2 year anniversary!)

17. See the Grand Canyon. (Check!)

30. Go to Scotland. (Still waiting on this one...)

40. Go spelunking. (Check!)

So I'm about to check another one off the list this weekend. Which feels pretty good. It's like I'm being productive with my life even though I'm waking up at 10 o'clock some days.

Plans for today:

...Make the Brown Butter Cookies that everyone seems to be crazy about. It's the fourth site on Google when you search for them! Right after the Brown Butter Cookie Company. Whoa.

...Go to the gym to work off the cookies I will eat.

...Hang a curtain rod.

...Run errands.

...Knit.

Disclaimer: These are in no particular order and I probably won't even do most of them. It's just how my life is. No pressure.

I am blessed

2010-04-07T17:39:00.000-07:00

...because I love my honey more and more everyday.

...because my sister is always there when I need her.

...because my best friend accepts me wholly and completely.

...because my mother is the perfect mom.

...because my father breaks his back to make sure we have a good life.

...because my brother is kind and strong.

...because I have a bed, roof, car, clothes, and food.

To put it simply: my cup runneth over.

A Blank Canvas

2010-04-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

I'd like to spin you a tale this evening. It begins, as so many stories do, with an impulse buy. A lovely mirror, 75% off....

I'm sorry. I really have no excuse. My brain went, "Ooo blue! Shiny! Sale! Dragons! Justin likes dragons...." Plus, when you're in a bizarre store of incense, wooden necklaces, and chubby Buddhas laughing at monkeys dancing on cymbals, this mirror looks completely normal. I realized this the second it entered my stark white apartment. Sidenote: Justin informed me that he likes medieval dragons only. "Only nerds like Chinese dragons." Duh. How did I not know that dragons not having legs and living on a different continent make them nerdy? I'm such a fool.

So anyway. It started with a mirror. And a where to put the mirror. Well Justin vetoed the living room (and I felt it was important for him to maintain that illusion of power), so I went with my domain. La cocina. The kitchen. Well the mirror was too small to take up the whole wall so that resulted in a project. And then another project. It's my process- leave me alone.

This is a bulletin board that I stole from my bedroom. Now I have a blank wall in my bedroom. Sometimes you gotta make sacrifices. Since I'm gonna paint the wood, I lined the cork. Please ignore the real estate magazine. It's a long story that amounts to very little. So there's the before picture...

...and the after. Purely ethereal.

Then I had to semi balance the mirror so I painted the edges of a white board blue and nailed it to the other side.

My kitchen is getting so crafty! I mean just look at this photo...

Bowl: painted by yours truly. I'm really into the color orange right now, can you tell? Breadbox: an exclusive Jac-refurbish. Salt and Pepper shakers: painted by Jess Mex. (btw Jessi that's my new nickname for you. Take it. Love it. Live it.)

Oranges inside of orange bowl.

It doesn't look so bad, if I do say so myself. Well, maybe if that funky lookin' mirror wasn't there...

So Sorry

2010-04-04T21:35:00.000-07:00

...for the absence. I've got great plans though and I'll be updating in the next couple days. Happy Easter!

Happy Planting!

2010-03-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

My garden is planted and I love it. These little fellows are all my friends. Hopefully I don't kill them, cause I think they'd disown me as a friend. I'm so proud of myself for following my own advice. I couldn't afford to join a farm share program this year and the weekly loot is usually too big for me and my anti-vegetable boyfriend anyway. So I customized my garden to fit our needs.

Green Bell Peppers and Jalapeno Gigante. I have a feeling I'm going to have to put these in a bigger pot. The jalepenos are for salsa and poppers. I don't like peppers (one of my few dislikes) but my honey will eat them with anything. Sometimes he'll cut them in half, put salsa in it, and just eat it like that. Then I don't kiss him for a good week while his breath recovers.

Zucchini and Lemon Thyme. The thyme smells SO good. I think it'll be good on fish. Now I just have to wait till the sharks start biting Justin's line. (sidenote: Don't do it sharkies! I don't want you to die! I hope you'll be scaring surfers for a very long time.)

Rosemary. It's like an edible Christmas Tree! Yummy.

Topsy Turvy Tomato. NOT to be confused with an Upsy Downsy. Or an Upsy Turvy or a Topsy Downsy. They really do have Upsy Downsies. I saw it wit me own eyes! I got the device from my aunt for Christmas and it's working so far. I have to hang it higher before it grows too big. Plus it'll get more sun up higher. I love that the leaves turned right side up! Or upside down? Either way, they turned. This is a Roma tomato- perfect for salsa and spaghetti.

Basil, Greek Oregano, and Cilantro. Staples of life. Except the only thing I use cilantro in is salsa. Are you noticing a trend with the salsa?

Orange Watering Can. My pride and joy. It matches my curtains. It makes me happy to water- which is VERY important for the success of my garden.

And finally- here's the layout. That's the end of my teal lounge chair in the bottom of the photo. Also, please ignore the half-dead Benji on the left. He's had a hard life of neglect. No longer though. He's gonna come back with gusto! Or I'm gonna chalk him up to a 3 year relationship that has run it's course.

2010-03-18T22:05:00.000-07:00

This week, I flew a kite with two young boys. Well, not so much flew as launched and then chased after it when one of them dropped the string. And then tackled the younger one when he wouldn't stop grabbing the tail mid-launch. All in a days work.

I started another knitting project. It's going to be a little duckling for Easter. (Sidenote: I have no idea when Easter actually is so it might not be finished till next Easter.) Hopefully it'll look like this. But you never know. Gotta roll with the punches. Could end up looking like an Easter egg with a beak- which is cool too.

I bonded with this former monster. We understand each other better now. He's a lot like my boyfriend: fueled by attention and video games.

I tried out a new look for Saint Patty's Day.

So did my counterpart. By the way, I love this photo. It's like the comic and the straight man. And please excuse my honey's out of control facial hair. He's in the middle of Beardarino. It's a competition (which is MORE than enough to motivate him) to see who in our town can grow the best beard in so many months. The winner gets a belt buckle and their wife or girlfriend gets a plaque proclaiming them "The World's Most Patient and Understanding Partner." Not really on that second part.

A place to put my rye.

2010-02-25T12:21:00.000-08:00

When you've got nothing to do during the day except count down the days, weeks, and months till school starts again- you find little things to entertain yourself. And on the weekends, when you can't stand being in your apartment anymore but can't afford to do anything exciting- you go to estate sales with your boyfriend's mother. It was on a particularly ordinary Saturday morning in some strangers house that I found this:

...for four bucks. I immediately thought to myself, "Yes! That is what my life needs- a bread box! I could put bread in it! And paint it blue so that I may have another blue item in an overwhelmingly brown and white kitchen." And I promptly purchased it.

The next Wednesday, my quickly turning fanatic fisherman boyfriend needed some new weights (too many snags- teehee). So I decided I would go with him to the fishing store and we would stop by Home Depot to pick up paint for my new bread box. We arrived and he asked me what I needed and that's when it all went downhill. "Spray paint," I replied.

Him. "You can't use spray paint!"

Me. "Why not?"

Him. "Because it won't look good."

Me. "I spray painted my picture frames and those look fine."

Him. "Ya they look okay. But there's a better way to do it."
Me. "Ok well what's that?"

Him. "Well first you have to sand it down."

Me. "Ok let's get some paper."

Him. "My dad has some- just go over my parents house. And then you're gonna need some primer. I think you can get that mixed in with the paint. Then you have to stand in this line over here so that they can mix you a little can of dark blue paint. And you're gonna need paint brushes and a new knob for the box...."

Me. "Nevermind- let's go home."

Then I called him a fun-sucker and he felt bad.

Now I don't fault my overenthusiastic boyfriend. He is merely a perfectionist. Whereas I wanted to spend about five bucks and one or two hours to fix up my four dollar find.

The next day, while I was home alone and bored, I went to Michaels. I bought a stencil, some white paint, a new knob, and planned to use the spray paint I already had from my frames. It wasn't the right color but whatever. As long as I didn't BUY spray paint I figured my roommate/boyfriend/future-baby-maker couldn't get TOO disappointed in me. I spent a little more than five bucks but not much. The end result:

And my honeys reaction... *drumroll*

"I like your breadbox."

Woo! It may not sound like a lot- but that's high praise coming from a cynic.

He's the Johnny to my June.

2010-02-11T14:50:00.000-08:00

The Ron to my Hermione.

The Derek to my Meredith.
The Joel to my Clementine.
The Sawyer to my Juliet.
The Cory to my Topanga.
The Beast to my Belle.

My happiness, my sanity, my everything.

The only light in a dark world...

2010-02-10T08:49:00.000-08:00

My page is too pink, I think. Seems like I've got a pink kink in my think. I'll fix the stink of this link in a wink.

Have you read The City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau? What a lovely story! I guess technically, I haven't read it either- but I listened to it while driving through LA. It calmed me. It's the story of Lina and Doon, two twelve-year-olds who live in an underground city built 200 years ago. Here's the Amazon.com synopsis if you're interested:

It is always night in the city of Ember. But there is no moon, no stars. The only light during the regular twelve hours of "day" comes from floodlamps that cast a yellowish glow over the streets of the city. Beyond are the pitch-black Unknown Regions, which no one has ever explored because an understanding of fire and electricity has been lost, and with it the idea of a Moveable Light. "Besides," they tell each other, "there is nowhere but here" Among the many other things the people of Ember have forgotten is their past and a direction for their future. For 250 years they have lived pleasantly, because there has been plenty of everything in the vast storerooms. But now there are more and more empty shelves--and more and more times when the lights flicker and go out, leaving them in terrifying blackness for long minutes. What will happen when the generator finally fails?

Anyways, the reason I bring this up- is because I am now reading it aloud to the two monsters that I am a part time nanny for. They love it as much as I did. Observe the monsters:

Don't they look diabolical? I love reading to kids. I'm already starting a list in my head of all the books I want to read to my punks. The City of Ember has made the list.

In other news, today my darlin' is goin' fishin'. I was supposed to go too, but making money is taking precedence. Hopefull, he'll bring me home a seabass and we'll have some surf n' turf for dinner.

Have a wonderful and lovely Valentine's day!

Early nights and late mornings.

2010-02-08T12:04:00.000-08:00

Someday soon- possibly tonight- I will change my heading. I know it is still winter but recently it's been feeling like spring. Hence the lime green sweater I am wearing at the moment.

The Superbowl was yesterday. It's definitely a holiday around my apartment, so we treated it as such. I made Jalapeno Poppers (sorry- couldn't figure out how to html a tilde), BBQ Chicken Potato Skins, and homemade salsa. And by the time the game was over, I had headache and stomachache from eating too much "bad for me" food, so I crawled into bed around 8:30 with the intention of working on my knitting. But I promptly passed out instead.

And now, I am going to steal my sister's style and make a list.

Qualities of my dream home:

...In the middle of nowhere

...Solar panels

...A windmill

...A movie theatre

...A sauna

...A big garden where I can grow all my own vegetables

...A gardener to make sure I don't kill all my vegetables

...A porch and a porch swing

...Nice view with nobody in sight

...A lake with a dock

...A Newfoundland

...Sang, the sushi chef

...Bay window

...More storage than I know what to do with

...River rock flooring with radiant heat

BBQ Chicken Potato Skins Recipe

Baked Russet Potatoes

A rotisserie chicken

Bar-B-Que Sauce

Shredded mozzarella cheese

While the potatoes are baking, cut up the rotesserie chicken, discarding the skin and breaking the pieces into inch-long shreds. Take the baked potatoes and cut them in half, scoop out the middle of each half until you are left with the desired thickness. My boyfriend likes less potato so I usually only leave about a centimeter of potato. Save the left over potato for mashed potatoes or other goodies. Fill each skin with chicken, a tablespoon or so of BBQ sauce, and top with mozzarella. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes. Serve with ranch dipping sauce and extra BBQ sauce.

2010-02-04T21:01:00.000-08:00

This morning, I loved my apartment. And that doesn't happen often. Please note our hanging stuffed dragon in the corner. His name is Zeke and we won him in Vegas. Also, please notice my extremely large, extremely awesome diva hat on the wall.

I love it. Also...

I love him.

ALSO- I love that I lost 10 pounds! All day long I had this going through my head: "Jacqueline! You just lost ten pounds! What are you going to do next??!" "Uh- lose another ten?"

Picture this, if you will...

2010-02-01T14:52:00.000-08:00

You're in a wonderful relationship and about to start getting your Master's degree. Then BAM! someone offers you an interview for a job six hours away. Now if this had happened eight months ago, it would've been perfect. But you had already settled on a decision to finish school and grew to really appreciate it. Look forward to it, even. Now let's consider the options.

A) You blow off the interview

B) You accept the interview and get the job

C) You accept the interview and don't get the job

D) You hide under the blankets and attempt to break the world record for the longest nap.

Here's how the options will play out.

Option A. You will feel bad for closing the door to a possible contact and like an overall lazy person who is scared to death of change.

Option B. You will have to have a seriously long talk with your boyfriend. Is it worth it for him to quit his job and move with you? Can he get a job down there? Do you even want to live down there? Would you prefer to live closer to your loved ones? Is the salary worth putting your Master's on hold? Pretty much Option B opens up a disgusting amount of Yes or No questions that I, I mean, you really don't want to answer.

Option C. Rejection sucks. One more "No, thank you" might plummet you into the pit of despair with no hopes of return. You won't want to go get your Master's. You won't want to work on your relationship. You won't want to go to work. And your world will fall apart. (Ok- maybe that's the worst case scenario).

Option D. Where's bad?

My thoughts on the matter...

2010-01-26T21:51:00.000-08:00

I try to avoid getting personal on the web- bad things tend to happen when you do that.

But here I go anyway, sharing my thoughts on the matter. And the matter is... marriage.

"Mawwiage. Mawwiage is what bwings us togetha today."

It's taken me a long time to realize that the "relationships are work" sentiment wasn't just a saying. I had a similarly hard time accepting the "freshman fifteen" sentiment. Much to my chagrin, I realized that love was not all rainbows and skipping through wheat fields like movies and country songs and country movies led me to believe. There was a moment of horror. Of self doubt. Of disappointment. And then my trademark optimism peaked through. Love, and the commitment of love (aka marriage) is not a fantasy nor a fairy tale. And it shouldn't be. Fantasies fade. Marriage is a decision. A decision that two people make because they love each other and are willing to sacrifice certain things (not ALL things) to live a shared life. There's no guarantee that you'll be outrageously happy the whole time, which would be pretty boring in my opinion, but that's why they say "for better or worse." But if both of you work to keep each other happy, the operative words being "both of you" and "work," then you will stay in love and cherish the life you made together.

And another thing! The whole "We're soulmates, we can spend every moment together and not get sick of each other!" That's just crazy talk! Do you really think that's going to always be the case? If it is- great! If not, even better. Alone time, family time, friend time, dog time, kids time. Those times shape you- and you do not want to lose yourself in a relationship.

My wish is that you all find someone who makes you laugh, understands your neurosis, makes sacrifices for you, and realizes that life will not always be perfect- but they will wade through the muck with you, holding hands.

Look it, look it, look it!!

2010-01-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

My first wristlet! 1/2 of Jessi's graduation present. The other 1/2 is in pre-production.

Jessi and Jackie

2010-01-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

I was supposed to be spending quality time with my boyfriend right now (according to the obscure schedule in my head) but he's playing Call of Duty- and frankly, I've met my quota on hearing gunshots for the day. So I shall sit here and eat my brie cheese on a cracker while I fantasize about a life that doesn't so closely resemble Hell. Just kidding- name that movie!

Jessi is coming to visit this weekend!! Horray!! We will make cakes, drink wine, watch Dexter (because her boyfriend doesn't let her- she has nightmares), eat massive amounts of clam chowder, go to Avila Valley Barn, drink in the green hills of the central coast, go esplorin', visit/bug our crazy friend Ida, annoy my honey-pookie-pie, she'll try to catch a seagull (I'll tell her they have diseases and she shouldn't feed them), and we'll be all around merry! Like Dean and Jerry. Mario and Luigi. Rocky and Bullwinkle. Calvin and Hobbes. I'm Hobbes- obviously.

Yup. Like peas and carrots.

2009-12-31T13:35:00.000-08:00

Please observe...

This is my new favorite shirt. It's fresh and clean and I love it. This is the look that I am into right now. Perhaps I am getting older and more mature. Perhaps I wish to change the way the world perceives me. Or perhaps I just don't want to look like this:

P.S. Her song Tik Tok is very addicting though

2009-12-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

Word of advice. If you look at the laundry basket and want to kill yourself- you should have an extremely exaggerated (and pretty much fake) meltdown in front of your boyfriend. Collapse on the bed and sob uncontrollably. Make your legs turn to Jell-O and hang off his shoulders. And scream, "Don't make me do the laundry! PLEASE don't make me!!" And try to look sad even though both of you are laughing uncontrollably. Then your boyfriend will take pity on you and offer to split the laundry 50/50. Hallelujah! I'm so easy to please.

Quick Rant

2009-12-18T12:18:00.001-08:00

My boyfriend has a tendency to use my bath products (shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc.). Because of this, I bought him soap made out of beer for Christmas. Also, I decided that I should stop buying my expensive stuff for curly hair, specifically my conditioner. I also decided that this habit of his is very annoying and I should somehow train him not to use my products. So I bought this...

...instead of this...

I figured, "It's cheap and it smells like strawberries. So I can buy this and Justin won't want to smell like strawberries so he'll go back to using his stuff and then when it runs out I'll go back to using the conditioner that actually makes my hair look good and he'll be trained not to use my stuff anymore!"

The result: my boyfriend smells like strawberries and my hair is frizzing into a fro.

2009-12-17T13:02:00.000-08:00

Today is filled with:

Starbucks Red Cups containing Peppermint White Mocha.
Toast with tampenade and a piece of Gruyere.
About 7 episodes of The Office.
Packing to go home.
Not cooking dinner.
Getting $60 off of a $97 oil change and wiper replacements.
Working on my last Christmas present.
And sharing this completed hat!!

For this hat I learned how to use DPNs, how to make a pom pom, and how to half double crochet!

2009-12-16T12:50:00.000-08:00

Today my good friend Ida took me to my favorite restaurant for lunch. Giuseppe's. And I got Gnocci Spinaci for an appetizer (which I ate too fast to take a picture of) and this Ravioli Porcini. I pretty much died and went to the Land of Carbs. It's a beautiful place of naps and sauces.

In other news, I am two presents shy of being done shopping/knitting/wrapping. And I am beyond excited to bring all the presents to my parent's house this weekend. There is something about that house that is more than a home. It's everything everyone else's home wants to be, but never could be. And they're all jealous. I realize that barely made sense.

My latest challenge

2009-12-14T11:10:00.000-08:00

THAT, my dears, is a crochet needle. And I, my dears, have learned how to do a half double crochet edge stitch. And I am excited.

Knitting around the world...

2009-12-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

No- that picture is NOT of leftover Chinese food. It is in fact, of a defeated enemy. I have conquered the foe. He goes by the name of Mr. Pointed Needle. Double Pointed Needle. His accomplices refer to him as DPN. And I have beaten him into submission.

Tonight, I started a Christmas present for my beau's sister. The yarn I'm using was spun by the greatest in the world (the picture is not flattering). You can find her other creations here. This particular gift was going to be a wonderful hat with ear flaps such as these (except with a pom pom on top to hide my less than honorable beginnings):

Thorpe Pattern.

However, due to the unfortunate circumstances of tired eyes and cramping hands, I think I'm going to stop the hat where I'm at and make it into a yamaka in celebration of Hanukkah. :)

(just kidding)

Second Interview Today

2009-12-08T08:22:00.000-08:00

I've got....

my peacoat.

my Chinese coin on a necklace from Chinatown.

my hair pulled back.

my contacts in- they are like forcefields for my eyes! Protecting me just in case they attempt hypnosis.

my resume- oh shoot, gotta print that out.

and my premature nervosa taken care of last night.

Interview starts at 9:15. Too bad it's not 1:37, because that is an excellent time.

Yarn and French Fries

2009-12-06T19:42:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the long absence.

Every spare moment I have has been dedicated to knitting. I am a very slow knitter. Just as I am a very slow reader, runner, reactor, and calculator. The only things that I am actually really fast at are writing and test-taking. Just a little fun fact for you. Anyways, I would love to put pictures of all my knitting projects up on here but they're Christmas presents and therefore cannot be divulged. I hate that. I'm really bad about keeping secrets.

I have 5 projects done and have about 4 more to go. Scratch that- 5. Taylor just asked me to knit him socks. (Jessi- I'm going to knit you wristlets as a graduation present but they won't be done till after Christmas probably. But I got the yarn for them and you will LOVE the finished product. I hope.)

Other than that- things have been pretty boring. I am on a diet and have already lost 6 lbs since Thanksgiving. Hooray for me! Some people may ask, "Hey crazy person- why are you dieting during the holidays!?" To which I will reply either, "There's no time like the present" or "I'm a masochist." But the truth is that I was looking at my Life List (aka Bucket List) the other day, and "#52. Weigh my goal weight" was on there. Along with things such as the following:

#3. Visit all 50 states.
#34. Go see an Opera.
#37. Go on a boat ride through the deep South.
#57. Take a glass blowing class.

HOWEVER, I am broke and therefore cannot afford to do such life-changing events. So I'm making at least #52 happen right now. Because you gotta move forward. And you only live once.... probably.

When I diet...

2009-12-01T11:06:00.000-08:00

I dream of food all night long. Mostly desserts. Caramel, brown sugar, cheesecake, fruit crisps. All night long. Funny thing is- when I dream of marshmallows, my pillow is gone in the morning! (Just kidding on the last part).

Images provided by FoodPornDaily.com. Click, drool, repeat.

Weekend at Bernie's (aka Jessi's)

2009-11-23T13:41:00.000-08:00

A quaint little restaurant....

A trip to the movies....

The world's most delicious cupcakes....

A ride on some roller coasters....

A walk by the lake...

What a pretty place Jessi lives in. So peaceful, so serene...

And then there's this character:

I can't explain her.

On the road again...

2009-11-20T21:55:00.001-08:00

Right now I am at my bestest-friend-in-the-world's house. It's in an adorable town near El Lay. I can't tell you where because apparently it's So Cal's best kept secret. Suffice it to say, there are hills and cacti and houses that actually have YARDS! *gasp**shock**thud* Very quaint and podunk.

It was a long drive but it is going to be worth it. We're going to bake cookies, drink wine, blog, walk dogs, watch bad television, see New Moon (don't judge us), and go to Ree Drummond's cookbook signing!! It's going to be fantastic. You can all be jealous that I have practically an identical twin that is going through the same situation as I am. She always knows how I feel. I miss having her around all the time.

My Thursday.

2009-11-19T15:33:00.000-08:00

I just walked down to Cowboy Cookies to get Jessi a Maverick (or two). Except Cowboy Cookies moved down the street next to the gallery. "Oh dear. The gallery. I suppose I better check on that 600 dollar photograph that I have been lusting over for 2 years. Yup, still there." And then the gallery curator came over and asked if I needed help. "Oh no- I'm just a big fan of this photo. Catherine Archuleta is amazing." So we start talking and she introduces me to Dotty Hawthorne- a fantastic watercolor painter who owns part of the gallery and, of course, is on display. Very nice lady, beautiful paintings. She was painting all day in the Eucalyptus grove. So turns out that the curator also is a career counselor and she wants to help me find a job.

Oh and I also met the guy who puts on the football office pool, so I entered.

Crazy world we live in. It's amazing the people you meet when you smile.

2009-11-18T13:01:00.000-08:00

This makes me remember the good ol' depressing days in Dr. Preston's class. I haven't seen it yet, and I honestly don't know if I will. There's only so much I can do for the environment and when I can't do more I start reevaluating my life. And there's only so much reevaluating you can do before you start doubting everything.

Guess what this picture is.....

2009-11-17T14:06:00.000-08:00

We're gonna ignore the fact that I took this photo on my phone and that the light was really bad and that I, frankly, suck at taking pictures. We're just gonna call this photo "art".

We're also gonna call it the recipe of the day!!

Cashew Butternut Squash Raviolis

What you need:
...Pre-made Butternut Squash Raviolis (maybe I'll make them from scratch one day- but not today)
...Butter
...Olive Oil
...Parmesan cheese (or Gruyere- that would've been good but Jessi and I ate all of my Apple Smoked Gruyere the last time she was in town.)
...Cashews
...Nutmeg

What you do:
Make the ravs. Remove from water- stick a bit of butter in with them and let it melt. Add some olive oil cause it's delicious and better for you than more butter. Add cheese and just a shake of nutmeg (it's a very strong spice- careful). Toast some crushed cashews and pour on top. Nom nom it up.

Quick recap

2009-11-16T09:53:00.000-08:00

My apologies for the neglect, things have been crazy. Drea came to visit!

(This photo was not taken this week- it was taken long ago. Back when my hair was au natural.)

My beau went skydiving.

(Better pictures to come from my disposable camera.)

I had my interview on Friday.

And now what I feel I really need is a good session at Red Hot Pottery where I paint a "Our First Christmas Tree" ornament. Because it's not our first Christmas together, nor our first Christmas married, but it is our first Christmas living together and sharing a tree. Thus: Our First Christmas Tree.

Things I love about San Luis Obispo

2009-11-13T13:46:00.000-08:00

...you can hear jazz music from the Italian restaurant on the corner as you walk down the street.
...there's a candy shop that plays Willy Wonka on loop all day, every day.
...there's a medley of college students, oldtimers, middle agers, and toddlers sharing space during Farmer's Market.
...it has amazing shopping, movie theaters, and restaurants.
...Avila Valley Barn. They sell honey sticks.
...at least one of the local beaches will have nice weather at any given time.
...it's a town that encourages personal growth and education.
...it is involved in the green revolution.
...there's cows, horses, sheep, and pigs.
...the hills are green in March.
...Perfumo Canyon.
...good hiking.
...downtown at Christmas time.
...there's only one major freeway.
...the air always seems clean.
...you will probably run into someone you know while walking downtown.
...the people are pretty.
...you're a short drive away from art galleries on the Embarcadero.
...everyone is always glowing.
...the clock tower chimes Frank Sinatra

The Tummy Beast

2009-11-11T10:57:00.000-08:00

BY ROALD DAHL

One afternoon I said to mummy,

“Who is this person in my tummy?

“Who must be small and very thin

“Or how could he have gotten in?”

My mother said from where she sat,

“It isn’t nice to talk like that.”

“It’s true!” I cried. “I swear it, mummy!

“There is a person in my tummy!

“He talks to me at night in bed,

“He’s always asking to be fed,

“Throughout the day, he screams at me,

“Demanding sugar buns for tea.

“He tells me it is not a sin

“To go and raid the biscuit tin.

“I know quite well it’s awfully wrong

“To guzzle food the whole day long,

“But really I can’t help it, mummy,

“Not with this person in my tummy.”

“You horrid child!” my mother cried.

“Admit it right away, you’ve lied!”

“You’re simply trying to produce

“A silly asinine excuse!

“You are the greedy guzzling brat!

“And that is why you’re always fat!”

I tried once more, “Believe me, mummy,

“There is a person in my tummy.”

“I’ve had enough!” my mother said,

“You’d better go at once to bed!”

Just then, a nicely timed event

Delivered me from punishment.

Deep in my tummy something stirred,

And then an awful noise was heard,

A snorting grumbling grunting sound

That made my tummy jump around.

My darling mother nearly died,

“My goodness, what was that?” she cried.

At once the tummy voice came through,

It shouted, “Hey there! Listen you!

“I’m getting hungry! I want eats!

“I want lots of chocs and sweets!

“Get me half a pound of nuts!

“Look snappy or I’ll twist your guts!”

“That’s him!” I cried. “He’s in my tummy!

“So now do you believe me, mummy?”

But mummy answered nothing more,

For she had fainted on the floor.

“The Tummy Beast” from Dirty Beasts by Roald Dahl, published by Jonathan Cape Ltd & Penguin Books Ltd (UK) and Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc (USA) © 1983.

Source: Dirty Beasts (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001)

My space, your space.

2009-11-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

Today's Non-Etsy Find(s) of the Day:

That's the interview outfit I bought today! My interview is on Friday (yes, I'm terrified) and I have to look great. In a "I'm super professional and mature, but also inexperienced enough to take this entry-level job and to use the word 'super'" type of way. Hopefully I succeed.

Sidenote:
I am eating fat-free, lactose-free chocolate pudding. Despite being deprived of everything delicious, it is still quite tasty. Probably because it is guilt-free, as well.

Today I also adopted a corner of my residence. I got so used to not sharing space with someone, I forgot what it was like. A one room apartment for two 22 year-old's with A LOT of stuff (apparently) is just not enough room. So I took advice from Francis Mayes, "The trick to overcoming buyer's remorse is to have a plan. Pick one room and make it yours. Go slowly through the house. Be polite, introduce yourself, so it can introduce itself to you." Ok, it doesn't totally apply but I tried to live up to the quote's expectations. I picked a corner (cause my apartment is too small to pick a whole room) and made it my own. It needs some work but here it is thus far...

I moved my computer from the living room and the evil Wal-Mart desk that cuts into my arms and put it in the bedroom. I'm planning on burning that desk in an epic bonfire. Now I can listen to music and play on the computer without hearing video game sound effects, "TOUCHDOWN!!!", or other manly noises (aka farting, burping, cussing, or snoring) from my manly boyfriend (whom I happen to love more than anything in the world). One day we'll have two bedrooms and he can have his mancave rather than adopting the whole living room. BUT! It's ok- cause like he says, I have a womancave now. I am woman- hear me roar.

roar.

The many faces of...

2009-11-08T14:44:00.000-08:00

Today's Etsy Find of the Day:

Oh what a mood I'm in today. My poor boyfriend doesn't know what to do with me. He's treading softly and giving me lots of kisses. I think it's a combination of not spending enough time with my family when I saw them and driving too much. Baloo (my bf) said it best when he asked me if I was happy to be home. I said, "Yes, I just wish our home was somewhere else."

But that is besides the point- this month is about making things happen. And although I cannot make big things happen at the drop of a hat- I can rearrange furniture, download music, knit something for those I love, or listen to Bing Crosby croon about the color of Christmas (white, obviously). I just need to remember that "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart." Sage advice from an inanimate object. (I think it was on a candle holder I once had.)

In other news! I didn't blog for the last 2 days...*forehead slap* I fail. Friday, I totally100% forgot. And yesterday I drove to San Jose, went to dinner, drove to Santa Cruz, went to a concert, then drove to Felton. And frankly- I think that's a fantastic excuse. It was good to hang out with my brother and his adorable girlfriend and to talk to my mama. I hardly got to see my sister (thanks for letting us crash, though!!) but I'll be back for Thanksgiving and we'll see each other then. Her house is like my regeneration station. More inspiration, kitty kisses, blogging, reading, knitting, and drinking tea in a weekend than anyone should be allowed to do.

In conclusion, I would like to mention that I am writing this on my laptop which is perched on my vanity because I despise my Wal-Mart desk which has corner edges that are like scalpels. And since Bryce (my laptop) is on my vanity, I am constantly staring at myself in the mirror behind my screen. Let's just say, I make some very concerning facial expressions when I am concentrating on something. Learn something new about yourself every day.

And with that- here is my "Um, I'm driving. I love you- but stop bugging me" facial expression.

El Fin.

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

2009-11-05T10:28:00.000-08:00

Today's Non-Etsy Find of the Day: (sidenote- this was not the original posting, the other ring was similar but prettier. Their website crashed.)

Someone please buy that for me at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your cooperation. This is a recording...

I am making a Christmas playlist!! Horray! Don't tell the Thanksgiving lovers though, they'll stone me to death. Now if we could just get some snow- my life would be complete. Ok, or some rain. I guess that works too.

If my heart was a house, you'd be home.

2009-11-04T08:52:00.000-08:00

Today's Etsy Find of the Day

Before I begin my ranting and raving, I thought I would update you on my November goals since it's been a couple days.

Here are my November goals:
...Wake up at 6:00am every weekday (to ensure that I get all these things done)
........... I have since decided that this is a stupid goal. I don't work till 8:30 on MWF and not till 3:00pm on TR. So I am amending the goal to say 7:00-7:30.

...Start health-ifying my body
........... New diet is going well. No dairy and less sugar. Need to exercise more though. I just have this horrible hatred towards sweat and being out of breath and I'm having problems getting past that. :-P

...Rock my interview on the 13th
........... Everyday that passes I get more and more nervous.

...Learn to be patient with my love
........... Still working on this. I wish I didn't babysit two rambunctious boys twice a week, they're zapping all my patience.

...Kiss more
........... Work in progress.

...Knit more- gotta finish Christmas presents!
........... I finished one! I can't post a picture though- just in case.

...Jump start my thesis
........... I'm rolling around a very promising idea in my head. Meeting with my adviser today.

...Make more memories with my man
........... Dropkick Murphy's this weekend!

In other news! I got the greatest Christmas present for my sister-in-dating (bf's sister. Get it? Cause we're not married... if you don't get it then I can't explain it to you). Check this guy out:

Bahaha! He's a little coin purse! So cute/fugly. I love Christmas shopping.

Also, in other news. I cannot stop listening to the Owl City album. Great beat, great lyrics.
"If my heart was a house, you'd be home." It's sweet. We need more sweet in this world. Plus indie is my favorite genre in the fall/winter time. Then rock n' roll in the spring and country in the summer. It's the cycle of life and it is what it is. Just let it be.

P.S.

2009-11-03T21:15:00.000-08:00

Today's Etsy Find of the Day:

Happy Birthday bro-ha

2009-11-03T14:08:00.000-08:00

Today is my favorite, and only, brother's birthday.

He and I were great friends growing up. That's what happens when you're stuck in the woods for the majority of your childhood. Even though I left our grove for college and now we only see each other every 2 months or so, I would still be lost without my little brother. Just knowing that he is there to share music, make me laugh, go on a roadtrip with, or beat someone up, is enough for me. He's such an awesome little dude and I will always think of him as 12 years old (regardless of the fact that he now goes to college and has found a great girl for him).

Happy Birthday Gaber-roonie. I got your back. :)

National Blog Posting Month

2009-11-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

Today's Etsy Find of the Day:

I love rocks. So much.

I am contributing to National Blog Posting Month. Because this month I am WILLING things to happen. No, scratch that, I am MAKING things happen. Health, money, love, career. It's all happening.

However, sometimes you need help to make things happen. And I need help coming up with inspiration. There's not much going on in my life that is pretty and poetic. I'm working on improving that, but as of now I still feel like I'm in a beige box. Don't worry though- I'm slowly turning it electric orange. I'm using my spray paint and spicing up my life.

Here are my November goals:
...Wake up at 6:00am every weekday (to ensure that I get all these things done)
...Start health-ifying my body
...Rock my interview on the 13th
...Learn to be patient with my love
...Kiss more
...Knit more- gotta finish Christmas presents!
...Jump start my thesis
...Make more memories with my man

Here's to the beginning of a new and better month. Here's to us.

The First of November.

2009-11-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Halloween. It was a fun night. We went to a bar that only serves beer and food. As in, we actually SAT. At a TABLE! I'm sure it was a total 180 from everyone else out and about downtown. See- we have this thing against lines to get into bars. And then lines to get on the dance floor. And then lines to get a drink. It's not like we're at Disneyland, people. Anyways, these are my people as of late:

I am definitely one of the guys. Sometimes it's great- sometimes not. They're all good boys with hearts of gold. And I happen to be madly in love with the one dressed as a Scot (don't tell him that though- he's got a big head already). But they ARE boys. Thus they don't really want to talk about cooking/yarn/menstruating/babies/blogging/knitting/cakes.

*sob* I MISS JESSI AND BRIE!!!!

This is how I cope:

Whole Wheat Pumpkin-Banana Bread.
Mmmmm.

Happy Halloween!!

Hushabye Mountain

2009-10-27T22:51:00.000-07:00

Hello darkness my old friend...

2009-10-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

Today I will remember...
to stay positive.
to be productive.
to tell those that I love, that I love them.
(I love you, Brie, Gabe, Jessi, Mom, Dad, and Justin).
to be grateful for a new day- regardless of the weather.
to worry less, and breathe more.

In celebration of this day of remembrance, I bought soap. :)

Yummy, Pumpkin Pie soap.

And Peppermint and French Clay soap for oily skin.

And I can't wait for this yarn to arrive. I just want a hug from it.

I'm also dreaming of the mountains...

Where I hope my spirit will go when I die. I'll live in a hollow tree and hunt with the owls. Perch on the tallest branch and ponder the vastness of the forest, of the food chain, of the universe. Or I'll just sit and be. As a wisp of fog or a breath of fresh air.

My thoughts go out to you, David. I'm sorry for your loss.

I'm not crazy! It's science!

2009-10-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

Ok this is interesting. I wrote something a long time ago and I just watched something that reaffirmed my theory. Read, then watch.

"You ever think about arranged marriage? Would there be less divorce if you weren't allowed to get divorced? Obviously. But here's the kicker- would we be happier? I'm thinking yes. If I wasn't allowed to second-guess my decision of a life-partner then I wouldn't. Every time he did something stupid I wouldn't think- 'God, why did I choose him? I think I made the wrong decision.' Because I didn't! You see what I mean? Anyway- that's the mindset I'm going to have when I get married. 'That was my decision, it's permanent, I'm not gonna worry about it. Just live with it.' "

White Winter Hymnal

2009-10-13T11:56:00.001-07:00

It is taking every ounce of willpower I have to sit in my seat and not spend money. It's particularly challenging when you have nothing to do at work and would much prefer to be in a little coffee/tea/espresso shop down the street than staring at a blinking cursor. Especially when the little tea shop has a lady like Christy working there, who is an ex-flowerchild and completely inspiring. Especially when it's raining outside and I'm so grateful for it, I could kiss the weatherman. Especially since I lost 4 pounds this week and I want to go celebrate by buying something waterproof. Or when I'm looking at things like these online:

Winter getaway in Yosemite, anyone? Rooms in the Tenaya Lodge
start at $99 bucks in January and February.

Zoh my gosh. A little piece of the cloud forest on my windowsill.

The epitome of beauty.

Excuse me, but why aren't you in my kitchen? I want to paint you blue. I don't think the average person appreciates how difficult it is to find chalkboards. But I do. So please come into my life!!

This tapestry is something that I am in the process of convincing myself to buy. Talk about bringing the woods to my home. I showed my counterpart/roomie/S.O./bear of a boyfriend this picture and told him I'll probably buy it for our living room. He said, "Well... I don't know. I don't really like the chair." And I said, "Good, cause it doesn't come with it."

Ok, I must preface this last picture by saying that my man and I were looking at funny welcome mats to put outside of our apartment. Mostly because of the stupid apartment complex stealing our identity by being ridiculous picky about what we can and cannot have on our patio. I mean, come on, no TRASH CANS!? Trash cans are SUPPOSED to go outside! Where am I supposed to store my plastic bottles and cans that I'm gonna sell back!? *exhale* .....But anyways. This was my favorite welcome mat.

HAHAHA!

I can keep rhythm with no metronome.

2009-10-09T22:49:00.000-07:00

Looking back on my days gone by, I tend to remember only the good moments. Which is a good thing, I guess, except that it degrades the present into "what might have beens" or "where have all the flowers gone?". So I would just like to take this time to say, that despite the ungrateful gripes, I am happy with my life right now. It's predictable and suburban, but it's mine and I love it.

Hocus pocus, you witchy woman.

2009-10-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

I have never been so excited for Halloween! I never even liked Halloween before. People jumping out behind bushes and scaring you, ghost stories, blood splattered costumes- no thank you! But this year I hear myself thinking, "Maybe I'll be a Saw victim for Halloween. Or buy some paste-on gunshot wounds!"

Oooo... nasty...

But to be completely honest- the reason I'm so excited for Halloween is because maybe by that time it will be cold again! And rainy! And foggy! And I will be rid of this I-don't-even-want-to-wear-pants-because-it's-too-flipping-hot weather. Unfortunately, at this point, we're still hovering in the 70's around these parts. And I still resent my pants.

Anyways! There's a candy-store in my town and since I am a future diabetic, I figured I better enjoying 1000s of Jolly Ranchers, York Bars, and Caramel Chews while I still can. The store brought out Halloween supplies!! I was running around as happy as... well... a kid in a candy shop! Plus they were playing Monster Mash so I was doing the Mashed Potato. Here are some of the goodies I found:

Card I got for Erica! (Hope she doesn't read this.)

The real mystery with this fellow is if it is orange flavored AS WELL AS orange colored. Time will only tell.

Black and Orange Gummie Bears, anyone?

I would like to, at this time, make a small request of you. At your earliest convenience, you simply MUST go to pandora.com and type in Monster Mash radio. Oh my goodness. Yakkity Yak, Love Potion No.9, Monster Gonzales, Splish Splash!? It takes me back to a time where... I was not alive yet.

I'm so excited to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox (ok, a little late) with my sister this weekend! We're gonna need everything orange, brown, warm, cold, tea, leaf, pie, and ghoul related. And I will now leave you with the following:

Creepy!

Hahaha.

Now that is just pure awesomeness.

Fierce.

Seagulls and Fungi

2009-09-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

As I sit here munching on some tampenade from farmer's market (YUM-O!), I shall share my weekend with you. Because it has been awesome. Jessi, Ida, and the fog hung out with me on Saturday in Morro Bay and we went to the Farmer's Market which I'm a bigger fan of than SLO's). I discovered some nice things there.

This is the plant I bought. I don't know what kind of plant it is so I am forced to name it Long Duck Dong. Please don't ask me how one relates to the other.

This is my little blue honey pot that was made by a very nice lady who lives in Morro Bay. It is little. And blue. And my honey pot. I have named him Winnie. For obvious reasons.

Jessi came to visit this weekend!! So I decided to express my appreciation by taking a flattering picture of her and putting it on the internet.
Whoops. That didn't work very well.

We had some good food.

And then Ida wanted to play hide-n-seek.

Today is a little different- full of cooking and listening to my babe pretend to be a sport's announcer. "Interception!! He's got the ball! But is he going to make it!? HE DOES!! PACKERS WIN!!!" Or something to that extent.

But don't worry- I slipped some sedatives into his stuffed mushrooms.

And he calmed down...

Thank god for those animal tranquilizers.*

*This blog has been brought to you by the San Francisco Zoo.

Glimpses

2009-09-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

Before I begin- I must share what I am eating right now.

Shredded beef, sharp cheddar, and spinach on toasted multi-grain bun. Mmmm.
.
.
.

Ok moving on. I'm also drinking tea out of my favorite mug.

This mug is the only thing left from a tumultuous time in my life. I love it and hate it at the same time.
.
.
.

Since I moved to a new apartment, I thought I'd take you on a tour around my new place. Or at least show you some of my favorite spots.

This is my shelf with my rocks and minerals on it. And Brie. And an overflow from my babe's shelf which is a wooden statue from Micronesia. That yellow mineral/element is a brand new piece of Sulfur from the Renaissance Faire!! And only Jessi will be excited with me about this and that's fine.
.
.

This next location is my love's shelf. Double stacked fantasy books and a dragon incense burner (again from the Ren Faire). I love this shelf because it is his and it is magical. And I also love the fact that the only two incense types he has is Pine Tree and Leather. Now those are some manly smells. :)
.
.

This is possibly my favorite location. On my stove. One of these things is not like the others though. It was not made in England and it was not found in an adorable antique store called The Nest. It was made in China and was found at Ross. But I won't tell you which one. I don't want you guys picking favorites.
.
.
.

I've been cooking a lot lately- from necessity and desire. But I like making sweets the best. And the Banana- Honey Ice Cream recipe I found has filled an empty hole in my life. It is sooooo rich. It tastes like frozen Banana Cream Pie.

Horrible picture, but you get the gist.

I won't bother giving out the recipe because I know I'm the only freaky weirdo who 1) Has an Ice-Cream maker or 2) Doesn't store it in the storage unit/garage/basement/attic/neighbor's house.

I WILL tell you, however, that the ice-cream recipe comes from this book...

...which tells you how to make everything from natural face masks to oven cleaner to Banana-Honey Ice Cream. It is amazing. And I often kiss it. Not really.
.
.
.

Now, I would like to play a game with you. Imagine that you had this conversation with your boyfriend over the phone...

You. Will you do me a favor?
Him. What's that?
You. Buy me some flowers?
Him. Hahaha. Really?
You. Please?
Him. Sure. Why?
You. Cause it would be sweet of you. Because I could pretend you surprised me with them. Because my current flowers are dying. Because they're pretty. And because I feel like I need new flowers in my life today.

Did you imagine it? I don't need to imagine it because it happened to me about two days ago. We have a very honest relationship. I say what I mean and I mean what I say.

Anyways. Now imagine your boyfriend is slightly peculiar and, although you love him for it, sometimes you forget and it surprises you. If you imagine that then you won't have any problems accepting that this is what he brought home when you asked for flowers...

A Chilly Chilli Ornamental Pepper Plant.

It's fun. It's colorful. It's living in a pot so it won't die anytime soon (hopefully). It's pretty cool.

It's just not what you expected. Oh but wait. Your boyfriend is odd but he is also an overachiever. So you look around and here's what you see...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

A dozen long-stemmed roses. :)

"The boy obliged and the tree was happy."

Freckles and Coal.

2009-09-18T12:24:00.000-07:00

1) I'm deciding if I need these.

Normally they wouldn't really be my style but my kitchen has cupboards about that brown color (*gag* pressed wood sucks) and I can't do anything about it. Yay for apartments. Anyways! Maybe these removable dots (strategically and sparsely placed) could make it a little more interesting. And homey. And less like paneled wall from a stuck-in-the-70s-Gramma house. I'm undecided. HELP!

2) I want these computers so bad! I want to look into maybe revamping the one I currently have to make it look like similar. Omgsh they're beautiful.

Please ignore the clarinet. Also, please don't try to prove that I played the clarinet for 6 months of my life. I will only deny it.

Scrabble pieces!!

*swoon*

3) Your attention please! Everyone who has a gutter, listen up! Buy one of these. It's a watering can hooked up to your gutter. Why water your plants with tap water when you could recycle rainwater? I would buy this if I could but I can't, because I'm a renter and therefore cursed.

4) Speaking of computers... oh wait, that was number 2. Speaking of gutters... check out this computer concept! You can offset the carbon footprint of your computer by signing up for a product called Little Green Genie . It calculates your computer usage by buying carbon credits from renewable energy sources. It only costs about $10 a year!

Or you can buy this future concept computer which has a plant that more than offsets your computer's carbon footprint. Groovy.

2009-09-17T09:46:00.001-07:00

I am the biggest dork/nerd/dweeb if this is the celebrity I am crushing on. A cryptozoologist from the SciFi Channel (except they changed their name to SyFy- LAME) show Destination Truth.

Josh Gates.

TGIF

2009-09-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

(thanks for reminding me Brie)

Trusting

...that I will learn to block out the sound of the freeway.
...that one day I will have a steady job.
...that my spaghetti tonight will be delicious.

Grateful

...for crockpots.
...having internet again.
...my wonderfully sexy and frustrating roommate. Who has yet to lose his childish enthusiasm.
...for Chai tea in a clear mug.

Inspired

...by my own computer patience.
...by Ishmael. Again.

In the end, the only steps that matter are the ones you take all by yourself

2009-09-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

The last supper.

2009-09-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

Today, I packed. And so did Jessi.

My whole life. And hers. In separate boxes.

But her boxes didn't say "Protective Underwear" like mine did.

We went to Buona Tavola for dinner.

She got Mozzarella and Heirloom Tomato Salad.
I don't remember the Italian name for it.

I got seafood risotto.

We shared a La Creme for dessert.

And savored every bite.

We didn't want to leave so we ordered coffee.
With massive amounts of cream and sugar.
Cause we're not edgy at all.

And we took goofy pictures.
Cause of the lack of edginess.

And artistic pictures.

Just so we didn't have to leave.

But she did leave and I was sad.

Bye Jessi. I'll miss you like crazy.

Not just another day.

2009-09-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

Today is Jessi's last day of work. (Boo. Hiss.) We ~~finagled our way~~ were blessed to share a cubicle for the majority of my working here. How awesome is that? I got to share a department at school and a cubicle at work with my best friend. But now she is leaving. I will now give the floor to my fellow curly-haired employee to explain her feelings about the situation...

Thank you Jessi, your words are an inspiration.

We were also ~~cursed~~ blessed to share a (very small) cubicle with this spitfire of a lady:

(Don't tell her- but she's one of my favorite people. She's spunky!)

And now here are some pictures from Jessi's goodbye "luncheon." Why do they call it a luncheon? Why not just a "lunch"? Where did this word come from? What does it want from us?

That's Julia and Michelle. Michelle reminds me of my sister and
I'm not entirely sure why. It's probably the hair...

Some of the guys at work. The middle one is Jeremy- he's also one
of my favorites. But don't tell ANYONE cause he's a boy and that's not allowed.
(some people are so silly....)

This is Ryan. He didn't go to Jessi's "luncheon." Bad Ryan.

I think when I leave my job, to avoid the speeches and the tears and the "luncheons," I'm gonna send them an anonymous tip saying that I have been eaten by Fluffy the shark and to please send my belongings and monetary donations to my grieving parents. Make checks payable to "Hates Goodbyes."

Mr. Grumpledump's Song

2009-09-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

Everything's wrong,
Days are too long,
Sunshine's too hot,
Wind is too strong.
Clouds are too fluffy,
Grass is too green,
Ground is too dusty,
Sheets are too clean.
Stars are too twinkly,
Moon is too high,
Water's too drippy,
Sand is too dry.
Rocks are too heavy,
Feathers too light,
Kids are too noisy,
Shoes are too tight.
Folks are too happy,
Singin' their songs.
Why can't they see it?
Everything's wrong!

I'm pretty sure I have posted this on every blog I have ever blogged. And I'm pretty sure I feel this way every couple weeks- no matter what is going on in my life. This could be me in a couple weeks: "Oh ya, I just won the lottery and I'm gonna go on a trip around the world. But my toenail polish is chipping!! Gah! Everything's wrong. "

But today- everything IS wrong. I won't bore you with the details. It could be that my head isn't screwed on just right. It could be, perhaps, that my shoes are too tight. My, am I Grinchy today or what?

In other news- check out my photo, recently edited by ShakeItPhoto from iPhone. (Thanks Ally for that 99 cent recommendation). It makes me look almost happy to be wearing that silly-looking hat.

And in OTHER LOCAL news. Check out the 13 foot shark from Cambria. I want to be his friend. I shall call him Fluffy.

(In case you can't tell. That's his dorsel fin and the
bump to the right is his tail fin. BIG BOY!)

I have eaten 3 brownies and 2 pieces of German Chocolate Cake since starting this entry. I feel MUCH better. :)

Just might make me believe

2009-08-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

I got miles of trouble spreading far and wide
Bills on the table getting higher and higher
They just keep on coming, there ain't no end in sight
I'm just holding on tight

I got someone who loves me more than words can say
And I'm thankful for that each and every day
And if I count all my blessings, I get a smile on my face
Still it's hard to find faith

But if you can look in my eyes
And tell me we'll be alright
If you promise never to leave
You just might make me believe

Today I am inspired by...

2009-08-31T14:42:00.001-07:00

This green hostel in Spain.

A possible solution to my no-side-table problem.

Another possible solution to my no-side-table problem.

Creme Brulee. I need to purchase a torch.

Multiple herbs in one pot. So they can be friends.

Native grasses.

Making things tie in together. Get it..."tie." har har

Just so you know...

2009-08-28T15:07:00.000-07:00

I am SOO done with summer. I wasn't excited about it in the first place and the lack of enthusiasm has only increased as the weeks passed on. And therefore I am choosing to ignore the fact that it is occurring and am thinking about fall decorations and pumpkin pie. Or even Christmas trees and ginger snaps.

So join me, won't you? Let's take a ride into the cosmic future... All the way to October! (We're also going to ignore the fact that October is probably the hottest part of the summer on the Central Coast)

This is what my Halloween costume will look like...

With something like this...

SOAP!

Brie- make.

Ok I'm done.

2009-08-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

Buying this for our apartment...

Bought this today...Peppermint Poppyseed Homemade Soap

Prospective Student

2009-08-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

**Warning: This post may upset the artistic minded. I'm feeling argumentative.**

I just stumbled upon a website that listed the Top 5 Green Colleges.

Check out this little place called College of the Atlantic. It only has one major: human interaction with the environment. It's on a tiny island off the coast of Maine.

This is one of the residence halls.

The research center.

Pottery studio.

The faculty building. Whoa.

I was totally digging this campus till I saw the description on this building...

"Faculty Chalets, tucked away in the woods, are great for private, one on one meetings with faculty members."
Ummm. Sketchy...

Green is important to me- but not really for the reason you'd expect. I want to go to a place that humbles the human race- that respects the world, not for what it can do for us but for it's intrinsic value. I don't want to go to a pompous university that prizes a student for being brilliant because s/he wrote a symphony, designed a new cool looking building, or was awarded the genius award for being the foremost Proust scholar in the states. If you'll excuse my language- but that type of ego stroking is masturbation. I'm all for the arts as a hobby and finding beauty in the unlikely. But as a career- it's stupid. Why teach the geniuses how to arrange the deck chairs on the Titanic? The world needs to be saved, not artificially beautified. You can put lipstick on a cancer patient but it's not gonna save their life.

2009-08-24T12:19:00.001-07:00

Oh dear. Two posts in one day.

It doesn't matter. I HAVE to show these to you.

This makes me beyond happy. It is the total integration of nature and humanity. Minimal impact. Respecting rather than conquering the terrain.

The Dutch

2009-08-24T10:03:00.001-07:00

I would like to share something amazing with you. Ebelskivers.

Actually I don't think they're that amazing- they taste like pancakes. But they please my very picky boyfriend (he calls them Able-skeeven-dooben-hoppers) and THAT is amazing. And you can stuff them with things. Cinnamon apples, whipped cream, cheese. Little cheesy balls of wonder.

Cooking is my savor right now. Just look at my kitchen and you will see. Cooking is my savor- but doing dishes is not. Cooking is something that takes my mind off everything else. It's therapeutic. As is eating. You take all that uncertainty and stress and anger and you push it waaayyyyy down. And then put food on top so it won't escape. Preferrably food that involves cheese.

2009-08-23T15:24:00.000-07:00

And I'm too proud to beg for your attention and your friendship and your time. So you can come n' get it from now on. -B. Carlile

I think I'm in love with Craig Ferguson

2009-08-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

In the words of Will Smith...

2009-08-19T17:20:00.000-07:00

Oh HELLLLLLLL naww........

The place where I work just blocked access to Twitter and Facebook in a heroic attempt to make my day even more boring. I didn't know that was possible. Thank you IT douchebags, for boldly taking me closer to suicide than any individual has yet to do.

2009-08-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

Want this.

Zero to Sixty

2009-08-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

Or should I say "Bored to Busy"

I got the babysitting job (yay?) so I'll have some sort of income in my new town. Income is good. Income is good. I need income. I'll just keep telling myself that. Woo income. Who cares if I paid thousands of dollars for a degree that I'm not using? Ten bucks an hour is better than selling my soul to the devil and working for Chevron... I think.

On a happier note...

Ice cream maker is here!!!
The bowl is in the process of freezing, so I won't be able to make any till tomorrow. I'm thinking...

STRAWBERRY!!!

Mmmmm... And I think I'll be making a Pina Colada version for my honeybuns. Whoa- little early for a tush reference. Sorry. And I wanna make french vanilla but a freaking vanilla bean is like 15 bucks! How do you grow a vanilla plant? Is this feasible for my climate? Cause I could make bank at Farmer's Market.

Random thought: I cannot stand any sort of day planner that doesn't show me the whole month on the same page. For instance...

This:

trumps this:

(shun the weekly planner....shun.)

What does that say for my personality? Nevermind- I already figured it out. That I plan for happiness in the future more than I plan for it in the moment. Don't even get me started on that crazy train of thought.

Moving on. I woke up at 6:15 today and I feel great. I need to start waking up earlier. You never realize the lethargy you feel until you don't feel it anymore. Or as my dad would say, "I can see clearly now- the rain is gone!"

Fantastic.

2009-08-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

Comfort eating and retail therapy inevitably result in poverty, obesity, and heartburn.

So excited for this...

2009-08-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

She has the most amazing recipes! (And the most amazing life- but that's besides the point.)

Birthday for me, means food for you.

2009-07-31T13:13:00.000-07:00

I sent my baby a list of things I want for my birthday and told him to pick one (or two or three). But then I saw this...

and now all I want are some wooden utensils. So I think I'll ask him for a Williams & Sonoma gift card.

I think.

Then I could buy this...

Oh Lordy.

...or this...

...or this...

...or this.

So that I can make this...

...or this...

...or this...

Did I mention that I am seriously ready for colder weather (and a bigger kitchen) so I can cook all day and make everyone's bellies full? That's a trait I inherited from my mom. It's one of those genes I don't mind having. Like my big brown doll eyes. The worry-wart trait, on the other hand... I really wouldn't have minded if that little gem had somehow mutated into a gene strand that gave me incredible wit and hilarity.

I just don't know...

2009-07-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

...which...

...one...

...I like...

...more.

Today is Tuesday

2009-07-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

I hate Tuesdays.

Today is...
...four hours of a standardized test.
...a slow leak in my rear tire.
...a chip in my windshield.
...a messy and uninspiring apartment.
...waiting for a phone call about a job.
...terrified of leaving my love.
...fat.

Yesterday was...
...inspiration to build a vermiculture unit for my mom's birthday.
...slow kisses and deliberate love.
...beer tasting.
...meat, bread, and cheese platter. *swoon*
..."You're so beautiful."

TGIF

2009-07-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

Trusting... that my thirst for knowledge and wanderlust (they go hand in hand) will stay subdued for a little bit longer. That I will calm my heart and learn to love without questioning. That one day I will be completely happy with my health. But I'll have health insurance anyways.

Grateful... for my honey's childish enthusiasm. His unfaltering patience. For someone making me laugh everyday. For family. For being missed. For a job, even if it isn't permanent. For a makeshift plan of teaching credentials. For learning how to cry.

Inspired... by J.K. Rowling's mind. By this little lady...

...by green energy...

Solar Powered Laptop Bag and Charger

...Zooey Deschanel's voice (speaking and singing) and roadtrips with unconditional friends.

Feeling... tired. Drained. Like I've lost the excitement. Undecided, but ready. For what, though?

Brown Butter Cookies

2009-07-16T15:28:00.001-07:00

I believe I have not nearly perfected but perhaps strengthened a recipe that I found. The Brown Butter Cookie Company definitely perfected it but I doubt they will give me their recipe. Especially since they sell their 1 inch in diameter cookies for $1 dollar each. Here's a picture of their cookie- followed by my recipe adapted from Gourmet.

May I just add that you should not store your flour where you previously stored coffee. You will get a latte taste in all of your cookie recipes. But I guess if you're into that...

Brown Butter Cookies with Sea Salt

Ingredients:

1 cup salted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
Sea Salt

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned. Stir in sugars and vanilla and remove from heat.
2. Let the sugar mixture cool to room temperature.
3. In a mixing bowl add flour and baking powder. Stir in sugar mixture until combined.
4. At this point I recommend letting the mixture rest for at least an hour to let the flour absorb all the butter. The mixture may be stiff afterwords and crumbly- microwave handfuls of dough for 10 seconds. The dough will be easier to roll.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
6. Roll 1 inch balls of dough and dip in sea salt. Place on cookie sheet with sea salt on top.
7. Bake for 15 minutes.

**Note: If your cookies don't turn out as good as you hoped- go to Brown Butter Cookie Company in Cayucos for some delicious treats.

2009-07-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

Tuesday I take the CBEST. And that's all I have to say about that.

I want to go see Harry Potter SOOO BAD. I'm thinking of going at lunch and not telling anyone. That way no one will be mad that I saw it without them. Personally, I don't care how like the book it is. Read the book and get lost in that world and then watch the movie and get lost in a different but similar world. I see that as a good thing.

I also want to see Whatever Works, Food, Inc., (500) Days of Summer, and this movie...

I love movies that are full of unapologetically insane people.

And now here's some random song lyrics...

I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules
But baby I broke them all for you
Because even when I was flat broke
You made me feel like a million bucks
You do
I was made for you
You see the smile that's on my mouth
It's hiding the words that don't come out
And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed
They don't know my head is a mess

And now I would like to rant...

Is it wrong to look back fondly on the first time you were heartbroken? It may be slightly masochistic and it definitely wasn't fun while it was happening. Just like I look back on my tear-filled swimming lessons. It's a right of passage, I guess.

Just Some Things...

2009-07-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

Meryl Streep makes a BRILLIANT Julia Child. I cannot wait to see this.

Last week, I got offered a seasonal position with the Big Horn National Forest in Wyoming. What season, I do not know. Hopefully it is not winter. Otherwise I will be dressed as the marshmallow man and people will laugh at me- therefore scarring my self esteem and ultimately dooming any hope of ruling the world. OR I will be a popsicle and a moose will eat me.

But if it isn't winter, I will be SO excited. Because this...

...is what that place looks like. And I'd be doing something I'm really good at! Mapping! I will keep you updated.

Also, here are a few things that I found on Etsy that I am lusting over (and therefore would love for my birthday. hehe) Unfortunately, a lot of them are rather pricey, and in today's economy... yada yada blada.

ZOMG it's moss on a ring!!

Support wind power. It's a lot better for the environment than hydropower.

Natural Peridot. Mmmm it's so deliciously natural.

The Four Seasons. Love simplicity.

And this is random- but if I have babies with a gamer, s/he will be wearing this...

The end.

And the award goes to....

2009-07-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

Every year, Cal Poly comes out with a "Best of SLO" newspaper where they list the best seafood, best burger, best place to eat when you're drunk as fuck, etc.

So I decided to come up with my own "Best of." Or more like "The Best I've Ever Had Anywhere- But Pretty Much Limited to California." This mostly arose from a debate I had yesterday with my boyfriend regarding the best steak on the central coast. So here we go- we'll start with steak.

Best Steak:
The Hitching Post in Casmalia, CA
Order the Filet Mignon- you'll forget about everything else on your plate.

Best Burger:
Sylvester's Burgers in Los Osos, CA
Big, Hot, and Juicy. I like the mushroom or sauted onion. SO GOOD. Do NOT go to the Sylvester's in Atascadero. No bueno.

Best Cookie:
Cowboy Cookies in San Luis Obispo, CA
All of them are amazing. Try to get there when they're still hot.

Best Clam Chowder:
Splash Cafe in Pismo Beach, CA
Clam Chowder in a sourdough breadbowl. The one in SLO is pretty good but it's just not the same.

Best Seafood Dish:
Bubba Gump's in Monterey, CA
Stuffed Shrimp. Nuf' said.

Best Italian Dish:
Giuseppe's in Pismo Beach, CA
I love the gnocci. Disclaimer: I'm not rich enough to try every Italian restaurant I come across so the sampling is a little biased. I hear Giancarlo's in Morro Bay is very good.

Best Stew/Soup:
A.J. Spurs in Arroyo Grande, CA
There's a bunch of locations all over the central coast and the food is pretty consistent. The stew comes with the meal in a cast iron pot. Free refills. :)

Best Beer Selection:
Spike's in San Luis Obispo, CA
Try all their beers and get a t-shirt. Or just buy a t-shirt cause it's a lot cheaper.

Best Dessert:
Taco Temple in Morro Bay, CA
I thought I was going to die from nirvana overdose when I had their Chai Cheesecake. I don't say things like that- ever.

Best Location:
Olde Port Inn in Avila Beach, CA
It's on a pier and the tables are see-through so you can see the ocean below. :) Also, their bacon wrapped shrimp is phenom.

Best Burrito:
Freebirds in Santa Barbara, CA
There are no words.

And finally.....

Best Cupcake:
Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverley Hills, CA
I like Strawberry. This is the only location that I have had that's any good.

I'm blogging! Holy jelly-filled-donut, Batman!

2009-06-30T15:10:00.000-07:00

Hello Tuesday!

First of all, look ----> over there to find my birthday wish list. Thank you for your attention.

Today is productive and laborious. Woo for physical labor at work! I'm sure most don't appreciate lifting and pushing and getting down on their hands and knees. You know, moving a 2 inch thick file for every single road in the county from room 102 to 111. But I welcome anything that involves not staring at a computer skin and typing in excel. Usually to save my sanity I'll go for a walk downtown, because I happen to work a half a block from downtown. Unfortunately, this leads to me spending money. Maybe a yogurt, or a tea, or this guy...

...whom I love. Or the foundation I just overpaid for at Sephora. So anyways, physical labor is better than spending money in the case of my bank account. Speaking of which, today I applied for a job that I desperately want and today I read in this...

...little Fortune Telling: Book of Names book that "Jacqueline" somehow translates into "hard work paying off with significant financial gain." Which is totally gravy with me. Thank you Pottery Barn for your infinite wisdom.

Also! I thought I'd share a story about how my honey acts like a woman about certain things. You know how women like to let their boyfriend/husband/lover/sex-toy think that certain things were their idea? Well they do. And my boyfriend/future-husband/lover/... did that this morning. Here's how the conversation went...

Are you going to come down to Santa Maria today? Justin.
I was planning on it. Me.
Ok, good cause I have to wake up early.

So, anyways. What do you want to do today? Justin.
I don't know. I won't be down there till 6 or 7. Me.
Ok. Let's go to a nice dinner!
Well, if you insist.
The question is 'where?'
We could make reservations at Jocko's...
Ok! Give them a call!

This was his way of getting out of talking to a stranger on the phone. He's never this agreeable unless everything is working out exactly as he planned it.

And on that note- here is a closing image or a house that I want. Those blue tiles are solar panels. Now that's art. Kind, practical, green, lovely art.

Now....

It's a SLO Morning.

2009-06-24T09:26:00.000-07:00

I love walking in the morning when the BBQ smoke from the local joints condense around the morning ocean mist. It gives the impression that you're walking through a marinade.

Yesterday, I made a Banana Rum Crisp. It was at the request of my baby who loved the Cherry Crisp but thought maybe since he loved bananas, a Banana Crisp would be even better! Granted- this is from the man who was making spaghetti, noticed there was wine in it and decided, "Well I don't really like wine- but I like BEER!"

I found the recipe online and tweaked it a bit- adding the rum extract. It was quite delish although in my opinion there was a typo and they asked for way too much butter. I will reduce it next time.

For those that are interested- edited and tweaked for your taste bud pleasure:
**Disclaimer: I haven't tried the tweaked version (I'm not rich enough to go grocery shopping twice a week), but I don't see it going poorly.

Banana Rum Crisp

4-5 bananas
3 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp imitation rum extract
Crisp topping:
3/4 cup regular oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Slice bananas into bowl. Add lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum; mix well. Put banana mixture in buttered baking dish. Crisp topping: In a bowl combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter until cornmeal consistency. Sprinkle over bananas. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with ICE CREAM! Mmmmm.

Also! Look what I found this morning. At first I started laughing and then I realized how PRETTY these are! Much nicer than those cold suit-like coffins with harsh lines. They are an eco-friendly way to pass on- no chemicals or wasteful wood products. And very biodegradable. (Sorry- totally morbid, but it's a party of life.)

And I really like this guy. If I had a forest- these would be scattered all around.

Lately this photo has been on my mind. Of my friend Michelle and her hubby Caleb on their wedding day. They look like they complete each other, don't they?

But I love this photographer. I wish she would take photos at my one-day wedding. Or maybe of my one-day pregnant belly.

Look at the black dot and don't move your eyes.

2009-06-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

The Calendar

2009-06-11T13:04:00.001-07:00

So much is going on right now- I love it! I've missed having days to look forward to or to prepare for. I almost started missing tests.

Firstly, it's Thursday- which means. Anyone? Anyone? Farmer's Market! Bring on the kettle korn and other street food. The bands, the puppet show, the fire truck, the fruits and veggies. Gosh I love Farmer's. My boyfriend has requested that I pick up some boysenberries- but I don't think they're in season yet. It's too cold. I'll be making cake tonight with some of the berries, thanks to one of this lady's incredible recipes.

Secondly, I've found a very promising apartment to move into with my love. I'm very excited about it. The complex is in an area that I have grown to know well (because it is about 3 blocks from his mom's house. Good? Bad? I don't know). And the neighborhood reminds me of the houses by my elementary school. Plus- can you say Fitness Center, Heated Pool, and Billiards Table? Bomb.

Thirdly, there's always the worry of how I am going to pay for rent when my savings runs out since I'll be moving to a new city with no job lined up. The solution? The Emergency 30 Day Substitute Teaching Permit. This will allow me to be on-call for subbing grades k-12 in the county of my choice. All I have to do is earn my Bachelor's Degree (oh wait- I already did that) and take the CBEST. Which I just registered for to take in July.

Lastly, it's Graduation weekend! At first I was completely dreading this. I graduated months ago and I've been in that mindset since then. So going back to campus was like going back to school which is totally counter-intuitive to what graduation is supposed to be- a leaving process. Also, I have to be honest and say that I am not totally stoked to be graduated. It's very gratifying that I accomplished something so wonderful in such a short amount of time but it sucks to be out in the real world with no job (yet). BUT! Graduation weekend now means that I get to see my family, my best friends, my boyfriend, and the in-laws all in one place. And THAT is epic. Hopefully everyone gets along. :)

Eureka! (CA)

2009-06-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

You know what would be perfect? Like exactly-what-I-need perfection? I need to receive a temporary (6 month max) position in someplace like Oregon. Or Washington. Or Wyoming. Or Idaho.

Then...
I'll get the hell out of Dodge.
I'll be in the money.
Country roads take me home.
Another day, another dollar.

Or something to that extent.